Moving on Relocations and expansions

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MOVINGON

Relocations and expansions across Europe

Wacker builds new dispersions plant in South Korea

Wacker Chemie AG is expanding its production capacity in South Korea for vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions. The Munichbased chemical group is constructing a new plant with an annual capacity of 40,000 metric tons at its site in Ulsan. This measure will almost double Ulsan’s VAE dispersion capacity, making the enlarged production complex one of the biggest of its kind in South Korea.

Expected to start up in January 2013, the new plant will enable WACKER to meet accelerating demand for high-quality VAE dispersions, especially in South East Asia’s developing countries.

Having budgeted around €10 million for the expansion project, WACKER is strengthening its position as one of the world’s major suppliers of VAE dispersions. Visit: www.wacker.com

Solvay increases SOLEF® production capacity

Solvay is reinforcing its leadership on the growing world market for SOLEF® Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) by starting up new production capacity at its Tavaux plant, France. Solvay has invested €26 million to increase the PVDF production capacity at the plant by 50 per cent. Solvay’s SOLEF® PVDF is, among others, used for demanding applications in oil & gas extraction, as binders and in separators in Lithium-Ion and Lithium-Metal-Polymer® (LMP) batteries in hybrid and electric cars, in semiconductor manufacturing and in water purification membranes for waste water filtration equipment. The outstanding properties of SOLEF® PVDF combined with the multiple available processing techniques make this fluorinated polymer a prime material for new applications in various demanding environments and applications. Visit: www.solvay.com

Big move for Grayton Engineering

Grayton Engineering, part of the PJD Group and one of the UK’s leading independent mechanical engineering contractors, is relocating from its home of 17 years in Scunthorpe to new and larger premises in Immingham.

The move will see Grayton acquiring 34,000 sq ft of fabrication workshop space, 17,000 sq ft of general fabrication workshops, an 8000 sq ft pipework fabrication workshop, 9000 sq ft painting and blasting facilty, three overhead 15 tonne cranes, two high capacity plate rolls, a 4-acre external laydown area and 8000 sq ft pipework fabrication workshop serviced by two 5-tonne cranes.

These facilities provide Grayton Engineering with a strong platform to enhance its reputation as a leading mechanical and structural engineering business to clients such as Phillips 66, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals and CEMEX. Visit: www.graytonengineering.com

Shell unveils new lubricants blending plant in Russia

Shell has opened a major new lubricants blending plant, the first built by an international oil company in Russia.

The new plant in Torzhok, in the Tver region northwest of Moscow, is ideally located to supply a range of finished consumer, transport and industrial lubricants to customers in Russia. It can blend up to 200 million litres of lubricants a year, making it one of the largest in Shell’s current global plant network, and will create 150 Russian jobs when at full capacity. Mark Gainsborough, Shell executive vice-president for Shell Global Commercial, said: “Shell is proud to open this impressive new plant in an important growth market for lubricants. Supply chain is the cornerstone of efficient delivery to our customers of high quality lubricants products, such as Shell Helix, Shell Rimula, Shell Spirax, Shell Tellus and Shell Omala.” Visit: www.shell.com

DEUTZ opens service centre in Madrid

The Cologne-based engine manufacturer DEUTZ has opened a new service centre in Spain. Covering an area of almost 4000m2, the Madrid service centre represents a centre of excellence for engines that will provide the very highest levels of customer service.

In addition to offices, there will be a 500m2 workshop and a 1000m2 logistics area. There will also be a spare-parts shop for customers and a large fleet of machinery. In addition to the workshop, which will be fitted out with all the necessary equipment for working on DEUTZ engines, there will also be four fully-equipped vans which the mechanics will be able to use to carry out on-site repair work. The logistics area is equipped with state-of-the-art, fully automated wwarehouse technology to ensure rapid and problem-free material handling.

The opening of the new service centre will provide the company’s local partners in Spain with a centre of excellence for diesel engine technology. Visit: www.deutz.com