Moving on Relocations and expansions

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MOVINGON

Relocations and expansions across Europe

Automobili Lamborghini opens new prototype development building

Automobili Lamborghini has inaugurated its latest building designed specifically for the development of prototypes and pre-series vehicles. Developed in cooperation with the Prospazio engineering studio, the new multi-story structure was specially designed to earn the Class A industrial energy rating (yearly energy consumption: < 8 Kwh/m3) and is the first industrial building in Italy to be built with such characteristics.

This result was achieved by utilising latest-generation solutions and techniques for the external facings. In fact, the facade consists of special walls made of triple-layer polycarbonate and of ventilated walls covered with ultrathin ceramic cladding, which were specifically created in the ‘Lamborghini black’ colour and provide a high level of thermal insulation.

The building will be equipped with a photovoltaic system that generates enough power to meet its yearly electricity needs, so it will have zero CO2 impact. This requirement will become the standard that all new Lamborghini buildings must meet.

On the second floor of the building, a ‘mini’ assembly line with advanced technical solutions has been set up to duplicate the entire range of assembly steps performed on a standard production line. The miniature line will be used to carefully study the steps in assembling preseries models, so that high standards of quality can be reached during subsequent industrial production. www.lamborghini.com

Morgan Ceramics expands its operation in Pulandian, China

Morgan Ceramics, a Division of the Morgan Crucible Company plc, has marked its latest business venture in China with a groundbreaking ceremony which heralds the start of construction at its new site in Pulandian in Liaoning province.

The new purpose built Morgan Ceramics Dalian facility, which will incorporate manufacturing processes for both the technical and thermal sides of the Morgan Ceramics business, is expected to be completed within three years. Dr Andy Wynn, project director for Morgan Ceramics Dalian, said: “The next few years will be very exciting and our ultimate aim is to supply a range of high technology markets in Asia, including automotive, aerospace, medical, electronics, fire protection, petrochemical, power generation, aluminium and iron & steel. The new site will be central to our focus of providing a range of advanced materials and manufacturing processes for our customers. www.morganceramics.com

Palsgaard begins construction of Malaysian emulsifier plant

Palsgaard AS, the specialist in the manufacture and supply of stabilisers and emulsifiers for bakery, confectionery, dairy, fine foods and sauces, ice cream and margarine, has announced that the construction of the company’s new 20,000 MT capacity emulsifier plant in Johor, Malaysia was kicked off on 22 June at a ground breaking ceremony. Once the construction of the plant has been completed in the first half of 2013, Palsgaard will be able to satisfy the increasing needs and demands of its customers for high quality emulsifiers and stabilisers in the Asian region. Palsgaard already has a fully equipped application centre in Singapore with pilot equipment within dairy, ice cream, bakery and soya milk products and soon a margarine pilot plant will be installed. The new production facility, combined with the application centre and extensive know-how in Singapore, makes it all complete. www.palsgaard.com

Solvay to build bio-based epichlorohydrin plant in China

Solvay has announced that its Thai affiliate Vinythai will serve the vast and growing Chinese epichlorohydrin market with a new production plant in Taixing, China. The plant, with an initial capacity of 100,000 tons epichlorohydrin per year, requires an investment of €155 million and should become operational in the second half of 2014. The Chinese epichlorohydrin market is expected to grow on an annual basis by 8% and represent 35% of total world demand in 2016. Epichlorohydrin is an essential feedstock for the production of epoxy resins, increasingly used in applications such as corrosion protection coatings as well in the electronics, automotive, aerospace and wind turbine industries. The new plant located in the Taixing Economic Development Park will be based on Solvay’s proprietary bio-based Epicerol® technology. The plant will use as feedstock natural glycerin obtained as by-product from the production of biofuels. www.solvay.com

The Bolzoni Group opens new fork manufacturing plant in China

The Bolzoni Group has boosted its fork production capacity with a new plant located in Longhua Town, Jing County, Hebei, 250km south-west of Beijing.

Bolzoni Huaxin Co. Ltd is the result of a joint venture between the Italian Bolzoni SpA, leader in forklift truck attachments, lift tables and forks, and the Chinese Hebei Jing County Huaxin Forks Co. Ltd (‘Huaxin’) the leading company in China for the production of lift truck forks.

In a 16,000m2 building, the area dedicated to manufacturing is divided into three production lines, two for standard forks and one for larger sections. The first production line has a capacity of 200,000 forks per year in two shifts whereas the production capacity of the entire plant can reach up to 500,000 forks per year.

“The combination of the fork production know-how of Huaxin and Bolzoni’s wellestablished worldwide distribution channel opens thrilling opportunities for us,” says Emanuele Scotti, president of Bolzoni Huaxin. www.bolzoni-auramo.com