Moving on Relocations and expansions

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MOVINGON

Relocations and expansions across Europe

Production Audi Q7 starts in India

Audi has started production of the Q7 luxury-class SUV at its Aurangabad plant, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Up to 1000 of the Audi Q7 will be built there each year to supply the Indian market. Following on from the Audi A4, Audi A6 and Audi Q5, the Q7 is the fourth model to be built in India by the Ingolstadt carmaker.

“Local production of the Audi Q7 is part of our long-term growth strategy in India, one of the most promising auto markets in the world,” declared Dr Frank Dreves, Audi Board Member for Production. “The very good infrastructure in the plant, efficient working processes, a qualified workforce and a well developed logistics environment, along with the surging growth of the Indian market, were the factors that motivated us to expand the Aurangabad plant.” Visit: www.audi.com

Brevini invests in its European HQ

Brevini Power Transmission has opened its new headquarters in Via dei Gonzaga, northern Italy, which consolidates all its manufacturing activity under one roof. The new 83,000m2 facility represents almost €25 million of investment and will allow Brevini to adopt the principles of Lean Manufacturing across its entire product range; reducing lead times on deliveries across Europe.

Brevini manufactures and supplies the most comprehensive range of medium-to-high torque gearbox and winch products on the market. In order to support the further expansion of its product portfolio and reduce delivery lead times for its entire range, it has opened a custom built facility which has the manufacturing capacity to satisfy global product demand. Visit: www.brevini.com

Volvo integrates assembly of diesel plug-in hybrid

Volvo Car Corporation is now ramping up production of the new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid. After the initial batch of 1000 model year 2013 cars, production will increase to 4000-6000 cars as of model year 2014.

The assembly of the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid has been successfully integrated on the same line as the company’s other models at the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg.

“We are first in the industry to integrate a plug-in hybrid in an established production flow together with other car models,” says Peter Mertens, senior vice-president Research and Development at Volvo Car Corporation. Visit: www.volvocars.com

MTU Maintenance Zhuhai increases MRO capacity by 50 per cent

IN order to meet the growing expectations of the global aviation market, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, a joint venture between Germany’s leading engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Air Holding Company, has extended its main engine repair shop by 5900 square metres to increase the overall capacity by 50% from currently 200 to 300 shop visits per year.

“We are very proud of this milestone,” said Dr Stefan Weingartner, president Commercial Maintenance and member of the board at MTU Aero Engines, at the opening celebration. “MTU Maintenance Zhuhai has been operating in China for more than ten years now and has become a strong, competent and reliable partner with excellent growth potential.” Visit: www.mtu.de

MMK considers investments in Turkish subsidiary

OJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) is exploring the possibility of investing an additional USD 100 million over the medium term into MMK-Metalurji, its Turkish subsidiary, to reduce production costs and increase production efficiency.

Investment projects under consideration include construction of an OxiCup shaft furnace and briquetting plant, to reduce dependency on the correlation between scrap and coil prices, make efficient use of production waste and replace bought-in cast iron with MMK’s own; and modernisation of the plant’s hot-rolling mill along with introduction of additional stand, to expand the product range and increase the share of highmargin products.

“We are constantly looking for new ways to substantially increase our current technological and production capacities in Turkey,” MMK CEO Boris Dubrovsky said. Visit: eng.mmk.ru