6 minute read
Technology spotlight Advances in technology
NEWS
MOVINGON
Relocations and expansions across Europe
EuroChem to establish joint venture in China
EuroChem, Russia’s largest mineral fertiliser producer and a top ten agrochemical company globally, has announced plans to create a joint venture with Migao Corporation, a China-based speciality potash fertiliser producer, in Yunnan, southern China. It is expected that the new joint venture will produce up to 60,000 tonnes of potassium nitrate and up to 200,000 tonnes of chloride-free NPK fertilisers per annum. EuroChem and Migao Corporation plan to begin the construction of a plant in 2013 and launch production in 2014.
Dmitry Strezhnev, CEO of EuroChem, commented: “EuroChem is delighted to announce a new joint venture project in China, the largest consumer of fertilisers in the world and a region of strategic importance for us. We already sell over 200,000 tonnes of speciality NPK fertilisers in the Chinese market, and the new joint venture is a next logical step.” Visit: www.eurochem.ru
ContiTech focuses knowhow at Slovakian site
ContiTech AG of Hanover, Germany, has broken ground on the expansion of its plant in DolnÈ Vestenice, Slovakia. By building a new production hall, ContiTech Vibration Control, a business unit of ContiTech AG, is enlarging the existing production area by around 4,000 square meters. In conjunction with this groundbreaking ceremony, Heinz-Gerhard Wente, a member of the Executive Board at Continental AG and chairman of the Executive Board at ContiTech AG, also opened a new research and development (R&D) center. In total, ContiTech has invested around €7.5 million in these projects.
“The expansion allows us to now focus all our production in Slovakia at one plant and create capacity for additional business,” says Karl Armbrecht, technical director at the site. Visit: www.contitech.de
Concentric opens European hydraulics centre in Bavaria
Concentric AB has opened a new plant in Hof, Bavaria, consolidating all its European hydraulics manufacturing operations into a single site.
The inauguration of the new 9000m2 Hof facility is the culmination of an SEK 36 million (approximately €4.2 million) restructuring programme to create one centre of excellence for Concentric’s hydraulics technology and manufacturing in Europe. It involves the closure of the existing older plants in Hof and SkÂnes Fagerhult, Sweden and the gradual transfer of all production lines into the new facility during 2013.
Like Concentric’s American centre of excellence in Rockford, Illinois, the new Hof plant is designed to create a ‘best in class’ hydraulics facility in the region. This announcement completes the reorganisation of the company’s hydraulics business (formerly known as Haldex Hydraulics Division) which became part of Concentric AB when it was formed in June 2011. Visit: www.concentricAB.com
Unique Maritime Group expands global operations in Nigeria
Unique Maritime Group (UMG), one of the world’s leading integrated turnkey subsea and offshore solution providers, has recently opened up a new office in the African subcontinent as part of its geographical expansion strategy. The office is situated in Nigeria and will be called Unique Wellube Nigeria Limited.
Some of the primary engineering services that will be offered by Unique Wellube Nigeria Limited include Pipeline Rehabilitation, Hot Tapping & Line Stopping, On-Site Machining, Under Pressure Leak Sealing, Pipeline Repair Clamps, On-Line Safety Valve Testing, On-Line Valve Maintenance and Pipe Freezing. Visit: www.uniquegroup.com
Mitsubishi Electric launches industrial automation business in Turkey
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has announced that its local Turkish entity, Mitsubishi Electric Turkey AS, has integrated the operations of GENEL TEKNIK SISTEMLER SANAYI ve TiCARET ANONIM SIRKETI (GTS) and is now inaugurating sales of industrial automation systems under a new 42-person organisation encompassing five sales offices in the country.
Under the new structure, Mitsubishi Electric envisions industrial automation sales reaching 3 billion yen by the fiscal year ending in March 2016 in Turkey, one of its priority markets. For further growth, Mitsubishi Electric Turkey also expects to develop sales in neighboring countries. In addition, Mitsubishi Electric Turkey will support efforts to expand other Mitsubishi Electric businesses in Turkey, including those involving air conditioning and infrastructurerelated business, such as satellites, elevators/ escalators, electrical equipment for railcars, and power systems. Visit: www.mitsubishielectric.com
NEWS
INDUSTRYPEOPLE
Paul Willcox has been appointed Managing Director of Volkswagen Group (UK) Limited, taking over from Simon Thomas who leaves the UK to take up a global marketing role.
Willcox, 49, joins the business on 16 September from Nissan, where he has held the role of senior vice-president, Sales and Marketing for Europe since June 2011. He has worked in the motor industry for a number of years, having started his career, following graduation with a degree in Management Sciences, at Peugeot GB.
New MD for Pipe Center and Climate Center
Lee Newman has been appointed managing director of Pipe Center and Climate Center, the specialist HVAC business unit of Wolseley UK.
Steve Ashmore, managing director, Wolseley UK, said: “Lee has been appointed to take Pipe Center and Climate Center to the next level and capitalise on the exciting growth opportunities that we believe will emerge in the future. With his track record of delivering step changes in business performance, I’m delighted to welcome Lee back to Wolseley UK in this key leadership role.”
New CEO for NSK Europe Ltd
DR Jürgen Ackermann has been appointed CEO of NSK Europe, one of the world’s leading suppliers of bearings and automotive components. Dr Ackermann has been at NSK Europe since 2007, most recently in the position of COO.
“With Dr Ackermann, NSK will continue its successful growth path in Europe and keep pursuing its aim of attaining quality leadership across the board,” said the previous CEO Norbert Schneider, who is assuming the position of non-executive chairman.
Before joining NSK, Dr Jürgen Ackermann was managing director at Norgren Deutschland, one of the top ten suppliers of motion and fluid control technologies worldwide.
QIWI plc appoints Dmitry Pleskonos to the board of directors
QIWI plc, the leading provider of next generation payment services in Russia and the CIS, has announced that Mr Dmitry Pleskonos has been appointed to the company’s board of directors as an independent director and a member of the audit committee.
Mr Pleskonos has over 20 years of international executive experience. Since August 2012 he has also served as a director of KONTI Group.
MTU Aero Engines renews contract with COO
MTU Aero Engines AG’s supervisory board has voted to extend chief operating officer Dr Rainer Martens’ contract. Martens has been a member of MTU’s board of management since 15 April 2006, with overall responsibility for engineering and production. The contract renewal is for a term of five years, commencing on 15 April 2014.
“I’m very pleased to continue in my role as COO, especially so knowing that MTU has everything in place for a great future, so that all of us will be in for even more exciting challenges to come,” Martens said. “The most pressing topic on the agenda for the coming years will be the preparations for introducing the newgeneration GTF engines into service.”
