NEWS
MOVINGON
Relocations and expansions across Europe
Solvay to build alkoxylation facility in North America Ionbond opens new corporate headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland
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onbond, one of the world’s leading providers of PVD, CVD and PACVD coating services and CVD coating equipment, has opened its new corporate headquarters offices in Zurich. The move follows the acquisition of Ionbond by the IHI Corporation of Japan at the end of last year. The new headquarters will be home to Ionbond’s corporate management. IHI, which also owns Hauzer Techno Coating in Venlo, Netherlands, a leader in PVD and PACVD coating equipment, sees the new headquarters in Zurich as a central coordination point for its growth in coating services and equipment worldwide. Ionbond’s CEO Joe Haggerty said: “We are very pleased to open our new headquarters in Zurich. This location allows us to receive customers more easily upon their arrival in Switzerland and allows for more efficient coordination with our coating network.” Visit: www.ionbond.com
Middle East Propulsion Company expands its product portfolio
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he leading Saudi Arabian engine maintenance company Middle East Propulsion Company has strengthened its position as a provider of military engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for the whole of the Middle East region. In the four years since MTU’s acquisition of a 19% share in 2009, MEPC’s product portfolio has been continuously extended. The Middle East Propulsion Company has expanded its module maintenance work by winning contracts for the RB199, the engine powering the RSAF Tornado fleet. Furthermore, the MRO capability for the PT6 engine installed on the RSAF’s Pilatus PC-9 and PC-21 training aircraft has recently been established and the company is awaiting certification approval for maintenance work on the T56 engine that powers the RSAF fleet of C-130 Hercules. In addition to this expansion, MEPC has been awarded with a follow-on contract of the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW220 engines for the Boeing F15 beginning November 2013. Visit: www.mtu.de
Bosch UK opens new £1.2 million state-of-the-art facility
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osch UK has opened a new state-ofthe-art facility designed to provide a single northern location for Bosch, which combines Bosch Rexroth, its industrial drives and controls company, and Worcester, Bosch Group, its heating and hot-water solutions company.
18 Industry Europe
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olvay is to build and operate a large-scale alkoxylation unit in Pasadena, Texas, at an integrated industrial facility of LyondellBasell’s Equistar Chemicals affiliate, in order to serve a growing North American market. Equistar will supply the ethylene oxide raw material to the unit, in which Solvay will invest nearly €40 million and which is expected to be operational in 2015. “This is the latest in a series of strategic investments we have made to deploy capacity and product development assets to serve our customers in dynamic market segments,” said Emmanuel Butstraen, president of Solvay Novecare. “Spurred by a rebounding housing market and a dynamic manufacturing sector, the new facility will enable us to help our North America customers meet growing business opportunities in many markets.” Visit: www.solvay.com
Luso Electronics opens manufacturing facility
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uso Electronics, a UK based supplier of satcom products, engineering components for machinery and power electronic products, has opened a new design and manufacturing facility that will boost the company’s delivery of fully integrated turn-key installations and microwave products to meet increasing demand, primarily from customers in commercial and military satellite communications. While most European microwave product providers simply supply components, Luso has been designing, developing, testing, installing and servicing tailored microwave and high-quality radio frequency (RF) systems and component solutions since 2001. The company’s new facility in Luton will strengthen its manufacturing capability, improve delivery time and offer greater flexibility to customers with specific design needs. RoHS compliant satcom products manufactured on site including Vsat antennas, switching systems, waveguide assemblies, filters, diplexers, adapters and associated electronic components. Visit: www.lusoelectronics.com
The new facility, located in Normanton, near Wakefield, consolidates three Bosch sites in the North of England into a single location. The facility, built on a 3.6-acre site, equivalent to two football pitches, will provide customer service and support to its Bosch Rexroth mechanical engineering customers and training to its installers in the heating and hot water sector.
Bosch Rexroth will design and manufacture hydraulic systems for many industry sectors, including marine, offshore and bulk materials handling, at its state-of-the-art Wakefield site. The site will also be a base for hydraulic training and courses which will be run throughout the year. Visit: www.boschrexroth.com
