NEWS
MOVINGON
Relocations and expansions across Europe
Constellium to invest in Body-inWhite production capacity in Europe
Barrett Steel launches Energy Products Division
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he Barrett Steel Group has announced that it has created a new division specifically to service the global energy markets. The Barrett Energy Products Division unifies the various UK and US facilities under a new identity, supporting both UK and international growth. Managing director John Childs explains: “We strategically made the move into the Oil & Gas sector four years ago and have had year-on-year growth ever since. With continued investment in both people and equipment, the new division gives us a corporate identity that supports our vision of becoming a world leader as a solution provider for the energy industry. Visit:www.barrettsteel.com
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Siniat opens lab facility at Bristol plant
Allison Transmission opens new facility in the Netherlands
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onstellium NV plans to invest up to €200 million over the next three years to further grow its European Body-in-White (BiW) business. The past few years have seen a notable increase in the use of aluminium flat rolled products in premium car models in Europe. Constellium believes that this growth will continue in light of stringent European legislation on CO2 emissions and resource efficiency. “Constellium is strongly committed to developing its industrial platform and serving the automotive industry globally with innovative and value-added aluminium products. We will therefore continue to focus our energy and resources to develop our global BiW capacity,” stated Pierre Vareille, CEO of Constellium. Visit: www.constellium.com
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llison Transmission Holdings Inc. has opened a new multi-purpose facility in the Netherlands to better serve its customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Located in Sliedrecht, the building centralises the company’s parts distribution, product customisation and customer training functions. “This facility further expands Allison’s capability to provide our OEMs with transmissions that are ‘installation ready’,” said Michael G. Headly, senior vicepresident of Global Marketing, Sales and Service for Allison Transmission. The integrated customer services will benefit Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and end users of Allison Transmission products. By building a Parts Distribution Centre (PDC) and Customisation Centre that is located close to major hubs for truck and bus manufacturing, Allison is demonstrating its ongoing commitment to customer satisfaction. Visit: www.allisontransmission.com
Axalta expands waterborne coatings capacity in China
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xalta Coating Systems is expanding its manufacturing capacity for coatings with the construction of a new $50 million eco-friendly waterborne facility in the Jiading district of Shanghai. Axalta’s Shanghai waterborne facility will manufacture and supply up to 25,000 metric tons of its highly 18 Industry Europe
eading plasterboard manufacturer and supplier Siniat has invested more than £250,000 in the construction of a state-of-the-art new laboratory facility at its flagship manufacturing plant in Portbury, Bristol. The lab provides a modern, high-spec environment for Siniat’s production, maintenance and quality assurance teams and has enabled it to consolidate all three – which were previously based in different parts of the site – in one central, integrated location at the heart of the plant. The facility will also act as an area where Siniat can welcome customers and other visitors to discuss its latest innovations and demonstrate key product performance capabilities such as fire and water resistance. Stephane Mettavant, plant manager said, “We’ve embarked on an ambitious programme of change for our Bristol plant since becoming Siniat. It’s focused on improving facilities for our customers and our employees and creating an environment in which we can share our expertise.” Visit: www.siniat.co.uk
acclaimed waterborne products. Axalta’s technological leadership in waterborne paints and expanded capacity for waterborne production will support the long-term growth of an automotive industry that is extending into the southern and western areas of the country. Both Axalta products and the manufacturing facility itself will contribute to the overall sustainable develop-
ment of China’s automotive industry. Axalta’s waterborne production process utilises a global waterborne technology system to produce ‘Lean and Green Automotive Coatings’ that automobile original equipment manufacturers can use to significantly reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), energy consumption and investment. Visit: www.axaltacoatingsystems.com
