Wärtsilä expands in UAE with new offices and workshop

Dubai: Wärtsilä has opened new offices and a workshop in the UAE to meet the rapidly growing market demand from marine and power plant customers in Dubai and in the Gulf in general.

The new workshop premises, located in the Dubai Investment Park 2 (DIP2), enable Wärtsilä to offer a wide range of services for engines, ships, automation, propellers, thrusters, alignment and in-situ machining.

"Dubai has become an important business hub in the Middle East and its growth is foreseen to continue in the future. The expansion of Wärtsilä's portfolio of products and services in that region corresponds to our steadfast commitment to be a one-stop shop for industrial and marine customers", says Tage Blomberg, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Services. "Being in Dubai is being where the business needs are. Local presence is of the essence in the service business", he adds.

The new offices and workshop have a floor area close to 10,000 square metres, almost triple the combined size of Wärtsilä's other locations in Dubai. It will allow the company to handle larger work in terms of dimensions and weight, being equipped with six overhead cranes with maximum capacities of 30 tonnes.

Nearly all Wärtsilä's 325 employees in Dubai will relocate to the new centre and it is expected that approximately 70 new staff will be taken to handle the increased business. Wärtsilä also plans to open an office and workshop in Dubai Maritime City.

Wärtsilä has been expanding its network in the Middle East. A branch office was opened in Fujairah in April 2007, and in Bahrain in January 2008. Further offices are planned in Oman, Yemen, Egypt and Qatar, as well as additional offices and workshops in Dubai. All these branch offices will report to a local head office for the Middle East, which will be in Dubai. This local head office will serve 14 countries. There are independent branch offices in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. [22/04/08]

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