Shanghai: Wärtsilä officially opened an extension to its EUR20.8m ($30.8m) production plant in Wuxi, China this morning. The plant (pictured), which is located about 100km west of Shanghai, manufactures thrusters (including bow thrusters and tunnel thrusters) as well as seals and bearing products for all kinds and sizes of marine vessels. The existing factory, which is Wärtsilä's first wholly-owned production venture in China, has produced 300 tunnel thrusters since its inauguration in June 2005.
"The extension of the factory more than doubles the shop floor area and will now in addition to the production of transverse thrusters also have production lines for steerable thrusters and seals and bearings products and components," said Lars Hellberg, Wärtsilä Industrial Operations group vp.
With in total 8560sq mtr production area (including offices) Wuxi will manufacture steerable thrusters and transverse thrusters up to 3.0 m propeller diameter and an input power of 3500 kW, as well as for line shaft bearings and shaft sealing systems. The extension incorporates the state-of-the-art CNC (computer numerically controlled) machining technology.
Wärtsilä also has a joint venture company in Zhenjiang that is said to be the biggest fixed-pitch propeller manufacturer in China and one of the biggest in the world in this sector. The joint venture Wartsila CME Zhenjiang Propeller company was set up in 2004 and a new factory in Zhenjiang was inaugurated in June, 2007. [23/11/07]
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