Wartsila opens a new large workshop in Shanghai, China
Wärtsilä Corporation today inaugurated the first phase of a new reconditioning workshop in Shanghai, China. It will provide high-quality reconditioning services to owners and operators of marine engines, gearboxes, controllable-pitch propellers, thrusters and other ship equipment. This first phase represents an investment of EUR 2.3 million.
“This new one-stop-shop service centre employs the latest technology, expertise and design to provide top quality and warranty for all reconditioned components. In addition to serving both customers in the Shanghai area, it will keep up with the fast-growing demand throughout China. It is also envisaged that the scope of services undertaken from this workshop will be extended and that it will become one of the biggest reconditioning workshops in the world”, said Tage Blomberg, Group Vice President, Services, Wärtsilä Corporation.
The services undertaken by the new reconditioning workshop can be summarised as:
• Overhauling of engine components, and reconditioning of complete engines in the workshop
• Onboard overhaul, maintenance and repair of engines, gearboxes and controllable-pitch propellers
• Reconditioning of cylinder covers, piston crowns and fuel injection parts
• Machining of various engine components, as well of other ship equipment
• Various welding repair and re-chroming work
• In-situ machining of many sorts, including crankshaft main journals, crank pins and all kinds of rotating shafts, line boring and milling of engine blocks, line boring for coupling bolts, etc. Also checking alignment using laser equipment.
• Propeller repairs, as well as the repair and overhaul of thrusters.
The new workshop is already in operation, building up its scope of work. It is expected to be in full operation by May 2007. At present there are about 30 employees in the workshop and this number will be increased to about 70 when in full operation. Most of these employees are recruited locally. A handful of expatriates provide specialist knowledge and skills. Extensive training of the employees guarantees the necessary very high levels of quality required in the reconditioning work. Every single employee is qualified for excellent customer service and awareness of high quality.
There are three workshop buildings with a total floor area of 3600 m2 and also with 900 m2 of office space. The new Shanghai workshop joins Wärtsilä’s network of reconditioning workshops in Canada, Italy, the Netherlands and Singapore.
This workshop is the third to be established by Wärtsilä in China. One is in Hong Kong, and the other, opened in 1994 in Panyu, in the southern Guangdong province. They have been very successful and have pointed to the need to provide extended services in the more northern port of Shanghai which is one of the largest container ports in the world. The large fleet based in Shanghai and passing through the port represents a good market for services. It is well recognised by ship owners and operators that reconditioning is an ideal way to prolong the life of certain engine components.
Notes to the editor:
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is achieved by the dedication of more than 14,000 professionals manning 130 Wärtsilä locations in close to 70 countries around the world.