Take Over Ship Engine Manufacturing Operations News

Daewoo Heavy Industries Co. has reportedly expressed willingness to join Korea Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. in a planned ship engine joint venture. Executives from Daewoo, Korea Heavy and Samsung Heavy Industries Co. are to meet Dec. 4 to discuss Daewoo's proposal to join the venture. Korea Heavy and Samsung have agreed to set up a 60-40 joint venture that will take over ship engine manufacturing operations of the two companies starting on Jan. 1. Daewoo Heavy officials confirmed it had expressed its intention to join the venture, but did not give more information.

South Korea's Daewoo Heavy Industries Co. will invest $4.5 million in a joint ship engine manufacturing operation between state-run Hanjung and Samsung Heavy Industries Co., the Ministry of Commerce, Industries and Energy said. The ministry said Daewoo Heavy will hold a 17 percent stake through its investment in the newly named HSD Engine Co. Hanjung will hold a majority 51 percent stake, and Samsung Heavy 32 percent. Hanjung and Samsung will also pay $11 million and $6.8 million, respectively along with Daewoo's investment to raise HSD's equity capital to $26.8 million from the current $4.5 million. The ministry said most of the new capital would go to facility investment and the rest to research and development.