Wärtsilä to start propeller manufacture in China

Wärtsilä will begin manufacturing propellers in China. Wärtsilä's wholly owned company Wärtsilä Propulsion and Zhenjiang CME Co. Ltd (CME), wholly owned by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), have signed a contract to establish a joint venture company. The company will be 55%-owned by Wärtsilä and 45%-owned by CME and its name will be Wärtsilä-CME Zhenjiang Propeller Co. Ltd. "China's shipbuilding industry is growing rapidly and 15% of new ships are currently built in the country. China also is developing into a significant production country for ship equipment. The propeller manufacturing in China is Wärtsilä's first step in developing its production in this growing market", says Wärtsilä's President and CEO Ole Johansson. CSSC is the leading shipbuilding corporation in China. For CSSC it is important to create a network of competitive component suppliers for increasingly demanding ships. With Wärtsilä's design and expertize and CME's manufacturing skills the companies will create a competitive propeller supplier which has great growth opportunities in the global market. The company will produce LIPS and Kaida brand propellers. The joint venture's market area will the whole world. The joint venture will commence operations in CME's premises in Zhenjiang some 220 km west of Shanghai. The Chinese party will provide the plant's production equipment and personnel, while Wärtsilä's contribution will be the design and manufacturing expertise. Operation is expected to be started early next year after the requisite business licenses are received. The management will come from CME and Wärtsilä. The new company will have approximately 270 employees.