Wartsila Will Have One of the Biggest Workshops in the World in Shanghai, China

Wartsila Will Have One of the Biggest Workshops in the World in Shanghai, China

March 22, 2007

    HELSINKI, Finland, March 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Wartsila 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 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, Wartsila 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 as
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. This
first phase represents an investment of Euro 2.3 million.

    The new Shanghai workshop joins Wartsila's network of
reconditioning workshops in Canada, Italy, the Netherlands
and Singapore. 

    This workshop is the third to be established by
Wartsila 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. 

    NOTE TO EDITORS: Wartsila enhances the business of its
customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power
solutions. When creating better and environmentally
compatible technologies, Wartsila focuses on the marine and
energy markets with products and solutions as well as
services. Through innovative products and services,
Wartsila 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 Wartsila
locations in close to 70 countries around the world.


    For more information, please contact:

     Marit Holmlund-Sund, Public Relations Manager 
     Wartsila Corporation
     Tel:   [phone]
     Fax:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]