Wheelabrator Group goes deeper into Asia with new regional headquarters

Citation

(2007), "Wheelabrator Group goes deeper into Asia with new regional headquarters", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 54 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2007.12854aab.013

Wheelabrator Group goes deeper into Asia with new regional headquarters

Wheelabrator Group goes deeper into Asia with new regional headquarters

Booming business has led market leading surface preparation and equipment specialist Wheelabrator Group to strengthen its network by opening a new Asia-Pacific headquarters in Shanghai, China.

The group also has offices in the far east in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei and Bangkok and has seen a more than 20 per cent rise in orders in the region in the first three quarters of the year compared to same period in 2005, including contracts from South Korea, China, Taiwan and ASEAN.

It celebrated the opening of its Shanghai base with the delivery of two five metre wide steel plate blast cleaning systems Baoshan Iron & Steel, forming part of the largest machines of their type in the world, from its UK manufacturing plant in Yorkshire.

Vanessa Riding, Global Marketing Communications manager at Wheelabrator Group, said: “The Asia- Pacific region is playing an increasing role in the development of our company and we're delighted to be strengthening our resources and reach in the area”.

“This added support will help us attract and serve a wide range of customers and build on the great foundations we have laid since first moving to the region in 1998”.

The new office is headed up by Steven Chew and has nine employees, responsible for sales, marketing, equipment installation and servicing. This figure is set to grow to 13 by the end of the year.

Mr Chew said: “China's growing economy and buoyant aerospace, steel mill and shipbuilding industries, combined with Shanghai's proximity to many large industrial centres, makes it the ideal location from which to prompt further growth in the region”.

When fully integrated into Baoshan's new automated production facility, the machines will feature ten blast wheels and process 300mm thick steel plates at a speed of six metres per minute, to a cleanliness standard of S.a 2.5, SP10:NACE3.

Among the reasons for choosing Wheelabrator Group, Baoshan said, was its ability to write a control program for the whole system, including parts of the system manufactured locally.

Wheelabrator Group has an extensive global network of teams in over 20 countries and employs more than 1,200 staff. Its head office is in Altrincham, near Manchester.

Earlier this year, the group received a vote of confidence when top private equity professionals Mid Europa Partners acquired all its outstanding equity-through its Emerging Europe Convergence Fund II, LP-from an investment group led by Bard & Company.

Wheelabrator Group owns, designs, manufactures and provides wheelblast, airblast and mass finishing equipment for surface preparation and cleaning, and serves a variety of sectors, including the aerospace and automotive industries. Further information can be found at www.wheelabratorgroup.com

For product enquiries or to arrange a visit to Wheelabrator Group's Surface Technology Centre, please contact: Brian Rodgers, Sales Manager, Wheelabrator Group, on 0161 928 6388 or uk-info@wheelabratorgroup.co.uk