Alfa Laval powered by expanding sales
Alfa Laval, a world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling, won another order last month for plate heat exchangers from China's rapidly growing power industry.
The order is valued at about 90 million Swedish kroner ($15.2 million). Delivery is scheduled for 2010.
"This is the third order in a short period connected to the power industry and it confirms the positive trend in our customer segment of energy and environment," said Lars Renstrom, CEO and President of the Alfa Laval Group.
China has made environmental protection and sustainable development one of its core national policies, offering many companies opportunities to enhance their business in China, including Alfa Laval. The numbers illustrate Alfa Laval's success .
"China represents around 13 percent of global Alfa Laval sales. Our turnover amounted to 334 million euros ($521 million) last year in China," noted Jan Debruyn, managing director for Alfa Laval China, "The company has a strategy to grow significantly here. Our vision for the future is to be a clear market leader, to build on and deepen our current presence and continue a profitable and stable growth."
The Swedish company, founded by the great Swedish inventor Gustaf de Laval to commercialize his pioneering invention of the centrifugal separator, now has a network of 20 production units and 70 service centers spread in more than 100 countries all over the world.
Alfa Laval products first entered the Chinese market in the 1950s. The company set up its first office in Beijing in 1984. Now it has sales offices in six major cities together with more than 200 authorized distributors and two manufacturing sites in Jiangyin and Kunshan in Jiangsu province.
Its other activities also include after-service repair shops in Jiangyin, a brewery module workshop and flow equipment distribution center in Shanghai, local engineering and service solutions as well as product development to meet the needs of local customers and a sourcing unit that purchases equipment and parts for the whole Alfa Laval Group.
Alfa Laval is involved in several projects in environmental protection and saving energy in China, including nuclear power stations, pure ballast systems and district heating projects.
"Alfa Laval has been involved in the Chinese nuclear industry since the early stage and worked with design institutes and contractors to get the Alfa Laval plate heat exchanger approved and included in technical specifications," said Debruyn, "The first deliveries made were for the construction of the two reactors in Guangdong Daya Bay, where Alfa Laval heat exchangers put into operation from 1994."
Since then Alfa Laval has been selected as supplier to all new nuclear power plants. Orders have been awarded by international contractors as well as domestic contractors in China. "In 10 years time, it is estimated that there are 20 to 40 more nuclear reactors to be initiated in China," added Debruyn.
(China Daily 04/14/2008 page16)
