Wärtsilä Corporation today opened a new, fully-equipped service workshop close to Saigon port in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This is part of Wärtsilä’s development of its business activities in this rapidly-growing market for the company’s products and services to the Vietnamese shipping, shipbuilding and power industries. Just two days previously, Wärtsilä opened a new branch office in Hanoi.
Wärtsilä has had a permanent presence in Vietnam since 1994 when it set up a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City. In 1998 Wärtsilä obtained a business licence to operate as a 100% foreign-owned service company and founded Wärtsilä Vietnam Co Ltd.
The renovation work and installation of the workshop equipment was begun in mid 2006. Commercial operation started in January 2007 on a small scale and the volume has since steadily risen. The 850 m2 service workshop has facilities for a variety of work on Wärtsilä products and other brands of engines. Particular mention can be made of the facilities for reconditioning fuel injection equipment. In addition, it is the authorized workshop for Vietnam and the Indochina area for overhauling Metaldyne viscous fluid vibration dampers for reducing torsional vibration forces in engines.
Wärtsilä in Vietnam has 15 employees of which eight are engineers who carry out repairs in the workshop as well as onboard ships or at power plant sites. The nucleus of this workforce has been trained at Wärtsilä in Singapore for eight months in the skills needed to run the new workshop.
Being in the south, the new service workshop is well located since many of its marine and power plant customers and repair shipyards are located in and around Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau City.
In the past, many engine components had to be sent overseas for repairs since there were no facilities available locally. Ship and power plant owners will benefit from savings in time and costs now when repairs can be done locally and to a comparable quality standard
On land, the main local customers are the captive power plants and power utilities in industrial parks. In the offshore sector, there are many supply vessels, crane barges, jack-up rigs and floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessels equipped with Wärtsilä engines and propulsion systems.
The owners and managers of foreign-flagged ships also welcome the opening of the Wärtsilä workshop as it gives them the opportunity to undertake major overhauls, maintenance and repairs when their vessels have sufficient time in local ports.
Media contact:
Marit Holmlund-Sund
Public Relations Manager
Wärtsilä Corporation
Direct tel: +358 10 709 1439
Direct fax: +358 10 709 1425
e-mail: marit.holmlund-sund@wartsila.com
Internet: www.wartsila.com
Notes to the editor:
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä 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 Wärtsilä locations in close to 70 countries around the world.
