Wärtsilä’s manufacturing unit in France will be transferred to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI). MHI will take over the manufacturing facilities as well as approximately 70 persons from Wärtsilä France.
This transaction completes the restructuring programme initiated by Wärtsilä in 2003, in which the company is concentrating on its strong products. Wärtsilä’s main engine products are medium-speed and low-speed engines. In August 2004 Wärtsilä sold the product rights of the high-speed Wärtsilä 200 and 220 product family to Dresser Inc. Waukesha business unit in the USA and informed that it is also negotiating the transfer of its production in Mulhouse to another company.
MHI will use the Mulhouse unit to manufacture its own high-speed diesel engines.
Wärtsilä will in Mulhouse continue to provide service and maintenance for Wärtsilä engine base. Wärtsilä’s Service business in France employs 450 people, most of whom are located in Mulhouse, Surgères, Marseille and Gennevilliers.
About Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä is The Ship Power Supplier for builders, owners and operators of vessels and offshore installations. Our own global service network takes complete care of customers’ ship machinery at every lifecycle stage.
Wärtsilä is a leading provider of power plants, operation and lifetime care services in decentralized power generation.
In 2004 Wärtsilä´s Group net sales were EUR 2.4 billion and number of employees 12,000.
About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world’s leading heavy machinery manufacturers, with consolidated sales of 2,373 billion yen (EUR 17.2 billion) in fiscal 2003 (year ended March 31, 2004). MHI’s diverse lineup of products and services encompasses shipbuilding, steel structures, power plants, chemical plants, steel plants, environmental equipment, industrial and general machinery, aircraft, space rocketry and air-conditioning systems.
Further information: Ms Eeva Kainulainen, Vice President, Corporate Communications, tel. +358 10 709 5235.
Further information about Wärtsilä on its Internet website at http://www.wartsila.com
