Technology leader to inaugurate China’s 11th coating centre in Changchun, the 91st worldwide
Balzers, Liechtenstein, June 17, 2013 – Oerlikon Balzers, market and technology leader in the field of high-quality hard material coatings, continues its successful expansion strategy in China: On 30 May the 11th coating centre in China was put into operation in Changchun. The ever growing relevance of Oerlikon Balzers for the automotive industry in China is also reflected in an award.
On May 30, the 11th coating centre of Oerlikon Balzers in China was put into operation in Changchun. „Geographical expansion is a part of our growth strategy“, says Dr. Hans Brändle, Segment CEO Oerlikon Balzers, and adds: „ Within a few years China has evolved into a pivotal market for us. By now China is, together with the USA and Germany, the country with the most sites of Oerlikon Balzers“.
Behind this development are the numerous advantages that the innovative coating technologies of Balzers provide: above all, considerably more efficient and more environment-friendly production processes, but also new design and construction opportunities, such as for more efficient and more compact engines. These aspects are gaining more and more importance worldwide, particularly so in China. „Our coatings are an important factor in productive metalworking, for instance in modern transmission and engine manufacturing“, explains Dr. Roland Herb, Head of Tools of Oerlikon Balzers. „With our coating centres we are wherever our customers need us, increasingly also in China.“
As a consequence, last year Oerlikon Balzers opened in China one of two technology centres worldwide for the market launch of its innovative ePDTM technology. ePDTM (embedded PVD for Design Parts) enables the environment-friendly coating of three-dimensional plastic parts, in particular for parts with a chrome look for the automotive exterior. Prompted by an ever increasing automotive production in China as well as stricter environmental regulations, Oerlikon Balzers expects to keep gaining additional market share in the future with its innovative coating technologies.
Since the construction of the first coating centre in China nine years ago, Oerlikon Balzers has become an important partner to the Chinese industry, particularly to the automotive industry. The high growth rates in production and sales of vehicles turn China into one of the biggest players worldwide in this industry. Today, the country is one of the largest automotive markets in the world and has surpassed Europe and the USA in production of vehicles. In 2012, more than a fifth of the global vehicle production, i.e. more than 18 million, was manufactured there.
The ever growing relevance of the Chinese automotive market was also evidenced at the Auto Show Shanghai in April. There, foreign companies who had positively contributed to the Chinese automotive industry were honoured by an award, among which also Oerlikon Balzers as „Top 50 Excellent Auto Parts Supplier“.
