MacGREGOR continues to develop successful production partnerships in China, and its latest venture is a new hatch cover production plant in Nantong, in partnership with Rainbow Heavy Industry

In partnership with Chinese company Rainbow Heavy Industry Co (RHI), the MacGREGOR Group is building a new hatch cover production plant in Nantong. The factory is scheduled for completion at the end of October to meet increasing demand from Asia rapidly expanding shipbuilding industry. The new plant will add to hatch cover output from another purpose-built hatch cover factory in Nantong, which was opened six years ago and is run in partnership with NCSC.

This agreement with RHI creates an exclusive partnership for hatch cover production, said Olli Dahl, procurement manager for the hatch cover division. The layout of the factory hatch cover production line has been designed by MacGREGOR, and we have also selected the machines and equipment. Combined with training for employees, this will ensure a highly developed and advanced product at a competitive price for MacGREGOR customers in Asia.

The modern production plant features two hatch cover production lines, each 252m x 36m with lifting capacity up to 100 tonnes. Furthermore, there is a separate temperature and humidity-controlled surface treatment line with an automatic grit-recycling system. There will also be water plasma and numerical gas cutting machines and Panasonic CO2 welding equipment.

RHI was established last year and is located in Nantong economic and development zone along the Yangtze River approximately 120km from Shanghai. The factory main activity is production of hatch covers, but it can also fabricate steel structures for the construction industry. Once the factory is in operation, RHI will employ around 300 people.

Successful partnerships in China

We are continually assessing possibilities for new regional partnerships, said Markku Mattila, president of MacGREGOR Asian operations, and these have included several successful production partnerships in China recently.

In 1998 an impressive purpose-built hatch cover factory in China was opened as result of a partnership forged in 1996 between MacGREGOR and Nantong Ocean Iron & Steel Company (NOISCO). Nantong COSCO Ship Steel Structure Co (NCSC) operates the facility.

In 2001 MacGREGOR formed a joint venture company with China's leading marine seal manufacturer, Jiangyin HaiFa Industrial Company Ltd, named Haida-MacGREGOR Jiangyin Sealing Limited Liability Company.

For further information, please contact:

Mr Olli Dahl, Procurement Manager, MacGREGOR (FIN) Oy,

Hallimestarinkatu 6, FI-20780 Kaarina, Finland

Tel: +358 2 4121 209 Fax: +358 2 4121 256

e-mail: olli-pekka.dahl@macgregor-group.com