Wärtsilä Inaugurates New Facility

Ole Johansson, President and CEO of Wärtsilä Corporation, Tage Blomberg, Group Vice President of Wärtsilä Services, Sergio Razeto, President of Wärtsilä in Italy and Lars Hellberg, Group Vice President of Wärtsilä Industrial Operations were all present at the inauguration of the new modern facilities for the Wärtsilä Delivery Centre Trieste, Italy.

The Wärtsilä investment project, which started last year at the Delivery Centre Trieste in Italy, is now complete. Wärtsilä has invested $24.8m in a modern manufacturing concept to increase capacity for engine assembly and testing in Trieste, Italy. The new engine production facilities and new Wärtsilä Land & Sea Academy Training Center were inaugurated in Trieste, in the presence of the Finnish ambassador in Italy, Pauli Mäkelä, Wärtsilä's President & CEO, Ole Johansson, and Wärtsilä management. Wärtsilä is making further investments in the Delivery Centre Trieste in order to meet demand and optimize production and subcontracting activities. At the same time the investments ensure that production technology remains up to date. A new portal machining centre (PMC) is being planned in order to increase the production volume of engine blocks. There will also be a new technology building with an auditorium in Trieste. The value of these investments is $20.6m. The PMC and technology building will be taken into use next year. Wärtsilä has already forecast that the total value of investments world wide in 2007 will be approximately $275. m. The Trieste investments are included in this estimate. The Italian operations of Wärtsilä currently employs about 1,380 people, located in Trieste and in the service centers of the more important Italian ports. This year Wärtsilä has increased the workforce in Italy by over 100 people. In Trieste, Wärtsilä has suitable facilities able to host several types of 4-stroke medium- and large-sized engines with a power range from 1.7 MW to roughly 25 MW. Its product portfolio currently lists the following Wärtsilä engines: 26, 38, 46, 46F, 50DF and 64.