Metso's global valve operations network is expanding - Neles Globe Valve Technology Center in South Korea is operational

Metso's Neles^® Globe Valve Technology Center in South Korea is ready for global deliveries. The new facility with its modern processes ensures high-capacity and high-quality production and delivery of globe valves for oil and gas and power customers locally and globally. The plant is located in Chungju city, about 120 km southeast of Seoul.

Metso has a strong position in control valves for petrochemical, chemical, oil and gas customers. One of the widest control valve offerings in the market includes standard and severe service globe valves, which provide reliability to most critical processes and operate at extreme pressures and temperatures. In 2014, the demand for Metso's globe valve orders have been grown by 50 percent compared to previous year.

"There is a growing demand for reliable control valve technology and engineering know-how, globally. We at Metso are continuously developing our operations to strengthen our position and to better serve our customers. Our new globe valve center is ideally located in the growing Korean market in the midst of Korean EPC companies that play a key role in many projects worldwide," says Markus Hauhia, Director, Globe Valves, Metso.

The technology center features component manufacturing, a flow testing laboratory with a state-of-the-art cryogenic test facility and engineering services. The new center's research and development, customized engineering, and sales, services and administration activities support Metso's ability to engage in comprehensive and efficient cooperation with its globe valve customers.

The plant's innovative monorail manufacturing line is designed to follow Lean principles, enabling strong on-time delivery performance, shorter lead times, and world-class-quality finished products.

"Our globe valve production capacity is now about 10 times higher compared to that of our previous factory, which was located nearby. The new facility with its novel, modern processes ensures high-capacity and high-quality production and deliveries to our global and local customers," emphasizes Markus Hauhia.

Recent applications of Metso's globe valve technology include Abu Dhabi Oil Refinery Company's (TAKREER) chemical refining complex, a geothermal power plant for Zorlu Energy Companies Group in Turkey and the world's biggest pulp plant, PT OKI Pulp & Paper Mills, to be built in Indonesia. Moreover, numerous Korean oil and gas, power, and pulp and paper customers rely on Metso's globe valves. Metso is a value-adding partner for all project key stakeholders, including operators, engineering, procurement and construction contractors, and original equipment manufacturers. Metso has delivered valve technology and engineering know-how to more than 100 projects led by Korean EPC companies.

Valve operations network and services are geographically widespread 

Metso has a total of eight valve technology centers around the world. The world-class valve production facilities are located in Finland, the United States (two facilities), Germany, China, South Korea, India and Brazil. Over the last few years, the company has resolutely expanded and developed its valve production facilities.

Metso's extensive flow control services offering covers business solutions and services that optimize equipment use and cost of ownership. By the end of 2014, Metso will have more than 40 valve and field device service centers worldwide.

Metso has solid experience in delivering engineered performance and reliability to the oil & gas, pulp & paper, and power customers through its leading product brands - Neles^®, Jamesbury^® and Mapag^® - and has delivered millions of control valves and on-off valves globally over the last 90 years. Additionally, Metso has become one of the leading suppliers of intelligent valve controllers.

Metso in South Korea

The new technology center in South Korea builds on the foundation provided by the globe valve technology and service company that Metso acquired in South Korea in 2012. Construction work on the globe valve plant started during the second quarter of 2014. The new technology center is located about 120 km southeast of Seoul. 

Metso also has sales offices in Seoul and Ulsan. The company has been present in South Korea for over two decades, where today it has more than 100 employees.  

Metso is a leading process performance provider, with customers in the mining, oil and gas, and aggregates industries. Metso's cutting-edge services and solutions improve availability and reliability in minerals processing and flow control, providing sustainable process and profit improvements. Metso is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland. In 2013, Metso's net sales totaled EUR 3.8 billion. Metso employs approximately 16,000 industry experts in 50 countries. Expect results.

www.metso.com, www.twitter.com/metsogroup

For further information, please contact:

Markus Hauhia, Director, Globe Valves, Metso, tel. +82 438 527 708, email: markus.hauhia(at)metso.com

Jussi Ollila, Vice President, Global Communications, Metso Corporation, tel. +358 20 484 3212, email: jussi.ollila(at)metso.com