Metso’s third service center for pulp and paper industry in China celebrates stonelaying

Published Nov 19, 2008 10.00.00 +2 GMT

A foundation stone laying ceremony was held at Metso’s new Shandong Service Center in Zibo, Shandong province, China, on November 18th.The new greenfield center will provide advanced machinery maintenance and process development services to the pulp and paper making industry in Northern China. Metso’s investment in the new center will amount to over EUR 10 million.

The Shandong center will be Metso’s third service center in China serving the pulp and paper industry. It will be operational in 2009 and will employ 40 service professionals.

The new center will feature a fully equipped roll service workshop providing rolls, roll covers as well as mechanical roll maintenance for all makes and sizes of pulp and paper machines. In addition, it will offer a full scope of spare part and mill site services. The Shandong center will also have the facilities to manufacture ceramic roll covers.

The establishment of the new Shandong Service Center is a continuation of Metso's commitment to serve the Chinese pulp and paper industry locally. In line with this commitment, Metso has been steadily strengthening its local service operations in China. The Wuxi Service Center in Jiangsu province has doubled its roll service capacity by opening an extension in October 2007. Metso’s new service center in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, has started its operation in November 2008.

The Chinese pulp and paper industry has made substantial investments in new machinery and technology over the past ten years. Metso has been involved in many of these projects and is currently the industry's leading technology supplier.

Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with net sales of over EUR 6 billion. Its over 27,000 employees in more than 50 countries serve customers in the pulp and paper industry, rock and minerals processing, the energy industry and selected other industries. www.metso.com

For more information, please contact: Xie Daorong, General Manager, Metso Paper,China, Service Tel. +86 510 8522 5939, Mobile +86 139 515 80902