Jun 30 2004
Through its Finnish subsidiary Hydro Aluminium Salko OY, Hydro Aluminium Profiler AS (HAP) is to build a surface treatment and processing plant in Russia, 30 km northwest of St. Petersburg.
”This new facility is part of our strategy and our desire to establish our presence in the Russian market. This market is growing rapidly and has great development potentials,” says Johnny Undeli, head of Hydro Aluminium Extrusion North. “This will help us to establish our presence in the market, and by doing so, help us to develop and grow in this important market.”
“With this investment, Hydro Aluminium Profiler is following its long-term strategy to increase its share of finished products in the sale of extrusions for development projects, together with our customers,” says Trond Sandberg, managing director of Hydro Aluminium Profiler.
Together with the continuous improvement of quality and supply reliability, this establishment will make Hydro Aluminium Profiler an attractive partner in the market. Russian activities will be based on the experiences gained from the operation of the Finnish processing activities.
Many of the Extrusion sector’s customers, as well as customers of Hydro Aluminium Profiler, have already set up activities in the Russian market or are planning to do so. With the establishment of this new plant and with its local market presence, Hydro Aluminium Profiler will be able to provide local customers with more comprehensive services.
”We would like to hear from customers who are interested in cooperating with us in the Russian market,” says Atle Larsen, marketing manager in Hydro Aluminium Profiler. “Our ambition is to be able to offer customized fabricated solutions, adjusted as far as possible to our customers’ local needs.”
The St. Petersburg area is one of the strongest growth areas in Russia, with among other things, lots of building and construction activities. Hydro Aluminium Profiler will be in a good position to provide the market with qualified and competitive fabrication of aluminium extrusions.
Hydro Aluminium Profiler’s Russian plant will be operated and managed by a local workforce that has insight in local market conditions, culture and language. Part of the workforce is already participating in an intensive training programme at Hydro Aluminium Profiler’s Finnish facility at Forssa.
Conventional and modern equipment for the fabrication of extrusions will be installed in the new plant, as well as a coating line. Production is estimated to start during the second quarter of 2005.
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