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A warm Amoy welcome to Huisman! (This page's material adapted from information provided by Mr. Petro Walters, Managing Director, Fujian Huisman Steel Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)
Huisman Equipment, a Dutch company, produces tailor made equipment for
the transport, offshore and civil engineering industry. Huisman China is
a relative large company; at the moment we have about 450 people employed
and the next two years we will grow to around 800 people. Of course we are proud of what the company has established in such a short time in Xiamen. We do not only have Chinese and Dutch people working for Huisman, also people from the UK, Germany and the Czech Republic. International as we are, we cannot be missed on your site. If it is possible please inform me if you need further information form our company. Petro Walters As it continues to build more and more products for customers in Asia, Vekoma Rides Manufacturing¡¯s associated company Huisman has established a major new production facility in China. Customers as far apart as India and Australia are expected to benefit from the massive new factory in Zhangzhou City, Xiamen, which will help cut costs and, significantly, delivery times for new rides in this part of the world. Vekoma Rides actually established a presence in China in August of 2004 when Huisman opened a plant at Guangzhou in Guangdong province. But that was only a temporary measure, designed to get products to Asian clients quicker with lower transportation costs, and in China at least, save them the massive import duties. All these benefits and more will be offered on products leaving the new
factory, which replaces the operation in Guangzhou. Located directly alongside
the Pearl River, the Xiamen plant allows Vekoma Rides to load ride components
directly onto the water. This easy access to the ocean will be of particular
interest to Huisman, which constructs a variety of marine lifting and
pipe-laying equipment. Indeed, it was the association between Huisman
and Vekoma, that made it possible to establish a presence on this scale
in China, and a smaller but still very significant operation in the Czech
Republic. Quite simply, one manufacturing discipline supports the other,
and helps shore up the workload during a slack period for either side. Workshop wonder Located in the Fujian province, the new operation covers a total area of 27 sq km and comprises 10 workshops, a giant four floor office block, staff accommodation and sporting facilities, and is way bigger than Vekoma Rides¡¯ existing production facility in the Netherlands. Trading as Fujian Huisman (medium sized companies in China are required to incorporate the local province into their name), the first phase was due to open last month with 30 office staff and 120 on the shop floor. Training of Chinese engineers has already begun at Schiedam, the Netherlands, and in the Czech Republic and by next year up to 400 staff will be employed on site. Happy to help But the Dutch manufacturer intends to hold on to its roots. ¡°We still
want to keep some production in Holland, and will split things up so they
cannot be copied,¡± says van Bilsen. ¡°We are proud to say to local clients
that our products are made in China, but with European design and flair.¡± Design, engineering and production of trains and other essential components are expected to remain in Europe for the foreseeable future and then the remainder of any ride will be constructed at whichever of the company¡¯s plant is most convenient. ¡°Before, we did also subcontract to China, but we never had this level of control. Quality standards here will be the same as in Europe, they have to be. BMW, Mercedes, they all manufacture in China, but as the engineering is done in Europe, the product is the same. We expect the Xiamen facility to be able to service customers in China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia and even India.¡± Getting the orders in will be Robert Woo, Vekoma Rides¡¯ sales manager for China, who started with the company in Guangzhou. ¡°It is difficult to estimate the exact demand for rides locally,¡± he tells us. ¡°Every big city is doing something, we see huge growth on the horizon, but we are basing our own forecasts on the slow side for now and, to start with, if we do 10 units a year we will be happy.¡± Latest products ¡°There is still room here for products like the Boomerang and Corkscrew,¡± notes van Bilsen, ¡°but park operators and developers in China have done their research and want the latest products. It¡¯s understandable I suppose. Clients in general these days want better rides for less money.¡± While the manufacturing base in China is not expected to bring prices
of coasters tumbling down, it will help Vekoma Rides control costs and
hopefully stay competitive. ¡°Labour here will not stay cheap for ever,¡±
concludes van Bilsen, ¡°but steel costs are good.This move gives us years
ahead of other companies.¡± Note: Xiamen's official city bird is the crane (construction crane) 1.Dell
Inc. China Dell is a direct partner
to businesses and consumers that delivers innovative technology and services.
Producer of notebook, desktop, server and software. 8. Royal
Philips Electronics Philips Lighting Electronics (Xiamen)
Co. Ltd. specialized in the production of inductance barrette. 10. Areva
(Xiamen) world energy expert, offers technological solutions
for highly reliable nuclear power generation and electricity transmission
and distribution 14. United Technology Corp. Xiamen Han-sheng Qinling Aerospace Ltd. Aircraft Power maintenance services 15. NEC Corp.
NEC Electronics (Xiamen) Co. Ltd. Lithium batteries, current sensor, transformers 20. Wal-Mart
World's largest retail business 27
Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi Digital
Image (China) Ltd. Xiamen branch Plasma TV, LCD TV, projector 30. A.P.
Moller ¨C Maersk Group Maersk Xiamen container transportation
and logistics, as well as various other activities related to shipping
and retail 33. CALYON
CALYON Corporate and Investment Bank Xiamen Branch Bank services 35.... I'm working
on getting the info on the other half dozen or so. Last Updated: June 2008
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