Miba to build second Powder Metallurgy plant in China amid further expansion plans
May 23, 2018
Miba’s existing PM facility in Suzhou, China (Courtesy of Miba)
Austria’s Miba AG is to further expand its presence in China through the establishment of two new production facilities. In addition to a new plant for the manufacture of high-power resistors, the company is building a second Powder Metallurgy production facility close to its existing site in Suzhou near Shanghai.
Miba develops and produces sintered components, engine bearings, friction materials and coatings for the automotive and truck industry at its Miba Precision Components China (MPCC) site opened in 2007 in Suzhou. Since opening, revenue has increased fourfold from around RMB 200 million in 2010 to more than RMB 800 million, equivalent to over €100 million. The plant has undergone major expansion and the building space for production and offices has tripled in size from 8,000 to 24,000 m2.
Unable to further expand its original site, Miba will construct a second, additional production facility a few kilometres away with around 10,000 m2 of building space. Approximately €7.5 million will be invested in buildings and machinery, and construction is expected to be completed in around twelve months.
“Since 2007, MPCC has grown to become one of Miba’s true successes. We managed to establish our business in China from the site in Suzhou, and now we will embark on our next growth phase,” stated F Peter Mitterbauer, Miba CEO. “Miba is a globally operating group with over 7,000 employees in Europe, Asia, North and South America – our activities in China are making a substantial contribution to Miba’s growth and success both today and in the future.”
Acquisition of the industrial bearing segment of the John Crane Group
Miba is one of the leading global suppliers of engine bearings. In a move to expand the business through the development and production of industrial bearings, the company announced that it has acquired the industrial bearing segment of the John Crane Group. Three production sites in the US and one plant in Germany focus on the manufacture of hydrodynamic bearings for use in mechanical and plant engineering. The bearings are primarily used by customers in the energy and plant engineering industries, in high-performance applications such as turbines, compressors and industrial pumps.
Miba’s new industrial bearings production sites will generate annual revenue of around €50 million. “By acquiring the John Crane industrial bearing segment, we aim to be a strong, global bearing specialist for engine bearings as well as for industrial bearings in the market,” explained Mitterbauer.
Miba technology for electric vehicles
Miba also plans to expand its existing business. “For decades our Group has been an important and recognised partner to many of our customers in developing and producing highly efficient components for better energy efficiency, more environmental friendliness, greater precision and improved performance,” added Mitterbauer.
Miba stated that it wishes to exploit the growth opportunities offered by new drive concepts such as hybrid technologies and pure electric driving. “Two years ago we established a central e-Mobility Innovation Lab, and are also focusing on electrification across all divisions,” continued Mitterbauer. “Initial successes confirm we are on the right track. China is the world’s largest sales market for electric vehicles. Miba has used this opportunity and its EBG high-power resistors are already being used in the pure electric vehicles of many major automotive manufacturers, including vehicles made by the world’s largest manufacturer of electric cars.” Miba is also developing and building production facilities for the construction of stators for electric motors on behalf of its customers, as well as offering its customer battery cooling technologies.
Demand for more than 2,000 additional employees worldwide
Miba currently employees a workforce of over 7,000 employees and, since 2010, has created around 4,300 new jobs worldwide. In the next three years the company states it will require over 2,000 more employees. “We need well qualified, skilled employees for our existing and strongly growing business,” explained Mitterbauer. “In addition to external searches for new employees, we are also training around 220 apprentices, and have developed our own internal training and upskilling programmes. We are also permanently looking for technicians, sales representatives and developers, both for our existing business and for new growth areas related to the electrification of powertrain technologies and digitalisation.”
