HELSINKI, Finland, April 4, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metso Minerals will expand its manufacturing, research and office premises in Tampere, Finland, with a EUR 5 million investment. The decision to invest is due to the increased demand for crushing and screening plants and the need to increase research and services in this area.
In the mobile crushing plant assembly shop, floor space will be expanded by a quarter, and more lifting capacity will be added. The office space for product support, customer service and RTD personnel will be expanded. Additionally, a new test plant with modern laboratory facilities will be built for measuring the efficiency and end product quality of the crushing and screening processes.
The expansion, to be completed by the end of year 2006, is part of Metso Minerals' profitable growth strategy. The aim is to respond to the evolving market situation, where the customers require ever larger mobile crushing and screening plants that yield more capacity and volumes with lower operating costs. In addition to standard products, the new premises will house for instance the manufacturing of new product prototypes and tailored equipment solutions.
The production volumes of the track-mounted crushing plants, Lokotracks, manufactured in Tampere have almost doubled within the last five years, and the growth is expected to continue. The factory has produced more than 3000 mobile crushing plants since the launch of the first Lokotrack in 1985.
The Tampere Research Center serves Metso Minerals' crushing and screening business line on a global basis. Apart from mobile plants, the Research Center tests jaw and cone crushers and the efficiency and quality of the crushing and screening processes in serving both own engineering and customer needs. The expansion will enable the Research Center to respond to the testing needs more efficiently and rapidly than before.
Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2005 net sales of approximately EUR 4.2 billion. Its 22 000 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.
It should be noted that certain statements herein which are not historical facts, including, without limitation, those regarding expectations for general economic development and the market situation, expectations for customer industry profitability and investment willingness, expectations for company growth, development and profitability and the realization of synergy benefits and cost savings, and statements preceded by "expects", "estimates", "forecasts" or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current decisions and plans and currently known factors. They involve risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results to materially differ from the results currently expected by the company.
Such factors include, but are not limited to:
(1) general economic conditions, including fluctuations in exchange rates and interest levels which influence the operating environment and profitability of customers and thereby the orders received by the company and their margins
(2) the competitive situation, especially significant technological solutions developed by competitors
(3) the company's own operating conditions, such as the success of production, product development and project management and their continuous development and improvement
(4) the success of pending and future acquisitions and restructuring.