The European Chamber’s 2013 Business Confidence Survey indicated that 86% of European companies in China are looking to expand their operations within Mainland China. Many businesses are also relocating to ASEAN countries to explore other opportunities or reduce costs. There are several challenges that companies encounter in the process and various pros and cons to this strategic trend.
The FMF attendees will learn about the steps involved in relocating or expanding of manufacturing facilities, as well as gain an understanding of potential obstacles and solutions based on case studies from Dongguan Heitkamp & Thumann Metal Products Ltd., experienced in plant expansion, and WIK, experienced in relocating facilities to and from Europe, Asia and America. The Forum will cover the considerations taken into account by both companies along with the reasoning behind their final decisions.
Speakers
Dongguan Heitkamp & Thumann Metal Products Ltd.
Mr. Geoffrey Hou is the General Manager of Dongguan Heitkamp & Thumann Metal Products Ltd., where he has been working for 14 years. He has 20 years of experience in manufacturing and holds a degree in Engineering. Mr. Hou is the Project Manager for HTD plant expansion pro.
Company Profile
Registered since November 1995, Dongguan Heitkamp & Thumann is part of the Heitkamp & Thumann Group. Having the most advanced transfer multi-station high speed presses, maximum precision CNC machines, and high speed coating lines, the factory manufactures battery components such as battery cans, flat parts, tooling components & spare parts. The company is ISO 9001 accredited since August 2000 and has incorporated imported ERP systems since 2004. The production capacity of the plant is two billion units per year.
WIK
Mr. Werner Schoeb is the General Manager of WIK with more than 25 years of experience and proven expertise in manufacturing and supply chain management. Mr. Schoeb has managed all facets of the expansion and relocation of manufacturing in Asia, Europe and North and Central America. He is a trained Business Economist Engineer with a degree from the Management School St. Gallen in Switzerland.
Company Profile
WIK is a family-owned company founded in Germany as a manufacturing and commercial firm in 1950s. Its product range includes personal care products and kitchen appliances. Today WIK group of companies has 5,700 employees in Germany, Hong Kong, China Mainland and Indonesia. Its highly motivated employees strive constantly for innovation and consistent high quality for the customers.
Palfinger
Mr. Marc Dominic Cirkel is the General Manager of Palfinger and a Supporting Member of the European Chamber of Commerce. He manages Palfinger’s operations in Shenzhen, as well as hookloader production and entity administration. Mr. Cirkel has nearly 10 years of experience working for manufacturing companies in China and holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from the University of Applied Science und Polytechnic University Hamburg.
Company Profile
Palfinger is of the world’s leading manufacturers of innovative lifting solutions for use on commercial vehicles and in the maritime field. Palfinger offers a comprehensive product portfolio of cranes, hooklifts, cable hoists, forklifts, liftgates, service bodies and platforms. The Group has production and assembly facilities in Europe, Asia, and North and South America with more than 4,500 sales and service centers located in over 130 countries across five continents.
Agenda:
15:00-15:30 Registration
15:30-15:40 Welcome note by Palfinger
15:40-16:05 Presentation by Heitkamp & Thumann
16:05-16:15 Q&A
16:15-16:30 Coffee break
16:30-17:00 Presentation by WIK
17:00-17:30 Open discussion / Q&A
Registration:
Please register online or via email to Ms.Cherry Wang no later than August 16th by sz.intern@europeanchamber.com.cn.
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