Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 1999)

Investment in Design

Blending Finnish and Italian Flair by David Tinsley, technical editor

Quotable:

Johan Stoor and his colleagues at Wartsila

NSD Italia are intent on reducing lead times for two-stroke models to 20 weeks from the 32 weeks typical right now.

It is testament to the Finnish spirit that diesel engineering force Wartsila NSD, having suffered bruising financial results in 1998, has staged an effective fightback based in part on tactical change and in part on increased control of every theater of its operations.

As the latest expression of the corpo- ration's growing influence on the indus- try in Europe, the famous Grandi Motori

Trieste name and its vast engine manu- facturing complex on Italy's northeast- ern border with Slovenia, have been subsumed into the Finnish-controlled group and retitled Wartsila NSD Italia.

Occupying a total area of 550,000-sq.- m., including 150,000-sq.-m. under cover, the Trieste plant is one of the most extensive in the world. But last year's total engine deliveries of 303-

MW paled by comparison with its latent capacity. The new Finnish-headed man- agement has wasted no time in setting about measures to raise productivity and boost net returns from what surely ranks as one of the jewels in Europe's heavy engineering crown.

As a frontline objective, integration of the plant into the group's international manufacturing network has seen the application of Wartsila NSD's 'focused factory' philosophy. This is most graph- ically expressed in its selection for the manufacture of the potent, Finnish- designed Wartsila 64 engine, the world's most powerful medium-speed diesel. At c) the same time, certain merits have been per- ceived in WARTSILA NSD . . , CORPORATION blending the concept of product concentration with an involve- ment in distinct categories and markets.

Drawing on the skills base, capacity and an indigenous, in-depth technologi- cal capability, reflected in the earlier

GMT engine range and the now- absorbed Diesel Ricerche development company, Wartsila NSD Italia will pur- sue a well-rounded business approach.

The production remit covers Sulzer RTA two-stroke types, Wartsila 64 and Sulzer

ZA40S four-stroke medium-speed

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