By Xinhuanet| 2021-12-17 22:50:47

German luxury carmaker BMW on Thursday announced its upgraded strategy in the Chinese market, with three new or upgraded plants to open in 2022.At its New Year media conference, BMW Group China said it is determined to continue its close cooperation with China's automobile industry and attaches importance to Chinese market demands in new product development."What moves China today will move the world tomorrow. It is a perfect place and a great partner for the BMW Group to drive transformation," said Nicolas Peter, member of the board of management of BMW AG responsible for finance and China affairs."Next year, three new or upgraded plants will open in Shenyang and Zhangjiagang. We will soon be launching the second BMW battery electric vehicle (BEV) from Shenyang. It is a fully electric 3-series, further enhancing China's position as one of BMW Group's top three new energy vehicle production bases in the world," Peter added.Echoing China's green initiative, the group is also accelerating its BEV product offense in China. In 2021, the sales volume of the all-electric BMW iX3 is expected to reach 20,000 units in its first complete sales year. In 2022, BMW will present five BEVs to Chinese customers, and by the end of 2023, the group will offer about 13 BEVs in the Chinese market.By 2025, a quarter of the BMW Group's sales in China will be BEVs, it added.The group said it has established its largest R&D and digital footprint outside Germany in China, with a team of over 1,650 employees, including around 600 software developers. Enditem

By Xinhuanet| 2021-12-16 22:16:38

The new energy power generation output in northwest China's Gansu Province has exceeded 40 billion kilowatt-hours this year, the first time in its history, according to the State Grid Gansu Electric Power Company.The company said this output accounts for 26 percent of the total electricity generation in the province, and is equivalent to 16 million tonnes of standard coal and nearly 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.With the high coal price and insufficient power generation capacity of the conventional power supply this year, Gansu's new energy power plays a significant role in keeping the balance of power supply and demand in central China, the company added.Gansu boasts rich wind and solar energy resources. Statistics show that since 2010, more than 300 power generation enterprises have started new energy-related services in Gansu.To date, Gansu's installed capacity of new energy power connected to China's grid network has reached 25.17 million kilowatts, representing 43 percent of the provincial total.The installed capacity of new energy in Gansu is expected to exceed 80 million kilowatts by 2025, with renewable energy taking up nearly 65 percent, according to the Gansu Provincial Development and Reform Commission. Enditem

By Xinhuanet| 2021-12-13 21:38:51

BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., a joint venture between the BMW Group and Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., and BMW (China) Automotive Trading Ltd., are recalling 72,847 vehicles due to an incorrect description in the owner's manual which could cause safety hazards, China's market regulator said.The recall involves 39,153 BMW Brilliance 318i, 320i and 325i models manufactured between March 18, 2010, and Feb. 24, 2012, and 33,694 imported BMW 116i, 118i, 120i, 318i, 320i, 325i and 330i models, according to a statement from the State Administration for Market Regulation.The manual of the recalled cars incorrectly lists the maximum fording depth as 30 centimeters. If the vehicle drives through water over 25 centimeters deep with a speed exceeding 5 km/h, it risks losing the power-assisted steering function due to a waterlogged torque sensor, which heightens the risk of an accident, the statement said.The automakers have promised to check the EPS of the recalled vehicles and replace any damaged vehicles resulting from waterlogging free of charge, while correcting the fording depth description in the user manual. Enditem

By Xinhuanet| 2021-12-10 20:22:31

Tesla's Shanghai plant had delivered over 400,000 vehicles as of November 2021, the U.S. electric car maker said.Deliveries at Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory came in at 413,283 vehicles in the first 11 months of this year, up 242 percent from the same period last year.According to the company, it has built more than 1,000 supercharging stations, 8,000 supercharging piles and 700 destination charging stations on the Chinese mainland.Tesla's made-in-China sedans have been exported to countries including Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands and Norway.The current annual production capacity of Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory has exceeded 450,000 vehicles, with the localization rate of parts reaching 90 percent, the company noted, adding that 92 percent of Tesla's metallic materials of battery cells at the Shanghai plant can be recycled. Enditem

By Fastener+Fixing| 2021-12-09 23:02:56

Rotor Clip has once again demonstrated its dedication to continuous improvement and commitment to customer satisfaction by recently receiving its ISO 13485:2016 certification.Described as the medical device industry’s most widely used international standard for quality management, compliance with ISO 13485 means that the medical device manufacturing industry can now rely on Rotor Clip as the one-stop-shop for the highest-quality retaining rings, wave springs and hose clamps for their assemblies.Rotor Clip has been a trusted supplier of the medical industry for many years. Receiving this certification reinforces the quality standards and reliability of its retaining rings, wave springs and hose clamps, so medical device manufacturers can depend on its products to perform safety critical functions every time.Companies across a broad range of industries rely on Rotor Clip products, value-added services, and expertise to build reliable and safe equipment for virtually any application. In addition to manufacturing high-quality parts for medical, Rotor Clip also meet the stringent quality standard of industries such as military, aerospace, and automotive.According to Amir Abdalla, quality engineer at Rotor Clip, understanding customer requirements and working towards exceeding customer’s expectations is key to better serving the medical device industry. “This is another Quality Management System to be added to our IATF, AS and ISO9001 Systems that ensure Rotor Clip continue to deliver high-quality products that exceed customer expectations. I am very proud of what our team have achieved.”  

By Fastener+Fixing| 2021-12-08 20:36:44

Scell-it UK has prided itself on being at the forefront of product design when it comes to setting tools and chemical dispensing guns, Now the company has just invested in the latest technology in the world of fixing testers.Staht have developed a new and innovative ‘next generation’ tester. The Staht Digital Pull Tester is set to revolutionise the process of testing construction fixings through its compact design, ease of use and versatility.This is achieved by combining class leading features into one simple unit, which include a full colour digital display; a li-ion rechargeable battery; Bluetooth connectivity; as well as a simple to use free App and reporting system.For Scell-it UK this offers a real advantage of being able to test their fixings quickly and easily and provide a detailed report to confirm the fixings are up to the job and fit for purpose.Gary Moseley, managing director at Scell-it UK, explains: “We were given a demonstration of the new unit and we were so impressed with the ease of use and capability it would give us that we bought one there and then on the day. Our quality assurance has to be second to none and the quality and standard of our fixings is something we take very seriously.”Gary continues; “Staht has produced a testing tool that allows us to accurately assess the quality of our products quickly and within our own quality control department here at our warehouse. We can then use the reports and documentation features to reassure our customers of the quality, and that our products meet the standards that are specified.”By using the Staht Pull Tester, Scell-it UK claims it can speed up the checking process of stock and be assured that the quality and integrity is still intact.Similar to the methodology of Scell-it tools, the Staht unit has many design features that also consider the health and safety of the worker. Safety straps to prevent tool drops, and enhanced mechanisms for easy load application, all help eliminate accidents and prevent repetitive strain injuries.Scell-it believes that wholesalers have to be held to account and should be questioned about the quality and standard of their stock. “Customers should insist on seeing credentials and evidence that items are fit for purpose.  By investing in new technology, like the Staht Pull Tester, wholesalers will be proving they are taking their responsibilities seriously.”

By Fastener+Fixing| 2021-12-06 21:15:44

Fabory has reached an agreement to acquire KEBEK Group from founder and current Director Dalibor Bek, creating a leading fastener specialist platform in the CEE region and further enhancing its ‘Masters-in-Fasteners’ strategy.The strong strategic fit between and common high performance mentality of both organisations will enable the Fabory-KEBEK combination to provide a stronger and more relevant proposition to its customers including a deep and relevant range of specialist fasteners, differentiating supply chain solutions and quality and engineering.Francisco Terol, CEO Fabory comments: “Fabory is highly impressed by KEBEK, the width and depth of its product assortment, their strong commercial performance and supply chain capabilities. We are therefore extremely excited and proud to welcome the KEBEK Group to Fabory. This marks an important step in our ‘Masters-in-Fasteners’ strategy; reinforcing our leadership position in our core countries. We continue to make strong progress on our overall transformation and are looking forward to continue this journey together with the KEBEK team.”Dalibor Bek, director at KEBEK Group comments: “We are excited about our future as part of Fabory. Fabory and its management team have shown that they have the required expertise and winning mentality to establish a leading platform in the strong and quickly growing CEE market. We are convinced that joining forces will open up many new opportunities, in several countries and market segments.”KEBEK is a family-owned fastener specialist headquartered in Chomutov, in the north-west of the Czech Republic with operations in Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary. Its successful initial distribution activities of air conditioning and ventilation components quickly expanded to the distribution of fasteners, which is its core activity today. KEBEK offers a wide and broad assortment of specialised fasteners in combination with Value Added Services, including in-house production capabilities and automated kitting facilities. This creates a strong value proposition to a customer base of over 8,000 customers, including several large key accounts in amongst others the healthcare, energy and the construction market.

By Fastener+Fixing| 2021-12-03 23:01:51

Hilti Group has reported a sales growth of 13% up to CHF 3.87 billion (€3.57 billion) as per the end of August 2021. Both the operating result and net income significantly increased compared to one year ago to CHF 613 million (+38%) and CHF 466 million (+48%) respectively.CEO Christoph Loos commented on the intermediate results: “We have managed to continuously recover from the pronounced dip last year, supported by a positive global construction market. Sales were approximately 5% higher compared to pre-crisis level of 2019.”All geographic regions showed a recovery trend, even though Covid-19 related restrictions are again being felt more strongly in some markets. Europe reported strong growth of 15.9% in local currencies, mainly driven by the Mediterranean countries. Both the Americas (+10.6%) and Asia/Pacific (+11.3%) regions also grew double-digit. The same applies to the eastern Europe/Middle East/Africa region (+10.7%), where ongoing challenges in the Gulf region are slowing down growth.Despite higher raw material prices and transport costs, Hilti Group generated an operating result of CHF 613 million, 37.7% higher than in the same period last year. Net income rose by 48.2% to CHF 466 million.Hilti Group is confident regarding the coming months and expects an ongoing recovery, despite remaining uncertainties due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sales growth over the full year of 2021 is still expected to be in the high single digits in terms of local currencies.

By Fastener+Fixing| 2021-12-02 23:01:33

As of 1st October 2021, Böllhoff Group, a family company based in Bielefeld, Germany, has acquired the worldwide HELICOIL® trademark. The trademark was previously held by STANLEY Engineered Fastening, a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker based in New Britain, Connecticut. This transaction allows each company to more closely align resources with independent strategic initiatives.As part of this transaction, Böllhoff Group will license back this trademark to STANLEY Engineered Fastening in the North American region for the automotive repair and non-automotive applications. In North America, OEM automotive applications for HELICOIL® and wire thread inserts will be served by Böllhoff Group, while automotive repair and aftermarket applications and other industries will be served by STANLEY Engineered Fastening. The remainder of the globe will be served by Böllhoff Group. Böllhoff Group and STANLEY Engineered Fastening are both leading manufacturers of specialty fasteners serving the automotive, industrial and aerospace markets. The companies have a 70 year history of partnership in the HELICOIL product line and associated trademarks. During this long history together, they have established successful license agreements to develop the markets and products which serve customers around the world. 

By Xinhuanet| 2021-11-20 18:27:50

The foreign trade of northwest China's Shaanxi Province increased by 26.5 percent to over 390.1 billion yuan (about 61 billion U.S. dollars) in the Jan.-Oct. period this year, according to local customs authorities.The foreign trade figure of the province has exceeded last year's total, said customs of the provincial capital Xi'an.During the period, the province's exports stood at 209.17 billion yuan, up by 33.9 percent year on year, while its imports rose by 19 percent to nearly 180.98 billion yuan.The export of Shaanxi's mechanical and electrical products grew by 37.2 percent to about 189 billion yuan, accounting for about 90.8 percent of the province's total.Shaanxi saw active trade relations with countries along the Belt and Road during the period, registering a total trade of over 65 billion yuan with these countries, up by 29.1 percent year on year. Enditem