Norican: State-of-the-art production centre in Changzhou, China
The Norican Group operates a state-of-the-art production centre in Changzhou, China. The production facilities are a testament to Norican’s tireless pursuit of innovation, sustainability, research and excellence in the foundry industry.
Changzhou is the heart of Norican China
Norican has been present in Changzhou for 27 years and has grown from a small team of three employees to over 300 dedicated professionals today. Based in Changzhou, a dynamic city with a population of 5 million, Norican Engineering & Manufacturing in China offers a comprehensive range of engineering and manufacturing services. The Changzhou site is a prime example of modern technology and encompasses six of the Group’s leading brands: DISA, Wheelabrator, StrikoWestofen, ItalPresseGauss, Simpson and Monitizer. The high quality of manufacturing across all areas guarantees the same high standards as those of Norican’s European partners.
A standout feature of the two production facilities in Changzhou is their scale and efficiency, as all equipment is manufactured on-site. These include DISA moulding systems, mixers, sand preparation units, Simpson sand testing equipment, Wheelabrator wheel and air blast systems for perfect surface finishing, StrikoWestofen furnaces and ItalPresse die-casting cells. All StrikoWestofen dosing furnaces and melting units are produced in the same production building, along with a wide range of wheel blast and air blast solutions. In the second hall, sand preparation equipment and the DISAMATIC C3 model are manufactured alongside high-pressure die-casting technology in accordance with European standards and with CE certification, as consistency is a top priority at Norican in Changzhou, underlining the company’s commitment to excellence.
Driving digitalisation and sustainability
Digitalisation is at the heart of many social, economic and political activities in China and supports Norican’s strategy. The production facility utilises advanced digital solutions to significantly enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Norican’s digital innovation, Monitizer, has revolutionised the management of machine information and completed the transition from paper records to AI-powered digital systems. This transformation is in line with Norican’s visionary goal of creating a virtually unmanned foundry. Young colleagues such as Jeffery and Ocean are ready to play an integral part in this digital future.
The Norican Group is one of the first groups to have committed to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and is driving sustainable growth worldwide. In China, Norican not only practises low-carbon production in its own workshop through the use of rooftop solar energy and electric vehicles, but also actively promotes the SBTi concepts amongst customers and suppliers along the value chain. This creates significant shared sustainable growth value in the market.
The Chinese government actively supports these initiatives, promoting artificial intelligence, digitalisation, autonomous vehicles and unmanned production. This support strengthens Norican’s capacity for innovation and helps to maintain its competitiveness. Norican’s brands are characterised by their excellence and are positioned in the high-end market segment. Norican’s managers recognise their advantage in quality and sustainability and understand that excellence is ultimately the deciding factor. Companies in China and worldwide value and meet these international standards.
Giga/Megacasting on the rise
With regard to the company’s strategic direction, Norican highlights the complexity of one-piece mega-castings compared to multi-piece solutions and adapts to the requirements of both the European and Chinese markets. The Smart Platform Toggle Free (TFs) series of die-casting machines covers a clamping force range from 1,400 tonnes to 11,000 tonnes, as flexibility is crucial and encompasses more than just size.
Market development and 24/7 service
Wei Baohua, Senior Vice-President for China and North-East Asia at Norican, sees significant opportunities as the company expands its presence in Asia and explores new markets in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, where Norican has established a new region in South-East Asia. This expansion offers a significant aftermarket opportunity alongside traditional new business.
Norican China’s focus is on the aftermarket and sustainability. Norican prioritises high-end market segments to ensure sustainable success, combining European technology with responsive Chinese service available 24/7. This approach is particularly important as the Chinese market matures and places increasing emphasis on sustainability and quality.