Swedish industrial giant Trelleborg Group is to invest in a new production line of pipe seals at its manufacturing facility in Tauragė, Lithuania. The €350,000 investment will double the facility’s production capacity.
Marius Žukas, director general of Trelleborg Sealing Profiles, explained that this new investment means Trelleborg’s Lithuanian operations will take on an even higher profile within the Group. “Last year, after we strengthened our seal production, our output increased by 50%,” stated Mr Žukas. “The new line will double our production capacity. This is important as our customer base is growing. We recently brought in new technologies to guarantee continuous supply; to do this we took over both the hardware but also the customers of TEW Group. As a result, the manufacturing facility in Tauragė is becoming an increasingly important part of the Trelleborg Group as its customer base grows.”
The new line will produce seals for pipes with a larger diameter and thickness. Once the production line is launched, the company’s new product, ‘The Drainliner PP’, will be included in the Trelleborg product catalogue. Trelleborg Sealing Profiles Lithuanian manufactures rubber strip seals with adhesion for pipe seals and connections. The seals are used by window, door, and facade manufacturers, and for the rehabilitation of trenchless pipes.
“There is great potential for manufacturing and industrial investment in the regions of Lithuania,” argues Mantas Katinas, director general of foreign investment development agency Invest Lithuania. “The strong business environment in the country as a whole, and the continued development of companies in the regions, mean that foreign capital companies can tap into this potential and get good returns on their investment.”
According to Lithuania’s Minister of Economy Evaldas Gustas, the growth of foreign investment is vital for both regional economies and for the national economy. “The development of foreign capital companies in the regions of the country is a good sign that attests not only to the country’s attractiveness to foreign investors, but also to the sustainability of the regional economy,” the Minister noted.
Trelleborg currently employees 46 technicians in its Lithuanian operations. Another five specialists will be added to their team when the new production line is launched. In 2014, the company’s turnover was €0.88 million.
About Trelleborg Group
Trelleborg Group is a global leader of engineered polymer solutions with over 100 years of experience. The company operates in more than 40 countries in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the Pacific. Its annual sales amount to over €2.4 billion. Since 1964, the Group has been a publically listed company, and is currently listed on the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm stock exchange.
Trelleborg has won numerous Swedish Business Awards thanks to its remarkable financial performance and its significant contribution to regional development. The company’s branch in Lithuania opened in 2006 and is the fastest growing Swedish-capital company in Lithuania.
