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ECONOMIC SERVICES MINISTER JOSEF BONNICI VISITS DOWTY MALTA PLANT
pr1514
18/10/2001
18/10/2001
| During a visit by the Minister for Economic Services, Prof Josef | Bonnici, Dowty Automotive Ltd. announced plans for a significant investment in new buildings and plant, incorporating the latest technology, which will see its Malta operations completely restructured over the next two years. |
| Dowty Automotive Ltd, better known as Dowty O Rings, | was set up in Malta in 1961 as Malta Rubber Ltd., to produce high volumes of elastomeric O Rings. The company currently employs over 800 workers and exports its products world-wide. The company operates predominantly in the automotive market providing O Rings for fuel injection and other fuel related systems, brake systems, air-conditioning and many more precision automotive applications. |
| Operations Director Marc Butler announced that Dowty | would be changing its manufacturing process away from a "Function-Based" flow, to focus more effectively on the different markets it serves by creating smaller autonomous ‘Process Based’ Business Units. This entails the splitting up of the overall O Ring operation into six separate decentralised Business Units housed in separate, although connecting buildings. |
| By breaking down production into smaller units Mr | Butler states - "our chances of survival and growth in the most competitive market in the world - the automotive market - are greatly improved. The new ‘Process Based Organisation’ will allow us to create a much leaner more agile environment that will vastly improve our quality, cost and delivery performance to our customers". |
| During the visit to the Mriehel plant, Minister Josef | Bonnici was shown the plans for the 7 new buildings that will be constructed at Hal Far, the first of which is nearing completion and which will be fully operational by December this year. The plans were drawn up by the Malta Development Corporation which is working hand-in-hand with Dowty on the whole project. The investment by the MDC in the new factory buildings will be in the region of Lm2.5 million. |
| Another facility, also in use by Dowty and situated | at Marsa, is undergoing extensive improvements by the MDC to enable the introduction, early next year, of a LM 1 million new Mixing Facility. This will provide rubber compound for not only Malta operations but also for other Dowty facilities in Mexico and the UK. Dowty O Rings will also carry out extensive Research & Development activities at the Marsa site, working very closely on new projects with customers such as the Robert Bosch Corporation, one of the world’s leading fuel injector manufacturers. This will ensure that Malta is at the forefront of new technological developments. |
| Mr. Butler said that "since 1998 Dowty has | invested some Lm2 million per annum. Next year the new investment will reach Lm3 million. ‘World Class’ manufacturing remains the focus of the organisation. The restructuring of the company is vital to Dowty’s long term competitiveness in the world market". Mr. Butler concluded that "through investment in new technology, new ways of working and the enthusiasm of our employees we can build something Malta can be really proud of and remain the world leader in the premium O Ring market." |
| Minister Josef Bonnici congratulated Dowty on their | long track record in Malta. Their continued success over such a long time period was a direct result of the company’s readiness to invest in new technology and to restructure its production process to secure higher levels of productivity. This was the only recipe that ensured long term competitiveness. Restructuring must be seen as an ongoing process that is the hallmark of a successful manufacturing company. |
| Even in the face of the current international | economic slowdown, Dowty was intent upon the development of its Malta operation and it had embarked upon an ambitious investment programme that would establish the basis for the company’s continued viability well into the future. |
| Dowty’s faith in the capabilities of its management | and workforce in Malta had been complemented by the availability of a new incentive package under the Business Promotion Act and by the active assistance and support of the MDC. These three elements had been decisive in prompting Dowty to invest further in its Malta operation. |
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