Consumables
Metso and Wärtsiläs joint venture cleared by regulatory authorities – name of the joint venture is MW Power Oy
Friday 14. November 2008 - Metso and Wärtsilä have received the necessary regulatory approvals from the European Commission to close the joint venture combining Metsos Heat & Power business and Wärtsiläs Biopower business. The transaction will be closed on January 1, 2009, according to the agreement between Metso and Wärtsilä.
The name of the joint venture will be MW Power Oy. Jorma Lehtoviita, currently Vice President, Heat & Power, is appointed Managing Director. The current Managing Director of Wärtsilä Biopower Oy, Ilkka Heikkilä, is appointed General Manager, Finance and Administration.
“Now that we have received the approvals, we can start integration planning. The long-term business drivers are positive for us,” says Jorma Lehtoviita, Vice President of Metso´s Heat & Power business.
Metso will own 60 % and Wärtsilä 40 % of MW Power Oy. It is estimated that the consolidated annual pro forma net sales of the company will be approximately EUR 130 million in 2008. The technologies of the two companies are complementary. Metsos fluidized bed combustion technology and Wärtsiläs grate technology enable a solutions portfolio for a wide range of fuels in power and heating plants.
Metso and Wärtsilä announced in September 2008 that they had signed a contract to form a joint venture. The company will be one of Europes leading providers of medium- and small-scale power and heating plants with a focus on renewable fuel solutions.
Metsos Heat & Power business consists of Noviter Oy and VEÅ AB, both subsidiaries of Metso Power. The business unit employs approximately 100 people in Scandinavia, the Baltic countries and Russia. Metso Power designs and manufactures power generation and chemical recovery systems for energy producers and the pulp and paper industry globally.
Wärtsilä Biopower, a part of Wärtsilä Power Plants, supplies and manufactures biomass-fueled combined heat and power plants and heating plants. The company employs approximately 100 people in Finland. Wärtsiläs engine-based power plant business is not affected by this joint venture and continues to offer a broad range of fuel-flexible power solutions.