Swiss company opens up turbine workshop here

CIKAMPEK, West Java (JP): PT Hickham Indonesia, a subsidiary of Sulzer Turbo Ltd. of Switzerland, opened a turbine repair and reconditioning center in Cikampek, West Java yesterday.

Hickham Indonesia is 80 percent owned by Sulzer Turbo and 20 percent by Indonesian businessman Bambang Muliawan.

Minister of Industry Tunky Ariwibowo said in his written speech at the workshop's opening ceremony that the workshop will help improve the country's industrial activities.

The workshop can provide repair and reconditioning services for high technology machinery, including large diesel engines of up to 10,000 horsepower.

Director General of Machinery, Metal and Electronic Industries Effendi Sudarsono officiated the opening of the workshop, which is located in the Bukit Indah City Industrial Estate, some 70 km east of Jakarta.

The company's president, Hans W. Stickler, said the turbine repair center is under supervision of the Sulzer Turbo Research Center of Switzerland and is employing experts from Hickham Industries Ltd. of the United States.

Hanging cranes

He said the workshop has hanging cranes which can lift machines of up to 25.5 tons.

"By opening the first turbine repair and reconditioning center here, Indonesia can save up to $50 million in foreign exchange for machine reparations," he said.

He said the cost for repairing turbine machines in neighboring countries will be equivalent to about 75 percent of the price of new machines, but it will be only about half in Indonesia.

Hickam Indonesia was set up with an investment of $9.8 million.

The company also provides after-sales services for a wide range of steam and gas turbines, centrifugal, axial and screw compressors, expanders pumps and related equipment.(kod)