Hauzer Techno Coating, the Dutch hard coatings technology specialist, has been taken over by the Japanese IHI Group in April 2008. Thomas Krug, Hauzer“s CEO, is enthusiastic about the takeover. “We f…
Hauzer Techno Coating, the Dutch hard coatings technology specialist, has been taken over by the Japanese IHI Group in April 2008. Thomas Krug, Hauzer“s CEO, is enthusiastic about the takeover. “We fit well within the IHI Group,” he says. “IHI is an engineering company just like us, which makes us understand each other. Furthermore our new parent company opens doors in Asia which would otherwise remain closed to us”. The Venlo company Hauzer Techno Coating has been a leading supplier of technological knowledge and equipment building in PVD coatings for 25 years. There are multiple applications of PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition): the technology is being used to give mobile phones a scratchproof exterior, the lifetime of tools like drills and end mills can be extended, and fuel savings can be achieved by coating moving parts in auto engines. The market for PVD is growing, first of all because of its environmental friendly character and secondly because companies are starting to recognise the advantages of a hard, wear resistant and low friction coating on their products. The IHI Group was founded in 1853. Today it consists of approximately 180 different companies and employs more than 23,000. An IHI group unit builds equipment for the production of thin films, used in LCD and photovoltaic applications. With the takeover of Hauzer Techno Coating, IHI Group has strengthened its position in thin film technology for high tech applications. “Our employees can learn a lot from each other,” said Thomas Krug. “It is our intention to utilize in full the advantages of synergy. The IHI Group is willing to invest in our future. This means that we will open competence centres in Japan and China in order to assist our Asian customers with trial coatings and technology transfer. These preparatory activities should lead to more sales in Asia and building more machines in Venlo. The heart of our company stays in Venlo, the takeover does not change that”. Asia is becoming an ever more important market for PVD coatings. “Mobile phones are produced there, as well as many tools”, Thomas Krug explained. “Countries like Taiwan, Korea, China and India have an increasingly strong production position. Furthermore in the market of engine parts Japan plays – next to Germany and America – a major part. Thanks to the take-over by the IHI Group we will have a better hold on these markets and we will be taken more seriously as a technology partner by some potential clients. Therefore we expect a positive spin-off”.