- The plant, which has been transformed into an Industry 4.0 environment, has been contributing to national and international projects for 25 years, including the One World Trade Center in New York, and currently employs over 300 people
- This event reinforces the commitment of the Principality and thyssenkrupp to a sector that can once again help lead the GDP growth in Asturias, one of the most industrialized regions in Spain
- thyssenkrupp Elevator has a strong industrial presence in Spain, with three production plants, a Research and Development center and employing over 5,000 people in in the country.
Guillermo Martínez has stated that "thyssenkrupp’s arrival here contributed to dispelling doubts about the future of the Asturian economy and also laid the foundation for other multinationals to look at the Principality as a place for their investment projects. thyssenkrupp’s commitment to the continuous improvement its processes and the Industry 4.0 model undoubtedly represents a guarantee for its future stability in the Principality of Asturias," he commented.
The manufacturing site in Mieres has already supplied over 14,000 escalators and moving walks to some of the most prestigious buildings and transport infrastructure networks in the world, such as the One World Trade Center in New York, USA; the large airports of Dubai, UAE; Toronto, Canada; Phoenix and Dallas, USA; and the high-capacity metro networks of Sao Paulo, Brazil; Cairo, Egypt; and Madrid, Spain. Today, the success story continues with units currently under production for Riyadh’s metro network, the plant’s largest ever contract, and for the airports of Doha and Madinah, in Saudi Arabia, with the latter been awarded “2016 Project of the Year” by the Elevator World magazine. These recent contracts secure the plant’s workload over the next two years.
“The industry is experiencing a revolution and at thyssenkrupp, we are introducing innovations that will help this region to establish itself as a powerhouse in Industry 4.0,” said Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of thyssenkrupp Elevator. “Our industry is linked to the urban infrastructure market, so our challenge is to continue creating solutions for efficient mobility in cities, helping to make them the best ever places to live."
The General Manager of thyssenkrupp escalators and moving walks of Mieres, Manuel Álvarez, thanked the Principality of Asturias’ minister for the support given to the company and remarked on the pride that this visit entails for "the more than 300 people who work at the plant, comprising a professional, highly-qualified and committed team."
During the visit, the minister and Mr. Schierenbeck reinforced their commitment to the Asturian industry’s development, helping to support its steady growth to generate greater wealth in the region.
A worldwide reference factory with great adaptability
The factory turns 25 following thyssenkrupp’s decision in 1990 to bet on a region that had undergone a mining reconversion. The area had a strong position as an industrial zone and highly qualified staff thanks to the School of Engineering at the University of Oviedo, in addition to a chain of reliable local suppliers.
Located at less than 15 kilometers from Oviedo, this plant specializes in manufacturing, selling and installing escalators and moving walks. Teams here include engineers, welders, fitters and sales professionals, who help to provide mobility solutions to projects around the world. One such solution is the iwalk, a pit-less moving walk whose worldwide manufacture is exclusive to this plant.
For more than two decades, the plant has been reinforcing product flexibility as its greatest strength. This flexibility, the multifaceted capabilities of its staff, the design of the assembly lines and the self-contained means of production has allowed it to adapt to constant changes. The current installations allow the plant to flex its production up to 60% more than its current activity.
thyssenkrupp Elevator has three production plants, a Research and Development center and employs over 5,000 people in Spain.