Doosan takes final steps to place at the top of the world market for machines

Something is changing in Doosan. And it is doing at high speed. Those responsible have been introduced to the company in a process that is moving towards technologically better equipped machines. To put it in some way, they look in the mirror of the Japanese companies in competition to be at the same level. And, since then, with some of their models, so they have already achieved.

From 15 to 16 may, the DIMF (Doosan International Machine Tools Fair), exhibition Doosan organizes every two years, has already made guess that something is happening. Just had an aura unlike the previous DIMF, 2005. In just two years, this Korean company has managed to convey through his image that is a modern, young company with a vengeance. To begin with, it has changed the design of their machines to put an end to an aspect which, they said so, was obsolete, and with the aim of reinforcing the image of the brand Doosan as one of the top 5 manufacturers of machine tools in the world. It has opted for colors that, after a detailed analysis by experts in colors, are intended to put these machines in a segment which is identified with freshness, dynamism and orientation toward the future. Fairings are also different, along the lines of the main world manufacturers of machine tools, and the general concept is moving towards quality machines. Also the names of the different models, giving more attention to the brand that the model has been simplified.

29 Models of centres are presented of turning, of which 11 of the Puma series and 8 multi-tasking, as well as 25 models of machining, as well as a boring centers.

In turning, a total of eight models were multifunction machines, nine were horizontal lathes and vertical six, of which the VT series corresponds to those manufactured by the new company of the group, Mecatec.

Machining centers they highlighted seven machines for moulds and dies, the seven vertical centers and horizontal nine.

New in this edition of the exhibition, in which you could see 58 different models and which was attended by 2,500 professionals, is the final bet by the Doosan brand, after a period of two years in which machines have been marketed under the brand name Doosan Daewoo. This coincides with the acquisition of Mecatec, a company which did not enter the operation announced in this magazine already two years (MetalUnivers 31, September 2005) according to which the manufacturer of machine tools Daewoo passed to be owned by the industrial giant Doosan Infracoreintegrated in the Doosan group.

Now, with Mecatec integrated, in the same group and with their machines on the market under the same brand Doosan has been significantly increasing its range of machines, especially in vertical lathes.

Already two years Doosan transmitted to MetalUnivers, through its then head of r & d, its claim to move away from low-tech machines to hold a high average and average range. If the face is the mirror of the soul, Doosan engineers have been two years preparing a design of their machines to transmit exactly what are: machines whose technology has improved substantially. But this must know how to transmit it, in short, the wife of Caesar, in addition to being so, should look like. And probably with that in mind, more based on Korean proverbs that in the Spanish, it has carried out a major design change.

Since then in Doosan not abandon market niches to which they are leaders, such as single head and without Turret Lathes of milling, but they are already prepared to compete with the best, especially in some of their ranges. Francesc Rivera, commercial Director of Comher and Oscar Ortiz of Vallejuelo, Manager of Makinor (responsible for North in Spain) coincide in highlighting "the growing importance of the multifunction machines" in our range. MX models and horizontal machining centres already located Doosan in the high level of technology you are looking for.

An important development with effect from January of this year 2007 is merging with Mecatec, especially strong in vertical lathes. From the same month, Comher in Spain also sold these machines, which has provided a considerable advantage, notably complete range of vertical lathes, which until now was limited to a size of 500 mm and now reaches 1,000. In fact recently has already sold a 9000 VT in the Madrid company Sigeval, manufacturer of valves.

The Doosan group, with more than 20,000 employees, achieved a turnover of $ 13.7 billion in 2006. 87 Per cent of this figure comes from its industrial activities, which include companies Doosan Infracore (machine tools and equipment for construction), Doosan Heavy Industries (desalination, power plants), Doosan Industrial Development (construction), Doosan Engine (engines for boats) and others. 10 Per cent of turnover belongs to your business in goods together and 3 per cent, to the service. We therefore have a large group of industrial in nature.

Of Doosan Infracore machine tools business reached in 2006 sales of $ 729 million, and employs 1,200 people. It is the largest manufacturer of machines for Korea, created in 1937 under the name Chosun Machine Works, which in 1976 became known as Daewoo Heavy Industries and that, in 2005, already began to be part of Doosan Infracore, although he shared the Doosan-Daewoo brand until January 2007.

Half of the turnover of the business of machine tool of Doosan Infracore since 2003 has grown from 27 per cent per annum. 72 Per cent of its sales, i.e., $ 525 million, came from exports, with as main market, which absorbs the 39.6 per cent of such exports, followed by America (32 percent) and China (16.3 per cent).

The machine tool that builds are centers of turning (54 per cent of its production), centres of mechanized (38 percent) and boring machines (4 percent), as well as plant automation systems: in total, at the end of 2007 will be manufactured 13.080 units of machinesto which we must add the 1,000 units manufactured in the Chinese factory. It therefore has two factories: one in Changwon, Korea, and another in Yantai, China.

In Europe about 2,000 sets of machines were sold in 2006 and the objective by the end of 2007 is to reach 2,500 machines. The range of machines of Doosan is also available in Europe and Comher is responsible for this brand in our country.

A type of especially interesting machine for Spanish and European market is the machine multifunction, developed in the past two years. The Korean manufacturer has provided these machines of anti-collision systems to respond to a European market of rising demands.

On the other hand, are the new models of horizontal machining centers with high speeds.

All this designed for demanding markets such as the aerospace, defence, medicine or car. Ultimately, Doosan is making also a hole in applications of high-tech, complex machines and a number of options.