1 April 2021 – Oerlikon Balzers, a leading provider of surface solutions for the metal and plastics processing industry, has further expanded its coating services in Asia by opening its new customer centre in Bac Ninh, northeast of the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, to serve customers across the country. The new coating centre is an important milestone in the company’s expansion strategy in Asia and will create new opportunities for Oerlikon Balzers to offer its high-quality and well-established coating services in Vietnam’s emerging economy.

In recent years, Vietnam has developed into a key economic hub within Asia, allowing Oerlikon Balzers to serve various industries with its coatings. The new coating centre will mainly focus on cutting tools and forming tools, but it will also serve the growing market for high-tech components in mobile phones, electronics and semiconductors, as well as for plastic and aluminium products in consumer goods.

Oerlikon Balzers established a representative office in Hanoi back in 2017 to meet the high demand across the South East Asia region, and has also served local customers in various applications from the customer centre in Thailand. Since then, development and expansion has been actively supported by the Balzers sites in India and Thailand, even throughout the challenges of 2020. From the new customer centre in Vietnam, Oerlikon Balzers can now offer an enhanced service to its local customers, with quick delivery times and short transport routes for an improved environmental footprint.

Michel Maeusli, General Manager Balzers Thailand & CLMV countries, says: “Vietnam is a very promising market for us, and with the new coating centre in Hanoi, which is close to the key markets and to our customers, we are confident that we will cement our position as a leading provider of surface solutions on the basis of our excellent coating portfolio and unique range of services.”

Pravin Shirse, Regional Executive South East Asia, adds: “Opening the new coating facility is a big achievement, especially in these challenging COVID-19 times. I would like to thank the entire team for their commitment and outstanding teamwork in setting up this new facility. I am confident that we will be able to offer our customers a better service and establish ourselves in the growing Vietnamese market.”

About Oerlikon Balzers

Oerlikon Balzers is one of the world’s leading suppliers of surface technologies that significantly improve the performance and durability of precision components as well as tools for the metal and plastics processing industries. Extremely thin and exceptionally hard coatings, marketed under the BALINIT and BALIQ brand names, reduce friction and wear. The BALITHERM brand opens up a broad range of heat treatment services, whereas BALTONE comprises coatings that are available in a full range of elegant colours, perfectly suited for decorative applications. BALIMED ThinFilm coatings, with wear-resistant, biocompatible, antimicrobial and chemically inert properties, have been developed especially for medical applications. Under the BALIFOR technology brand, the company has introduced technologies which provide tailor-made solutions for the automotive market, while ePD allows the metallisation of plastic parts with a chrome look.

Worldwide, more than 1,100 coating systems are in operation at Oerlikon Balzers facilities and its customers. Equipment engineering and assembly of Balzers' systems are processed in Liechtenstein, in Langenthal (Switzerland) and in Bergisch Gladbach (Germany). Oerlikon Balzers operates a dynamically growing network of more than 110 coating centres in 36 countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Oerlikon Balzers is – together with Oerlikon Metco and Oerlikon AM – part of the Surface Solutions division of the Switzerland-based Oerlikon Group (SIX: OERL).