Allenwest Wallacetown

Hiring a Chinese engineering graduate has helped Allenwest Wallacetown develop its joint venture business in China.

The company employs 90 people in Irvine manufacturing mining equipment, which it supplies to overseas markets including Australia, India, Russia and Turkey.

Its products include power centres, circuit breakers and transformers that are engineered to prevent sparks that may ignite gas traces, allowing mining groups to distribute electricity underground in gaseous and hazardous environments.

The joint venture partnership in China was set up in 2004.

"We realised that one of the big issues with the joint venture would be communication," explained managing director Jim Walker. "We knew the British Council would second international students on a cost basis who had graduated from Scottish universities. One of them was a young Chinese graduate electrical engineer, Carol Cai, who had a history in the power industry because she had been working in power plants out in China. We thought her skills would be ideal and took her on with a one-year contract through the British Council."

Carol very effectively resolved any communications issues and was also able to understand Chinese technical tendering documents because of her engineering background. Allenwest renewed her contract for another year and have subsequently secured a work permit for her, allowing the company to take her on as a permanent full-time employee.

"Carol has been very good at liasing with our partner in China and has been out with us several times now, picking up some good business acumen along the way," Walker said. "She's a big addition to our business and is a key element in our Chinese business strategy. We're delighted with her and she's delighted to be staying."

The Chinese market accounts for 10 to 15% of Allenwest's turnover, which grew 29% to £6.7m last year. The company is looking for continued growth from the Chinese market over the next few years both through the joint venture and by supplying its components direct to Chinese equipment manufacturers.

CONTACT

Allenwest Wallacetown Limited
Third Avenue
Heatherhouse Industrial Estate
Irvine
Ayrshire
Scotland UK
KA12 8HN

Tel: 01294 273111
Fax: 01294 274063
www.wallacetown.com