Eheim starting up production in China

With the development of the world's first series-produced external aquarium filters, company founder Günther Eheim, who at over 80 years of age is still active in the company today, provided a decisive impetus for the aquatics sector in 1961. Now there are three major brands under the group's umbrella with mp, Jäger and Eheim. The aquatics business accounts for sales of over € 45 mio, and 305 of the 620 staff employed by Eheim work in this segment - 210 at Eheim, 75 at Müller & Pfleger and 20 at Jäger. Another arm of the company, involved in the airline business, yields over half of Eheim's total turnover of € 92 mio. Eheim currently markets its aquarium products in 74 countries worldwide. Outside Germany, the group has distribution and marketing subsidiaries in France, Spain, the UK, Japan, Singapore and Canada. Exports account for 65 per cent of overall sales in the company's aquarium technology business, although 75 per cent of this export income derives from Europe. But that could all be about to change: the company has set up a new subsidiary in Guangzhou, Eheim Manufacturing China (EMC), which is expected to improve Eheim's market position in Asia. In future key Eheim products for the Asian and American markets will be manufactured on a 9 000 m2 site in Guangzhou. The company stresses, however, that no jobs are expected to be lost as a result in its German production plants, which will remain at the centre of its activities. Since Eheim in China will be manufacturing primarily "labour-intensive products requiring a large amount of assembly work", the company's involvement there should secure jobs in Germany as well. The products to be manufactured in China include internal filters and sludge extractors. Around 40 workers will be employed in Guangzhou initially. In two years' time, when production is expected to be fully up and running, this number could expand to several hundred. Eheim aims to let its quality shine through in the market in the future too. The group caused a stir at Interzoo once again with some attractive new products: Eheim is especially proud of its new "professionel 3e" external filter with user-friendly electronics. This detects fault sources and eliminates them automatically as well as incorporating other practical functions, such as indicating when cleaning is next required. The technicians at Eheim have spent the last two years working on the new unit. "This is our new highlight," says Helmut Leick of the filter, which is…