Perkins Engines Company Limited has announced plans to build its 1100 Series range of diesel engines at Wuxi in the Jiangsu province of China. Manufacture of the 1100 Series is planned to begin towards the end of 2009 and initial volumes are predicted to be around 60,000 units per annum. "This announcement confirms our continued commitment to China and our ambition to be the natural choice for Chinese equipment manufacturers. By building engines in China we will not only be supporting local Chinese manufacturers but will also help them realise their export ambitions, without the concerns associated with meeting legislation," said Jim Tevebaugh, managing director of Perkins Industrial Power Sales and Marketing Division, speaking at a press conference in Beijing. He added: "Our current global customers who wish to grow their business from a Chinese manufacturing base will also be supported with engines from the campus." The 200,000 sq metre engine campus at Wuxi represents a multi-year investment plan for Perkins and Phase 1 of the development was announced at BICES last year -- the production of Perkins 400 Series, a world leading range of 2,3 and 4 cylinder, liquid-cooled, naturally aspirated and turbo-charged indirect injection engines covering a power span from 11 to 66.5 hp. Perkins 1100 Series is a family of 3.3, 4.0 and 6.6 litre engines with a power span from 36.9 kW (49.5 hp) to 205 kW (275 hp) which uses the appropriate technology level for compliant and non-emissions compliant territories. In essence, a manufacturer can install todays's 1100D for one market, whilst adopting an 1100A variant for less demanding areas of the world. Its common design gives equipment manufacturers the opportunity to enable one machine to compete cost effectively in a variety of markets with the minimum of development costs. "Emissions challenges are important to Chinese equipment manufacturers. Many will find they have to source multiple engine brands to meet emissions requirements for various regions of the world. At Perkins we believe the simple solution is to provide one engine platform which means the manufacturer will only have to carry out one application engineering exercise to develop similar machines capable of supporting both his domestic and export market strategies," said Mr Tevebaugh. "Other advantages for our Chinese customers of Perkins building diesels in China will be the elimination of customs processes and ease of logistics and transportation procedures for these locally built but internationally branded products," he added. Picture Caption: Jim Tevebaugh and Jiming Zhu present to the media in Beijing