Kobe Steel announced that a Chinese affiliate, Wuxi Compressor, has become its subsidiary after acquiring additional shares in the company. Based in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, Wuxi Compressor manufactures designs and sells non-standard (process gas) compressors, a core component used in petroleum refining, chemical and natural gas plants.
In response to the growing demand for non-standard compressors in China, Kobe Steel acquired a 44.3% equity share of Wuxi Compressor in 2011. With additional 25.7% of shares acquired, Kobe Steel is the majority owner. By turning it into a subsidiary, Kobe Steel will be able to provide more flexible business operations and strengthen its marketing capabilities while offering better service in China. It aims to meet the growing demand for non-standard compressors in China.
Kobe Steel is one of the few manufacturers in the world that supply three types of major compressors: screw compressors, reciprocating compressors, and centrifugal compressors. In particular, Kobe Steel has the largest market share for non-standard screw compressors. The Kobe Steel Group has manufacturing locations for non-standard compressors in Japan, the United States and China, along with sales and service locations in Germany, the United Arab Emirates(UAE), Brazil, the Philippines and Singapore.