HELSINKI, Finland, April 5, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) - Metso Corporation (NYSE:MX).
Metso Powdermet, part of Metso Engineering, is supplying parts manufactured from powder metallurgy for the particle accelerator of CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), currently under construction. The deliveries, with a combined value of over EUR 8 million, will begin in autumn 2001. The LHC is expected to be operating and carrying out experiments in 2005.
The most important part of the more than EUR 3 billion LHC project is the particle accelerator located in a 27-kilometre-long ring-shaped tunnel. Metso Powdermet will supply the 2500 or so end covers, needed to attach the sequential components from which the accelerator is made.
Materials technology is an important area of expertise for Metso in developing business for the process industry. There is a growing need for new materials solutions given that the increasing speed and power of new processes means that machine parts require higher strength and durability.
CERN is a joint organization for particle physics research founded in 1954 and incorporating 20 Member States. It is located on the Swiss - French border near Geneva. The CERN particle accelerator will be capable of producing seven tera electron volt proton-proton collisions. These generate elementary particles, which cannot be produced in any other way. The production and research of heavy elementary particles is key to understanding the origins of the universe and of the structure of materials.
The Metso Powdermet business division has specialized as an expert provider of materials technology manufacturing services. It develops, manufactures, and supplies machine parts manufactured from powder metallurgy, and has a personnel of 17 persons.
Metso Corporation is a global supplier of process industry machinery and systems. Metso Engineering develops, manufactures, and supplies wind turbine gears, paper machine drives, industrial gears, hydraulic motors, and associated maintenance services. It also provides manufacturing and expert services related to machine construction.
Metso's core businesses consist of Metso Paper, a total supplier of fiber and paper technology, Metso Minerals, a rock and mineral processing group, and Metso Automation, for automation and control technology. In 2000, Metso Corporation had net sales of EUR 3.9 billion, and a personnel of approximately 22,000. Metso Corporation is listed on the Helsinki and New York Stock Exchanges.
Press Conference:
Metso Powdermet is organizing a press conference on the subject on the same day at: 2 p.m. at Metso, Fabianinkatu 9 A, Helsinki, and: at 2 p.m. at Metso Powdermet, Lokomonkatu 3, Tampere.