A changing Hydro

The size of the Chinese market for alumin-
ium building products is not that easy to
gauge. Lugrin estimates a volume of roughly
1 million tonnes per year for the type of pro-
ducts that Hydro supplies. Hydro Building
Systems’ niche in this market is probably
around 100,000 tonnes.
But they are not alone. Both European
and Chinese suppliers are chasing shares
in the market for top-quality products. More-
over, the Chinese authorities are about to
introduce stringent new requirements con-
cerning the energy efficiency of buildings.
“The new specifications outlined are
intended to improve the energy efficiency of
new buildings by 65 per cent,” he explains.
“They will be more stringent than the most
rigorous specifications in Europe.
“This represents a great opportunity for us,
but it also means that Chinese producers will
soon catch up in this field. Several of them
already deliver very advanced building systems.
If we intend to keep ahead in terms of quality
and technically advanced solutions, we need
to intensify our product development efforts.
Our most demanding clients in China do not
set lower standards than our European ones.”
Lugrin and his team are off to a flying start,
but they know that a large and growing market
Personal profile
Gérard Lugrin – ‘pioneer’
Gérard Lugrin has been Hydro Building Systems’ representative in Beijing for one year,
but he is no industry newcomer. The 59-year-old French architect has spent his entire
career in the aluminium industry, most of it with Technal, which became part of Hydro
in 2002. He has lived all over the world – in Morocco, Thailand, Europe and the Middle
East. and traveled for 15 years in Africa, Middle East and South America. Lugrin came
to Beijing from Bahrain. He describes himself as a typical pioneer. That’s what he likes
doing best – setting up, building, getting the wheels to turn. Afterwards he prefers to
withdraw and hand over to the locals. This is clearly the right thing to do in China.
is not in itself a guarantee of success. You also
need a real ability and willingness to under-
stand where you naturally fit in Chinese culture.
Gérard Lugrin is enthusiastic – and there can
be no doubt that his people are too. He says
that he faces the tasks confronting him with
due humility. Moreover, he is greatly impressed
by the tempo and determination in today’s
developing China.
“Just look around! There’s hardly a block in
this huge city that isn’t dominated by several
big cranes. New skyscrapers are going up all
over the place. There are market opportunities
as far as the eye can see,” he says. “This is
tremendous. I’ve never experienced anything
like it.”
hi! > Ole Johan Sagafos
photos > Ole Walter Jacobsen
Preparations are under way
for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
hi! 13