tna is pleased to announce the opening of TNA Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd to provide local food manufacturers with on-the-ground support services. Located in the Minhang district of Shanghai, the office will be managed by Sean Xu, who recently joined tna as general manager – China, and will host both sales and technical service staff. The new office follows the opening of tna’s first Chinese manufacturing site in Qingdao in 2011 and demonstrates the company’s long-term commitment to the region and the local food industry.

"China is one of the major economic players in the world and we're delighted to be opening another site here as we continue to expand our global footprint,” comments Alf Taylor, CEO at tna. ”Our installation base in the country is well-established, ranging from baggers, conveyors, fryers and seasoning equipment to complete potato processing and confectionery moulding lines. With our new Shanghai office we are even more accessible to our local customer base and provide them with the support they need to maximise the potential of our integrated packaging and processing solutions.”

Joining tna as general manager is Sean Xu. Having worked for some of the world’s leading food equipment suppliers, he is an expert in providing customised processing and packaging solutions. Sean’s industry experience, customer service focus and market insights will be instrumental in helping local food manufacturers reach higher efficiencies, enhance food safety, reduce waste and improve food quality.

Commenting on his appointment, Sean says: “I’m thrilled to be joining tna at such an exciting time for the company. tna’s growth has been unprecedented in the last few years and its dedication to innovation and engineering excellence are renowned across the industry.

“The Chinese food industry is expected to grow faster than anywhere else in the world. It’s a huge and highly competitive market, but it’s also a market that is filled with opportunities. In particular food safety and automation will be key issues over the next few years, something tna is well-equipped for thanks to its comprehensive portfolio of integrated turnkey solutions. There is also a growing number of time-pressed consumers with higher disposable incomes, who desire confectionery products with new tastes and flavours, making it an ideal market for our flexible starch moulding technology from NID. Together, we’ll be able to equip local manufacturers with the tools and strategies they need to gain a stronger competitive advantage.”

To further demonstrate its commitment to its Chinese customers, tna has set up a brand new Chinese website. Located at www.tnasolutions.cn, the new website features tna’s comprehensive portfolio of complete turnkey products and services in a sleek, clean and modern design, enabling Chinese visitors to the find the right solution in just a few clicks. In addition, Chinese customers can now also access tna’s extensive library of brochures, product sell sheets and demo videos, technical white papers and solution-based blogs.