Astilleros Gondán orders advanced Pemamek robotic welding station

Astilleros Gondán is deepening its commitment to automation with the procurement of an additional PEMA robotic welding station. [Photo: Valokuvaaja]

Finnish welding automation systems specialist Pemamek Oy has secured a second order from Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Gondán S.A.

The order includes the turnkey delivery of an advanced robotic welding station, PEMA VRWP-SH, with two welding units.

In recent years, Astilleros Gondán has been undergoing significant growth and made its first investment in welding automation in 2020 by purchasing a PEMA VRWP-C robotic station for micro panel welding.

The successful integration of this system has now led the shipyard to deepen its commitment to automation with the procurement of an additional robotic welding station.

“We made our first move towards automation in 2020 by acquiring a VRWP-C robot from Pemamek for micropanel welding,” says César Mateo Oró, production manager at Gondán. “Four years later, following the successful experience with the initial equipment, Gondán has once again relied on the Finnish brand to take the next step in this journey.”

The newly ordered VRWP-SH robotic welding station is designed to weld open blocks and will be installed in one of Gondán’s block halls. The facility is expected to become operational in the first half of 2025.

“We are pleased to be selected again as the automation supplier and to continue collaborating with Gondán in the modernization of their shipyard. This further strengthens our partnership and signals Pemamek’s growing role as a key supplier for global shipyards,” said Jukka Rantala, vice president, sales at Pemamek.

This investment is part of a broader project under the PERTE Naval program, a strategic initiative launched by the Spanish Government. Projects under this program are funded by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism through the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.

Pemamek is an AAA-rated, family-owned limited company that employs over 400 personnel at its headquarters and factory in Finland. It has daughter companies in the U.S., Spain, Italy, and Germany, and local sales offices in Brazil and Poland.