Roeslein Shanghai, the engineering, manufacturing and fabrication operation of Roeslein & Associates in Songjiang District, Shanghai, China, has just marked its 15th anniversary. Established in 2011, the ISO 9001 certified facility of approximately 116,000 square feet employs more than 110 people and supports international can making projects from engineering design through manufacturing, preassembly, installation and commissioning. It builds on Rudi Roeslein’s history in China, which dates back to the 1980s and the first unitised, preassembled systems delivered into Guangzhou.

Rudi Roeslein’s experience in China goes back to the 1980s, when, as founder of Roeslein & Associates, he helped bring the first unitised, preassembled systems into Guangzhou for Ball/MC Packaging. Delivering plants as pre-engineered modules meant customers could count on cost, schedule and quality without relying on local infrastructure that was still being built. After around two years of preparation, Roeslein opened its Shanghai operation in 2011.

“It’s been a windy, crooked road since I first came to China in the eighties,” said Rudi Roeslein, founder of Roeslein & Associates. “Our modular approach helped this industry move into new markets with a speed and certainty that people are only now starting to appreciate.”

That experience is increasingly relevant to a new generation of investors and independents entering the can making industry, many of whom are building their first plants and may be new to the Roeslein name. For them, the certainty that modular, preassembled delivery brings over cost, quality and schedule matters as much today as it did in Guangzhou.

Today, Roeslein Shanghai is home to more than 110 employees and an ISO 9001 certified facility of approximately 116,000 square feet in Songjiang District, including 9,936 square metres of manufacturing space across three production bays. Large systems are fabricated, preassembled and tested there before shipping, and the team supports the entire project lifecycle, from engineering design and manufacturing to installation, commissioning and ongoing support. Recent projects in Thailand and Vietnam have been completed and delivered, with installations under way in India and Nigeria.

“Looking back over 15 years, what stands out is how far Shanghai has come, from delivering one or two small projects a year to running multiple production lines at once,” said Dr Gangwei Wu, president of Global Manufacturing and Acting General Manager of Roeslein Shanghai. “The real success has always been our people. Their commitment, teamwork, and dedication have enabled us to deliver complete solutions, from engineering design through installation and long-term project support.”

“Shanghai has become a core part of Roeslein’s global capability and a big reason we can take on projects of scale and complexity for customers in every region,” said Brian Sneed, CEO at Roeslein & Associates. “Reaching 15 years is a credit to everyone who has been part of that journey, and it gives us a strong foundation for what comes next.”

Looking ahead, Shanghai’s capabilities also provide Roeslein with greater flexibility as the business expands into new markets. While can making remains a significant part of the operation’s work today, the team’s engineering, manufacturing and project execution expertise can be applied across Roeslein’s broader portfolio as new opportunities emerge.

The anniversary was marked with a family day for the Shanghai team, including a service award ceremony and a commemorative video featuring messages from staff.