Industry Europe – Issue 24.3

VOLUME 24/3 – 2014 • €6

The world of European manufacturing

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OPINION

PETERMERCER

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Here be dragons More trouble from a place most people couldn’t even find on a map.

N

ot another far away country we know hardly anything about! The collapse of the Soviet Union was supposed to have brought about the end of history yet in just the last 15 years we’ve had Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and, nearly, Syria.

And now it’s Crimea that we are supposed to concern ourselves with.

Neville Chamberlain has been universally derided for his remark on the Czechoslovak crisis of 1938 yet what he actually said – “How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas-masks here because of a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing” – surely resonates with the memory of the horrors of earlier trenches and gas masks that arose, at least initially, from a row about the culpability of Serbia – a country even further away – for a murder in Bosnia. John Donne may have said that no man is an island but Britain is and there’s a lot to be said for minding your own business.

Of course, actually, most British people do know something about Crimea albeit not much that is politically relevant today.

Everyone has heard of Florence Nightingale and the Charge of the Light Brigade and, oddly, the language is still littered with the names of articles of clothing that originated in that ancient conflict – cardigan, from the 7th Earl who led the fateful charge, raglan sleeves, from Lord Raglan, the British commander, and balaclava, from the knitted helmets that were sent from England to supplement the troops’ inadequate equipment.

Subsequent much greater conflicts seem to have produced no comparable additions to the wardrobes of the people although, in a wider cultural context, it is true that the Life Guards in Kosovo in 1999 gave us James Blunt, an unintended consequence of Tony Blair’s doctrine of liberal interventionism for which he may never be forgiven.

Today perhaps only a few historians remember that the Treaty of Paris that ended the Crimean War put severe limits on Russia’s naval presence in the Black Sea, which was probably what Britain wanted in the first place and which is where we are now again. Because whatever the complexities and dangers of the current situation it is surely obvious that Russia was never going to allow Crimea and its historic naval base at Sevastopol to remain part of a Ukraine that now aspired to membership of the EU and maybe even of NATO. The securing of a warm water port and the establishment of a fleet that could challenge the Ottoman domination of the Black Sea, and even the passage to the Mediterranean, was a central element of Imperial Russian policy from the 18th century on and the base remains a key resource in the geopolitics of Russia today.

Not negotiable Given that, it does seem odd that Nikita Khrushchev should have transferred Crimea to Ukraine in 1954. Vodka may well have played a part here but the move probably made sense as a way of buying the loyalty of the Ukrainians to the Soviet Union.

The Tsars had acquired both Ukraine and Crimea only after bitter campaigns against the Cossacks and the Tatars, and Stalin had hardly improved feelings by deporting 200,000 Crimean Tatars – maybe half to their deaths – after the Second World War. And, in any case, whether Crimea was part of Russia or part of Ukraine made little difference in those days; both were part of a rigidly centralised USSR. Now they are not and if Russia cannot stop Ukraine from joining the West it is certainly not going to let it take Crimea – with its key naval assets and its pro-Russian majority – with it. It’s all very well to protest that the Russians are violating the sovereignty of an independent state by encour-

aging Crimean secession and deploying their troops around military bases and it’s true that break ups of unstable multi-ethnic countries are fraught with danger but finding a way to peaceful separation seems a much better bet than trying to prevent it.

And no doubt the Russians would observe that NATO showed little concern for the sovereignty of Serbia when it backed the break-away of Kosovo with tanks on the ground and bombs on Belgrade.

None of which means that the West should hesitate in protesting about the blatant mendacity of Russia’s media offensive.

We are asked to believe that there are no Russian troops in Crimea and that the soldiers with no insignia around Ukrainian facilities are local volunteers who have picked up their kit from military surplus shops – kit such as VSS Vintorez sniper rifles and GAZ Tigr armoured personnel carriers. Much more worrying is the Kremlin’s line that it is simply responding to pleas for protection from the Russian speaking minority in a Ukraine that has overthrown its legitimate government.

That’s what the USSR said when it crushed the popular risings in Hungary and Czechoslovakia and it’s the last thing that former Soviet subject states like Estonia and Latvia, which have sizeable Russian minorities, want to hear.

So we have to hope that Russia will go no further than reclaiming Crimea; if it tried to get Ukraine itself back by force the West would be faced with a real nightmare. There is some reason for optimism in the fact that, however sinister its rhetoric, Russia has been, so far, relatively restrained in its application of force.

Those unmarked soldiers are almost certainly special forces already attached to the Black Sea fleet so it may be technically accurate to say that there has been no invasion. So, so far no attacks, no tanks, no bombs. The West needs to do everything it can to help it n stay that way.

Industry Europe 3

CONTENTS Editor Peter Mercer

Production Manager Kamila Kajtoch

Deputy Editor Victoria Hattersley

Administration Anna Chamberlain Amber Dawson Kayleigh Harvey

Profile Writers Abigail Saltmarsh Felicity Landon Piotr Sadowski Emma-Jane Batey Barbara Rossi Philip Yorke

Art Administration Tania Balderson Advertising Manager Andrew Briggs Sector Managers Matthew Howe Milada Preslova Massimo Ragazzo Helen Leisi Anthony McClintock Ben Snowing Anna Dudek Stephen Moore Martin Gisborne Victoria Pease

Art Director Gareth Harrey Art Editor Rob Czerwinski Designers Leon Esterhuizen Paul Abbott Claire Bidle Web Development Neil Robertson

Above: Construction Industry p6

Comment 1 5

Opinion Here be dragons Bill Jamieson The corpse has a pulse!

Construction Industry 6 9 12

On the up Construction recovery begins Construction news The latest from the industry The eighth wonder of the world 30 years of the

Thames barrier

News 14 16 18 19 20 21

IT Support Jack Everson

Industry Europe

Winning business New orders and contracts Linking up Combining strengths Moving on Relocations and expansions Industry people Appointments Technology spotlight Advances in technology Notice board New products and processes

Alkmaar House, Alkmaar Way, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6BF, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1603 414444 Fax: +44 (0)1603 779850 Email: photos@industryeurope.net adcopy@industryeurope.net Web: www.industryeurope.net

© Industry Europe 2014 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without prior consent of the publisher.

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4 Industry Europe

Reports 22 23

Focus on Germany Allan Hall reports from Berlin Focus on France Ian Sparks reports from Paris

Air & Liquid Handling 24 28 32

Keeping up the pressure Danfoss Polish valves for European industries Zetkama New openings for advanced valve technology Wouter Witzel

Automation 35

Smart, versatile machine-tool solutions LNS

Automotive 42 47

50

‘The engine company’ Deutz Meeting your needs, wherever you are Ferriere di Stabio

Complete cooling solutions with best in class quality Tristone Flowtech Group

Building & Construction 56

Austrian innovation in timber technology Binderholz

Bausysteme

60 64

Cementing success OYAK Well done containers Weldon

VOL 24/3

Above: LNS p35

Consumer Goods 68

Dressing the modern woman Bialcon

Electronics 72

Bringing in the new Atotech

Energy Above: Tristone Flowtech Group p50 Below: Weldon p64

77 80 85 89 92 96

Uninterrupted growth CEG Elettronica When performance matters Noratel Power from innovation Hoppecke Energy for the future Slovenské elektrárne The winning strategy in diversification Renco Integrated energy supply Vivigas

Above: Renco p92 Below: Stena Bulk p112

Food & Drink 99 104 108

Everything made from milk OSM Łowicz A global reputation in confectionery Lambertz Group Norwegian salmon from the heart of Poland Suempol

Marine

112 Innovation in tanker transportation Stena Bulk

Material Handling

120 Organising your space Metalsistem

Measurement & Control

124 Delivering robust sensor technology solutions Kavlico

129 A century of precision Lahti Precision

Above: Kavlico p124 Below: Elco p141

Plastics Above: Atotech p72 Below: Hoppecke p84

134 Design is the secret Plastmeccanica 138 Clear advantage Ensinger

Refrigeration

141 Keeping it cool Elco

Textiles

145 Non-woven solutions always within reach Fitesa

Logistics

148 Special delivery Skanol

Also in this issue...

152 Top security EVVA 156 Leading the way in intermodal rail ERS Railways Industry Europe 5

COMMENT

BILLJAMIESON

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Executive Editor of The Scotsman

The corpse has a pulse!

The latest surveys point to signs of life in the eurozone.

I

t’s so long since the eurozone economy was wheeled into the operating theatre, tubes protruding from every orifice that we’ve almost forgotten how the patient once looked or indeed the precise nature of the malady.

But we have now arrived at that moment in TV hospital dramas when the whitecoated doctor emerges from the emergency ward and approaches along an echoing corridor. Bleary-eyed relatives cluster at the waiting room door. “How’s the patient, doc?” they whisper. “Will he pull through?”

As the camera closes in on the doctor’s face, we can see him struggling to choose his words with care. “There’s good news (pause).

And there’s the bad news. The bad news is that he’s still critical. The good news is, well, good.” Here the expression changes from a frown to a broad beam. “There’s still a pulse!”

That, in euro economy terms, is cause for celebration. China has continued to bound ahead. America has moved decisively along the recovery road. The UK is experiencing an upturn far broader and stronger than most had dared hope a year ago. But recovery in the eurozone could barely be discerned behind the oxygen mask and breathing apparatus.

Now we have firm evidence that there is not just a pulse but that it is growing stronger.

For most of last year it was feeble to the point of indistinct. Austerity measures to pull the public finances of member states back into shape and painful bank de-leveraging worked to prolong the eurozone’s comatose state.

But figures released in early March pointed to a quickening pace of growth, much to the relief of policymakers who have been mulling a resort to electric shock treatment – the application of monetary stimulus to stave off the risk of deflation. A sustained fall in prices could smother recovery and induce an alarming slowdown in the pulse.

The good news was twofold. First came a survey from financial information company

Markit suggesting that economic growth in the eurozone accelerated to a 32-month high in February, largely on the back of the services sector and strong growth in Germany, Europe’s largest economy.

And in a sign that Europe’s indebted countries may be over the worst, Markit found that Spain is enjoying its best quarter in seven years, while Italy is growing at a near three-year high.

Figures released in early March pointed to a quickening pace of growth, much to the relief of policymakers who have been mulling a resort to electric shock treatment – the application of monetary stimulus – to stave off the risk of deflation.

Markit’s composite purchasing managers index — a broad gauge of business sentiment — rose to 53.3 points in February, up from the initial estimate of 52.7 and ahead of January’s 52.9. Anything above 50 indicates growth.

France’s services sector beat expectations, although it remains in decline, coming in at 47.2.

Italy’s services PMI were also strongerthan-expected, with the country’s sector moving into growth, at 52.9 from 49.9 – a three-year high. And further strength was shown in powerhouse Germany too, at 55.9 – the highest reading since June 2011.

Markit’s chief economist Chris Williamson said the survey suggested that the region is on course to grow by 0.4–0.5 per cent in the first quarter – its best performance for three years.

In the final quarter of 2013, the eurozone grew by a quarterly 0.3 per cent, which equates to an annualised rate of around 1.2 per cent.

Potential threat Further good news came from Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency. This revealed that retail sales in the eurozone rose by a monthly rate of 1.6 per cent in January, more than offsetting the previous month’s 1.3 per cent decline, and double the consensus in financial markets.

However, the figures pre-dated the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine and the potential knock to confidence. The crisis has raised the spectre of tit-for-tat sanctions between the US and EU on one side and Moscow on the other, potentially weighing on growth.

As Jonathan Loynes, chief European at Capital Economics, pointed out, “At a time when the economic outlook is already highly uncertain, the Ukraine crisis is perhaps another reminder to European policymakers that they cannot rely on an unambiguously favourable international environment to sustain and strengthen the nascent recovery in the region.”

The big question for policy has been whether the glacial rate of recovery would merit action by the European Central Bank.

But here the refrain remains familiar – “all talk and no action” was the broad media reaction to the ECB’s March press conference. Indeed, while its president Mario Draghi stressed there was a willingness to act, there seemed to be if anything less pressure to do so than was the case at the turn of the year.

The ECB has tweaked up its 2014 eurozone growth forecast from 1.1 per cent to 1.2 per cent and edged down its inflation forecast to 1.0 per cent. But for 2016 there is something approaching full recovery – a growth rate of 1.8 per cent.

Cause for celebration in the hospital waiting room surely – assuming none of the relatives has passed out with suspense fatigue.

n Industry Europe 7

Although construction in Poland hit something of a brick wall after the Euro 2012 football championship, there are still some good projects. Pictured is the construction of a section of the 550km S8 expressway connecting Wroclaw, Lodz, Warsaw and Bialystok.

ON THE UP

The recession in European construction looks like it has finally bottomed-out, but the recovery will be patchy, with far from spectacular growth. Chris Sleight reports.

Non-residential construction in Europe is expected to see growth as the region’s economy recovers. Pictured is work to increase the capacity of the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille ahead of the Euro 2016 soccer championship.

RMD Kwikform supplied the shoring equipment.

8 Industry Europe

E

uropean construction output fell somewhere in the region of 2 to 3 per cent last year – the exact figure depends who you ask – but the green shoots of recovery started to show towards the end of 2013.

The general expectation for 2014 is that growth will return but, as ever, the headline figure will hide very different growth trends from country to country.

Set in a global context, the European construction market has been disappointing over the past few years. It is the last region to emerge from recession, even among the developed economies. Last year’s 2 per cent drop in European output was contrasted by 5.3 per cent growth in the USA and about a 4 per cent rise in output in the normally stagnant Japanese market, where Abenomics and post-Tsunami reconstruction work are providing stimulus.

And the growth levels of major developed regions of the world are a step below what has been seen in the last few years in emerging markets. Even with their various post-crisis problems, construction growth in developing regions varies from about 5 per cent to 7 per cent per annum, pulling the global average growth rate up to about 4.5 per cent last year.

But as lacklustre as Europe looks by comparison, the good news is that it looks like growth is finally returning. This has significance on the global level, as the European construction market represents somewhere in the region of 20 per cent of total world construction output.

The forecast from Euroconstruct, a group of economic forecasters based around the region, is that European construction output will increase by 0.9 per cent this year. The

An interesting project in Norway, 350 m above a fjord near Alsesund to re-align a road that currently clings to the mountainside and as a result is often impassable in the winter due to ice and the risk of avalanche.

recovery is expected to strengthen subsequently, coming up to about 2 per cent annual growth in 2015 and 2016.

Ten years to climb back It has been a long and painful recession for the construction industry, with a downturn that set in just before the Lehman Bros collapse in 2008. Putting an exact figure on the absolute value of the market again depends on which source you go to, but based on Euroconstruct figures, the fall from the peak in 2007 to the low point in 2013 saw the market fall from more than €1500 billion to just under €1300 billion – somewhere in the region of a 15 per cent decline over the five year period.

That has taken the market back to the kind of levels that were seen in the late 1990s.

So even with 2 per cent average growth, which history shows is about what could be expected in the European construction market, it will be getting on for another ten years before European construction output is back to its pre-crisis levels.

But as ever, talking about Europe as a whole only has a limited value, because now more than ever different countries are moving along different growth trends.

It will come as no surprise that the southern and peripheral economies are looking the weakest in terms of growth. After six

to seven years of double-digit declines in output in many countries, the construction industry has been decimated. In Spain for example, construction output today is only at about 40 per cent of its pre-crisis levels.

This not only affects construction contractors, but also the various suppliers to the industry such as heavy materials – cement and aggregates – producers and equipment manufacturers. By way of a further example, the Italian construction equipment market is down to about 5000 machines per year, compared to over 30,000 in the pre-crisis peak.

As well as the ‘PIIGS’ (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain) economies, the downturn in construction output has been felt across eastern Europe, with steep falls in output being seen in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania, among many other countries last year.

The positive news is that Europe’s three biggest construction markets are among the best performers. Data from Eurostat, the European Commission’s statistical service, show that German construction output was up 3.8 per cent last year while France grew 4.7 per cent and the UK 6.8 per cent. There was also growth in a number of medium-sized markets including the Netherlands and parts of Scandinavia.

And this is more or less the outlook for the industry for the coming years. There are signs

that many of the peripheral economies have bottomed-out now, and that growth will return.

However, that growth will be modest, and the markets have fallen to such a low level that it will take time before they return to anything resembling good health.

The best prospects are generally in the mid- and northern European regions, including France, Germany, the UK, Benelux and Scandinavia. However, Finland is looking a little quiet for this year.

The general picture across Europe is that the best growth prospects are in residential and non-residential buildings, rather than the civil engineering and infrastructure segments. The reason is that most infrastructure work is paid for from public budgets, so in an era of public sector austerity, this is a sector of the industry that is expected to remain subdued.

In contrast, the general economic recovery across Europe is expected to drive growth in the areas of construction that are more sensitive to private-sector wealth. The residential market is of course driven by household incomes and job creation, while the nonresidential building sector has a strong link to indicators such as GDP growth and the value of trade – as companies become more profitable they expand and invest in fixed assets like buildings. However, non-residential Industry Europe 9

Europe’s non-EU countries have been some of the more buoyant construction markets in recent years.

Pictured is a the construction of a dam for the Skarg Kraftverk hydroelectric power station in Norway using Doka formwork.

construction also has a strong public sector element for buildings like schools, hospitals and municipal buildings.

Global aspirations In terms of Europe in the widest sense, the most buoyant markets over the last few years have been those on the edge of the region, or near neighbours. Turkey and Russia are the obvious examples, and many European construction companies won work in Sochi, for example, in the run-up to the Winter Olympics.

The tough conditions that have prevailed in Europe over the past five years have encouraged the region’s large construction companies to seek work farther afield. Figures from European International Contractors (EIC), a trade association representing European contractors working outside their national market, shows that the value of foreign work has grown from €78.7 billion in 2002 to €167.6 billion in 2012, the last year for which data is available.

Perhaps more telling than this 100 per cent + increase over the last ten years is the fact that since 2008 when the downturn began in European markets, the value of international work by the region’s largest contractors has grown by 14 per cent.

Admittedly, the main ‘foreign’ markets for European contractors are other European countries, accounting for about 45 per cent of the work by value. However, this proportion has slowly diminished over the years from a high of 55 per cent in 2005.

Meanwhile, there is a clear trend towards European contractors winning more and more work in emerging markets. In 2012 these countries accounted for 40 per cent of their 10 Industry Europe

foreign turnover, or €66.5 billion, compared to 30 per cent/€ 21.6 billion ten years before.

And this hard data is reflected in more anecdotal evidence such as major contract wins and European contractors’ involvement in major projects outside the region.

For example, the biggest construction project in the world today is the enlargement of the Panama Canal, which is likely to cost in the region of US$ 7 billion when cost overruns are included. The consortium undertaking this work comprises Sacyr of Spain, Salini Impregilo of Italy, Jan De Nul of Belgium and a Panamanian partner, Constructora Urbana.

In terms of contract wins over the past 12 months, the most headline-grabbing have been in Qatar, where France’s Vinci, Austria’s Porr and Salini Impregilo have all landed €1 billion+ contracts for construction of part of the capital, Doha’s, metro network. This and other infrastructure projects are linked to Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup, and the scale of investment is such that it will make Qatar arguably the most attractive construction market in the world for the next decade.

It remains to be seen if European contractors’ focuses remain on countries outside the region as Europe itself swings back to growth.

The recovery of home markets should provide a boost, but the fact remains that European construction growth is expected to be sluggish for the foreseeable future.

Forecasting company Oxford Economics says that even once the market returns to growth, European construction output is not likely to manage more than 2 per cent growth a year for the next five to ten years.

Compare that with a forecast global growth rate of 4.3 per cent over the same period,

driven by regions like Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.

There is an argument that of course emerging markets are going to have higher construction growth. They are in a more construction-heavy point in their development where there is an emphasis on building lots of green-field transport, water and power infrastructure as well as dealing with the demands of rapid urbanisation.

Compare that to Europe, where populations are stable overall, infrastructure is largely complete and the shift from rural to urban living has already taken place to a great extent. Clearly there is never going to be as much greenfield construction as in emerging countries, and the emphasis will naturally be on renovation and renewal of existing buildings and infrastructure.

But while it may lack the investment-heavy projects of other parts of the world, the fact remains that Europe still accounts for about 20 per cent of global construction output, and the market’s return to growth is good news. n One of the many tunnel projects connected to the Sochi Winter Olympics, as a road and rail link was built form the coastal town to the mountain venues for the alpine sports.

NEWS

New developments in the Construction industry

Salini Impregilo awarded the construction of motorway in Transylvania

T

he Salini Impregilo Group has been awarded lot 1 of the Sebes-Turda motorway, thereby reaffirming its 20-year presence in Romania.

The client is the Romanian National Company of Motorways and National Roads (CNADNR). The project is worth approximately €121 million.

Geographically, the Sebes-Turda motorway is located in the centre of Transylvania in the provinces of Alba and Cluj, and will result in a fast and safe connection between the Sibiu-Arad motorway (Pan-European Corridor IV) and the BucharestBrasov-Bors motorway (Transylvanian motorway).

Lot 1 of the contract consists of 17 kilometres of motorway with two lanes in each direction with a hard shoulder and includes approximately 81,000m2 of bridges and viaducts, as well as three motorway intersections.

Visit: www.impreglio.it

Costain JV awarded £900m Network Rail contract

C

ostain, one of the UK’s leading engineering solutions providers, has announced that its Joint Venture, ABC Electrification Ltd, has been appointed by Network Rail as one of four suppliers to the £2bn UK National Electrification Programme, delivering electrification to more than two thousand miles of the UK’s rail system. The contract is valued at an initial £900m to the JV under a seven year term, extendable by a further three years.

ABC Electrification Ltd is an equal share JV comprising Alstom, Babcock and Costain. The JV has been awarded two out of the six geographical areas within the programme: London North West (South) region and the Wales and West region.

Visit: www.costain.com

Balfour Beatty completes infrastructure works for England’s largest onshore wind farm

B

alfour Beatty has completed infrastructure works which serve as the base for 34 wind turbines for SSE Renewables on the largest on-shore wind farm project in England. The £30 million contract in Keadby, North Lincolnshire, will bring power to

INDUSTRYNEWS

Skanska to construct motorway extension in Norway

S

kanska has signed a contract with the Norwegian Road Administration to extend the E18 motorway at Larvik between Bommestad and Sky in Norway. The contract is worth around NOK 1.6 billion, about SEK 1.7 billion. The expansion extends about six kilometers and includes tunnels, concrete culverts and a bridge over the E18. Work will begin in May 2014 and is scheduled to be completed 1 July 2017.

Skanska Norway focuses on construction and civil engineering operations. The unit has approximately 4500 employees. In 2013, Skanska Norway reported revenue of SEK 14.3 billion.

Visit: www.skanska.com

Veidekke to build double track north of Stockholm

V

eidekke Entreprenad has been awarded the contract from Trafikverket to build approximately 2km of double track on Ostkustbanen close to Gävle, 160 kilometres north of Stockholm. The contract is valued at approximately SEK 130 million excluding VAT. Veidekkes contract applies to the stretch from Skutskär to Furuvik, and is a part of a major improvement to increase capacity along the entire Ostkustbanen and a strategy to move transport from road to rail. The construction contract includes building three bridges, rebuilding of classified road 76 and several minor construction tasks.

Visit: www.veidekke.se

ISG secures £50 million Liverpool waterfront wins

I

SG is set to deliver over £50 million of construction projects at the new Exhibition Centre Liverpool development, after adding

approximately 57,000 homes and includes the construction of a £5 million access bridge and the installation of 23 kilometres of access tracks. Balfour Beatty used its in-house specialist teams to carry out all piling works and the switchgear manufacture associated with the substation electrical installation.

Stephen Semple, Balfour Beatty North Central Delivery Unit managing director,

the contract to build a four star hotel to its original brief to build the new 8100m2, world class exhibition centre at the iconic waterfront site.

ISG will be constructing the hotel and Exhibition Centre Liverpool facilities concurrently, with both buildings set to open for business in 2015.

Architects Denton Corker Marshall have created a striking off-set, rectangular ‘tube’ design for the new concrete frame hotel, which will feature extensive glazing and a spacious double height atrium at its lower levels.

Visit: www.isgplc.com said: “We are delighted to have reached this major milestone on our project at Keadby wind farm. We have significant experience in delivering complex power schemes with our customer SSE Renewables and we look forward to the successful completion of this unique project for them.”

Visit: www.balfourbeatty.com

Industry Europe 11

NEWS

New developments in the Construction industry

YIT starts third phase of the Smolny prospekt premium apartment complex in St Petersburg

Y

IT has started the third and the final phase of the Smolny prospekt apartment complex in the historic centre of St Petersburg. Comprising a total floor area of nearly 19,000 square metres, the third phase consists of approximately 150 apartments ranging in size from studio apartments to five-room homes. The third phase is estimated to be completed by the end of 2017 and its value is nearly €150 million.

The first phase of the project, started in late 2012, involves the renovation of three historical buildings that will house approximately 30 apartments. The original facades of the buildings, which date back to the 1800s and early 1900s, will be maintained. The second phase, consisting of the construction of approximately 250 apartments, was started in autumn 2013.

Visit: www.yitgroup.com

Sacyr and OHL submit the best proposal for the construction of motorway in Santiago de Chile

S

acyr Concesiones and OHL Concesiones have submitted the best proposal for the construction and operation of the Américo Vespucio Oriente (AVO) urban motorway in Santiago de Chile, with a budget of €710 million (US$970 million).

Highlights of the works include a tunnel under Cerro San Cristóbal and the Mapocho River, the improvement of existing surface roads in La Pir·mide; and two underwater carriageways from the south of Puente Centenario up to Príncipe de Gales.

This motorway will help to reduce travelling times for commuters through the eastern section of the Chilean capital and will improve the service level through a structured thoroughfare, which currently bears high congestion levels.

Visit: www.sacyr.com Visit: www.ohl.es

Bouygues to construct self-sufficient housing complex in Grenoble

M

ichel Destot, MP and Mayor of Grenoble, and Yves Gabriel, chairman and chief executive officer of Bouygues Construction, have signed a research, development and innovation partnership agreement for the construction of an experimental demonstrator in the form of a block of approximately 90

12 Industry Europe

STRABAG building McArthurGlen designer outlet Vancouver Airport

T

he construction group STRABAG SE is building a designer outlet centre near Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Canada, for Vancouver Airport Authority and McArthurGlen, Europe’s leading owner, developer and manager of designer outlets. McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport foresees the construction of more than 65,000m2 (35,000m2 gross leaseable area) in a prime location on YVR land for more than CAD 100 million (€70 million).

“Thanks to several large infrastructure projects, for example in tunnelling, we are already very familiar with the local, Canadian market. Furthermore, it is a tradition for us to follow our clients to various different countries all over the world,” says Thomas Birtel, CEO of STRABAG SE. McArthurGlen designer outlet Neumünster near Hamburg, in Germany, which has been successfully finalised and handed over to the client last year, serves as a reference project.

Visit: www.strabag.com

apartments that will aim to achieve self-sufficiency in water and energy and to optimise waste management. The first demonstrator of the ABC (Autonomous Building for Citizens) concept, developed by Bouygues Construction, will be built as part of the PresquíIle development zone in the heart of the Grenoble EcoCité.

The ABC concept seeks to achieve self-sufficiency in energy and water and to

optimise waste management. By combining renewable energy production, energy storage and improved control of consumption, ABC introduces a new way of thinking about and experiencing housing that is very well integrated into its natural environment, from which it draws the resources it needs to operate.

Visit: www.bouygues-construction.com

INDUSTRYNEWS

NCC eco-certifies first ‘Excellent’ building in Finland

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CC’s building Aitio Vivaldi is the first Finnish building that has been awarded a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certificate. The Helsinki based office building is the third in Scandinavia to be granted a BREEAM certificate on this level. BREEAM is a globally leading certification scheme that is regarded as one of the most demanding environmental assessment systems for buildings.

A great number of environmental issues have been regarded in the planning and construction phase of NCC’s Aitio Vivaldi project. For instance, the energy efficiency and operational cost is reduced with careful design and solar panels. The local environment and green profile of the building is strengthened by bird and bat nests that have been placed on the green roof of the building.

Visit: www.ncc.se

Astaldi to build motorway in Romania

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he Astaldi Group has won the contract, worth about €56 million, to design and build Lot 1 of the Nadlac-Arad Motorway in Romania.

The works involve the completion of slightly more than 22 kilometres of Motorway route, linking the city of Arad to the town of Nadlac, one of the most important crossings to Hungary. The works are to be completed in 12 months from January 2014.

The Astaldi Group has been active for more than 20 years in Romania, where it works mainly in the sector of airport and motorway transport infrastructure. On 19 December, Astaldi completed and delivered Lot 4 of the Orastie-Sibiu Motorway (16 kilometres)) and is currently building Line 4 and Line 5 of the Bucharest underground (totalling 77 kilometres of line and 11 stations).

Visit: www.astaldi.com

HOCHTIEF to rebuild Halstenbek secondary school

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OCHTIEF PPP Solutions and the Municipality of Halstenbek have signed contracts for the reconstruction of the Wolfgang-Borchert-Gymnasium (secondary school). The company will plan and construct the new school building and operate it until 2033. The contract for this public-

VINCI to supply and install the stay cables for the third Bosphorus bridge in Turkey F reyssinet, a subsidiary of VINCI Construction, has signed a contract with Hyundai Engineering & Construction – SK Engineering & Construction joint venture – to supply and install the stay cables and dampers for the third Bosphorus bridge in Istanbul, Turkey.

The structure will be part of the North Marmara Motorway, which will bypass the city and cross the Bosphorus to the north of Istanbul, thus relieving road traffic in the city and on the two existing bridges. The crossing’s innovative design will include a 1408 metre central span with a 58 metre wide deck carrying 2 x 4 traffic lanes and two railway lines in the middle.

With this new project, Freyssinet will set a new record for the world’s longest cable-

private partnership (PPP) project is worth some €31 million: 21 million for construction and 10 million for operation.

The new secondary school for around 1000 pupils is one of Halstenbek’s projects for the future. The contractor, HOCHTIEF PPP Europa, will begin preparatory measures in mid-February and actual construction will start in April. HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions

stayed bridge, following on from the Normandy bridge in 1994 (856 metres) and the Russky Island bridge in 2012 (1104 metres, the current world record).

Visit: www.vinci.com

and HOCHTIEF Hamburg will be handling all planning and construction, while part of the operating services will be outsourced to SPIE. It is expected that completion of the new building and commencement of classes will be as early as September 2015, and the entire project is due to be finalised in summer 2016.

Visit: www.hoctief.com Industry Europe 13

THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD The Thames Barrier has been protecting London from flooding for more than 30 years now.

Robert Williams reports.

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arge publically funded engineering projects often have a bad reputation in Britain. They are associated with grandstanding, waste, delays, incompetence and poor planning. Critics insist that big bridges and long tunnels, supersonic airliners and high-speed railways should instead be funded by the private sector.

The greatest rejection of this argument is about six miles east of the City of London, near Greenwich, an elegant and perfectly engineered study in stainless steel, zinc and concrete which in terms of value for money may represent the most effective use of taxpayers’ cash anywhere in the world.

Built at a cost (in today’s money) of around £1.6 billion and finished in 1983, the 1700ft Thames Barrier has paid for itself many times over in the 31 years it has been operating, in terms of lives saved and of properties not flooded across 50 square miles of a city built on a soggy flood plain which is slowly sinking into the North Sea. No wonder that the Thames Barrier has been described as the eighth wonder of the world.

After the wettest winter on record and after the Thames has risen to its highest levels in 60 years in some parts, the Thames Barrier breached the recommended annual limit of 50 closures for the first time this winter, In the whole of the 1980s, it closed on just four occasions. About half of these closures were to protect central London and the rest to regulate river flooding and damage upstream. The flood defence closure 14 Industry Europe

on 7 February was the 500th closure of the barrier (including test closures).

The Thames Barrier was built to protect London from storm surges coming from the North Sea – very high tides exacerbated by high winds and low pressure systems which can add several feet to sea levels locally.

Climate change was not on the agenda in the 1950s but it was known that south-east England was sinking, albeit very slowly, into the North Sea as the result of geological settling following the last Ice Age. This sinking, coupled with rising sea levels means that, over time, London is more at risk than before.

And, in 1953, a particularly disastrous flood occurred. Over 300 people drowned and about 160,000 acres on Canvey Island, near the mouth of the Thames, were flooded. A government appointed committee recommended that a barrier be built across the Thames. The main problem was that the volume of shipping using London Docks was at its peak, and that ships were getting bigger. This meant that an opening in the barrier of around 1400 feet would be required. A number of schemes were put forward, but failed to come to fruition.

Then cargo began to be shipped in containers, a new container port was opened downstream at Tilbury and the old London Docks became redundant. It was decided that openings only 200 feet wide, the same as Tower Bridge, would be sufficient, and the site of the barrier could be further upstream than originally envisaged.

The Thames Barrier was designed for the Greater London Council by Rendel, Palmer and Tritton, and was officially opened by the Queen on 8 May 1984.

A map released by its operator, the Environment Agency, in December showed how London would look if sea levels continued to rise and there was no barrier. The Houses of Parliament, the O2 arena, Tower Bridge, and areas including Southwark, the Isle of Dogs, Whitechapel and West Ham were shown to be flooded.

For most of its history, London lacked such protection. In 1928, 14 people drowned when a swollen Thames overflowed between the City and Southwark to the east and Putney and Hammersmith to the west. According to contemporary reports, the streets were filled with water up to 4ft (1.2m) deep.

Balancing the tide and the river The barrier, made up of 10 steel gates, reaches 520m (1700ft) across the river. When open, the gates lie flat on the river floor and close by being rotated upwards until they block the river. The four main gates span 61.5m (200ft) and weigh more than 3000 tonnes each. The barrier is closed just after low tide to create an empty ‘reservoir’ for the river flow to fill up. The process of closing the barrier – from making the decision, physically shutting it, waiting for high tide to come and go and re-opening it – takes eight or 10 hours, starting with the gates on the outside until the middle gates are shut.

With no barrier, at high tide, the sea would normally flow up the estuary and into London, pushing the river water back. With all the extra rainfall, this could worsen the flooding. The barrier prevents this from happening.

The gates are left shut and the river water is held until the tide turns. Staff wait for the water on both sides to ‘equalise’ – reach the same level – and then the gate is opened and the river water can rush out into the estuary.

The barrier was originally designed to last up to the year 2030. Recent studies suggest that even with sea level rises from anticipated climate change, the barrier will be sufficient protection for London until 2060–70.

The Barrier has already become London’s unsung saviour. London did not flood, even during a massive storm surge in 2007, which was comparable in scale to that in 1953. The Barrier has survived 15 ship collisions and it even played a backstage role in the 2012

Jubilee celebrations, turning the tidal Thames into a gigantic lake, safe for the hundreds of small boats, including the royal barges.

But the frequency of closures in recent months could suggest that the Barrier is operating close to the limits of what it can do to protect central London and at-risk upstream areas. Also, as it ages, and the more it is used, the more likely it is to run into mechanical problems.

So there are growing calls for this wonderful piece of engineering, Brunellian in imagination and scale, to be replaced – and quickly.

Current plans by the Environment Agency, which operates London’s flood defences, to keep the Barrier operational until the 2070s are not enough, in the face of climate change that is producing rising sea levels and more powerful storms of the kind that have made this winter catastrophic for so many. So is it time for Thames Barrier 2?

A replacement Barrier – larger, higher and to be built closer to the mouth of the Thames, would be built around the site of the M25 crossings at Dartford. It would cost tens of billions of pounds but, the argument goes, compared to the devastation that would result if a storm surge overwhelmed the current Barrier this would be a bargain.

The increasing use of the Barrier as a defence against fluvial flooding west of London means that not only must rising sea levels be taken into account (an estimated 40–60cm by the 2070s) but also more extreme weather. Can London afford not to invest in a new barrier?

Whatever decision is taken, the original barrier – an incredible work of engineering – will still be doing its job for the next 40 years. Brunel would be proud – as should be the taxpayers of the 1970s who paid n for it.

According to customer specification we design, develop and produce the products of advanced composites, wood and aluminium for different purposes - auto industry, cycle and motorcycle industry, floating vessels, aircraft, military industry, wood industry and construction industry.

RELIABLE PARTNER FOR COMPLEX SOLUTIONS. P. i T. Erdody 7, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Phone: +385 1 618 3837 | Fax: +385 1 618 4517 E-mail: info@boardguardian.hr www.boardguardian.hr

Industry Europe 15

NEWS

New contracts and orders in industry

Alstom to supply the first MXL2 upgrade package in the Middle East

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise orders 40 ATR 72-600s

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lstom has secured a key contract in the United Arab Emirates with Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL), to upgrade two GT13E2 gas turbines with its innovative MXL2 upgrade package.

The upgrade will increase the flexibility and competitive advantage of DUBAL’s combinedcycle power plant (CCPP). This new contract – in conjunction with an extension to the long-term service agreement (LTSA) with DUBAL – will be the first MXL2 upgrade deployed in the Middle East region. Its implementation is expected to be completed in early 2015.

Progressively evolved from proven Alstom technology, the multi-mode MXL2 retrofit product gives DUBAL the ability to achieve a 1% increase in combined cycle mode efficiency as already proven with a previous implementation of the product in the United Kingdom (South Humber Bank). It will also produce an additional 12MW of gross power output, reduce CO2 emissions and increase service intervals by one-third, contributing to significantly lower operating costs.

“The MXL2 contract builds on our long-term engagement and follows previous leading edge projects undertaken by Alstom for DUBAL, such as the multi-purpose, load balancing GTX cogeneration plant,” says Michael Rechsteiner, senior vice-president of Alstom Thermal Services.

Visit: www.alstom.com

Air Liquide announces major deal

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ir Liquide is further strengthening its position in Germany by signing a major long-term supply contract with ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG in the Rhine-Ruhr area, one of the largest and leading industrial basins in Europe. Deliveries under the agreement include 4600 tonnes per day of oxygen, plus nitrogen and argon, which will be supplied 16 Industry Europe

the occasion of the Singapore Airshow, the European turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR and the United Arab Emirates’ leasing firm Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) announced a contract for the purchase of 40 ATR 72-600s, which includes firm orders for 20 aircraft and options for 20 additional ones. DAE is the largest aviation leasing firm in the Middle East with an aircraft portfolio of approximately $3.3 billion comprised of B737s, B777s, A320s and A330s. The 20 firm aircraft are scheduled to deliver between 2015 and 2018.

The contract is a major milestone in ATR’s recent history and underlines the increasing interest of leasing firms from all over the world in the ATR aircraft family. The ATR 72-600 has become in recent years the preferred regional

aircraft below 90 seats for lessors and airlines operating short-haul networks.

Khalifa AlDaboos, managing director of DAE, declared: “We aim to diversify our portfolio and expand into regional aircraft to meet an increasing demand from airlines that are developing regional air connectivity. ATRs are today operated by some 190 carriers all over the world, and this is clearly providing us with many potential opportunities to place this new fleet of regional aircraft.”

Visit: www.atraircraft.com

TenCate and Adler Group sign supply agreement for Alfa Romeo 4C platform F

ollowing the joint development between TenCate Advanced Composites and the Adler Group with regard to the Alfa Romeo 4C chassis, an exclusive supply agreement has been reached for the use of carbon fibre composite prepreg material. This advanced material is being used for the production of the entire monocoque.

The central passenger cell reduces vehicle weight and creates a highly rigid and safe basic structure.

This agreement encapsulates the relationship which began at the inception of this automotive project and sees the E700 series carbon fibre prepreg from the TenCate Advanced Composites manufacturing facility in Langley Mill (Nottingham), UK being used by the Adler Group in Ottaviano (Naples), Italy.

The support provided by TenCate to Adler has continued beyond the development phase of the project, with sales of Alfa Romeo forecast to reach up to three thousand cars per year. The two parties have agreed that an investment will be made to enable local production of the composite material, in order to optimise the logistic process and comply with ‘just in time’ requirements needed for this important Alfa Romeo automotive programme. In addition, TenCate and Adler will work jointly on innovations for new automotive-related projects.

Visit: www.tencate.com to ThyssenKrupp’s steelworks based in the Duisburg cluster, the largest steel production region in Europe, notably supplying the needs of the automotive industry in Germany.

Oxygen, nitrogen and argon are required by the steel industry for a number of applications, ranging from air enrichment for blast furnaces to oxygen steelmaking processes. The use of these gases helps to improve the productivity

and energy performance of steelworks whilst reducing atmospheric emissions.

The gases will be supplied via Air Liquide’s 500km local pipeline network, which already serves customers in the steel, chemical and petrochemical industries in the Rhine-Ruhr area. This pipeline is fed by Air Liquide Air Separation Units.

Vist: www.airliquide.com

WINNINGBUSINESS Rejlers engaged by Helsinki City Theatre

Network Rail places order for ROBEL Mobile Maintenance Systems F ollowing orders from Austria and Norway the Mobile Maintenance System will now be used in Great Britain. ROBEL will build eight Mobile Maintenance Systems 69.70/4 for Network Rail Ltd. Following delivery from July 2015 onwards, this safe and efficient concept will be deployed on five of Network Rail’s Routes.

With the three combined units of the (Mobile Maintenance Unit) 69.60 MMU, the (Intermediate Wagon) 69.45 IW and the (Traction and Supply Unit) 69.40 TSU, ROBEL will help to facilitate Network Rail’s vision of a safe, reliable and efficient railway infrastructure.

The aim of the system is to create a safe and mobile work space for staff, both during the transport of material and equipment to and from the worksite and during maintenance work on

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ejlers has been engaged in the modernisation of Helsinki City Theatre. The project will be carried out by the company’s consultant specialists within electrical design.

The theatre was built originally in 1967 and since 1989 has had a side building called ‘Studio Elsa’. The theatre is considered to be one of the finest Finnish architectural milestones and the ongoing modernisation work is accompanied by strict restrictions and regulations. One reason for the renovation is that the building will be more energy efficient. Rejlers’ assignment includes the design of various technical installation solutions.

The total building area is 27,000 square metres.

Rejlers is one of the largest engineering consultants in the Nordic region. Its 1800 experts work on projects within the areas of Building and Property, Energy, Industry and Infrastructure.

Visit: www.rejlers.com

Parker Hannifin products used for challenging North Sea project

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offshore oil and gas project that will site new offshore platforms in challenging conditions in the North Sea has selected high-reliability valves and tube connection fittings from the Instrumentation Products Division of Parker Hannifin in Barnstaple.

the track. Network Rail Ltd will use the system mainly for the following tasks: replacement of closure rails (max. rail length 13.72m), rail pads and connecting fishplates as well as maintenance and inspection of switches.

Visit: www.robel.info

FLSmidth wins cement order in Oman

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LSmidth has received an order worth USD 38 million (approximately DKK 205 million) from Omani cement producer Oman Cement Company (SAOG) for the supply of milling equipment for a cement plant located in Rusayl Industrial Area, 60km from Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat.

Named after the pioneering Norwegian feminist Gina Krog, the new oil and gas field is located some 250km west of Stavanger, Norway.

Parker estimates that it will supply at least 10,000 individual valves, tube fittings and other components for this project, as well as some 10km of tubing. These will be used to construct liquid and gas instrumentation

The order covers supply of a 150 tonnes per hour closed circuit ball mill system including two cement silos, each with a capacity of 8000 tonnes. The scope of supply also includes a high-efficiency central drive for the ball mill and a dynamic separator and fabric filters to reduce dust emission.

“Infrastructure growth in Oman has created a huge demand for cement. Oman Cement Company are already upgrading their existing production lines and now want to set up a fifth cement grinding unit. FLSmidth has a strong service capability and presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and therefore has good relations with the company,” comments group executive vice-president Bjarne Moltke Hansen.

Visit: www.flsmidth.com systems that will measure parameters such as temperature, pressure and flow to help control gas and oil and processing operations.

This project will also make extensive use of titanium and the 6Mo steel alloy in key parts of the fluid tubing systems. These specialist materials are required to combat the threat of corrosion.

Visit: www.parker.com Industry Europe 17

NEWS

Combining strengths

Audi launches strategic partnership with Global Bioenergies

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udi is launching a strategic partnership with Global Bioenergies. The carmaker will work with the French biotechnology company to promote the development of non-fossil fuels. In addition to the Audi e-gas and e-diesel projects, the research into e-gasoline is part of Audi’s persistent efforts to find alternative fuels.

Reiner Mangold, head of Sustainable Product Development at AUDI AG: “We’re taking another step closer to carbon-neutral mobility with our partners at Global Bioenergies. We are supporting an innovative technology here which can be used to produce renewable fuel. This process

does not create competition with food production and farmland.” e-gasoline is part of the overall Audi e-fuels strategy. Audi is already operating a research facility for the production of e-ethanol and e-diesel with its partner Joule in Hobbs, New Mexico.

The Audi e-gas plant in Werlte began feeding into the grid in 2013. Synthetically produced gas is used here to store electric surplus energy.

Thanks to its innovative powertrain technology, Audi also delivers low fuel consumption figures with its conventional drive systems.

Visit: www.audi.com

New member of the Balluff Group

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ATB Austria and Wolong Electric Group establish joint venture

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TB Austria Antriebstechnik AG, Vienna has entered into a joint venture with Wolong Electric Group, a company belonging to the same group of companies as ATB’s major shareholder Wolong Investment GmbH. The JV involves the co-ownership of the company Wolong Electric Wuhan Co. Ltd, which will be renamed ATB Wuhan (Motors) Co. Ltd. ATB will then take over the management of the company, a production plant in Wuhan within the province of Huwei.

This strategic extension of the ATB Group serves to increase ATB’s market share and to provide a production platform for local manufacturing in China. It gives ATB the opportunity to enhance its position in the global market place. The new cooperation also further strengthens synergies between Wolong and ATB and therefore constitutes a win-win situation for both groups of companies.

Visit: www.atb-motors.com

New joint venture between Ferrostaal and Rheinmetall

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heinmetall AG of Düsseldorf and Ferrostaal GmbH of Essen have established a new joint venture company, Rheinmetall International Engineering GmbH, in which both organisations hold a 50% stake.

Rheinmetall International Engineering will plan and build industrial facilities, serving as

18 Industry Europe

a single-source supplier. The new company is headquartered in Geisenheim, Germany, close to Frankfurt/Main.

Rheinmetall intends to use the new joint venture to accelerate internationalisation of its defence operations, especially in regions where until now it has had only limited access. Intermeshing of the two groups’ sales networks should ensure broader

he company STM Sensor Technologie München GmbH (STM) has joined the Balluff Group. As development and technology partners in the area of speciality photoelectric sensors, the companies are connected by a long-standing cooperation venture.

With the integration of Balluff STM, the area of sensor miniaturisation for industrial automation in particular will be further expanded.

“Thanks to the concentration of our competencies in this area we are able to offer our customers extended and integral solutions,” states Florian Hermle, Balluff managing director.

There will also be synergy effects and new potential for production. For instance, Balluff STM has a patented production process in photoelectric precision sensor systems. A big strength of the Bavarian company is its production of photoelectric sensors for use in the cleanroom environment and in high vacuums, such as those used in the semiconductor industry.

Michael Unger, management spokesperson of Balluff GmbH, sees huge opportunities in the modular product structure. “With Balluff STM we are able to provide an impressive variety of customerspecific solutions in a fast and flexible manner.”

Visit: www.balluff.com access to target markets in North Africa and Middle East as well as Asia and Latin America. Ferrostaal expects the joint venture to give its activities in these regions a significant boost. This also applies to Ferrostaal’s traditional oil and gas operations, which it is contributing to the joint venture in the form of Ferrostaal Industrieanlagen GmbH. Visit: www.rheinmetall.de

LINKINGUP FinnvedenBulten divests its Cargotec’s MacGregor acquires Aker Swedish aluminium business Solutions’ mooring and loading systems unit innvedenBulten has, as part of the ongoing restructuring of the foundry business in the Finnveden Metal Structures division, signed an agreement to sell the division’s Swedish aluminium business in Finnveden Gjutal AB. The buyer is International Aluminium Casting Sweden AB, which operates with aluminium die-casting in Sweden and Estonia.

“Our strategy within Finnveden Metal Structures is to offer a unique combination of sheet metal stamping and magnesium die-casting to meet the need for weight reduction in the automotive industry. The sale of the aluminium business is an important part of the ongoing restructuring program and streamlining of the die-casting operation where all magnesium die casting is concentrated to one focused foundry located in Poland. At the same time we are pleased that the aluminium operation can continue with new owners having aluminium die casting as their main business,” says Johan Westman, president and CEO of FinnvedenBulten.

The divested aluminium business and additional restructuring costs are expected to lead to a positive net contribution to the operating profit amounting to around SEK 10 million during Q1 2014.

Visit: www.finnvedenbulten.com

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HANZA acquires Arvika Industrikablage and Davab

geographical presence through offices in the Nordic countries, central Europe and China,” commented Erik Stenfors, CEO, HANZA AB. HANZA’s goal is to consolidate Nordic contract manufacturers and further strengthen its position as a competitive quality provider of complete manufacturing services. “One of our key success factors is that we suc-

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ANZA AB – Scandinavia’s fastest growing provider of complete manufacturing services in mechanics, electronics, cables and boxbuild – has acquired Arvika Industrikablage and Davab.

“HANZA has since the start in 2008 grown into a manufacturer with a broad

argotec’s MacGregor has completed the acquisition of the mooring and loading systems unit from Aker Solutions. Cargotec announced the agreement to acquire the unit in October 2013 for an enterprise value of approximately €180 million.

“The addition of the mooring and loading systems’ team members, technologies and products further positions MacGregor as a true leader in the marine and offshore equipment market.

When combined with our other MacGregor products and the expertise of the recently acquired Hatlapa marine equipment business, we can now offer customers the most complete range of high performing equipment and systems,” states Eric Nielsen, president, MacGregor. “With this acquisition now complete, we look forward to a quick and smooth integration into MacGregor family, with the clear goal of serving our existing and new customers with the most innovative and well supported offering.”

Visit: www.cargotec.com

ALTANA acquires polypropylene wax emulsion business from DSM

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he specialty chemicals group ALTANA has acquired technologies and customer-specific know-how in the field of polypropylene wax emulsions from Royal DSM. The products can be used to coat glass fibres which are needed for the manufacturing of composites. They are typically used in the construction industry and the automotive sector. “This acquisition is another consistent step along our path of growth,” said Dr Matthias L. Wolfgruber, CEO of ALTANA AG. Within the ALTANA group, the polypropylene wax emulsion business will be integrated into BYK Additives & Instruments, the division with the highest sales volume. “This acquisition expands our existing portfolio in the field of wax emulsions,

and now enables us to offer customers an even broader range of additive solutions,” explained Dr Christoph Schlünken, president of the BYK Division.

In October 2013, BYK also acquired Rockwood’s rheology business.

Visit: www.byk.com

ceed in creating profitable activities in rural areas in Sweden,” says Gerd Levin-Nygren, manager of HANZAs electronics division.

“Arvika Industrikablage and Davab are two well-respected regional companies whose business will now be moved to our factory in Värmland and which will be further developed in HANZA Group.”

Visit: www.hanza.com Industry Europe 19

NEWS

MOVINGON

Relocations and expansions across Europe

Essentra opens purpose built warehouse near Oxford

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brand new 3500m2 warehouse near Oxford has been opened by Essentra Components, until recently known as Moss Express. The purpose built distribution centre at the company’s principal manufacturing facility in Kidlington uses the latest technology, including wire guided forklift trucks.

Operating 24/7, the new facility will help ensure next day delivery for all products in the company’s new 876 page catalogue, as well as acting as a hub for its European distribution centre network.

The components business of Essentra is a global, market leading manufacturer and distributor of plastic injection moulded, vinyl dip moulded and metal items. Operating units in 25 countries serve a very broad industrial base of customers with a rapid supply of primarily plastic products for a variety of applications in industries such as hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical controls and construction.

Visit:www.essentracomponents.co.uk

Unipart opens new manufacturing site in Coventry

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nipart has opened a new manufacturing facility in Coventry to meet the demand for increasing volumes of its automotive fuel systems. It is the second new manufacturing facility to be opened by Unipart Manufacturing Group in the Coventry area.

Kautex Unipart Ltd (KUL), the joint venture between Unipart and its German partner Kautex Textron Gmbh, currently produces around 640,000 fuel tanks annually for leading automotive manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Honda. A recent investment in new technology, which offers customers greater levels of emission control, has enabled the company to increase production. As a result, KUL has opened a new 7500m2 facility called KUL2 to carry out assembly and sequencing operations.

KUL Plant general manager Dave Pound said “We’ve invested some £6m to integrate new blow mould technology called a Next Generation Fuel System blow moulding machine.

This will enable components such as valves and fuel lines to be placed inside fuel tanks more effectively, ultimately providing reduced vehicle static fuel emissions.”

Visit: www.unipart.com

Morgan invests in Global Materials Centre of Excellence

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organ Advanced Materials, a world leading manufacturer of highly engineered materials, has announced the creation of a Global Materials Centre of Excellence in Stourport, Worcestershire for structural ceramics materials and applications. Whether acting as general contractor

20 Industry Europe

Bauer extends its services in Scandinavia

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auer Gear Motor, part of Altra Industrial Motion, has opened a new sales office in Finland which will act as the first point of contact for all of its Scandinavian customers. The office is located a few minutes away from Helsinki Airport to make direct access to customers throughout the region more readily available.

Michael Endermann, Bauer’s European sales director, comments: “Scandinavia is an important market for us and one that we believe has a lot of potential for further growth. A benefit of being part of Altra Industrial Motion is the stability this creates which affords us the opportunity to invest in new offices which, we believe, will improve our support services. This is an extremely exciting move for us and we look forward to using the opportunity to develop our customer relationships.”

Visit: www.bauergears.com

Solvay opens innovation centre in Singapore

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olvay has opened a new research & innovation centre in Singapore, which will be the group’s core innovation ground for its Consumer Chemicals growth engine in the Asia-Pacific region.

Located in Singapore’s Biopolis research hub, the 1100m2 laboratory will lead worldwide innovation projects primarily for Solvay’s business unit Novecare, which is active in the fields of Home and Personal Care, Coatings and Oil & Gas. It will also be a regional hub in developing sustainable solutions for the Agrochemical business and provide technical support to Solvay’s regional customers as well as plants in the region.

“Singapore has undergone an important transformation in recent years and is now established as a key knowledge and innovation hub in the Asia Pacific region,” said Pierre-Franck Valentin, vice-president & general manager of Solvay Novecare Asia Pacific. “Basing one of our global research & innovation centre in Singapore will allow us to benefit from the country’s research capabilities, ready infrastructure and strong intellectual property protection.”

Visit: www.solvay.com

or subcontractor, Rheinmetall International Engineering will plan and build industrial facilities, serving as a single-source supplier.

Ferrostaal expects the joint venture to give its activities in these regions.

The Global Materials Centre of Excellence concept is tried and tested and builds upon the success of the Group’s now well established Global Fibre Research &

Development (R&D) centre in Bromborough, Merseyside. Stourport was selected by Morgan from a shortlist of six international manufacturing locations, due in part to support from local MP Mark Garnier and Chancellor George Osborne, and will lead the group’s development of structural ceramics materials and applications.

Visit: www.morganadvancedmaterials.com

NEWS

INDUSTRYPEOPLE

New Pöttinger sales director

The Stewart Group appoints new sales and marketing director

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tewart Group, the UK manufacturer and supplier of plastic moulded products for the gardening, home, professional catering, technical and packaging sectors, has appointed Andy Burns as group sales and marketing director.

Burns joins Stewart from Whirlpool Corporation, the world’s largest white goods manufacturer, where he held the positions of head of Marketing and, more recently, head of Sales for the UK. While at Whirlpool Corporation, Burns oversaw online, retail and trade channels worth a combined £45 million.

Stewart Group offers an extensive portfolio of products, from garden planters and propagators to food containers and specialist storage products. Three specialist divisions also work across the aerospace, automotive and medical industries.

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ven Niels has assumed the role of sales director at Pöttinger for Western Europe, the Baltic States and Africa.

Sven Niels (39), who has been an area sales manager at Pöttinger since 2011, started his job as sales director at the beginning of February. He was one of the main people responsible for getting the three new sales subsidiaries up and running in the UK, Ireland and Belgium during 2012.

These subsidiaries have already far exceeded forecast turnover figures during their first year.

New group finance director at Johnson Matthey

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ollowing the recent announcement that Robert MacLeod will succeed Neil Carson as chief executive of Johnson Matthey, the company has announced that Den Jones will join the board of Johnson Matthey on 5th June 2014, succeeding Robert as group finance director.

Den, aged 48, has 13 years of senior and board level experience with BG Group, a FTSE 15 business and major global energy company with operations from exploration and production through to LNG shipping and marketing inn both developed and emerging markets.

Robert MacLeod said: “I am delighted that Den will be joining Johnson Matthey and I am looking forward to working with him. His experience of working in a large diverse global company within an engineering and operations environment complements Johnson Matthey’s business well.”

Cargotec appoints Mikael Laine as senior vice-president, Strategy

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ikael Laine has been appointed senior vice-president, Strategy at Cargotec as of 7 April 2014.

Mikael Laine, M.Sc. Econ, (b. 1964), comes most recently from Moventas Group, one of the world’s leading industrial and wind gear manufacturers, where he held the position of president and CEO. “Mikael has a strong industrial background and a long experience in strategic development. He has a wide and versatile financial expertise and his deep understanding from the IT and telecom industry brings us added insight as our industry is moving towards digitalisation. Due to these, among other things, we felt that Mikael is a perfect choice for the task,” says Cargotec president and CEO Mika Vehviläinen.

Siemens Industry appoints food and beverage sector lead

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iemens Industry has appointed Keith Thornhill as a lead for the food and beverage market in the UK and Ireland. He will be working with a dedicated team to address the key business and technological challenges food manufacturers face. In his role as Food and Beverage business manager,

Keith will provide support for the sector in the areas of industrial technology – in particular automation and drive technologies solutions.

Keith Thornhill comments: “Siemens Industry has a unique understanding of the food and beverage markets having worked with leading brands in the sector for many years. I look forward to working with manufacturers across the UK helping them to boost productivity.

Industry Europe 21

NEWS

TECHNOLOGYSPOTLIGHT Industrial robot launch set to revolutionise the market

Advances in technology across industry

Portable lab for rapid diagnosis

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he UK’s first ever industrial robot manufacturer has launched two new models, which are set to revolutionise the market by eradicating reliance on second-hand equipment and helping manufacturing businesses increase profitability.

West Midlands-based Armstrong UEN, which specialises in improving manufacturing efficiencies, has developed an innovative and cost-effective turnkey gantry-style robot and a robotic arm, both of which can be purpose-built to complement the engineering and manufacturing sector.

“Prohibitive costs have meant that many people rely on re-purposing second-hand robots which were often designed for much more complex tasks. This brings unnecessary expense, and complications to businesses,” explained Peter Richards, managing director at Armstrong UEN. “Following feedback from customers, Armstrong UEN has pioneered an easy-to-program gantrystyle palletising robot, and has also launched an innovative industrial robotic arm, both of which are quick and accurate solutions for a range of material handling applications,” Visit: www.armstronguenrobotics.com

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o you remember James Bond film Casino Royale? After being poisoned, the agent uses a portable diagnostic kit to identify the toxic substance and alert his HQ in London. Such a type of technology is not fiction anymore. European researchers have developed a ground-breaking diagnostic system based on smart cards and skin patches combined with a portable reader.

Test results can directly be sent to a remote computer, a tablet or a smartphone through a wireless connection. This small lab can already detect cocaine consumption, monitor colon cancer, identify bacteria in food and analyse environmental contamination.

“13 partners in 8 countries worked for 4 years on the LABONFOIL project. They combined their

skills in microtechnology, molecular biology, materials and electronics to develop this novel technology for rapid and low-cost diagnosis,” explains Dr Ruano-López, the project coordinator based at the Basque research centre IK4-IKERLAN. Spanish company POC MicroSOLUTIONS – a spin-off created by IK4-IKERLAN thanks to the project – is industrialising one of the prototypes for possible launch on the market in 2015. The Irish company Biosensia is currently integrating new features to the LABONFOIL skin patch in order to create a skin patch industrial version. Meanwhile, DTU Nanotech in Denmark is opening a new line of business in the field of technologies for rapid onsite testing of food-based pathogens.

Visit: www.cordis.europa.eu

A stretchable highway for light

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or futuristic applications like wearable body sensors and robotic skin, researchers need to ferry information along flexible routes. Electronics that bend and stretch have become possible in recent years, but similar work in the field of optics – communicating with light instead of electrons – has lagged behind. Particularly difficult to engineer have been optics that stretch, lengthening when someone wearing body sensors bends to tie their shoe, or when a robotic arm twists through a full range of motion. Now a team of Belgian researchers (Ghent University) reports progress on this front with what may be the first optical circuit that uses interconnections that are not only bendable, but also stretchable. These new interconnections, made of a rubbery transparent material called PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), guide light along their path even when stretched up to 30% and when bent around an object the diameter of a human finger.

22 Industry Europe

Furthermore, by integrating these stretchy interconnections into a circuit – with a light source on one end and a detector on the other – the researchers created a miniature stretchable, bendable ‘link’ that could be incorporated into optical communications systems.

Visit: www.osa.org

The new optical circuit works when bent around an object about the diameter of a human finger.

Credit: Centre for Microsystems Technology/imec/ Ghent University.

NEWS

NOTICEBOARD Caterpillar introduces M Series 966 and 972 wheel loaders FLUX presents the

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he new Cat® 966M, 966M XE, 972M, 972M XE Wheel Loaders meet EU Stage IV emission standards, and offer considerable additional value including greater productivity, lower fuel consumption, improved operator efficiency and Cat Connect features.

The 966M, 966M XE, 972M and 972M XE Wheel Loaders have EU Stage IV C9.3 ACERT™ engines equipped with a combination of proven electronic, fuel, air and aftertreatment components. Applying proven technologies systematically and strategically lets the company meet its customers’ high expectations for productivity, fuel efficiency, reliability and service life. Deep system integration results in reduced emissions, improved performance and improved fuel economy without interrupting machine performance making it seamless to operators.

The XE Advanced powertrain first introduced with the 966K XE continues with the 966M XE and the new 972M XE joins the product line.

The XE technology results in 25% higher fuel efficiency on average compared to machines with traditional torque converters, and simplifies operation with a two pedal design while providing seemingly endless power.

Visit: www.uk.cat.com

Safety module for SSI absolute value encoder

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he new S-DIAS SSI 021 safety module from SIGMATEK can analyse two SSI absolute value encoders. The 2-channel configuration ensures the safe collection and processing of position values.

Connecting 2 SSI encoders to a common signal enables, among other things, multiple sensors (such as distance measuring systems) to be read at the same time. This is a particular advantage for applications with synchronisation functions. The signal frequency can be set using software, so that the data transfer can be simply adapted to the cable lengths. The number of data bits can also be configured through the software to provide flexibility in regard to the resolution. With the SSI 021 safety module, safety functions for drift, speed, direction, ramping and so on can be implemented.

With the LASAL SAFETY Designer, the user is provided with a comfortable tool for programming and configuration. Logic connections and I/O configurations can be created easily. Predefined, certified standard function blocks (logic blocks, timers, counters, etc) and function blocks based on the PLCopen standard simplify safety programming and maintenance.

Visit: www.sigmatek.de

first brushless battery motor to drive pumps

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ith the FBM-B 3100, FLUX-GERÄTE GMBH presents the world’s first brushless battery motor for pumps. The motor is designed for the small sealless COMBIFLUX drum pump. In combination with the pump, the motor provides a delivery rate which is extraordinary for this type of pump and guarantees the highest possible degree of flexibility in operation.

Depending on the pump variant, flow rates of 12 to 60 litres per minute can be adjusted with the stepless speed adjustment. For example, at the highest speed, a 200-litre drum can be emptied within just three minutes. Using the lowest speed, even ten 200-litre drums can be emptied with just one battery charge. When the replaceable lithium ion battery has run flat, it can quickly and easily be exchanged and recharged within just 30 minutes.

The new brushless battery motor has no carbon brushes which makes it a maintenance-free drive.

Combination with other features such as high delivery rate, independence from mains electrical power supply and replaceable storage battery means a clear benefit to the user in terms of flexibility and economic efficiency.

The new FBM-B 3100 battery motor has won the world-renowned iF Product Design Award 2014.

Visit: www.flux-pumpen.de

Paus PFL 8 Z loader – the new generation

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ermann Paus Maschinenfabrik has launched a new generation of the compact loader, specifically developed for use at altitude. The PFL 8 Z production vehicle sets new standards in terms of productivity, manoeuvrability and performance.

The fully revised model incorporates the many years of experience gained in hard rock mining at altitude by adapting the vehicle perfectly to extreme conditions. The new PFL 8 Z, with an unladen weight of 5300kg and a maximum bucket volume of 0.8m3, was developed for extremely difficult working conditions in ultra-small-scale mining and has a maximum payload of 1.8 tonnes.

The loader is equipped with a modern 69kW air-cooled Deutz diesel engine, certified to COM

II, and stands out from the crowd thanks to its high torque, excellent exhaust emission values and low fuel consumption. The new efficient Paus Power drive unit automatically adjusts traction power and speed to the respective quarrying requirements. Tyre and brake wear is minimised, thanks to the innovative drive concept, significantly reducing operating and maintenance costs.

Standard safety equipment rounds off the total package. The vehicle is fitted with a ROPS/ FOPS protective cab roof, Posi Stop braking system and a dead man’s switch integrated in the driver’s door.

Visit: www.paus.de Industry Europe 23

EURO-REPORT

FOCUS ON...

Germany Allan Hall reports from Berlin on the new trade in old medals.

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ncertain modern times are luring Germans back into their past as bravery awards and campaign medals of the two world wars spike in value and are now highly prized as investments for the future.

The retreat into a martial past once unthinkable has been brought about by a euro crisis that simply refuses to go away.

Some variants of the Iron Cross can fetch up to €50,000 while a Knight’s Cross of the Second World War – often awarded by Hitler personally – can bring in more than €100,000.

The retreat into a martial past once unthinkable has been brought about by a euro crisis that simply refuses to go away.

Ever since May 1945 the wearing of medals and the trade in them has been largely taboo in Germany. Trade in martial decorations was largely limited to overseas collectors, mostly in Britain and the USA, where it is a multi-million pound business, often with a very dark side.

Many decorations, daggers, uniform and equipment are stolen from graves of fallen German soldiers in Russia: some 70 per cent of cemeteries have been looted at one time or another to rob the dead of the possessions they were buried with. Looting on a smaller scale has occurred too in parts of eastern Germany where the last forces of Hitler clashed with the Red Army as it marched on Berlin in 1945.

No-one suggests that the legal trade in Germany has anything to do with these despicable acts. But the power of the 24 Industry Europe

imagery of martial decorations to shock is still evident in modern-day Germany.

Three months ago top TV moderator Birgit Schrowange, 55, found herself at the centre of a media storm after she was pictured on her show wearing a necklace that had a copy of an Iron Cross dangling from it. The resulting e-mail and phone call avalanche to her employers ensured she remained in the newspapers for days afterwards.

But buying real medals as an investment has lost most of its stigma. “The prices of medals continues to rise,” reported the Die Welt newspaper recently in a piece about the burgeoning number of websites devoted to the ironmongery of battle honours as collectors clamour for what is increasingly seen as a ‘solid’ investment.

Medals from the Franco-Prussian war of 1870–71 are particularly highly prized, as are Iron Crosses from the First World War. Some of these decorations are worth over €20,000 each, especially if the sale comes complete with the history of the action which earned the winner of the award his prize.

The value spikes for WW1 medals even more if the recipient was Jewish. Some 100,000 Jewish men marched off to fight for the Kaiser in 1914, 12,000 of them would not return from the battlefields. Now their medals and orders are among the most precious of all.

Treasure in the attic Sammler.com is one website which offers a questionnaire to people who have discovered their grandfather’s medals in the attic and want to know whether they are worth anything. Thomas Schmidtkonz, operator of the site, said: “Whoever inherits a medal collection often finds himself completely helpless, as a layman, in knowing whether it is worth anything or not. As most are not worth much, but some worth a great deal, I

have offered this guide as interest in military decorations rises in Germany.”

A general rule of thumb for the value of military awards is one that applies to decorations the world over: the less it was given out, the more it is worth. The Iron Cross second class was given out so often during WW2 that front line soldiers used to joke that the only way to avoid getting one was to commit suicide.

A general rule of thumb for the value of military awards is one that applies to decorations the world over: the less it was given out, the more it is worth.

Consequently they can be picked up most weekends at flea markets for less than €20. Its first class variant, however, can fetch between €150 and €500, depending on where awarded and for what action.

Iron crosses dating back to the FrancoPrussian war of 1870–71 can fetch up to €10,000 while the Pour le Merite – otherwise known as the ‘Blue Max’ and the highest award for bravery in Imperial Germany – can also fetch many tens of thousands of euros.

A number of so-called ‘military bourses’ have sprung up around the country for the exchange and sale of medals and military orders. Medal Europas owner Joerg Nimmergut provides expert advice for people who have begun collecting or want to sell the family’s militaria treasures.

“Business is booming but we caution people to beware,” he said. “There are a lot n of fakes out there now.”

EURO-REPORT

FOCUS ON...

France Ian Sparks reports from Paris on the continuing campaign to buy home-made goods.

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young Frenchman is being hailed as the nation’s greatest ‘economic patriot’ after a ten-month experiment to test whether it is possible to live exclusively with goods that are made in France.

Benjamin Carle, 26, was inspired by a campaign by the Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg urging consumers to buy and use French-made goods in a bid to boost France’s dwindling industrial output. And after completing his challenge in February, Carle was declared to be 96.9 per cent ‘Made in France’.

He only lost points after experts monitoring the test found six Ikea forks in a kitchen drawer and discovered the guitar he thought was from Marseille was actually made in Shanghai.

After beginning his challenge last year, the first thing Carle discovered was that France doesn’t make fridges, and he had to keep all his perishable goods on a window ledge.

He also had to swap his Korean smartphone for an old-style French mobile and give up his television completely.

He had to sell his Peugeot after discovering it was made in eastern Europe, and instead bought a Mobylette scooter for his trips around Paris. He also found that Frenchmade clothes are noticeably more expensive, forking out 25 euros for a set of three underpants, nine euros for a pair of socks and 75 euros for a polo shirt. Jeans were off-limits too as none are produced in France.

But he said he ate a healthy and varied diet of French meat, fish and locally sourced vegetables, often prepared in home-made Tefal saucepans.

And he was delighted to be able to hang onto his ‘French-made’ girlfriend Anais, and French-born cat Loon.

He said after completing the experiment: “Politicians say all sorts of things and expect us to go along with it. I wanted to see if it was possible and feasible to do what the minister was asking us to do. To hold him to account for his words.

“It’s not entirely possible or even desirable to live 100 per cent made in France, particularly in terms of new technology. But that wasn’t the point. This wasn’t about French nationalism or patriotism. It was trying to show that we should reflect about the way we consume and make different choices, and that applies in all countries. If we want to save jobs and industries wherever we are, we might think about supporting them.

“It’s hypocrisy to go around blaming ‘bastard capitalists’ for a country’s economic decline when people could be doing more as consumers.”

“A T-shirt is more expensive in France but I can be sure it has been produced by workers who are correctly paid and have good working conditions. I cannot be sure about a cheaper T-shirt produced in Asia or Morocco. It’s hypocrisy to go around blaming ‘bastard capitalists’ for a country’s economic decline when people could be doing ore as consumers.”

Carle’s efforts were rewarded by a personal visit to his Paris flat by Mr Montebourg, who presented him with an Industry Ministry medal for patriotism and his challenge is due to be screened as a documentary on French television later this year.

Ministerial encouragement Meanwhile, the government’s efforts to improve the competitiveness of French industry are forging ahead in the face of an economy that has barely grown since 2012

and unemployment at a 16-year high of ten per cent.

President Francois Hollande continued France’s new business-friendly efforts by hosting a meeting with industry leaders at the Elysee Palace in the same week, and promised them a 30 billion-euro reduction in charges paid by companies – though no date was set to implement the measure.

Mr Montebourg attended a ‘Made in France’ fair in Paris, touring booths wearing a beret made by Laulhere – the last French company to produce the iconic hat.

And Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault hosted a dinner for dozens of foreign entrepreneurs and investors in February to unveil what he has called his ‘Brand France’ initiative to boost sales of French-made goods overseas.

But one French brand that continues to enjoy enduring popularity is the nation’s own capital city, which has maintained its title as the world’s most popular tourist destination. The Ile-de-France Regional Tourism Committee said that despite tough global economic conditions, the 15.5 million foreign visitors to Paris in 2013 was the highest level in ten years.

The figure represented an 8.2 per cent increase from 2012, with the largest number of 2.1 million coming across the Channel from Britain, followed by the Americans, Germans, Italians and Chinese.

It also marked the first time the Chinese topped the list of tourists from Asia with 881,000 flocking to Paris, surpassing the Japanese.

There was also a nearly 21 per cent increase in visitors from the Middle East, according to the Regional Tourism Committee’s figures on hotel occupancy.

Ironically, it was the French themselves who seemed less enthusiastic about visiting their capital last year, with the number of French tourists in Parisian hotels dropping n by 7.5 per cent from 2012.

Industry Europe 25

KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE Dedicated to products that deliver high pressure water systems for a range of applications, Danfoss High Pressure Pumps is part of the globally operating Danfoss Group. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to marketing director Peter Madsen to find out more.

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rivately held global company Danfoss employs over 23,000 people and operates 56 factories in 18 countries.

Its specialist high water pressure systems division Danfoss High Pressure Pumps develops, manufactures and supplies a range of technically-advanced products to customers worldwide.

Danfoss HPP has its headquarters in Nordborg, Denmark, and has manufacturing facilities in 10 countries, complemented by a wide network of sales companies and agents globally. Able to utilise the broad global footprint of the Danfoss Group, Danfoss HPP’s multinational reach is second-tonone, with its broad portfolio of high pressure water systems and related accessories carefully targeted to its customers.

Distinct solutions Marketing manager for Danfoss HPP Peter Madsen told Industry Europe more about the company’s focus. He said, “Our main focus is on six distinct solution areas with

targeted products and expertise. With our markets worldwide carefully assessed and clearly understood both by our dedicated Danfoss HPP offices and our network of agents worldwide, we are able to consistently deliver high pressure pump solutions that exceed our customers’ expectations.”

The Danfoss HPP ‘solution areas’ portfolio’s perfect suitability to its customers’ needs is an integral part of the company’s core values. Offering valves, pumps, motors, nozzles, power packs and accessories, all the products are manufactured to provide totally reliability and require low maintenance. Mr Madsen continued, “Across Danfoss we place great importance on reliability, technology and environmental responsibility.

These values are evident in our product portfolio as well as in our day to day activities. By creating high pressure water solutions that harness the expertise of our technical team as well as our broad experience in our business segments, we are able to provide solutions that really work.”

Offering high pressure pumps for applications including fire fighting, industrial cleaning, dust suppression, wood, humidification and cooling, water hydraulics, gas turbines and reverse osmosis, Danfoss HPP is the market leader in its field.

For fire fighting applications, Danfoss HPP provides high pressure water hydraulic pumps and components with unusually fast and effective fire suppression characteristics that create minimum water damage. Its industrial cleaning applications deliver 100 per cent cleaning for hard-to-reach parts at high pressure and the dust suppression segment sees pumps with high pressure water mist used to knock down the often heavy, fine airborne dust. For saw mills and dry kilns, Danfoss HPP again provides a high pressure water mist to both cool and clean saw blades.

Within the humidification and adiabatic cooling applications, the company provides ‘the perfect indoor air humidity, stability in processes and cost competitiveness’. Water

Lesjöfors Tinglev is a preferred and trusted supplier to Danfoss and Danfoss Power Solutions for more than 50 years. Lesjöfors Tinglev is chosen as supplier in order to assure the high quality demands and delivery performance Danfoss needs for further successful growth. Our high flexibility in production and the capability of adjusting to every individual requirement are appreciated by all our customers that mainly are larger companies like Danfoss. Lesjöfors Tinglev can provide almost anything in springs and have an export rate of more than 85%. We are one of few factories in Europe supplying to countries like China, Mexico, the USA and India.

• Spring manufacture in dimensions from 0,02 to 4,5mm • Specialised in large series of Springs • High delivery performance (>98%) • Low PPM rejection rate (<100PPM) • Full traceability from raw wire to finished goods

Lesjöfors Tinglev - when quality and total costs matters.

Mads Clausensvej 75 • DK - 6360 Tinglev • Phone: +45 7334 6100 • E-mail: info.tlv@lesjoforsab.com • www.lesjoforsab.com

Peter Madsen

Hagens Spring Group is a global supplier of quality springs.

Hagens Spring Group has a flexible setup which facilitates fast prototyping and proof-of-concept.

Hagens Spring Group assists with design proposals, calculations, tests and mesurements.

For more details contact: Hagens Spring Group Hagensvej 13 DK 9530 Stovring Phone: +45 9837 1444 www.hagens.com

hydraulics from Danfoss HPP present a safe, environmentally-friendly and costeffective alternative to traditional oil-based hydraulics and pneumatics, while its gas turbine segment products support an increased power output and limit NOx pollution thanks to a high pressure water mist injected into the turbines.

Clean and green The entire product range incorporates the company’s dedication to environmental sustainability throughout all its processes and operations. Mr Madsen explained, “We care about the environment. All the Danfoss factories and offices have established environmental management systems and are certified to the international standard ISO 14001. Furthermore, Danfoss has joined the UN Global Compact consisting of ten principles within human rights, labour practice, environment and anti-corruption. Thereby Danfoss has made a commitment to report annually on the company’s progress and activities related to these principles. You can see how the resulting report – our Danfoss Corporate Citizen Report – mirrors our attitude to social and environmental responsibility issues and the impact of our activities on the communities surrounding our various global facilities.”

A recent illustration of Danfoss HPP’s success can be seen in its major contract

with Facebook. Commissioned to work with HVAC specialist Condair to provide high pressure pumps at Facebook’s first European data centre, Danfoss HPP had a strict challenge. Mr Madsen said, “Our challenge was to pump 13,000 litres of mineral-free water per hour at high pressure, without using any oil-based products for lubrication. The massive data centre in Luleaa, northern Sweden needed the most technically-advanced evaporative cooling and humidification and even infinitesimal

amounts of atomised oil droplets can be enough to tip the balance between clean and not clean. The expert installation of 26 Danfoss HPP PAHT pumps has meant there is zero risk of oil contamination which keeps the total hygiene intact throughout the centre’s 28,000m2 – and only uses as little as 63kWh per hour to achieve it.”

With Danfoss HPP looking forward to further success in 2014 and beyond, Mr Madsen commented on how he expects the company n to perform in the coming years.

POLISH VALVES FOR EUROPEAN INDUSTRIES ZETKAMA S.A., a company from Scinawka Srednia, Poland, is one of the leading European manufacturers of high grade industrial valves and iron castings. It is also a parent company for ZETKAMA Capital Group, one of the largest and fastest growing corporations in the metal industry in Poland and across central and eastern Europe. Dariusz Balcerzyk reports for Industry Europe.

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ETKAMA is one of the largest manufacturers of industrial valves in central and eastern Europe .It has been operating for 68 years. During this period it has changed from a state enterprise to employee-owned company. From 2005 it has been listed at the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

ZETKAMA is a recognisable brand around the world: about 70 per cent of the company’s sales correspond to exports. Most of its products go to Russia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Ukraine. The company has been appreciated by many of Poland’s economic associations. Early this year it was awarded (once again) the title of ‘Ambas-

sador of Poland’s Economy’ as the best partner of foreign companies.

For more than a decade Leszek Jurasz, the company’s president, has been at the forefront of ZETKAMA. Mr Jurasz is a manager valued both by the business and scientific community, and serves as president of the Polish Association of Industrial Valves (SPAP). It was he who introduced ZETKAMA S.A. to the stock exchange in 2005, and has built the ZETKAMA Group since then. In March 2013 Mr Jurasz was nominated for Poland’s ‘Chairman of the Year’ title, one of just five executives in the country singled out for such praise.

Proven quality ZETKAMA has been developing modern management systems (based on Lean Manufacturing and Lean Management). It implements an environmental management system ISO 14001 and ISO/TS - the standard for the automotive industry. It also has numerous certificates confirming the company’s high standards of production and high quality of its products, such as: BVQI Certificate of Quality System ISO 9001:2008, the certificate of recognition of the quality system in accordance with Directive 97/23/EC, the certificate of approval to the Russian market, the certificate of approval to the Ukrainian

Industry Europe 29

Rental and service of: • Protective clothing • Workwear • Entrance mats • Hygiene devices www.berendsen.pl

Berendsen Textile Service Renting and servicing the workwears and entrance mats are main activities of BERENDSEN Textile Service. We provide customers with specialized clothing such as clothing washed in the clean-room technology as well as basic workwear. We have 5 modern laundries, which are also logistic and customer service centres. Each of them presents innovative technological solutions, such as electronic control of garments. We apply our own, unique CL2000 production management system, supported by modern computer system that controls the distribution of hundreds of thousands clothing in each plant.

Linde Gas Poland The cooperation between Linde Gas Poland and FAP ZETKAMA, which was established in 1994, has been based on technical counselling for the foundry industry in the field of modern gas technology. Individual approach to the manufacturing process has enabled the implementation of solutions, which in addition to higher-quality products, shorter time of production process and lower production costs also contributed to the improvement of working conditions and the reduction of environmental impact.

The Linde technological support at each stage of the production process as well as implementation of innovative solutions, such as: HIGHJET® blast enrichment or OXYGON® 400 preheating system for ladle contribute to the productivity growth.

The Linde and FAP ZETKAMA common goal is to optimize further the production processes by using the latest technology of Linde, which combines knowledge and years of experience presented by casting industry professionals.

market, Germanischer Lloyd Certificate for the production of ductile cast iron according to DIN EN 1563, Lloyd’s Register Certificate on grey iron castings and ductile cast iron, Det Norske Veritas certificate for the production of iron castings, the certificate of approval to the Belarusian market, Bureau Veritas Certification of compliance with the requirements of Directive 97/23/EC, and many more. ZETKAMA’s experience and the internal standards it has developed have been implemented into the Capital Group.

Metal group ZETKAMA servers companies in the metal industry in three operating segments: valves and castings (ZETKAMA and ARMAK); fasteners (ŚRUBENA UNIA); and components for the automotive industry (MCS).

ZETKAMA produces more than 2000 different types of valves, such us stop valves, check valves, bellow valves, butterfly valves, strainers, ball valves and others. ARMAK produces mainly safety valves and liquid level indicators. The final users of the company’s products are domestic and foreign companies operating in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water and sewage, and shipbuilding sectors.

SRUBENA UNIA is one of the largest manufacturers of industrial fasteners in Poland and Europe. Applying both cold and hot forging technologies, it is able to produce a wide variety of standard bolts, nuts and screws, as well as custom-made products to drawings in a full range of materials,

sizes, grades and protective coatings. Its offer is particularly addressed to companies operating in the construction, railways, engineering, mining and automotive industries.

MCS is a manufacturer of exhaust system as well as metal, aluminium and cast iron components. Its products are used in many brands of cars on the European market.

The total number of the group’s employees exceeds 1000 people. The group’s sales in 2012 are estimated at PLN 300 million (approximately Euro 73 million) and are also focused on foreign markets, mainly Europe and, to a lesser extent, countries outside Europe. The share of exports in the group’s sales reaches 60 per cent.

Ambitious goals The ZETKAMA Capital Group’s mission is its innovative, dynamic development, which provides persistent increase in value for shareholders and satisfaction from the cooperation for its customers. Currently, the group is focused on the further use of their experience to operate in the metal industry, achieving a leading position in the production of industrial valves and fasteners in Poland and becoming one of the strongest metal manufacturers in Europe. In order to implement its strategy, the group is taking steps to develop dynamic sales and improve n its operational efficiency. www.zetkama.pl

NEW OPENINGS FOR ADVANCED VALVE TECHNOLOGY Wouter Witzel EuroValve is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high quality butterfly valves and actuators. Philip Yorke talked to Mark Luttikhuis, the company’s commercial director, about the increasing demand for valves in the oil & gas industry and the forthcoming launch of a new generation of high performance products.

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ince it was founded in 1966 the Dutch company Wouter Witzel EuroValve has been a leading international manufacturer and supplier of high quality industrial butterfly valves and actuators. The company was established by a Dutch national, Wouter Witzel, in the town of Losser near Enschede in the Netherlands, located close to the Ger-

man border. As an accomplished engineer and entrepreneur Witzel wanted to design butterfly valves that surpassed the quality and durability of anything else that existed at that time. Early success soon established the company as a major player in the industry and it continued to see consistent growth and expansion, especially in the European

and overseas markets. Since 2005, being a largely independent subsidiary of worldwide valve industry conglomerate AVK Group has added even more to the knowledge base, while at the same time allowing Wouter Witzel EuroValve to further improve the service levels.

It was in 2003 that Wouter Witzel EuroValve launched its first high performance range of

butterfly valves with all the relevant approvals in place. These were available in sizes ranging from 50mm to 1,400mm. Following strong growth since its acquisition by AVK, the company needed to expand its manufacturing capabilities and in 2008 extended its existing state-of-the-art facilities by a further 3,500 square metres. Today the AVK Group is represented in over 80 countries worldwide and employs more than 3,000 people, of which over 250 are located at the Wouter Witzel EuroValve plant in Losser.

Continuous innovation and improvement All Wouter Witzel EuroValve products meet the most stringent international quality requirements and are extremely durable.

The company is active in seven key markets which range from oil & gas and desalination

to shipbuilding and construction. In addition, the company is also active in the water treatment, district cooling and power station industries. Each market segment is treated as a separate entity and products are designed to meet their individual, specific requirements.

The company’s highly qualified engineering consultants specialise in each of their individual segments and have knowledge of many applications, processes and developments in their diverse areas of expertise. This clear and targeted focus allows the company to optimise its services and product knowledge, which is unparalleled in the industry.

Luttikhuis said, “Traditionally we started with shipbuilding and water treatment valves and are now involved in seven distinct market areas. Our greatest opportunities for growth today are in the oil & gas and industrial sectors

where there is strong growth globally. Our route to market is different in each country and like our products we meet clearly defined needs and objectives in each sector. Today more than 90 per cent of our production is for export markets. Since being under the umbrella of the AVK Group, we have been able to leverage our sales activities through their extensive global offices, agents and partners. This is particularly advantageous in our important water, marine, oil & gas, chemical and power sectors. Our customer base is extensive and incorporates the world’s leading shipyards, oil & gas companies and international water treatment companies.

“Our product offering is second to none and our unique vulcanisation process means that our valve liners are permanently fixed to the valve body, which offers sig-

nificant advantages over loose-liner valves.

This is particularly the case in a vacuum application, as liners cannot be pulled in and furthermore, this results in significantly lower torque figures. Later this year we plan to launch our next generation of high performance butterfly valves. These have been developed especially to meet the challenging needs of the shipbuilding, oil & gas and chemical industries.

“When it comes to new business, we have an active market approach and use our own dedicated sales forces in our key markets.

Our main geographic markets vary with each product sector, however when it comes to the oil & gas and industrial segments we are looking to Europe, South America, the Far East, South East Asia, the Middle East and China for our strongest growth potential.”

Luttikhuis added, “We work on high-spec products and offer our customers optimised tailor-made solutions. Testing is mainly done in-house unless there are very special con-

figurations required. The environment is also a key focus area for us and our production processes are constantly being upgraded in this respect. We are currently in the process of acquiring the environmental quality certifications, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 and expect to have these in place later this year.

We also have a very positive outlook when it comes to the future and we project double digit growth in the years ahead”

Infinite range of materials and coating systems Wouter Witzel EuroValve products are designed specifically to meet the individual requirements of each market sector. For example, valves designed for the oil & gas industry, like those in other sectors, are available with a wide choice of materials and coating systems. A material that the company often uses for its valve control discs is corrosion proof, wear-resistant duplex stainless steel. This exceptionally hard material is ideal

for use in membrane filtration or demineralised water because of its high resistance to chemicals and it is strong enough to accommodate pressures up to 25 bar.

In addition, the company offers many advanced sealing materials such as EPDM, NBR, Viton and Silicon rubber. The oil & gas refining processes impose high pressures, high temperatures and exposure to water that is laden with aggressive chemicals.

This may make it impossible for rubber lined butterfly valves to be used in certain circumstances. This is when the company employs its Dynaxe high performance butterfly valves, which are available in many high quality materials such as stainless steel 316, duplex stainless steel, aluminium bronze up to titanium.

These products also come with a variety of n sealing materials.

For further details of Wouter Witzel EuroValve products and services visit: www.wweurovalve.nl

SMART, VERSATILE

MACHINE-TOOL SOLUTIONS The LNS Group is the global market leader in the development and manufacture of automation systems for the machine tool industry. Philip Yorke talked to Gilbert Lile, the company’s CEO for Europe, about its latest ‘Smart’ chip conveyors and innovative bar feeding systems.

Industry Europe 35

L

NS was founded in Switzerland in 1973 by three entrepreneurs with a technical background who decided to design bar feeders that improved the speed and efficiency of fixed and sliding headstock lathes. Their success is now recognised worldwide and innovation remains at the heart of all LNS Group operations. This year the company celebrated 40 years of pioneering innovation that has revolutionised the machine tool industry.

Today LNS is the global market leader in automating machine tools with more than 800 employees worldwide. The group operates nine state-of-the-art production facilities located in Switzerland, the UK, Italy, Turkey, North America, China, Taiwan, and Japan. To date, more than 120,000 bar feeders have been produced and delivered

by LNS and over 250,000 chip conveyors installed worldwide.

Optimising productivity The LNS group mission is simple - to be the global partner of choice in automating manufacturing with innovative solutions. The group offers ‘one-stop-shop’ solutions for the

36 Industry Europe

machine tool industry and is committed to providing the highest levels of innovation and customer-focussed service. LNS supports its customers with a wide range of peripheral products designed to optimise their efficiency in its key markets. At the 2013 EMO trade show in Hanover the company showcased its latest entry-level, Alpha 552 bar feeder in Europe for the first time. Other innovative products were also on display including its allnew oil mist collector: the Fox WT700 which will become available during 2014, as well as its Fox SC500 spray cabin.

Gilbert Lile said, “With the development of the SC500 spray cabin, we want to contribute to providing a healthy, clean and safe working environment for operators. The SC 500 achieves this with its high efficiency filtration, low noise level and mobile, compact design.

Similarly, with our introduction of the Alpha 552, we have increased operator efficiency and extended our entry-level bar feeder range.”

“Looking to the future, whilst our high-end bar feeders such as the Express and Sprint series continue to be very successful, we

expect the entry level sector to grow significantly in the coming years. The main characteristic of the Alpha 552 is its outstanding reliability and ‘quick-change system’, which allows the operator to replace the guiding elements without the need for any kind of tool. In addition, the touch screen is also very user friendly with its enhanced memory and supported languages. Last but not least, the Alpha552 meets the highest safety standards.”

Gilbert Lile added, “As far as our European markets are concerned, Switzerland remains our biggest single market. However, Germany and Italy also have very large machine tool markets, as do France, Spain and the UK. What’s more, despite being a global company we think and work on a local level and our facilities are strategically located to be as close as possible to our customers. We are the only company in our sector that can offer a truly ‘one-stop-shop’ service, because none of our competitors are able to match our comprehensive package of products and services.

“Not only do we cover all four key areas of machine tool operations: bar feeders, chip conveyors, air filtration systems and coolant

Tsubaki is the world leader in the manufacture of drive and conveyor chain and sprockets; reducers and variable speed drives; couplings and clutches; and cable and hose protection and guidance systems.

Driving to be the “global best”, the Tsubaki Group focusses its comprehensive strength on maximizing our corporate value whilst remaining committed to customer and manufacturing excellence.

Product innovation ensures your continued motion.

Customer service and quality ensures your continued satisfaction. www.tsubaki.eu

FDM F.LLI MAZZOLA SRL Certified company UNI EN 15085 and UNI EN 3834.

The company specialises in bespoke work and welding, according to the quality requirements of European regulations UNI EN 15085 and UNI EN 3834, for customers operating in the rail industry, manufacturers of machine tools, textile machinery, machinery for the alimentary field, furniture and design.

From their solid experience in the field and continuous technological updating, FDM SRL is able to supply products or patterns provided by customers, with particular attention to the choice of materials and finishing treatments, following the customer from prototype to finished product.

Thanks to their flexibility, FDM SRL has developed good relationships with all its customers, ensuring full satisfaction in terms of quality and economy.

Care to detailor excellence of the products Company Certified Welding UNI EN ISO 3834-2 Uni en ISO 15085-2 Sheet Metal Working Laser Cutting

Office & Work I-24040 Capriate San Gervasio (Bg), Via Giovanni XXIII, 50 T: +39 02 90962826 | F: +39 02 90962677 | E: info@fdm.it | www.fdm.it

Sumitomo Drive Technologies

SM-Cyclo UK, based in Hull, is the British subsidiary of Sumitomo Cyclo Drive Germany and serves the markets in Great Britain, parts of Africa and Middle East/Arabia.

SM-Cyclo UK, Ltd Unit 29, Bergen Way, Sutton Fields Industrial Estate, Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, HU7 0YQ, United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0)1482 790340 | www.sumitomodrive.com

With over a hundred years experience in the field, Sumitomo Drive Technologies are consistent world leaders in the design and manufacture of speed reducers and geared motors for industrial applications. In today’s economic environment, innovation and strategic development are essential in order to reduce production costs, exceed targets and increase profit margins. We offer bespoke, customer specific solutions for an everchanging industry, tailored to ensure your machinery operates at optimum speed, with sustained durability and precision. Our teams are dedicated to continuous innovation, safeguarding the strength and advancement of your business objectives within fierce market competition.

Commitment to our customers is paramount, and with a dependable, international service network spanning 50 countries, you can count on our support to help you adapt, update and evolve. We are proud to announce our current partnership with the LNS Turbo Group, and would like to extend our best wishes for all future collaborations.

systems, but we also offer the most comprehensive range of peripherals on the market too. We work closely with our customers to design optimised products to suit their specific needs. A recent example of this was our development of the ‘Tryton Watch Industry’ bar feeder. This unit was designed to further upgrade production efficiency while limiting certain functionalities to suit the individual requirements of the customer.

“Our latest chip conveyor system is also unique in that unlike most traditional conveyors the LNS Turbo MH series operates with only one motor and belt and it filters all chip types and shapes, as well as any kind of materials. In addition, the energy consumption has been cut by 50 per cent, which makes it one of the most eco-friendly filtering conveyor systems on the market. This is all about being smart; we optimise the product’s strength and improve the design and reliability without adding significantly to the cost. For customers with the Turbo MH500, for example, it’s a simple matter to upgrade to the latest Turbo MH250 model”.

Global one-stop-shop approach The strength of the LNS Group lies in its unique global structure. The company’s regional offices throughout the world continuously monitor local market needs. This is done by leveraging the close relationship the company has established with its key partners and users. At the group’s extensive R&D centre in Switzerland, engineers

develop new products in collaboration with their R&D experts located around the world.

From the early stages of each project, the LNS R&D team also partners with the company’s synergy team, which is a specialised workforce committed to achieving operational excellence and to optimise supply chain management throughout the group’s relevant production sites. These focus groups ensure that design for new manufacturing concepts and assembly processes are continuously optimised to guarantee the high level of quality and reliability that is synonymous with the n LNS brand.

For further details of the LNS Group’s innovative products and services visit: www.lns-group.com

IDEAS ARE OPENING THE WORLD

www.unilogistics.ch

We are IATA-Member (certified of Civil Aviation FOCA), NVOCC, Member of www.htfn.com with an international network, have a top modern logistic platform with a current warehouse capacity of 6000 m22 (ISO 9001:2008) as well as customs clearance offices at the airports and on the border lines with a fast and smooth overnight distribution in the whole area of Switzerland.

The key success factor is our qualified team. Highly motivated and with much pleasure we stand up for the interests of our clients and place great value on a human cooperation. These includes trust, loyalty, respect, fairness and reliability. Empty promises and speech bubbles we do not offer; but instead the attached “strengths”. We stand for a clear and understandable language in speech and writing.

Industry Europe 41

‘THE ENGINE COMPANY’ Deutz was the first engine maker in the world. Peter Mercer reports on the German company’s plans to remain first by supplying its customers not only with engines but with complete systems solutions and comprehensive services

T

he world-famous engine manufacturer Deutz claims to offer ‘the most successful engine systems in the world’. But, in fact, the company is also the oldest engine manufacturer in the world, with a history going back to 1864, when Nicolaus August Otto set up an engine factory in a small workshop in the old city of Cologne. Here he developed the first combustion engine to be produced in significant numbers – the atmospheric gas engine – and followed this innovation in 1876 with the first fully-functioning and developable four-stroke engine.

Today Deutz AG is one of the world’s largest independent manufacturers of diesel engines, with a complete product range from 25 to 560 kW for a wide variety of

applications including construction machinery, generating sets, agricultural machines, mobile machinery, marine and automotive. It employs some 4000 people, has production plants in Germany, Spain, China and Argentina and is represented in 130 countries across every continent.

Deutz engine production is divided into two segments: Compact Engines – liquidcooled engines up to four litres and engines from four to eight litres – and Customised Solutions – air-cooled engines and large liquid-cooled engines with capacities of more than eight litres. The company is involved in the development, design, production, sales and servicing of diesel engines cooled by water, oil and air.

Production network Deutz’s headquarters in Cologne-Porz is the central research and development facility for the company’s compact engines and also the site of a state-of-the-art engine factory, which produces close to 200,000 engines up to 8 litres (250 kW) per year. In fact, a new Deutz engines leaves this plant every 90 seconds, to be used in mobile machinery or stationary applications, in agricultural machinery, automotive or marine applications.

Crank cases, crank shafts and cam shafts for the compact engines are produced at a factory in the Deutz suburb of Cologne that is actually the site of a Deutz works that was opened in 1869. The components are delivered directly to the assembly lines at the Porz plant.

Michael Wellenzohn, Board member with responsibility for Sales, Service and Marketing

Deutz’s Customised Solutions large engines (mostly air-cooled and over eight litres) are designed and manufactured at a plant in Ulm, in south western Germany. Here between 15,000 and 18,000 engines are produced each year for use in construction equipment, fire fighting vehicles, drilling machines, power generating sets and in railway locomotives. Both the Cologne and Ulm assembly plants are supplied with engine assemblies by a further plant in Herschbach, south east of Cologne, and by the Deutz factory in Zafra in south-western Spain, which specialises in con-rods, cylinder heads and gears.

“In 2012 total Deutz revenue from compact engines was around €1bn and from Customised Solution large engines it was €286m,” says Michael Wellenzohn, Board member with responsibility for Sales, Service and Marketing. “2013 we are confident we will improve substantially on that performance and anticipate reaching total sales of more than €1.4bn. Our new engines in the 2.9 to 3.6 litre range are proving very successful and will make a major contribution to our growth.”

Replacement engines The remanufacturing of old or damaged engines also makes up a significant part of Deutz’s business. In fact, the company has been engaged in rebuilding its diesel engines since 1948, when it set up its first remanufacturing plant at a former BMW aircraft engine repair factory at Ubersee, in Upper Bavaria. Today some 170 employees at Ubersee produce around 4,000 Xchange engines annually as well as replacement parts. “Xchange engines provide a very fast and effective solution when an engine that is out of production needs replacing – around half of all orders fall into this category – or when, for example, an engine that is in 24 hours a day use needs a similar unit to be supplied quickly,” explains Mr Wellenzohn. “We can deliver a replacement motor in two to eight days whereas for a new engine the time between order and delivery is more like four to eight weeks. And all our replacement engines come with the same kinds of guarantees as our new units.”

Xchange engines are also produced at Deutz’s 50,000 sq ft facility in Atlanta, Geor-

gia, in the USA. This plant, which serves as the administration hub for Deutz Xchange engines, parts and service throughout the Americas, focuses on production of the company’s 1011/2011 and 912/913 engines, the highest volume units sold in North America, as well as of its 2012 and 2013 models.

Deliveries of spare parts for Deutz engines in Europe are mostly handled by the company’s ultra-modern logistics centre in Cologne-Kalk. Opened in 2001, this facility holds some 80,000 parts, from precision crankshafts to the smallest washers, and fulfils an average of nearly 700 orders every day – that’s equivalent to 4000 automated picks from the storage racks daily. From this centre Deutz supplies customers and dealers all over the world with spare parts and within Europe itself it can guarantee next day delivery. The parts supply operation in Cologne is supplemented, of course, by parts warehouses in the USA as well as in China and Singapore and through stocks at dealerships throughout the world.

Expanding in China Deutz has two joint ventures in China. Since 2007 it has been producing 3 to 8 litre diesel engines, mainly for the Chinese market, in a JV (Deutz (Dalian) Engine Co Ltd)with the First Automotive Works Group (FAW) in Dalian; these units are widely used in commercial trucks, off-highway vehicles and for stationary applications. The JV also acts as a supporting manufacturer for crankcases, cylinder heads and camshafts for the Cologne assembly plant.

At the beginning of 2012 Deutz extended its operations in China by setting up a further JV with Shandong Changlin Machinery Group – a Chinese manufacturer of agricultural machinery and construction equipment.

Deutz (Shandong) Engine Company now manufactures the million-selling 2011 engine series. Adding these sub-four litre engines to the product range produced in China represents a significant scaling up of Deutz operations in this fast-expanding market.

www.halberg-guss.de

NEUE HALBERG-GUSS GmbH is one of the European market leaders R&D and production of engine blocks and cylinder heads for industrial application.

With our iron castings we set benchmarks in terms of ideas, innovation, quality and performance.

For the past 30 years we have been suppliers to Deutz for cylinder heads and cylinder blocks.

Our experience and expertise as a development partner have particularly contributed to the success of the Deutz engines.

NEUE HALBERG-GUSS GMBH Werk Brebach | Kirchstraße 16, 66130 Saarbrücken, GERMANY | Tel +49 (0) 681 / 8705-0 | Fax +49 (0) 681 / 8705-623

Motorpal The Czech company Motorpal has designed and manufactured fuel injection systems for Diesel engines since 1946.

Cooperation with Deutz started with the supply of in-line pumps for the 914 engine. In 2002, Motorpal developed the complete injection system for the highly successful 2011 engine.

Both engine ranges meet the European Stage 3A emission limits.

Motorpal continues to support Deutz with its know-how, innovative solutions and state-ofthe-art technology.

Limiting emissions One of the greatest challenges facing diesel engine manufacturers today is making their products compliant with current and future exhaust emission regulations. This means reducing the concentration of pollutants such as NOx (nitric oxide), CO (carbon monoxide), HC (hydrocarbons), particle emissions and CO2 (carbon dioxide).

“We have succeeded in meeting the European and US emission reduction regulations – NOx from our engines is down by 95 per cent and particle emissions by 99 per cent – and we are now addressing the next stage of legislation,” explains Michael Wellenzohn.

“This is undoubtedly a great challenge to engine manufacturers and will require the addition of further technology modules to our engines. It’s really like having to construct a small chemical plant around each engine to treat the exhaust gases. To reduce CO and HCs, for example, you need a Diesel Oxidisation Catalyst system, to remove particulates you need a Diesel Particulate Filter or a Diesel Oxidisation Catalyst depending on application and to remove NOx you have to have a Selective Catalytic Reduction system.

“Of course the simplest way to reduce pollutants is to improve engine performance and efficiency and reduce fuel consumption with established technology such as fuel injection, turbo-charging and electronic engine management systems and we have been doing that for years. But the continu-

ing demands of regulation are very costly for the industry and make it ever harder to get a payback so it’s essential that we continue to develop ever-smarter solutions.”

Directions for growth At November’s Agritechnica show in Hanover Deutz presented four new engines developed specifically for use in agricultural equipment.

These four and six cylinder engines cover a power range from 55.4 kW to 390 kW and the compact TCD 2.9 is particularly suitable for use in narrow-track tractors.

“With our engines for use in agriculture we have already been able to obtain a number of new customer projects and new applications with existing customers, further expanding our customer base in the area of engines smaller than four litres,” explains Michael Wellenzohn.

“We are currently completing the final project phase with multiple new OEMs in Europe and the Far East. Serial production with these customers will commence in the first half of 2014.” Deutz’s new compact engines are also proving popular for applications such as work platforms, material handling machines, scissor lifts and all kinds of construction equipment.

Worldwide service Extending its sales in the agricultural sector is not the only strategy that Deutz is pursuing to support its future growth. The company is also focused on continuing to take market share from its competitors in

the construction and stationary applications areas worldwide and on adding value to its engines by providing complete power packs, including control units, frames and systems interfaces. But perhaps most important of all for the future is the expansion of Deutz’s global service business.

“The complexity of our engines has increased considerably over the last ten years, most obviously through the addition of all the different exhaust treatment systems, so whereas in the past an end user such as a construction company could service its own machines, today it is essential for servicing to be carried out by trained specialists,” says Mr Wellenzohn. “That means that we have to put a lot of work into training our distributors and service partners throughout the world to ensure that the end customer gets the service at the distributors and in the field that keeps his equipment running. When we provide this complete service it brings us closer to our end customers who are then more likely to ask their equipment suppliers – our direct customers – to specify our engines. Effectively we are then approaching the market from two sides – getting OEMs to use our engines and encouraging end-users to ask the OEMs to use our engines. What’s certain is that if you don’t deliver a comprehensive and efficient service package, you don’t sell engines in today’s market. Deutz will never make that mistake – we are, after n all, ‘The Engine Company’.

MEETING YOUR NEEDS,

WHEREVER YOU ARE Over the past few decades, Swiss-based Ferriere di Stabio S.A. has become a leader in the manufacture of stainless steel parts for the automotive sector. Barbara Rossi talks to sales manager Antonio Marenco to find out the latest news from the company.

F

erriere di Stabio S.A. started its activity in Stabio (Switzerland) where its headquarters and main production site are still based today. Initially it was engaged in the production of steel rods, but the first major turning point came in 1966 when it started manufacturing carbon steel bolts. Further expansion was achieved in 1972, when the product range was widened to include stainless steel bolts. Thanks to its success in this area, in 1982 the company decided to focus its entire range solely on stainless steel fasteners. This move allowed it to develop

in a short time, gaining and consolidating its position as a leading producer at global level.

While initially FdS (Ferriere di Stabio) was only a small operation, today the company employs more than 150 people.

A market leader Currently the company, which is part of a larger Swiss Italian group, is one of the largest manufacturers of stainless steel bolts, screws and special cold-formed parts worldwide. It makes both standard fasteners (in a very wide dimensional range)

and special parts. Over the years, thanks to a series of investments, the share and importance of the special parts production has increased steadily. The company holds a number of international certifications, including ISO 9002, ISO TS 16949 and ISO 14001. The production range is such that the most demanding requirements can be fulfilled both in terms of the standard offer and special components.

Its main plant occupies a 120,000m2 area, of which 35,000m2 are dedicated to production. Over the years this has Industry Europe 47

been developed thanks to new production machines and equipment, but also thanks to the use of modern material handling and logistics solutions. Together with research and development and central support, all of this has allowed the company to achieve its current position, particularly with regard to the manufacture of special components such as stainless steel special screws for the automotive sector. Most of the special parts produced are for this sector and are used for vehicle interiors, exhaust systems, engine components and power generation/ transmission components. They are supplied to OEMs and their first tier suppliers.

Standard products are mainly sold to distributors and used for a variety of applications all over the world.

The company has a series of stock and distribution centres in Canada, the USA, China, Brazil and Mexico. The geographical markets supplied include Europe, North America, South America and the Far East.

Reliability, quality, flexibility What gives the company a clear competitive advantage is its reliability and high quality, alongside a very flexible service. Being part of a larger group means it can guarantee a solid supply chain and the availability of special materials – particularly important for some of the products supplied to the automotive sector. The group to which the company belongs employs approximately 2,500 employees globally, and operates steel mill and wire drawing plants manufacturing the

raw materials needed for Ferriere di Stabio’s production (specifically developed for its applications). It can always deliver quality and precision, something which producers in low cost countries cannot equal, as they do not have the same level of control over their own supply chains.

The materials used by FdS are all stainless steel and nickel alloys, including austenitic, ferritic and marstenitic stainless steels, as well as precipitation hardening stainless steels, nickel super alloys and vanadium

steels. Over its lifetime the company has developed a great deal of experience in the manufacturing of high temperature resistant products for the most sophisticated applications. It can satisfy customers’ requirements in any area where the employment of stainless steels and special alloys is required, with engineers who are available to develop technical and economical solutions. Thanks to its solid supply chain, it is able to supply the same parts, of the same quality, to manufacturers based in different

continents, whether this is North America, South America or Europe. The location of the customer does not affect the level of service received.

In recent years a significant proportion of revenue has been channelled into investment and research, in order to support growth. This has created a very solid foundation for future development. Ferriere di Stabio S.A. will continue to focus on all the markets in which the automotive industry has a strong presence, n especially in terms of OEMS.

Industry Europe 49

COMPLETE COOLING SOLUTIONS WITH BEST IN CLASS QUALITY Tristone Flowtech Group is an international expert in designing, engineering and manufacturing flow technology systems for engine and battery cooling, air charge and air intake for the passenger car market.

Marco Siebel asked President and CEO Günter Frölich whether the company has succeeded in reaching the objectives it had set for 2013.

50 Industry Europe

T

ristone Flowtech Group , headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, employs over 2100 people worldwide. Its turnover for 2013 was €176 million, of which 90 per cent was generated by sales in Europe.

Projections for 2014 and 2015 are 83 per cent and 76 per cent, respectively. Tristone supplies nearly all major car manufacturers and offers innovations and products for complete flow technology solutions.

Günter Frölich: "Most of our objectives have been reached: there is no question that the reduction of the Passenger Car production volume in Europe was a challenge in the past few years, but despite this reduction the company was able to grow in 2013 by 5 per cent. In Mexico, we have hired 250 people that work for our clients BMW, VW, Chrysler, GM, Bosch and other Second Tier suppliers, and Ford will follow in 2014. In China, we

started production for Volvo in August 2013 to be followed by Ford. We expect turnover to grow by 19 per cent to €210 million in 2014, and by 22 per cent to €257 million by the end of 2015. Our objective to breach the €300 million limit by 2017 still stands firmly.

We are especially proud that in 2013 we maintained a best-in-class quality level of 7 ppm as recorded by our customers, including the new plants in NAFTA and China.

Furthermore, our customer Volvo awarded us with a Quality Excellence Award (VQE) for our plant in Slovakia."

Tristone Flowtech Group is a 2010 spin-off from the Swedish Trelleborg AB. Tristone has production plants in Germany and France, in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, in Spain and Italy, in Turkey, China and Mexico.

In the USA a dedicated Engineering and Sales company was established in September 2013

to support its NAFTA business with engineering teams working closely with local clients.

The Technical Assistance Agreement (TAA) signed with Indian Bony Polymers Ltd in 2012 has provided further business with Suzuki and is still scheduled to be turned into a joint venture in 2015, according to Mr Frölich. "The joint venture production company will further strengthen the group's presence in the Indian automotive market and will establish our manufacturing footprint in the region," he says.

Key products The key products in the Engine and Battery Cooling segment are Tristone's rubberextruded hoses, including traditional knitting technology and the innovative fibre-reinforced hoses as well as PA Pipes and surge tanks.

These can be combined with the company’s own plastic quick connectors to provide com-

Industry Europe 51

Trelleborg is a global engineering group whose leading positions are based on advanced polymer technology and in-depth applications know-how. We develop high-performance solutions that seal, damp and protect in demanding industrial environments.

Trelleborg Material & Mixing Lesina, s.r.o. develops, produces and sells world class custom rubber compounds for the rubber industry. We have extensive experience of manufacturing and developing rubber compounds for such products as vibration dampers, hoses, conveyor belts, cables, profiles and many other applications.

We use all common types of polymers and through our experience from working with an extensive range of recipes; we can offer the market a very wide program of compounds. In addition to existing recipes, our experienced chemists are able to put together customized solutions and provide technical advisory services regarding compounds and alternative raw materials.

W W W.T RELLEB O RG .C O M

Trelleborg Material & Mixing Lesina, s.r.o. - Lesina, 351 34 Skalná, Czech Republic Tel.: +420 354 524 914, Mobile: +420 775 877 959, Fax: +420 354 524 999, Email: michael.jakubik@trelleborg.com

Industrie-Plastic Elsässer GmbH, member of

Powertrain Components

IPE in Mannheim is an old-established company which offers know-how and experience in design, R&D and injection moulding. We develop solutions optimized for our clients such as BMW, Daimler, Ford, GM and VW. The product groups: • Quick connectors for cooling/heating • Connectors for cooling/heating • Valves and restrictors for cooling/heating

Industrie-Plastic Elsässer GmbH, Saarburger Ring 11, D- 68229 Mannheim Phone: Tamara Koch +49 (0) 621-480253-171, Fax: +49 (0) 621-480253-109 E-mail: sales@ipe-mannheim.de, Website: www.ipe-mannheim.de

PMG Group PMG is a leading company in the design, development and manufacture of speciality rubber compounds that can meet the most modern and advanced automotive and industrial requirements for sealing applications. PMG has been chosen

by Tristone as a development partner because of its technical know-how and extended capabilities in manufacturing tailor made rubber compounds that can help provide innovative solutions to the automotive industry. With production facilities in Italy and Romania, PMG can locally support Tristone to supply products to the rubber industry from all its European and overseas locations.

plex engine and battery cooling assemblies.

For the global offer of Engine and Battery Cooling systems, Tristone also provides a broad range of water pipes and radiator air guides.

Tristone's key Air Charge products include high-tech reinforced rubber hoses, plastic blow-moulded ducts and plastic injected subsystems. High performance Eur 6-ready materials combined with smart integrated solutions and full system expertise in airflow, acoustics, structure, thermodynamics and decoupling mean that complete system development and manufacturing can be offered.

Air Intake products include compact air intake cassettes, air filter cartridges, ducts, hoses, guides, flaps and extractors; all combine full system expertise in airflow, acoustics, filtration and decoupling.

Günter Frölich: "Our commitment to a strong R&D investment programme has kept us ahead of our competitors, especially in providing Engine and Battery cooling solutions. I believe that our technological edge is the main driving force that allows us to expand on the growing Passenger car industry market worldwide. In the hybrid or electric battery sector we have a 25 per cent market share – for the moment a small proportion of the total production market, but the one that is seeing the highest growth potential."

Günter Frölich

54 Industry Europe

Beyond Europe Tristone has manufacturing sites in nine countries and has teams of engineers working on several clients' sites. The Mexico plant the group took over in 2011 now employs more than 250 people, and manufactures engine-cooling and battery-cooling applications for the automotive industry in Mexico and the USA. In Asia, the cooperation with Indian Bony Polymers allows both companies

to combine their joint strengths and expertise by working together on common projects.

Tristone provides technical support in the areas of production and logistics for engine cooling hoses, pipes, surge tanks and turbocharger hose applications. The Shuzhou plant in China started manufacturing for Volvo in August 2013 and production for Ford is scheduled for the beginning of 2014. Other new clients Tristone is working with are Suzuki and Nissan.

Top in technology and leading in the market.

Mubea Spring Band Clamps Self-tensioning sealing component which always produces sufficiently high sealing forces.

• Worldwide production facilities • Manufactured 100% inhouse • Certified according to ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 14001 • Corrosion protection according DIN EN ISO 9227 • Nominal diameters from 9mm up to 98mm

Muhr und Bender KG | Postfach 360, 57439 Attendorn, Germany federbandschellen@mubea.com | www.mubea.com

Plastic technologies Plastic extruded pipes have been developed over the past few years to allow important weight and cost reductions as well as improved recyclability, as an alternative to rubber in specific applications. Tristone still maintains important investments in this technology and it is developing and proposing a large range of material solutions including multi-layer pipes.

The company integrates and develops various plastic technologies including injection, 3D suction blow-moulding, extrusion and welding technologies to provide more solutions to plastic pipe design. This process flexibility is vital for meeting new, demanding constraints on engine packaging.

Tristone's process solutions across semiautomatic and fully automated production cells are adapted to high volumes and quality levels with single digit ppm.

Günter Frölich: "Our latest generation of products are much lighter and offer greater innovation and value than ever before. We work closely with our OEM partners to develop new energy-efficient products, especially in the integrated engine and battery-cooling system areas. As a growing medium-sized player, we are not as big as the market leader but I believe that we are more flexible and more innovative with a best-in-class quality level." n

AUSTRIAN INNOVATION IN TIMBER TECHNOLOGY Binderholz Bausysteme provides products and solutions for solid-wood construction projects and is part of the binderholz group.

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he binderholz group manufactures lumber products, solid wood panels, glulam beams, cross-laminated timber BBS, pellets and briquettes, while two of its production plants produce green energy that is directly delivered to the neighbouring towns. The products are manufactured at six locations in Austria and Germany and exported all over the world.

46.2 per cent of Austria is covered by forests. The yearly increment in productive stands is 31.4 million m3 with about 19.8 million m3 of felling. Therefore, the sustainability of timber production is assured. The timber industry forms an important, exportoriented part of the Austrian economy. The diverse foreign markets with varying needs and a demand for ever more modern and innovative technologies present an ongoing, interesting challenge for the industry. With in-depth knowledge of the markets and by accommodating the specific requests of partners, Austrian companies deliver timber technology to customers all over the world.

Binderholz Bausysteme managing director Helmut Spiehs says, “Austria’s timber technology is at the very top of the indus-

try in many sectors. The industry’s export successes extend beyond Europe, where partners from China, Japan and the USA also believe in Austrian quality.”

In the timber industry the name Binder stands for high technology and innovation.

Founded 50 years ago by Franz Binder, today the company’s three divisions are run by his three grandsons and the company is still fully owned by the Tyrolean Binder family, safeguarding tradition and integrity. The binderholz group today is a leading European company, equipped with advanced technologies and production methods, with a corresponding reputation on the timber material market.

At five Austrian sites - Fügen, Jenbach, St. Georgen, Hallein and Unternberg - and one German site - Koesching/Interpark - the binderholz group employs about 1,200 people.

Solid economic arguments Of all construction materials, wood features the best relation between weight and loadbearing capacity. Wood is the material that is selected most often when it is a matter of passive houses and houses with low energy consumption. And for good reasons: wood

succeeds in complying with structural-physical requirements to the greatest possible degree.

Helmut Spiehs: “People opt for wood because of its atmospheric characteristics: the agreeable surface temperature, its capacity to balance temperature and moisture peaks.

Likewise, wood - like plaster - exercises a positive influence on the well-being of people and thus on their health - which also constitutes an economic factor.”

Since the tare weight of wood constructions is lower, the expenditure for the substructure and foundations is reduced.

The high degree of prefabrication makes processes at the construction site easier and ensures a standardized and verifiable quality. Construction site facilities can be kept on a smaller scale, the expenditure in terms of logistics is lower. The dry construction method shortens construction times substantially, thus making an earlier use possible, which in turn reduces financing times.

Prefabrication saves time Binderholz Bausysteme prefabricated timber construction solutions, are designed and supported by the company’s in-house

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team of 25 engineers. Time saving through timber construction with binderholz crosslaminated timber BBS can be very substantial for the construction of large-volume buildings. The high degree of prefabrication shortens construction times considerably.

Load-bearing wall elements just have to be shifted and connected to one another.

Drying times for brickwork or floor pavement are dispensed with. Owing to their comparatively low weight, these prefabricated timber elements can be dimensioned

on a very large scale. Since installations are laid in the hollow space between the plaster board system and the timber element, there is no need for subsequent chiselling and plastering.

Complex roof structure Bilderholz Bausysteme designs and manufactures cross laminated timber BBS panels for public & municipal buildings, commercial buildings, multi-storey housing projects, family homes and special projects.

The awe-inspiring Centre Pompidou Metz is a branch of Pompidou arts centre of Paris, and features exhibitions from the large collection of the French National Museum of Modern Art, the largest European collection of 20th and 21st century arts. Since its inauguration in 2010, the museum has become one of the most visited cultural venues in France outside Paris. The building is remarkable for its timber roof structure, constructed by Holzbau Amann and manufactured by Binderholz Bausysteme.

The roof structure, one of the largest and

most complex built to date, was inspired by a Chinese hat found in Paris by the building’s Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. A 7-storey building in Vienna and an 8-storey building in a German town were up until 2013 Binderholz Bausysteme’s tallest timber-built housing projects. For 2014 a 10-storey building project is scheduled to be carried out in London.

In Italy, an earthquake hit region needed affordable housing, able to withstand future earthquakes, quickly. The Binderholz Bausysteme engineers and the main Italian binderholz clients designed a housing project comprising 373 homes, with high elastic absorption properties and a high density of mechanical joints,

thus increasing the building’s ductility, and better arming it against seismic forces. The project was finished in less than six months from the date of its inception.

Looking to the future, Helmut Spiehs says, “Since 2006 we have seen an annual growth of 30 per cent, and as international surveys show that timber construction has a great future, we expect Binderholz Bausysteme to further expand its sales beyond the n European market.”

For further details of the Binderholz Bausysteme’s innovative products and services visit: www.binderholz.com or www.binderholz-bausysteme.com

G-Oil Vertrieb GmbH Otto-Hahn-Straße 8 86368 Gersthofen

Lubrication is our passion.

G-Oil Vertrieb GmbH is a department of SRS, Schmierstoff Raffinerie Salzbergen, the biggest lube oil refinery in Germany.

On our location in Gersthofen, near to Munich, we store about 700.000 litres of lubricants.

The majority of the 320 different grades are sold under the brands SRS and G-Oil. Of course we also supply our customers on request with other brands and, we guarantee our customers a delivery within 72 hours. Deliveries are made with our own trucks with which we are able to supply from the smallest package of 1 litre up to 10.000 litres of bulk.

Together with our customers we search for the best solution to improve productivity and to solve technical problems. To do so we operate a staff of 18 people consisting of qualified sales people and technical experts.

Phone: +49 (0)821 474900 Fax: +49 (0)821 4749020 Web: www.g-oil.net

CEMENTING SUCCESS OYAK Cement Group is the market leader in the Turkish cement industry and an integral part of OYAK, a pension fund and one of the biggest conglomerates in Turkey. Semra Çelebi met with Celal Çağlar, Cement Group Chairman.

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YAK’s primary source of funding is a 10 per cent deduction made against the salary of all members of the Turkish armed forces, including related civil servants, and the company is thus in charge of the biggest pension fund in Turkey. The firm invests this income in the money markets or in company shareholdings and owns considerable holdings in Turkish industry, particularly in cement, iron and steel production. It is the main shareholder of the Erdemir iron and steel factory, OYAK Renault & MAIS; automotive production and marketing companies, joint ventures with Renault that produce 360,000

passenger cars per year, and is involved in an electricity production venture with the Steag Group that supplies five percent of the energy used in Turkey.

Cement holdings OYAK started investing in cement in 1963 through Adana Cimento and became a founding shareholder in Bolu, Mardin and Unye Cimento. Through the years OYAK has divested two cement companies (Elazig Cimento in 2006 and Nigde Cimento in 2007) and acquired Aslan Cimento, the first cement factory in the country in 2009. Currently the group has an annual production capacity of 8.5 million tonnes of clinker and 17.5 million tonnes of cement, the largest in Turkey.

Adana Cimento is one of the oldest and biggest cement factories in Turkey, situated in the Mediterranean area. Mardin Cimento is the main cement provider in Southeast Anatolia and in Middle Eastern countries.

Bolu Cimento caters for the Marmara and Central Anatolia regions and produces slag cement, G type oil-well cement and other special products. Unye Cimento is the biggest producer in the Black Sea region and Aslan Cimento operates a large factory close to Istanbul.

The Group has formed several new firms and acquired companies in order to facilitate vertical integration. These include OYKA, a paper and packaging company that operates Turkey’s only integrated paper factory and OYAK Beton, a large ready-mix concrete producers that serves nearly all the large building projects in the country.

Supporting Turkey’s flagship construction projects The group’s most important product is standard grey cement, although it also produces white cement, a niche product requiring non-abundant raw materials and special production processes. Another unusual product is its sulphate resistant slag cement, which uses by-products from steel factories owned by the OYAK. Bolu Cimento produces oil-well cement and works with Beton to make special cement used in large-scale projects, such as the new Marmaray tunnel which was built under the Bosphorous.

OYAK Beton has also provided materials for many other important infrastructure projects and the building of new mosques.

Although the supply of cement has exceeded demand for the last few years, OYAK has nevertheless invested in a new kiln in its Ankara grinding facility. The project

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Shanghai Triumph Energy Conservation Engineering Co., Ltd Shanghai Triumph Energy Conservation Engineering Co., Ltd (STEC) is a high-tech joint venture located in Shanghai, China and was established by China Triumph International Engineering Co., Ltd (CTIEC) in China and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) in Japan. We are specialised in professional engineering services for Waste Heat Recovery System and energy-saving type Vertical Roller Mill.

Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) • Integrated waste heat recovery solution.

• Technical cooperation with world leading company in BTG system and ORC system.

• Services in industrial fields: cement, glass, iron-steel making and chemical plants etc.

• Rich experience: near to 50 references WHR projects worldwide with the installed capacity of 3MW to 20MW. • Professional technical team: system design, quality control, project management and technical service.

• Vartious service types: E, EP, EPC, BT and BOT.

Energy-saving Vertical Roller Mill • Technology licensed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industry.

• 60% power saving compared with the tube mill system.

• Stable operation and longer service life.

• Personalised 3D design according to clients’ request and material characters.

• Wide applicable scope: raw material, clinker, coal, pekcoke and slag etc.

• Professional technical team: design, quality control and technical service.

For more information, please email STEC@ctiec.net

will cost €75 million, and will yield one million tonnes per year when production begins in May 2015. This new capacity will be used in the rapidly-developing Central Anatolian region. The Group is also investing in two waste heat recovery projects.

While sales are focused on the domestic market, the Group is also mitigating excess capacity by selling to Middle Eastern and Black Sea countries. OYAK believes that export markets will fuel growth in sales in products like white cement, slag cement and oil-well cement.

Despite this, the Turkish cement industry still has an excess in capacity, partly due to the fragmentation of production: 50 factories are owned by 20 different groups. OYAK is the market leader, with a 14 to 15 per cent

share of domestic sales and expects to end the year with sales in excess of TRY1.6 billion (around $750 million). It also expects that 2014 sales will grow by no less than five per cent.

OYAK’s cement sales are relatively untroubled by the European economic problems, since its export markets are mostly elsewhere, but the weakness of the Turkish Lira has become an emerging problem, since 50-55 per cent of its costs are tied up in fuel and electricity costs that are pegged to the value of foreign currencies.

Lean and focused The OYAK Cement Group’s vision is to maintain its status as a market leader and to continue supplying high-quality cement

for Turkey’s biggest construction projects. It also aims to consider any organic and inorganic growth opportunities that may arise inside and outside the country.

The Group believes in efficiency, lean management and a focus on results. All the constituent companies have highly competent management teams that can sense and respond to the needs of their markets, and its experience as one of the oldest cement manufacturing groups in the country informs all its decisions. The need to make the best possible use of an important pension fund means that efficiency is a top priority; innovation is an intrinsic company value. This has allowed it to develop simple products into valuable commodities and to build the most diversified n range of products in the industry.

Shanghai Triumph Energy Conservation Engineering Co., Ltd STEC is specialized to provide integrated waste heat recovery solutions (WHR) for industry clients and especially cement plants. Our professional engineering services, leading technology and advanced philosophy can help clients enhance their competitiveness and realize a more social contribution, which is what we are endeavouring to do for the OYAK Group’s cement

division now. To equip the OYAK Group with a high efficient and stable WHR system, STEC is committed to supporting the OYAK Group for cost optimization, emission reduction and environment protection to consolidate their pioneering corporate image in Turkey. The cooperation experiences with OYAK will also be the milestone of STEC for worldwide WHR business.

WELL DONE CONTAINERS Weldon, a company from Podkarpacie region, is Poland’s leading manufacturer of containers, modular buildings, acoustic barriers and steel structures.

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lthough Weldon was established in January 2009, the company’s history goes back to 2002, when Metal System, Weldon’s legal predecessor, began operations in the metal industry. Initially, the company offered small modular buildings for small businesses. In subsequent years, rapid economic growth in Poland and the company’s flexible approach to customers’ needs have enabled it the to win many orders. The continuing boom and the prospect of the development of infrastructure investments was significant when the construction of a modern production plant in Brzezowka was decided. The process of the investments was implemented in parallel with the development and implementation of new products, including systems of modular halls and acoustic panels. The 2008 year saw more than 3,000 containers produced for the domestic and foreign markets. It made Weldon one of the leading providers of objects in modular technology in this region of Europe. Currently, the company

cooperates in this area with leading construction companies and enterprises, which are specialists in the rental and distribution of modular buildings.

The situation has just started to take a similar shape in the case of acoustic screens, where a newly built plant handles the supply of panels and columns to the largest road projects in Poland.

Increasing the company’s potential In 2011, Weldon’s new manufacturing plant in Brzezowka, near Ropczyce started its operations. In January, the administration building with the area of almost 400m2, constructed in the modular technology, was completed. A modern production hall hosts the production of containers, steel structures and acoustic panels. It is located near the A4 motorway.

Currently, Weldon has two manufacturing plants – the other one is located in Debica.

In early 2013 Weldon purchased the Galvanizing Plant Debica, for PLN 18.31 million (€4.5

million). The plant is located next to the Weldon production unit. Its daily production capacity is estimated as 100 tonnes of constructions. Thus, Weldon’s offer range has been extended by the hot-dip galvanizing services, providing significant enhancement and optimization of the production processes across the company. In the long-term this acquisition will enable it to expand the assortment offered and strengthen the company’s position in the market. Currently, total employment throughout the company after the merger is about 400 people.

Containers for any purpose Weldon’s containers are aimed at a broad range of clients. Modules can be used as comfortable offices or back-up facilities at construction sites, as living quarters and commercial and service constructions. An important advantage of the offered technology is its versatility and adaptability for industrial purposes, i.e. as rooms for various

Industry Europe 65

machines and devices such as servers, control of machines and equipment operating in the vicinity of other infrastructure. Other popular products are concierge and gatehouses for protection employees in factories and recreation centres.

A single module has a surface reaching more than 13m2 and height of 2.8m3.

Its construction and complete equipment makes it possible to use the container immediately after its placement and connection to the local mains.

Modular buildings The containers can be used as elements of larger buildings. Their design allows easy joining to the neighbouring modules. Such buildings meet any demands of investors providing a comfortable and safe use.

The biggest advantages come from the modularity concept, which determines its ease and speed of the installation method.

These factors make it possible to construct buildings of any size and arrangements. The other advantage of the proposed solution is

that it is easy to customize the size of a building to the needs. Both its possible enlargement and reduction are dependent on the amount of complex modules.

Modules for schools Modular technology is used in many areas, including education. Weldon gave a practical proof of the modular construction usefulness and built a modular kindergarten in Ozarow, which facade and the interior has been individually furnished.

ISOROC POLAND Proper thermal insulation provides economic benefits and

FIRE RETARDANT INSULATION

comfort of a building. In winter, it significantly reduces costs of heating. ISOROC POLAND manufactures a full range of mineral wool products that have wide application in isolating partitions, providing improved energy efficiency, and acoustic and fire safety. Due to their high thermal and acoustic insulation and fire resistance, our products contribute to the conservation of heat energy and create a pleasant interior climate, while providing fire safety and increasing comfort. Weldon uses the ISOROC POLAND products for the production of Green Wall acoustic screens and containers, used among others, in the construction industry. They consist of the special modular

Home full thermal protection.

Protection against heat energy losses in winter.

panels filled with mineral wool that acts as thermal insulation.

They enhance fire safety and acoustic conditions.

Green Screens are among the most popular elements of acoustic screens that are set along the roads. Its aim is to reduce sounds emitted by cars. The special type of wool with high

Protection against the building heating up in summer and lower expenses related to the conditioning of the premises.

Non-combustible components guarantee the highest level of fire safety.

sound absorption is used to the production of the screens.

You will find more on mineral wool at: www.isoroc.pl

In Kazimierz Dolny the existing school building was destroyed a by gas explosion and 400 students lost their place to study.

Weldon provided a replacement building. The new facility was built in a modular technology within two months, ensuring a safe place to work for all children and staff of the school.

Acoustic barriers Weldon is also a manufacturer of modular acoustic barriers placed along roads and highways and in parking lots, private estates and factories. The Weldon barriers are one of the most effective ways of protection against noise. They are distinguished by high acoustic

performance, modular construction and the possibility of screening them by climbing vegetation. A screen overgrown by vegetation significantly improves the surrounding landscape and naturally blends in with the surrounding environment, additionally giving superior protection against dust and noise. The offer also includes the production and supply of the poles required for screens installation.

In recent years, the Weldon acoustic screens have been used in a number of flagship infrastructure investments in the country, such as the eastern and western bypass of Kielce, the A4 motorway on the Jaroslaw – Radymno section or S8 road on

the Wroclaw - Oleśnica section. Additionally, the company supplies Scandinavia and Southern Europe with its screens.

Modular constructions The company’s employees have rich experience in designing the constructions as well as the necessary knowledge of their performance and technical expertise in metalworking, which enables the realization of various types of steel warehouses and manufacturing. In the future Weldon plans to start the production of n bridges and viaducts. www.weldon.pl

68 Industry Europe

DRESSING THE

MODERN WOMAN Bialcon, a company from Biala Podlaska, is one of the leading apparel producers in Poland. Its collections answer the needs of active women who appreciate classic elegance, simplicity and quality of their clothes.

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ialcon is a relatively new player in the clothing market. It was founded in 1992, as a consulting company aimed at supporting Polish companies’ exports to Eastern Europe. Three years later it switched to the production of clothing.

“Initially, Barbara Chwesiuk, a founder of the company and its current CEO and head of Design Department, sewed clothes along with several female employees”, says Jakub Chwesiuk, the company’s marketing director. “We have been developing step by step and when in 2000 year many other clothing producers faced market problems and had to restrict their output, we were able to increase our production capacity, extend

our sales network, and increase our sales.

In 2006 Mr. Dariusz Chwesiuk (Barbara’s husband) joined the company as financial manager and implemented Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), which enabled us to provide a deeper level of statistical analysis. At the same time Bialcon made another big step: a new, modern production hall was constructed. The next year saw our new headquarters opened.”

Made with passion Bialcon’s headquarters and main production hall are located in Biala Podlaska (which is 160 km from Warsaw, near Poland’s Eastern border). The company employs nearly 300

people, including subcontractors involved with minor sewing works. “They all show a passion and an extraordinary commitment to each stage of the creation of the collection - from design to the final product. This makes us confident that our clothes are perfectly produced and meet the requirements of even the most demanding women. With a variety of models offered, every woman will find a way to create her individual style”, says Mr. Chwesiuk.

The company’s monthly output is some 22,000 units. Its annual sales are estimated as PLN 20 million (app. EUR 5 million), including around PLN 1 million from foreign sales. “We are focused on the Industry Europe 69

Polish market. The share of exports in our sales is not high so far, but we are trying to change that. We have our agents in Sweden, Finland and Switzerland, and are looking for suitable agents in Germany and Russia”, says Mr. Chwesiuk Bialcon’s clothes are available mainly in Poland’s medium-sized cities. Its sales network comprises of about 200 points of sale located throughout the country, including 120 multi-brand shops, 40 franchised shops and 20 affiliated shops.

Dresses for the evening and the office Creative, professional employee; responsible, caring wife and mother; colleague and comrade; world voyager - all these features

70 Industry Europe

reflect the roles a modern woman fulfils in her life. This idea serves Bialcon as a starting point to create its collections. Bialcon’s wide range is focused on formal and office clothing, such as women’s jackets and dresses. Each season is a new challenge for the company since it creates a collection consisting of about 500 designs plus 200 designs for its new Rabarbar brand.

So, Bialcon’s partners have a wide selection of products to choose from and can select those that meet the requirements of their specific group of customers.

The Bialcon range also includes a collection of nightgowns inspired by fashion from past decades. Harmony with nature, natural materials, mainly cotton and silk, as well as

a celebration of femininity revealed in a retro style - simple cuts with muted colour palette - are the main features of the Bialcon by Night collection. All nightgowns are carefully finished with French and Italian top quality lace and decorative ribbons.

In 2010 the company decided to expand its offer with an additional brand of Rabarbar (the name means Rhubarb in Polish). “The collection is aimed at those women for whom fashion is a challenge and is a form of fun, experimenting with different styles and conventions. The Rabarbar brand is inspired by Polish folk, art and craftsmanship. It creates colourful collections for self-confident women who like to mix conventions and styles. The production process uses traditional tech-

niques, and some of the products are handmade. The brand is committed to ecology and fair trade rules”, explains Mr. Chwesiuk.

Clothing fabrics used by Bialcon come from selected foreign and domestic textile suppliers, including Andropol SA, a company with one hundred years of tradition and state-of-the art technical and technological standards in the Polish textile industry; as well as Bielstyl from Bielsko Biala, and wholesale fabrics, such as Renex or AJA, a company that has a leading position in the Polish textiles market.

Three areas of development Bialcon’s plans include further organic development, especially in three areas.

Firstly, the company would like to enhance its presence in the bigger cities. It is now present in Warsaw, Poznan and Lodz. This year it will open its flagship store in Wroclaw.

Secondly, it plans to strengthen its internet sales. “We do not generate high volume of sales on the Web at the moment but it is good for the company’s image to be there”, says Mr. Chwesiuk.

And finally, acquisition of new agents is the third region of the Bialcon development plan. “We are looking professional agents throughout Poland and abroad. We will offer them very interesting commission system”, n assures Mr. Chwesiuk. www.bialcon.pl

For 10 years, our company has dealt with the distribution of the lining fabrics all over the country.

Thanks to many-years experience and the reliability we gain the trust of many renown garment companies. We have established cooperation with many warehouses of the similar profile in the territory of Poland as well as in Eastern and Western Europe.

The detailed description, characteristics and application of the particular articles you can find on our website. The continuity of deliveries, constant and well-developed cards of colours, punctuality and reliability, free delivery within 24 hours are our assets and reasons why it is worth to cooperate with us.

We are the main suppliers of Bialcon fabric linings.

F.H.U. MATEX Michał Rachwał ul. Oriona 26, 80-299 Gdańsk, Polska www.matexpodszewki.com

tel.: fax: mobile: email:

+48 58 557-22-11, +48 58 746-38-34 +48 58 746-38-33, +48 58 585-81-30 +48 0608-354-912 biuro@matexpodszewki.com

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Atotech, one of the world’s leading suppliers to the printed circuit board, IC-substrate and semiconductor industries, is announcing the international launch of the brand new PallaBoard process in 2014.

BRINGING IN THE NEW A

totech is a division of the Total Group, with headquarters in Berlin, Germany and about 4000 employees in over 40 countries. About a quarter of all staff work in one of the four locations in Germany: Berlin, Feucht, Neuruppin and Trebur. The company believes that its huge network of worldwide employees plays an integral part in not just forming the company culture, but also contributing to its overall success. The commitment and the effective global network have certainly paid off in impressive growth: In the past five years alone, Atotech sales have grown by 24 per cent and the workforce has increased by 30 per cent.

The regional headquarters with application centres are based in Rock Hill (USA) and Yokohama (Japan) supported by 40 regional service centres, of which 18 are specialised as TechCentres, providing advanced analytical and technical support.

With 14 production plants for chemistry and two for equipment, Atotech ensures fast, on-time delivery all over the world.

Focus on GMF and Electronics With its core business units being General Metal Finishing and Electronics, the company achieved annual sales of €965 million last year. Its specialist know-how is called for in the areas of semiconductors, advanced packaging, printed circuit boards, functional electronics, decorative coatings, corrosion- and wear-resistant coatings, as well as paint applications.

Atotech focuses on providing systems solutions for key end-use markets such as automotive, consumer electronics, IC-substrate, industrial and medical, sanitary, furniture and construction. Customers are found in the field of world leading job shop plating, printed circuit board and IC-substrate and semiconductor companies, as well as in tier I, tier II, tier III, electronic manufacturing services and original equipment manufacturers.

solutions for the printed circuit board industry.

Finer lines and spaces, higher frequencies, improved solder joint reliability and new challenges in wire bonding – both with existing wire technology such as Al and Au or novel types such as Cu or Cu-Pd – are just a few examples of technological advancements for surface finishing in the printed circuit board manufacturing process.

Additionally, the reduction and elimination of toxic and hazardous materials, as well as the drive to further reduce the manufacturing costs, are common ways to support the industry and enable it to progress in a sustainable and economical manner. Owing to its commitment to sustainability, Atotech is always at the forefront of technologies that minimise waste and reduce environmental impact.

New challenges in the industry

PallaBond – new direct pure EP and EPAG

New technical requirements, as well as cost and environmental regulations, require a constant search for alternative manufacturing

Atotech’s answer to these challenges is a new direct Palladium surface finish process named PallaBond, with an optional gold

MUNK Established in 1970, MUNK GmbH is an internationally recognised partner in the electrochemical industry, manufacturing DC and AC power supplies for electrochemical processes. With a focus on sustainable, long-lasting solutions we help our customers, such as Atotech, to make investments in the future.

Our innovative products are based on an extensive knowledge of designing rectifiers for industrial applications in the range of 2 to 1000 volts and 10 to 100,000 amps. Our specialist services include: electroplating; aluminium, magnesium and titanium anodising; e-coating; water treatment; electrolysis for copper, zinc and chlorine; and melting.

Our mission statement – ‘Action, not reaction’ – perfectly sums up our dedication to continuous innovation. We are constantly pushing the boundaries of what our products can offer.

layer. The PallaBond process allows the direct deposition of palladium on copper, without using any nickel.

PallaBond is suitable for key press, high frequency, flexible PCB gold, aluminum and copper wire bonding applications. The process proves superior solder joint strength for lead free and eutectic soldering and is compatible with many new base materials and soldermask types owing to its short deposit time and low temperature needs. Lastly, the PallaBond process operates at a thickness of less than 300 namometres, ideal for very fine lines and spaces.

PallaBond also features several environmental benefits, such as less water and energy consumption owing to reduced process steps and line lengths. Most importantly, the new PallaBond process is free of toxic or hazardous materials such as Thiourea, Lead and Nickel.

In summary, PallaBond is an environmentally friendly process, which has demonstrated outstanding technical advantages, operates at higher yield and is enabling manufacturers to lower their operating costs drastically compared to standard ENEPIG (Electroless Nickel, Electroless Palladium and Immersion Gold).

Imminent market introduction Alpha and beta site tests are running in Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Europe and are expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2014. Sample plating is currently available at Atotech in Berlin, Germany.

PallaBond will be introduced to the markets by the beginning of 2014; in Europe

this will be via APL Oberflächentechnik GmbH – an owner managed surface technology and Service Company specialised in immersion Tin. With the introduction of PallaBond, APL will be able to provide a multi-functional surface for the PCB as well as for the microelectronic industries.

Innovation to future-proof the company With 1965 patents worldwide,12 R&D centres, investments of €75.6 million as well as more than 68 different cooperations with universities and research partners, Atotech has an impressive track record and potential for innovation.

The company’s excellence in research and development results in the large number of patent applications and granted patents.

To secure the technological edge, the company is consistently increasing investment expenditures dedicated to patenting the direct sales products. This not only ensures the stability of any future technology, but also protects processes and equipment.

Each year, Atotech invests approximately 10 per cent of annual sales in research and development to ensure the constant development of high quality and environmentally responsible plating solutions that fulfil the requirements of all customers – today and in the future. n

UNINTERRUPTED GROWTH Italy’s CEG Elettronica produces Uninterruptable Power Supplies or UPS, battery chargers and rectifiers.

The main industrial sectors it supplies include oil & gas, electrical energy power stations, chemical and petrochemical industries, rails, marine industry and steelworks.

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C

EG Elettronica was set up in 1965 and has since then grown and developed into a successful international company that occupies a prominent place in the electricity industry at a global level. Anticipating market tendencies, on-going research and development of products, excellent solutions and a creative managerial approach are distinctive features of CEG Elettronica and the secrets of its success.

CEG Elettronica has its headquarters in Bibenna, in the province of Arezzo, where all administrative and commercial offices are located along with the Research & Development department and a division dedicated to final testing operations. “Our production plant is located in the industrial area of Ferrantina, in the same province, where all raw materials are

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stored in our main storehouse and production and testing operations are carried out,” said Mr Uberto Canaccini, CEO of CEG Elettronica.

Recent investments and geographical markets CEG Elettronica is always looking for new ways to improve its presence on the market.

It is currently involved in a delocalisation programme abroad. “We are not interested in low cost production; we aim to move part of the production to developing countries in line with our new internal development plans. In doing so, we gain the advantage of being local producers. This development plan led to the set up of a joint venture in Saudi Arabia,” explained Mr Canaccini.

“We have recently launched a new line of

UPS to meet the demands of the market by being more competitive. Among other recent investments there are the completion of works at our production site and the acquisition of new ones.”

CEG Elettronica is now consolidating its presence in the Middle East, Far East and Africa “At the present time, 80 per cent of our turnover, taking into account both direct and indirect sales, derives from international markets. Of course, we are constantly researching and studying potential new markets.”

The company’s suppliers play a vital role in guaranteeing the high quality of its products. There is a close collaboration between CEG Elettronica and suppliers as the former hold interests in these companies. “They assemble and wire our products

strictly following our quality standards and procedures. We only buy components of the finest brands which nonetheless undergo our control procedures before entering the production process. They are a hundred per cent part of our company being our business partners and perfectly in line with our business practice. Our suppliers are ready to work hard and make sacrifices with us in order to achieve excellent results and achieve set targets,” said Mr Canaccini.

Precision technology Thanks to its technology and the certified experience of its skilled staff, Metalquattro is able to offer processing and manufactured products of different complexity. At its large production site the company carries out maximum precision processing, such as: • Laser cutting and punching • Automatic folding • Manual folding • Manual and robotised welding • Finishing and storing The Metalquattro welding department guarantees high professionalism in the use of TIG and MIG techniques with any structural material which can be associated with ferrous and non ferrous alloys.

Finished products Our products - obtained from steel, stainless steel and aluminium sheets have undergone puncturing, folding, welding and laser cutting processing.

Processing of finished products: • Painting • Chrome plating • Zinc plating

Future growth and goals “We believe that our future growth will come from the development of our core business all over the world; that is, UPS systems.

Furthermore, we are involved in plans aimed at the diversification of our production, so that CEG Elettronica can operate in new sectors and markets,” explained Uberto Canaccini. “We will also take over more companies as we recently did with an industrial automation company in Milan.

www.metalquattro.it

Finally, we want to create a group of Italian companies operating abroad under our brand. My ambition is for CEG Elettronica to develop into an international, cross-sector and multiethnic company. I believe in diversification and in promoting the brand image.

In my opinion, these specific features will have an increasing importance and will help companies stand out from the crowd in a market that is becoming more and more n complex and globalised.”

WHEN PERFORMANCE MATTERS For more than 90 years, Noratel has been producing transformers in one form or another. What started out as a local manufacturer of radios and loudspeaker systems is today an international group of 16 companies in 12 countries, with more than 2750 employees. In 2013 Noratel celebrated 20 years of operations on the Polish market. Piotr Sadowski reports.

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N

oratel Ltd in Poland specialises in a wide and impressive range of transformers and reactors for low-voltage settings. Created in 1993, today the company is the undisputed market leader in its sector, both in terms of production volumes as well as the widest possible offer of products. In terms of the most recent developments, there is certainly a lot that has happened at Noratel Ltd in recent years.

“We have started supplying a very important client, AEG, and our cooperation with them already accounts for a significant percentage of our overall activities,” says Małgorzata Żytkowiak, sales director at the company. “We also work with established, leading customers, including Vestas as well as Siemens, for whom we have been supplying even more products related to their medical arm of operations. In fact, as part

of our expansion and growth we have built a brand new production hall that focuses strictly on production for Siemens. This move has significantly improved our ability to deliver orders on time and strengthened the flow of materials in the production chain.”

Continuing expansion Noratel in Poland has been experiencing highly impressive annual growth. This has been generated by supplying customers both in Poland as well as abroad, as well as working with clients such as Siemens, Vestas or AEG. “We recently had a visit from the global commodity manager from AEG who was very positively impressed with the scale of our operations, particularly when you look at the market sector of low-voltage transformers and reactors that we work in,” says Ms Żytkowiak. “This very important feedback

confirms that we are a market leader and already have a number of plans for 2014, to continue expanding our sales of transformers to new markets, thus continuing to expand our brand visibility and recognition.”

In addition to supplying the medical sector, Noratel is also very active in providing low voltage transformer and reactor solutions to the renewable energy industry. This is a particularly important area of operations as in many markets, such as Poland for example, energy networks are being modernised and there is an important move towards introducing efficient cuttingedge solutions. And here, Noratel is fully capable of delivering excellent products.

“What has been really important for us is that in our growth we have focused on the total streamlining and efficiency of all of our processes,” points out Ms Żytkowiak.

means precision, quality, experience.

• Manufacturer of plastic and metal parts • Turning and milling parts from metal • Turning and milling parts from plastic • Flat seals phone: +48 32 788 70 10 | email: anbi@anbi-tech.pl | www.anbi-tech.pl

What does Total Cost Management (TCO model) mean in the field of fasteners?

In order to better explain the TCO model in the field of fasteners, we will use a model (metaphor) of an iceberg.

On average, a fastener on its own accounts for, at most, 15% of total costs. The remaining 85% of costs results from development, supplies, research, maintaining stocks, assembly and logistics.

This chain of events adds costs to the entire ecosystem – which is the field of fasteners.

Experience in the industry has shown that cost savings of 50% or more can be achieved in areas of logistics and engineering. This has a permanent impact on the total costs of the final product.

At Bossard, we take note of these facts and understand your challenges. The intention of every solution which we create is the reduction of costs, in accordance with the TCO concept in the field of fasteners.

This is what we call “The Rule of 15-85”.

ANBI-TECH ANBI-TECH is a company that since 2008 has continuously been a specialist in the production of parts from metal and plastic. The company has a wide range of services in the technology of CNC machining, performing precised cutting, turning and milling. A long-term partnerships with our customers and suppliers allows us to improve constantly the quality of our products and services.

ANBI-TECH owns the tool department, which is equipped with modern machinery, such as: DOOSAN DMG MORISEIKI, HECKERT JAFO, PORĘBA TUR based on FANUC control, SINUMERYK, HEIDENHAIN. A quality management system implemented by the company, the ISO 9001 certification, owned measurement laboratory that is equipped with ABERLINK, MITUTOYO, TESA class devices, all this allows us to perform complex and precise parts of the highest quality.

“For example, every one of our four production halls has its own specific manufacturing focus and there is a clear and logical set-up for practically everything that happens in the company. We are also very keen on quality control so the testing appliances that monitor quality, at every stage of production, are very important and, needless to say, are modern and effective.”

Working with customers and suppliers Whether it is Siemens, AEG, Vestas or any other customer, Noratel ensures that its engineering advisory service is always there and available for clients. As Ms Żytkowiak explains, the company’s strength and market advantage lies also in the fact that it is able to actively engage with customers at every stage of a project, thus enabling it to advise on the best possible solutions. “Our partners are very demanding but this is a challenge that we like as a company, as it drives us to perform to the best of our abilities,” says the sales director. “We are often audited by our customers and have a dedicated internal audit team within the company. This ensures that absolute client satisfaction is something we can always guarantee.”

The same goes for the way in which Noratel works with its suppliers – working with the best and the most reliable in the industry is crucial to the company’s success. Just as its customers audit the company’s operations, so does Noratel regularly audits its suppliers.

“Since October 2013 we now have a dedicated person in the company, a supply chain

manager, who ensures that all aspects and elements of our production – from working with suppliers to selling finished products – is a controlled and logical, efficient process,” points out Ms Żytkowiak.

Opening further markets Noratel recently purchased a company in the United States and is thus now operating a unit that is producing and distributing specifically for the needs of that market. With the geographical proximity of Mexico or other Latin American countries, the move to the US has been strategically very important for the future expansion of the company. “We plan

to expand our export operations further, as well as to maintain our position as the market leader in Poland,” concludes Ms Żytkowiak.

“We want to ensure that clients continually choose Noratel as their principal supplier of choice, in products such as transformers and reactors but also current and voltage transformers – another very important product group for us. Acquisitions in the near future are possible, depending on the actual opportunities and benefits, as is further internal expansion and the addition of another factory. After all, the company has already purchased an additional plot of land for this purpose, so the n ‘foundations’ have already been laid.”

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POWER FROM INNOVATION Hoppecke develops and produces energy storage units and power supply systems. Marco Siebel spoke with Björn Riechers, Managing Director of the company’s business unit Motive Power, about this year’s investments to expand its production facility in the USA, and about the company’s remarkable achievements.

H

oppecke batteries was founded in 1927

by Carl Zoellner, who named the company after the nearby river Hoppecke, in central Germany. The company is still family run, by the fourth generation Marc Zoellner.

Turnover in 2012 was 300 Million Euro, generated by 1400 employees.

Björn Riechers: “About 40-45 per cent of turnover is generated in Europe, 50 per cent in Asia and Africa, and between 5-10 per cent in the USA. We expect to reach the 500 Million Euro turnover mark within the next five years. We currently have one production facility in the USA, two in China, and three in Germany. In 2014 we intend to expand our production facility in the USA and to build new production plants over the next couple of years.”

Two of the company’s six production plants are in Brilon, a town in North Rhine Westphalia. It is in Brilon where Hoppecke first produced special alkaline batteries on a fibre-structured basis, in a joint enterprise with two major German car makers. All German plants received quality certification in accordance with DIN ISO 9001, twenty years ago. Hoppecke received an innovation award for its glass mat technology. It was named as being a top-100 innovator

and German Customer Champions 2009.

In 2011 Hoppecke opened its technology centre in Zwickau.

Björn Riechers: “We as a company are very much aware of the fact that it is our employees that generate our turnover, and make our company grow and keep it strong.

We train both our employees and our trainees in such a way that they are among the best in our region.”

Motive trak®power products Hoppecke’s Motive Power business unit develops and produces the trak® line of energy storage units and power supply systems.

Björn Riechers: “Hoppecke’s development of the lithium-ion basic module, trak®power LiOn, gives customers an innovative solution for the continually changing technical requirements of the market towards longer life in applications and overall enhanced performance. The trak®power LiOn basic modules are produced at the German site in Zwickau and are then interconnected to form battery systems.”

The Hoppecke trak®power LiOn, lithiumion battery systems are of modular design, built up from 24V and/or 36V basic modules. These basic units are designed so that

they may be used as individual blocks or combined to build larger battery systems.

The trak®power LiOn modules are available as High Energy variants (with high energy content) or as High Power variants (able to take high current loads).

Hoppecke trak®power LiOn systems may therefore be designed for a wide range of applications. The redundant structure of the modules ensures maximum reliability.

Operation can be maintained even if one module is disconnected.

The trak®power LiOn saves space in the vehicle or machine due to its very compact, lightweight and modular design. The system is capable of rapid charging, has low operating costs, and is maintenance-free.

Typical applications include installation in industrial trucks, lifting platforms, electric boats, electric commercial vehicles and municipal authority cleaning vehicles, wheelchairs, golf carts - any conceivable electric or hybrid vehicle.

Focus on safe operation Batteries involving lithium-ion technology require permanent electronic monitoring to ensure their safe operation and to protect their lithium-ion cells from damage.

Each trak®LiOn battery module from Hoppecke contains a specially developed battery management system. The battery management system integrated in each battery module allows for communication with other modules in the battery system and with the connected load via CAN-bus (CAN2x).

All factors relevant to the system, such as state of charge, state of function, are transmitted to the customer.

Reserve power products Hoppecke’s H2.power is just one example of the company’s range of reserve power products. H2.power is a modular hydrogen fuel cell system for backup energy supplies in different applications (e.g. IT/Telecom, Security and government sectors, transportation etc.). 19” and 23” modules can be easily integrated in cabinets or

racks together with other equipment such as batteries, or converters. H2.power is a safe and reliable power supply with no emissions beside warm air and water.

Another product in the reserve power range is the Hoppecke sun.power pack, Hoppecke’s energy storage solution to optimise direct photovoltaic consumption.

Today, everybody is talking about sustainable energy. However, the price for self-produced photovoltaic energy which is fed into the power network is dropping rapidly, while at the same time, the energy price of the electricity suppliers is constantly increasing.

For many private households and businesses, these are two important reasons to use their own solar energy directly.

Since the generation and consumption of photovoltaic energy are not synchronised, battery systems are needed to store the

photovoltaic energy for later use. Hoppecke’s sun.power pack is such a storage solution: it stores solar energy temporarily in order to use it at specified times. Even in the event of a power failure, customers are on the safe side. The battery system immediately provides the required energy.

Special power products In 1983, Hoppecke introduced a nickel-cadmium battery, which is unique world-wide to date for its fibre structure technology (FNC® technology.) This dense three-dimensional fleece structure was originally designed for such demanding applications as aviation and aerospace and electric and hybrid vehicles.

Today, Hoppecke continues to develop special power products that allow high to very high currents, for the railway industry and the n aviation and aerospace industries.

ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE Slovenské elektrárne is the biggest electricity provider in Slovakia with 82 per cent of the country’s generation market. It is the main supplier of electricity for the three biggest regional distribution companies in Slovakia and also supplies electricity to large businesses. What challenges does the company face in today’s complex energy market? Romana Moares reports.

S

lovenské elektrárne, a.s. is a company whose core business is the production and sale of electricity. In terms of available installed capacity it is the largest power generating company in Slovakia and the second largest in central and eastern Europe. It also generates and sells heat, and provides ancillary services to the power grid. It has an ideal production mix - nuclear, water, fossil as well as renewable resources. The company has 5739 MWe of gross capacity in 34 hydro­electric, two nuclear, two thermoelectric and two photovoltaic plants.

The company’s goal has always been the safe, reliable, efficient and competitive production, sale and trade of electricity and heat.

It is also concerned with the safe handling of radi­oactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, with permanent lowering of the negative environmental impacts of production processes.

Strong Group Member The joint-stock company Slovenské elektrárne was founded on 21 January 2002 as the legal successor of the original Slovenské elektrárne a.s., of which the assets of the Slovak power grid operator SEPS and the heating company Tepláreň Košice were spun off.

As of 31 December 2011, Slovenské elektrárne has two shareholders. The majority shareholder (66 per cent) is the Italian company Enel Produzione SpA. Enel has a presence in 40 countries, has 98 GW of net installed capacity and sells power and gas to 61 mln customers. The minority shareholder is the National Property Fund of the Slovak Republic with 34 per cent.

In 2012, Enel posted revenues around €85 billion, EBITDA of, approximately, 17 billion euros and net ordinary income of around €3.5 billion. The Group has nearly 73,000 employees and operates a wide range of hydroelectric, thermoelectric, nuclear, geothermal, wind, solar and other renewable power plants. Over 42 per cent of the power generated by Enel last year was carbon free.

Enel is strongly committed to renewable energy sources and to the research and development of new environmentally friendly technologies. In line with this commitment, Slovenske Elektrarne invests in clean technologies, renewable sources and safety (such as the 315 kW Dobsina III hydropower plant (HPP) put in operation in January 2014).

Largest private investment Despite the challenging economic situation and increasingly complex regulatory framework affecting nuclear operators all over the world, the company’s flagship project and single largest investment in the history of Slovakia, the completion of Units 3 and 4 of the Nuclear Power Plant Mochovce, is well under way.

The significance of this investment should not be perceived only in the context of the energy security and independence. The investment proves the Group’s commitment to invest in Slovakia, in order to strengthen the country’s position as the center of nuclear excellence and the Group’s hub for further expansion in the region. Moreover, the project represents a significant economic stimulus for Slovakia providing more than 9,000 jobs and other special spillover benefits in a time

of economic instability. Two thirds of works on site is performed by Slovak companies.

Each unit will have 471 MWe output and annual production of two units will save over 7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The Slovak government has recently approved an increase in the construction budget for the completion of the two units of €260 million. The new budget increase is part of a €800 million rise in costs required to ensure the compliance of newly built nuclear power plants with the latest and most stringent international safety standards. The company said the cost increases are covered by the company’s own resources with “no burden on the state budget”.

The total cost of construction of the two new units at Mochovce has now increased to €3.25 billion and Enel has requested a further increase of €540 million from the state.

This would bring the total cost to €3.8 billion.

Mochovce-3 and -4 are both 440 megawatt pressurised water reactors of Russian VVER V-213 design. The units are expected to become commercially operational in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Slovak commitment In 2013, the company modified its organizational structure allowing greater focus on sales, core market, profitability and value creation. With the successful accomplishment of these goals, Slovenské elektrárne can focus on improving financial flexibility which directly influences the fulfillment of its ambitious investment plans, which have been formulated fully in line with the company’s vision: to be the safest, most reliable, efficient and competitive producer n of electricity in the region.

THE WINNING STRATEGY IS DIVERSIFICATION Italy’s Renco SpA has certainly diversified, with activities ranging from oil & gas and construction to asset management and other services. This is the secret of its success, as its current president, Giovanni Gasparini, explains to Industry Europe. Barbara Rossi reports.

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R

enco SpA is headquartered in Pesaro, central Italy. Here the company was set up as a design and engineering organisation for the oil and gas sector in 1979 by Mr Rinaldo Gasparini, father of the current president. The company grew over the years, diversifying its activity to also include materials supply and construction services. In the 1990s, diversification started on a geographical basis as well, and Renco began building residential facilities in Kazakhstan and Russia. A lot of the

building stock was not sold, but rented out and managed by the company itself.

Renco, whose most recent turnover was €210 million and which employs 4000 worldwide, can boast of having completed 1000 projects globally, in over 50 countries, as well as having 16 subsidiary companies in 10 countries. It regards safety, quality and on-time performance as being the pillars of its activity.

Currently Renco is organised into four divisions: industrial plants, infrastructure, services and asset management. The industrial plants division deals with turnkey EPC contracting services, as well as with installation only, for upstream oil and gas plants, gas compression and storage systems, and power production and distribution systems (especially in terms of small to medium size generating stations). The division also supplies services to the renewable energy industry: for wind farms, photovoltaic systems and hydroelectric facilities.

The service division deals with supplying and managing technical personnel to the

oil and gas and energy sector. It offers consultancy services, plant management, staff training, alongside on-site NDT and safety valve hot checks. “We have a database of 15,000 sector experts whom we can supply, wherever they are needed,” Mr Gasparini tells Industry Europe.

“Through our construction division we have built an array of buildings. We started in Russia and Kazakhstan, constructing buildings for renting. To start with we were building residential facilities and offices for expatriate staff working for the oil and gas sectors. We then widened the boundaries of our work, both geographically and in terms of the type of buildings. We have diversified, so as to be able to face the competition from what used to be called emerging countries. We soon understood that the way to do this was to be able to carry out projects with a strong service or technological element. The medical construction sector fits this description; hence we have

completed medical centres and facilities in various locations.

“Our newest division deals with asset management. This side of the business was started in 2008 as a spin-off from the construction division. I would say that the real estate stock that we manage is equally divided between hotels and rented flats or offices.”

The main contributor to Renco’s turnover, with a 50 per cent share, is the industrial plants division, while the remainder is equally generated from the rest. The balance among the different divisions varies from year to year, depending on market demand.

Recently the company has further widened the boundaries of its work, including financial services in its range. “Every customer and every project is unique and we tailor our offer to them,” says Mr Gasparini. “We are also increasing our service quality, focusing on internal quality procedures.” The company already holds ISO9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications.

Industry Europe 93

Cemastir Lavametalli have been projecting and producing aqueous metal degreasing machines meant for the treatment of industry parts and components for more than 35 years.

Starting from 2006 Cemastir update their company philosophy and address to a technology development which aims at the satisfaction of the increasingly demanding cleaning issues; at the same time Cemastir promote an industrial and commercial growth plan that makes their brand more and more famous and appreciated on the national and international market.

Moreover, thanks to the recent gaining of ownership of AMA Universal and Delfino historic brands , Cemastir have extended their range of products to metal degreasing machines based on chlorinated solvents, modified alcohol and hydrocarbons (class AIII).

The company is nowadays able to put a great experience, developed in decades, at any companies disposal and a complete range of machines for surface treatments, always in the forefront and constantly keeping up the pace with the technological offers and innovations.

Cemastir metal degreasing machines are used in various industrial fields, such as aerospace, automotive, electro-engineering, electronics, mechanical engineering, precision mechanics, optics, precious metals processing, heat-treatments.

For the most various applications such as motors, small mechanical parts, galvanized material, aluminum containers, steel parts, tubes and connections, pistons, spheres, valves, connectors, heat exchangers, repair shops accessories, ballpoint pens, keys and padlocks, electronic cards, conditioning systems components, hydraulics components, precious metals, kitchen tools, polyurethane soles, teflon gaskets.

Tel: +39 051 6256111 | Fax: +39 051 6256604 | E-mail: sales@cemastir.it | www.cemastir.it

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Centro Dell’Isolante, based in Fano, was founded in 1978 as an insulation materials reseller (hence its name). Centro Dell’Isolante Due, based in Jesi, near Ancona, was established in 2000 as a retail store.

Centro Legno Fano was set up in 2007 as a constructor of wooden houses and roofs.

We operate in central Italy in the following sectors: ∙ Wooden houses ∙ Green building ∙ Paints ∙ Thermal and acoustic insulation materials ∙ Renovation and waterproofing ∙ Fire protection ∙ Construction materials ∙ False ceilings – plasterboard and interior finishes CENTRO DELL’ISOLANTE srl: Via Einaudi, 12/B - Zona Industriale Bellocchi - 61032 FANO (PU) Tel. +39 0721 855147 - Fax +39 0721 855138 - Email: fano@centrodellisolante.com CENTRO DELL’ISOLANTE DUE srl: Via dell’Industria, 26 - Zona Industriale ZIPA - 60035 JESI (AN) Tel. +39 0731 214301 - Fax +39 0731 224402 - Email: jesi@centrodellisolante.com CENTRO LEGNO: Via Toniolo 23, 61032 Fano Tel. +39 0721 855937 - Fac +39 0721 855937 - Email: info@centrolegnosrl.com

Spending time in Mozambique “Right now our attention is focused on Mozambique, where important discoveries for the oil and gas sector have been made.

We have actually entered this market with our construction division and are building a tourist village. We plan to then expand our activity in the country to the oil and gas sector. This is in line with our expansion

strategy, as we establish our presence on a particular geographical market through one of our divisions, and then follow on with one or more of the others.”

As well as Mozambique, other markets where Renco already has a branch and where it intends to expand its presence are Iraq and the United Arab Emirates (in both of these markets the company has initiated its work through the oil and gas division).

Currently the geographical markets ranking in first position in terms of importance are Kazakhstan, Armenia and the Congo, followed by other countries, such as Russia, Tanzania (Zanzibar in particular), Libya, France, Poland and Colombia. The type of presence and activity carried out in these different markets varies. For instance, in Armenia Renco is active with regard to construction, in Zanzibar it has a tourist village and in the Congo it works in oil and gas.

When asked about Renco’s future, Mr Gasparini says, “In the short term I see the future of my company as unfolding in terms of organic growth, while in the medium to long term, acquisitions could appear on our horizon. Definitely the different divisions will grow in a balanced way. This is a winning model because it balances cash flow, as well as creating synergies that we can use for growth purposes. The various divisions generate and facilitate work for each other, alongside offering savings, as many overheads are shared.”

Renco has many existing strategic partnerships with companies which can offer products and services complementary to its activity (mainly for oil and gas and construction). Again partnerships are usually established in a particular market for a particular division and, once consolidated, are n developed at a global level.

Industry Europe 95

INTEGRATED ENERGY SUPPLY Customer-oriented, transparent and flexible. These are the words which best describe Vivigas SpA and its success. In fact, as Mr Villa – Procurement and Logistics Director tells Industry Europe, in just over ten years this methane gas and electricity supplier has achieved remarkable results in both the business and residential sectors and is ready for more. Barbara Rossi reports.

V

ivigas is based in Roncadelle, in the Brescia area of northern Italy, and is one of the main Italian suppliers of methane gas and electricity on the liberalised energy market. The company was set up in 2003 by the Erogasmet Group, to which it belongs and which since the 1950s has pioneered natural gas distribution in Italy. Vivigas supplies methane gas and electricity to final clients, serving two market segments, residential and business. The latter includes a range of companies ranging from shops, offices and small businesses to small and medium industrial clients.

Mr Andrea Bolla, Vivigas’ CEO and president of the Confindustria Tax Technical Committee describes the mission of his company as follows, “Vivigas is present on the market with an integrated energy offer, offering its services as a sole supplier for electricity and gas. Its approach is based on strong customer relationships, offer transparency and a widespread service.”

Empowering customers Vivigas operates on the market as a sole and integrated supplier of gas and electricity services to residential and business clients (the latter are subdivided into industrial and

96 Industry Europe

non industrial customers). In particular, it focuses on meeting the saving and flexibility needs of industrial clients, through the offer of continuously updated products, which allows them to indirectly access the wholesale energy market. In this way a typical cost, such as that for energy, is transformed into an efficiency tool to be used to compete on the market. For instance, when energy prices are low, customers can optimize their contracts, increasing the amount of energy bought so as to increase production volumes, or they can fix their tariff for a period of time. They are kept informed on a daily basis of any changes and informed on the best customised deal for them. In this way they are empowered in making their own choices and become an active partner with regard to their energy supply.The company’s turnover at the end of June 2013 was €450,000,000, with a 290,000 customer base (32,000 of which were dual fuel clients) and a staff of 140 people.

Vivigas has a widespread presence on the Italian market, with branches in five Italian regions: Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont (in the north of the country) and Lazio and Umbria (in its central area). Overall, Vivigas has 21 sale branches, situated in north-central areas

of Italy (Verona, Brescia, Bergamo, Como, Varese, Novara, Verbania, Roma, Viterbo and Terni). Mr Villa adds, “With regard to business clients, and in particular to top clients (small to medium industrial companies with high power usage) we cover the whole of Italy. We serve them through a network of account managers. We are further expanding this network, which was set up in 2013 and which assists customers from the initial contract proposal phase through the whole supply experience, continuously informing them about price changes and the best customised deal for them. For this reason, with regard to the top client segment, we have recently employed two new professional executives with estensive previous experience in this sector, with the aim of strengthening the sales and post-sale assistance organisation. I have to say that since last year we have doubled our volumes for the top client segment and that our target for next year is to increase it by another 50 per cent.”

Investing in growth In 2012 Vivigas purchased 80 per cent of Aemme Linea Energie, a company which, since 2003, has been operating in the Milan area (especially north of Milan) where it sup-

Industry Europe 97

plies methane gas and electricity to 80,000 residential customers. “This acquisition was part of our sustainable growth strategy, which sees us ready to pick up any further opportunities of this kind, should they arise.

Other recent important investments have been made for the renewal of the invoicing software system for both Vivigas and Aemme Linea Energie. Our supplier for this project is Engineering Spa, a leader in this field, and the aim is that of being equipped with an efficient, effective and constantly up-to-date ‘engine’, fulfilling the continuous demands made by the market and the AEGG (the Authority for Electricity and Gas).”

Andrea Bolla

98 Industry Europe

“Currently the two main market segments that we serve are residential customers and top clients (high power usage industrial clients) but we are implementing a development plan for the so-ho segment (small businesses, retail, artisans, catering establishments). Geographically we are focused on the national market, first of all because of our sustainable growth philosophy, but also because we believe that, despite the current difficulties, this is a market which offers growth opportunities to the right company. Future growth could involve an expansion of volumes, as well as possible acquisitions. We are open to

Davide Villa

both strategies; always paying attention to the market’s dynamics.”

“Growth is a must, which will be implemented in terms of an increase of turnover, number of clients and geographical areas served. It will also be achieved through an enrichment of our current product range and a widening of the services that we offer. In particular, we are evaluating the possible future offer of a range of energy efficiency services. Our current organisation has the capacity to accommodate future growth, but we are also ready for expansion, should this be demanded by a further n steep growth.”

EVERYTHING MADE

FROM MILK The dairy cooperative OSM Łowicz has been operating on the Polish market for over a century and continues to dynamically develop and strengthen its position. Since 2012 it has benefited from a much extended production and sales network, with units in Łowicz, Toruń, Kutno, Konin, Sosnowiec and Kalisz. Piotr Sadowski reports.

Industry Europe 99

O

SM Łowicz is one of the most respected brands in Poland, valued at PLN 246.8 million. In 2012 it purchased 486 million litres of milk from local producers, an amount which guarantees that the cooperative is able to offer over 300 different dairy products. These include UHT products, maturing cheeses and a wide range of other dairy-related products. In addition to its own branded products, OSM Łowicz also cooperates with leading retail networks for which it manufactures products under their own brands. Every year the cooperative introduces new products to the market – in 2012 novelties included, for example, porridge oats with milk, which have further expanded the already impressive range of ready-made meals and desserts offered by OSM Łowicz. In addition, new products include yoghurt drinks in various flavours, aimed at children aged 5-12,

packaged in appealing containers. The offer of cream cheeses has also been increased, with an introduction of three new flavours of sliced cream cheeses.

Remarkable output capacities Every day OSM Łowicz is able to process around 1.5 million litres of milk. In 2011, the cooperative launched in Łowicz a brand new cheese processing hall. This enables it to manufactured around 65 tonnes of cheese every day. Naturally, the increased output capacity has been facilitated by including additional production units into the cooperative’s structure. This also gives OSM Łowicz access to many more milk producers.

The new lines for cheese processing have been installed as part of a major investment, which has also included the construction of a new production hall, as well as a fully-auto-

mated, high capacity, cold storage facility. In Konin, on the other hand, an investment in modernising a line for the production of ESL milk in PET bottles has led to an increase of the output capacity for this particular product to 9000 bottles per hour. Also in Konin the cooperative erected a high capacity storage facility, capable of stocking around 2000 pallets, two-thirds of which is designated to operate in refrigerated conditions. Furthermore, a new line for transporting PET bottles from the production line to the storage facility has been installed in Konin. In Sosnowiec the cooperative launched a new line for packaging butter milk in Elopak packaging. All of these investments are directly linked to either increasing the production or improving the storage conditions for finished products.

Along with investments focusing on optimising the production process, OSM Łowicz

Over 20 years of partnership between OSM Łowicz and SIG Combibloc.

What SIG Combibloc values a lot is long time business relation with its partners. We are very proud to have developed this kind of collaboration with one of the biggest Polish dairy cooperatives – OSM in Łowicz. There are still people in both companies, who can remember the very beginning of the common business, one of them is current Łowicz CEO, Mr. Jan Dąbrowski. The first SIG Combibloc filling machine was put into operation in the Łowicz plant in central Poland in the early 1990’s.

Unique products of OSM Łowicz like UHT milk, creams, milk drinks and even drinking chocolate, in combination with our aseptic packaging can keep their high quality and excellent taste for a long time without using preservatives.

Installed SIG Combibloc equipment base offers high speed and efficiency as well as wide carton packaging shape and volume variety.

High sense of responsibility towards the consumers and for its own brands makes OSM Łowicz a demanding and critical customer setting high benchmark for our company.

SIG Combibloc strives to fulfill the requirements specified by OSM Łowicz which is always very stimulating and challenging. This also helps us to provide products and services of highest quality. We are very much looking forward to at least another 20 years of working together.

SIG Combibloc is one of the world’s leading system manufacturers of carton packs and filling machines for beverages and food. We make sure that quality, innovation and caring for the environment go hand in hand. With production plants and branches in more than 40 countries, we guarantee customerfocused cooperation and support wherever you are.

For more information visit: www.sig.biz

is also improving the management, accounting and monitoring systems in the company.

This has been facilitated by an implementation of a SAP system last year, which monitors every single operation ranging from purchasing of milk, through production, storage and sale of finished products. It is a highly modern and powerful programme which the

cooperative’s management expects to bring significant benefits and allow even easier management of the cooperative.

Key clients and markets The main customers of OSM Łowicz are international retail networks, to whom over half of the total production is supplied. Many

products manufactured by the cooperative are also sold to foreign branches of retail networks operating in Poland. The majority of products supplied to international retail networks are produced by OSM Łowicz under the networks’ own brands. The rest of the production reaches the retail market via food and dairy wholesalers, as well as distributers

in the HORECA channel, in addition to B2B activities through the cooperative’s own nine wholesale units. Most of these operate close to the production facilities. The cooperative’s own branded products are also sold directly to retail customers through flagship OSM Łowicz shops.

Poland remains the key market of operations for the cooperative and the distribution covers the entire geographical area of the country. This does not, however, mean that OSM Łowicz neglects export markets; quite the contrary, there are some products in the cooperative’s portfolio of which 80 per cent of production is sold to foreign markets, such as dried whey or whey proteins. Such products

are sold both across the EU, as well as to further-flung destinations, including China (of particular future interest to the cooperative) and Korea. Export activities are indeed very varied and range from sales of own-branded products to Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary, in addition to Russia (where last year sales of cheese products increased significantly), the UK, and the US.

Ongoing growth The cooperative will continue optimising the production process, taking into account both the technical and technological back-up, as well as focusing on specialisation in individual production units. This will help OSM Łowicz

to further increase its productivity, as well as bringing cost-saving benefits in all operational activities. In addition, with the approval of the cooperative’s board, the plan is to continue with the consolidation process with other cooperatives. The acquisitions of the production units in Toruń, Kutno and Konin enabled the factories to benefit from multi-million investments, which led to increased production and more employment. These effects would not have been possible to achieve without the cooperatives’ merger with OSM Łowicz. Last but not least, this type of growth continues to improve the company’s position in often challenging negotiations with leading n retail networks.

A GLOBAL REPUTATION

IN CONFECTIONERY The Lambertz Group is one of the leading German manufacturers of gingerbread, biscuits, tartlets and other traditional confectionery products. In the centuries since its establishment it has developed a solid reputation for combining its traditional, family values with constant innovation in its product lines.

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E

stablished in 1688 in Aachen, in the west of Germany, Lambertz has a strong reputation in the confectionery sector. Its brands, which include Lambertz, Kinkartz, Weiss and Haeberlein-Metzger, are known throughout the world for their high quality and unique flavour.

In 1820, Mr Henry Lambertz decided to add sugar to the company’s original biscuit mixture and then cut it into rectangular shapes. In doing so he created the company’s first range of ‘Printe’ – a traditional form of German pastry originating from the city of Aachen. Within a few years Printe were manufactured in a variety of forms that included coating in chocolate, almonds or marzipan.

What was a regional seasonal business is today a world market leader in seasonal baked products, as well as being one of the largest German year-round baked goods manufacturers. The group’s turnover for the fiscal year 2012–13 amounted to €562 million. In the first half of the fiscal year 2013–14, the group was able to increase its sales by 5.2 per cent.

Lambertz ‘Monday Night’ January 2014 saw the company celebrate its now-legendary annual ‘Monday Night’ event. This ‘chocolate and fashion show’

event gathered together some of the biggest names from show business, politics, sport and many more besides, including Catherine Deneuve, former Miss World Rosanna Davison and Hans Dietrich Genscher – Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs. This year’s event was particularly significant for the company as it marked its 325th anniversary.

In his speech at the event, host Dr Hermann Bühlbecker paid tribute to the company’s valuable partners and personnel: “The Lambertz ‘Monday Night’, originally intended as a thank you to our business partners, friends and employees who contribute to the success story of our company, has become over the years much more than that. It is a gathering of fascinating people from all over the world, here to enjoy the night with us and share our success.”

to preserve the rich tradition of a family owned and centuries-old company, while at the same time acting as a dynamic and innovative confectioner that doesn’t rest on its laurels.

Today it remains at its ancestral home in Aachen, operating its subsidiaries Weiss – the southern German gingerbread manufacturer – Kinkartz and Haeberlein and Metzger, which incorporate the well-known brands of Ferdinand Wolf, Türmer, Heeman, Feinbackerei Otten and Otto Scharschmidt Marzipan.

The group’s offering is pretty comprehensive and includes everything from biscuits and fruity baked products to lightly baked puff pastries, soft sugar glazed doughnuts, marzipan and nougat pralines covered in milk chocolate, crispy mint flakes and Quark cakes with fruity fillings.

Diverse product range

Major milestones

The Lambertz Group may well have cornered the global market for traditional German bakery specialities as the largest manufacturer of seasonal autumn bakery products, but it has also extended and strengthened its position above and beyond that of the domestic market.

Its focus remains on the two pillars of growth – maintaining and defending its dominance of its home grown market

Over the years Lambertz has developed from a small niche supplier of gingerbread and ginger biscuits to one of Germany’s top bakery producers, which achieves 60 per cent of its annual revenue from sales of its year-round goods rather than its seasonal range.

Not only that but the company’s track record at innovating new bakery products sets something of an example for competitors to follow; in fact, today Lambertz

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ALMENDRAS LLOPIS For more than 80 years three generations of the Llopis family have been working in the almond business, keeping it loyal to its origin.

Nowadays, the Almendras Llopis plant is one of the most automated in Europe. Almonds are processed for the food industry, turning the almonds into any requested form. whole, blanched, roasted, sliced, diced, slivered, grinded, in paste or in praline.

We export to the world’s most demanding markets a product that accomplishes the highest quality standards. We have the BRC Certification (A Level), Global Standard for Food Safety and also the Halal and Kosher certificates for specific markets.

We have our own crop fields in the Iberian Peninsula and collaboration agreements with farmers, in order to reach the sustainability of the raw material and collaborate with the agricultural development, thus increasing the performance and profitability of their fields.

achieves more than 50 per cent of its turnover from items that were not even in its range 15 years ago. Just one of the many success stories of the past decade or so has been its Fine Lemon Pastry, which is now known and loved throughout Germany.

Meanwhile product developments in terms of its winning seasonal range include the first Christmas praline Baccione, which is made from nougat, marzipan, chocolate and almonds, and Omas Gewurzgeback; a baked festive product with Christmas spices.

One of the reasons behind Lambertz’s success in the past couple of decades has been its decision to move from the manufacture of Printe into the entire gingerbread market. Up until 1978 Lambertz had just been just another manufacturer of Printen, sharing a market in which there didn’t seem to be any real brand leader to speak of. Lambertz knew it could make the difference and, at a time when its annual turnover was something in the region of €8.2 million, the company took the initiative and invested some €3.1 million in a new domino manufacturing system. It knew it could fill the gap in the market by delivering another household brand name, and in this it was proven to be right.

In 2007, the company introduced its ‘Nussparade’ range of products, and this, combined with the growing popularity of its pastry mixes and mono pastries, brought about a significant increase in sales.

Increasing exports As well achieving greater penetration with its own branded products, Lambertz also undertakes private label work and is collaborating with some of the biggest retailers in the business. Its international business is rapidly expanding, and today it is exporting its baked goods to more than 40 countries with its year round product lines, in particular, reaching a wider international audience.

In fact, one of the group’s continuing priorities is to expand its international exports, and indeed it is making great progress in the US market, for example, where sales are continuing to increase. It has a sales centre in this market and has also established permanent listing with several large US retailers. Here it markets its year-round bakery products under the labels of ‘European cookies and German cookies’. In addition to the US, Lambertz has also established a strong presence in China, Japan and Africa.

Strong in eastern Europe Another of the most exciting areas for the company in recent years has been the neighbouring market of Poland where Lambertz’s range of baked goods have sold particularly well. In fact, the company’s penetration of the eastern European markets is another reason why Lambertz has been able to increase its turnover by so much over the last decade. Today its subsidiary Lambertz Polonia is selling to the Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, Latvia, Russia and Hungry as well as Poland.

Indeed the company’s expanding manufacturing portfolio provides further evidence of its success in Poland. As well as its six factories in Germany, Lambertz also produces in Poland, for the Polish and eastern European markets, and this site has been the subject of investment recently in a bid to increase capacity. The demands of the market have led the company to invest in inaugurating two new baking lines at its Polish facility. As well using the capacity at the Polish facility, demand is such that Lambertz also utilises its German manufacturing sites to meet the need in the Polish market. It has also added several new products to its eastern European n line over the past few years.

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NORWEGIAN SALMON FROM

THE HEART OF POLAND Suempol, a company from Bielsk Podlaski, is Poland’s most experienced smoked salmon producer and one of the major salmon producers in Europe. Its policy of “the highest quality from the manufacturer to the customer” has made the company a supplier to the Belgian Royal Court.

S

uempol was established in 1989 as a family business by Urszula and Edward Siecinski. Initially, the company was focused on processing prawns from Belgium and the Netherlands. Prawns were processed and then exported back to the same markets, including the Belgian Royal Court.

“The company proved to be a reliable, credible and trustworthy supplier and therefore it was easier for us to introduce a new product to the market, which was smoked salmon,” says Monika SiecinskaJaworowska, the company’s president of the board.

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Such western European countries as the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany were Suempol’s first foreign markets. In 1994, the company entered the domestic market. “Currently, our product portfolio includes salmon in every possible form: cold-smoked, marinated, fresh, hot smoked.

Our products are sold both under our own brand and under the private labels of various European retail chains. What distinguishes us from our competition is above all, the guarantee of consistent quality and continual work on new products,” says Ms Siecinska-Jaworowska.

Why salmon?

Salmon is one of the most healthy fish species, since it contains large amounts of fatty Omega-3 acids, which are beneficial for human sight and memory, for the functioning of blood vessels, heart and brain and for the prevention of cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. This type of fish is also rich in other nutritional ingredients such as selenium, iodine, calcium and vitamins B, D and E. Food experts claim that salmon helps our hormonal balance and the proper functioning of immunological system. Eating salmon is especially beneficial for children and the elderly, and also for those who are on a diet.

As protein in salmon is easily absorbed, it makes it the ideal solution for people who are conscious of healthy eating and who, at the same time, like to eat tasty meals.

Since Suempol uses only natural and fresh ingredients, with no preservatives or

artificial colourings, its products are not only tasty but also healthy. Salmon is recomenended by the Professor Zbigniew Religa Foundation of Cardiac Surgery Development (Zbigniew Religa was a prominent Polish cardiac surgeon and a pioneer in human heart transplantation in Poland) and is recommended as a preventative measure for heart disease. It also has anti-sclerosis, anti-thrombosis and anti-clotting qualities.

Confidence is more important than a contract “Fresh salmon is imported mainly from Norway.

We only buy the best species of fish from north Norway and Alaska, which guarantees the top grade quality of our products. The companies that supply us with raw materials are our long-time, proven suppliers who have all the relevant certificates, and are subject to regular quality audits. They include compa-

© Norge Industry Europe 109

nies such as Carlstam, Fano, Marpol, Nesse, Pabex, Stanwes and Wipak. The key selection of our business partners is always trust and adherence to the word. For our family it is far more important than a contract prepared by lawyers. Therefore, the long-term relationships with our partners, especially in the German market have a major impact on the company’s current high market position. Suempol has certifications including ISO 22000, ISO 9001, IFS, MSC, BIO and the Discover Great Food mark.

With many years of proven experience and constant work on creating the perfect product, we guarantee repeatability of taste”, explains Ms Siecinska-Jaworowska.

STANWES TRADE Ltd is a reliable and responsible partner offering innovative solutions.

Stanwes Trade Ltd 145 Poznańska Street, 18-400 Łomża, Poland Phone Phone Fax

+48 862180046 +48 862180047 +48 862199499

www.stanwes.com

STANWES TRADE Ltd. STANWES TRADE Ltd. For over 20 years we have been a supplier of natural salt products for the food industry.

We cooperate with manufacturers from fish, meat, dairy and many other branches of the food industry.

We guarantee product safety and appropriately high quality. Our work is based on the IFS Food Version 6 Standard.

Our products meet the highest quality requirements.

We complement the high quality of products with logistical services at a level that guarantees stable and uninterrupted supply chain, which, in food manufacturing, is of great importance.

We offer our clients innovative solutions of “sodium replacement”, which allow for improving health benefits of consumed food products through reducing the level of unwanted alimentary ingredients.

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New companies, new products At the moment, the Suempol Group has three factories, in Poland, Germany and France.

The entire manufacturing process takes place there. “We also own the company engaged in the acquisition of Norway’s best raw materials for our factories. From year to year we creates more new jobs, both in Poland and Europe.

Further acquisitions are related to the nature of the market, which involves delivering the freshest products in the shortest possible time. Each acquisition is an opportunity to expand our manufacturing facilities and logistics optimisation. Our plant in Germany allows us to deliver our products to the markets of

western Europe within 48 hours and we are fully confident that consumers receive fresh salmon of the highest quality. As for Marcel Baey, the French premium salmon producer that has recently been acquired by Suempol, the primary purpose of the purchase is to strengthen the Suempol position in the premium segment and to introduce traditional technology to other markets in Europe,” adds Ms Siecinska-Jaworowska.

The group’s annual revenue is estimated as €300 million. Exports make up 80 per cent of the company’s sales, while 20 per cent comes from the local market. Vacuum packed sliced smoked salmon is Suempol’s

main export product. “Earlier this year we were able to step into new markets, including Japan and Vietnam, and to extend our range with fresh products – fillets packed in MAP. With our logistics centres, placed in the best locations in Europe, we are able to provide consumers with a fresh product. We do not rule out further acquisitions in the future, but for now we’d rather focus on strengthening our brand by improving our existing products and creating new, innovative products, which are yet not available on the market,” reveals n Ms Siecinska-Jaworowska. www.suempol.pl

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INNOVATION IN TANKER

TRANSPORTATION

Stena Bulk is building on its strengths as one of the world’s leading tanker shipping companies by consolidating its operations in LNG transportation and establishing partnerships to grow its business in Asia. Peter Mercer reports

IN

January of this year Stena Bulk reorganised its operations in the global LNG sector. Having set up a separate company – Stena LNG – in 2012 to take responsibility for the three LNG carriers that it had bought the previous year, Stena Bulk has now decided that, given current conditions in the market, it makes more operational sense to bring the vessels back under the direct control of the parent company.

“For the last three years Stena Bulk, Stena LNG and Northern Marine Management, which has been responsible for the technical management of the vessels, have together built up a very good name in the LNG segment. It is an industry that is undergoing expansive development and one that we judge will be very interesting indeed in the next few years,” says Erik Hanell,

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President and CEO of Stena Bulk. “In 2011 there were a lot of orders for LNG carriers at shipyards to serve new production projects around the world but many of these projects have been delayed. Developing LNG terminals is a complex and lengthy business and so we anticipate a temporary over-supply of LNG carriers over the next couple of years.

“The three existing tankers will therefore form the basis of future projects. We are active and keep a sharp eye on all relevant projects in the market and we will see what opportunities there are for investing and finding suitable industrial partners in this segment.”

Stena bought the three LNG carriers in 2011 from TMT Taiwan. Renamed Stena Blue Sky, Stena Clear Sky and Stena Crystal Sky, they were all built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering to Ice Class

1C and are currently chartered out on short to medium term contracts. Stena Bulk’s organisation in Gothenburg has, in any case, been responsible for the commercial management of the vessels for the last three years; now Stena Bulk will assume overall responsibility for them.

Looking beyond the next two years, Stena expects the average annual rate of growth in global LNG production capacity to be around 9 per cent. The technology is now commonplace, costs for production plants have been reduced and demand is rising. The gas is available in abundance, with high reserves worldwide and since it is non-toxic, clear-burning and relatively cheap, it can play an important role in reaching emission targets. With more LNG production plants and more receiving

markets across the world, the LNG shipping industry is bound to grow. But LNG tankers cost about three times as much as normal tankers of the same size and take nearly four times longer to build so, as in so many businesses, timing is everything. Stena believes that it can now best manage its strategy in the changing market by assuming complete control of its LNG operations.

Complete tanker operations Headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, and with offices in seven countries, Stena Bulk is one of the largest tanker shipping companies in the world. Its fleet of some 100 vessels is active in every segment of the tanker market and its operations cover everything from designing and building tankers to manning them and chartering them out. The company

is part of the Stena Sphere organisation, which is active in ferry traffic (Stena Line and Stena Ro-Ro), shipping, offshore drilling, metal trading and recycling, real estate and finance. Stena Sphere has around 20,000 employees in Sweden and abroad.

Stena Bulk’s tankers operate in four main fields – the transport of crude oil from the oilfields to the refineries the transport of refined petroleum products, the transport of chemicals and the transport of LNG. Its crude oil tankers are divided into three different sizes –, Suezmax, Aframax and Panamax. The company’s focus on innovative design and the capabilities of its in-house design bureau Stena Teknik has produced the V-MAX vessels which have the length of a VLCC but the draft of a Suezmax, enabling them to transport large oil cargoes through narrow and shallow waters.

Erik Hanell

Stena’s petroleum products tankers are of two kinds: the 70,000 dwt Long Range 1 (LR1) are the largest vessels able to pass through the Panama Canal when fully laden while the P-MAXs are Medium Range (MR) vessels specially designed to meet the growing challenges of transporting cargoes into sensitive areas. They can carry 30 per cent more cargo than traditional MR vessels and are built with features such as double hulls, twin engine rooms and double systems for propulsion and manoeuvring that ensure safe operations in confined waters.

New MR concept Stena’s latest evolution of the MR vessels is the IMOIIMAX sustainable shipping concept.

This vessel is designed to carry IMO 2 and 3 cargoes as well as dirty and clean products in

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Wistrand

World Fuel Services World Fuel Services is one of the world’s foremost suppliers of marine fuel products, services and support. With a signature focus on surety of supply, we are committed to consistently deliver quality fuel products with outstanding levels of service and operational support to all of our customers, including Stena Bulk. We provide start-to-finish expertise and on-demand customer service through our network of top-ranked local professionals, renowned technical experts, and our dedicated finance and risk management groups.

“Founded in 1915 in Gothenburg, Wistrand Law Firm has three offices in Sweden and is one of the five largest law firms in Sweden. We are a full service law-firm that provides advice on all aspects of the complexities of business law.

We work with corporate clients in a large number of industry sectors as well as with clients in the public sector – both nationally and internationally. Our Maritime and Transport group is based in Gothenburg and advise, in cooperation with other specialists in our firm, a variety of shipping companies, shipyards, carriers, forwarding agents, P/I clubs and other insurers. We are particularly active in areas such as ship financing, ferry operations, charters, maritime claims and ship sale and purchase.

We have acted as legal advisor to the Stena-group and Stena Bulk for over 20 years, advising on a large range of issues relating to the Stena AB group’s shipping operations.

We are honoured to be one of Stena Bulk’s preferred suppliers and greatly appreciate the company’s emphasis on long term partnerships. Over the years our close cooperation with Stena has given us a deep and extensive understanding of Stena’s operations, which is of great importance when assisting Stena in achieving its goals.”

a total of 18 cargo tanks of 3,000 m3 capacity.

Stena Teknik, working with Guangzhou Shipyard in China, has succeeded in developing a design that is probably the most energy efficient Eco MR Tanker existing today. Completely new and revolutionary hull lines together with specially designed propeller, rudders, engines, exhaust gas energy recovery and onboard systems will reduce the overall energy consumption to a minimum. “We estimate that the fuel consumption of the IMOIIMAX will be less than 20 tonnes per day at 12.5 knots. That’s 20 to 30 per cent less than was achievable only five years ago,” says Erik Hanell.

Thanks to the eighteen cargo tanks arrangement no single tank is larger than 3,000 m3 which means that the IMOIIMAX can load a full IMO 2 cargo in each tank.

High performing well proven cargo tank coating ensure the charterer will have full flexibility to carry an extensive spectrum of products and chemicals at desired temperatures. Tank cleaning on the new vessels is carried out with clean nitrogen, produced by a nitrogen generator, rather than with traditional inert flue gas. The faster tank cleaning this makes possible will significantly reduce the time between discharge and loading.

Partners for growth In early 2011 Stena Bulk consolidated all its MR business in a joint venture with the Danish shipping company Weco, creating a new company, Stena Weco. Weco was already the market leader in the transportation of special-type products such as, edible oils and palm oil. The JV doubled the

common MR fleet to a critical mass of some 35 tankers within the segment and added Stena’s existing strength in the transport of petroleum products and chemicals.

“Since Stena Weco was established we have increased the number of ships it operates to more than 50 and the new IMOIIMAX will be a key vessel in its future operations,” says Erik Hanell. “With offices in Europe, USA and Singapore we have significantly increased our global trading area and our large and flexible MR fleet now services the world-wide requirements of our customers.

Stena Weco has proved itself to be the right concept ant the right time.”

In June 2012 Stena Weco itself entered into a joint venture with Golden AgriResources Ltd (GAR), the Indonesian palm oil plantation company; GAR produces palm oil from a total planted area of more than 400,000 hectares and processes it into palm-based edible oil and fat. The 50-50 JV, Golden Stena Weco, was aimed at providing an overall solution for the international transportation of GAR’s palm oil products.

Now Stena Bulk and GAR have set up a new JV, Golden Stena Bulk, which initially took over four product tankers ordered by Stena Bulk. These vessels were deployed in Stena Weco’s logistics system in the global market. The partnership now has a total of six ships,.

“Golden Stena Weco can be seen as the second step in our collaboration with GAR,” explains Erik Hanell. “For us it’s also a gateway to Asia. Such strategic partnerships are a welltried concept for us and involve coordinating complementary assets and experience. With

GAR’s robust network and intimate knowledge of the region, this partnership gives us greater access to the Southeast Asian market as well as to local competencies.”

Through the ice In autumn 2013 Stena Bulk took another important step towards expanding its partnerships in Asia with the arrival of the Stena Polaris at the port of Yousu in South Korea after a voyage through the icy North-East Passage along Russia’s northern coast.

The voyage was a joint project between Stena Bulk and Hyundai Glovis, the shipping arm of the Hyundai Group. It began on 17 September at the port of Luga in the Gulf of Finland, where the Stena Polaris loaded 44,000 tons of naphtha.

The Stena Polaris is built to ice class 1A specifications, which means that it is equipped to sail in ice-covered waters where broken ice can be up to 0.8m thick.

In addition to an ice-strengthened hull her rudder and propellers are adapted for operation in icy waters and her main engines modified to deliver greater power.

“In fact this was the eighth time we have made this voyage through the North-East Passage but it is the first time to Korea,” says Erik Hanell. “It is also the first project in which technology and operational knowhow have been transferred from Stena to Hyundai Glovis. It shows we can speed up the freight routes to and from the Northern Asia region and is the beginning of an important collaboration towards realising our strategy to expand in this region n together with good partners.”

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120 Industry Europe

ORGANISING YOUR SPACE A vertically integrated production system, regular investments in R&D, a continuous Innovation Process, productivity run rate and a wide range of products are the factors which have determined the success of Metalsistem SpA - Italy’s largest manufacturer of modular storage systems and integrated material handling solutions. Barbara Rossi talked to Mr Carlo Schiavini, who became the company’s CEO in May last year.

T

he Metalsistem group was established in 1970 in Rovereto, near the northern Italian town of Trento, by Antonello Briosi, who is still the President of the Metalsistem Group.

At first the company designed and produced machines for the cold profiling of metals but soon, thanks to the experience gathered and the numerous innovative patents developed, it started to manufacture cold form zinc coated profiles. Over the years, the success obtained in these activities led the company to expand its activity to the production of actual components (modular shelving systems), manufactured on self-produced machines.

“We are very independent, thanks to our vertical integration. In fact, within our group we manufacture the machines that we then use for manufacturing our own products” said Mr Schiavini.

The group is today present in over 70 countries and has an aggregate turnover of €260 million. The first of its two main areas of activity is warehouse logistics (with a range of products serving the entire spectrum of warehouses solutions) through the Metalsistem brand, which accounts for about 80 per cent of turnover. This is followed by display & shop

fitting solutions, offered through the SIDAC brand, which generates 20 per cent of turnover. The sectors served by the SIDAC range include food and non food outlets, supermarket chains and individual retail shops.

Alongside these two main fields of specialisation, the group is also engaged in making furnishing products and components for the alternative energy sector. With regard to the latter, as well as producing modular steel structures for photovoltaic panels, the company has recently presented a medium wind turbine prototype, ‘Libellula’ (Dragonfly), designed for Enel Green Power by the famous architect Renzo Piano. This turbine offers subtle elegance and up to 55kW of power; it is sensitive to low speed winds and has a low environmental impact.

All production takes place in Italy, at four plants. First of all, there is the Rovereto facility, which houses the headquarters, as well as the production plant for the Metalsistem storage systems and material handling solutions; then there is the Treviso works where roll forming and automation machines, designed for the production process, are manufactured. The two sites located in the Brescia area, in Gam-

bara and Gussago respectively, are engaged in manufacturing the SIDAC products. “Our automated production facilities for the cold profiling of metals have enabled us to achieve one of the highest levels of productivity in the world today.”

While production is entirely Italian based, the sales network has a wide global coverage. Export is very important, reaching 70 per cent in terms of the logistics range and 40 per cent for display and shop fitting solutions.

A strong focus on R&D “For us R&D has always been and still is extremely important, integrating both production process and products. For this reason we regularly invest in this area, for which we have a dedicated internal division, which works on both of the two previously mentioned levels, making us particularly effective. We are continuously optimising our products, so much so that we produce a weekly internal newsletter to keep all our Metalsistem Group network informed on product development and new additions to our range. Recently a lot of work has been done on anti-seismic components (mainly for the logistics range). Our high autoIndustry Europe 121

Nord Pallets is specialised in the production and supply of pallets and standard packaging, but it is also able to supply customised solutions suitable for any type of needs. The wood used – soft (coniferous) and hard (beech) – is individually selected to ensure product quality.

The company is a sector leader thanks to the modern technology of its production department, its indoor warehouse and its direct deliveries, carried out with its own articulated lorry.

Pallets & Imballaggi di Asson Mario & C. s.n.c - Via Carraia, 38010 Don (Tn) Tel: 0463/875466 - Fax: 0463/875466 - E-mail: info@nordpallets.it

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mation translates into productivity, competitiveness and high quality.”

The company, which holds all relevant certifications such as ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001 among others, has a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. It is involved in the Tekne Technological steel project, in collaboration with the Arvedi group. The purpose of this program is that of promoting the introduction of innovative steel smelter production cycle technologies to obtain structural steels of superior quality from recycled metals, cutting CO2 emissions and reducing both energy and water consumption. Corporate social responsibility also finds expression through the Metalsistem foundation, which operates independently and is engaged in supporting projects benefitting children in various countries.

Furthermore the company has implemented green energy at its own premises.

“At our Rovereto site we have installed one of the largest photovoltaic systems in Italy, with a roof system comprising almost

12,000 solar panels and occupying a space of more than 38,000sqm. This has made the company almost self-sufficient at this production site in terms of energy requirements for the manufacturing process.”

In terms of the market segments that the company serves with its products the boundaries are very wide, with virtually no sector being left out. “Focusing on our main activity, products for the logistic sector, I can say that geographically the whole of Europe is very important, but that non EU markets are growing as well at a promising rate. We are not focused on growth in a specific market, but we are always looking at widening our sales network, so as to extend our commercial coverage. We plan to grow through organic expansion, although we never exclude that acquisitions could at some point appear on our horizon. We will continue with our current model, which has been successful, as despite a slight reduction of turnover due to the current economic climate, things

are going quite well. We’ll continue to act on and improve all the elements which are within our control, Product Development, Quality, though cost optimisation and increasing productivity. A sector which I believe will offer us an opportunity for growth is that of alternative energy, to which we already offer components for many photovoltaic type of applications” “More than 65 per cent of the material that we purchase and then process is steel, so suppliers of this are particularly important to us and our success. We continuously work with them in terms of product development, working for instance on new materials characteristics and innovative coatings.”

2013, in terms of order portfolio, was positive. Together with Luxembourg based Dematic, the company had won an important contract for the supply of the third Gucci platform in Switzerland. This €6 million order was one of the most important European contracts for 2013 in the field of n warehouse logistics.

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DELIVERING ROBUST SENSOR TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS Kavlico Pressure Sensors is a global leading expert in the design and manufacture of high-precision pressure sensors and signal treatment technologies. The brand, belongs to the international company Custom Sensors & Technologies (CST) and specialises in applications involving harsh and hazardous environments. Philip Yorke talked to Horst Obermeier, managing director of Kavlico Pressure Sensors, about its latest ground-breaking products and move into new markets.

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avlico Pressure Sensors’ history started with the foundation of Kavlico Corporation in 1958 by Fred Kavli, an entrepreneurial Norwegian immigrant living in North America. Kavli began by developing and producing innovative level-source sensors, transmitters and transducers. Consistent growth resulted in its move into speciality sensors and customised OEM products. Success in the US market led to the establishment of a European subsidiary in Minden, Germany in 1999 and to the implementation of an additional production facility in Tijuana, Mexico in 2008. More recently, China has been added to the list of countries with production and sales facilities for Kavlico’s advanced industrial sensors, in order to cover local customer needs. Over 1000 people are currently working for Kavlico Pressure Sensors.

Crossing new sensor thresholds Kavlico Pressure Sensors enjoys an unrivalled reputation for the development and manufacture of state-of-the-art pressure sensing and signal treatment equipment, based on three innovative sensing technologies: Ceramic

capacitive, Silicon piezo-resitive (MEMS) and Stainless Steel thin film. Together they provide a unique combination that offers a flexibility that is ideally suited to meet its customers’ specific requirements for applications in the world’s harshest environments. The brand’s product portfolio is extensive and offers sensors starting at .0025 Bar(1”ofH2O), right up to 3000 Bar (45,000 psi). In addition to low, medium and high ranges and hermetically sealed or internally sealed products, Kavlico Pressure Sensors produces customised products for high or low volume production.

The brand’s biggest driver for growth is its ability to innovate across the board, resulting in the release of regular new product offerings. Recently these include its latest P/ PTE5000 modular sensor family for general industrial applications and its P994 range of ‘Digital I2C output signal’ products for the building automation market.

Currently Kavlico Pressure Sensors’ main focus is on construction and agricultural equipment, as well as trucks and buses, where it is a strong partner, providing reliable solutions to its customers worldwide.

Mr Obermeier said, “Today the trends in the market are the growing demand for greater flexibility and higher temperature ranges with sensors that work in extreme environments of 300°C or more. Year on year, the demands and expectations for sensor products increases. For example, 20 years ago low temperatures were considered to be between -20°C and -30°C, whereas now they are between -40°C and -60°C. Similarly, with high temperatures in the past of 125°C being acceptable, these now reach as high as 350°C (short term).

“In order to meet those requirements, we are looking at different technology ‘menus’ using silicon type sensing elements as well as developing new technologies based upon our standard ceramic solutions. This is in addition to our dual diaphragm sensors, designed for the world’s harshest environments.”

Mr Obermeier added, “We commit more than 5 per cent of our turnover to R&D, which keeps us at the forefront of the world’s sensor technology industry, and we project organic growth of between 4–5 per cent.

However, we are also open to the possibility

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Kavlico Pressure Sensors: For more than 50 years Kavlico Pressure Sensors has been a leading expert in designing, developing, and manufacturing a broad range of precision, pressure, pressure and temperature, fluid level, and specialty sensors. Focused on premium products, and adapting innovative technologies to meet customer needs, Kavlico Pressure Sensors is the reliable solutions provider for the harshest and most demanding applications across the globe. Kavlico Pressure Sensors is a brand of Custom Sensors & Technologies (CST).

Custom Sensors & Technologies: Custom Sensors & Technologies (CST) is a specialist in sensing, control and motion products. Through its brands, BEI Kimco, BEI Sensors, BEI, PSSC, Crouzet, Crydom, Kavlico, Newall and Systron Donner Inertial, CST offers customizable, reliable and efficient components for missioncritical systems in Aerospace & Defence, Transportation, Energy & Infrastructure, Medical, Food and Beverage and Building Equipment markets. of acquisitions, especially for high-tech companies that are active in niche market areas where we are not yet working.”

Solutions provider Through its R&D efforts, Kavlico Pressure Sensors is able to provide customised products for its clients wherever they are. To give a recent example, it recently developed a solution for a client with a heavy duty hydraulic application in which a Hall Effect type differential sensor was used to monitor the pressure differential across a hydraulic filter to determine the level of contamination in the filter and provide feedback when it needed replacing.

The problem was that the technology being used by the client only measured pressure differentials at three points, potentially leading to premature maintenance cycles or the inability to capture a failure between the

switch points. The technology also had some inherent performance and warranty issues, owing to outdated mechanical features.

To develop a solution, Kavlico Pressure Sensors’ experts explored various differential options looking at technological capabilities and taking the customer’s requirements into consideration for a drop-in solution. The proposal they came up with was a single port, thread mounted differential sensor with an isolated sense element. This product succeeded in meeting or indeed exceeding all the client’s performance specifications.

These included: a rugged stainless drop-in design; an electronic pressure sensor with no mechanical feedback; and a sensor that would allow for the monitoring of the hydraulic filter pressure flow across the entire pressure range with no performance degradation for environmental issues.

This thread mounted, differential sensor is now available for use with fuel systems and engine oil systems, as well as the hydraulic filter applications.

Clear vision In terms of future growth, Kavlico Pressure Sensors is moving into new markets such as China, India, Korea, Thailand and eastern Europe. It is increasing its overall production capabilities to meet this objective.

The brand is focusing on offering the highest quality solutions to key market segments such as construction and agriculture,

where it provides its recognised expertise in the truck and heavy duty markets. It also works on meeting equipment related needs to enable its clients to increase the efficiency of their own products and services.

In addition, Kavlico Pressure Sensors will be adding to its overall sales and technical support in its diverse industrial markets via new sales channels and direct industrial sales n teams and technical service engineers.

For further details of Kavlico Pressure Sensors’ latest innovative products and services visit: www.kavlico.com

A CENTURY OF PRECISION Leading global technology company Lahti Precision is celebrating bringing its weighing and dosing systems to customers worldwide for 100 years. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to vice president Jarmo Sopanen to mark this milestone.

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ased in Lahti, Finland, and established in 1914, global technology company Lahti Precision is proudly celebrating 100 years as a successful business in 2014.

This is an important milestone and the company is organising a number of events to celebrate and highlight its achievement.

Vice president of Lahti Precision Jarmo Sopanen spoke to Industry Europe to explain how the company is marking the occasion. He said, “The whole of 2014 will be dedicated to celebrating our one hundred years in business. We are so proud of our heritage and of our global market-leading position and this is the perfect reason to

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celebrate! We will be hosting lots of events for our customers and we will be taking this opportunity to boost our marketing too, with all manner of press releases, direct marketing and other possibilities.”

Excellent decisions Mr Sopanen pointed out that, at a time when companies face many challenges from the economic downturn as well as increased competition from low-cost countries, the fact that Lahti Precision has continued to be successful is thanks to core values that are as true in 2014 as they were in 1914. He continued, “Our solid

position today is largely due to a sustained series of excellent decisions throughout our history. A long-term commitment to innovation, to meeting our customers’ needs and to adding value to our customers’ businesses is at our core, as well as remaining dedicated to our core products.”

The core products developed and manufactured by Lahti Precision continue to be dosing, weighing and scales, with systems and plants designed and manufactured for a broad range of customers across the process industry. With such technically demanding customers, Lahti Precision’s guarantee to deliver the most accurate

Competence, creativity and customer proximity

More than 50 years of experience in power transmission, more than 40 premises throughout the world, that is KTR. As a leading supplier of couplings, clamping sets, torque limiters, torque measuring systems, hydraulic components and brake systems we are the right partner for all those who want to set things in motion.

Based on the know-how gained from thousands of applications in many industries we will find the most suitable, low-cost solutions for new special applications. That is the reason why we are the driving force in the power transmission industry.

With more than 850 employees and 20 subsidiary companies as well as 90 sales representatives KTR is present in the industrial markets of all five continents. Our Sales network ensures competent service all around the globe.

www.ktr.com

products has played a key role in its successful history.

Mr Sopanen continued, “Accuracy is everything. It’s what Lahti stands for and has done for 100 years. We continually upgrade and innovate so customers can be sure that they are always getting the best dosing, weighing and scales. We offer strong mixing technology, automation and electrification so that the whole supply chain adds value for our customers.”

Total control With the ability to provide the full service operation from its own facilities in Finland, Lahti Precision can be sure that its commitment to accuracy is maintained. Mr Sopanen explained, “It is imperative that we undertake all the operations ourselves; from tendering to the end of life cycle of the plant, Lahti takes care of everything.”

As one of the world’s leading suppliers of glass batch and mortar weighing plants, and the market leader in the weighing business in Finland, Lahti Precision is globally

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active. Expanding worldwide wherever its core market segments of glass, dry mix and other industries demanding accurate weighing and dosing are present, the company sees a great many opportunities for growth.

Mr Sopanen said, “Even though we are 100 years’ old we are still very light on our feet!

We seek out interesting opportunities and we keep focused on our core markets to see where our products and services will add value to new customers’ processes.”

Having experienced different phases of growth throughout its century as the market leading global technology company supplying accurate weighing and dosing systems and plants, scales and maintenance services to the process industry, Lahti Precision’s last two years have been especially innovative in terms of its product portfolio. Mr Sopanen explained, “We’ve always been innovative and always looked forward to how we can further improve our offer. In the two years since we last spoke to Industry Europe we’ve really invested heavily in improving our core equipment, we’ve

been more focused on our mixing technology and we’ve put effort to manufacture a new dry mix and glass mixers, which have been very well received on the market.”

An accurate partner As an innovative, reliable company that works as a true partner with its customers worldwide, Lahti Precision is both looking forward to celebrating its 100th birthday in 2014 and to its next chapter. With long-term co-operations with well-known customers including NSG, Saudi Arabia’s Saveto and HESS from Nederland, the company is confident about its future.

Mr Sopanen concluded, “We are proud of our past as it gives us a very strong foundation from which to grow. But we’re not satisfied. Lahti Precision is always looking for new developments in processes, new equipment to add value to our customers’ businesses and new market opportunities. We’re here to deliver accurate results for our customers, n now and for the next 100 years!”

ALLGAIER PROCESS TECHNOLOGY Every day, the Allgaier Process Technology division takes a new approach to the complex requirements of the market. With its core brands of Allgaier, Mogensen, Gosag and Mozer as well as a global presence in more than 30 countries, this division delivers both standardized and individually produced sytems for washing, drying, cooling, screening and sorting for the bulk solids processing industry.

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ased on experience of more than 20,000 test series and countless successfully realised international projects with over 8000 customers, Allgaier Process Technology division offers tailor-made systems for the processing industry in a wide variety of sectors such as chemicals and pharmaceuticals, food and feed, waste and recycling, mining and metallurgy as well as biofuels, wood, ceramics, plastics, crude and manufactured minerals.

In industrial preparation and processing of substances of extremely diverse types, the factors that really matter are the quality of the screening material, the choice of screening method and the technology of the screening machine. Allgaier offers a wide range of

modern and high-quality classifier machines with a wide range of variants.

Allgaier has the appropriate solution for each task. Tumbler screening machines meet the most exacting quality requirements in ultrafine screening, while flat gyratory screens in the wood processing industry offer convincing performance and Mogensen sizers are characterised by robustness and a high throughput rate.

Allgaier also offers its customers dryer systems based on the fundamental principles of rotating drum dryers as well as fluidized bed technology. The drying technology product portfolio includes complete solutions which take the various drying processes as well as processes for cooling and

calcining, and rationally link them together with granulating and screening technologies.

The ‘MOZER® System’ rotating drum dryer is regarded as a classic industrial drying product; it was developed several decades ago and has been continuously optimised ever since.

The communication of knowledge in the best sense of the concept takes place in the Technical Centre at the headquarters near

by Stuttgart, Germany. This is where Allgaier carries out series of scientific experiments and practical tests in order to arrive at madeto-measure solutions for customers all over the world. The insights are made available for use by all subsidiaries and agencies of the Allgaier-Group.

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DESIGN IS THE SECRET A leading manufacturer of stylish household goods and furnishings sold all over Europe, Plastmeccanica SpA is experiencing remarkable success, despite the current Italian and European economic situation.

Its secret? Its appealing design, as Barbara Rossi is told by the company’s CEO, Mr Ezio Betti.

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lastmeccanica which has a turnover of about €35million and holds all relevant European certifications - started its activity at the end of the eighties. At the time it manufactured moulds and moulded products for third parties, according to their specifications. It then acquired a producer of household products. This was the starting point for its own work as a manufacturer of own- branded standard products. The nineties saw further product evolution, with the company improving quality, becoming involved in design and conducting market research.

Today 70 per cent of turnover derives from household goods and furnishing products, marketed under own brands, while the

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remainder (30 per cent) is generated by contract manufacturing of moulds and accessories, mainly for the automotive and household appliance sectors. Household goods and furnishing products are commercialised under two different brands: Dea Home and Toomax.

Dea Home deals with household products, while Toomax offers a DIY range, including cabinets, shelves and items for the garden.

Within each of the two brands there are two product levels - a more sophisticated and a more standard range, differentiated in terms of colours and some other fine details.

“We are continuously engaged in developing new ideas. We participate in the Frankfurt fair every year, presenting new products. These are based on the work of our designers, who constantly develop new designs. The moulds

through which the products are manufactured are all developed and constructed internally.

Both Dea Home and Toomax products are commercialised throughout Europe using large retailers, including Adeo, Obi, Kingfisher and Bauhaus. Some of these retailers will deal with both brands, while others will concentrate on one of them” says Mr Betti.

In terms of production, the company operates from a single large site based in the Ancona area of central Italy. This site has a covered area of 27,000m2 and here the company has recently built a new, fully automated 5,000m2 warehouse. “We are increasingly moving towards automation and I have to say that we are doing very well, as we currently run three shifts a day, often at weekends as well.” The company has acquired new land for

a possible site expansion, in order to house larger machinery, although the current facilities are able to accommodate any expected potential future growth. Recently investments were made in the new automated warehouse, as well as in new machinery and automation.

Our market is Europe The standard products of the two previously mentioned brands are the motor for current growth and will also involve an increase in terms of human resources, while the mould division is growing at a slower rate. As mentioned, Europe is the main geographical market, in particular Italy (generating about 40 per cent of turnover), Germany, the UK, France, Spain and Greece; although in lower volumes own-branded standard products are

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also sold in Russia, China and Latin America.

“We have only entered the German market very recently, but we are doing extremely well there and we expect to further expand our presence.” For the mould division products the main markets are Italy and Germany, and to a lesser extent France.

“There seems to be a lot of demand for our standard products, which are all made 136 Industry Europe

in Italy. I think that this is due to the fact that our design style is appreciated. We have ten people dedicated to design, who are stylists and designers, as well as technicians engaged in the construction of the moulds through which we manufacture our range.

Our team of highly qualified internal designers search for innovative solutions, with the aim of improving the production flow and

the quality of our range, as well as for the development of new products. Modern software for flow analysis is employed in equipment design, with the aim of optimizing the filling of the mould and obtaining the best performance of the finished products.”

“We are planning to carry on in this way, as we believe that there is further scope for market growth. We have managed to

Founded in 1997, but with a twenty-year wealth of experience, today SIR operates from a fully equipped 20,000sqm site and can avail itself of cutting-edge facilities with a production capacity of up to 35,000 tonnes a year, to which must be added 25,000 tonnes of marketed products.

Thanks to continuous investments and partnership with its major partners, we can say that today SIR is one of the leading companies of its sector in Italy and is oriented towards continuous growth in foreign markets as well. Its winning formula is its ability to serve its customers by fulfilling any request, the close collaboration with its suppliers, the high quality of its products, the know-how accrued over the years, and the team of dynamic and motivated people working for the company.

With regard to production SIR manufactures its products to fulfil any need of its customers, finding the right balance between quality and price.

We regenerate and market plastic materials. Through the use of special machines and by adding additives and other materials, we produce a ready to mould product starting from selected discarded plastic.

automate a lot and this allows us to be able to maintain good market prices. In the past we evolved so many times and we had to change direction every four to five years. Our way of working has allowed us to carry on. Currently we are experiencing a very good phase. The role of our style, of our design, is extremely important in our success, obviously accompanied by a good product quality. “ Does the success of the standard product division mean that the company will phase out the mould division? “No, we intend to keep the mould division alive, although currently demand for customised products of this type is suffering, due to the crisis affecting commissioning companies based in our area, the Marche region. We will carry on, strengthened by the success of our own-branded standard products. Large investments in research and development will continue, channelling €1.5 million in new product development on a n yearly basis.”

SIR S.p.A - Via Provinciale, 41, 35010 Carmignano di Brenta – PD Tel: +39.049.5957542 - Fax: +39.049.5957021 - Website: www.sir-plastics.com Genreal e-mail: info@sir-plastics.com Commercial department: commerciale@sir-plastics.com Administration department: amministrazione@sir-plastics.com

As part of the Poliblend Group, Esseti Plast GD Srl works in synergy with its sister companies to fulfil customers’ needs by supplying a wide range of products: • Thermoplastic resins: Poliblend SpA • Thermoplastic rubber: Celloplast GD Srl • Coloured masterbatches and additives: Esseti Plast GD Srl Thanks to its extensive sales network both in Italy and in the rest of the world, the Poliblend Group is an important player in its sector.

T: 0039 0331 837006, F: 0039 0331 831010 E: info@essetiplast.com, W: www.essetiplast.com

Wave Swiss is a world leader in automation, injection moulding machines for plastic materials, elastomer presses, thermoset presses, robots, peripherals and press accessories. Technologically at the cutting-edge and committed to environmental friendliness, Wave Swiss offers a quality service able to wholly fulfil clients’ requirements.

Since 2012 the company has widened its production to the PET and Packaging sectors, making customised and made-to-measure products. Today it offers a comprehensive service, also dealing with the vertical production of auxiliary servo-systems, accessories and robots, in addition to its machines.

Quality standards of the highest level, a good positioning on the international market, technology and innovation are the factors which have made Wave Swiss a global benchmark in automation, injection moulding machines for plastic materials, elastomer presses, thermoset presses, robots, peripherals and press accessories.

Wave Swiss is specialised in the design and manufacture of high-end machines and turn-key systems, customised according to clients’ requirements.

Wave Swiss makes full electric, hybrid and hydraulic presses for rubber, plastic and thermosetting materials, which alongside cutting-edge performances also score highly in terms of environmental friendliness and energy saving.

www.waveswiss.com

CLEAR ADVANTAGE Ensinger is a global leader in the development and manufacture of advanced thermal insulation profiles for windows. Philip Yorke talked to Dr. Albert Lingens, the company’s sales director of the business unit Thermix® about its latest high-performance, ‘warm edge’ profiles and move into new markets.

View into the production

Application of Thermix spacers in triple glazed windows

Application of Thermix spacers in double glazed windows

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Thermix® TX.N® plus: the latest spacer generation from Ensinger

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he Ensinger Group was founded in Ehningen, Germany in 1966 by Wilfried Ensinger who recognised the potential offered by the emerging high-tech plastics of that era. Intrigued by this opportunity, Ensinger designed and constructed new plastic extrusion methods to produce highquality semi-finished products and machine elements. Ensinger’s success resulted in the company relocating to nearby Nufringen in 1970, where the new family business established a dedicated plastics manufacturing complex. The company also acquired the nearby warehousing and factory space in order to expand its capabilities to meet future demand.

Following four decades of continuous investment, innovation and acquisition, the Ensinger Group today is represented worldwide with 27 major production plants

and global R&D facilities. In 2012 Ensinger employed more than 2100 people and achieved consolidated sales revenues of over €350 million.

Today Ensinger’s high performance compounds and optimised solutions can be found across a broad spectrum of manufacturing industries, from mechanical engineering and the automotive industry, to medical device technology and the building industry. The company’s plastic semi-finished products and machined or injection moulded precision parts also form the basis for technical innovations in the food industry, aeronautical engineering and the electronics industries.

Optimising thermal efficiency One of Ensinger’s important business sectors is that of industrial plastic profiles for windows and façades. The company manu-

factures these special profiles using both extrusion and co-extrusion methods.

Ensinger’s Thermix® spacers are the global brand of choice for the insulation of double glazed and triple glazed windows.

The company’s latest generation of Thermix® TX.N® plus spacers offers one of the most effective reduction of heat loss at the glass edge area. The resulting lower heat loss through the window and without higher temperatures at the glass edge, help drive down energy and heating costs and reduce considerably the risk of condensation. The latest generation of Thermix® spacers is the culmination of almost 20 years of experience in the development, production and application of its famous Thermix® spacer brand.

Lingens said, “Thermix was the first ‘warm edge’ product containing highly

Qualified employees as a basis for success of the Ensinger group

Dr. Albert Lingens, Sales Director (Business Unit Thermix®) Industry Europe 139

State of the art manufacturing facilities at all locations of the Ensinger Group

Thermix® TX.N® plus: the latest spacer generation from Ensinger

insulating plastics to be launched in Europe at a time when the market was dominated by traditional aluminium spacers which were very cheap but also very poor insulators.”

The process of educating architects and end users proved to be a very difficult one, however when legislation was passed in Germany which set new standards in thermal insulation, the market grew significantly.

“Interestingly, a similar transition occurred in France in 2009 when the French government offered incentives for people to insulate their homes, after which our sales rose dramatically.”

But not only in Germany and France the energy and CO2 saving requirements will increase: Also the new EU building directive describes that every new house has to achieve a low energy level. Such demanding energy requirements are much easier to reach with Thermix® than with aluminium spacers.

“Overall, our biggest market will remain Europe for the foreseeable future, in particular countries where the legislation for energyefficient housing and renovation is most demanding. However, we are seeing growth potential in all our world markets and there are also opportunities for us in the Middle East where buildings there require airconditioning. As we all know, these are very demanding energy-wise and our Thermix®

spacers can reduce these high energy requirements significantly by maintaining temperature levels within the buildings.

Lingens added, “As the pioneers in this field we have to work hard to maintain our position in the market. We now have many competitors worldwide, especially since the ‘warm edge’ spacer market moved from being a ‘niche’ product to that of a mass market product. Here at Ensinger the focus is very much on quality and customer support and we also offer very competitive pricing, but we will not sacrifice quality for price and are proud of our reputation for innovation and high quality.”

“The fact is that our products are designed to be effective and functional in all weathers for the lifetime of the window, which in most cases is around 30-40 years. Our products are also guaranteed to remain stable across a broad spectrum of temperatures and UV radiation levels, as well as in other environmental conditions. All of our products are very energy efficient and as a company we take our environmental responsibilities very seriously. Our on-going sustainability and eco-management programmes means that we continuously strive to reduce our energy consumption and minimise waste. As you would expect from a company like ours, we are certified to ISO 9001 as well as to ISO 50001.” Actually ISO 14001 is implemented step by step in the divisions.

Improving precision and stability

When developing a new Thermix® brand product, Ensinger takes into account the issues faced by the world’s insulating glass manufacturers. Therefore without changing the product’s thermal characteristics, the development of the latest Thermix® TX.N® plus spacer generation is focussed particularly on improved processability for its key manufacturing customers.

Using an optimised construction method and new material combinations, the company’s engineering teams have succeeded in making the latest product even more dimensionally stable. This is a key consideration, especially when working with triple-glazed windows as it allows the spacers to be positioned precisely parallel to the glass. In addition, the overbend angle has been significantly reduced, which is vital to ensuring a safe, precise and rapid bending process.

These additional benefits not only speed up the production process for manufacturers, but also enhance productivity and n overall economy.

For further details of Ensinger’s innovative products and services visit: www.ensingeronline.com/en/ or www.thermix.de/en.

Headquater of Ensinger in Nufringen 140 Industry Europe

KEEPING IT COOL Fancy a fish meal, a cool drink or a tasty ice-cream on a hot day? And what about spending time in a cool room in summer and a warm room in the winter? Elco makes it possible with its ‘green’ commercial refrigeration and ventilation/air conditioning solutions (electric motors, fans and accessories) as Barbara Rossi finds out from its sales director, Mr Gianluca Albrici.

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lco was established in Milan a few years after World War II, making motors for record players and household appliances. In the 1960s the focus of its activity shifted to the production of fractional horse power motors (and linked accessories) for refrigeration. In the following years, alongside these motors and accessories for the cold chain, the company started manufacturing higher power motors (up to 1 HP) for ventilation and air conditioning, including for electric

heating. Since then the range on offer has been centred round two areas: commercial refrigeration and ventilation/air conditioning.

The Elco range includes shaded pole and high efficiency motors and accessories for both the commercial refrigeration and ventilation/air conditioning sectors. Today high efficiency motors (ECM- electronic commuted motors) are its core business and they are subdivided into the ECM HC range for refrigeration and the ECM-CO range for ventilation/air con-

ditioning. In comparison to traditional motors, they allow to lower energy requirements up to one third. The ventilation/air conditioning range also includes DD-EC centrifugal fans driven by high efficiency brushless motors provided by the sister company Genteq by Regal Beloit.

ECM in this sector is a technology developed internally by the company in 1998, and which can be applied to motors of different dimensions. Elco has a range of standard products, which can be customised to a high degree so

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as to fulfil customers’ requirements and which can be supplied as single component or as integrated air moving solutions. For instance, the motor can be supplied with fans especially designed to maximise high efficiency, exceeding EC Directive requirements for 2015. Mr Albrici specifies, “In terms of motors for commercial refrigeration, we are one of the main global producers, with an output exceeding 7 million units a year.”

Over the years Elco has undergone an internationalisation process, opening its first foreign plant in Spain in the 80’s. Today production takes place at three sites, located in three different continents. First of all there is the Italian plant (Inzago, Milan) which houses production of the whole range of products, as well as offices, the supplier approval centre and the R&D department. 14 engineers are dedicated to R&D. The ventilation/air conditioning range is exclusively produced at the Italian plant.

The other two production sites are located in China (Dongguan) and Brazil (San Paolo) and are solely focused on the manufacturing of the refrigeration range.

In early 2014 a new production site will be opened in Central America to supply the commercial refrigeration range to the North American market. The production structure of the group is flanked by a series of commercial branches, located in Russia, the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Singapore, Mexico and Colombia. Furthermore, thanks to the fact that in 2010 Elco became part of the Regal Beloit Corporation, one of the largest

motor producers in the world, it can count on the group’s organisation to distribute its products in a number of other countries, including North America, Australia, the UK and South Africa. As if this was not enough, there is also a network of local agents and distributors, which means that overall Elco sells its products in more than 80 countries.

Product development With regard to new products, Mr Albrici adds: “We are going to further develop our products within the boundaries of ECM technology, expanding the available range and increasing its number of applications.

We are extending it to the heating sector as well, applying it to boilers. Some of these new products are already available as part of the Regal range and shortly will also be available in ours.”

Thanks to its R&D department, the company fully develops its products internally, both at hardware and software levels. It is also equipped with a testing lab, where fans up to 7000 CFM can be tested, in terms of capacity, noise levels and vibrations, among other factors. “Being part of Regal Beloit is very important with regard to being able to offer increasingly innovative solutions, as the Regal Beloit technical staff support us in this.”

While most of the refrigeration products are for commercial and (to a lesser extent) industrial refrigeration, the ventilation/air conditioning range mainly serves the residential sector, with an offer ranging from fan coils to

ducted solutions. The soon to be available heating range will serve both the residential and industrial sectors, always featuring high efficiency/low consumption motors.

Key market sectors “We are key players in the ventilation/air conditioning sector, both in Europe and in the Middle East. Europe is the most important market for this kind of product (we estimate we enjoy a 40 per cent share of it), with Italy playing a leading role; a stable market but technologically oriented, exactly in line with the company focus on high efficiency solutions. The Middle East, on the other hand, is rapidly growing, demanding the quality of European-made products; our brand has a very strong reputation and is considered as reference of quality, reliability and innovation.”

“We are also very strong in the commercial refrigeration sector for both shaded pole and ECM motors. Our products rank at the top end of the scale in terms of reliability over time.

We cover an even wider geographical area with this range, as we manufacture in three continents. We hold a number of certifications, proving that our products comply with the legislation of countries all over the world. Again, Europe is a fundamental market, but stable; our focus remains to support those users seeing consumption reduction as an opportunity for business sustainability. Markets which are showing a very fast grow rate for the company are China and North America.”

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Future development plans include increasing Elco’s presence on the markets it already serves. An area of particular importance for both refrigeration and ventilation/air conditioning is eastern Europe, hence the company’s commercial facility in Russia. Elco will grow organically, increasing its sales volumes and widening its offer of high-technology solutions.

“Our products for the heating sector will initially be offered to the European market and we are going to launch them (starting with the Premix of RBC’s Fasco brand) at ‘Mostra Convegno Expocomfort 2014’ in Milan March

18-21 Hall 1 booth N19-P18, where we are going to be present with a dedicated stand in the heating area, in addition to having our usual stand in the ‘refrigeration and HVAC’ zone Hall 22 booth E41-F42. As usual high energy efficiency will be central to our offer, as by now it is part of our sustainable business mission.”

Currently refrigeration accounts for more than half of turnover, because world demand is very high. The ventilation/air conditioning market will grow following an ever-greater demand for comfort and compliance with new legislation (for instance the ErP 2015 EU

Directive). Furthermore, increasingly there will be a shift from fan coils towards ducted units.

“We have long-term partnerships with our suppliers, thanks to which we can maintain and guarantee our high quality levels. For instance, I would like to mention Duepi Srl, which supplies us with moulds for plastic materials as well as with finished plastic components; GKM Sinter Metals SpA, which supplies us with critical components, such as motor bushings; and Officine Meccaniche Dante Villa, another critical components supplier, this time for motor shafts.” n

NON-WOVEN SOLUTIONS

ALWAYS WITHIN REACH

Leading global nonwoven fabric manufacturer Fitesa specialises in products for the fast-expanding hygiene sector. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to the VP – Sales EMEA and Operations Michael Baumgartner and Global Marketing Director Ray Dunleavy to gain an insight into how this ambitious, dynamic company is maximising its capabilities for the benefit of its customers.

F

irst established in Brazil in 1973, Fitesa, owned by Brazilian company Evora, has grown to become a leading global nonwovens manufacturer through investment, strategic partnership and acquisitions.

In 2009 Fitesa, a South American spunmelt manufacturer, formed a joint venture in North America with well-known spunmelt manufacturer Fiberweb. In 2011 Fitesa acquired Fiberweb’s hygiene business, to become what is now the second largest hygiene nonwovens manufacturer in the world.

This continual focus on expansion sits alongside Fitesa’s long-term dedication to the satisfaction of its customer base, which includes some of the most famous multinational and regional manufacturers of nappies and incontinence products. VP – Sales EMEA and Operations Michael Baumgartner told Industry Europe how these two core values define Fitesa’s success. He said, “We have grown to become a global leader in nonwo-

vens with a focus on hygiene. With our presence in North America, South America, Europe and Asia, we are truly a global partner.”

Fitesa’s most recent expansion comes from its 2011 acquisition of three Fiberweb hygiene nonwovens manufacturing plants in Europe, giving it an increased geographical reach. Mr Baumgartner continued, “Our owners are excited about the addition of our three European plants – in Norrkoping, Sweden, Peine, Germany and Trezzano Rosa, Italy which allow us to manufacture close to our customers in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe as well as Southern Europe, North Africa and throughout the Mediterranean”

A global enterprise The broad yet specialised product portfolio offered by Fitesa means it develops and produces innovative fabrics for the hygiene market. Making spunmelt, carded, and airlaid fabrics for applications in baby-care,

feminine hygiene and adult incontinence as well as other markets such as medical, agricultural and industrial products, Fitesa operates a total of ten manufacturing plants worldwide. It employs a number of different spunmelt process technologies including spunbond, meltblown, SMS (spunbond/ meltblown/spunbond), bicomponent spunbond and SMS, and nonwoven laminates.

Global Marketing Director Ray Dunleavy told Industry Europe how this global footprint enables the company to support its customers. He said, “To insure that we meet our customers’ needs, we are continually investing in modern manufacturing assets around the world, including the interesting emerging market of Peru, where we now have excellent spunmelt capabilities, and our carded resin and air thorough bonded capabilities in Gravatai, Brazil and Tianjin, China. Recently we announced new spunmelt investments in Europe and North America. As our mission

146 Industry Europe

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is to be the preferred choice for the supply of nonwoven fabrics to the global hygiene market, we know that we must be present and reliable across the world.”

Fitesa certainly is present and reliable.

Being part of Evora, the Sao Paolo Stock Exchange-listed company which is predominantly owned by the founding family, it has a powerful blend of commercial acumen and family values. Mr Dunleavy added, “Globally, the hygiene market is characterised by multinational manufacturers and important local manufacturers in each region. As a result of our global asset footprint, we serve these customers worldwide. Enabled by the long-term vision of our parent company Evora, we can harness the strength of our emerging market experience alongside the dynamic yet solid values that have contributed to our success. It’s a powerful recipe for continued achievement.”

Transparent success Fitesa’s flat hierarchy also supports its customer focus, with the company’s ongoing expansion benefiting from this approach. Mr Baumgartner explained, “Decisions are made

quickly and effectively. We can speak to the board directly and they will listen. We value the expertise and opinions of our workforce as they know their local customers’ needs better than anyone. It is this appreciation of each individual’s contribution that helps us to grow globally but remain in touch with our local customers. There’s a transparency at Fitesa that our customers really appreciate too.”

Fitesa sees lots of potential in the hygiene market. The population of Western Europe is ageing; driving growth for adult incontinence products. At the same time hygiene products, particularly nappies, are increasingly in demand in emerging markets such as Eastern Europe. The company is well positioned for the future. Mr Baumgartner concluded, “As a company that started in Brazil and grew internationally, we know about emerging markets. We know how to maximise opportunities while making sure we give the best products and service to our customers. As we continue to grow worldwide, we want to ensure that we will continue to deliver a dynamic range of nonwoven fabrics that are perfectly in tune with n the needs of our customers”.

what is precious to you?

Fitesa Sweden

Fitesa Germany

Fitesa Italy

SPECIAL DELIVERY Professional logistics and distribution solutions provider for hazardous goods Skanol is successful throughout the Nordic region, thanks to its added value service and award-winning dedication to safety. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Thomas Corneliussen to find out more.

D

anish/Norwegian-owned hazardous goods logistics provider Skanol operates more than 140 road tankers and handles about 1700 deliveries each day. Active throughout Denmark, Norway and Sweden, Skanol is one of the Nordic region’s leading providers of complete logistics solutions for the distribution of hazardous goods delivered by road tankers.

Focused on the entire value chain, Skanol’s success is based on consistently meeting its customers’ needs through developing know-how, processes, information technology and the professional development of its staff. CEO Thomas Corneliussen is clear that this strategy is key to the company’s achievement. He told Industry Europe, “In recent years we have developed

from being a haulier to a logistics operator.

This has been a carefully planned development achieved by investing heavily in IT to ensure we can deliver the most reliable safest service for us and for our customers. By making sure we provide a consistently safe logistics service for hazardous chemicals throughout our Nordic home market, we have grown considerably.

Industry Europe 149

Thomas Corneliussen

“Furthermore cost efficiency is - and always will be - an important issue for any segment of the transportation industry. At Skanol we focus on lean processes, optimal use of IT technology and last – but certainly not least – on developing and utilising the most optimal and light weight tank truck equipment giving the highest pay-load possible.”

Complete logistics The provision of a complete logistics solution is key to Skanol’s growth. By understanding the impact of each of its key performance indicators, such as unit cost, CO2 emissions and IT, Skanol has been able to maximise its capabilities for the benefit of its customers. Mr Corneliussen explained, “VMI (vendor man-

aged inventory) has been really important for our development as a company; through careful monitoring and taking complete responsibility for the safe supply of fuel to gas stations across Norway, Denmark and Sweden, we have stayed close to our customers. This means that we’ve been able to grow as their needs change. Fuel will always be an impor-

tant aspect of our business but we’ve found that delivering hazardous chemicals has been a great way to utilise our strengths.”

The reliable and safe supply and delivery of hazardous chemicals sees Skanol offer the complete supply chain to its customers throughout the Nordic region. A much appreciated service is its provision of conciliation, meaning that the tank trucks are metered for their loading and discharge of fuel. Mr Corneliussen added, “This metering has certainly been part of our recent development as it enables our customers to focus on their core business. So, for example, if our customers want to change their IT platform, the very specific complexity of their IT in relation to fuel and chemical distribution becomes our core business instead. This is just one example of how we work hard to create value for our customers and how we invest in making our customers’ lives easier.”

Dedicated to development Skanol employs around 200 people and is dedicated to the professional development of its staff in order to maintain its market

leading position. Skanol truck drivers are well-known in the logistics industry for being highly skilled in dealing with the delivery of hazardous goods. Mr Corneliussen explained, “We have a special responsibility to be safe on the roads, both for our drivers and for our customers. Hazardous chemicals need particularly safe treatment so we make this our priority by continually training and educating our drivers.”

It is the excellent results of this ongoing training and education that has seen Skanol awarded the EuroTra 2013 prize, a safety award for the European transport industry.

Skanol’s impressive track record for consistent results was a major contributor to its winning of the award. Mr Corneliussen pointed out, “We also won a similar prize in Sweden in 2011. As a company, we have identified that everyone gains when we focus on the safety and reliability of our trucks and our drivers. All our drivers complete our bi-annual internal training and are fully competent in practical skills such as risk assessment, first aid and fire-fighting. We make sure that they are able to handle the type of tricky situations they may be faced with when driving on a

snowy Swedish road or unloading hazardous chemicals at 3am.”

Mr Corneliussen is clear that, even though Skanol has gained a number of safety awards, its focus on occupational health is still an ongoing process. He said, “We’ve far from reached our goal; we remain humble and appreciate that we can always do better. I believe this is the key to pushing ourselves forward, rather than thinking we’ve done everything we can. We are not perfect and we recognise that safety must always be the first focus – there is always something new, some additional training or some risk assessment.”

Always adding value With Skanol already present across the whole of the Nordic region, its future growth expectations are centred on adding further value to its customers rather than geographical expansion. Mr Corneliussen concluded, “We see plenty of opportunity for growth in our home markets. The chemical logistics market is expanding and we have the technology, the equipment and the competence n to serve that expansion.”

EVVA has been a byword for security for more than 90 years. Now it is taking a major step forward with the launch of a new range of electronic access control products. CEO Stefan Ehrlich-Adam explains the new strategy to Peter Mercer.

TOP SECURITY E

VVA, the Austrian family-owned company that has been leading the way in lock technology since 1937, has this year opened a new chapter in its development story. Already recognised as one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of access solutions that use both mechanical and electronic systems, the company is not only launching a new range of electronic access control systems but is also bringing the development and production of the electronic elements of its products in-house.

“We have had an excellent relationship for many years with our provider of electronic access control technologies but we have now decided to develop our own systems,” explains Stefan Ehrlich-Adam. “This is an 152 Industry Europe

important step for us and will enable EVVA to develop into a truly independent producer and supplier of integrated electronic access control systems. We are launching in early 2014 the first products in our new portfolio – Xesar and Airkey – and these two new technologies will be the basis for continuing innovations. Unlike mechanical locking systems, electronic systems need updating continually – we will need to enhance their functionality at least every couple of years - so we will all have to think and move faster. But we don’t find this a problem; EVVA has been a by-word for innovation in security for more than 90 years, ever since and before the company was awarded the first patent for a cylinder padlock in 1937. Since then we have filed applications for more than

200 national and international patents – you could say that innovation is part of our DNA.” Xesar, which will be available in early 2014, combines high security with convenient and uncomplicated operation. All the elements of the system – wall readers, escutcheons and cylinders – may be programmed via a tablet PC. Time profiles can be monitored and access events read out and programming and operation is especially easy. Suitable for internal or external doors and for both highsecurity and high-traffic zones, Xesar can be used in all buildings and sectors, from small businesses to public institutions and large corporate organisations.

With Airkey, mobile phones will become keys. Authorised users will simply hold up

their NFC-enabled smartphone in front of the EVVA electronic cylinder which will recognise the authorisation and open the door. All access authorisations are managed centrally in the easy-to-use Airkey software, ensuring that only people with access authorisation to specific doors can open them with their mobile phone. Airkey has already been proven in a big field test carried out at the Vienna University of Technology.

Differentiating solutions From its origins as an Austrian family business EVVA has grown into one of the leading manufacturers of security technology in Europe. Its headquarters and main production site are in Vienna and it serves its customers through a total of 13 subsidiaries across the continents as well as through distributors right across the world.

It currently employs some 800 people, over 450 of them in Austria. It produces both mechanical master key systems and electronic access control systems for buildings

of all kinds, from flats and houses, hotels and restaurants, schools and hospitals to office buildings, industrial premises and retail and wholesale premises.

“Despite the importance to the future of the company of electronic access technology we always remember that at EVVA our roots are in mechanical systems and we will continue to work on improving these, constantly looking to differentiate our solutions,” says Mr Ehrlich-Adam. “After all, whatever the sophistication of the electronic technology we can deliver, the basic securitisation of any building still rests on mechanical protection – the control and access systems still depend on a secure lock. We continue to work on developing additional tamper-proof locking elements to make our mechanical systems more secure. We put a lot of effort into lock cylinder security – thus increasing protection against illegal entry techniques – and into key copying security – to protect against illegal key duplication.

Illegal key copying, for example, is a very dif-

ferent business from 20 years ago – people these days use the newest technologies available – so we have to keep at least one step ahead.”

Whether they are mechanical locking systems or electronic access systems, EVVA’s solutions are always optimised to meet the needs of specific user groups. The first step, as Stefan Ehrlich-Adam explains, is to decide which level of technology is appropriate for each customer application. “Basically we offer simpler systems for applications such as residential buildings, intermediate systems for schools, sports and leisure centres and so on and the highest level systems for airports, energy facilities and other sensitive infrastructure developments.We explain to customers the different security levels we can supply and establish which is the most appropriate for their requirements.

“Our core business is the design, manufacture and supply of security systems that are suitable for master key control, that is, a system which has one key which opens eve-

Industry Europe 153

154 Industry Europe

rything and lots of other keys that open only some doors. The challenge here is to design a system that offers high numbers of combinations in a complex hierarchy; it is a challenging mathematical and technological problem. For example, if you want a reversible key – one that fits the lock either way up – that severely limits the number of combinations.”

Steady growth Although EVVA exports its products worldwide it remains very much a European business, selling over 90 per cent of output in western and eastern Europe. “Our family has been making locks since the 1860s and we have grown mostly organically, taking fairly small steps along the road,” says Mr EhrlichAdam. “We have advanced by constantly bringing new products to the market and expanding our presence country by country,

often by taking over our distributors and turning them into subsidiaries that can deliver products and services locally. But despite our conservative approach we have been able to grow substantially the size of the business in the last years and we are beginning to grow in more distant markets overseas.”

EVVA has been sensitive to the issue of environmental protection for many years.

In fact, the company recently won an award for its expertise in climate protection and energy efficiency from klima:aktiv, the Austrian Ministry for the Environment’s climate protection initiative. A programme to upgrade all lighting fittings with energyefficient lights begun in 2009 resulted in a reduction of 40 per cent in energy consumption at the Vienna production plant.

“We have now taken a big step forward from this and installed a large photovoltaic

generating system that provides our basic energy requirements all year long,” says Stefan Ehrlich-Adam. “We continue to take a leading role in environmental protection projects with the city of Vienna and we are currently working on a CSR report. We are learning to look at environmental issues in a new way so that we can move forward with more profound initiatives. One of our goals, for example, is to develop an oil-free production facility.

“Overall EVVA will continue along the path that we have set out on this year, developing electronic access solutions that are sophisticated yet easy-to-use and supporting our customers with more effective remote services. We will do what EVVA has always done – introduce new, even disruptive, ideas into what has always been a very n traditional industry.”

Industry Europe 155

LEADING THE WAY IN

INTERMODAL RAIL

The award-winning ERS Railways BV is one of Europe’s leading private railway companies and a pioneer in the provision of fast, efficient and sustainable intermodal rail solutions. Victoria Hattersley talks to managing director Frank Schuhholz about its unique service offering and plans for future development.

F

ounded in 1994 as a small intermodal operator, today Rotterdam-based ERS Railways serves several European countries through its offices in the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.

In August 2013 it was taken over by the UKbased Freightliner Group.

Now running around 250 trains per week, the company employs 105 people and has a modern fleet of locomotives with over 400 leased container platforms, low-bed as well as double pocket wagons.

train running four times a week from Rostock, serving Brno in the Czech Republic.

But as an intermodal specialist, ERS is also able to link up these various rail services with maritime operations. Mr Schuhholz explains: “Via boxXpress.de, a Hamburg based railway undertaking, in which we have a 47 per cent share, we provide intermodal transport solutions to German hinterland destinations such as Munich, Nürnberg, Ulm and Stuttgart to name a few.”

Range of services

In the coming year, ERS is looking to expand its service offering to Poland, where it is already something of a pioneer. For example, it will be looking to connect Rotterdam with Warsaw.

Last year, the innovative connection ERS already runs between Rotterdam and Poznan saw it win the prestigious ‘European Freight Operator of the Year’ title. Mr Schuhholz explains the significance of this: “The award was very important because we were up against tough competition. Our innovative connection between Rotterdam and Poznan was an important factor behind the jury’s decision.

“When we entered the Polish market in 2012 there were no trailers being transported by rail to that country; they were mainly transported by road. We began the transition to rail and we now run five round trips per week. This has made a big difference to the Polish freight network. With the services we currently run, we can pull 15,000 truckloads off the road each year.”

Aside from the above-mentioned award, ERS Railways has also received the Polish

ERS Railways offers a number of services throughout Europe, ranging from ‘open train’ container services for multiple customers, to regular services for single customers. From its Rotterdam base it serves the Milano region of Italy, running open train container services for a variety of container sizes (20ft, 30ft, 45ft and so on).

The company also runs a service seven times a week from Rotterdam to Switzerland for one single customer; and from Rotterdam to Poznan in Poland five times a week.

The latter is expected to increase to six round trips per week in Q2 2014.”

Germany is an important hub for ERS with several services coordinated from its Frankfurt and Hamburg offices. These include, amongst others: a service from Krefeld to Warsaw running twice a week; three round trips per week for a single customer running from Ludwigshafen to Lübeck; and 16 round trips between Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Austria each week. Furthermore, there is a

Expansion in Poland

‘Ambassador of Innovation in Transport’ award – again from the innovative services between Rotterdam and Poznan.

Future development plans Looking ahead, ERS Railways sees huge opportunities in Europe when it comes to intermodal solutions. There is strong potential in the trailer segment owing to the increasing road tolls, driving restrictions and infrastructure issues which can make life that much more complicated for road-based forwarders.

But market expansion is not the only priority for ERS: it is also dedicated to sustainability throughout its operations, and taking traffic off the roads is just a part of this. Since 2012 it has made the switch from diesel-operated to electric-operated locomotives for long distances.

In the future there will be a strong focus on offering increasingly tailor-made solutions for its major customers on the existing trade lanes as well as for dedicated clients like DLS on the Germany-Poland corridor. Mr Schuhholz concludes: “We are seeing increasing numbers of shippers, such as big FMCG companies, who want a sustainable approach across the whole supply chain. They are far more likely to choose our solutions, therefore, if we together with our customers (forwarders, logistics companies and carriers) can offer benefits in terms of cost, efficiency and sustainability.

“These are the topics we will have to be looking into in the future to convince customers that intermodal can offer many advantages n if it’s well implemented and executed.” www.ersrail.com

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