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Centrifuges are at home here

Siebtechnik investing globally in staff and technology
Centrifuges are at home here

The industrial estate on Weseler Straße in Mülheim resembles many others in Germany. Production facilities, discounters and car dealerships line the arterial road. The architectural highlight in this grey monotony is the Centrifuge Technology Centre of Siebtechnik GmbH. Karl Bongartz and Horst Dietschreit present the Technology Centre and talk about the company’s globally oriented growth policy.

Author Lukas Lehmann Assistant Editor-in-Chief, cpp chemical plants & processes

cpp: Mr. Dietschreit, your new Centrifuge Technology Centre opened in September 2014. What were the reasons behind your deciding on this investment?
Horst Dietschreit: We are technology leaders with the most comprehensive range of centrifuges. Over and above this, we build the larg-est centrifuges in the world. We need the Technology Centre, on the one hand, in order to present ourselves adequately. On the other hand, we urgently needed space.
cpp: Space – in order to process large-scale orders from China?
Dietschreit: Precisely. In 2012, we received the first big order for 40 Conturbex screen worm centrifuges CX 1500 from the Chinese potash manufacturer QPP. To realise this large-scale order, we had to switch to the premises of co-operation partners at that time. This will no longer be necessary in future. We are now well equipped for such large-scale orders and for the planned expansion of our range of large centrifuges.
cpp: Your company has had production facilities in Weseler Straße for a long time. For the new Competence Centre, parts of the old building were modernised, and a new building erected. What investment volume was involved in this project?
Dietschreit: About 8 million euro. In the course of the construction work, which incidentally was carried out with production operations still running, the office areas were enlarged from 730 to 2,150 m2. The assembly area – which is to say the halls, in which we build the centrifuges – grew by 2,800 m2.
cpp: Which departments of your company moved into the new building complex?
Dietschreit: We brought all those departments beneath one roof that have to do with the production of centrifuges, starting with development, construction and production up to material procurement and sales.
Bongartz: Located in the immediate vicinity of the Technology Centre is the pilot plant with over 20 testing machines and laborato-ries – the nucleus for all new developments. Just a few steps separate the offices of the engineers, constructors and business people from the great final assembly hall, the very heart of the new building complex. The hall is directly supplied from its side with the components from the welding shop and mecha-nical production without any logistic roundabout routes. We have also accommodated the new balancing machine and painting line in the immediate vicinity of the final assembly hall.
cpp: The new Technology Centre would probably not exist without the success stories in China. Siebtechnik has been active in China since 1986. Soon over 60 large-capacity centrifuges from your company will be running at QPP’s only. Other Siebtechnik machines are being utilised by Chinese producers of ammonium sulphate, methylcellulose, PVC and nylon. Will you be able to carry on with this success story in future as well?
Dietschreit: Chinese companies will invest more selectively, perhaps even more cautiously in future. Furthermore, the Chinese plant builders are improving the quality of their products – and this at distinctly lower prices. Nevertheless, we will also be successful in future as providers of special solutions for solid-liquid separation. Siebtechnik has a very good image – not least thanks to the 400 centrifuges that – scattered all over the country – take care of their work with consummate reliability.
cpp: Siebtechnik has been maintaining its own production facility in Chinese Tianjin since 2004. Tremendous investments have also been made here in the last few years, for example, in a new building, which started operation at the beginning of 2013. How many people are employed in Tianjin, and what are they doing there?
Dietschreit: We employ some 50 people there. They work in Sales, Service and in Production.
cpp: This means you also manufacture complete centrifuges there?
Dietschreit: Yes. This was made possible by investments in highly modern machinery and in the qualification of the employees. They assemble centrifuges and produce spare parts for China. Furthermore, they also manufacture components for centrifuges that are built here in Mülheim.
cpp: Mr Bongartz, let us now take a look at America. Tema Systems Inc. has existed in Cincinnati, Ohio, since 1977. What kind of centrifuges do you produce there?
Bongartz: With 40 on the staff, we build there about 90 % of our centrifuges for the US market. They are, above all, screen worm centrifuges for the coal and chemical industry or for lactose production. Here, the screen worm centrifuges are implemented combined with short-bowl-decanting centrifuges. This so- lution certified by USDA became the industrial standard for lactose production in USA. Moreover, we produce special decanters for cleaning deep-frying oil in Cincinnati.
cpp: You also invested heavily in Cincinnati. Why?
Bongartz: We were also able to increase our business in the USA by 50 %. Before this backdrop, it was essential to double the production area, and to clearly bolster the sales and technical team. What is more, we are at the moment extending the administration wing by 300 m2. No matter whether in Germany, China or the USA – with the investments in employees and production capacities we are strengthening our position in the particular markets concerned, at the same time securing tomorrow’s business.
cpp: Your company has also done business in Russia. Are you afraid that the crisis in Ukraine will thwart your hitherto positive plans?
Bongartz: We principally export centrifuges to Russia for coal mining and sampling systems, which are used in the fertiliser industry and in the preparation of iron ore. In other words, it is not a question here of plants that are directly or indirectly relevant to the arms industry. Accordingly, the sanctions imposed by the EU do not affect us.
cpp: In other words: business as usual?
Bongartz: Certainly not, because, faced with Russian crisis management and Western sanctions, our customers are also becoming nervous. On the other hand, Russians are quite pragmatic and interested in good relations with their business partners. This is why we hope that we will come through this crisis unscathed.
cpp: Mr Dietschreit, in conclusion I would like to talk to you about current further developments with centrifuges. This also concerns the screen centrifuges of the turbo-cascade range. What have your technicians changed on these machines?
Dietschreit: The Turbo Cascade was originally developed for draining nylon granulates. Today, they are also utilised for other plastic granulates. To increase the productive capability of screen centrifuges, we have, on the one hand, optimised the rotating parts tunnel. This means: The gradient, geometry, diameter and the stepped shoulders of the drainage basket have been revised. On the other hand, the distribution system for the centrifuges has been redesigned. This enables us to bring the solid and liquid as a uniform deposit even faster to the circumferential speed of the drainage basket. We have also integrated the initial drainage system into the feed of the turbo cascade.
cpp: The drainage system was therefore outside the centrifuge up till then?
Dietschreit: Correct. It had to be procured separately and set up outside the centrifuge. The new system on the basis of curved screens is mounted in the centrifuge feed. Without moving parts and without the risk of clogging, it reduces the liquid content in the delivery flow by about a third. All in all, the constructive changes lead to the centrifuge performance being doubled.
cpp: Last but not least, your engineers have also overhauled the fixing of the slotted screen segments in the screen worm centrifuges of the Conturbex range und in the vibration centrifuge in the HSG range. Why was this step necessary?
Dietschreit: In the past, the slotted screen segments were attached to the basket by special clamping rings. The solid cake slipped through the clamping ring on its way from the centrifuge. The upshot was wear on the clamping ring caused by abrasion. The new fixing procedure does without the clamping ring. The slotted screen segments have been prolonged. They now protrude over the support basket. Appointed on the back of the screen segment – which is to say in the shade of the product flow – flanges were appointed, through which they are directly attached to the support basket with two screws. The user profits from the new fixing procedure in a number of ways: Wear is reduced, attachment of the screen segments is taken care of quickly and simply, and it is also possible to exchange individual segments.
Hall 5.0, Booth C86
prozesstechnik-online.de/cav0115434

Business running in clover

Facts & Figures

Due to the good order situation, the Mülheim company has boosted its staff by some 15 %. Currently, Siebtechnik employs 265 people in Germany. Throughout the world, 3,500 are on the workforce of the Siebtechnik Group. In 2013, the medium-sized plant builder generated internationally a turnover of round about 50 million Euro from the company’s German head office. “We realised this turnover in all important industrial regions of Europe, Asia and America,” explains Bongartz. “One point is very significant in this context: Regional diversification. It opens up areas for future sales growth for us, and at the same time lowers the economic risk in times of crisis.” Siebtechnik again received a large-scale order from China in 2014. The potash manufacturer QPP ordered a further 20 centrifuges. In Bongartz’s words, the company will, through this order, break the limit of turnover of 60 million Euro in 2014.
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