Displaying items by tag: Germany

Germany: Fuchs Petrolub and DMG Mori have signed a contract for a technology partnership. The goal of the partnership is to jointly develop new lubricant solutions and services for machine tool applications. The plan also includes further progress in digitisation of production processes and condition monitoring of machines and plants.

"Use of the correct lubricant is decisive for optimal productivity when machine tools are used for intensive processing of components. In Fuchs, we are pleased to have acquired a globally-based technology partner, and together we want to continue expanding our technology- and service-excellence," said Christian Thönes, chairman of the executive board of DMG Mori.

DMG Mori manufactures machine tools with sales revenue of over Euro3.5bn. Fuchs develops, produces and distributes lubricants and related specialties.

Germany: ThyssenKrupp’s Industrial Solutions division plans to cut 1500 jobs in operational areas as part of its on-going reorganisation process. Around two-thirds of these positions will be based in Germany. The reduction in jobs follows a previous announcement in July 2017 to cut 500 roles in administration, also mostly in Germany. The job losses are part of the division’s ‘planets’ transformation programme, launched in 2016, which is intended to increase the business area’s competitiveness.

“To ensure Industrial Solutions can compete in the market over the long term, we need a more efficient and effective set-up that goes for our cost structure as for our global presence. Although new orders have recovered from their trough, our structures are still oversized measured against orders in hand and our medium-term requirements. We must be able to respond more flexibly to fluctuations in order intake,” said Peter Feldhaus, chief executive officer (CEO) of Industrial Solutions.

Germany: Ireland’s CRH has acquired Fels, a lime and aggregate business, for Euro600m from Xella International. The purchase includes nine production locations in Germany, one in the Czechia and one in the Moscow region of Russia, as well as over 1Bnt of limestone reserves. The assets will be added to CRH’s Europe Heavyside division. The purchase is expected to make CRH the second largest business in the European lime market. The acquisition has been funded by the sale of CRH’s Americas Distribution business to Beacon Roofing Supply for Euro2.2bn.

Germany: The German Cement Works Association (VDZ) expects cement consumption to continue growing in 2017. The pronouncement follows data showing that consumption rose by 3.2% year-on-year in the country to 27.5Mt in 2016. VDZ president Christian Knell attributed the growth to a high level of building activity and good weather. Looking forward to the rest of 2017, he said that housing and infrastructure projects are expected to support the growth of cement sales.

Germany: Aumund has created a new company, Aumund Group Field Service, to carry out industrial installation services on behalf of the group subsidiaries, Aumund Fördertechnik, Schade Lagertechnik and Samson Materials Handling. It will also offer this service to customers outside of the Aumund Group. Its purpose will be to supervise the installation and commissioning of machines as well as servicing, maintenance and repair work. It has amalgamated work previously conducted by the other group subsidiaries.

The new subsidiary was incorporated in July 2017 with Erwin Last as its managing director. It is based in Rheinberg next to Aumund’s headquarters. It has 28 employees.

Germany: Karl-Heinz Fiegenbaum has retired from Schade Lagertechnik. During a career spanning 47 years he became the managing director of the company in July 2011 with responsibility for the sales and commerce. Christoph Seifert, who joined the business as its Technical Managing Director in February 2015, will succeed him. Klaus Paul, who joined the company in March 2017, will become the new Technical Managing Director.

Germany: HeidelbergCement’s cement sales volumes have struggled to grow in the first half of 2017 following its acquisition of Italcementi. Its sales volumes rose to 60.7Mt year-on-year in the first half of 2017 from 39.9Mt in the same period in 2016. However, on a pro forma basis its sales fell by 1% with falling sales noted in its Asia-Pacific region. The group blamed its poor performance in the second quarter of 2017 on reduced working days, bad weather in the US and a late Ramadan period that reduced selling days in Indonesia.

“In the light of the difficult general conditions, we achieved a good result in the second quarter,” said Bernd Scheifele, chairman of the managing board. “We were able to almost offset the effect of higher energy costs, bad weather conditions, fewer working days, and increased competition in some emerging countries. The synergies from the Italcementi acquisition are clearly visible in the results.”

The group’s sales revenue rose by 31% to Euro8.39bn from Euro6.41bn although it only rose by 1% on a pro forma basis. Its earnings before interest and tax rose by 6% to Euro776m from Euro728m.

By region cement sales rose in all regions on both a consolidated and pro forma basis except for Asia-Pacific. Here, cement and clinker sales fell by 3.1% once the newly acquired Italcemeni assets in India and Thailand had been excluded. A particular decline was recorded in Indonesia due to the timing of Ramadan in June 2017 and reduced demand for residential housing. Elsewhere, the US market was hit by poor weather, although the housing market remained promising. In the group’s Africa-Eastern Mediterranean, the group reported issues in Egypt but strong increases in cement sales were reported as new production capacity started in Togo, Tanzania and Burkina Faso.

Germany: Schmersal Group has entered into a sales partnership with ScanMin Africa to extend its range of system solutions for the bulk goods industry. Schmersal will add spectral analysis and measurement systems for bulk goods on conveyor belts to its range of integrated system products. ScanMin Africa will distribute safety products made by Schmersal.

“We can now offer extended system solutions that contribute to our customer’s ability to produce more productively and profitably in bulk goods conveying and also the downstream processes,” said Udo Sekin, Business Development Manager Heavy Industry within the Schmersal Group.

Germany’s Schmersal Group develops and produces a range of about 25,000 different switchgear and control devices. South Africa’s ScanMin Africa specialises in the manufacture and distribution of on line process analysers.

Germany: Currax has added Siemens Simatic S7 controller systems to its drive portfolio under the IDS Digital brand. A variety of CPU models are available in several classes of performance in its product groups. Currax also intends to offer Simatic Human Interface (HMI) systems for compatible controller systems in the future.

Germany: Lechler has won third prize at the Baden-Württemberg Environmental Technology Award 2017. The nozzle and spray system manufacturer entered the ‘Technology for the Reduction, Treatment and Separation of Emissions’ category with its VarioClean - NOx denitrification system.