Displaying items by tag: Germany
Franz-Josef Paus elected as chairman of VDMA
01 November 2017Germany: Franz-Josef Paus has been elected as the chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) for the next three years. Paus, aged 55 years, is an executive at Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik. He succeeds Johann Sailer, a managing partner of GEDA-Dechentreiter, who has decided to step down after a six-year tenure. The appointment of Paus was formerly announced at the association’s General Assembly in Dusseldorf. Joachim Strobel, the sales director of Liebherr Emtec, and Hermann Weckenmann, a managing partner at Weckenmann Anlagentechnik, will act as his deputies in the role.
European Commission clears acquisition of Fels-Werke by CRH
01 November 2017Germany: The European Commission has approved the acquisition of Fels-Werke by Ireland’s CRH. Fels-Werke is active in mining, processing and distribution of lime and limestone products, gypsum and mortar in Germany, the Czech Republic and Russia. The commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns because there is limited geographic overlap between the companies' activities. It described them as ‘remote’ competitors. Fels’ owners Xella agreed to sell the business to CRH in August 2017 for an undisclosed sum.
Beumer promotes mobile bag tester for valve bags
31 October 2017Germany: Beumer Group is promoting its new mobile bag tester. The testing device is intended to help users to determine the venting capacity of any type of valve bag, such as those used in the cement industry, including all paper and plastic layers, and glued areas. The determined parameters can be used to optimise the manufacture of bags or check conformity with specifications.
The bag tester is intended to give users with information on the filling behaviour of each bag that is useful for the manufacture of bags and filling technology, as well as for transport and logistics. The 14kg apparatus is housed in a stable hardtop case on wheels making it mobile.
A pressure-compensated flow control valve on the device constantly increases the volume flow rate until a steady pressure of 50mbar is reached. With this pressure, the user can read the current volume flow rate, which indicates the air permeability, from the flow-rate meter. A filling spout with inflatable sleeve seals the bag valve during the airflow measurements. The scope of supply includes an additional inflatable sleeve for valve widths of up to 200mm.
Thomas Gruppe buys Gebr. Seibel Erwitte cement plant
16 October 2017Germany: Thomas Gruppe has purchased Portland-Zementwerke Gebr. Seibel’s cement plant at Erwitte in North Rhine-Westphalia. The deal also includes the plant’s limestone deposits. It will take over the plant on 1 January 2018. Gebr. Seibel has operated the unit since 1927.
Thomas Gruppe operates in the construction and building material sectors. It runs the Dornburger cement grinding plant in Thuringia.
Hosokawa Alpine and Atritor start marketing partnership for ground calcium carbonate
28 September 2017Germany/ UK: Germany’s Hosokawa Alpine and the UK’s Atritor have started a global marketing partnership to promote their processing equipment for ground calcium carbonate (GCC). The Hosokawa Alpine ANR vertical wet grinding mill will combine with the Atritor Cell Mill slurry drying and powder coating system to provide an offering for superfine GCC products.
“… a partnership with Atritor is a natural step for us to enable customers to produce very fine, dry, coated or uncoated Ground Calcium Carbonate products. This area of the GCC market is growing quickly as more and more customers look to increase the quality of their end products and to enter the market for very fine products,” said Paul Woodward, Division Manager Minerals and Metals at Hosokawa Alpine.
Schenck Process launches Multidos VDP-C apron weighfeeder
26 September 2017Germany: Schenck Process has launched the Multidos VDP-C apron weighfeeder, a new range of medium-sized and compact apron weighfeeders targeted at raw material feeding, hot clinker feeding and similar applications.
The Multidos VDP-C uses an enclosed design to enable a cleaner installation environment with inspection access offered by removable covers. Alternatively, an open design is possible for permanently visible material feed. The kit structure of Multidos VDP-C enables installation in a total of 48 possible geometrical configurations to suit plant requirements. It can be installed on the ground or suspended under a bin.
The chain used on the Multidos VDP-C can tolerate a drive torque four times higher than required. In addition, apron pans accept loads up to six times higher than the nominal load. Apron pans are available for fine grain material and alternative designs for sticky and coarse material. The coarse material apron pans are made of Hardox steel for strength and service life.
Berthold Technologies launches LB 472 bulk flow system
26 September 2017Germany: Berthold Technologies has launched its new DuoSeries Transmitter LB 472 bulk flow system. It is intended to for use determining mass flow in bulk industries and can be added to conveying systems. The product uses a non-contacting, non-intrusive radiometric belt weigher with no moving parts. This can be installed directly after bunkers, chute outlets or transfer systems. The bulk flow system provides measuring results on the current flowrate and the total produced mass. The DuoSeries Transmitter LB 472 provides a local display of measurement values as well as on-site operation via the integrated touch panel.
Blackstone buys Schenck Process
22 September 2017Germany: Private equity company Blackstone has agreed to buy Schenck Process from IK Investment Partners. No further details, including the cost of the transaction, have been disclosed.
“Schenck is an innovative and unrivalled leader, and we see considerable opportunity to grow the business both organically and by acquisitions in its various end markets. We are excited to team up with management and accompany Schenck in the next stage of its development,” said Lionel Assant, Head of European Private Equity at Blackstone.
Detlef Dinsel, Partner at IK Investment Partners and advisor to the IK 2007 Fund said that Schenck had, “…transformed its business focus from a mechanical manufacturer to a service and integrated solutions provider, achieved significant growth by expanding the product portfolio and entering new markets both organically and through selected add-on acquisitions.”
Schenck develops and manufactures solutions for a wide range of industrial processes including weighing, feeding, conveying and filtration. With over 2300 employees worldwide and significant operations across Europe, North and South America, China, India and Australia, Schenck serves a diversified customer base across a variety of industries, including food, chemicals, mining and construction.
Christian Pfeiffer runs training seminar
21 September 2017Germany: Christian Pfeiffer has run a training seminar for cement plant workers at its headquarters in Beckum. Over the four-day course attendees learned about developments in grinding and separation technologies and different grinding techniques. The seminar also included a visit to a cement grinding mill at the Wotan cement plant in Üxheim-Ahütte. Christian Pfeiffer supplied and put this unit into operation in 2010.
RHI and Magnesita make sales ahead of merger
11 September 2017Europe: RHI and Magnesita have announced divestment agreements ahead of their proposed merger. RHI has signed a contract with a European refractories supplier for an undisclosed sum regarding the sale of its dolomite business in the European Economic Area. The sale consists of the production sites at Marone in Italy and Lugones in Spain. Magnesita has entered into a definitive agreement with Intocast to divest its business related to the production and supply of magnesia carbon bricks produced at the company's Oberhausen plant in Germany for Euro20.3m. Both sales were required by the European Commission as part of the merger process.
“With the sale of the two sites, the combination of RHI with Magnesita is also still right on schedule,” said RHI’s chief executive officer Stefan Borgas with regards to his company’s divestments “We expect the confirmation by the European Commission in the near future.”
RHI signed a contract in August 2017 to sell its production sites at San Vito in Italy and Sherbinska in Russia that produce fused cast refractories for the glass industry. Production at the company’s plant at Aken in Germany was stopped in the first half of 2017 for an indefinite period. RHI plans to sell or close the plant to maintain its production utilisation rate across the business.