Zeppelin Plant Engineering’s Acquisition of Reimelt Henschel Provides Access to New Markets

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However because the companies target different industries, they focus on different product segments. Zeppelin Plant Engineering produces large silos and components, so it focuses on the large systems business. Zeppelin Reimelt concentrates on light gauge sheet metal and stainless steel fabrication and the production of special components for the food industry. The company’s new Food Center will provide pilot facilities for customer trials. Zeppelin Reimelt also has a production plant in Tampa, Florida, giving the company access to the lucrative North American market.

In addition, Reimelt has added another dimension. Following the takeover of Guth Engineering in 2008, the company has process engineering expertise in the preparation of fluids such as blood plasma or beverages.

The new member of the Zeppelin group has 600 employees. Reimelt’s most important assets are access to the international food processing market and a strong engineering focus. Horn claims that this makes the company a good fit for Zeppelin. In addition, sophisticated mixing technology for PVC processing (heat-and-cool mixers, container mixers and turbo mixers) complement Zeppelin’s technology and incidentally make Zeppelin the market leader in PVC compounding equipment.

Additional Information

The road from silos to systems

How Zeppelin Plant Engineering has made the transition to an engineering company

The strategic realignment began in 2003. After that date, targeted acquisitions provided access to new technologies and markets:

2004 acquisition of Motan Materials Handling, which enabled the company to penetrate the market for carbon black processing systems in the tire and rubber industry

2006 acquisition of Materials Handling Technology (mht), which provided access to the PVC processing and compounding market

2006 assimilation of Fördertechnik Freital — entry into the bulk mineral handling and pneumatic conveyor market

2007 takeover of the Chronos Richardson business unit, which supplies materials processing equipment to the tire and rubber industry

2007 acquisition of FAT Filter- und Anlagentechnik, adding state-of-the-art dedusting technology to the portfolio

Technology and financial strength

Horn explained that this secondary effect was not evident at the beginning, but that it has given the company access to a lucrative market. He mentioned a project in Venezuela which the government there has launched using the motto “Houses for Everyone” and which will provide significant stimulus to the country’s PVC market. The houses are built using extruded PVC panels which are then filled with concrete. “Reimelt completed a pilot project in Brazil, and we have received a follow-on contract for three new PVC compounders,” added Horn with obvious satisfaction. This is a classic win-win situation, and it shows that technological prowess can only be fully exploited if sufficient financial resources are made available. Orders have been booked in Asia, where Zeppelin already has a strong presence. It is unlikely that Reimelt Henschel would have acquired this business on its own. “Following the assimilation of Reimelt, we now have a highly effective team in China, Singapore and India.”

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Zeppelin Anlagebau

Zeppelin Plant Engineering’s Acquisition of Reimelt Henschel Provides Access to New Markets

Technology and financial strength