Energised engineering Borsig

ENERGISED

ENGINEERING

Well-known for its ‘best in class’ German engineering, technology solutions company BORSIG is more than prepared for the next chapter in its story. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to MD Konrad Nassauer and Steffen Gast, director of the BORSIG ZM Compression division to find out how.

The Berlin-based customised engineering solutions company BORSIG Group is a member of the KNM Group Berhad and offers customised solutions for pressure vessels, heat exchangers, membrane technology, compressors and boiler and power plant technology. Its comprehensive industrial services add value to the Group’s offer, and also play an important part in its continued success.

In the 10 years since BORSIG’s previous interview with Industry Europe, the company has undergone extensive strategic changes, both prior to and since the global economic downturn impacted on the industries in which it is most active. Managing director Konrad Nassauer, described by the director of the BORSIG ZM Compression division as ‘the driving force behind the BORSIG Group’, told us: “In 2002 we restructured the whole company and created a Group structure. We were running into insolvency and needed rescuing, so it was imperative that we acted quickly and effectively to harness the skills, experience and goodwill that we had developed over the years. At that time I was the director of the heat process exchanger division and was proud to lead the company’s restructure; today I am the MD of the Group and have seen the Group bloom thanks to the changes.”

A complete family

Following the restructure in 2002, the BORSIG Group now comprises five operating companies that each deliver a ‘harmonious professional service’, with the holding company providing the back-office functions. BORSIG Process Heat Exchanger GmbH, BORSIG Membrane Technology GmbH, BORSIG ZM Compression GmbH, and BORSIG Boiler Systems GmbH are all supported by the BORSIG Service GmbH division, with the BORSIG name in each of the divisions synonymous with quality, reliability and optimum technical implementation in their respective activities.

The strategic restructure has ensured that BORSIG can now reliably operate as a single-source supplier of leading technology, making it a ‘competent partner for the future’ for its clients. Mr Nassauer continued, “Each of the five divisions operates separately, so there are the relevant competencies and skills housed in each division. The BORSIG headquarters offers activities such as PR, financing and IT, leaving the other units to focus on what they do best. We have found that this works well for our customers as they know that each unit is entirely centred on its core activity.”

Leaner and smarter

The BORSIG Group restructuring has allowed it to be more competitive and effective, with the addition of products and services as well as the centralised business support functions. Mr Nassauer explained how the Group structure now made it simpler and more practical to add

services to the portfolio as the common functions allowed new divisions to work within this established method.

The new generation BORSIG has restructured and upgraded its manufacturing facilities to ensure it is as up to the minute as its operating model. Mr Nassauer said, “We’re concentrating on our core competencies in our manufacturing processes, so we’re as lean as possible whilst still delivering high-quality engineering solutions.” BORSIG Process Heat Exchanger GmbH for example buys some technical parts from its carefully-selected network of suppliers and then makes the complete assembly and tests the products at its Berlin centre. The company concentrates on its core technology and the relevant components, which centre on the manufacture of waste heat recovery systems, which includes the parts and components that require a high degree of technical manufacture.

The BORSIG Group employs 550 people, with a strong focus on specialists including engineers, welders and machine operators. State of the art CAD programmes are used across the Group, as well as thermodynamic layout equipment. The Group exports its portfolio of products and services worldwide, with clients most prominent in the oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation and chemical industries.

Ready for action

Mr Nassauer explained how the restructure has enabled the company to further develop its offer by providing its support services worldwide. He said, “We are already extending our service activities in the Far East and Middle East in addition to our established European business. Our reputation for excellent German quality underpins our added value concept, and as we are especially experienced in the oil and gas market, it makes sense for us to expand in these geographical areas.”

With the last 10 years being ‘very hard work but an exciting challenge’ for the BORSIG Group, the figures speak for themselves. Going from a €57million turnover with 450 employees in 2002 to €250million with 540 employees in 2010, Mr Nassauer and his team’s dedication is certainly paying off. He concluded, “We’re perfectly positioned to really go for it! We have the experience, the facilities and the portfolio to serve the most demanding customers, and our reduced overheads and reduced fixed costs have made our business processing slimmer and more effective. We will continue to internationalise the BORSIG Group and expand across our five divisions, particularly in the Middle East with our compressors.” n