Taking the pressure Nema Makine

TAKING THE PRESSURE

Turkish expansion tank manufacturer Nema Makine enjoys both the infrastructure of being part of a larger European Group and the dedicated loyalty and expertise of its skilled local workforce. Industry Europe spoke to export area manager Murat Erol to find out how these two strengths are used to their best advantage. Emma-Jane Batey reports.

Established in 1998 in Gebze, Turkey, just 30 miles east of Istanbul, Nema Makine is focused on the manufacture of high quality pressure vessels, also called expansion tanks, for a wide variety of watercentred applications. As a key part of the German family-owned Winkelmann Group, Nema Makine is able to draw on the considerable resources of the Group in order to maintain its excellent market position.

The Winkelmann Group is now managed by the fourth generation of the founding family, and consists of 18 independent business units, including six production and distribution companies, eight sales operations and one steel trading company. The Group is more than 100 years old, and employs more than 2500 people worldwide. Family support

Export area manager Murat Erol told Industry Europe how the company’s position in the Group supports its day-to-day activities. He said, “The Winkelmann Group is a solid family company which focuses on mechanical engineering, the automotive industry and the heating and hot water sectors, so there is a clear synergy in our activities. We are able to draw on the many years of experience within the Group to ensure that we are developing, manufacturing and supplying the best possible pressure vessels for our customers, as well as enjoying the wider purchasing and international support benefits of being part of a long-established Group.”

Nema Makine moved its production facilities to Duzce in 2009, a further 100 miles east of Istanbul, increasing its production area from 7000m2 to 20,000m2, with a further 30,000m2 for sales, IT and commercial support functions. The new company building is well-stocked with state-of-the-art equipment including the latest fully automated and highly efficient machine park to create its products. Mr Erol added, “We take continuous investment in our manufacturing and support facilities very seriously, and our modern production site is a great testament to that dedication. We are able to produce high quality pressure vessels which are then used by a range of sectors worldwide.”

The company’s pressure vessels, or expansion tanks, are equipped with replaceable membranes and are used in closed water heating and cooling systems to absorb excess

water pressure. Combined with booster sets or pumps, the pressure vessels are primarily used in the construction sector for water installations. The tanks absorb the unnecessary pressure that comes from the installation pipes, and can be applied to maintain the pressure level in any building that has a water installation system. Nema Makine tanks are regularly used in all kinds of buildings, including homes, schools, business centres, factories, shopping centres and military compounds.

Market leader

The company supplies its products worldwide, and is the market leader in its domestic Turkish market as well as being a prominent name everywhere from the Netherlands to Australia, with central Europe a particularly strong market. Mr Erol explained how the company is well-positioned to continue to expand into new markets, and grow its presence where it is already active. He said, “We have a very steady client base in Europe and the Middle East, so we are currently concentrating our business development efforts on building our export activities in Central and East Asia. Countries such as Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, South Korea and India are all our targets. Thanks to our excellent reputation for high quality products worldwide, the Nema brand is already well-known in many of these areas and, as we offer excellent Germanquality tanks at appealing prices, we know that there is a great deal of potential for us to grow in these markets.”

Nema Makine is clear that organic expansion is the key to its predicted success in the coming years, with both its domestic and foreign market share expected to increase. The company’s quality performance and production certificates attest to the fact that it is well-placed to deliver its pressure vessels worldwide, with the list of globally recognised accreditations including CE, ISO 9001 GOST-R and TSE. The pressure vessels are available in 8 to 10,000 litres, and can be made in various colours in addition to its well-known bright red.

Mr Erol is certainly looking forward to continued success at Nema Makine. The company has a clear vision going forward, with the hope that its expansion will continue as its pressure vessels will be used in new geographical markets. He concluded, “Our vision is to be the best solution provider wherever water is needed, providing the most effective pressurised systems that help to save energy, cost and ecological impact. Therefore our mission is to control water usage in the most efficient way possible by utilising our proven quality systems, production methods and applications. We believe that we will continue to enjoy steady growth as we comply with our vision and our mission.” n