Manufacturing with confidence Andritz

MANUFACTURING WITH CONFIDENCE

Due to continuously increasing demand for larger capacities, year by year there is ever more need for better productivity at the specialised manufacturing company, Andritz Kft in Tiszakécske, Hungary. In order to meet customer expectations and growing market demand, the company has gradually increased its staff numbers, enlarged and updated its technical equipment and built new production halls and facilities.

From the start, the parent company of Andritz Kft, Andritz AG, headquartered in Graz, Austria, saw significant potential in the Hungarian machine factory and has continuously made investments for developments to the enterprise since the takeover in 2007. Andritz Kft today is a bespoke machine factory mainly specialising in manufacturing components for power generation and other large and heavyweight high-quality

products. The product portfolio of the factory is constantly increasing due to the frequent reorganisation of product production within the group. As a result, the production of various key products including generator frames, parts for machinery used in the paper industry and equipment used in hydro-power plants have been transferred from other Andritz European production plants to the Hungarian subsidiary in Tiszakécske.

Activities cover the whole range from incoming material inspection to welding, heat treatment and final machining, surface finishing and distribution. The factory therefore is capable of producing and delivering complete, fully assembled, insulated components ready for connection to other completed units at erection sites.

Within the company’s second largest industry, the paper industry, the most strategic product is the Yankee dryer cylinder. The steel version of this product is pioneering in its field and it was developed jointly by the parent company and the professional team of the Hungarian subsidiary. By replacing cast-iron with steel, Andritz created a high-precision drying cylinder that ensures excellent drying rates at low specific costs. The product allows highly efficient drying by using special material alloys and has the ability to increase the length and diameter of the drying cylinder so that larger size paper can be produced. Extra size cylinders developed by Andritz included a 5.5 m diameter and a 7.3 m length Yankee cylinder. Currently the factory is engaged in the parallel production of three Yankee cylinders, and expects to receive orders for further 6–8 similar cylinders next year.

Enlarged capacities

Investments are continuous at Andritz Kft; in 2008 the steel structure manufacturing facility was extended with another hall so that the company is now able to move around structures weighing up to 150 tonnes compared to the previous capacities of 120 tonnes. A new painting box and two blasting cabins that meet the highest

European requirements and standards were also installed. Investments are continuously made to modernise all machinery which enables the factory to increase its productivity and capacities.

In 2009 €1 million and in the following year another €3 million investments were made by the group in Hungary. In 2011 Andritz planned to invest €5 million in the factory, and the company received a €1 million fund through the economic development programme of the Hungarian government, the new Széchenyi plan, to realize the investment project. This investment will enable the company to extend and modernise its machines; it will include the purchase of a horizontal boring mill with a 100 tonnes round table and the extension of the lamella production hall built in 2008. The transfer of a 12 m diameter vertical turning lathe opens up new opportunities for the company in the field of machining as the maximum capacity so far was only 6.3m diameter.

Steady growth

The Andritz group is a global market leader for customised plant, systems and services for hydropower, the pulp and paper, steel and other specialized industries including environment and process, and biofuel. Backed by the parent company’s strong capital base, Andritz Kft is making con-

tinuous progress and the number of its employees is steadily increasing. Whilst in 2007 the company employed between 350–370 staff in the Tiszakécske plant, 2011 the number of employees increased to 430 people and next year staff number is expected to reach 500. In order to manage the company’s expansion and cope well with the need for staff supply, Andritz Kft actively supports and provides professional training opportunities as well as aiming to recruit well-qualified professionals with language skills.

Sales figures for Andritz Kft also show a healthy increase. Whilst in 2008 the company turned over €24 million, in 2011 sales is about €30 million. Currently almost 100 per cent of production is distributed to foreign markets, mainly in the European Union. Main markets include Germany and Austria, but occasionally the company serves markets from outside of the EU – this year one of the Yankee cylinders was exported to China and another one to Indonesia.

Andritz Kft is proud of its achievement to become a vital member of the international Andritz Group. The company is determined to maintain its high quality operation so that it can provide stable employment for its staff and aims to fully satisfy its customers in regards to both quality and delivery time. Despite the current economic situation this company is leading the way overcoming all problems, to emerge as a larger, more effective player in this industry. n

Andritz Kft. Dózsa telep 69. 6060 Tiszakécske, Hungary Phone: +36-76-542-100 Fax: +36-76-542-199 infoandritzkft@andritz.com www.andritz.hu