Energy & Utilities
Stable outlook
In order to compensate for the decreasing opportunities in the energy sector in 2017, heavy-weight machine and component manufacturer Andritz Kft, the Hungarian subsidiary of Andritz AG, has recently altered its product portfolio. Edina Beale reports
IN
May 2015 Andritz Kft in Hungary was integrated into the Hydro business unit of its parent company, Andritz AG. This strategic change was based on the short- and long-term market data showing that 80 per cent of the products being produced in Hungary were required for the Hydro sector. While in 2016 the company had a record turnover and achieved €35.5 million, 2017 saw a fall in the market for water power stations thanks to slow development in the energy market. Unfortunately this has had a knock-on effect on Andritz Kft’s revenue too, as the company expects a €23 million turnover in 2017. In order to make up for this drop, Andritz has decided to alter its product portfolio and is aiming to increase customer satisfaction to the highest level – focusing on supplying products that meet world-class standards and increase their on-time performance.
Consistent demand The company is still producing its pioneering product, the Yankee drier cylinder for the paper industry. By replacing cast-iron with steel, Andritz has created a high-precision drying cylinder that ensures excellent drying rates at low specific costs. The product, of which Andritz manufactures 3–4 a year, allows for 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-sized paper can be produced. In 2013 Andritz installed its largest on-site Yankee cylinder. This project was not only a breakthrough in the Tiszakécske plant, but for the Andritz Group as a whole. The project continues in 2017/18 as the Austrian Zellstoff Pöls AG has invested in a new paper machine for which it will need another Yankee cylinder. The product
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