CHRISTOF GROUP
WHEN THE PRESSURE IS ON
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CHRISTOF GROUP SBN
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Inside Marine Christof Group
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PROFILE
With a strong global reputation in industries such as petrochemicals, pressure vessels front runner Christof Group SBN is set to penetrate the oil and gas sector, with high expectations of success. The top management outlined the company’s plans to Colin Chinery.
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ong acclaimed for supplying prime quality pressure vessels for the chemical, petrochemical, and fertiliser markets, the Austrian-based Christof Group SBN is expanding into the oil and gas sector, with high expectations of success. “From our viewpoint, oil and gas is a new market with very significant potential for growth, one where we will be extending the knowledge, experience and expertise developed in our traditional sectors,” inoted the top management. “One of the specific capabilities that define us is the manufacture and especially the welding of complex material. The fabrication and welding of super duplex materials is very critical in the oil and gas sector and we are widely known for our ability to work with the most complex materials now being used in this market.”
Dedication, hard work and the courage to strike new paths in complex welding technologies formed the basis of Christof Group SBN with a history going back to the 19th century; more than 150 years later, this former steel mill has become a renowned global player. Consistent quality, reliability and a solutions-oriented approach coupled with steady growth through numerous acquisitions and some 3,500 projects has earned the €100 million turnover Christof Group a global reputation, including heat exchangers, scrubbers, reactors and strippers deployed in the manufacture of ammonia and urea fertiliser.
Solutions for tomorrow Over 150 years’ worth of experience spurs Christof Group on to innovate smart equipment solutions for tomorrow’s industrial plants. Thus ensuring their regular heart-
beat – even when challenged to repair the unrepairable. Christof Group’s experts understand the technical complexities because they have decades of expertise and an intimate knowledge of process technologies and materials. Specialities now being extended to the oil and gas sector include inner bore welding with no gaps or leakages. Products from Christof Group SBN are known to be resistant in even the most corrosive environments, with inner bore welding ensuring a gap-free connection between tube and tube sheet. With high pressures, large dimensions, yet light in weight and on the pocket, the company’s multilayer designs are often the preferred choice of discriminating clients. To ensure even greater safety, strength and stability, Christof Group SBN welds thin layers of different materials to fabricate a pressure vessel shell with unique properties.
Christof Inside Marine Group
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CHRISTOF GROUP SBN
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PROFILE
Innovative and efficient state-of-the-art technologies are incorporated in the highpressure equipment Christof Group designs and manufactures for the fertiliser and petrochemical industries. Well-established, close working relationships with technical universities, process licensors, consultants and material producers make this possible. Along with the latest design and calculation methods – including finite element analysis and a special design data management system – Christof Group sets the pace in this sector.
Digital x-ray testing In 2019, Christof Group SBN introduced the novel digital x-ray method to test welding seams and further boost its top-quality pro-
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Inside Marine Christof Group
duction and project documentation. It’s quick and accurate and saves time and money. Once digital test images are uploaded into a secure share file server, clients can view the digital images from anywhere in the world for a certain time. “We are very active in R&D and are currently working on a very innovative technology that will enable our clients to measure different material properties without shutting down a plant, a technology that is currently not available,” stated the management. “We want to enter the oil and gas market with, first, very good equipment suitable for the most demanding applications and secondly combining those products with stateof-the-art assessment technologies in order to remove downtime and increase efficiencies.
“It’s our experience, especially in welding, which is our core technology, as well as our knowledge of the relevant highpressure codes and standards across all regions of the world. “Manufacturing excellence, on time delivery and, we are proud to say, a flexible partnership with our clients, are among the attributes distinguishing us from our competition.”
On time delivery Currently targeting different topside high-pressure applications and deep-water operations in regions such as Angola and Brazil where volumes pressures are high, Christof Group is noted for its very strong on-site focus and after sales service. “We have a very dedicated team of 10 experts, highly qualified welders and fitters constantly travelling even in these difficult times, supporting our clients on site, giving directions and making very critical repairs,” commented the management. “What makes us very proud is that in at least two-thirds of the cases, we are repairing old vessels supplied by our competition.
“Operators come to us knowing that while they may possibly be paying that bit more – and maybe not even that – they want to be confident that they can extend the lifetime of their vessels.
Outstanding service focus The top management confirmed Christof Group is investing heavily in extending this on-site service focus the company is bringing to the oil and gas sector. “For oil and gas companies, it’s extremely important that a client can call you on let’s say 8pm on a Friday and have our guys on site on Monday morning. We really try to make this possible, giving added value to our clients.”
Assessing the developing oil and gas market, Christof Group SBN sees an everstronger emphasis on sustainability. “It’s an area which we are working on heavily, bringing technologies to what is still a rather dirty market. If you can avoid shutdown, you are also creating efficiencies and saving a lot on resources and environmental impact.” Looking to 2025 – this is a sector where equipment delivery can take 18 months – Christof Group SBN hopes to have delivered its first critical high-pressure equipment project to an offshore site, especially deepwater beds. “Together with our colleagues in the group, we approach the market together –
in our case, very specific high-pressure vessels,” stated the top management. “High pressure manufacturing excellence, reliability and strong on-site support; these in a nutshell, are the core attributes and capabilities of Christof Group.” n
Christof Inside Marine Group
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