Prentech offers individual engineering and equipment supply solutions for liquid-solid separation
1 Managing Director Robert Buder (right) and Chief Engineer Michael Ernst
© Prentech
Prentech specializes in providing proprietary equipment and engineered solutions for solid-liquid separation primarily to the chemical, mining and industrial sectors. A product portfolio purely focused on processing technology and technically demanding applications and exclusively manufactured in Europe allows Prentech GmbH to operate with greater flexibility and a regional, European market focus. “A cornerstone of our strategy is to build close relationships between customers and Prentech through professional and flexible cooperation with short response times, on time and also with competitive solutions,” says the Managing Director of Prentech GmbH, Robert Buder.
AT MINERAL PROCESSING spoke to Managing Director Robert Buder and Chief Engineer Michael Ernst about products for processing technology, goals achieved, plans and, of course, benefits for customers.
Mr Buder, what prompted you to set up a new apparatus construction company for solid-liquid separation in this day and age?
Robert Buder: Since I started working in this field with my engineering company in the 1990s and learnt my trade building filtration and sedimentation plants at Dorr-Oliver and FLSmidth for the last 30 years, it was time to implement all those equipment improvement ideas in a purely customer and solution-oriented company. Moreover, I am not alone and work with a select group of highly motivated colleagues. Our outstanding team consists of professionals in their various disciplines, all former colleagues with enormous experience and I could not resist the challenge of building filters and thickeners/clarifiers with this team again, especially as we could also secure a larger number of jobs in the process.
2 With a competent team, ideas for improved equipment are realized in a purely customer and solution-oriented company
© Prentech
Mr Ernst, you are probably one of the professionals Mr Buder was talking about. What is your role at Prentech GmbH?
Michael Ernst: Thank you, probably yes. Our aim was to bring the design of separators that have been in use for decades into a new century. Similar to the automotive industry, we are talking about more environmentally sustainable, less resource intensive designs, but for heavy and mechanically demanding applications with a very long service life.
Take, for example, our flagship Torque Drive thickener/clarifier drive. We can achieve torque outputs from 12 000 Nm to 3 000 000 Nm in various modular sizes. We save approx. 30 % lubricating oil through optimized housing design. We also use CNC-manufactured components throughout, such as high precision ball slewing rings with a few hundredths of a millimetre out-of-roundness on diameters of up to several metres and only European planetary gearboxes which reduce energy consumption thanks to their high efficiency.
And before I go on, let me briefly mention that all planetary gearboxes are standard gearboxes and are therefore readily available and quickly replaceable. This reduces the risk of long downtimes or prevents plant stoppages, as has happened in the past.
What can customers expect from Prentech GmbH?
Robert Buder: I’m sure only good things. The word “Prentech” is made up of process engineering technology and that’s what we offer. At the same time, we provide a complete maintenance service for existing machines such as vacuum drum filters, horizontal belt filters, flat and disc filters as well as thickeners/clarifiers and their drives. Over the past year, many customers have placed their trust in us and we have already been rewarded with statements such as “our buyers and our company love you”.
Our customers’ requirements have changed over the years. In addition to the classic product range of machine and apparatus construction, our customers expect comprehensive service over the entire life cycle. Of course, we also provide this service, and our myriad transport connections and optimal location in the center of Europe enable short response times for service calls.
How has the last, first year of Prentech gone and how do you see future projects?
Robert Buder: It was important for us to establish good service for our customers as a new reliable company and actually the most important thing: to offer our employees prospects for the future in a solid environment.
The first projects for new filtration equipment and thickener drives, as well as optimization and service work, were requested shortly after the company was founded at the end of last year and some have already been delivered. I was particularly pleased that we were also quickly accepted as a new partner in our European neighbourhood.
Where do you increasingly see the field of activity for Prentech GmbH? Ore processing or the chemical industry?
Michael Ernst: The answer is simple, both! We certainly see the chemical industry, which is fortunately still strong in Central Europe, as well as the rapidly growing European and North African mining industry as customers for our services. However, this is a vision for the future; today we are focusing on projects in both sectors, mainly in Europe. In any case, the potential and expertise are there. We have even taken on additional engineers to ensure that we are well positioned for the coming years.
Your conclusion, Mr Buder, Mr Ernst?
Robert Buder: We have positioned ourselves well for the future with our products and the strategic direction of the company. The links with our production facilities on the one hand and our customers on the other bring a completely new and positive dynamic to the company’s development and provide an excellent platform for the further development of our product portfolio and employees.
Michael Ernst: Our strengths and core competencies lie in the process engineering mastery of separation processes and their mechanical implementation, as well as their integration into modern plant control systems. We have seen that customers honor good, high quality products combined with decades of experience and are looking positively to the future.
Thank you very much for the interview and good luck in the future.
