Serbia Energy Interview with Mr. André Rombouts, Sales Manager – EMEA
Q: 1. Can you tell us more about the application areas of your products, mining and power gen facilities?
A: For power generation, specifically thermal power plants, Climax portable machining & welding systems are used throughout the plant to repair and maintain both heavy and medium duty components in situ, and have played a key role in reducing equipment downtime for customers worldwide for decades.
Climax has a proven track record of designing and producing standard and custom machines that specifically address the tight tolerances and extraordinarily complex machining & welding challenges faced by power generation facilities. Some of the machines we’ve designed for use in this market include CNC-controlled milling machines and valve repair machines, specialized boring machines for machining unique geometries, and welding and cladding solutions for valve seat repair.
Common applications include repairs and upgrades of steam and gas turbine casing and rotors using both standard and custom-designed boring and milling machines. In these cases, our equipment is used to accurately remove material to make way for new casing internal components as well as re-establish turbine casing sealing surfaces. For turbine rotors, we have created solutions for everything from bearing journal repairs, to blade pin removal to tooling capable of allowing our customers to reshape the rotor itself.
For the mining market segment, Climax portable machining and welding equipment has played a key role in reducing repair downtime of the heavy equipment used to facilitate mining activity. Line boring and weld repairs on pivot points of heavy machinery are a major part of the mining market segment for Climax machines. Other applications in the mining industry include the resurfacing of excavator bearing surfaces and slew rings using Climax circular mills and flange facers. In these cases, our equipment allows customers to repair the equipment and to place it back in service without the need to transport it off of the work site.
Stationary mining equipment also benefits from Climax’s portable machining and welding systems. With our AutoBoreWelder, mining equipment such as stone and coal crushers can be repaired on-site with an automated weld buildup process, with the machining of these repairs handled efficiently with either a Circular Mill or a Flange Facer like our Model FF7200, which has optional milling capabilities.
Most of machines are available for rent, and Climax also offers training and consultation to ensure that our customers have the right tool to meet their needs and can operate it properly.
Q: 2. Do you have experiences in SEE market penetration, the regional mines and power holdings with their thermal power plants are in the modernization cycle and in need for new technologies and solutions for efficiency increase and costs saving. Can we expect your wider presence in the region?
A: Currently we are serving the various national, international and global players in the power and mining industry around the globe. Based on our extensive experiences in providing portable machining and welding solutions in these industries within Europe, and specifically in the Central European region, we are rapidly expanding this knowledge to other areas, of which the Balkan is a major focus area for Climax.
Q: 3. Mining sector in Serbia, surface coal mines also in the region of SEE, is entering in the biggest investment cycle of modernization and equipment upgrade. Could we expect your stronger direct presence and market penetration?
A: Climax is continuously focused on having global coverage by expanding the sales channels into various geographic regions. Although this specific area was not actively covered in the past, the Balkans are an area of clear focus for Climax, and we expect to expend our local coverage in the near future.
More informations:
Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems
+49 (0) 2421 9177-13
At PowerGen Europe, Climax will be in Hall B, Stand B3142
