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Ian Melin-Jones

Ian Melin-Jones

Monday, 19 October 2020 10:19

Schenck Process to acquire Baker Perkins

Schenck Process Group (SPG) has reached an agreement to acquire Baker Perkins, a leading global supplier of food processing equipment and aftermarket services for the bakery, confectionery, biscuit, cookie and cracker, breakfast cereal and pet food end-markets. Headquartered in Peterborough, United Kingdom, Baker Perkins serves a diverse & growing mix of customers across the food industry globally.

2021 01 21 101846This acquisition is a continuation of SPG’s strategic focus to further extend its global offering for the food end-markets. It will significantly strengthen European capabilities in the food processing and equipment sector, broaden our product offering in the Americas and provide opportunities for growth across the Asia Pacific region. We will build upon the knowledge, experience and customer relationships of the Baker Perkins team to support future growth, whilst remaining fully committed to existing facilities in Peterborough and Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Upon completion, the business will continue to be run by the existing managing directors as part of the SPG regional business structure.

The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2020.

Keith Cochrane, CEO of SPG, said:
I am delighted to see Baker Perkins join us. This is a long-established business with a reputation for excellent products and customer service, with a similar business model to our own. It will complement and extend our existing product offering to the food end-market, which is a key strategic focus, providing good opportunities for future growth, operating efficiency and further value creation for all stakeholders.

Mr Dan Bassett, MD Baker Perkins UK, commented:
We have been looking for a long-term partner prepared to invest in the company and continue its development for many years to come. We can relate to the SPG culture that encourages local autonomy and entrepreneurship, which fits well with our independent mind-set. Already we can see significant opportunities for growth, and I am excited at the prospect of working together.

Mr Dan Smith, MD Baker Perkins US, added:
Schenck Process already has a significant footprint in the US market, and we can see major opportunities in the combination of our expertise and product range.

ABB process control systems can connect with IBM security platform for digital threat visibility.

ABB and IBM have announced a collaboration focused on connecting cybersecurity and operational technology (OT). As a first result of this collaboration, ABB has developed a new OT Security Event Monitoring Service[1] that combines ABB’s process control system domain expertise with IBM’s security event monitoring portfolio to help improve security for industrial operators.

Industrial control system environments are increasingly targeted in cyber-attacks. In fact, IBM’s latest 
X-Force Threat Intelligence Index found that attacks on industrial and manufacturing facilities have increased by over 2,000% since 2018.

2020 11 11 103209To better connect OT data with the broader IT security ecosystem, ABB has developed a new offering that allows security events from ABB to be sent to IBM’s security information and event management platform known as QRadar. 

The ABB solution was designed according to a reference architecture jointly developed by ABB and IBM. It provides the domain knowledge needed to swiftly react to security incidents related to process control, and is especially suited for complex industrial processes in industries such as oil, gas, chemicals and mining. The new event collection and forwarding software which enables this integration is currently being used by early adopter customers and will be made broadly available by ABB in the coming months.

This collaboration marks the first time that OT data and process industry domain expertise is being brought directly into a Security Information and Event Monitoring (SIEM) system, allowing threats to be managed as part of an organization’s broader cybersecurity operations and strategy. 

“ABB’s collaboration with IBM makes it possible to analyze process control events in the context of security and impact to the operational environment, delivering strong improvement in our OT cyber threat visibility across the board,” said Robert Putman, Global Manager of Cyber Security Service for Industrial Automation at ABB.

Disruption of production due to a cyberattack or technical glitches can be costly in terms of lost production and damage to physical assets. Most mature operational monitoring is focused on the performance of the asset, whether it be a gas turbine for electricity, a drive system used to crush ore, or simple monitoring of pollution output from a chemical facility.

The new ABB offering allows ABB’s process control system data collection and forwarding technology to harvest event log detail from ABB process control systems, and share that information with IBM Security QRadar, which uses automation and artificial intelligence to help identify security anomalies and potential threats.

"We see the integration of these solutions as bringing market-leading capabilities together for a singular view of OT security,” said Dr. Andreas Kühmichel, CTO, Chemicals, Petroleum & Industrial Products, IBM. “With more comprehensive OT and IT security visibility, clients can help reduce the risk of production being suddenly interrupted due to a security event, resulting in costly downtime and broader risk to the company.”

The ABB and IBM technologies involved in this solution are designed on open platforms allowing them to operate on the edge and deploy easily across hybrid cloud environments spanning on-premise, private or public clouds. The joint solution is designed so that security processes operate via automation and do not disturb industrial workflows. The security analysis in QRadar operates through a use case library, which automatically flags incidents and triggers corresponding alarms.

The two companies plan continued collaboration in the realm of OT security, in order to develop new capabilities and offerings that address customer challenges in this space. 

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global engineering company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

About IBM Security
IBM Security offers one of the most advanced and integrated portfolios of enterprise security products and services. The portfolio, supported by world-renowned IBM X-Force® research, enables organizations to effectively manage risk and defend against emerging threats. IBM operates one of the world's broadest security research, development and delivery organizations, monitors 70 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries, and has been granted more than 10,000 security patents worldwide. For more information, please check www.ibm.com/security, follow @IBMSecurity on Twitter or visit the IBM Security Intelligence blog.

Disclaimer: Statements regarding IBM’s future direction and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice, and represent goals and objectives only.

Datalogic significantly increases the value of the innovative wireless charging PDA Memor™ 10, with the new, best-in-class UHF RFID 2128P hand held reader, bringing unmatched reading, writing and localization capabilities.

2021 01 21 100901Now workers can complete a faster and more accurate inventory, with extended nominal read range up to 9 meters – 33% longer compared to other similar units on the market – due to a 34 dBm of maximum RF output power. When connected with the Memor™ 10, the combination simplifies work and increases the precision of inventory in Retail, Transportation and Logistics, Manufacturing and Healthcare applications in an ergonomic design.

The 2128P RFID reader allows users to locate hard-to-find RFID tagged assets more easily than ever. Advanced visual and audio indicators, coupled with embedded processes and accelerometers, makes it the most configurable, in-depth and “search and find” capable RFID reader currently available on the market. In addition, any duplicated tags are automatically and instantly discarded by the de-duplication software system, improving reading performance and facilitating data flow.

Users can directly connect the 2128P RFID reader to the Memor™ 10 PDA with an easy to use ePop-Loq® mount. In addition, this mount enables an ultra-secure wired connection for data transfer. This innovative mounting solution provides a one-piece UHF RFID scanning solution. Recharging operations are simplified and accelerated, as the RFID reader and PDA are charged simultaneously in one charging station – without the need to disconnect. Up to 500 million transponder EPCs can be stored offline on a 32GB Micro SD card. The RFID Sled comes packaged with useful applications and tools making it ready to go out-of-the-box.

Learn more at www.datalogic.com.

Datalogic Group

Global leader in the automatic data capture and factory automation markets since 1972, Datalogic empowers the efficiency and quality of processes in the Retail, Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics and Healthcare industries.

Datalogic S.p.A. is listed in the STAR segment of the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001 as DAL.MI. Visit www.datalogic.com

Datalogic and the Datalogic logo are registered trademarks of Datalogic S.p.A. in many countries, including the U.S.A. and the E.U. Memor is a trademark of Datalogic S.p.A. and/or its affiliates. Android is a trademark of Google. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

DP World Antwerp Gateway has ordered a fleet of 34 Automated Stacking Cranes (Konecranes Gottwald ARMGs) for its container terminal in Antwerp, Belgium. The cranes will be an expansion to the current fleet of 20 ARMGs currently in operation. The first batch will be delivered in Q2 2022, the last batch by 2026. This order was booked in December 2020.

DP World Antwerp Gateway was very motivated to continue their current operating concept, using their current ASC system delivered by Gottwald in 2006. With this new ASC system, featuring a fleet of Konecranes Gottwald ARMGs, the advantages of the latest automation technologies will be exploited.

Jef Lambregts, Head of Projects at DP World Antwerp Gateway, said: “We had a series of deep discussions with Konecranes regarding every aspect of our automation expansion at our terminal. Eventually, we were convinced that Konecranes could provide every dimension needed. We need technology continuation of our current ASC concept. We want to take advantage of the latest developments in automation technology. We will get improved automated truck handling and remote operation ergonomics.”

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Konecranes is providing both technology continuity and innovation. The new ASC system order will follow the Gottwald ARMG design concept, the most notable physical feature being the rigid guiding beam for container load control. A new trolley design has been developed to support an increased lifting height. The new design will be based on Konecranes’ proven technology, with a hybrid of existing systems for auto-landing on the truck chassis.

As part of the project, TBA will extend the existing Equipment Control System (ECS) used at the terminal. The TBA ECS is highly flexible and field-proven, able to operate reliably and efficiently across every type of automated container handling equipment and every Terminal Operating System (TOS) and equipment combination.

The new Konecranes Gottwald ARMGs will stack containers 1-over-6 spanning 9 container rows, providing excellent stacking density.

Port Services from Konecranes will also be part of the delivery. There will be an extension to the current Service Level Agreement (SLA), which will include software updates.

This is part of Kone­cranes’ path to port automation, where container terminals improve productivity and safety in manageable steps. From smart features up to full automation, the path can include supervised operation and remote operation to smoothly introduce the power of automation. The path to port automation applies to all container handling equipment brands. Full automation can be the final goal but it doesn’t have to be. Flexibility is the key.

Further information: 
Mattias Karlsson, Sales Director, Konecranes Port Solutions
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone: +31611216575

Further information for investors and analysts:
Kiira Fröberg, Vice President, Investor Relations, Konecranes
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone: +358 20 427 2050

Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment of all makes. In 2019, Group sales totaled EUR 3.33 billion. Including MHE-Demag, the Group has around 17,000 employees in 50 countries. Konecranes shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki (symbol: KCR).

Rubix UK has acquired Knowlton & Newman Ltd – a specialist provider of electro-mechanical repair services to industries across the south of England - as part of the Group’s network development strategy.

Knowlton & Newman specialises in the repair and replacement of electric motors, pumps and gearboxes all supported by a ‘round the clock’ 24/7/365 callout service to minimise downtime for customers and reduce costs. 

Working out of sites in Southampton, Portsmouth and Chatham, Knowlton & Newman has been operating since 1973. It currently employs a total of 65 staff and reported sales of £8.2m in the year ended 31 March 2020.

Its key customers operate across the utilities sector but also in marine, pharmaceutical, food, aggregates and power generation, as well as the petrochemical sector.

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Whilst continuing to operate independently, Knowlton & Newman will be ‘powered by Rubix’, playing a strategic role in extending the Rubix offering in electro-mechanical repairs services, a key growth area for Rubix in the UK. The acquisition will also add a southern regional hub to existing engineering service centres in the midlands, south west and north of England. 

Knowlton & Newman is a family business, and the Managing Director; Mike Knowlton will now report to Nigel Banks, MD Services Division, Rubix UK. Speaking on behalf of the whole management team, Mike said “We are really looking forward to leveraging the Rubix UK network to accelerate sales, as well as capitalising on Rubix’s technical expertise in providing other key maintenance and repair solutions to expand our offer to our customers here in the south of England.”

Mark Dixon, CEO Rubix UK said: “It is an excellent fit for both parties. As Europe and the UK’s number one multi-specialist provider of industrial supplies and services, we are keen to expand our offer in electro-mechanical repair solutions. The synergies in terms of sectors, geography and overall strategy offer huge potential.”

About Knowlton & Newman

Knowlton & Newman Ltd is a specialist provider of electro-mechanical repair services to industry in the south of England. Based in Southampton, Portsmouth and Chatham, Knowlton & Newman has 65 employees. It serves customers in water, marine, pharmaceutical, food, aggregates, power generation as well as the petrochemical sector. In the year ended 31 March 2020, Knowlton & Newman reported sales of £8.2m. For more information visit: www.knowlton-newman.co.uk.

About Rubix

Rubix is Europe’s largest supplier of industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul products and services. It was created from the merger of IPH with Brammer in 2017, following the acquisition of Brammer by Advent International.

From around 750 + locations across 22 countries, 8,500 employees help to identify, install and provide a leading range of industrial products and services to more than 20,000 customers. The business had combined sales of €2.4bn in 2019 and is a leader distributor in bearings, transmission and automation, fluid power, machining, assembly, tools and protective equipment.

Key market brands across Europe include: Biesheuvel Techniek, Brammer, Brammer Buck & Hickman, Giner, Hydraflow, Julsa, Kistenpfennig, Lerbs, Matrix Tooling Services, MCA, Minetti, Montalpina, Novotech, Orexad, Peter Campbell Sales, Robod, Syresa, and Zitec. For more information visit: www.rubix.com

Thursday, 14 January 2021 09:45

Ovarro completes acquisition of Datawatt

Ovarro, a subsidiary of Laurel Solutions and market leading provider of Remote Telemetry Units (RTUs), acoustic leakage data loggers, secure SCADA systems and intelligent analytics software, has completed the acquisition of Datawatt, a Netherlands based business serving the domestic water and energy sectors with RTUs and asset SCADA solutions. 

Datawatt, established in 1977, provides technically advanced and innovative solutions used in various processes in the water, energy and general industry sectors. Remote monitoring and control by digital telemetry is a core competency. This, combined with partner-supplied equipment such as sensors, enables Datawatt to offer proven engineered solutions to customers operating geographically dispersed processes or assets.

“The Ovarro management team are delighted to welcome Datawatt to the Ovarro team, and are firmly committed to continued investment in Datawatt’s people, technology and engineered solutions, so that together we may grow and develop our combined range of complimentary products and software services for all our customers in markets around the world,” said David Frost, CEO of Ovarro.

David Frost, CEO of OvarroDavid Frost, CEO of Ovarro

Roy Gerding, general manager of Datawatt, added, “The combination of Ovarro and Datawatt provides us with the opportunity to continue to support our established end markets and customers whilst leveraging the financial and human capital of the Ovarro business to expand our market position around the world.”

“Ovarro’s acquisition of Datawatt continues to demonstrate the investment strategy to further develop as an industry leading player in remote monitoring and control of critical assets, where safety, reliability, efficiency and productivity are of utmost importance,” added Martin Carter, CEO Laurel Solutions.

More information on Ovarro can be found at www.ovarro.com.

The need to increase resilience and optimise resource management in light of COVID-19 will be among the key drivers for the growth of Digital Twins over the next five years, according to ABI Research. The global tech market advisory firm expects the number of urban Digital Twins to exceed 500 by 2025, and that implementation will expand beyond limited pilots to widespread multi-purpose deployments.

The latest quarterly report from ABI Research entitled Smart Cities and Smart Spaces positions Cityzenith alongside Bentley Systems and Microsoft as businesses best placed to capitalise in this expanding market.

It is estimated that the Digital Twin market will grow from $3.8 billion in 2019, to $35.8 billion per year by 2025, at a CAGR of 45.4%*

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Dominique Bonte, Vice President, End Markets at ABI Research, said: “Real-time 3D models of cities-built environment allow scenario analysis through the simulation of the potential impact of natural disasters like flooding, [adoption of] generative design principles for new city developments [which optimise] energy savings and solar capacity, and saving costs by operating cities more efficiently and effectively.”

He noted that since the first Digital Twins were deployed in cities such as Singapore around three years ago, features have quickly expanded to enable a much wider range of application areas including infrastructure coverage planning and green infrastructure management. Boston is one city to have already employed the use of Digital Twins, alongside Helsinki, Jaipur and Dublin.

“The Digital Twin ecosystem system activity is growing quickly with more suppliers announcing more deployments in more cities,” said Bonte. “Vendors like Dassault Systèmes and others are paving the way for extending urban Digital Twins to marketplaces and opening access to key metrics and dashboards to the citizens themselves, increasing their overall involvement and helping gain approval of city government decisions and policies.”

In order to help cities achieve carbon neutrality, Cityzenith  announced in October 2020 that it will donate its Digital Twin software to up to 10 cities over the next year as part of their Clean Cities - Clean Future campaign. Additionally, Bentley Systems partnered with Microsoft to integrate Azure IoT Digital Twins and Azure Maps into its iTwins platform.

Michael Jansen, CEO and founder of Chicago based Cityzenith , said “We at Cityzenith welcome this news and are delighted to be a part of the growing Digital Twin industry. We believe our Clean Cities - Clean Future campaign can be a key component of this global effort towards cleaner cities and a safer environment.”

*Markets & Markets Digital Twin report

About Cityzenith
Cityzenith is based in Chicago with offices in London and New Delhi. The company's SmartWorldPro2™ Digital Twin platform was created for anyone designing, constructing, and managing complex, large-scale building projects, properties, and real estate portfolios. Find out more on www.cityzenith.com

To expand the digital offering for process industries, AFRY acquires the Swedish company ProTAK. ProTAK’s web-based software for production optimisation supports AFRY’s strategic ambition within digitalisation and sustainability as well as strengthens the AFRY Smart Site digital product portfolio further.

ProTAK’s web-based software is designed for production process continuous improvement and aim to increase production efficiency. The software measures the effectiveness of industrial plant’s machines to enable analysis and optimisation of the production processes. Together with AFRY’s production support software AFRY Pulse, this will improve the process industry customer production even further. AFRY and ProTAK see great potential to create new digital concepts and offerings to meet future needs.

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“There is a strong demand for digital solutions within the process industry sector to reach sustainability goals by improved production efficiency. With this co-operation, we can jointly develop our offering further to support our customers even better in this constantly changing environment. We see great potential and synergies by combining the expertise and digital offering from both companies,” says David Andersson, Manager of Business Unit Digitalisation, AFRY Process Industries in Sweden.

“Becoming part of AFRY gives us better conditions to further develop our product and expand our offering also to global clients. We have developed the digital offering and are now ready to take the step to the next level. We look forward to the opportunities we can create together,” says Per Gannå, CEO at ProTAK.

ProTAK has 9 employees and annual sales of approximately MSEK 13. The company is currently mainly active in the Swedish market and will be consolidated in AFRY from January 2021.

AFRY is an international engineering, design and advisory company. We support our clients to progress in sustainability and digitalisation. We are 17,000 devoted experts within the fields of infrastructure, industry and energy, operating across the world to create sustainable solutions for future generations.

Making Future. www.afry.com

Thursday, 14 January 2021 09:29

Alfa Laval acquires a stake in AMI Global

Alfa Laval – a world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling – has acquired a 20 percent stake in AMI Global, specialized in end-to-end industrial Internet of Things’ (IoT) solutions for rotating equipment, to further strengthen Alfa Laval’s position in connected services, such as condition monitoring. The signing and closing date was December 31, 2020.

AMI Global is a portfolio company of Cimbria Capital, which is a private equity firm based in the United States and Scandinavia. The 20 percent stake will enable Alfa Laval to further strengthen its competence in IoT technologies. It’s part of the company’s digital transformation and its ambitions to supply remote monitoring of products and solutions. The ability to digitize a wide range of industrial equipment will provide meaningful data and create value for the company’s customers and end-users.

2014 08 14 093039 alfa laval“With this investment we enhance our capabilities within remote monitoring and connected services. We know that 24/7 access to process information provides users with powerful insights for decision making. At the same time, continuous monitoring enables predictive maintenance which minimize downtime giving peace-of-mind for our customers,” says Nish Patel, President of the Food & Water Division at Alfa Laval.

“We consider Alfa Laval to be an ideal business partner for the next chapter of AMI due to a strong commercial and cultural fit between the two companies,” states Henrik Skov Laursen, CEO of AMI Global. “Alfa Laval’s investment in AMI shows the importance of digital transformation and proves Alfa Laval’s commitment in first-rate technology innovation.”

Did you know that… Internet of Things is one of the cornerstones of Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution, where the first three revolutions being the introduction of steam, electricity and electronics?

This is Alfa Laval 

Alfa Laval is active in the areas of Energy, Marine, and Food & Water, offering its expertise, products, and service to a wide range of industries in some 100 countries. The company is committed to optimizing processes, creating responsible growth, and driving progress – always going the extra mile to support customers in achieving their business goals and sustainability targets.

Alfa Laval’s innovative technologies are dedicated to purifying, refining, and reusing materials, promoting more responsible use of natural resources. They contribute to improved energy efficiency and heat recovery, better water treatment, and reduced emissions. Thereby, Alfa Laval is not only accelerating success for its customers, but also for people and the planet. Making the world better, every day. It’s all about Advancing better™.

Alfa Laval has 17,500 employees. Annual sales in 2019 were SEK 46.5 billion (approx. EUR 4.4 billion). The company is listed on Nasdaq OMX.

www.alfalaval.com

With immediate effect, Evonik's customers can now purchase three new natural refrigerants: throughout Europe and delivered using a means of transport particularly suitable for this purpose. This was made possible by the further shift of Evonik's existing C4 Verbund in Marl toward petrochemical specialties, primarily by adapting production processes. The most recent result of these adaptations are three hydrocarbon-based gases: n-butane (DRIVOSOL® R600), isobutane (DRIVOSOL® R600a), and propane (DRIVOSOL® R290).

2021 01 11 142022These three products, all of which also occur naturally, can be used as environmentally friendly and energy-efficient refrigerants in various appliances. This gives manufacturers of refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and heat pumps a new alternative to existing products. Against the background of the climate debate, this constitutes a valuable contribution to greater sustainability in the field of refrigeration technology. Over the last few years, the use of high-quality hydrocarbons has proven its worth due to their good compatibility and miscibility with the most common cooling lubricants.

In this case, quality makes all the difference. "We have many years of experience in the production of odorless liquefied gas mixtures, which we offer under the brand name DRIVOSOL®," says Sarah Kranz, marketing manager at Evonik Performance Intermediates. "The most important characteristic is its high purity, which has so far been used primarily in aerosols for deodorants or shaving foam. We have now used our experience, particularly in reprocessing technology, to identify and exploit new applications."

Thanks to technical advances, refrigerants can now be used safely, efficiently and, above all, cost-effectively. This opens up new areas of application for refrigeration systems in both the private and commercial sectors, benefiting both manufacturers and end customers. The market therefore offers high growth opportunities.

"Clearly, we want to be part of that growth," explains Christian Bierhaus, head of marketing and sales at Performance Intermediates. "With the expansion of our specialties business, we are able to serve the increasing individual demand of our customers, while also making a small contribution to reducing the greenhouse effect. The latter succeeds above all through the higher energy efficiency that can be achieved with our products."

The technical background:
Propane (DRIVOSOL® R290) has high energy efficiency and excellent thermodynamic and refrigeration properties. As an efficient and environmentally friendly refrigerant substitute, propane is particularly suitable for use in air conditioning systems that are also operated at high outside temperatures (>+50 °C). The natural refrigerants DRIVOSOL® R600 (n-butane) and DRIVOSOL® R600a (isobutane) are characterized above all by better operating performance with lower refrigerant charge when compared to conventional refrigerants.

Links:

DRIVOSOL® R290, R600 and R600a - Natural refrigerants for better energy efficiency

Evonik Performance Intermediates - Chemistry4People®

Company information
Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The company is active in more than 100 countries around the world and generated sales of €13.1 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of €2.15 billion in 2019. Evonik goes far beyond chemistry to create innovative, profitable and sustainable solutions for customers. More than 32,000 employees work together for a common purpose: We want to improve life today and tomorrow.

About Performance Materials
The forever young classics of the Performance Materials Division stand for products and technologies that are continuously improved. They are the basis for many modern applications, for example in the areas of mobility, nutrition, pharmaceuticals or plastics. The division generated sales from continuing operations of around €2.04 billion in 2019 with about 1,600 employees.

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