Tag Archives: FLENDER

Drive technology specialist Flender celebrates 125th anniversary

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance,

Drive technology specialist Flender has celebrated its 125th-year anniversary by, it says, reflecting on milestones as well as looking towards the future.

Flender CEO, Andreas Evertz, at the grand anniversary party at the main site in Bocholt on June 7, said: “We have always been and will always be a large Flender family. Whether employees, customers, suppliers, partners, or owners – today we all feel like Flenderans. I am incredibly proud to be part of this team and to advance the energy transition with you. Because without drive technology and Flender, nothing moves in this world.”

The company had invited all employees from the Bocholt, Mussum, and Voerde sites, as well as representatives from customers, suppliers, associations, politics and regional partners. Around 2,500 guests were there for the evening celebrations.

Throughout its history, Flender has developed into a pioneer for industrial and wind drives. In 1991, the Flender gear unit (short: FSG) was the world’s first gear unit series based on a platform. It remains the industry standard to this day and is the basis for thousands of derivative programs and application specific gear units, the company says. The successor “Flender One” has been gradually introduced to the market since 2022, setting new standards in energy efficiency and optimal resource utilisation with fully automated configuration and engineering processes combined with AIQ digital gearbox intelligence, the company added.

AIQ, Flender says, stands for best-fit solution packages that use intelligence, knowledge and extensive experience to meet customer requirements for diagnosis, early fault detection and process optimisation. In the field of minerals and mining, particularly the AIQ Core Torque, Flender says, offers a cost-efficient and helpful technology that combines sensor technology and analytics. It continuously monitors the drive and evaluates operationally relevant data. In addition to torque, AIQ Core Torque also measures oil temperature, speed and vibration values.

Flender says it is at the heart of the energy transition, recognising the significant leverage that energy-efficient industrial production can have. This also includes returning raw materials to the cycle so that they can be reused, with up to 99% of a gearbox able to be recycled, and Flender’s global service network ensuring that the lifespan of the drives is maximised.

Flender furthers Australia growth ambitions with new service hub

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , ,

Germany-based drivetrain specialist Flender has further expanded its production and service capacities in Australasia by opening a new facility in Sydney, New South Wales.

With its Winergy brand for wind turbine drives, the company has one of the largest installed bases in Australia aiming to scale up the local presence and be close to customers. The same is the case for the industrial drive portfolio with a track record in Australian industries such as mining, cement, harbour equipment and more. The new facility sets the industry standard for customer service in these branches, it says, while Flender’s gearboxes and couplings continue to power some of Australian industries’ heaviest machines.

Flender Group CEO, Andreas Evertz, said: “For both our wind and industrial business we see enormous growth potential on the continent. To reach the goals from the Paris climate agreement we must not only ramp up renewable energy capacities but also transform our industries towards sustainability. This includes recycling and establishing a circular economy. Our workshops are perfectly equipped for servicing and refurbishing the existing installed base, not only for our own fleet but all gearbox types in the market.”

The new Sydney facility will be over 1,800 sq.m and has the structural capacity for a 50 t crane. It will have all equipment required to deliver the OEM standard to customers, Flender says. The company will be able to repair gearboxes up to 40 t, as well as equipment like main shafts for wind turbines, lube systems, fluid couplings and brakes.

Sydney is Flender’s fourth service hub in Australia besides the locations in Rockhampton, Perth and Melbourne.

Kareem Emara, Managing Director of Flender Australia and New Zealand, said: “It is important to be close to our customers. With the new facility in Sydney, we are continuing to be more agile and respond to their needs as quickly as possible. We have been in the industry for many years. Using our OEM knowledge and technical expertise we can provide proactive support.”

Flender says its facilities are set up to support the entire lifecycle of a product from installation to decommissioning and refurbishment. With the digital drivetrain intelligence AIQ, Flender also provides digital services that allow preventive maintenance and maximise plant availability.

Mining demand sees Flender set up shop in Western Australia

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , , ,

Flender, a global supplier of mechanical drives and a subsidiary of Siemens, has announced plans for an expansion into Western Australia.

Its new state-of-the-art facility in Tonkin Highway Industrial Estate, in Bayswater, will allow the company to grow in the region, helping it meet increasing customer demand especially in the wind energy and mining sectors, Flender said.

The investment will include a new purpose-built 3,500 sq.m facility set for completion in September. When complete, the new premises will be the only OEM facility on the West Coast with a 1.5 MW test bench capable of testing complete drive systems up to a voltage of 6.6 kV, it said.

Kareem Emara, CEO and Managing Director of Flender Australia, said relocating to Tonkin Highway Industrial Estate will allow Flender to centralise operations and get closer to customers in Western Australia.

“Flender has been renowned for high performance, innovation, quality and reliability of mechanical components for over 120 years,” he said. “We have been growing exponentially the last few years and now have the biggest installed base in mining and wind turbine gearboxes compared to any other OEM in Australia.”

He added: “Regardless of where we are, being close to our customers is the cornerstone of our business model. Western Australia has been an excellent market for us in the recent years. It’s only natural for us to reinvest in this key market and be where our customers are to offer them the combined brains trust of over 50 facilities worldwide through this new state-of-the-art centre.”

Flender says it has the largest installed base of industrial drives in Western Australia. Some installations have been in operation since the 1970s and are still in service today in mine and port locations across the Pilbara and other regions of Western Australia.

The facility will also be designed to cater for projected growth in ‘geared’ wind turbines over the next couple of decades, enabling Flender to combine sales, project delivery, engineering and training in one location, it said.

Emara concluded: “Whilst COVID-19 has presented challenges to Australian economy, we take a long-term view and are confident in our expansion plans to help set up the right support structure for the nation’s critical energy infrastructure and industry.

“We are supporting critical industries such as mining now and are preparing for future growth in other industries.”

This announcement follows the $5 million investment into Rockhampton service centre, in Queensland, in 2017.

ExxonMobil launches new synthetic lubricant for mining extremes

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

ExxonMobil says its new Mobil SHC™ Elite synthetic lubricant can help protect mining equipment operating at extreme hot and cold temperatures, while increasing energy efficiency and extending oil drain intervals.

The breakthrough synthetic lubricant offers class-leading performance benefits to mine operators, according to the company, explaining that extensive testing has shown Mobil SHC Elite can deliver double the oil life of traditional synthetic products and up to 12 times the oil life of mineral products.

The company added: “It can also help protect equipment operating at temperatures up to 150°C in intermittent service, meaning it is ideally suited for use in a range of mining equipment, such as in the gears and bearings of excavators, haul trucks, augers and conveyors.”

The synthetic lubricant is formulated to deliver wear protection and oxidation resistance without any of the compatibility challenges often associated with glycol-based products used in high temperature applications, it said.

In addition, Mobil SHC Elite has also demonstrated an “enhanced torque ratio”, enabling it to deliver a 3.6% energy efficiency improvement when compared with conventional mineral oils, ExxonMobil says.

Emre Noyan, Industrial Marketing Manager at ExxonMobil, said: “Demanding loads and tough conditions mean that every component of mining equipment must be optimised and protected from extreme in-service temperatures.

“Mobil SHC Elite’s extended oil life, wide temperature range performance and energy efficiency improvement can help operators increase uptime and cut costs – giving them a competitive edge.”

Mobil SHC Elite has already received approval for its performance from gearbox manufacturers including Siemens, whose FLENDER gear units depend on effective lubrication to ensure reliability in intense operating environments, the company said.