Feldbinder flourishes
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An EcoAir power pack with Riwo silencer and acoustic cabinet is also nearing completion. This, says Feldbinder UK's Graham Livermore, will cut the Deutz diesel and MAN GHHCG80 compressor's noise levels to 81dB(A). With fan cooling it will also cut air temperature to 50°C for handling heavy or fatty products".
Production at Feldbinder's main Wittenburg factory has recovered, along with its southern plant and one in Poland following the German recession and re-unification set-backs.
Output is up to around 30 tankers a week and the staff reductions of 1993 are being reversed.
Sales into the Belgian, Dutch and UK markets remain strong and the German tanker market is also beginning to lift, says Livermore.
Exports into Eastern Europe, China and a number of other Asian countries including Japan are also growing, bringing its overall production close to pre-recession levels.
Several large orders closer to home are under way including 40 food. grade 54, 000-litre liquid tankers and granule carriers for TIP Europe's rental fleet. Along with
ten 34m3 powder tankers for its UK branch, Feldbinder is also building tipping and non-tipping tankers. The most recent example, for TIP UK, is a 30,000 litre "edibles" version for carrying milk under contract.
Another TIP order, a stainless steel 54,000-litre ADR chemicals carrier, will be exhibited at the Brussels Show next year.
"Market improvements mean that we are also re-instating our plans to set up a UK production facility, probably in the Stoke region," says Livermore.
Initially imported tanks will be mounted to the trailer or chassis frame in the UK with the rest of the equipment built on, but he envisages full production by the end of the decade.