Clearing space for the future
CarboTech AC GmbH blasts an old mine building
To improve intra-company logistics, CarboTech has realized several measures within this year. An essential part of this program was the dismantling of old mine buildings. About two-third of the buildings were removed conventionally. Because of the extreme massive concrete structure of old coal bunkers and grinding plants a blasting was the only option for their demolition.
The date of the blasting was July 8, 2010. This event was celebrated with customers, politicians, representatives of authorities, and employees.
IFAT Entsorga, 13-17 September 2010 in Munich
CarboTech AC GmbH will be exhibitor at this important Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Waste and Raw Materials Management.
A new product group for the decolouration and aroma correction of liquids
In chemical, pharmaceutical and food processing industries, mesoporous activated carbons are used for the decolouration and aroma correction of liquids. In recent years, the production and procurement of activated carbons has become increasingly difficult due to the deteriorating quality of the raw materials, leading to delivery bottlenecks and rising costs.
For this reason, CarboTech has developed alternative solutions, which, after the first successful test and approval procedures, have now been released for sale.
These activated carbons, which are based on hard coal, exhibit extraordinary decolouration properties and are available as granulate (i.e. CarboTech CGF 12x40/85) or powder (i.e. CarboTech PAK C 1200 S). Additional fields of application are the purification of glycol-, amine-, or carbonate solutions, plus the removal of organic pollutants from edible oils.
Freight charges and raw material prices continue upward trend
CarboTech successfully defies the economic crisis
As in past years, CarboTech's products and services were in high demand. After 2009 started with a significant decline in sales volume, business was revived in the second half of the year. Especially molecular sieves, special activated carbon types, reactivated products, and mobile adsorbers stood in the focus of attention, despite the global economic downturn. Therefore, Carbotech achieved a turnover of 17.6 Mio EUR in 2009 and a financial result in the six-digit range.
Significant investments authorized to increase internal logistics efficiency at the location
Towards the end of last year, CarboTech started a comprehensive program to modernise the production site in Essen. The target is an extensive re-design of the internal logistics.
First, the entrance of the main building was remodelled by establishing a logistics office for dealing with incoming and outgoing transports. Medium-term, this area will be extended by a comfortable waiting lounge and washrooms for truck drivers. Last but not least, the stockyard and warehouses will be revamped to simplify and optimise the internal storage organisation. In total, a few hundred thousand Euro will be invested. The modifications are expected to be finished in the summer of 2010.
Commercialisation of the formerly used production areas in Castrop-Rauxel
After the closure of the production facility in Castrop-Rauxel in 2005 and its complete dismantling, the commercialisation of this area in direct neighbourhood to RÜTGERS-Germany has now begun. The attractive area with convenient transport connections will be developed for further industrial and commercial use. Design contracts are currently being negotiated and will be concluded shortly.
New warehouse for activated carbons and carbon molecular sieves in India
In order to satisfy the growing demand of our Indian customers, CarboTech has erected a new warehouse for selected high-performance activated carbons in New Delhi, in a joint effort with a longstanding partner. As a result of this investment, CarboTech is now able to meet short term orders for the Indian industrial market much faster and less complicated than before.
This measure supports CarboTech's efforts to expand its international business, and especially improves its presence on the growing Indian market.
CarboTech and REACH
REACH is the system for Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals which enter the European market. To comply with the REACH regulations, it becomes necessary to compile an extensive technical dossier on activated carbons, which needs to be submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in 2010. Through its membership in the European Activated Carbon Producers Association (ACPA), CarboTech has been involved in the preparation of the REACH process. Hence, CarboTech is a founder member of the consortium which organises the REACH registration.
In the download area of our website you can find a status report related to REACH, which has been conceived by ACPA. Further information about the registration process can also be taken from the website http://www.reachactivatedcarbon.eu/, established by ACPA.
Optimised product range for a wide variety of applications
As of the beginning of 2009, CarboTech AC GmbH has introduced a completely revised product portfolio.
The prefixes A, C and D, used successfully in the past for classifying the activity of extruded activated carbons, have now been applied to almost all products in our various product groups.
The intention was to simplify the identification of CarboTech products for dealers and customers.
New "Extra" product group introduced
Following the successful completion of a test phase, CarboTech AC GmbH has now introduced the "Extra" product group throughout the world.
This group of activated carbon products may be manufactured either at our Essen plant, or another production facility, but must always meet the stringent, established specifications for Essen products. The foreign products are therefore subjected to extended analysis and are always sieved separately and then repacked.
"Extra" products close the gap between the very high-grade products from our Essen plant and our base quality grades which CarboTech has supplied for standard applications for many years.