Large-scale plant for continuous additive coating based on fluidized bed technology (German article)

Verfahrenstechnik: Glatt offers fluid bed systems for the pharmaceutical industry, but can actually do much more – as can be seen from the project in Scandinavia. What does this “more” consist of?

C. Heiermann: Glatt started developing and marketing fluid bed technology for the pharmaceutical industry over 50 years ago. Initially, the portfolio was limited to discontinuous systems for the pharmaceutical industry. With the foundation of Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH in Weimar, continuous fluid bed technology was added, which today is mainly used in the chemical, food and feed industries.

Since Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH has, among other things, a well-developed sales network in the CIS, and since there was and is a particular demand for integrated solutions here, the need quickly arose at the beginning of the 1990s to offer all the necessary planning and coordination services, too. As a result, all the services of a classic plant engineering company are now covered: proprietary technologies and equipment, complete planning services, project management, on-site supervision services, erection and commissioning. In other words, all phases of a project, from the initial concept study to the realization of a turnkey project, can be offered.

Verfahrenstechnik: And for which industries do you act as an engineering partner here?

C. Heiermann: Traditionally, of course, the pharmaceutical industry still represents an important key account, for which Glatt develops a wide range of new equipment and processes and also provides complete planning and project management services right through to turnkey solutions.

However, in recent years Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH has also successfully implemented a whole series of projects in the chemical industry, the food industry and the animal feed industry, thus expanding its expertise for the above-mentioned sectors. Thus, with a few exceptions (large-scale chemicals, petrochemicals), the acquisition is taking place in almost all industrial sectors. However, Glatt concentrates on niche projects and products, and does not see itself as competing with large-scale plant manufacturers such as Uhde or Linde.

Verfahrenstechnik: Is the engineering sector restricted exclusively to Glatt technologies?

C. Heiermann: Of course, the focus is on the use of our own fluid bed technology. However, as soon as it is clear that there is no need for the fluid bed in the respective project approach, Glatt contacts other technology leaders in order to procure the necessary technologies for the project in the form of a cooperation or a license. In this process, the customer can also contribute its own wishes. In this way, Glatt then acts as a general contractor that can search for and offer the best technological solution for the customer, independently of its own processes.

This approach also offers sufficient flexibility to respond to fluctuations in the individual markets.