New test laboratory at KLINGER Schöneberg: ✔ Leak tightness test bench ✔ Life cycle test bench ✔ Torque behavior test bench ✔ Analysis station ✔ TTC ✔ Fire Safe Tests
In order to deliver the best possible results, a test laboratory needs state-of-the-art equipment, constant conditions with regard to light, air, hygiene and temperature as well as specialists who operate the equipment professionally. The new, brightly-lit laboratory at KLINGER Schöneberg offers all this and much more.
In addition to the standard tests that continuously accompany series production and manufacturing, more complex tests required for the development of new products can now also be performed in the new KLINGER Schöneberg laboratory in Graben-Neudorf. With an extra 215 square meters, last year’s expansion provides more space for creativity, innovation and advanced knowledge to deliver a considerable advantage over the competition.
We would like to introduce our newest test benches from left to right: leak tightness test bench, life cycle test bench, torque behavior test bench and the analysis station.
Ready to roll with three new test benches
The newly expanded laboratory contains three new test benches. One was specifically designed for the new location and now performs the qualifications for the leak-tightness of the shut-off and control devices following the new “Technical Guidelines for the Prevention of Air Pollution ” as well as the components tests in accordance with DIN EN ISO 15848-1. A helium mass spectrometer measures leaks under different pressure and temperature conditions. In addition to the outer leak-tightness, the inner leak-tightness (the so-called leak-tightness in the port) is determined with the pressure drop method and the bubble test. Depending on the material, the test bench can use either helium, nitrogen, oxygen or compressed air as a test media.
„Our new test laboratory gives us a clear competitive advantage. After all, the ‘time to market’ of our locally developed products is now much shorter.“
Marcel Goßmann, Business Development Manager at KLINGER Schöneberg
Another test bench examines the torque behavior of ball valves and actuators. A third test bench measures their service life under various conditions. This so-called life cycle test bench also enables long-term tests with hundreds of thousands of cycles being performed over weeks if required. Differential pressure testing, different test media (gaseous, liquid or solids) and temperatures of up to +400 °C simulate the extreme conditions under which some customers rely on our products.
Ball valves can be tested for the new Type Test Certificate (TTC) as well as for Fire Safety in the new laboratory. All the test benches are connected to the high-pressure network and can be operated at up to 310 bar.
Interview with KLINGER CEOs Christoph Klinger-Lohr and Daniel Schibli: Looking back at 2021 and previewing 2022 at the KLINGER Group
More service! More sustainability! More automation! And a stronger social media presence! When KLINGER CEOs Daniel Schibli and Christoph Klinger-Lohr review the past year and venture a look into the future, they spread a spirit of optimism.
We have used the past months and years of corona-related lockdowns and restrictions to position ourselves even more solidly. In our current blog post and in-depth interview with our CEOs, we want to give you an overview of what’s new.
Contacts mentioned in the article:
Christoph Klinger-Lohr, KLINGER Group CEO, responsible for the Business Units Soft Sealing and Metal Sealing
Daniel Schibli, KLINGER Group CEO, responsible for the Business Units Fluid Control and Service & Distribution
Let’s start at our headquarters in Gumpoldskirchen, Lower Austria. Even behind our historic walls, we have long embraced the modern times. When we at KLINGER Dichtungstechnik took giant steps towards Industry 4.0 in 2021, product quality was always our top priority. In order to digitize the quality assurance processes at KLINGER Dichtungstechnik by the end of the year, we first had to upgrade all of our machines to the latest state of the art.
“In a second step, we then created our own, future-proof industrial network, which is designed to handle very large amounts of data,” says Ernst Schäfer, Technical Managing Director of KLINGER Dichtungstechnik Gumpoldskirchen. “Already in the planning phase, we made sure that sufficient bandwidth would always be available in the future as the volume of data increases. In an emergency, the network will also work completely independently and disconnected from the service provider, and even in the event of a network failure, we can still access all of our data.”
Customer benefit
A solid production process ensures reliable deliveries. A big plus for the customer is that customized requests can now be implemented even faster thanks to digitization and automation.
You can find out more about digitization and the visit of the Austrian Digitization Minister Margarete Schramböck to the KLINGER factory in Gumpoldskirchen:
We are only highlighting three points here as you will find further details in the following interview with our CEOs.
In 2020, KLINGER Dichtungstechnik built a regenerative post-combustion plant for the production of PTFE seals. Current measurements show very pleasing values: with every ton of PTFE material produced, we save one ton of CO2. Under full system utilization, this results in a CO2 reduction of 150 tons per year.
In 2021, all CMR substances were banned from our gasket sheet production. CMR substances? The abbreviation stands for carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic. They are substances that are harmful to health and the environment. Luckily, there are usually alternatives. It is high time we make the switch because we at KLINGER are convinced safety must come first!
Customer benefit
Always enjoy a clear conscience when you buy from KLINGER. A big plus for our customers is that we think ahead and often fulfill tomorrow’s legal frameworks today.
Of course, so much commitment did not go unnoticed. You can find out which awards and environmental seals of approval KLINGER received in 2021:
KLINGER Group CEOs Christoph Klinger-Lohr (left) and Daniel Schibli (right)
The KLINGER company motto is: trusted.worldwide. What does that mean right now, in the third year of the pandemic?
Daniel Schibli: trusted.worldwide. has paid off for our customers now. Throughout the entire pandemic, we have always been able to deliver. That is due to our business model. We invest in good storage capacities. We acted flexibly and spontaneously where necessary. Above all, we took a solution-oriented approach, and if something was needed, we also contacted new suppliers. That is not so easy for smaller competitors. Maybe that is why we won over so many new customers in 2021.
Christoph Klinger-Lohr: The trust in the KLINGER brand is related to the fact that it is known around the world. The pandemic has accelerated certain developments. One of them was our rebranding process. Now, all the companies that have joined the KLINGER Group have adopted our brand identity. Our logo. Our motto. The KLINGER blue. Consistency is even more important now, because many of our buyers are working from home and spending more time on our social media channels and websites.
Speaking of working from home: what has changed in how you work with customers?
Daniel Schibli: We noticed that not every customer working from home had access to past data. We looked it up and made it available.. This meant considerably more effort for our employees, but our goal was to relieve our customers of some of their extra work.
Did the range of services change during the pandemic? Was there a bigger or lesser demand for certain KLINGER products?
Christoph Klinger-Lohr: During the first wave of the pandemic in 2020, we noticed that many projects, construction projects, major inspection work and planned shutdowns were being put on the back burner. Accordingly, we reconsidered our range of services and expanded as well as standardized our service portfolio. We are well on the way to being able to offer a very well-rounded KLINGER service package in the coming months. This development has been accelerated by the pandemic…
Daniel Schibli: … And also accelerated in that we ourselves spent a lot of time working from home and developing new ideas. Our strategic agenda had three S’s: Safety, Solutions and Service. In concrete terms, this of course also means more products. However, KLINGER no longer sees itself as simply a component supplier, but increasingly as a solution provider. This is important to us.
The pandemic has also accelerated digitization and automation in the company. Why was that important now?
Christoph Klinger-Lohr: Especially in the second quarter of 2020, we suddenly felt like someone had pulled the plug. Many of our customer’s projects came to a standstill. That was the moment we launched a wide variety of automation projects. In general, we try to automate our production sites meaningfully and to digitize quality assurance and planning processes…
Daniel Schibli: … And that makes us pioneers, because our industry is rather conservative when it comes to digitization. KLINGER is well on the way to playing a leading role in the areas of digitization and automation. We used the time during Corona to position ourselves even better and to prepare as best as possible for everything that might come next.
KLINGER also intensified its presence on social media and in online marketing.
Daniel Schibli: Christoph (Klinger-Lohr, note) and Christina (Raimann, note), who, as Head of Group Corporate Services, has been responsible for the entire area of marketing, communication and digitization since the previous year, have been very active in this. At my age, I only surf the social media wave … but with all my heart (laughs).
You mentioned Christina Raimann, who now has more responsibility in the company. At the end of 2021, Barbara Köfinger also became the first female managing director at KLINGER. In general, the industry tends to be male-dominated. Is KLINGER making a trendsetting statement here?
Christoph Klinger-Lohr: A very important topic! If we look at KLINGER’s history, everything was male, from the managing director to the supervisory board. This is no longer in keeping with the times. So, if there is a suitable candidate for a position, we look forward to meeting them!
Daniel Schibli: That’s how I see it too. We are not quota hunters, but we stand for more diversity.
Change of topic: Sustainability. This issue specifically focuses on sustainability. What does the term mean to you personally?
Daniel Schibli: Many companies only pay sustainability mouth service. Not us. For us, sustainability was already a corporate principle before the term even existed. Our product range has always consisted of particularly durable products. Durable ultimately means sustainable, in contrast to today’s throwaway mentality. At the same time, we constantly examine future developments. We are not system drivers who can push developments, but we always look at where we can make our contribution to environmentally friendly and sustainable overall systems.
„Many companies only pay sustainability mouth service. Not us. For us, sustainability was already a corporate principle before the term even existed.“
KLINGER Group CEO Daniel Schibli
What would be a specific example?
Daniel Schibli: Two keywords: “hydrogen” and “biogas” (LNG). Be it in shipbuilding or for industrial companies in the construction of small power plants. We already have solutions ready that we expect to be used on a large scale in the coming years. Hydrogen is considered the energy carrier of the future. Our internal experts even believe that we will only be able to master the necessary energy transition with hydrogen. Our products are already approved for such uses. And to be even more specific: A tanker powered by fossil fuels simply does not have a good carbon footprint. LNG (Liquid Natural Gas), i.e. liquid gas, engines have much lower-emissions making them more environmentally friendly. We manufacture super special valves for LNG engines. It may still be a niche product on the world market, but if you ask us, not for much longer!
Christoph Klinger-Lohr: Of course, we also take sustainable measures in the company to reduce energy consumption during production, feed waste heat back into the system and ensure that material waste is recycled and returned to production. Recently we also banned all problematic substances from gasket production.
Are new products also being planned for 2022 and would you like to already give customers a sneak preview?
Daniel Schibli: I really do not want to reveal too much just yet, but we actually have other valve products in the pipeline that we plan to launch this year. These products will perform just like previous models but use less material.
In order to be able to develop new products, you have to invest in production technology. What investments would you highlight for the past year?
Daniel Schibli: We made a number of investments in 2021. We purchased new machines and modernized existing ones. We also digitized the production process at various sites. This enabled us to increase efficiency and output. In our experience, investments in process optimization usually pay off. And the customers quickly notice that sales, production and handling processes run a little smoother.
You say KLINGER is investing, should a company actually continue to grow in these unpredictable times?
Christoph Klinger-Lohr: Of course. The desire to grow is greater than ever! The question is, where do we want to grow? Especially in times like these, it is a good feeling to know that in recent years we have always been right with our market development forecasts. For example, our assessment that once the development away from fossil fuels got started, it would take giant strides.
Daniel Schibli: For us, growth means growing qualitatively. We want to get good companies on board that will expand our product variety.
Last year, KLINGER bought the Italian gasket manufacturer Spiralit.
Christoph Klinger-Lohr: Exactly. That was a big win! As an original equipment manufacturer and total supplier of gaskets, the Italian company Spiralit will benefit our end customers in a variety of industries.
„As an original equipment manufacturer and total supplier of gaskets, the Italian company Spiralit will benefit our end customers in a variety of industries.“
KLINGER Group CEO Christoph Klinger-Lohr
A final question: What wishes and visions do you have for the rest of 2022?
Christoph Klinger-Lohr:In addition to the end of the pandemic, I also wish for an end to the fatigue it has caused. The constant back and forth, working at home, at the office, online, offline. You can feel the exhaustion among our employees and our customers. I wish for peace and quiet to return. To have more routine and predictability again. For this year to be better than the last for both us and our customers.
Daniel Schibli: I can only agree with that. Until then, however, we will continue to go the last mile for our customers. trusted.worldwide. with or without a pandemic, we are there for you!
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland as well as four district heating lines of Rejkavik are supported by KLINGER’s Ballostar valves.
KLINGER Ballostar valves are successful throughout Iceland, suitable to meet multiple specialized geothermal and district heating needs for both public and private use. Today, Iceland’s geothermal power plants produce more than 25% of the country’s electricity.
A famously busy travel destination, the geothermal spas at the Blue Lagoon near Reykjavík, Iceland, are renowned for their unique chemical composition. The milky blue water’s mineral content is said to offer restorative properties to the skin, attracting visitors from all over the globe. While praised for their effect on the body, the silica and salts of the geothermal waters create a unique challenge for the valve system that supports them.
For KLINGER assistance in Iceland, please contact:
Geothermal water chemistry is dictated by the microelements in the reservoir rock and in the subsurface environment. In Iceland’s water supply, this results in a high concentration of silica, salt, and other hard minerals, which cause a build-up of sediment in the valves. This creates a need for more frequent system service.
Wells in the aquifers bring the geothermal water to the surface, where it is then pumped to control units that prepare the water for distribution. Within the control units are KLINGER Ballostar KHA DN25-50 valves, which feature a combination seat. On one side, a metal seat, which stands up to the rigors of the constant sediment build up. On the other side, KLINGER Fluid Control’s popular soft seat, which adheres to ensure a tight seal. As the Ballostar valves are actuated, the friction against the metal seat removes the sediment build up, allowing the system to remain in use for longer periods of time without service.
„Of course, regular maintenance contributes to a longer service life of a ball valve. But regardless, Ballostar ball valves are in service longer than any other kind of ball valve.“
Martin Sillassen, Key Customer Manager for KLINGER Denmark
After the water leaves the control units, it is pumped to 13 distribution boxes among the lagoons. Each box contains a KLINGER Ballostar KHA Stainless Steel ball valve and actuator that controls the water flow and temperature, keeping the lagoons at a steady 38 degrees while refreshing the water every 24 hours. These distribution boxes float on platforms throughout the lagoons, creating distance between the original sourced water and the mixed water, for the safety of both guests and service personnel.
District heating lines (left) and Jónas Þór Markússon (right), Operations Manager at Varma & Vélaverk with a Ballostar KHI DN600 valve
District heating: hot water for Reykjavík
The lagoons are not the only geothermal project in Iceland for which KLINGER was able to provide a superior valve product. Four geothermal lines provide heated water to Iceland’s capital, Rejkavik, in a challenging heavy-use district heating system that requires a valve capable of handling 27 bar. Veitur Utilities called on KLINGER to develop a solution that offered minimal water effect on the pipe during closing while still meeting the customer’s requirements. With the help of sales partner Varma & Vélaverk, KLINGER performed the necessary calculations to determine the appropriate product to meet Veitur’s needs.
KLINGER Ballostar KHA (left) and KLINGER Ballostar KHI (right)
The Ballostar KHI DN600 valves were fitted with a special Auma actuator setup including battery packs ensuring the correct closing time under every condition. With the completion of Veitur’s project, then, KLINGER cemented Ballostar valves as a flexible family of products achieving success throughout Iceland, suitable to meet multiple specialized geothermal and district heating needs for both public and private use.
One of many valve distribution boxes making for a relaxing swim in the Blue Lagoon, Iceland Photo credit: Blue Lagoon
Fact box Geothermal Energy
Geothermal water is obtained by drilling into natural hot springs, which can be found at the edges of continental plates.
Iceland’s geothermal power plants produce more than 25% of the nation’s electricity.
Geothermal space heating reduces Iceland’s CO2 emissions by 40% compared to an equivalent amount of fossil fuel use.
What sizes are available for the KLINGER Ballostar valve? Ballostar valves are made in a wide range of sizes, from DN150 up to DN1000.
What temperatures can Ballostar valves withstand? Ballostar valves can be operated from -45 °C to +260 °C (-49 °F to +500 °F)
What fluid media are appropriate for the Ballostar valve? Ballostar valves can be ordered in a multitude of standard or specialty versions, such as oxygen and fire safe versions, vacuum versions, pre-insulated versions, and high temperature versions. Contact your KLINGER representative for further details.
As you, we at KLINGER Advantage have watched the events unfold over the last few months with the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. There is no denying the severity of the virus and those it is affecting. We would like to reassure our customers and employees that during this time we are continuing with business as normal. However, we have taken steps to ensure as much as possible that none of our current projects and customers are impacted by the events.
Currently, we do not see any risk to our supply chain, and we are continually reviewing our contingency plans that we have put in place, these include the following:
At present we are not expecting any delivery delays and We will continue to proactively work with our suppliers, be it international or global, to maintain supply.
Our suppliers and factories are working at full capacity and the production is running on time.
We have reviewed and updated our cleaning schedule across all Klinger Advantage sites.
All non-essential overseas travel has been cancelled and rearranged where possible or alternative solutions be found to conduct the meetings such as Skype.
The safety of our employees is at the forefront of our business and we are monitoring the changes in the advice released by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and The Government in Louisiana/Texas and USA ensuring our employees safeguarding. Relevant information concerning prevention, how to spot it and what to do, provided by the NHS and WHO has been communicated to our employees.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us
Acquisitions enable manufacturing and provision of plant safety products and solutions directly in Switzerland
The KLINGER Group has purchased the Swiss Aargau-based companies FRANZ GYSI AG and GYSI Dichtungstechnik. Effective January 1, 2020, the two companies are now part of KLINGER. The businesses of former owner Mr. Franz Gysi provide gaskets and valves for several core markets, including district heating and cooling, process heat, gas, water & wastewater, cooling and loose materials as well as for the biotech, food, chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. Their addition will enable the KLINGER Group to directly deliver products and solutions to the Swiss market.
The FRANZ GYSI AG with its headquarters in Suhr, Switzerland, was formed in 1927 and operated as a family enterprise for 93 years. More than nine decades have already been spent collaborating with KLINGER, especially in the fields sealing technology and fluid control solutions. The second company, the Rheinsulz-based GYSI Dichtungstechnik, was incorporated after taking over a sheet punching subsidiary from today’s KLINGER Kempchen. This enabled the former owner Mr. Franz Gysi, himself the third generation to run the business, to add metal gaskets and expansion joints to the product portfolio. With a total of around 50 employees, the companies play an important role as suppliers for the Swiss industries district heating and cooling, process heat, gas, water & wastewater, cooling, and loose materials. Furthermore, they also provide a wide range of specialist gaskets and valves for food, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and biotech applications.
“I am deeply moved by the trust that Mr. Franz Gysi, the KLINGER management and our employees have placed in me. It will be an honor to continue the Franz Gysi success story as a member of the KLINGER Group.”
Daniel Läubli, Managing Director of FRANZ GYSI AG and GYSI Dichtungstechnik
KLINGER to continue operation of both business locations
Following the acquisition, Mr. Franz Gysi will retire from the operative business. He will, however, provide his expertise as a member of the supervisory board. “Due to the lack of a successor in our family, I had to look at other options to safeguard the companies,” explains Mr. Gysi, and adds: “The KLINGER Group, which had proven itself to be a reliable and long-term partner, was the ideal choice.” According to the former owner, this solution caters to the needs of all stakeholders: “Our customers and suppliers can rest assured in the knowledge that they will continue to have a trusted and reliable partner at their side. And thanks to the way the KLINGER Group goes about its merger & acquisition activities, our in total around 50 employees at both business locations will retain their workplaces to also supply the highest level of quality for the Swiss market in the future.” Former co-executive Mr. Daniel Läubli will take over as Managing Director. Asked to comment on his new function, Mr. Läubli stated: “I am deeply moved by the trust that Mr. Franz Gysi, the KLINGER management and our employees have placed in me. It will be an honor to continue the Franz Gysi success story as a member of the KLINGER Group.” CEO Daniel Schibli, who also hails from Switzerland, has welcomed the latest acquisitions with open arms: “It fills me with joy to see our respective companies that have already been working together for more than nine decades, and thus spanning three generations of the Gysi and four generations of the Klinger family, now combine forces for an even brighter future together. Effective immediately, we can provide the Swiss market with our plant safety products, services and solutions via our very own local company. This is perfectly in line with our strategy, which focuses heavily on customer proximity as a means of offering the highest quality – wherever and whenever its is required.”
To find out more about the FRANZ GYSI AG and GYSI Dichtungstechnik, please visit:
Technical solution for ecological challenges – sustainability in process technology.
One of the most important functions of industrial valves in process technology is the tightness to the outside in order to protect people and the environment against dangerous influences. Active environmental protection begins here. Responsible and future-oriented solutions are characterized by the highest degree of tightness and ecological sustainability.
In order to meet the highest requirements for tightness to the outside, the dynamic sealing of the stem by means of a metallic bellows and a downstream safety stuffing box is ideally suited.
In the ball valve type INTEC K200-S-STD-EC a metallic bellows seal the stem to the outside. Due to the torsion-proof, multi-walled bellows and a downstream safety stuffing box, the stem seal is permanently technically tight. The leakage rate to the outside is at least 10-6 [mbar ∙ l/s]. This makes the ball valve particularly suitable for toxic, aggressive and fugitive media.
Reliable permanent tight and safe sealing to atmosphere.
Fulfils the highest tightness requirements with min. 10-6 [mbar ∙ l/s].
TA-Luft and emission conformity according to VDI 2440 / ISO 15848.
Worldwide unique design.
Although a 90° movement is performed for actuation, the bellows only performs an axial movement.
Highest tightness and ecological sustainability combined in the future-oriented solution!
