Zeppelin flying high in Eastern Europe

ERJ Staff Report (TP)

Cologne, Germany – Zeppelin Systems, the global plant engineering company, revealed at the Tire Technology Expo 2014 (TTE) yesterday that they had signed two new contracts in Belarus and Russia.

ERJ spoke with Dr Semen Chlesberg, Senior Sales Manager, about a new and large contract with Belshina – a tire manufacturer in Belarus.

“This is a complete modernisation [of their plant] – which altogether is eight lines – and we will supply, with HF Group, nine new mixers and a complete mixing ‘room’,” he said.

“This is one of the biggest contracts in East Europe.”

On top of this positive development, there was also good news from Russia.

“The second point, which is absolutely different, is that we signed a contract yesterday [12 February] with the biggest Russian tire manufacturer – Kordiant,” Dr Chlesberg said.

“This is the first step [and] we would like to start modernisation of one of their biggest plants in Omsk, Russia.”

Zeppelin was keen to emphasise this is their first achievement in Russia without “international support”.

It’s not their first time in the area, as they have had “a lot of success previously with the major tire companies”. However, this is an “independent step” and one Zeppelin is pleased to have secured.

ERJ also spoke with John Eaton, Sales Manager, about the firm’s joint partnership with Pyrolyx – a “collective” that recycles tires into carbon black.

“Pyrolyx is a newly formed company, who have installed a pilot plant in Holland. It’s performing very well," he said.

“Tires go in at one end, everything is separated out, and the main product that comes out is reusable carbon black.

“Zeppelin come in – we do the engineering, all of the modelling and implementation of the plant.”

Finally, Eaton briefly hinted at a future development.

“We’re spending well on research and development – with new technology to be launched in 2014,” he said. “It’s fairly revolutionary – let’s just say it’s in the world of pneumatic conveying and material handling.”