Pumps from Halle provide Palm Island with Drinking Water

It is considered to be the eighth wonder of the world. Palm Island in Dubai arose in the sea. 50 luxury hotels, 2,500 ultra-modern villas and 2,400 apartments with a sea view were built. In addition, there are marinas, restaurants and shopping streets. The fresh water for the giant complex is provided by a seawater desalting plant. So that it can fulfil its duties, 18 pumps from Halle, among other things, are used. “Such projects confirm the confidence in our products,” says Christian Haag, site spokesperson of KSB Aktiengesellschaft in Halle. 

The list of references of the Halle-based pump manufacturer are impressive; Burj Khalifa is on there. For the highest building in the world, measuring 860 metres high, they constructed 31 water transport pumps, which ensure that the air conditioning works on all 162 floors. Every hour, they move up to 10,000 cubic metres of cooling water.

Not just the most cost-effective prices alone are the decisive factor in such spectacular projects and “everyday business”. Stable quality and short delivery times are more important. The company, which relies on its own research and development, benefits from this. After the purchase of their business in 1991 by the KSB with its headquarters in Frankenthal, the Halle residents did not become a workhorse, emphases Haag. Instead, it became a competence centre.

Today, the Halle-based factory undertakes an important task within the KSB network with the development and production of pumps and technical sewage agitators, explains Ullrich Bingenheimer, Head of Communication for the KSB Group. In the past 20 years, 65 million Euro have been invested in machinery, halls and test engineering at the site. Quite consciously, the decision was made to strengthen the factory in Saxony-Anhalt. The development of motors as drives for sewage pumps also happens here today.

With 496 employees, KSB is currently the largest industrial employer in the city on the River Saale. In 2010, they achieved a turnover of about 125 million Euro. 11,000 pumps are built each year. In order to counteract the expected skills shortage, 38 trainees are obtaining an apprenticeship. There is constant contact with Merseburg university and the Otto-von-Guericke university in Magdeburg to keep engineers in Saxony-Anhalt and attract them to KSB, among other things.

The Halle-based specialists are not lacking in experiences. After the complete disassembly of all the production technology at the end of the Second World War, the pumping station was redeveloped. Later, it became the regular company location of the state’s holding company for pumps and compressors with 15 factories and a scientific and technical centre. From there, pumps were delivered largely to the chemical industry. After reunification, there was a refocusing of the production department. The focal point today is water technology, irrespective of whether this deals with technical solutions for industrial purification plants, the treatment of water or its transportation. Submersible motor agitators in biogas production were also developed in Halle. For customers in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Croatia and other countries, 70 biogas plants have been equipped with these products to date. 80 percent of all products from KBS in Halle are exported directly, says Haag. This would be at least 90, if you included the exports from plant construction companies supplied by KSB.

Author: Klaus-Peter Voigt

Contact
KSB Aktiengesellschaft
Turmstraße 92
06110 Halle

Contact person:

KSB Aktiengesellschaft
Head of Communication (A-CC)
Ullrich Bingenheimer
Telephone: 06233 86-2138
Fax: 06233 86-3456
E-Mail: ullrich.bingenheimer.ignore@ksb.com
www.ksb.com