US firm Nordson Corporation has completed its acquisition of Kreyenborg Group's Kreyenborg GmbH and BKG companies. Managing Directors Jan-Udo Kreyenborg and Theodor Bruckmann sold their shares of Kreyenborg GmbH, that manufactures screen changers and melt filters, and of BKG Bruckmann & Kreyenborg GmbH, which offers special processing technology to produce pellets.

At a pre-K preview in July, David Bargery, Sales Manager for Kreyenborg/BKG said the firm's strongest growth is from the PET market. The export-led firm delivered eight screen changers for post-consumer PET bottle recycling in Brazil. "It needs an efficient filtration system, four screens as opposed to the conventional two, since highly contaminated material is used and the backflush automatically cleans the screen," he said, adding that the customer is targeting 500 kg/hour of rPET. In the UK, Continuum Recycling (a joint venture with Coca Cola) has installed a recycling line with a capacity of 3.2 tonnes/hour. "It is the biggest line in the UK and has transformed the recycling industry in the UK. Kreyenborg supplied the filter system."

Meanwhile in China, Kreyenborg supplied a complete package consisting of a gear pump and screen changer, plus also "took care of the adaptors and wiring as well," said Bargery. "The line is assembled in Muenster so there is a shorter installation time. The line has a capacity of 4.2 tonnes/hour of rPET and fine filter requirements for fibre (40 micron) and bottles (56 microns)." At the K show, it will display the BKG CrystalCut pelletiser.

However, Bargery says the biggest challenge in PET recycling "is for recyclers to get hold of PET bales." He added, "The collection is growing so it will not limit the geographical growth. The market has reached maturity in Europe but we see fantastic growth in China and in South America." When asked if the CrystalCut is able to be used for other types of materials, Bargery said that research has been undertaken on PLA at the test facility in Muenster, "but there are no projects with customers yet."

Family-owned melt filtration specialist Kreyenborg celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. The other companies in the group, Kreyenborg Group KPT, Kreyenborg Plant Technology, BLS Integration and BSG Bruckmann Control, with 110 employees in Muenster and the Lower Rhine, were not bought by Nordson.

Nordson engineers, manufactures and markets differentiated products and systems used for precision material dispensing and processing, fluid management and related processes, all supported by application expertise and direct global sales and service. Founded in 1954, the company is based in Westlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, and has operations in more than 30 countries. Sales in fiscal year 2012 were US$1.4 billion. It also bought screw/barrel manufacturer Xaloy and sheet die producer EDI in 2012.

In a press statement, Nordson said it is a company that grows in part by acquiring companies that are strong performers with superior technology, products and service, thus Kreyenborg/BKG fits this profile. In addition, Kreyenborg/BKG is complementary to Nordson's existing polymer processing offering, which includes the Nordson Xaloy and EDI brands. According to Kreyenborg, the sales were necessary for long-term corporate security in worldwide heavily modified markets. In the long run, it says that a medium-sized manufacturer needs a "strong global presence to remain competitive with the big players, especially in Asia and North America." As healthy companies (Kreyenborg and BKG) still had the chance to negotiate with the new owners and have been able to achieve a successful result, says Kreyenborg.

The acquired companies broaden Nordson's existing offering of screen changers, pumps and valves, critical components in the polymer processing melt stream for extrusion processes, and expand the product portfolio to include pelletisers, the key component in polymer compounding, recycling and related processes. Both companies bought by Nordson employ approximately 270 people, have additional operations in Shanghai, China, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Georgia, US, and will operate as part of Nordson's Adhesive Dispensing Systems segment. Revenues for fiscal year 2012 were approximately EUR62 million.

The production facilities of the two companies at Coermuehle and at Hessenweg in Muenster have been long-term leased to Nordson for an initial term of ten years.