Kendrion Group of The Netherlands reports that its integration of INTORQ GmbH has gone very well despite restrictions imposed by the Corona pandemic. Known widely for its permanent magnet brakes and holding magnets, Kendrion now produces a full line of electromagnetic brakes, spring-applied brakes and clutches for industrial applications as a result of the merger early last year.
In other actions, Kendrion recently announced plans to close its facility in the UK in September 2021, formerly known as Binder Magnete, and is moving into an expanded facility in India. The company reported in May that for the first quarter of this year business was up about 5% overall compared to a year ago, climbing to 115 Euro and reflecting a resurgence from the pandemic.
“We have moved ahead very quickly with the integration of INTORQ in terms of organization and structure,” says Dr. Andreas Laschet, pictured above, director of the new business unit Industrial Brakes at Kendrion. He commented on the status of the integration in January. “The INTORQ brand is now part of the Industrial Brakes business unit at Kendrion. Over the course of the year, a very good team has been formed here.” Main operation sites for the unit are Kendrion’s facility in Villengen and the INTORQ site in Aerzen, both in Germany.
In February, Kendrion announced that it has decided to transfer its operations from Kendrion (UK) Ltd. to Kendrion (Villingen) GmbH in Germany and close the facility in Bradford the end of September this year. Formerly Binder Magnete (UK) Ltd, it has been part of the Kendrion Group for more than 50 years, traditionally serving UK power transmission market and, since 1997 becoming an international sales and service center for the group, exporting Kendrion products to over 100 countries. The business will be shifted to Kendrion’s new and modern warehouse located in Villingen.
In support of expanding its capacities in Asia, INTORQ India moved into new, larger facilities in Pune in May 2020. Construction began in February 2019, well prior to the merger. Since the old building was in need of renovation and offered no opportunities for expansion, the company built a new building at a location nearby. Several million euros were invested in the new location, tripling the production capacity. The new headquarters of INTORQ India in Pune has a total area of around 4,700 square meters and employs 22 people, and more are expected to be hired during the year. It serves India, also the neighboring countries of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, some African countries and, now, is integrated with other Kendrion locations.
Meanwhile, product development continues. In March of this year, the company announced that its new INTORQ BFK551 spring-applied brake is now available on the market. Having a sophisticated design and space-saving structure with rotor and flange, it is primarily designed for small motor applications such as medical technology, automated guided vehicles, conveyor technology and automation, also for door and gate drives as well as access controls.
