(?) MFN: Anders, thank you for taking the time for this interview. Can you please briefly introduce yourself and SIN?

(!) A. K.: The Straaltechniek International Group is a family-owned holding comprising two real estate companies and eight manufacturing/ trading companies throughout Europe. These companies are located in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and The United Kingdom. 

My history at Straaltechniek International started in 2015 after working 23 years with sales in the surface treatment industry in Sweden. I have worked in commercial positions since 1990 and enjoy the personal meetings and am highly solution-focused. My focus in Scandinavia is with the wheel-blasting machines, blast rooms and modernization of existing machines such air-blast, wheel-blast & shot-peening machines.

(?) MFN: So, your customer base is the metal processing industries; can you be more specific?

(!) A. K.: Sure. The variety of industries we serve is wide, from foundries to the energy sector, from automotive to the food industry, from aerospace to offshore, oil & gas and marine. The deliveries go from a small manual-operated blasting cabinet, spares, blasting and peening media, up to automated shot-peen machines, wheel-blast machines & blast rooms.

(?) MFN: Andreas, can you please briefly introduce yourself and Straaltechniek International Deutschland GmbH?

(!) A. H.: Straaltechniek International Deutschland GmbH started in July 2021 and now I will strengthen the sales team at Straaltechniek International Group there as the new Sales Director in Germany. 

The Straaltechniek International Group is a family-owned holding with multiple manufacturing and trading companies throughout Europe. 

We design and manufacture blasting and shot-peening solutions for the (high-end) metal-processing industries and we serve the global market with standard as well as bespoke solutions.

Before I worked for over 20 years at a global operating surface treatment company. With mechanical engineering as background education, I have worked in commercial positions for more than 15 years. I enjoy the travel and working very closely with (potential) customers. My focus is on development and expansion of the German market in all directions, for new machines, aftermarket or modernization.

(?) MFN: Where do you see your strengths?

(!) A. H.: I think the many years of expertise in sales, technology & services and modernizations around products in the surface preparation technology helps to fulfil and further expand customer requirements as a contact partner - from spare parts supply up to the complete solutions.

(?) MFN: What makes the Straaltechniek International Group so unique? 

(!) A. K.: We are very flexible in the individualized, tailor-made, and bespoke configuration of machines but continue to innovate and deliver our standard program; a perfect match. Standard objectives include efficiency, safety, and high ergonomic productivity.

(?) MFN: How does the Straaltechniek International Group contribute to the success of their customers?

(!) A. K.: Building on our proven track record for decades within the various industries, Straaltechniek teams-up with its customers. We see it as a joint effort to define the best possible technical solution. The customer’s knowledge of the components to be processed and our knowledge with machine design brings all essential elements to the table. This brings commitment from both ends.

(?) MFN: Can you elaborate on a recent delivery?

(!) A. K.: We installed a high-end robotic wheel blast machine that fulfilled all the customer’s prerequisites and beyond (see photo). This tier 1 supplier to the OEM manufactures parts for automotive industry. The machine is placed in a robot cell and is loaded/unloaded via a robot and is in operation for 3-shifts /7 days per week. The RBB-300 machine is equipped with our high end shot blast wheel type GN and these wheels have an extremely high production speed because of our special curved blades. All wear parts are produced in special wear-resistant material and have a lifetime of more than 5000 hours, saving both money and downtime in machines for our customers.

(?) MFN: Do you see a shift in technical specifications?

(!) A. K.: We do, absolutely. Automation has been key for some time now but is more demanding than ever. We have utilized robotics and closed-loop control of key parameters already for a very long time and we are now taking process control to the next level. Our wheel-blast machines can be fitted with an in-process, real-time calibration unit and are always delivered with remote access for fast services.

The HMI panel for each new machine is custom-designed in-house by our software engineers. In addition, we do not underestimate the HS&E regulatory requirements, and these have become more demanding each year. As we are a global operating company, it is a continuous challenge to be aware of the different regulations.

(?) MFN: What would be the aim of Straaltechniek International Deutschland GmbH?

(!) A. H.: The aim is to offer a comprehensive and specialized range of products for the entire German as well as European market so that all blast machine requirements (whether an existing machine or a new machine) meet the highest demands in terms of availability, process reliability and performance, in line with the guiding principle:

"Big Enough To Cope, Small Enough To Care".

(?) MFN: How do you see the future businesswise?

(!) A. K.: Anders; We are going strong. The good thing is that we are very diversified because of the different industries we serve. Time will tell what the overall impact will be, but we remain positive.

(?) MFN: Anders and Andreas, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

(!) A. K.: My pleasure and see you soon. 

(!) A. H.: You’re welcome and it was my pleasure to talk to you.

For Information: 

Straaltechniek International Sverige AB

Varberg – Sweden

Tel. +46.727.29 45 67

Email: anders.klingborg@straaltechniek.net

Straaltechniek International Deutschland GmbH, Greven – Deutschland

Tel. +49.172.560 6676

Email: andreas.harpers@straaltechniek.net