Since undergoing a process of strategic realignment in 2003, the industrial division of Zeppelin, with Zeppelin Silos & Systems, Friedrichshafen, as the parent company, recorded solid growth. Turnover rose from 125 million to 200 million euros from 2006 to 2007 alone. The reasons named by the company were not only specific acquisitions but also, and above all, consistent expansion of the company's different areas of business, accompanied by ongoing globalisation. In order to further consolidate its leadership of the market in carbon-black processing for the tyre and rubber industry, Zeppelin only recently took over a business unit of Chronos Richardson in Nottingham, Great Britain, this unit being the control technologies division for the tyre and rubber industry, and established its own subsidiary there. With this acquisition, the market in this target segment was expanded, especially the Asian region.

At the moment, representative offices are being set up in Russia and Saudi Arabia. In Moscow, a sales and service office has been opened and will initially be responsible for service, spare-parts supply and sales. In a further stage of expansion, it is also planned to establish parts of technical project work in Moscow. In Al Jubail, the plastics centre of Saudi Arabia, a production facility has been built with a silo tower, two assembly halls, machinery and equipment. A large Saudi project, which involves a total of 43 storage and blending silos with volumes of between 400 and 665 m3 as well as smaller silos and the associated conveying systems, is about to be completed.

Source: Plastverarbeiter