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Profluid resists the crisis
The upturn in the market for valves is offsetting the zero growth rate in the pump and compressor market - this is what emerged from the press conference held by the Profluid association on 12 June 2013. In addition, the energy sector is offering openings for technology and opportunities for export.
On 30 May 2013, Jacques Fay handed over the chairmanship of Profluid to Jérôme Duprez, CEO of the Moret Industries group, a company based in Picardy (France) with a staff of 1,600 and a turnover of EUR 320 million that generates half of its business in the field of pumps. The Profluid professional association (French Association of Manufacturers of Pumps and Mixers, Compressors and Valves), which is a member of FIM (French Federation of Engineering Industries), includes 250 companies and 7,000 people and had a turnover of EUR 5.6 billion in 2012. The profession experienced contrasting results in 2012 between pumps and compressors, for which growth was virtually non-existent, and valves, which recorded a growth of 9 %. The trade balance was in deficit for pumps (EUR 326.7 million) but positive for compressors (EUR 216.5 million) and valves (EUR 175.6 million). In overall terms, the results were balanced for the three sectors as a whole, leading Jacques Fay to conclude on a positive note: “The profession is resisting well in comparison to other sectors”.
Jérôme Duprez made a further observation: “Sources of recruitment exist for the next five years”. More than 1,300 new jobs are expected in 2013, mainly for technical positions (50 %). What are the difficulties? “Recruiting expert profiles for design and production for operating complicated machines tools”, explains Frédéric Segault, chairman of the eponymous company, which specialises in nuclear valves for controlling reactors, before adding: “Two-thirds of our business is conducted in China, a market that did not exist ten years ago”. He cites the PFCE association (France-China Electricity Partnership), which includes a hundred or so EDF-qualified suppliers in the nuclear industry. Its objective is to promote the sustained involvement of French small and medium-sized industries and enterprises in implementing the Chinese electro-nuclear programme. The latter has 15 reactors in operation for an installed capacity of 12.54 GW. According to a study by the French Embassy in China, 28 reactors are under construction in the country, with a capacity of 31.3 GW. With rapid and ambitious development, the number of installations could grow five or six-fold by 2020. In addition, 80% of Chinese nuclear power plants are based on a French and a French-Chinese subsidiary. In short, manufacturing in France and selling in China is not a risk but an excellent opportunity!
The pressure of energy savings
For Xavier Janin, sales manager of Xylem, “there are significant potential energy savings in the field of pumping”. Three major steps are required, from R&D (designing high-efficiency products) to an extended approach that combines hydraulics, high-performance motors and smart management made possible by associated algorithms. Simply improving the hydraulic efficiency results in energy savings of between 20 and 25%. With the extended approach, there would be overall savings of 50% on a traditional installation. Finally, with the system approach and network optimisation, the level would be even higher.
Christophe Rossigneux, sales manager at Grundfos, reported on new technologies in support of the mechanical engineering industry: “Smart pumps are equipped with high-tech features that can be adapted to the networks at the same as improving our everyday comfort… This is particularly the case with Grundfos GO, which gives intuitive, handheld pump control”.
To be continued…
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