Textilveredlung DRECHSEL, a Germany-based contract finisher and coater has invested in a new coating line from BRÜCKNER at ITMA 2023. DRECHSEL was founded in 1950 at its current location in Selb, Upper Franconia, Germany, as dyehouse GEIPEL und DRECHSEL and initially dealt with the dyeing of yarns as well as the re-dyeing of used clothing.
To simplify the drying of these fabrics, the company invested in a stenter as early as 1952 and found a reliable partner in BRÜCKNER, the company says.
For BRÜCKNER, at that time just founded as a small engineering company, it was an honor to deliver the first BRÜCKNER stenter to today’s company Textilveredlung DRECHSEL.
For more than 71 years, the two companies have been working together in partnership and successfully celebrated the completion of the new machine on the opening day of ITMA.
The heart of the new coating line is a seven compartment stenter of the latest generation, BRÜCKNER POWER-FRAME SFP-4, which is being presented for the first time during the show.
Regina Brückner, Owner and daughter of the company founder, emphasised: “We are very happy and proud that the cooperation and friendship with the DRECHSEL company has been so successful for both companies for seven decades. In addition, it is a particular pleasure that the DRECHSEL family is making its commitment to Germany as a business location clear by investing in a new line in such volatile times. Thus, it is a flagship for other entrepreneurs and once again makes it clear that successful companies think in the long term.”
The POWER-FRAME SFP-4 stenter is the most energy-efficient stenter on the market and is characterised by a newly developed air supply system for the introduction of preheated fresh air from a heat-recovery system into the thermal chamber and many other optimisations for maintenance and energy efficiency. Depending on the design, the new air supply system can increase the efficiency of a heat-recovery unit by more than 50%, the company said.
Each BRÜCKNER stenter is available with a wide range of heating systems, both direct gas heating and indirect heating systems (gas, steam, electric, oil) as well as combinations of these are possible – depending on which energy sources are available.
In addition, the new generation of lines is equipped with monitoring and control systems, which help the machine operator to keep a permanent eye on the most important quality parameters as well as on the energy consumption and utilisation of the line, said the technology provider.
The line at DRECHSEL is also connected to the existing MES platform for production planning and control as well as for quality control via OPC-UA.
Other components of the line, such as the coating machine, calender and also basis weight measurement are also integrated into the control of the line and connected to the production control system.
Bernd Drechsel, Owner and Managing Director in the third generation, said: “The new line is the eighth stenter we have purchased from this manufacturer since our company was founded in 1950. With BRÜCKNER as a family-run company, we have a future-oriented and reliable partner at eye level – a vital factor for Germany and Europe as a production location. In addition to the business partnership, the two entrepreneurial families are also linked by a friendship that spans generations.”
