Setting standards

There are many ways to position a company in the marketplace. Lewa decided on the upmarket option: Driven by technology, it searched for the best individual solutions for its clients – and thereby set the pace within the industry. The many Lewa patents that became prototypical in metering pump technology attest to that.

After 57 years of successful business operations, Lewa’s process diaphragm pumps and metering systems are found in all relevant markets around the world. The company currently serves a remarkably broad customer base – and there is no end in sight for its ongoing development.

Its formula for success is simple: Lewa views its markets as a permanent challenge to improve. The market – meaning the customer – defines the job to be done, and Lewa creates a customised solution. Flexible ‘building block’ components provide an initial, seriallyproduced template – and help reduce costs. After customised detailing, each solution then reflects the specific needs present at each production site. Frequently, the solutions take the form of “all inclusive” packages that include services such as maintenance and repair.

Oil, gas and chemicals are the markets from which Lewa originally grew. At gas and oil production sites around the globe, for example, systems designed by Lewa pump fluids up to 10,000 metres into the ground. In addition to ensuring that the drilling operations go smoothly, they protect the pipes against rust.

New markets – such as the pharmaceutical, plastics and cleaning agent industries – have since been added to its traditional portfolio. The food and beverage industry has also come to appreciate Lewa products, since food colouring, aromas and other additives must be safely transported, before being mixed into the final product in exact amounts. Reliability is a critical factor in applications such as these: System downtimes are costly and need to be avoided wherever possible.

Lewa products are also key in the pharmaceutical industry: No insulin is produced today without Lewa technology being part of the process. The company’s specialised diaphragm metering pumps ensure that the process used to produce this life-supporting substance remains free of impurities.

The Leonberg-based company has also long been a player in nextgeneration energy and environmental markets. Its products are used to produce biofuels, as well as to compress and transport CO2 to underground storage facilities. The pumps and systems used in such operations need to handle pressures of up to 1200 bar and temperatures of up to 150° C.

German Engineering’ – the term refers to business models in mechanical engineering, industrial automation and automotive supplies that are rooted in outstanding engineering performance. It is a field where Deutsche Beteiligungs AG has many years of experience in calculating business risks and assessing development potential.

‘Creating Fluid Solutions’ is the slogan that will be guiding Lewa’s future. After the acquisition by Nikkiso, it is a future that, more than ever before, will be taking place on global markets.