As of April 2022, Thermische Apparate Freiberg GmbH (TAF) in Freiberg is a fully incorporated subsidiary of the Pörner Group. Founded in 1997, the company specializes in the development and manufacturing of individually designed pilot and research plants as well as high-quality burners, pressure equipment, reactors, conveyors and apparatus, e.g. for high-pressure process plants. With this takeover, the Pörner Group complements its comprehensive plant engineering portfolio with in-house production of key process equipment. This enables the fast and reliable supply of important special components for process plants under personal quality control.
The medium-sized company TAF – Thermische Apparate Freiberg GmbH, founded 25 years ago and located at the foot of the Erzgebirge in Saxony – had been a sister company of the Vienna-based Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft since October 2011. Since April 2022, the mechanical engineering company with its approximately 30 employees has been operating as a subsidiary within the Pörner Group. In terms of external appearance, only the TAF logo was adjusted. The design is graphically adapted to that of the Pörner Group.
Managing Director Dipl.-Ing. Jonas Kappeller: “In the past decade, TAF has developed into a specialist for the construction of pilot plants. Using our knowledge in combination with Pörner’s experience in plant construction, we can jointly realize new, innovative technological solutions. The partnership unlocks potential and synergies that create many benefits for our customers.”
Industrial customers benefit from the cooperation between the two companies, which has been maintained since 2004, primarily through the rapid development of special solutions and innovations. This is possible through:
- Accelerated order execution of urgent components: shift operation as needed to shorten delivery times
- Use of practical experience from the construction and operation of special equipment
- Long-term cooperation with universities and research institutes, which opens up access to the latest scientific findings
- Rapid adaption of pilot plants to the current state of research knowledge
- A functioning network with regional partners for the realization of complete plants (electrics, instrumentation, automation).
Thus, Pörner – as a full-service plant engineering company with 50 years of engineering expertise – together with TAF is now able to design and construct special pressure equipment, apparatus, burners, heat exchangers and reactors to customer specifications and manufacture them in-house in the 1,900 m2 hall in Freiberg. That way, special designs according to individual customer requirements – e.g. for novel processes – can be realized quickly and economically.
TAF’s new developments focus increasingly on circular economy
The company, based in the old mining town of Freiberg, is known for its intelligent special solutions to meet customers’ requirements at the limit of what is feasible. Projects such as a pilot plant for phosphorus recycling from sewage sludge or a research plant for thermal processing of biomass are examples of greater efficiency and sustainability in production.
In the field of gasification technology such as the utilization of biogenic raw materials (e.g. waste wood), TAF has extensive experience. In 2007 already, it supplied the core components for a plant for synthetic fuels based on synthesis gas on an industrial scale. In 2018, a 1 MW pilot plant for the production of synthesis gas from torrefied waste and used wood was handed over to the Dutch company Torrgas Engineering B.V. The following commercial-large scale plant is being planned together with Pörner.
TAF engineers often cooperate with universities and research partners in the construction of pilot plants and process equipment, so that the latest scientific findings are always incorporated into industrial practice. TAF’s process equipment for gasification plants has been perfected over decades and is among the best in Europe. Their clientele consists primarily of European companies, but they deliver worldwide.
More information on the new Pörner location and contact details at: https://www.taf-freiberg.com/
