Partnership between weighing technology leader and material analysis innovator creates new possibilities for effective process automation strategies across multiple process industries

Darmstadt, August 2010

Schenck Process GmbH of Germany (“Schenck Process”) and
FCT-ACTech Pty Ltd of Australia (“FCT”) are pleased to announce the signing of a Sales Representation Agreement for the promotion of FCT’s unique Continuous On-Stream Mineral Analyser (COSMA) by Schenck Process in multiple territories including the European Union (excluding Scandinavia), North and South America, Russia, Ukraine, Africa, India and China.

FCT have developed and patented the first continuous field-based on-stream mineral analyser based on innovative XRD analysis technology and is set to revolutionise the field of quality control and subsequently the optimisation of production costs in a wide range of industries from cement and fertilisers to steel and non-ferrous metals.

Therefore, this co-operation further strengthens Schenck Process’ position as a global supplier of solutions for weighing, feeding, screening and automation throughout the industrial process industries and provides Australian based FCT with an enhanced coherent access to international markets for on-line mineral analysis, a quality control application of growing significance to end users for example in the cement and metallurgical industries for the feeding of primary and secondary (alternative) fuels.

The COSMA solution designed for in-plant deployment (rather than laboratory use) uses XRD and Rietveld technologies and provides “real time” information for automated process control and optimisation e.g. in cement mills and kilns, ore roasters and smelters or concentration plants. Traditional mineralogical monitoring methods rely on laboratory-based rather than on-line measurements resulting in “after-the-event” adjustments to plant control conditions, often hours after the goods have actually been produced.

COSMA is addressing industry needs for on-line “real time” data acquisition during the production process. By means of an analogy, in the context of baking a cake, on-line material analysis before a central process plant e.g. cement kiln is a way of ensuring that the correct amount of the correct ingredients are put into the cake mixture. However, on-line mineralogical analysis during or after the central process plant including the pyro process is a way of determining that the cake itself has been properly baked thus providing producers with a safety net for their quality control & plant optimisation and thus delivering a means of significantly enhancing bottom line profits.

There is an excellent strategic fit between Schenck Process’ core business activities of weighing, feeding, screening, automation and bulk material handling and FCT’s focus on analysis & automation technology – the result being the ability to provide a total solution package to customers for preparing and processing a correct mixture of materials to produce the required quality of product.

Mr. Con Manias (Managing Director of FCT) and Bernd Neumann (Vice President of Schenck Process’ International Business Segment (IBS) ‘Heavy’ responsible for their activities in the Cement, Gypsum, Sand & Gravel, Steel and Non-Ferrous Metals industries) comment that they are “following through on a shared innovation strategy embodied within Schenck Process’ motto of ‘we make processes work’ – as now through this co-operation it is possible to combine quality gravimetric feeding with state-of-the-art “real time” on-line analysis of the mineralogical composition of material flows. In other words, offering transparency to the utilisation of materials in a production process, the Schenck Process weigh scales calculate “how much” and the FCT analyser detects “what”.

Mr Manias continues, “FCT are extremely pleased to have Schenck Process as a partner in the commercialisation of this exciting, innovative and very relevant technology. The Schenck Process brand name stands for quality, reliability and performance for customers and these values align closely to FCT’s vision. There is no doubt in our minds that FCT’s association with Schenck Process will lead to significant growth in market penetration for COSMA and will further improve FCT’s capability to provide after sales support and service for new and existing COSMA customers”.

Schenck Process with headquarters located in Darmstadt, Germany, are global market leaders of solutions in measuring and process technologies in industrial weighing, feeding, screening and automation. Schenck Process develops, manufactures and markets a full range of solutions, products and turnkey systems on the basis of combining process engineering expertise, reliable components and field-proven technology.

Schenck Process is organised along 5 International Business Segments, namely:

Heavy Cement, Gypsum, Sand & Gravel, Steel and NF Metals industries
Light Chemicals, Food, Pharmaceuticals and Plastics industries
Mining Mining industries
Power Coal-Fired Power Plants and associated industries
Transport Automation Logistical processes – road, rail and port

Employing approximately 2,100 staff, Schenck Process has activities in more than 40 countries and operates 16 state-of-the art assembly facilities globally.

The FCT companies of which FCT-ACTech Pty Ltd is a part, are headquartered in Adelaide, Australia and are providers of specialised solutions in combustion equipment & services and continuous real time mineralogical analysers to the mineral processing industries. Through a combination of innovation and R&D, mixed with experience and engineering expertise, FCT maintains a technological leading position in its fields of operation.


The Press-Image shows (from left to right):
Mr Stewart Murdoch and Mr Bernd Neuman (of Schenck Process GmbH) and Mr Con Manias and Mr Trevor Richards (of FCT-ACTech Pty Ltd) at the signing of the strategic sales agreement between the two companies.


For more information, please contact:
FCT-ACTech Pty Ltd
20 Stirling Street
Thebarton
SA 5031
Australia
T + 61 88 35 29 999
F + 61 88 35 29 988
info@fctinternational.com
www.fctinternational.com

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