Company Portrait Probat-Werke von Gimborn Maschinenfabrik GmbH

Transcription

1 Company Portrait Probat-Werke von Gimborn Maschinenfabrik GmbH Nearly all people who enjoy coffee come into contact with the Probat-Werke von Gimborn Maschinenfabrik GmbH, as this Emmerich-based enterprise that is rich in tradition enjoys a market share of well over fifty per cent. Put in another way, out of ten cups of coffee drunk world-wide, seven were roasted with equipment made by the PROBAT Group. Probat has been operating globally for decades and is a global leader in the market segment of coffee roasting machines, equipment and plants. The production of machines has a long tradition at Probat. As early as 1868, the Emmericher Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei van Gülpen, Lensing & von Gimborn was founded by the merchants Alexius van Gülpen and Johann Heinrich Lensing as well as the engineer Theodor von Gimborn. The development, manufacturing and sale of equipment for turning green coffee into roasted coffee was already a main focus of the founders activities. The first global roaster with modern roasting bins was developed in In 1900, this bestseller roaster had already been sold 50,000 times world-wide. But the founders in Emmerich did not want to put all eggs in one basket. Over time, numerous novelties in roasting technology significantly increased sales figures. Not least, quick drum roasters as well as Series G king-size roasters contributed to a sales volume of 100,000 roasters by the year Despite continuous innovation in coffee processing, the family tradition has remained in place. Until 1993, three managing directors all three descendents of the founding family headed the business and the founding families still own the company to this day. Presently, Stephan Lange and Wim Abbing are the managing directors of the Probat Group. To date, over 110,000 roasters have been sold. In the meantime, the product range encompasses everything from shop to king-size roasters and includes whole roasting plants, industrial grinders, electronic control units, computer control units as well as spare parts. Last but not least, it is the continuous growth of knowledge which has made Probat a name for expertise in coffee. In this way Probat s R&D area is unique and underscores the high quality of its products. R&D is divided into two main segments: the technical centre and the lab. In the technical centre customers can test various roasters under industrial conditions while receiving sound advice in support of their decision for the best roasting technology for their respective needs. By request, customers can even test-roast their own beans. In the lab, in-house experts analyse such things as the development of coffee aroma. As these processes can be influenced in a targeted way by the roasting process such research provides important information for the construction of particularly efficient equipment and control technologies. An in-house museum for coffee technology in Emmerich documents the history of technological developments and provides the visitor with rare glimpses into the old world of coffee. Based on extensive coffee research, Probat boasts comprehensive specialist knowledge. As the company views its customers as partners, passing on this knowledge is a matter of course. This transfer includes operator training on new equipment as much as the transfer of extensive knowledge within the coffee trilogy: green coffee, roasting and preparation. 1/2

2 At its German locations in Emmerich and Nordstedt bei Hamburg alone Probat employs about 400 people. World-wide it has over 650 staff working in various companies in Spain, Italy, the US and Brazil. Presently, about 45 trainees enjoy extensive and diverse traineeships at Probat. The company will continue to support generations to come and is always open to traineeship applica-tions. Probat exports about 80 per cent of its products, particularly to Europe and North America as well as Central and South America. 2/2

3 Facts and Figures Milestones in Roaster Development 1870: First global roaster with modern roasting bin 1884: First quick drum roaster 1889: Construction of first patented quick gas roaster 1905: First gas-heated quick roaster - Perfect 1920: First PROBAT roaster 1930: First king-size roaster - Series G (ESPRESSO brand) 1967: First drum roaster - R 1969: First tangential roaster - Rapido Nova 1973: First centrifugal roaster 1977: First uninterrupted roaster - RC 1993: First tangential roaster - RT 1996: New generation of centrifugal roasters 2000: First ThermaTwo roaster 2007: New generation of drum roaster - Neptune Milestones in Sales 1900: Delivery of 50,000th roaster 1938: Delivery of 100,000th roaster 1980: Construction of 50th turbo roaster - RZ To date: Sale of over 110,000 roasters Distribution of Turnover 23% customers with global market activities 18% large national customers 48% small and medium-sized enterprises 11% dealers and agents Staff 400 staff in Emmerich and Nordstedt bei Hamburg, Germany Over 650 staff world-wide Subsidiaries and Agents Probat is represented in over 60 countries world-wide through agents. Further subsidiaries operate under the name of the : Bauermeister Zerkleinerungstechnik GmbH, Germany, Ferdinand GOTHOT Maschinenfabrik GmbH, Germany Maquinaria del Rhin, Spain, Brugger S.r.l., Italy, LEOGAP Indústria e Comércio de Máquinas Ltda., Brazil, PROBAT BURNS, Inc., USA, PROBAT Systems, Inc., USA, 1/1

4 Overview of the Coffee Market Following oil, coffee is the second most important resource. This natural product is cultivated in 80 countries of the world whereby two-thirds of global green coffee production comes from Latin America. Coffee also provides numerous jobs as about 25 million people are involved in the cultivation, transport, processing and sale of coffee in the source countries alone. Even today, the commodity is still of vital importance for many national economies. In the African countries Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, for instance, most of the export revenue is generated by green coffee. With a share of about 30 per cent, Brazil is a heavyweight in the arena of global producers. This means that damages to crops such as the severe frost in the 94/95 season can cause significant fluctuations in the world market price for green coffee. The global demand for coffee has continued to increase during the past few years. Looking at the reasons for this development the German Coffee Association found out that this is not only due to global population growth but also to higher per capita consumption. Moreover, people in the producing countries are also discovering coffee as a luxury beverage. To top it all, a downright coffee boom has emerged with the establishment of so-called coffee shop chains. Today, people who enjoy coffee expect a higher level of quality and have become interested in diverse coffee specialities. For many decades, the Probat-Werke von Gimborn Maschinenfabrik GmbH has been a leader in the global market for coffee roaster production. With a market share of over 50 per cent the company from Emmerich, with a global staff of over 650, rests on a firm footing. The continuous in-house development of products means that Probat enjoys a continual technological and competitive edge. While the high level of quality rests on tradition, the transfer of know-how to customers is an integral part of service. For Probat, excellent customer advice is just as important as precision workmanship during manufacturing. These are important reasons reflecting Probat s market share of well over 50 per cent. Its largest competitors have shares of under 10 per cent with smaller competitors holding shares even well below that (see chart). 1/2

5 Competitors Market Shares and Distribution of Competitors as Reflected in Turnover The Probat Group (blue) Holds 57 Per Cent 2/2