50 Years of the Übach-Palenberg Site

At the beginning of 1969, the order books at NEUMAN & ESSER were full - the location in Aachen was working to capacity. Therefore, authorized officer and later Managing Partner Klaus Peters had the building authorities check whether the existing carpentry hall could be replaced by a modern production hall construction. However, permission was not granted. At the end of 1969, the entire administration building was in a very bad condition, despite partial modernization, and actually required complete renovation. Therefore, the search for a new industrial site continued. The desire to get a piece of land in Richterich that was to be upgraded to a commercial and industrial site could not be fulfilled.

It is now 50 years since NEUMAN & ESSER moved into the premises on Werkstraße in Übach-Palenberg. Since 1972, the company has developed into a global group of companies. Over the years, new companies have been founded and settled at the site. Everything started...

NEUMAN & ESSER Deutschland was outsourced from NEA Maschinenfabrik at the end of 1998. Since then, the team of about 70 employees deals with the areas of plant engineering, project engineering and the sales of NEA compressor systems as well as the revamping and modernization of own and third-party compressors and compressor systems. Solutions in the field of hydrogen production up to refueling complete the portfolio. NEUMAN & ESSER Deutschland supports customers in the countries of North, West and Central Europe, the CIS States, in Africa as well as in Israel and Japan. The procurement and assembly of the entire periphery for the compressors “Made in Germany” is processed by the company in accordance with the local technical regulations. Digitally supported service concepts from installation, commissioning and operation to revamp and modernization are offered in cooperation with NEUMAN & ESSER Compressor Services (NEAC) as an integral part of the solutions. The highly efficient plants are used primarily in the oil and gas, LNG, oxygen and hydrogen compression, chemical processing and petrochemical sector. The sustainable solutions offered by NEUMAN & ESSER Deutschland play an important role in the implementation of the energy transition towards CO₂ neutrality.

NEAC Compressor Service is one of the world's largest service organizations for piston and diaphragm compressors as well as for entire compressor systems. Our service portfolio includes classic services such as installation and commissioning, regular maintenance as well as OEM spare parts and repairs for various compressors, but also pumps and heat exchangers, filters and oil filters and other peripherical components. In addition, NEAC provides support in the area of modernization, compressor condition management and monitoring as well as troubleshooting.
Together with NEA X NEAC combines OEM know-how, service excellence and digital competence for a maximum benefit for our customers. From optimized performance, improved asset availability to fast-lane service access.
As an essential element for a full-service process, NEA provides the digital platform solution XPLORE to support fact-based decisions in service and operation. XPLORE allows intelligent and affordable condition assessment of various machines. Intuitive system operation and tangible results: XPLORE is the digital asset management solution for maintaining reliable compression. This flexible and modern platform enables monitoring, analyzing and diagnosing machine performance, based on the experience and expertise of NEUMAN & ESSER engineers.
NEAC's OEM portfolio has over 13 compressor brands and together with over 90 service technicians, we provide both spare parts and best in class service for reciprocating compressors. Our engineering team works out a solution at short notice when required, considering action plan such as repair, new spare parts and/or modernization. Our technical consultancy and support consider solutions towards minimization of downtime and maintenance costs. Standard or tailormade maintenance/service frame agreements help to increase availability and reliability of the compressor unit. With our worldwide network of experts and R&D department of NEA GROUP, NEAC can always benefit from state of the art technical know-how and knowledge.

Listening to the requirements and needs of their customers and markets, NEUMAN & ESSER Process Technology has developed from a mill manufacturer to a "Solution Provider" for grinding and classifying systems including upstream and downstream system solutions. So far, more than 1,000 NEA GROUP grinding and classifying systems are in operation worldwide. They are used, among others, in the ceramics, pigment, processing and fertilizer industries or in confectionery, chemical and powder coating production. New areas of application target cryogenic grinding, anode graphite for battery production, protein enrichment and topics from the circular economy such as recovered Carbon Black (rCB) from end-of-life tires. In addition to the approximately 75 employees in Übach-Palenberg, NEUMAN & ESSER Process Technology has established one independent company for sales and plant engineering in the USA as well as a department in Brazil. In addition, sales offices in Egypt, China and Malaysia are supporting our local customers.
In the generously sized Test Centers in Germany and Brazil, NEUMAN & ESSER Process Technology performs tests with the customer provided material at commercial scale; after-sales service and individual solutions for the modernization and conversion of existing grinding plants complete the range of services.

NEUMAN & ESSER GmbH & Co. KG is the production company at the NEA headquarters in Übach-Palenberg. It is the heart of the NEA GROUP. Here, NEUMAN & ESSER manufactures high-performance machines “made in Germany” such as reciprocating compressors, mills, classifiers and spare parts. The production company supplies all NEA GROUP locations worldwide. With currently more than 300 highly trained, specialized personnel, this company employs more staff than any other company of the GROUP. Under the roof of the NEUMAN & ESSER GmbH & Co. KG all central staff offices are working for the entire NEA GROUP.

NEA GREEN is the NEUMAN & ESSER company with a clear focus on consulting and services for the upcoming Hydrogen (H2) and Green Gases markets. Overall, the company’s target is to help customers with the decarbonization of their energy or industrial systems, and decentralized applications. NEA GREEN first provides initial consulting and subsequent concept studies. If required, it supports our clients in structuring and financing hydrogen and/or biomethane projects. For example, NEA GREEN develops the business case together with the customer, calculates different scenarios and arranges offtake agreements for the purchase of the green gases produced. All of these steps are often necessary first, in order to make projects "bankable", i.e. financeable and thus realizable. In cooperation with other NEA GROUP companies, NEA GREEN accompany their customers in all phases of a project with an integrated solution portfolio: From conceptual design and consulting, through planning and financing, to the construction and operation of e.g., H2 generation plants, Hydrogen refueling Station (HRS) or biomethane (= biogas upgrading) plants and ultimately the marketing of the produced gases. The customer benefits from NEA’s competencies along the entire value chain and gets its H2 or green gas application out of one hand.

Such integrated solutions consists of:
(1) Development of a suitable solution concept and design of the overall system
(2) Support for planning, financing, construction and operation of the optimally designed plant
(3) Commercial marketing of the produced gases

Digitization is one of the nine fields of action Implementation of our 2025 strategy. We have already put a lot of work into the digitization of our production. These projects runs in parallel to the daily business. This makes our vision of a fully transparent value chain more and more to reality. The example of a block cylinder shows how consistent we are working digitally from the construction design to chipping.

There will be no standstill at the Übach-Palenberg site in the future either. The NEA GROUP is growing and growing - and so that growth can continue, more space is of course needed. Therefore, in June 2022, another 64,000 m² plot of land with standing halls measuring 4,100 m² and 30,000 m² of free industrial land was purchased for further building opportunities in the immediate vicinity at Boschstraße 6 for the growth plans. Boschstraße is just a 10-minute walk from the headquarters at Werkstrasse.

Creating space is also the keyword that leads to the next topic: the construction of a new administration building on Boschstraße. NEUMAN & ESSER Process Technology, which is currently also based in Werkstraße, is getting a brand new administrative headquarters and a completely new and modernized Test Center in Boschstraße. This is where grinding, classifying and compacting tests will be carried out in future and, with the expanded space available, adapted to the constantly growing portfolio of Process Solutions.

With the "crankshaft mazak", the cutting machine operators, formerly known as lathe operators and boring machine lathe operators, have been producing crankshafts and connecting rods since 2004. This MultiTask machine allows turning, milling and drilling. With these skills, "the crankshaft mazak" has initiated a revolution in crankshaft production at NEUMAN & ESSER. Thanks to it, crankshafts no longer have to be machined with lifting shoes on the lathe and then milled. The "crankshaft mazak" can be used to manufacture crankshafts with a length of up to six meters. This machine is also special for the manufacturer, as it was the first machine that “can do“ 6 meters.

Our crankshaft grinding machine, "the ROBBI", has been used since 2006 for grinding crankshafts up to 6 meters in length and, in exceptional cases, for large rod pistons. The grinders, i.e. trained lathe operators or cutting machine operators, can use the "ROBBI" to process components with a length of one to six meters on one machine. Investing in this machine was an important strategic decision to optimize crankshaft production.

Since 2008, piston rods including thread rolls, cylinder covers, crossheads, cylinder liners and pistons have been manufactured with the "D16", as it is only called at NEUMAN & ESSER. Our cutting machine operators can use this machine to produce complete piston rods and thread rolling up to M130x6, apart from grinding.  

Numbers, please!

• Swing diameter over bed: 660mm 
• Swing diameter over radial slide: 445mm 
• Turning length: 4,000mm 
• Weight: 17,000kg

At NEUMAN & ESSER we use "the DROOP" for the production of vertical and horizontal crankcases, spacers, lower and upper mill cases and for repair orders for crankcases. Since 2011, this machine has been in the specially constructed hall extension. The cutting machine operators can use the tables of the machine both coupled and individually. Parallel set-up for smaller crankcases is therefore possible. Various processing heads of the "DROOP" can process the crankcase lying on the table and not only standing upright. A significant advantage over its predecessor, the "Scharmann Heavycut".  

Numbers, please!

• Table clamping surface (table I / table II): 3,000 x 4,000mm 
• Table load per table: max. 30,000kg 
• Traverse X-axis: 5,000mm / 10,500mm coupled 
• Tool magazine: 120 places 
• Drive power: 50kW 
• Coolant tank: 3,000l 
• Dimensions: 26,350mm; 10,200mm; 7,950mm 
•  Weight: 150t

Since 2012, the leak tests on cylinders and spacers according to NEN5300/350 have been carried out at NEUMAN & ESSER‘s own testing and dip basin. The platform has a maximum load capacity of 13t, an area of 3.5 x 3 meters, a height of 3.4 meters and a volume of 27,000 liters. The basin enables all employees from the assembly to dive cylinders of large design independent of a crane. Portholes in the lower area allow an all-round view of the component. It also has a manhole for cleaning and inspection work, underwater lighting with 16 integrated LED spotlights and permanently installed test pressure-related line systems (with pressure reducer) for filling with test gas (helium or nitrogen). Numerous advantages in comparison with the predecessor, the small water basin.

"The MTE" is the milling machine at NEUMAN & ESSER with the most different milling components. It is used in particular in the spare parts and repair business. Since 2017, "the MTE" has been popular with cutting machine operators with the attachable rotary table with a diameter of 800 mm, which can be used both vertically and horizontally, and with the swiveling milling head. This is huge benefit compared to its predecessor, the ANAYAK FBZ-HV-3000 (small picture).  

Numbers, please!  

Automatic Milling Head (B & C Axis)

• Construction: Diagonal (swivelling in 2 planes), Hirth toothing 
• Pitch: 2.5 x 1° 
• Speed range: 0-4,000rpm
• Power: 32kW 
• Torque: 1,520Nm      

Clamping Table 

• Length: 3,200mm 
• Width: 1,000mm
• Max. transport load: 11,000kg   

Dimensions 

• Length: 8,200mm
• Height: 3,700mm
• Width: 4,900mm

We at NEUMAN & ESSER have been using "the UNION" since 2018 for the complete machining of cylinders and spacers. Its benefits for our cutting machine operators are extendable sleeves/milling spindles, connectable tables (2 x 12.5t), mountable angle milling heads and 176 tool slots in the magazine with KUKA tool changing robots. The small picture shows the predecessor of the "UNION", a Scharmann ECOCUT (small picture).  

Numbers, please!  

Traverse Paths 

• X-axis: 3,200mm
• Z axis: 1,500mm
• Y axis: 2,500mm
• W axis: 750mm  

Main Drive

• Speed range, stepless: 5 - 4,000rpm
• Power S1(100%)/S6(60%): 43/51kW
• Moment S1(100%)/S6(60%): 1,710/2,050Nm   

Clamping Table (Double Table) 

• Length: 1,600mm
• Width: 1,800mm
• Max. transport load: 12,500kg

"The BOST", as it is only called internally, has been used at NEUMAN & ESSER since November 2020 for main bores in the cylinders, spacers, cylinder liners, large-bore pistons, flywheels, blade columns, lower and upper mill cases and vertical shaft columns. Since "the BOST" has a fully-fledged Y-axis, it is not a classic vertical lathe. It serves the cutting machine operators more as a machining center. The complete machining of e.g. cylinders, spacers as well as lower and upper mill cases is possible.  

Numbers, please!

• Faceplate Ø 2,000mm 
• Max. machining Ø 2,500mm
• Processing height 2,500mm
• Max. workpiece weight 12t 
• 5 different units for turning and milling 
• 120 tool places in tool arena with tool changing robot 
• Rotary drive 104kW - 318rpm
• Milling drive 37kW - 4,000rpm

From the mid-1980s to 2009, "the SOLON" was used to manufacture cylinders, crossheads, connecting rods, crosshead liners, cylinder liners and spacers. In addition, crankcases for V-compressors were also made on it before these compressors were only produced in Wurzen. "The SOLON" was the first machine at NEUMAN & ESSER without a punch tape function for NC programs and the first pallet changing machine with two machine tables for parallel set-up. The lathe operators and boring mill lathe operators at that time valued their dynamics and reliability above all.