¡ HOLA BOGOTÁ !
Something very special is being created at KSB’s factory in Halle: By this summer, six pumps will have been manufactured there for a waste water pumping station in Colombia’s capital Bogotá. The water treatment plant, called Canoas, will be the largest in Latin America when it is completed in 2026. Its purpose is to purify 70 percent of the waste water generated by this metropolis of eight million inhabitants, making it viable for agriculture and giving the Bogotá River the opportunity to regenerate. Around one million cubic metres of untreated waste water currently enter the river every day, making it one of the dirtiest in the world.
„We have been involved with this customer project for five years now. During this period we
have offered consulting on the planning and optimisation of
the water treatment plant.“
Henning LookSales Engineer, KSB Halle
A great feat of technology
This order represents a highlight in Halle’s 150-year company history in two respects: It comprises a volume of eleven million euros, and the waste water pumps being manufactured are the largest and most powerful the factory has ever produced. “Each pump set weighs more than 100 tonnes, has a motor rating of 4.3 megawatts and can pump 6.4 cubic metres of waste water per second to a head of 53 metres. That corresponds to the amount of water in 35 bathtubs,” reports Plant Manager Frank Aschenbach. The pumps are four metres tall – and ten metres with their motors. This means they would barely fit into the assembly hall at the Halle location. The motors are being produced by KSB in Brazil and will be mounted onto the pumps on site. Frank Aschenbach is proud of the pump sets’ technology: “We have redesigned and adapted numerous pump components to meet the customer’s specific requirements.”Excellent cooperation across continents
In order for KSB to land this major contract, it took concerted teamwork across countries and departments. And a long view. “We have been involved with this customer project for five years now. During this period we have offered consulting on the planning and optimisation of the water treatment plant,” says Henning Look. As a sales engineer, he was responsible for the technical aspects during project planning. “There was a lot to coordinate for everyone involved,” says Look. A key element was keeping site conditions in mind while designing and selecting pump components. We had to make many calculations in advance, both with regard to the pumping station and the pumps themselves.” But the elaborate preliminary work and consultation helped to develop the optimal product for the customer.The fact that KSB is has a subsidiary in Colombia proved a local bonus: Close cooperation between KSB’s Bogotá office, the consortium of companies responsible for building the waste water treatment plant and KSB Halle allowed the Group to win and further develop the project. “We knew that a project of this scale in Colombia was an important opportunity for KSB,” says sales engineer Ricardo Barros. He is in charge of the order at KSB Colombia. Barros emphasises the know-how and wide-ranging expertise offered by KSB’s specialists. These were decisive criteria for successfully landing the order. “We were involved in all crucial phases of the project, and we were able to present the client with a customised solution,” he explains, further stating that although KSB was already market leader in Colombia for waste water disposal and drinking water supply projects, such a prestigious undertaking promised excellent opportunities for further orders in this country and throughout South America.
What should not be forgotten is the role of linguistic and cultural competence. Project engineer Lina Perez, who has been involved in the project from the start, comes from Colombia but now lives in Halle, so she knows both countries and their customs. She thus took on an important mediation function.
Henning Look, Lina Perez and Frank Aschenbach (from left) talking in front of pump models of a large Omega and
an RDLP.
“KSB is active worldwide, and it is always an advantage when native speakers are involved
in the projects.“
Lina PerezSales Engineer, KSB Halle
“KSB is active worldwide, and it is always an advantage when native speakers are involved in the projects,” Perez
is certain. “It simplifies many things: Negotiation and consulting discussions, documentation – and of course
knowing what your counterpart values.” As a Colombian, she says she is proud to be involved in such a technically
demanding and professionally managed project in her home country. Logistics pose a major challenge. The size and
weight of the components make transportation and shipping a daunting task. The transport chain stretches from the
factory in Halle to the seaport and from there by ship to South America. Transport then continues on land to
Bogotá located at an altitude of 2500 metres.
KSB pumps to protect Colombia’s environment
It is important to KSB to act as a sustainable, environmentally conscious company. This goal is embodied in the Canoas project. “Our pumps will help treat waste water in this metropolis and thus make an important contribution to protecting and improving the environment in Colombia. That gives you a positive feeling,” Perez explains. Her colleague Henning Look agrees: “The Canoas project is sensational because it delivers genuinely sustainable environmental protection.”The pumps produced in Halle will operate in the intake pumping station of the Canoas plant. KSB has already supplied numerous pumps for another waste water treatment plant in Bogotá. The Salitre plant treats the remaining 30 percent of the Colombian capital’s waste water. A comparable project in Germany proves that renaturation can succeed. In the mid-twentieth century, the Emscher river in the Ruhr region was considered the most polluted watercourse in Germany. With the help of KSB pumps, it was possible to rehabilitate a 51-kilometre stretch of the river. “If you improve the water quality of the Bogotá River, it has an impact on nature, the population and the wildlife. And maybe the tourism industry will also stand to benefit ,” Perez hopes.
Silvio Kuch uses a crane to lift the motor onto the casing of a waste water pump destined for the
Canoas water treatment plant in Bogotá. Its functioning will then
be confirmed on the test stand.
“We knew that a project
of this scale in Colombia was an important
opportunity for KSB.”
Ricardo BarrosSales Engineer, KSB Colombia
Silvio Kuch (left) positions a crane over the pump casing while his colleague Ronny Schmidt attaches it to
chains in preparation for a pressure test.
“We have redesigned and adapted numerous pump components to meet the customer’s specific requirements.”
Frank AschenbachPlant Manager, KSB Halle
150 years and more
This especially large and complex order comes at a time when the Group and the factory are celebrating their 150th anniversary. With around 500 employees, the Halle plant has been part of the KSB Group since 1991, and is the company’s competence centre for water and waste water pumps. More than 80 percent of the pumps manufactured in Halle are exported. “The Canoas contract was a real highlight – especially in the anniversary year. You notice how proud the location’s employees are that they work for a company which accepts every challenge and tackles it in the best interests of the customer. So, bring on the next 150 years!” says Plant Manager Frank Aschenbach, looking positively to the future.
Sales engineers Lina Perez, Ricardo Barros and Henning Look discuss the Canoas project via video link.