DESMI steps up Polish presence

Investing in Poland
Poland is hardly a new frontier for Danish-based pump manufacturer DESMI Pumping Technology A/S. Since 2000, DESMI pump products have achieved widespread recognition in the region, especially its range of ROTAN products. Recent changes in the company’s local distribution network, however, have paved the way for a stronger presence that will spearhead increased sales of DESMI’s robust pumps for district heating.

DESMI’s new presence in Poland comprises a subsidiary office, located at Warsaw, staffed by a sales organisation and technical support personnel, and providing direct contact to the manufacturer on the ground in Poland. It’s a new level of service for the company’s existing customers, too, many of whom have already voiced enthusiastic support for the move.

DESMI’s General Sales Manager in Poland, Dariusz Koziel, is a relatively recent addition to DESMI, having joined the company on August 1 to set up the new office. According to Mr Koziel, there are strong similiarities between the Polish market and that of Denmark. “The two countries use very similar technologies, and Poland has been able to benefit from the learning curves Denmark has been through over the years. DESMI has some 35 percent of the entire district heating market in its home country, which is a strong proof of excellence in a market that is extremely demanding when it comes to quality.”

Timely move
DESMI’s new local presence is timely both for the company and for its Polish customers: Almost half of the local transmission and distribution network has been operating for more than 20 years, and was built around traditional channel or overhead systems. Furthermore, much of the infrastructure is oversized, resulting in excessive heat loss from the source to the receiver. While production efficiency has gradually risen over this time, and greenhouse gas emissions reduced, there is still great potential for further improvement.

Modernising this network, therefore, and reducing heat loss, are key goals for Poland in the years to come. And that’s a perfect match for the Danish manufacturer, which has built up considerable knowhow about energy efficiency as well as a competitive portfolio of products to deliver energy-efficient solutions for supply temperatures as low as 55 degrees Celsius. It’s a range that includes a complete listing of centrifugal pumps for applications up to PN25 and 140 degrees Celsius.

DESMI’s capabilities stretch further, however, as the company is active in many different contexts of district heating innovation around the globe. One such context is the 4th Generation District Heating Research initiative, whose focus is to create optimally efficient energy systems.

Danish know-how
For Poland, as with many regions of the world, there’s a lot to be gained from deploying Danish pump technology. After all, Denmark can credibly lay claim to being the country with the greatest knowledge of district heating and combined heat and power plants in the world. It’s a tradition that goes back many years. DESMI itself has produced pumps for more than 140 years, an impressive 90 of which have seen the company designing specialised pumps for district heating applications – and that’s as long as any company has been in the district heating business. During that time, DESMI’s products have been widely adopted, with installations around the world, including pump solutions in Sweden, Iceland, the Baltic Republics, Hungary, the Czech Republic and more. Typically, these solutions comprise medium and larger pump applications, where technical know-how and the ability to customise offerings to individual project requirements is paramount.

Advanced energy solutions
Denmark is also further than most in the adoption of systems that aren’t entirely coal-based. The Nordic country’s multi-year transition to greener district heating has changed its fuel mix toward natural gas, waste and renewable energy, incorporating the co-generation of electricity and heat, and reducing energy loss. Cooling has also become a core competency – a topic that has become increasingly interesting in Poland.

In Denmark, DESMI has supplied district heating projects for the likes of Aalborg District Heating Co. and Vestforbrænding Copenhagen. In the Netherlands, Nuon Energy Company (Vattenfall) is a customer, as is Norway’s Lillestrøm. The company is constantly growing, today counting offices in 16 countries around the world and distribution in more than 100.

Best practices
DESMI is also part of a dialogue and exchange of best practices between Denmark and Poland within district heating, launched in 2014 by the Danish Board of District Heating (DBDH), a private organisation representing the leading actors from the Danish district heating sector. Several delegations have already built good relations and networks in the country, and a cooperative agreement between the Polish District Heating Chamber of Commerce (IGCP) and DBDH has been signed. Part of this agreement is to inspire Poland via Danish examples based on the best available technologies.

When asked what prompted him to join the company, Mr Koziel reveals his love of well-designed engineering: “A unique thing about DESMI’s products is that we use far more materials in each of our pumps – which is where the reputation for robust reliability comes from. Coming from marine applications, they’re simply made more strongly and can handle more wear and tear. For me, that’s a compelling aspect of any industrial fluid transporting system. And I’ve always been a big fan of systems that work well and that just keep on working as they are supposed to. Polish customers are increasingly looking for that kind of reliability, so we see a great deal of potential for growth in this market.”

Knowledgeable partner
With a broad range of competencies within industrial fluid transportation, covering everything from purpose-built pumps to high-tech efficiency optimisation systems, DESMI is set to be a strong, knowledgeable partner for its Polish customers, catering for their needs today, while simultaneously leading the way to innovative solutions of the future.