Eventful history
The company was founded by Johannes Maerz in 1911, the focus being placed on the construction of Siemens-Martin furnaces. After the death of the company's founder, the former Deutsche Magnesit AG transformed it into MAERZ-Ofenbau GmbH. In 1962, after changing locations several times, the company moved to the present premises in Düsseldorf. Also in 1962, Walther Brinkmann GmbH in Werdohl, Germany, a supplier of special heating equipment, was acquired. The activities of MAERZ-Ofenbau centered on the planning, design, supply, erection, and start-up of industrial furnace plants for the iron, non-ferrous metal, and glass industries. The company derives its current form from the merger, in 1998, between GAUTSCHI ELECTRO FOURS SA based in Tägerwilen, Switzerland (business segment: aluminum) and MAERZ-Ofenbau. In 2000, MAERZ-Gautschi became part of the port-folio of Hochtemperatur Engineering GmbH, a subsidiary of Deutsche Beteiligungs AG.
Based on its long tradition and experience, MAERZ has become one of the leading suppliers of engineering, know-how and process technology to the steel and copper industry in the melting and heat treatment sectors.
In March 2008, the company became part of the Andritz Group's Metals business area, furnace construction product segment. The current activities of Andritz MAERZ include the planning, design, engineering, supply, installation, and start-up of industrial furnaces and accessory installations for the steel and copper industry.
The company’s product range is:
Iron and steel industry (Düsseldorf):
- Heating furnaces
- Heat treatment furnaces
Copper industry (Düsseldorf):
- Stationary and tilting bath melting furnaces
- Stationary and tilting shaft-bath melting furnaces
- Rotary drum-type furnaces
Andritz MAERZ‘ most important asset: its staff
Andritz MAERZ' staff is composed of some 40 highly qualified and experienced engineers. Their goal is to design plants for the different applications and to continue to meet the high quality level that customers all over the world have come to associate with the name of MAERZ. Andritz MAERZ is one of the leading companies globally in the field of heat treatment plants and melting furnaces.
All of the company's supplies and services are modelled on each customer's particular requirements, so it can be rightfully said that Andritz MAERZ supplies "customized solutions." Andritz MAERZ sees its role not only as an engineering company and supplier, but above all as a partner to its customers.
Manufacture of the plants is carried out by companies not only having the appropriate machinery, but also the know-how to produce Andritz MAERZ systems that are in accordance with the drawings and quality requirements, as well as in compliance with national and international standards. Each sub-supplier is subjected to the Andritz MAERZ quality management check in accordance with the specified requirements.
Success factors
The company's success is founded on several specific features:
1. Broad range of products with sophisticated plant technology
2. Customized solutions with regard to the layout, manufacture, and supply of turn-key furnace systems, using long-term experience and benefiting from continuous developments
3. Optimization and modernization of existing furnace plants to increase capacity and reduce energy consumption, employing the latest in material and heating system technology
4. Close cooperation and long-lasting business relations with customers
5. Unrivalled time management, especially on projects with short delivery times
6. Exclusive cooperation with renowned and reliable sub-suppliers
Andritz MAERZ today
In addition to the product portfolio that is customary in furnace construction, the company has specialized on the most different modernization contracts for continuous furnace plants, e.g. pusher-type furnaces. Andritz MAERZ clearly leads the market for batch-type furnaces for highly specialized forges. In this area, customers are mainly looking for complex forging furnaces and tempering systems; railway wheel tempering systems are a specialty here. Where copper is concerned, the company is one of four major global suppliers to the primary and secondary industry. Apart from innovations such as an elliptic anode furnace, MAERZ has also built the world's largest anode drum furnaces with a capacity of approx. 600 tons of copper in China.
Andritz MAERZ in brief:
Headquarters: Düsseldorf, Germany
Founded in: 1911
Employees: approx. 40
Activities: Project design, engineering, supply, installation and start-up of industrial furnaces and their ancillaries for the steel and copper industry