ROHR-IDRECO is a leading dredger and pump manufacturer for the mining and dredging industries, as well as dam desilting. Their state of the art dredgers combine over sixty years of experience with the most advanced control and automation systems. The company’s deep-digging electrical dredgers are built to last and designed with process flow efficiency in mind.
With the headquarters in the Netherlands and offices and manufacturing facilities in Germany, France and the USA, ROHR-IDRECO serves a global clientele. Operating as a group, ROHR-IDRECO counts over 80 employees.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
ROHR-IDRECO: At ROHR-IDRECO, we want our to offer our customers a full solution. Therefore, we design our dredgers tailored to the customers’ situation and requirements. Manufacturing of our dredgers takes place at our German plant, while our own line of pumps is assembled at our workshop in the Netherlands. For the domestic market in the USA, we’re taking a local-for-local approach, building our machines in Houston as much as possible.
A sustainable solution does not end by a high-quality dredger. That is why advice on process optimization and a lifetime supply of parts and services are also part of our scope.
E.E: What’s the news for 2021 about new products?
ROHR-IDRECO: We recently launched our new ROHR-IDRECO workboat, proudly called the ‚iBoat’. The high-end workboat is developed in cooperation with Groeneveldt Marine Construction, a first-class workboat builder in the Netherlands. The 100% electric driven workboat complements our portfolio of fully electrically driven dredgers. Thanks to its electric drive, the iBoat is perfectly tailored to water protection areas and environmentally sensitive mining locations as well as urban centers.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
ROHR-IDRECO: The complete range of suction dredgers, clamshell dredgers and bucket ladder dredgers are represented in our portfolio. This is completed with additional equipment such as conveying belts, sand recovery systems and our previously mentioned iBoat.
For many years we have also our full iPump® line of high-end pumping and booster systems. The iPump® line allows us to branch into other industries such as the power and gas, mineral and mining, tunneling and special heavy construction industries.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
ROHR-IDRECO: Today, we are mainly active in mining and dredging industries, with a focus on the aggregate industry. Because after water, sand and gravel are the most traded commodities in the world, this can be seen as a steady market.
Within the market, the shift towards environment-friendly methods does not remain unnoticed. A development we were already prepared for since 1960, when we started building electrically-driven dredgers only.
However, with raising demands for renewable energy, we can also see the importance of hydrodam desilting climbing. This market has traditionally been an important niche market for us.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
ROHR-IDRECO: Within some mining areas, scarcity leads to the need for flexibility. Modular and easy to transport vessels – characteristics our vessels have as a standard – then allow mining companies to move to new areas and scale up or down.
Technical developments also anticipate the shortage of dredging staff. Highly efficiently operating installations are one step towards the solution. At ROHR-IDRECO, our vessels can be equipped with remote control and even automation software, eliminating the need for continuous physical presence onboard.
Moreover, the shift from diesel-driven to electrically driven vessels is becoming industry wide. The importance and advantages of emissions-free, low vibration and low sound pollution levels is becoming more recognized.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
ROHR-IDRECO: To us, continuous innovation is our way to move into the future. Right now, all our dredging vessels can be equipped with our own iDredge® automation software. Among the possibilities are performance visualization, data collection for automated analyses, remote control and even self-learning to find the perfect settings for highest efficiency. Real high-tech solutions!
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2021?
ROHR-IDRECO: We are optimistic about 2021: first of all, the year includes for us seven bucket ladder dredgers for different European customers. New orders have been confirmed, among which suction dredgers for the German and French markets and a land-based bucket ladder dredger with tractor chains for an Austrian customer.
Last month, we contracted a 12 cbm clamshell dredger for a European repeat customer. We believe this dredger, which will be used to desilt a hydrodam, will become the largest dredger built to date for this type of application.
Moreover, we recently announced that Dutch private equity fund Anders Invest has come onboard as minority shareholder. Their participation allows us to give our growth ambitions even further impetus.
