Traditional, yet dynamic. These qualities are typical for long-term successful industries, like the Turkish factories for tableware, container- and flat-glass. Turkey is amongst the nations with the highest population of Pneumofore machines, mostly applied in hollow glass production. Old vacuum pumps still running at full load and performance today, represent a solid reference base.
The first Pneumofore machines in Turkey date back to 2002. Now, 20 years later, fresh wind blows in the local glass industry, with numerous new glassworks being planned, both domestically and abroad. At the turn of the century, Sisecam, historically the largest Glass Factory in Turkey, was expanding in Russia. The enduring efficiency of the UV pumps had been thoroughly tested in the hot Turkish climate and Pneumofore was also selected to supply vacuum pumps to the Ruscam Factories in Russia, 4 sites in total. The air-cooled, rotary vane vacuum pumps further affirmed their position under the harsh Russian climatic conditions. Throughout the years, additional large size vacuum pumps were installed in Turkey, mostly to replace liquid ring vacuum pumps. The electrical power requirements of the UV pump is half the one of the liquid ring pump, using 25° cooling water temperature. As has repeatedly been the case, the payback time for investment in Pneumofore UV pumps was impressively short. Over the years the older UV pumps have sustained the same formidable performance. This, coupled with the minimal maintenance requirements, has significantly reduced interruptions to production.
The dynamic Turkish market was swift in adapting to changing circumstances, as Ciner Group incorporated Park Cam in 2011. More vacuum pumps were supplied up until 2015, when the last UV50 was commissioned. A total of eight UV50 vacuum pumps are running today with a combined capacity of 24.000 m3 /h at the Park Cam factory in Bozuyuk. A new wave of foreign investments has started for the main players in Turkish hollow glass production with plans of glassworks in Belgium, Hungary and in UK. Over the last 20 years, Pneumofore has established how reliable the UV rotary vane vacuum pumps are, how much they cost in running and in service. Other pumps by other vacuum pumps manufacturers were tested, especially because of their low purchasing cost, some based on alternative rotary technology, but they were no match, as their Total Cost after only a few years operation is several times higher than the UV pumps of Pneumofore.
