Annual Report 2006 - Munters

“The increasingly stringent environmentalrequirements in China mean that the fastgrowingcoal-based power industry needsefficient solutions for reducing harmfulemissions. Munters is the global marketleader in this technology, and customers areprimarily systems integrators for coal-firedpower plants.”used in the cleaning of emissions. Within the power industry,increasing prices for natural gas and oil will probably result ina long-term increase in demand for coal-fired power plants.The increasingly stringent environmental requirements inChina mean that the fast-growing coal-based power industryneeds efficient solutions for reducing harmful emissions. Alsoin the US, more stringent environmental demands and thedesire to reduce dependency on oil imports are contributingto increased demand. Munters is the global market leader inthis technology, and customers are primarily systems integratorsfor coal-fired power plants. Process industries are anotherimportant segment. Competitors include Koch and Peerless.The HVAC business area consists primarily of componentmanufacturing for the manufacture of evaporative coolingsystems for homes and commercial and industrial premises inwarm and dry climates, such as Australia and the southeasternUS. Munters is also the market leader in this segment,while competitors are mostly smaller, local manufacturers.The largest customer in 2006 was Adobe Air in the US.GTEC manufactures air-intake cooling systems for gas turbines.Air cooling results in higher efficiency in the turbine,producing more energy per cubic meter of natural gas.Demand for Munters’ cooling systems is expected to increasein pace with rising energy prices and increased utilization ofgas as an energy source. End customers are primarily suppliersof gas turbines, such as General Electric and Siemens. Competitorsinclude Mee Industries in the US.Developments during the yearAvian flu continued to have an impact on the global poultryindustry in 2006, although with diminished effect. For theAgHort business area, this had both positive and negativeimplications. Demand for chicken meat declined in certaincountries, primarily in southern Europe, with reducedinvestment as a result. At the same time, import restrictionswere introduced in many countries, leading to increaseddemand for locally produced chicken meat. That, combinedwith greater awareness of the need for closed poultry housesCUSTOMER CASEMunters protects shipping against humidityWhile it might sound strange, one of the worst enemies oflarge ships is humidity. A hull that is continuously exposedto seawater, salt and rain, slowly but surely corrodes ifnothing is done. If water and salt are allowed to spread viathe vents into the ship interior, there is a risk that engines,navigation instruments and other vital components can bedamaged. Even the health of crew and passengers can bejeopardized by mold and bacteria.By equipping ships with Munters’ mist eliminationsystems, such problems can be reduced considerably.When German shipyard Volkswerft Stralsund GmbH built aPANMAX class container ship for the AP Moeller shippingline, a Munters mist elimination system was installed, withvery good results. Unlike previously constructed ships, theventilation system in the newly-built vessel kept the ship dry,even after operating in very harsh weather conditions.M U N T E R S A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 6 27