Heinrichs Messtechnik has a long history – since 1911, the company has focused on measurement technology made in Germany. Over the past 100+ years, the company has not only developed constantly with the market but has also often been ahead of the competition.

Utilizing Potentials and Opportunities

Flow meters, level indicators, pressure gauges, temperature gauges, density meters – with a wide portfolio, Heinrichs meets the requirements of various industries. Above all, the chemical industry, as well as petrochemicals, oil and gas industry, shipbuilders, and machinery and plant engineering rely on the expertise of the Cologne-based company. For the past two years, Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Wenzel has been managing the company, which has been part of the Kobold Group since 2008. Two years that were marked by special challenges.

"Following the coronavirus crisis, the war in Ukraine occurred," says Dr. Sebastian Wenzel. "Since our main customers are from the chemical industry, we felt the impact directly. During this time, we intensified collaboration with our foreign subsidiaries to increase the foreign share. To be more independent on the procurement side, we actively searched for new partners to remain capable of delivering at short notice. We were also able to set new accents in research and development to make ourselves more independent and less vulnerable."

Leading the Way with Coriolis

Heinrichs Messtechnik has made a name for itself internationally with high-quality products for challenging measuring tasks. A highlight of the offering is the Coriolis flow measurement. Since the mid-1980s, the company has been one of the first European manufacturers of a mass flow meter based on the Coriolis principle. To this day, the range of Coriolis devices has been expanded. Today, flow meters for hydrogen play a central role. Heinrichs presents the TMU-W Coriolis mass flow meter, a device that impresses with its outstanding accuracy for demanding measurement tasks at high pressures and in harsh environments.

"In the field of hydrogen technology, we see great potential for the future," says Sales Director Denis Villevald. "The technologies are constantly evolving; new challenges arise, for example, in the refueling of trucks or buses. It is a major issue that we are intensely addressing in order to provide viable solutions. We want to be in the market earlier than others."

Meter Manufacturer and Customer Understanding

Being a pioneer, anticipating developments has always been an important business goal and characteristic. That Heinrichs consistently achieves this is not least due to the structure. With 60 employees, the company can act quickly. "We are relatively small, have high flexibility, agility, and responsiveness," emphasizes Denis Villevald. For Managing Director Dr. Sebastian Wenzel, this is exactly where one of the company's strengths lies.

"Our high level of manufacturing depth allows us to respond flexibly to the market," he says. "This is an important unique selling point. We listen to customers, maintain personal relationships, and try to offer tailored solutions. As a niche provider, we focus on custom manufacturing that always presents us with new challenges. Since we don't produce mass goods, automation possibilities in our area are limited. Although we have invested in new production technologies in the past two years, our main strength remains flexibility, even if it limits automation."

Deliver on time, ahead of the market

In the future, electronic solutions will play a larger role at Heinrichs. There is customer demand. "In recent years, we have focused primarily on continuous development," says Dr. Sebastian Wenzel. "This applies to both the sensors and the electronics, meaning the transmitters. The goal is to deliver in a timely manner." There is a new design for tantalum sensors; the go-live is scheduled for this summer. For Denis Villevald, the development of a basic framework for the measuring devices forms the basis for a modular structure and thus greater flexibility.

"We are excited to see how the sensors will be received in the market," says Dr. Sebastian Wenzel. "We are seeing steady growth, especially in the special devices. There are promising market opportunities for the new electronics looking ahead. We have a very nice development pipeline here. Continuous improvement of processes within production and the company have made us significantly more efficient in the past; within two years we were able to handle 25% more. We will use our past experiences to continue to be pioneers in innovative measurement technology made in Germany."