Mining’s old guard needs strong medicine
A new report details subpar investor returns in the mining industry over the last decade, particularly big cap diversified companies which have not adapted to new realities.
FLSmidth has today signed an agreement to acquire the privately owned company Decanter Machine, Inc., a United States based manufacturer and supplier of centrifugal technology to the global minerals industries. The transaction is subject to rezoning of a portion of real estate which is expected to occur in September. The parties have agreed not to disclose the value of the transaction.
Decanter is recognised as the global leader in the manufacture of screen bowl, solid bowl and hyperbaric centrifuges for minerals applications. The company has over 550 centrifuges installed across eleven countries.
Decanter’s product and service range further includes rotor unit repairs, spare parts, field service and preventative maintenance. The company is primarily active within the coal industry and in the processing of fertilizer mineral potash.
With the acquisition of Decanter, FLSmidth complements the coarse particle centrifuge technology recently acquired with the Australian company Ludowici. With these two acquisitions, FLSmidth will have the complete range of centrifuge technology used for coal preparation, as well as in other FLSmidth priority industries, like fertilizer. Decanter’s extensive experience and strong knowhow in the area of repair services, rotor unit rebuilding, field service and preventative maintenance will also enable FLSmidth to further strengthen this service offering within its minerals customer base.
“This is an important step in our strategic efforts to grow within our six focus industries; coal, iron ore, fertilizer minerals, copper, gold and cement. Combined, the acquisitions of the Australian company Ludowici in July and now Decanter, have strengthened our minerals offerings, making a perfect basis for us to become our customers’ preferred full service provider within both fertilizer minerals and the coal industry,” Group CEO Jørgen Huno Rasmussen says.
Decanter Machine, Inc. was founded in 1983 (then called Decanter Services, Inc.) and has developed into a global leader in centrifugal technology. The company is headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee, USA, with other offices in South Carolina, USA and New South Wales, Australia. Today, the company has approximately 150 employees in total. In 2011 Decanter Machine, Inc. delivered a turnover of approximately USD 50m.
