Growing into a large international conglomorate
1970s
During the seventies, FLSmidth reinforced its position as a technological leader. The company introduced new machines and processes that ensured high cement quality, low energy costs, reliability in operation and environmental compatibility.
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Electrostatic dust precipitator at
Sociedad Financiera, Spain. |
Control panel for Kiln at APCM, Rørdal. |
1980s
The worldwide economic recession that began in the early 1980s caused a slump in the cement machinery market. Tenders fell to less than half, competition among the machinery suppliers became fierce, and prices and profits plummeted.
Nevertheless, F.L.Smidth managed to retain its market share, in some areas even increase it. The organisation was streamlined and measures were taken to develop technologies and products and to enhance service and sales in the Company's main market: the cement industry.
Against this background, FLSmidth introduced the ATOX vertical mill. The mill combined the grinding, separation and drying processes into a single unit. To date, FLSmidth has sold more than 300 ATOX mills.
Ain-Touta, cement factory in Algeria.
1989
FLSmidth's cement business was widened at an early stage to include a number of related activities. The Group's involvement in such diverse lines of business as machinery manufacture, packaging production and insurance was prompted by a desire to ensure satisfactory quality and reliability of sub-suppliers and products.
Through acquisitions, non-core activities had gradually grown to two-thirds of Group sales. It was therefore decided to form a new parent company, FLS Industries A/S, to control the some 125 companies in the Group.
The Group was restructured in an attempt to keep a full view of all the activities. The activities was separated into seven sectors:
- Engineering
- Building Materials
- Steel
- Services
- Packaging
- Aerospace
- International investments
The seven sectors mirrored the strategy in place at the time of investing in areas where the Group had a strong position and selling off companies to buyers who had a better opportunity to further develop the activities.
1990
The FLS Group acquired Fuller Company and established the F.L.Smidth-Fuller Engineering Group.
After the acquisition, two separate minerals processing divisions were formed: Fuller MPD and FLSmidth MPD. The two divisions were merged into one single company, FFE Minerals, in 1997.
The same year, FLSmidth contracts to build the world's first 10,000 tpd kiln at Siam City Cement Company in Thailand.
1996-1999
In 1997, Valby Machinery Works was separated from F.L.Smidth & Co. to merge with MAAG Gear, now 80 per cent owned by the F.L.Smidth-Fuller Engineering Group.
Other new companies joined the Group, including Pfister, Möller Materials Handling, Vecor, Abon Engineering and Buffalo. The latter acquisitions particularly strengthen the minerals division of the Group.
In 1998, FLSmidth introduces the SF Cross-Bar cooler based on the concept of fixed grates, separates clinker conveying through cross-bars and air flow control through mechanical flow regulators.
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