How to reduce Emissions

Mr. Lu, you are Deputy Managing Director of Burgmann Packings China. How important is Fugitive Emission Management and environmental protection for you?

The world could witness the tremendous changes and economic growth in China in the last decades. With the huge progress on one hand, we’re on the other hand now experiencing the downsides of this development. Especially when it comes to air quality and pollution. Smog and resulting health problems are evident. People actually started more talking about the actual Air Quality Index than the weather report. At the same time the Chinese government understood the sensitiveness and urgency of the issue and started to take countermeasures now. Burgmann Packings develops and manufactures sealing technology products. We can actively contribute and support reducing harmful emissions of industrial plants being responsible for a significant share of the general air pollution. 

How does this work?

We manufacture gaskets and packings with long history and experience. For years we’re actively helping both, OEM’s and end-users in Europe and the US to reduce site emissions, increase plant efficiency and throughput. Here we’re focusing on high quality FEC (Fugitive Emission Control) products, which are simply tighter than standard products. When it comes to OEM’s like valve manufacturers our engineers are often involved in the design stage already. This offers us the opportunity to deliver specific solutions for the various customers specific needs. Through this very close cooperation with our clients we consequently can ensure a high level of fugitive emissions reduction.

You mentioned that the Chinese government will take measures to improve air quality. What do you expect to happen in the next year? 

In Europe and the US different concepts to reduce emissions have proven to be successful. In Europe, for example, the Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds (NMVOC) have been reduced from 1990 – 2003 by 50 %. This has strongly been supported by legislative frameworks and stricter environmental laws. Today, the approach in the US and Europe is still different and the testing standards like API 622 or ISO 15848 reflect the difference as well. For Chinese valve manufacturers this is both, complicated and costly when they export their products and have to show evidence to comply with one or the other regulation. Whether the Chinese standard will be closer to the US or European standard is still unclear. However, we expect the publication and implementation very soon. As we provide our gaskets and packings worldwide, including Europe and the US, we are well prepared to achieve the new regulations and standards executed by the Chinese Government.

Which implications do you expect for your business in the domestic market in China then?

As Burgmann Packings in China we are prepared to support our customers in this challenging transition period. We have localized the production of FEC products already some time ago and are therefore able to provide Low E technology locally with the same proven quality metrics like in Europe. At the same time, we will invest to strengthen our local R&D center to support our customers e.g. with low leakage testing. We are cooperating closely with our Group Technology and R&D team and are ready for the increased demand for FEC products and corresponding applications engineering support. Of course, the new development means a big challenge for us and the whole Chinese sealing industry. Through the continuous exchange of ideas, technology and knowledge with our facilities and colleagues in Ireland, Turkey and Germany we are very well set up and prepared. We look forward quite optimistic into the future. For our company we realize a kind of win-win situation as both our business as well as the environment and living quality for a great deal of people will benefit from these new regulations. And yes, it does feel good too playing an active part in this positive development and I look forward to achieving that goal with the entire Burgmann Packings team.