Family tradition and innovation at Alpha Beton: Investing in modernization and automation

Alpha Beton: Rooted in tradition and engineering expertise

In the 1980s and 1990s, Udo Linden, visionary and grandson of the founder of H.P. Linden, recognized the shortcomings in the concrete products market, which prompted him to purchase the company premises, to construct the first factory buildings, and to launch production of precast floor slabs, initially with a large amount of manual labor. The company even developed its own machinery adapted to its specific production environment. Over time, Alpha Beton expanded its product portfolio to include double walls and developed the innovative Pamaflex system, which enables the construction of highly energy-efficient houses. The business has always focused on continuous improvement in this field. Alpha Beton benefits from its production sites in Belgium, particularly in the French-speaking part of the country, and Luxembourg, which is why the business is in a good position to successfully serve several markets. The flexibility to communicate both in German and French enables the company to supply customers in different regions.

Market situation and forecast: Challenges to the construction sector

The construction industry is currently facing major challenges. “Unfortunately, precast demand has plummeted in Belgium, too, last year. However, we are hoping for a rapid recovery,” say Michael Huppertz and Eric Scheuren, members of the Alpha Beton management team, pointing out that Germany and Luxembourg were also currently taking a wait-and-see approach. However, according to them, the trend points to a speedy market recovery after the current crisis.

Labor shortage and installation of machinery

To be prepared for the future, the long-established company has invested in modernizing its production lines. The Progress Group machines were purchased to streamline staffing needs and increase profitability. The shortage of skilled labor was a major driver for resorting to automation. Equipment such as the shuttering robot and the mesh welding machine helps compensate the labor shortage and increase the precision and quality standard of the production process while avoiding the generation of waste.

Investing in the future: Making progress with Progress

Given the current challenges, Alpha Beton focuses on innovating and investing in automation using tried-and-tested equipment and machinery. In the past, Alpha Beton had also built its own machines, but for plants of this size, the Belgians rely on an experienced engineering supplier. Its technology has been in use for a long time already, and a large number of plants have been operating smoothly on the market for many years. Cooperation with Progress Group not only included high-performance machines, but also a top-class customer service, which was one of the key factors favoring the investment. “Customer service is very easy to reach, and you always find the right contact,” says Eric Scheuren, who oversees the technical, machinery, and product development function at Alpha Beton. He adds: “The people there are intimately familiar with the machines.”

State-of-the-art equipment and machinery

The Form Master shuttering and deshuttering robot performs all steps of the shuttering process fully automatically, which ensures superior precision and full adherence to the scheduled production cycle without having to use disposable fillers. The M-System BlueMesh mesh welding machine allows for the flexible fabrication of the required mesh, just in time from the coil. In addition, the low power consumption thanks to the Progress inverter welding unit ensures efficiency and cost effectiveness, as does the zero-waste approach to production eliminating the need for time-consuming cutting of the reinforcing mesh.

Trust, service, and cooperation

Alpha Beton relies on Progress because the manufacturer not only offers innovative machines; it also impresses with its trust, top-class service, and close personal relations. The Belgian group of companies purchased its first Progress system 20 years ago, and this straightening and cutting machine continues to be in service to the present day. Progress’ expertise as a one-stop-shop supplier and the German native language were essential for establishing the relationship. Alpha Beton further increased their efficiency by developing a proprietary circulation control system including Progress machine communication and utilizing the software expertise at Progress.

Michael Huppertz, who oversees sales, pricing and IT, comments: “Progress Group is intimately familiar with how the individual machines interact and offers the complete range as a full-service provider. They are geared towards all relevant types of machines, rather than specializing in just one of them.” He adds: “Progress operates its own precast plant, which instilled confidence in us right from the outset. Their expertise is also growing constantly thanks to the substantial number of machines in service. This is why the learning curve is steep, always ensuring continuous improvement.”

Automation and successful projects

Investing in modernization helps Alpha Beton stay competitive even in challenging times. Progress’ expertise and support proved to be crucial to business success. In times of change, Alpha Beton remains true to its tradition and continues to rely on cutting-edge technologies to meet market demand.