How Cimbria is continuing to expand into new markets
The customer-focused company Cimbria has grown into one of the world’s leading organizations in design, development, manufacturing, installation and service of custom-built solutions for agriculture and industrial processing. Thomas Mohr, Director of Sales, outlines the strategy behind this growth phase as the business looks to expand its offerings in South America and the Middle East. By focusing on efficiency, and innovative and quality solutions, Cimbria has been able to expand into new sectors such as recycling processing. The company’s holistic approach has enabled it to forge long term relationships with clients providing not only the design, installation, training, maintenance and servicing of equipment but also helping clients to optimize project efficiency as available technology and materials evolve.
This approach also means the company has a significant green fingerprint. Cimbria constantly strives to minimize waste, finding more sustainable materials and solutions, and passing on many of the benefits to its customers. Thomas expands on this: “We are contributing to a more sustainable future, not only internally by reducing manufacturing waste and looking at more sustainable sources of electricity but also looking to suppliers to provide the most sustainable parts and materials. We are also helping clients transform their operations with more sustainable practices. In the agriculture sector, for example, there is a lot of spoilage because crops are not handled, processed or stored in the correct way.” Cimbria’s solutions can mitigate these issues, revolutionizing the capabilities of crop processing and storage facilities.
Food security is of paramount importance already in parts of the world experiencing the most drastic effects of climate change. In Egypt, Cimbria is delivering solutions that help to address these issues. Funded by USAID, the project will see 23 grain storage plants built. This is considered to be the largest order for grain silos in the world, worth over $100 million. So, as the firm optimizes its own sustainability practices it is also providing equipment to support a greener future.
Projects like this require the kind of bespoke solutions for which Cimbria has become known. Making products that can withstand unique environmental challenges is a point of pride. Thomas emphasizes that by tailoring aspects of manufacturing processes, Cimbria helps its customers to mitigate the challenges they face. For example, “in port facilities, corrosion protection for equipment is essential to withstand the saline environment. Equally, in the Middle East, storage silos require double roofing to combat the intensity of the heat.”
Leveraging this customer focused approach, the firm is seeking to use the success of its projects in Egypt to launch into the wider North African and Middle Eastern markets. Long-term partnerships in the region will help secure the continued growth the company is targeting.
Staying ahead of industry trends and developments is a key component of setting customers up for their future, as well as standing out from the competition. “Through constant research and development, careful analysis of market dynamics, and participation in industry forums and collaborations, we’re able to stay ahead of the curve. Many port facilities are expanding. As such, we’re experiencing a pull from the market to go into higher capacity material handling equipment.” Staying on top of developments like this empowers Cimbria to find innovative solutions to emerging demands. “It is this proactive approach that has allowed us to anticipate and adapt to these changing and emerging needs,” Thomas adds. 
It is also central to overcoming the challenges that the industry presents. Finding skilled labor in some areas of the industry can be very difficult, and so to combat this issue the company is investing in artificial intelligence (AI) implementation. “By utilizing AI in grain, seed, food, and recycling sorting processes, we enable our customers to much better optimize the sorting recipe,” Thomas shares.
As well as integrating more automation, making processes more connected has been an important facet of staying ahead of industry trends. Thomas sheds light on how this relates to the company’s ambitions. “Enhancing digital offerings and capabilities to offer smarter and more integrated solutions to our clients is part of what our growth plan is built on.”
From strong foundations and a storied 75-year history, Cimbria is finding increased global demand for its industry leading offerings. Through an innovative approach prioritizing adaptability, research and development, and detailed market analysis the company can rise to meet emerging demands and challenges presented by the market. Its wrap around service from design all the way through to aftermarket optimizations and adaptations has kept clients returning.
This is integral to Cimbria’s ambitious plans for the future. Thomas elaborates: “Continuing to expand our product portfolio, and venture into new markets, as well as strengthening our existing customer relationships is key to our development strategy. We are also looking to focus on driving innovation and sustainability into our processing equipment production.” This targeted approach is already showing remarkable success as the company expands its global footprint and breaks into new markets. The future for Cimbria then, is full of opportunities, and it has placed itself in a position to fully seize them.