Heinrich Frings GmbH & Co. KG
FRINGS was founded in 1878 by the entrepreneur Heinrich Frings as a production facility for vinegar products in Aachen. However, the company quickly changed into a technology company supplying the entire industry with innovative production plants and consumables. FRINGS membrane systems of the CLEARFLOW series serve to separate particles from suspensions using cross flow filtration. This technology enables continuous operation of filtration with a minimum cleaning requirement. No filter aids are required, rendering cost-intensive disposal superfluous. Crossflow filtration systems enable economical filtration of liquid media containing solids in a manner that is optimised to the process in various industries. The company Heinrich Frings GmbH & Co. KG is a worldwide supplier of machines, equipments and components for the process technology in the sectors of the food, biotechnological and chemical industry as well as in the sector of the environmental technology.
Company details
Find locations served, office locations
- Business Type:
- Manufacturer
- Industry Type:
- Water Filtration and Separation
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
- Year Founded:
- 1878
About Us
We do not only supply you plants designed according to the single requirements of the corresponding technological application, but we also offer you too assistance and consulting service with our knowledge and know-how with regards to process optimizations and products developments.
Are you searching efficient solutions as well as a direct and quick communication with amitious and highly qualified experts? With more than 140 years of experience, quick decisions and the most modern technologies we are the perfect partner for you.
FRINGS is a modern medium-sized company in the machinery and plant engineering industry, whose history dates back to the year 1878. We supply innovative products and the related services to customers all over the world and in a wide range of sectors.
Every day, our machinery and plants contribute to the value-adding processes of hundreds of large and small companies. And if you need expert advice or services, our highly qualified employees are available at any time.
Our technologies are used in many research and development laboratories to create new products and processes or to carry out specific tasks in the quality assurance process. We ourselves continually invest in research and development and have access to the most up-to-date methods, which allows us to provide you with state-of-the-art plants and processes and to develop new technologies, going beyond what already exists.
Company History
FRINGS was founded in 1878 by the entrepreneur Heinrich Frings as a production facility for vinegar products in Aachen. However, the company quickly changed into a technology company supplying the entire industry with innovative production plants and consumables. In the following decades FRINGS developed to become an international operating machinery and plant production company for fermentation systems in various industries. The products and services enjoy an excellent reputation all over the world. Even today, more than 130 years after the formation of the company, FRINGS remains an owner-managed, independent company.
- 1878 Formation as a vinegar company in Aachen
- 1901 FRINGS develops and implements the first vinegar plant as a plant production company
- 1908 Supply of the first bacterial nutrients to customers
- 1925 Development of the first vinegar generator with immobilised bacteria
- 1935 Supply of the first automated vinegar production plant
- 1953 FRINGS patents the first submersed reactor for the acetic acid fermentation, the ACETATOR
- 1964 Development of gassing reactors for the application in chemical technology
- 1966 FRINGS develops the first online ethanol measurement with the ALKOGRAPH
- 1970 Market entry into the environmental biotechnology with the FRINGS submerged aerators
- 1973 Market launch of the FRIBORATOR ventilation units for the baker’s yeast industry
- 1978 Worldwide introduction of FRINGS’ cross-flow membrane filtration into the vinegar industry
- 1985 FRINGS builds the first SBR plant for waste water recovery in the USA
- 1987 The ALKOSENS membrane probe replaces the ALKOGRAPH technology in the vinegar industry
- 1988 Development of the 1HP and 2HP methods for acidities of up to 20% in the vinegar industry
- 1995 Production of the first complete FRINGS baker’s yeast plant
- 1996 FRINGS fermenters are used in bio-plastic production in Brazil
- 1997 Introduction of the energy-efficient FRIBORATOR TRG aerator with 450 kW
- 2001 Sterile PROREACT B fermenters for the yeast propagation acc. to Hygienic Design Driteria
- 2002 The series ACETATOR SC enables an even higher productivity for the vinegar fermentation
- 2003 FRINGS develops the fermenter series PROREACT P and G for the bio- and pharmatechnology
- 2005 FRINGS builds its largest bioethanol plant so far with a special yeast process
- 2006 Development of the fermenter control ACETOCONTROL S7 for the vinegar industry
- 2011 Redesign of the PROREACT fermenter series as a “seed train” for the white biotechnology
- 2012 FRINGS develops the fermenter of the type PROREACT ATEX for the use in Areas with an explosive atmosphere
- 2014 The equipment of the world largest vinegar plant (China) with FRINGS fermenters is finished
- 2016 Planning for a factory on a greenfield with offices, R&D, production and test plant
- 2017 Move from the old factory in Bonn to the new premises in Rheinbach (20 km from Bonn)
Research and Development
Originally founded as a production plant by Heinrich Frings, after whom the company is named, FRINGS quickly transformed into a technology and mechanical engineering enterprise under second-generation management. The son of the company's founder did not want to settle for the status quo and, remaining alert and having a sense for efficient processes, drove forward the progress of technology and plant developments. In this way, the name FRINGS soon became known beyond the sphere created by his father.
Today, 3 generations later, we still aspire to greater things when it comes to research and development. We stand out not just because of our machine and plant construction but also because of our understanding of processes. It is telling that in the field of research and development FRINGS does not only run tests but also has its own testing facility and fermentation laboratory where our qualified process specialists come up with solutions for your future requirements.
Our success is based on a combination of process engineering expertise and individual products. We seek to create added value that increases our customers’ success with a lasting effect, not only today, but also in the future.
Manufacturing and Assembly Workshops
In order to provide the highest level of quality and flexibility in the manufacture and assembly of our machinery and equipment we carry out all of the work in our own workshops. Our manufacturing workshop is equipped with all machines and processes which are required for the manufacturing of high quality stainless steel plants. This includes: cutting, sheet processing and frame construction, different other processing centres, lathes, boring machines, welding unit with automated welding robots and mobile welding machines, grinding and polishing places, cleaning and pickling plant, balancing centre and preassembling area.
All matters relating to the manufacturing and the assembly procedures are planned, realized and controlled by computer using the PPS system. Due to the written audit trail made for each individual piece, we generate clear documentation even for the more complex material combinations. This permits us to manufacture according to GMP standards.
Particularly in the fields of vinegar technology and environmental technology we employ a large number of corrosion resistant components and high quality plastic components.
For the final assembly of semi-finished plastic products we have our own dedicated workspace. Here we carry out the cutting, chipping and assembling procedures of the different components and pipe elements according to precise design requirements.