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Cover Story
Vahterus : Pioneering solutions for
Vahterus has been an established name within the heat exchanger industry since its foundation in 1990 . With a focus on custom-made plate and shell heat exchangers , Vahterus has earned a global reputation for its progressive technology and sustainable solutions . Its creation of a new-generation heat exchanger design is suitable for a wide range of applications and has earned international recognition for its services .
Plate pack removal / insertion from / to the shell construction
By Sara Mathov , Heat Exchanger World
Heat Exchanger World Americas had the pleasure of speaking with Dr . Jonathan Pascoe , President of the American region of Vahterus , about the company ’ s roots as a family business , and the three factors that have led to its success : innovation , bespoke solutions , and sustainability .
Family business After more than three decades of experience in the design and construction of heat exchangers , Vahterus has gained the necessary know-how and expertise to produce viable solutions for many customer needs . Headquartered out of a village in the VakkaSuomi region of Western Finland , the company prides itself on being family owned and operated . With founders Mauri and Sinikka Kontu still at the helm , as CEO and CFO respectively , Vahterus has remained true to its roots ; namely , it puts the needs of its customers first and dedicates its time to developing quality heat exchangers .
In the late 1980s , Vahterus began to develop a completely new type of heat exchanger . This effort was based on the work experience that Mr . Kontu had gained from the design and manufacture of gasketed plate heat exchangers . The intention was to see if it was possible to integrate and combine the shell & tube heat exchanger ’ s tolerance of pressure and temperature with the superior heat transfer qualities of a plate & frame heat exchanger . This development work resulted in the first fully welded plate & shell heat exchanger . “ Despite a destructive fire in its first few years of operation , the resilience and innovative nature of the company has been evident since the early years , resulting in its significant growth in both the size of its operation and its level of turnover ,” said Pascoe . “ Its evolution has been exponential .”
People first Today , Vahterus has over 400 employees dedicated to servicing the oil & gas , chemical , energy , and
8 Heat Exchanger World May 2023 www . heat-exchanger-world . com