The “just start building and we can always extend later” approach to switchgear manufacturing is now regarded as outdated. The current trend is towards growing standardisation, and free-standing enclosure systems are planned in detail from the outset – with clear benefits.
Somewhat unexpectedly, it isn’t just bayed enclosures that you find in Ripploh’s large, light-filled production building in the German town of Ostbevern. There is also a significant proportion of free-standing enclosure systems that are used as stand-alone solutions. “A total of 20 per cent of our enclosures are now free-standing systems,” reveals Andreas Ripploh. “One of our mechanical engineering customers orders 150 free-standing enclosure systems from us every year,” he adds. It’s far from the only such customer. Manufacturers of refrigeration and waste compaction systems are amongst the other companies placing similar orders. They all use free-standing enclosure systems for their specific applications. “These customers know exactly what they need – and it’s the only thing they’ll accept,” says the Managing Director of Ripploh Elektrotechnik & Engineering.