Social responsibility

NORRES Schlauchtechnik has a long history of responsible behaviour towards the society we live in. We frequently participate in activities that benefit charitable organisations. We are extremely keen to support projects that help the socially disadvantaged, especially when they involve children. We also make an active contribution towards environmental protection.

NORRES Schlauchtechnik makes regular donations to “Noah's Ark”, a charity that describes itself as “a children’s hospice in the region and for the region”. The Ark’s concept, which is the only one of its kind anywhere in Germany, defines two main functions: to offer a haven for incurably ill children and to act as a short-term care centre for youngsters with severe disabilities. The aim is to assist the families concerned by providing professional care and respite for children and teenagers in the Noah's Ark centre. NORRES traditionally makes a donation to this deserving cause at Christmas.

At NORRES, all people are equal. All our staff benefit from the same opportunities. Their ethnic origin, religion, social background, age, sex or disabilities are considered to be irrelevant. NORRES maintains close links with a centre for handicapped people. Disabled staff carry out their work directly on the NORRES site and are therefore fully integrated in the life of the company.

The sustainable use of natural resources is firmly entrenched in NORRRES Schlauchtechnik's daily work processes. The move to our new “Am Stadthafen” facility coincided with extensive investments in eco-friendly production and HVAC technologies. Efficient insulation, double glazing, centrally controlled air conditioning with water chillers and production utilising heat recovery mean optimal protection for the environment. Since taking possession of the new and completely refurbished plant at the port of Gelsenkirchen in 2009, NORRES has succeeded in reducing the consumption of water, electricity and heating fuel dramatically – despite an almost fourfold increase in floor space.

Read the latest news about our social commitment and responsibility!

PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR® Polyurethan membrane tube diffuser made from polyurethane: increased safety, lower operating costs

NORRES Schlauchtechnik manufactures innovative membrane tube diffusers from polyurethane

NORRES, the Gelsenkirchen based hose manufacturer, recently unveiled an innovative Pre-PUR® membrane tube diffuser made from premium polyurethane. All the other tube diffusers currently available in the market often have a shorter lifetime and are much more sensitive to dynamic loads owing to their inferior raw materials. In many cases, their mechanical properties deteriorate during the course of their service life, leading to premature damage such as cracks in the diffuser membrane. Some of these diffusers additionally suffer from a significant increase in pressure loss as they grow older because the softener leaches out. With the new PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR® made from premium polyurethane this is no longer possible: it is absolutely free of softeners and impresses with its extreme flexibility and mechanical strength under dynamic loads.

The innovative PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR® membrane tube diffuser made from premium polyurethane was recently added to the portfolio of the NORRES Schlauchtechnik Environmental Solutions Business Unit. It is used for intermittent, fine-bubble, compressed air aeration (nitrification / denitrification) as well as continuous aeration. The membrane material exhibits very good resistance to municipal wastewater according to the latest version of the DWA-M 115 Advisory Leaflet. Thanks to the Pre-PUR® premium polyurethane, the new membrane tube diffuser is characterised by high tensile strength and tear resistance, and is also remarkably durable and robust. Its extreme flexibility and mechanical strength under dynamic loads mean increased reliability, an extended service life and hence lower operating costs. Other tube diffusers currently available in the market tend to form a kink edge in intermittent operation; the resulting permanent kinking can be a primary cause of damage in the long term. If damage of this kind occurs, sludge can get into the system; significantly more air escapes from a defective or ruptured diffuser than from an intact one. There is a rapid decrease in oxygenation, leading to reduced oxygen transfer efficiency and impacting the diffuser's reliability. Previous attempts to improve the poor resistance to permanent kinking of the materials traditionally employed using asymmetric supporting bodies have proved not only sub-optimal but also expensive.

The new NORRES PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR® membrane tube diffuser resist permanent kinking better than ever before. In a De Mattia test, based on DIN ISO 132, PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR® membrane tube diffuser achieved up to four times better resistance to permanent kinking than other materials. The tube diffuser membrane of the innovative PRO₂AIR is absolutely free of softeners and therefore permanently elastic: there is no hardening or embrittlement of the membrane. What's more, the new PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR® made from premium polyurethane has optimised slit perforation. The membrane tube diffuser is perforated using a specially developed technique that assures optimal quality consistency. All tools and materials utilised were explicitly developed for, and tailored to, the PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR®. This guarantees a uniform bubble pattern and optimal oxygenation efficiency across the complete specific air flow range. It goes without saying that the new PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR® is permanently resistant to microbial attack and hydrolysis, and the minimal maintenance requirement is a further point in its favour. Last but not least, a high pressure loss and low oxygen transfer efficiency result in high energy consumption. Many popular systems offer either a low pressure loss or a high oxygen transfer rate, but not both. The PRO₂AIR Pre-PUR® membrane tube diffuser successfully combines low pressure loss with a very high oxygen transfer rate and transfer efficiency – yet another feature that helps keep energy requirements and operating costs to a minimum.

NORRES, one of the leading manufacturers of industrial hoses and hose systems, can look back on a history of more than 120 years. Thanks particularly to its own R&D and Engineering departments, the hose producer – which has served the plastics industry almost from the outset – is in a position to respond flexibly and spontaneously to customer needs. This first-class support has been the source of many exciting innovations in the past.