TAKRAF

Takraf GmbH, commonly presented as TAKRAF Group, is a German industrial engineering and equipment company serving the mining and related heavy-industry sectors. Headquartered in Leipzig, it designs, engineers, manufactures and services large-scale systems used across the movement and treatment of bulk materials. Its scope extends from the removal of overburden and extraction of run-of-mine material through crushing, sizing, conveying, loading, unloading, processing, homogenizing, blending and storage, ultimately connecting mine output with downstream plants, ports and shipment facilities. The group operates through the TAKRAF and DELKOR brands. TAKRAF is particularly associated with open-pit mining machinery, in-pit crushing and conveying systems, high-capacity overland conveyors, conveyor bridges, spreaders, stackers, reclaimers, crushers, sizers and specialist maintenance equipment. DELKOR adds mineral-processing technologies, especially liquid-solid separation, flotation and wet-processing equipment. This combination gives the company a broader offering than a single-machine supplier: it can participate in integrated material-handling and processing projects as well as provide individual machines, components, upgrades, spare parts and maintenance services. Although the formal foundation of the modern TAKRAF organization is generally dated to 1948, its industrial lineage reaches back to the Lauchhammer works, established in 1725 in what was then Prussia. The company’s historical development is closely tied to German mechanical engineering and lignite mining. Early achievements included the production of overburden and lignite-mining equipment, overburden conveyor bridges and bucket-wheel excavators. The post-war organization, initially known as ABUS, built a substantial record in large-scale surface-mining equipment before adopting the TAKRAF name. TAKRAF is derived from the German expression for surface-mining equipment, cranes and conveying systems. The company’s project portfolio includes exceptionally large and technically complex installations. Its equipment has been used in long-distance conveyor routes, open-pit mines, copper and iron-ore operations, alumina and bauxite projects, coal and lignite applications, mineral-processing plants and bulk-material terminals. The group has supplied conveyor technology described in reference material as the world’s most powerful conveying system and has developed gearless conveyor drives for demanding high-capacity applications. Its engineering approach emphasizes system integration, maintainability, operational safety and adaptation to difficult terrain or mine geometry. TAKRAF became part of the international Techint Group in 2007 and operated within Tenova under the Tenova TAKRAF identity for a period. A 2020 rebranding returned the principal public-facing identity to TAKRAF Group. The business has continued to expand its processing and service capabilities through DELKOR, product development and international project execution. Product and Service Centers in Lauchhammer, Germany, and Bengaluru, India, support engineering, fabrication, testing, spare and wear parts, mineral-processing equipment and research activities. The group remains an active international supplier, with projects and representations spanning major mining regions.

TAKRAF’s formal corporate history is commonly traced to 1948, but the industrial traditions behind the company extend to the Lauchhammer works, founded in 1725 in the Prussian territories. Lauchhammer began as a works associated with construction equipment and iron production. In 1809 it developed activities as a mechanical-engineering enterprise, and during the nineteenth century it became involved in major industrial fabrication. In 1874, the works began high-rise and iron-bridge construction at Oberhammer and also entered the manufacture of equipment for overburden removal and lignite mining. The company’s twentieth-century history was shaped by the mechanization and increasing scale of open-pit mining. Lauchhammer supplied its first overburden conveyor bridge in 1924 and produced its first three bucket-wheel excavators in 1926. These technologies became central to the later TAKRAF portfolio because they enabled continuous removal, excavation and transport in large lignite and other surface mines. After the Second World War, the organization that became TAKRAF was established in 1948 under the name ABUS. It subsequently supplied increasingly large machines and systems for surface mining. In 1973 it delivered a 60-metre movable overburden conveyor bridge for the Welzow-Süd lignite mine. Four other bridges of comparable type were supplied before 1991, when the largest bridge complex of its kind was commissioned at the Klettwitz-Nord open-cast mine. The F60 bridge is now preserved as the F60 visitor mine at Lichterfeld and is presented as an important surviving example of this engineering tradition. The company reached additional equipment milestones during the late twentieth century. In 1990 it supplied its 500th bucket-wheel excavator. In 1994 it developed large-scale equipment for heap-leach applications in copper processing. In 1998 it produced customized gearboxes for bucket-wheel excavator drives, followed in 2000 by the supply of what was then the longest conveyor system of its type. In 2006 it developed mobile conveyor bridges for stacking and reclaiming applications and changed its legal name to TAKRAF GmbH. The name TAKRAF is an abbreviation derived from the German description of surface-mining equipment, cranes and conveying installations. In 2007, TAKRAF was acquired by the international Techint Group and operated through Tenova under the Tenova TAKRAF brand. During this period the business continued to develop large mining systems while broadening its engineering portfolio. From 2010 onward, it introduced or advanced mobile crushing plants, double-roll crushers for oil-sands applications and sizer technology, including the X-TREME range for hard-rock processing. The 2014 integration of DELKOR added mineral-processing capability, particularly in liquid-solid separation and wet processing. The following decade emphasized higher-capacity conveying, comminution and processing technologies. A major 2015 conveyor contract included gearless drive conveyor technology. High-pressure grinding-roll technology was developed for selected comminution requirements in 2017. In 2020, the MAXGen mechanism was incorporated into the DELKOR BQR flotation cell. The group also promoted dry-stack tailings technology and supplied an early system of this type to Brazil. A 2020 rebranding established TAKRAF Group as the principal identity. International product and service infrastructure includes the Lauchhammer Center in Germany and the Bengaluru Center in India. Lauchhammer supports fabrication, testing, comminution products, high-value mechanical components, spare and wear parts and mineral testing. Bengaluru focuses on DELKOR liquid-solid separation and other mineral-processing equipment. The company has continued to develop maintenance technologies, including a specialized cart for conveyor-idler replacement and an Automatic Belt Training System for tube conveyors. Recent milestones include the first TAKRAF Sizers ordered for India in 2022 and a major 2023 contract for an integrated in-pit crushing, conveying and material-handling system at Guinea’s Simandou iron-ore complex. TAKRAF therefore remains an active international engineering group whose identity combines historical German surface-mining expertise with modern mineral processing, conveyor automation, maintenance and integrated mine-material-flow systems.

• 2023

  Simandou IPCC project awarded

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  TAKRAF received a major order for an integrated in-pit crushing, conveying and material-handling system for the Simandou iron-ore complex in Guinea.

• 2022

  First TAKRAF Sizers ordered for India

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  A major steel producer ordered the first TAKRAF Sizers supplied into the Indian market.

• 2020

  TAKRAF Group rebranding

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The organization rebranded itself as TAKRAF Group and advanced DELKOR’s MAXGen flotation technology.

• 2015

  Major gearless-drive conveyor project awarded

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  A contract for a high-power conveyor system introduced gearless drive conveyor technology and other innovations.

• 2014

  DELKOR integrated

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  DELKOR’s mineral-processing capabilities were integrated into the group’s portfolio.

• 2007

  Acquired by the Techint Group

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  TAKRAF was acquired by the international Techint Group and operated within Tenova as Tenova TAKRAF.

• 2006

  Company renamed TAKRAF GmbH

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The legal entity adopted the TAKRAF GmbH name and developed mobile conveyor bridges for stacking and reclaiming.

• 1991

  Klettwitz-Nord F60 bridge complex commissioned

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The world’s largest bridge complex referenced in the company history was commissioned at the Klettwitz-Nord open-cast mine.

• 1990

  500th bucket-wheel excavator supplied

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The company reached the milestone of supplying its 500th bucket-wheel excavator.

• 1973

  60-metre movable conveyor bridge delivered

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  A 60-metre movable overburden conveyor bridge was supplied to the Welzow-Süd lignite mine.

• 1948

  Modern TAKRAF organization founded as ABUS

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The modern corporate organization was established under the name ABUS, the foundation date generally used for TAKRAF Group.

• 1926

  First bucket-wheel excavators fabricated

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The works fabricated its first three bucket-wheel excavators.

• 1924

  First overburden conveyor bridge supplied

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  Lauchhammer supplied its first overburden conveyor bridge, an important step in continuous surface-mining systems.

• 1874

  Bridge and mining-equipment production expands

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The works began high-rise and iron-bridge construction and started fabricating equipment for overburden and lignite mining.

• 1809

  Mechanical-engineering activities begin

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  Lauchhammer commenced activities as a mechanical-engineering company, forming an early foundation for its later mining-equipment capabilities.

• 1725

  Lauchhammer works established

  [1]Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The industrial lineage later associated with TAKRAF began with the establishment of the Lauchhammer works for construction equipment and iron production.

Engineering-led supplier of integrated mining, mineral-processing and bulk-material-handling systems for large and technically demanding operations.

• Surface-mining equipment

  Bucket-wheel excavators

  TAKRAF’s historical surface-mining portfolio includes large continuous bucket-wheel excavators used to remove overburden or excavate lignite and other soft-to-medium materials. Referenced machine families include the SRs 8000, SRs 2000 and compact SRs(H) 1050.23/2.0, as well as earlier ERs and ERs(K) models. These machines are normally integrated with conveyors, spreaders or other continuous mine-haulage equipment rather than operated as isolated products.

• Surface-mining equipment · 1924

  Overburden conveyor bridges

  Overburden conveyor bridges transport excavated waste across open-pit mines and help create continuous material-flow systems. TAKRAF’s lineage includes the first Lauchhammer bridge supplied in 1924, later movable bridges and the F60 bridge complex associated with the Klettwitz-Nord mine. The technology is designed for very large mining geometries and can be combined with excavators, conveyors and spreaders.

• Integrated mining systems

  In-pit crushing and conveying systems

  TAKRAF’s IPCC systems combine in-pit crushing stations with conveyors and downstream spreaders or stackers. The approach can reduce reliance on truck haulage by moving mined material continuously from the pit toward processing or stockpiling. System designs may incorporate TAKRAF Sizers, roll crushers, high-capacity conveyors and equipment features intended to simplify inspection and maintenance.

• Bulk-material handling

  Conveyor systems

  The group engineers overland, downhill, tube and other high-capacity conveyor systems for mines, mineral plants and bulk terminals. Projects can involve long single flights, multiple drives, compound horizontal and vertical curves, hydraulic braking, take-up systems and elevated structures. TAKRAF has also supplied gearless-drive conveyor technology for exceptionally high-power applications.

• Comminution equipment

  TAKRAF Sizer and roll-crusher technologies

  TAKRAF develops sizing and crushing equipment for primary and downstream material reduction. Its portfolio includes double-roll crushers and the X-TREME class of sizers for hard-rock processing, with applications in IPCC systems, mineral processing and other demanding bulk-material operations.

• Mineral-processing equipment · 2020

  DELKOR BQR flotation cell with MAXGen

  The DELKOR BQR flotation cell is used in roughing, scavenging, cleaning and re-cleaning duties across commodities such as copper, zinc, platinum-group metals, phosphate, graphite, slag and effluents. The MAXGen mechanism was developed to improve metallurgical performance while supporting maintainability and lower ownership costs. Reported applications include limestone, fluorspar, iron ore, gold and nickel projects.

• Mining maintenance equipment · 2021

  Maintenance cart

  TAKRAF’s maintenance cart is designed to assist safe replacement of worn conveyor idlers, including on steep slopes, tunnels and elevated structures. A belt-lifting device separates the belt from the idler so maintenance personnel can work on both carrying and return strands. The equipment is intended to reduce access difficulty and shorten intervention time on long overland conveyors.

• Conveyor control and safety equipment

  Automatic Belt Training System

  The patented Automatic Belt Training System, or ABTS, is designed for tube and pipe conveyors. Ultrasonic sensors identify the belt-overlap position at the discharge area; when the overlap moves outside its permitted range, servomotors adjust the relevant idlers to restore alignment. The system addresses belt twisting and discharge-overlap control across compatible installations.

• Tailings-management equipment · 2020

  Dry Stack Tailings systems

  TAKRAF supplies dry-stack tailings solutions intended to support dewatering and safer, more environmentally controlled disposal of mineral-processing residues. The offering is connected to the group’s DELKOR separation capabilities and has included a referenced first system supplied to Brazil.

• 2023

  Deliver integrated IPCC system for SimandouProduct launch

  Background

  The Simandou iron-ore complex required a large integrated system for crushing, conveying and handling material from the mine.

  Action taken

  TAKRAF was awarded a contract covering the design, fabrication and delivery of an advanced IPCC and material-handling system.

  Aftermath

  The award was described in reference material as one of the largest single orders in the group’s history and strengthened TAKRAF’s position in large integrated mining projects.

  Source

• 2020

  Rebrand as TAKRAF GroupStrategy

  Background

  After operating for a period under the Tenova TAKRAF identity, the company sought a clearer group-level market identity around its established TAKRAF name.

  Action taken

  The organization adopted TAKRAF Group as its principal public-facing identity.

  Aftermath

  TAKRAF continued to present TAKRAF and DELKOR as complementary brands within an international mining and mineral-processing group.

  Source

• 2014

  Integrate DELKOR mineral-processing capabilitiesM&A

  Background

  TAKRAF’s established strength in mining and bulk-material handling was complemented by DELKOR’s expertise in mineral processing and liquid-solid separation.

  Action taken

  DELKOR was integrated into the group’s product and technology portfolio.

  Aftermath

  The group could offer a wider range of equipment and systems for processing minerals, including wet-processing and separation applications.

  Source

• 2007

  Join the Techint and Tenova groupM&A

  Background

  TAKRAF was acquired by the international Techint Group at a time when the business was expanding its role as a supplier of large mining and material-handling systems.

  Action taken

  The company operated within Tenova under the Tenova TAKRAF brand.

  Aftermath

  The transaction placed TAKRAF within a broader industrial group while preserving its specialized mining-equipment identity.

  Source

1. 1Takraf GmbHen.wikipedia.org
2. 2TAKRAF Group official websitetakraf.com