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Priess A/S is a key supplier to the green transition in the utilities sector and the company is now launching an ambitious plan to optimise production and boost capacity. The goal is to triple capacity by 2024 and so the existing factory in Vinderup is therefore undergoing a thorough redesign process, with parts of the production process being moved to a new location close to the East Jutland Motorway.
“We are switching things up a gear on two fronts so that we can boost the production of our plug-and-play substations and meet the increasing needs of utility companies,” explains Thomas Rohde, CEO of Priess A/S, who elaborates: “Secondary substations are a key component in the expansion of the grid which now must accommodate an unprecedented surge in charging stations, solar parks and heat pumps.”.
“As a market leader, we have seen that large customers have expressed concern as to whether we can meet demand, but through investments in both a redesign of our existing factory and the establishment of a brand new production unit, we are ready to deliver the secondary substations needed as part of a tight joint effort with the utility companies,” says Thomas Rohde.
The Danish Parliament has adopted a target to quadruple total Danish electricity production from solar power and onshore wind by the year 2030*. This shall be achieved in part through solar parks – an area in which Priess delivers plug-and-play solutions – and so the need for secondary substations will multiply many times over. In general, large investments will be made in the electricity grid over the coming years and substations from Priess will be an important prerequisite in meeting the targets that have been set.
In order to put the numbers in perspective, each solar park requires up to 250 secondary substations and a wide range of additional installations. The potential is therefore huge if these ambitious goals are to be met.
Earlier this year, Priess A/S launched a strategic process. This is the process that is now being implemented in a range of measures which will ensure greater capacity at Vinderup, the introduction of the so-called Lean philosophy and the establishment of a new unit. The new facilities shall house the production of district heating stations, cabins for fibre and broadband stations and technical cabins. The production of secondary substations will be concentrated in the existing factory which, as already mentioned, will undergo a total redesign to become a so-called flow factory.
This year, revenue at Priess A/S is expected to increase by fifty percent to reach DKK 250 million. Fifty new employees have been hired and the orders continue to flood in. The company has a clear expectation of profitable operations and improved performance development. An investment plan has also been drawn up for the coming three years with an ambition to achieve a turnover of DKK 500 million by 2025. This is a plan that is backed up by the Cordsen Family which owns Priess via Cordsen Capital.
The road there shall build not least upon a strong and dedicated effort from our employees, says the CEO of the company.
“We are going to become European champions just like our national team back in 1992. They got themselves up to gear in a very short time and formed a winning team. In much the same way as them, our employees have worked hard to boost productivity. They have got that fire in their bellies and they are very proud of our role as a supplier to the green transition,” says Thomas Rohde.
Here at Priess, our employees are convinced that the road to growth is through strong values and a strong culture. Moreover, Thomas Rohde emphasises that it is easier to recruit new employees when you put together a winning team. In the coming year, Priess expects to increase its number of employees by around 25–30.
“Right now, we are prioritising the Danish market where we are experiencing a very high level of growth. But the company is also represented already on the German market within district heating and fibre. Our ambitions in the slightly longer term are to expand within Scandinavian and nearby European markets through acquisitions, greenfield establishments or similar, and we are very optimistic,” concludes Thomas Rohde, CEO of Priess A/S.
*Source – Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy & Utilities:
https://kefm.dk/aktuelt/nyheder/2022/jun/aftale-om-et-mere-groent-og-sikkert-danmark-
Priess A/S is Denmark’s leading supplier of secondary substations, district heating stations, fibre and broadband stations and technical cabins for the utilities sector. The company delivers both standard and custom solutions whereby stations are supplied as fully assembled plug-and-play solutions that are prepared and ready to be connected at the construction site.
Priess A/S employees 215 employees at Vinderup in Denmark across its production, sales, administration, planning and development/technical departments. Their solutions are sold in Denmark and in neighbouring markets.
Priess A/S is a traditional company with roots dating back to 1921. The company is firmly anchored in its local community and proud both of its West Jutland values and the strong social responsibility it takes in the local area. The company also has a loyal and committed staff who help to imbue the business with its special and distinct spirit.
Thomas E. Rohde, CEO, Priess A/S
Telephone: +45 2476 1516
Email: tro@priess.dk
Priess Solar A/S is a new company in intelligent, solar cell-based lighting for public spaces. The company is a spin-off of Danish company Priess A/S, which is a leader in green, carbon-saving solutions for the digital transition, district heating, the electricity grid, etc.
The aim is to create a company with a 100% focus on developing Priess’ business with solar cell columns, which were first introduced in 2009.
“The solution fits perfectly with the green agenda, where many companies as well as the public sector have very ambitious goals of becoming carbon neutral within the next few years,” explains Christian Cordsen, director and owner of the Priess business group.
“We therefore see great potential in this field, and to speed up development, we are establishing a spin-off where this area is separated into an independent company. We are investing the funds necessary to establish a strong business,” says Christian Cordsen.
Priess Solar A/S was launched on 1 January 2022 and is located at the same address as the parent company in Vinderup in North-western Jutland, Denmark.
Ole Søndergaard has been appointed General Manager of Priess Solar. He is 53 and has led the solar cell and lighting section at Priess A/S for the past ten years.
Chairman of the Board of Directors is Jes Jensen, who has many years of experience within international business and sales. Frederik Cordsen also sits on the board as a representative of the owning family.
“The whole idea of sustainable lighting using solar cell columns emerged in connection with COP15 in 2009 in Copenhagen, where we developed and set up 19 columns,” says Ole Søndergaard.
Since then, Priess A/S has installed more than four thousand columns in over 20 countries in Europe and not least in the Middle East, where most recently 98 solar street light columns were erected in connection with the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.
The solar cell columns from Priess Solar advance the green shift and the Smart City mindset, where intelligent data usage and IT solutions add value to cities and infrastructure for the benefit of citizens as well as the efficiency of the city.
The solar cell columns are used in public spaces for illuminating roads, squares, bus stops, etc. Using solar cells and batteries, the columns are self-powered. Advanced controls optimise power and control possible connection to the grid for supplementary power, which there may be a need for during winter months in the northern hemisphere.
Priess Solar expects the strongest sales in the Middle East, where otherwise promising sales have been stagnant due to COVID-19. The new company is also increasing its ambitions in Europe, where the green agenda is calling for sustainable solutions for outdoor lighting. Most recently, a deal is being finalised with a Portuguese dealer.
The solar cell columns have been developed in collaboration with leading designers to ensure that they suit public spaces. The plan is for the columns to be produced locally in the future, in one or more locations in the Middle East, to achieve as low a carbon footprint as possible, while the technology will be supplied by Denmark.
“With the establishment of Priess Solar A/S, we are sharply stepping up our ambitions with further investments in product development, production optimisation, dealer support and development of the international network of traders,” says Ole Søndergaard.
Priess Solar A/S is an innovative company in the field of intelligent, solar cell-based lighting for public spaces.
The solutions include solar cell columns for illuminating roads, squares, bus stops etc. Using solar cells and batteries, the columns are self-powering. Advanced controls optimise power and control possible connection to the grid for supplementary power.
Priess Solar A/S is part of the Priess business group and is a spin-off of Priess A/S, which is a leader in green, carbon-saving solutions for the digital transition, district heating, the electricity grid, etc.
Priess Solar A/S and Priess A/S employ 150+ workers in Vinderup, Denmark, divided into production, sales, management, planning and development/technical division.
Jes Jensen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Priess Solar A/S
Telephone: +45 2646 1500
Email: jes.jensen@outlook.dk
Ole Søndergaard, General Manager, Priess Solar A/S
Telephone: +45 2938 7033
Email: os@priess-solar.com
Cordsen Capital has taken ownership of Priess A/S as of 8 May 2021.
Cordsen Capital is owned by the Cordsen Family. Christian Cordsen is the new chairman of the board and Christine Cordsen has become a board member for Priess A/S.
We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with our new owner which will place focus on the continued development and growth of Priess A/S.
We are fast approaching the summer holidays and will be closed from 19 July 2021 until 8 August 2021 inclusive.
Please pay close attention to deliveries around that period and be sure to place orders in good time.
If you’ve been following the news lately, it is hard to avoid seeing articles about the scarcity of commodities and raw materials on the world markets.
We are acutely aware of the situation and have secured long-term supplies of our most critical raw materials. Priess A/S is therefore not experiencing major challenges at present and we expect our delivery situation to remain stable going forward.
This year marks Priess A/S’ 100th anniversary and we are very much looking forward to celebrating with a number of events. True to form, we will be holding an in-house fair on 9 September 2021 and on the occasion of our 100th anniversary we have put together an exciting programme with plenty of nice surprises.
We hope you will all save the date and swing by Vinderup for what promises to be an exciting day of celebration.
Priess, which is based in the small town of Vinderup in Jutland, Denmark, is a company that never sleeps; the ideas on the drawing board are allowed to run wild, and even the most far-fetched ones seem possible. After many sleepless nights, Priess is finally ready to announce its latest product that promises to revolutionise the field of programmable logic controllers (PLC) for vulnerable infrastructure: Priess Intelligence
Priess Intelligence can be compared to a fully automated robot; a PLC robot that doesn’t require a lot of different systems to control. In fact, it’s all controlled by a single system.
It has been designed so that all its components communicate with Priess Intelligence. Priess Intelligence communicates using individualised programming, telling the different components how to behave based on the information Priess Intelligence receives in a given situation.
This also means that in the event of unforeseen situations, Priess Intelligence doesn’t take any action on its own – instead, it sends an automated alarm/message to the responsible person and awaits feedback on what it should do in that specific situation, i.e. it relies on human intervention.
Without its talented partners – both domestic and international – as well as the hardworking staff at Priess, Priess Intelligence would never have seen the light of day.
One of the main actors behind the project is Jan Danesfeldt. Jan works in Priess’ German division as a Key Account Manager. His many years of experience in telecommunications comes in handy at Priess. According to Jan, the telecommunications sector in Germany is in rapid growth, which is why it’s important to keep up with the times. In light of that, the only proper solution for Priess homes is for them to contain far more intelligence than they do today.
“Our goal is to take innovation and PLC to the next level!” Jan said with confidence. “We want to be a first mover, offering a single and comprehensive, multifunctional product that provides a completely unique solution that no one else is capable of offering.”
At the interview, Jan was joined by the two key partners behind Priess Intelligence: Max Warmuth (Eaton Electric GmbH, Germany) and Max Danesfeldt (Concept Smoke Screen, UK).
“We are working with security systems in many different forms, but we’re especially good at security smoke and strobe lights,” Max D. explained enthusiastically. “Our thinking behind this project was to create a so-called ‘terror package’, making it impossible for any intruders to steal, cause harm or whatever else they were aiming to do after breaking into one of the homes. In short: Can’t see it? Can’t steal it!”
In addition to triggering security smoke and strobe lights in the event of a home intrusion, the system also includes a 127 dB siren as well as surveillance both inside and outside the homes – from every angle.
Max W. works for Eaton Electric in Germany as a sales representative for tailored uninterruptible power source (UPS) solutions. Eaton will deliver the basic components for this intelligent solution.
Max met Jan at a trade fair, where they fell into conversation. He was certain that Eaton Electric could help Priess find a solution for their project. Despite the fact that their discussion only took place a year ago, Max is confident that going forward with the idea was the right move. “It was a pretty crazy idea, but we quickly became part of the team that had been tasked with developing this customised solution. The requirement was to ensure communication between all the components, including surveillance cameras, doors, UPS systems, fire alarms or cooling systems. ALL of them are able to communicate with each other, so if you want to adjust the temperature inside the house – or even open the door! – you can do so externally, no matter where you are.”
The programming of these homes is individualised depending on the needs and requirements a customer has for their home, all of which is to secure the infrastructure within and outside the home.
If you want to be a first mover and at the vanguard of innovation, you have to be prepared to burn the midnight oil. The team’s many sleepless nights paid off in the end, however, culminating in a presentation of the anti-intrusion system on Thursday 3 September 2020 in one of the broadband homes. CEO Ole Bjerre Christiansen was presented with the challenge of breaking into one of the homes. He had accepted the challenge with confidence, looking forward to snatching the bottle of red wine that awaited inside. Dressed like a stereotypical burglar from a movie, he was ready for the job: To steal that bottle. The siren, security smoke and strobe lights activated in a matter of seconds. The home was filled with a dense smoke (with a visibility of 0), the strobe light made it practically impossible to orient oneself, and the blare of the siren was overwhelming.
Commenting on the experience, Christiansen said that “You can’t see a thing in the smoke, and the strobe lights made it impossible to find my way around. The siren was mostly just a nuisance. The worst part was the smoke and strobe lights.”
Of course, the wheels never stop turning at Priess, and the company’s latest ideas for their homes is currently in the works: an integrated machine that can disinfect rooms, completely automatically. The solution is called Sanihaze, delivered by Concept Smoke Screen.
Here’s how it works: Once an authorised person has finished their job, e.g. in a pump station, and shuts and locks the door behind them, this machine will start up automatically and mist the room with tiny teardrop-shaped particles of disinfectant. The drops will land everywhere, killing bacteria and viruses. This ‘mist’ can be used anywhere, as it doesn’t damage pipes, cables or anything else in the room. After about 20-30 minutes, the ventilation system starts up automatically and clears the air, readying the room for its next visitor and ensuring it’s been disinfected.
In addition to Sanihaze, Priess’ is also working on making the systems solar powered, which can lead to a 50-70% reduction in power consumption. However, that idea has not yet left the drawing board.
Priess Intelligence can be implemented in all Priess homes both new and old, as well as products not supplied by Priess, although the latter is not the company’s main focus.
We are grateful for all our partners and hard-working Priess employees for getting us to the point where we now have a finished product.
New solar installations from Priess A/S and partners:
Solar cell columns from Priess A/S are particularly appropriate for installations where traditional lighting columns present a challenge. Therefore, the Port of Vordingborg in Denmark has installed a Flatpanel solar cell solution.
Priess A/S has delivered 4 pcs. of Skyline solar cell columns for a parking area in Lagos, Nigeria. The columns are fitted with Panasonic NiMh batteries and a Focus LED luminaire.
Alfred Priess A/S installed customized Plectre Sun solar columns at a green recycling facility on the island of Jersey. The solar solution enhances the green image of the recycling facility.
In cooperation with our local partner Brady & Gallagher, Alfred Priess A/S installed a solar lighting solution at a green recycling facility in Jersey. The island of Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands and located near the coast of Normandy, France.
The local client chose Priess Plectre Sun solar columns to emphasize and enhance the green image at the recycling facility and to support CO2 neutral solutions.
Alfred Priess A/S often delivers columns according to the customers preferences . In this case the Plectre Sun solar columns are equipped with double arms and they are powder coated in blue to adapt to the specific luminaire.
Alfred Priess A/S is now part of the newly opened Resilience House in Vejle, Denmark where environmentally companies work on future solutions.
The newly opened Resilience House in Vejle, Denmark is part of the Green Tech Center, where environmentally friendly companies work on future solutions for energy, climate, water and data.
Alfred Priess A/S is also part of the office community at the Resilience House and thus part of the innovative network of green companies at the Green Tech Center. Alfred Priess A/S` export manager Lars Damgaard explains; “There is also a clear commercial aspect in connection with the Green Tech Center, as the center annually has more than 6000 visitors within the green segment. So far we have been visited by deligations from China, Canada, Hungary, Poland and Nordic countries.”
As a leading supplier of solar street lighting Alfred Priess A/S has an installation of the self-sufficient Plectre Sun solar cell column outside of the building as well. Here new developments in the solar energy development can be demonstrated, for instance the live access to data from the Priess remote system.
Alfred Priess A/S participated in Europe`s leading exhibition for the broadband, cable and satellite industry.
Alfred Priess A/S was exhibitor at Anga Com 2017 in Cologne, Germany – Europe`s leading exhibition for the broadband, cable and satellite industry. We would like to say thank you for the interest in our products and profile. We presented exciting products, i.a. our new concept, Priess Shelters.
Priess Shelters consist of modular built, lightweight and well- insulated sandwichpanels which can be delivered on-site according to the ’Plug & Play’ principle.