In the 1980s, KÖTTER Consulting Engineers, a firm based in Rheine, Germany, was called upon to help a local refinery diagnose faults with a troublesome reciprocating compressor. This one job laid the foundation for the technology that would eventually enable PROGNOST Systems to be recognized as a leading provider of condition monitoring and machine protection systems for rotating equipment.
Founded in Rheine in 1989 with four employees, PROGNOST has since expanded to employ 16 people in Houston and 95 worldwide. In 2014, it acquired technology that extended its systems to include complex gearboxes and extruders. The company has installed over 2,000 systems worldwide, establishing relationships with sales partners around the globe in the process. Recently, it added a new office in Abu Dhabi.
Intelligence in action
PROGNOST specializes in intelligent monitoring systems for rotating equipment, especially for reciprocating compressors and gearboxes, of extruder trains. Its solutions include automated machinery diagnostics, SIL-certified machine protection and performance monitoring. Specially developed solutions for predictive maintenance of reciprocating and centrifugal machinery detect impending failures very early on.
According to Robert Daniel, managing director for PROGNOST, the company has some key competitive advantages: its segmented data analyses, which allow for accurate diagnoses of machine issues; its easy-to-use visualization software; and its dedicated team of employees, who always put customers first.
"We have a full support team who can assist with complex machinery diagnostics, software user trainings and hardware maintenance over the life of the system," Daniel said. "Our customer support team is skilled, experienced and available 24/7. Our sales team has the knowledge to assist users in identifying and specifying the desired level of protection or monitoring for their specific applications."
While the majority of PROGNOST's customers are in the petrochemical or refining industries, it also serves customers in pulp and paper, cement, LNG (land and marine) and industrial gases.
"Once a customer recognizes the value our systems deliver, expansion to other machines is natural," Daniel said. "Within three years of their first install, 70 percent of our customers add at least one additional system."
In October 2018, thanks to consistent customer feedback asking for protection capabilities in the SILver rack rather than an external controller, PROGNOST released its SIL 3 PROGNOST®-SILver System for use in hazardous areas. Many of its existing customers are upgrading their current systems with the new product to take advantage of its new capabilities. Meanwhile, the PROGNOST-Predictor System for gearboxes, extruders and rolling bearing elements continues to grow its installation base, accurately analyzing complex orbital gearboxes, which can be a challenge for any condition monitoring system.
Looking forward, the company plans to continue to grow its Houston office, having recently doubled its sales force to cover its customer base in the U.S. and abroad. PROGNOST also plans to expand its customer support crew as its install base expands. It is also looking to the midstream and upstream oil and gas industries as possible new markets, especially in western Canada.
"I see us continuing to grow our install base in the U.S. and Canada by expanding the number of new customers, in addition to growth within our current customer base," Daniel said.
PROGNOST Systems' products hold all relevant certifications to operate globally. Its customers consistently report their capability to accurately diagnose failures in their machinery by leveraging a user-friendly software tool that enables them to shift from reactive to predictive maintenance practices.
For more information, visit www.prognost.com or call (281) 480-9300.
