Manufacturer of plastic piping systems, tanks, valves and welding technology for utilities, environmental engineering and industry
FRANK GmbH
Mörfelden-Walldorf · Wölfersheim · Alsfeld · Bautzen · Chemnitz · Oranienbaum-Wörlitz · Voiron (FR) · Goleniów/Stettin (PL) · Wettingen (CH) · Smyrna, GA (USA) · Barcelona (ES) · Warsaw/Wroclaw (PL)New on Amplifa
Piping systems for generations
FRANK GmbH is a German manufacturer in its second generation of family ownership, producing piping systems, tanks, valves and semi-finished products made of thermoplastics such as PE, PP, PVDF, ECTFE and polyamide. Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Mörfelden-Walldorf, the company manufactures pressure pipes, wound pipes up to DN 4000, XXL large-diameter pipes up to DA 3500, borehole heat exchangers, storage and special structures, drinking water linings as well as plastic welding machines. Manufacturing processes include extrusion, wound pipe production, injection moulding and welding methods such as heated tool butt welding, heating coil welding, infrared welding and bead-free welding technology. The FRANK Group, comprising 13 companies and around 700 employees, generates an external revenue of approximately EUR 200 million per year with a production output of 30,000 t of PE/PP. The products are used, among other applications, in gas and water supply, wastewater and geothermal engineering, the chemical industry, semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and power plant construction.
- Site
- Mörfelden-Walldorf
- Processes
- Heated tool butt welding (HS) of plastic pipes, Heating coil welding (HM), Socket fusion welding, Infrared welding (IR), HPF welding / bead-free welding technology (SP110-B), Simultaneous welding of double piping systems, Cascade welding of double piping systems with pipes of different materials, Extrusion of pipes (XXL piping up to DA 3500, pipe strands up to 600 m)
- Materials
- PE 100-RC, PE 100, PE 100-RT, PE 80, PE-Xa, PE 100-el (electrically conductive), PE-Xel, PP-H (homopolymer)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, DIBt general building authority approval Poly-Flo double piping system, DIBt approval Poly-Flo double piping system (Z-40.23-607)
- Founded
- 1965
- Employees
- 700 (FRANK Group)
- Industries
- Gas and water supply, Wastewater and environment, Geothermal energy/energy supply, Chemical industry, Semiconductor and microelectronics, Pharmaceuticals/Life Science
- 01
Material engineering
- 02
Extrusion / injection moulding / wound pipe production
- 03
Moulded part assembly
- 04
Welding technology and prefabrication
- 05
Quality control
- 06
Sales and service
Materials and processes
PE 100-RC
Resistant to slow crack growth, suitable for drinking water, for gas, water and industrial pipelines.
PP (PP-H, PP-B, PP-R)
Heat-resistant standard material for industrial pipelines and tank construction at higher temperatures.
PVDF (also PVDF-UHP)
Fluoropolymer with very high purity for ultra-pure media, pharmaceuticals and the semiconductor industry.
ECTFE
High chemical resistance, including against free chlorine, for chemical plants and aggressive media.
Polyamide (SureAMID)
Piping systems for natural gas and hydrogen up to 16 bar.
ePTFE
Ultra-pure material in the PURAD product range for ultra-pure media applications.
Electrically conductive plastics (PE 100-el, PE-Xel, PVDF-el, PPs-el)
For piping systems in EX areas and applications requiring electrical conductivity.
Products and components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heated tool butt welding (HS) of plastic pipesJoining | – | – | – | – | PE, PE 100-RC, PP, PVDF, ECTFE, PE-el, PPs-el |
| Heating coil welding (HM)Joining | – | – | – | – | PE 100-RC, PP, PVDF |
| Socket fusion weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | PE 100-RC, PP |
| Infrared welding (IR)Joining | – | – | – | – | PVDF, ECTFE, PE 100, PP |
| HPF welding / bead-free welding technology (SP110-B)Joining | – | – | – | – | PVDF |
| Simultaneous welding of double piping systemsJoining | – | – | – | – | PE 100-RC, PP |
| Cascade welding of double piping systems with pipes of different materialsJoining | – | – | – | – | PE 100, PP, PVDF, ECTFE, PE-el, PPs-el |
| Extrusion of pipes (XXL piping up to DA 3500, pipe strands up to 600 m)Plastics | – | 600 m × DA 3500 | – | – | PE |
| Wound pipe production (industrial wound pipes up to DN 4000, wall thicknesses up to 450 mm)Plastics | – | DN 4000 | – | – | PE, PE 100, PP-R |
| Wound pipe production up to DN 4000 (TWS)Plastics | – | DN 4000 | – | – | PE, PP |
| Injection moulding of moulded parts (injection-moulded PE welding fittings)Plastics | – | – | – | – | PE, PE 100-RC |
| Production of pipes and structures up to DN 3500 (storage structures, inlet/outlet structures)Plastics | – | DN 3500 | – | – | PE, PP |
| PKS storage systems made of PE and PP up to DN 3500, factory prefabricationPlastics | k = 0.007 mm | DN 3500 | – | – | PE, PP |
| PE lining systems (HydroClick) for drinking water reservoirs/concrete structuresSurface treatment | – | – | – | – | PE |
| Manufacture of borehole heat exchangers (GET system up to 400 m depth)Plastics | – | 400 m | – | – | PE 100-RC, PEX |
| Production of pressure pipes, borehole heat exchangers and pressed bendsPlastics | – | – | – | – | PE |
| Manufacture of plastic welding machines and toolsPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacture of shafts, drinking water and special structuresPlastics | – | – | – | – | PE, PP |
| Polyamide piping systems (SureAMID) for natural gas and hydrogen up to 16 barPlastics | – | – | – | – | Polyamide |
| Production of valves and special componentsPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacture of reactor valvesPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Production of cable protection, duct, ventilation, irrigation pipes and borehole heat exchangersPlastics | – | – | – | – | PE |
| Water heat exchangers (FRANK FLOW) for flowing watersEngineering | – | – | – | – | PE 100, PE 100-RC |
| Geosynthetic materials: geogrids, bentonite mats, clay liners, sand mats, textile-polymer linerOther | – | – | – | – | Bentonite, PET |
20 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-CNC Smart Control 1.0 / 4400 | – | d 50 - d 160 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-CNC Smart Control 1.0 / 4600 | – | d 75 - d 250 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-CNC Smart Control 1.0 / 4900 | – | d 90 - d 315 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-CNC Smart Control 1.0 / 4955 | – | d 90 - d 355 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-CNC Smart Control 1.0 / 5100 | – | d 200 - d 450 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-CNC Smart Control 1.0 / 5500 | – | d 200 - d 500 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-CNC Smart Control 1.0 / 6100 | – | d 315 - d 630 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-ClassicLine 4400 | – | d 50 - d 160 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-ClassicLine 4600 | – | d 75 - d 250 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-ClassicLine 4900 | – | d 90 - d 315 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-ClassicLine 4955 | – | d 90 - d 355 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-ClassicLine 5100 | – | d 200 - d 450 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-ClassicLine 5500 | – | d 200 - d 500 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machine | WDS WDS-ClassicLine 6100 | – | d 315 - d 630 mm | – | – |
| Heated tool butt welding machines (site machines up to d 2400, workshop machines up to d 2400) | WDS | – | d 20 - d 3500 mm | – | – |
| Infrared welding technology (SP series) for cleanroom/industry | FRANK SP series | – | – | – | – |
| Bead-free welding machine | FRANK SP110-B | – | – | – | – |
| Injection moulding machines | – | – | – | – | – |
| Wound pipe production line | TWS Thermoplastic Winding Systems | – | up to DN 4000 | – | Goleniów / Stettin (Poland) |
| Extrusion lines for pipes up to DA 3500 | AGRU | – | up to DA 3500 | – | Austria |
Additional services
Quality and certifications
The processes are continuously improved with a management system certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001; production facilities are independently monitored and the products carry the required approvals (including DIBt).
| Evidence | Mörfelden-Walldorf |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| ISO 14001 | |
| ISO 50001 | |
| DIBt approval Poly-Flo double piping system (Z-40.23-607) |
History
- 1965
Founded as an engineering office and plastics distributor by Philipp Frank in Mörfelden-Walldorf; first PE pipes for the natural gas supply in Germany
- 1971
With Gerd Metz joining, FRANK becomes a OHG; start of the partnership with AGRU Kunststofftechnik (Bad Hall)
- 1986
Foundation of FRANK Deponietechnik GmbH in Hungen
- 1990
Conversion of FRANK OHG into FRANK GmbH
- 1991
Foundation of AGRU-FRANK GmbH
- 1994
Foundation of AGRU-FRANK Polska Sp. z o.o. in Poland
- 1997
Foundation of PF-Schweißtechnologie GmbH
- 1998
Foundation of FRANK & Krah Wickelrohr GmbH
- 2000
Foundation of Xorella-FRANK AG in Switzerland
- 2003
Generational change: Thomas Frank and Dr. Christian Habedank take over
- 2005
40th anniversary celebration and inauguration of the wound pipe plant in Wölfersheim
- 2009
Foundation of TWS Thermoplastic Winding Systems Sp. z o.o. in Goleniów (PL)
- 2012
Expansion of the FRANK headquarters in Mörfelden-Walldorf
- 2015
FRANK Deponietechnik renamed FRANK KUNSTSTOFFTECHNIK
- 2019
New PLANT III in Wölfersheim; RANDEX (Voiron, FR) becomes part of the FRANK Group
- 2020
Expansion and modernisation of production in Bautzen
- 2021
Kubra GmbH becomes part of the FRANK Group; expansion of AGRU-FRANK; start of construction of the welding technology competence centre
- 2024
Foundation of WDS Welding GmbH in Mörfelden-Walldorf; WIDOS LLC (Smyrna, USA) becomes part of the FRANK Group