Delivered in 3 Weeks: How API Heat Transfer Answered a Critical Call During a Global Health Crisis
In December 2020, a European pharmaceutical company needed two high-performance heat exchangers — fast — for a process directly tied to fighting a highly contagious virus. With Christmas holidays and a two-week plant shutdown on the calendar, the standard lead time was five weeks. API's team delivered in three
Industry
Pharmaceuticals
Application
Process Cooler — Batch Heating (Chilled Water & Cooling Water)
Technology
SIGMA M18 Plate-and-Frame Heat Exchanger
Location
European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer / API Bretten, Germany
A Timeline That Couldn't Wait
In December 2020, API Heat Transfer received an urgent order from a pharmaceutical company in Europe. The specification called for two heat exchangers configured as a process cooler for batch heating — capable of producing both chilled water and cooling water, with a strict low-pressure drop requirement of less than 0.05 bar on both sides.
The project had a built-in complication: the order arrived in December, with Christmas holidays and a two-week plant shutdown already on the calendar. Standard lead time for an order of this scope was estimated at five weeks.
Then, in the final phase of negotiations, the stakes became clear. Both units were needed to support a process directly tied to stopping the spread of a highly contagious virus.
The Requirements:
- Two plate-and-frame heat exchangers
- Process cooler / batch heating application
- Must produce both chilled water and cooling water
- Low-pressure drop: < 0.05 bar (max 50 mbar) on both sides
- Spring (feather) packages required for batch heating
- Delivery needed: as fast as possible
- Standard estimated lead time: 5 weeks
- Actual delivery: 3 weeks
The Right Technology. The Right Team. Record Time.
API's response combined proven product engineering with an exceptional team effort — compressing a five-week timeline into three without compromising quality or performance.
The Product: SIGMA M18 Plate-and-Frame Heat Exchanger
Peter Vogel, Sales Director at API's Bretten, Germany facility, recommended two SIGMA M18 plate-and-frame heat exchangers as the ideal solution — specifically engineered to meet the demanding low-pressure drop requirement.
The SIGMA M18's design advantages for this application:
- Unique corrugation pattern pressed onto each plate produces the highest overall heat transfer rate
- Excellent fluid distribution across the entire plate surface — critical for consistent batch heating performance
- Maximum 50 mbar pressure drop on both sides, meeting the customer's strict specification
- Feather package (spring packages) included to accommodate the batch heating process
- Proven, globally deployed technology — today more than 500 API SIGMA M18 plate heat exchangers are operating worldwide across a broad range of industries
The Execution: A Team That Stepped Up
After receiving the order, the priority was communicated immediately and unambiguously — from the operations director to every person on the manufacturing line. This was the highest priority job in the facility.
To meet the compressed deadline, API employees at the Bretten facility:
- Worked overtime throughout the production period
- Worked weekends
- Worked through the Christmas holidays
The Results
Critical Equipment. Zero Compromises. Delivered in Record Time.
Speed
- Order received December 2020
- Standard estimated lead time: 5 weeks
- Actual delivery: 3 weeks
- Delivered 2 weeks ahead of schedule — through Christmas holidays and a plant shutdown period
Performance
- SIGMA M18 met strict < 0.05 bar (50 mbar) pressure drop specification on both sides
- Unique corrugation pattern delivers highest overall heat transfer rate
- Excellent fluid distribution across full plate surface
- Spring packages engineered for batch heating requirements
- Technology proven across 500+ installations worldwide
Partnership
- Customer confirmed API as the right partner for mission-critical applications
- Streamlined workflow from initial request to final shipment
- Full team commitment — operations through manufacturing line
- Repeatable: API's Bretten facility regularly supports European pharmaceutical and industrial customers with fast-turnaround, engineered-to-spec solutions
Customer Testimonial
"API didn't just sell us a heat exchanger—they became an extension of our engineering team. They took the time to understand why we were failing, not just replace what broke. Three years later, that unit is still performing exactly as designed. That's the difference between buying equipment and partnering with engineers who care about your success."
Get a Project Estimate
Discuss specs, custom solutions, and integration