Grundfos

An innovative company at home

Good old Grundfos. Yes, we dare to describe one of such tactically skilled pump manufacturers as if it were the most solid and faithful player on the handball court. However, it was under the name Bjerringbro Pressestøberi og Maskinfabrik that Poul Due Jensen first settled his folds in 1944 in his private basement.  And it took a S of the original product name before the blue and white company logo finally established itself in the consciousness of the Danes and the wider world. However, despite changing designs, the illustration of Archimedes' water screw has retained its symbolic value due to its resemblance to the centrifugal pump CP, which you can read more about later.

The basic element of the business was smithy and sanitation, but already the year after the company started, Poul Due Jensen and the small team around him landed an order from an automated waterworks on a farm, mind you. Due Jensen did not settle for the electric pumps of the time, and therefore threw himself into his own design. This also applied to the production apparatus itself, which in 1969 was enriched with Grundfos' own design, including the "carousel" for faster and more cost-effective processing of parts for the circulation pumps. The company's own standard engines won the ID award in the late 70s for its modern industrial design. The award went to the portable Jet pump the following year.

Foss 1, in response to the farm's prayers, saw the light of day, and because of its shape was nicknamed "the pig." There was every reason to grunt with pleasure at the 7-metre-deep front- and backward-controlled pump system, which has since been sold in 26 copies. In 1947, Due Jensen and the team were ready with a groundwater pump for wells of more than 7 meters and another 2 years later the export adventure to Norway, and subsequently Sweden and others began. Grundfos left its footprints in Wahlstedt in 1960, when the first subsidiary with both sales and production was founded.

Several pumps took shape

In the early 50s, this involved the production of the CP centrifugal pump – the first of its kind based on this more rational, less material-intensive technology. Quietly, they replaced the piston pumps. The corresponding Dybfoss BP – a vertical borehole pump – also came on the market thanks to a collaboration with an engineer.

VP 32 became the name of the first circulation pump for central heating and domestic hot water. The smart stainless steel rotor and the extremely durable carbide bearings withstood the heating system processes far better than usual, and this type of pump is still used. With the VP 35, the design and weight were significantly refined through hydralics and an internal bypass. Thus, the large puzzle calculations of the system's resistance were no longer necessary and it could be expanded quite easily.

The big niche, however, was the durable, stainless SP pumps for unfiltered water. These versatile models could be used for water supply, irrigation and groundwater lowering. In other words, aggressive water was no obstacle to the highly sought-after submersible pumps and became proof that piston pumps were long outdated.

Adaptable company

Grundfos has not only managed to establish its brand and solid water solutions worldwide, they are also a notable predecessor when it comes to social responsibility. Increasing global trade already in the early 60s led to the establishment of employee training consisting of language and mathematics courses. And in 1968, Due Jensen took a frank step by being the first privately owned company under the banner of the Dannebrog to open a sheltered workshop for employees with special needs. The foundation stones were laid already 4 years earlier in close cooperation with the opinion council and the national welfare system. Even among the company's current CEO, grandson of the founder, who is now taking his steps in the streets of his childhood town of Bjerringbro, there are no fine feelings to be detected despite people's differences or titles.

A changing world

In many ways, Covid-19 put the world on the other end, but here too Grundfos showed its creative drive. In short, they put on VR glasses with the purpose of training new employees in how the many different pumps and water systems work. With 10-12 people on the digital school bench, air traffic and travel costs were saved by approximately $25,000 – topped off with positive feedback from all participants.

Wide range of Grundfos products on bels.dk

If you are about to change pumps to water or district heating, we have gathered a strong range of Grundfos in the sought-after Magna 3 series, including 25-40, 25-60, 25-80 and 32-100. We also carry Grundfos Mixit as well as Sololift2 wc1 and wc3, c3 and d2. If you have questions about spare parts, we are always available at info@bels.dk. Explore the many quality submersible pumps for clean water, basement and bilge pumps such as the Unilift KP 150 A 1 as well as powerful drainage pumps such as Unilift CC, which for example help you on your way when emptying a garden pond, swimming pool or rainwater tank. We are happy to provide everything from pressure vessels to union and equalization kits for you privately or your company.