July 6, 2016

Centre of Excellence for Transformers in Zagreb

Introduction The Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Transformers in Zagreb was founded following the decision by the Management Board of KONČAR – Electrical Industry Inc....

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Introduction

The Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Transformers in Zagreb was founded following the decision by the Management Board of KONČAR – Electrical Industry Inc. (pronounced Konchar) in 2005. Playing a vital role in this enterprise, KONČAR – Electrical Industry Inc. involved all transformer manufacturing companies from the KONČAR Group in the project, including KONČAR – Electrical Engineering Institute Inc., and KONČAR – Power Transformers Ltd. (KPT), which is a joint venture of SIEMENS and KONČAR. Considering that about 1.5% of the world transformers production is concentrated in Zagreb, founding the CoE was a logical step towards optimization of transformer R&D, and also a scientific step forward. Even more, it was a course of action to address the education and training problem that we face today in that undergraduate studies simply do not provide sufficient education in this area.

The CoE was devised to cover three major areas: continuous research and development, a specialist postgraduate study in transformers, and an international colloquium on transformers. The specialist postgraduate study in transformers is an international programme of study organized in cooperation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at Zagreb University. The international colloquium on “Transformer Research and Asset Management” is a conference held every 2.5 years in one of the picturesque towns of Croatia. This event attracting great interest of researchers and scientists from all over the world has been sponsored by KONČAR as the Gold Sponsor.

The core team of the CoE consists of Miroslav Poljak, Ph.D., Member of the Management Board at KONČAR – Electrical Industry Inc.; Boris Potočki, President of the Management Board at KONČAR – Power Transformers Ltd.; Ivan Klapan, President of the Management Board at KONČAR – Distribution and Special Transformers Inc.; Ante Rogoznica, President of the Management Board at KONČAR Instrument Transformers Inc.; Rajko Gardijan, Member of the Management Board at KONČAR – Electrical Engineering Institute Inc.; and Željko Štih, Ph.D., Full Professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Zagreb University. The former members include Ivan Milčić and Vladimir Plečko.

Foundation for the modern transformer business

KONČAR – Electrical Industry Inc. boasts more than 90 years of experience in manufacturing electric power products, including all types of transformers. It all began in 1921, when the production and repair of rotating machines and transformers was started at the site of today’s KONČAR headquarters.
The company has had many milestones over its long history. One of them was the development of the first induction machine with the winding made with an enamel insulated wire, which was manufactured here in 1930 following the idea by the enthusiastic engineer Anton Dolenc (later a famous professor at Zagreb University). The wire had to be varnished in the factory because it had not been available on the market. The machine was tested operating under water for hours, and this represented a world milestone.

Today, energy and transportation make the core business of the KONČAR Group, which comprises 18 daughter companies with 3,700 employees, and one affiliated company employing nearly 580 people. Approximately 50% of the Group’s production volume is exported to foreign markets.
The Group companies manufacture all types of transformers in Zagreb – from instrument transformers, through distribution and special transformers, to all types of power transformers, as well as transformer components and measurement and monitoring systems.

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