Estonia-based Englo LLC has been focusing on two sectors of customer groups – military & mining and civil & road construction – over the last thirty years. Mrs. Karin Punning, CEO of the firm, explains the eventful journey
Since 1991, Englo has been offering various applications and products for the Defence sector. Could you tell us about the early years?
As soon as Estonia restored its independence in 1991, we founded our company Englo. The early years were quite complicated. Private business was forbidden during the time of the Soviet Union. But we had experience in R&D and production of electronic devices for chemical analysis. This was of great help for the future.
The first customers were from the road-building sector and the task was to design and produce levelling systems for graders! Quite a big change from the 10 nL dispensing sampler to the road machines. But we managed with that and from this point we were ready for the new challenges. And these were waiting for us! Very soon, we were also involved in the R&D and production of mine detectors, blasting devices etc. for the military.
From this early time till the present day we have had mostly two sectors of customer groups: military & mining and civil & road construction.
Currently, the company is involved in manufacturing several products for the military. What are the major technologies and products?
We started R&D and production of devices for the military quite soon as the world market was still closed for us but the demand grew every day. The very first devices for the military were mine detectors and blasting machines. Quite well-known was our first blasting machine LM-2M, which was said to do everything except to make coffee!
For the military, we now produce blasting machines either with batteries or with hand generators; clackers; detonator line ohmmeters and blasting machine testers. Our smallest blasting machine is a clacker, PONGO, having a weight of a mere 150 g and carrying out more than 1,000 blasts without any feeding.
Englo is involved in civil & road construction, mining and surveillance & inspection. Could you give details of the company’s activities in these sectors?
As mentioned above, the very first customers for Englo came from road construction companies. So we have produced measuring devices for this sector for almost 30 years and can mention quite many devices. In our production line for civil & road construction are the LWD portable deflectometers, levelling systems for graders and bulldozers, walking profilometers, road pavement roughness (IRI) measuring devices, penetrometers, cable length measuring devices etc.
For the mining sector, we produce blasting machines and detonator line ohmmeters. For surveillance and inspection, we can offer traffic counters, traffic surveillance and alarm systems for area protection, portable and stationary devices for radiation measuring etc. Almost all of our devices for road construction and building help the customers to monitor the quality of the work performed.
As the needs of our customers will grow and change with every day we are continuously involved in the R&D of the new developments, new products and new solutions. As we say the iron is on fire all the time!
Which products and applications of Englo have found an export market? Could you talk about expansion plans of the company for the Middle East, Africa and India?
We have to say that all devices have found the way for export. We have quite many contacts outside Estonia but certainly not too much.
Currently, we are looking for the companies or institutions interested in our products and willing to cooperate with us. So, we are participating in the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX 2021) to explore new possibilities for export and cooperation in this very promising and rapidly developing area. For More details, Visit www.englo.eu.
