Around one third of all fires in industry are caused by electricity. They often originate inside electrical equipment or control cabinets, where they are difficult to detect and inaccessible. onoff automation services gmbh, which has 30 years of expertise in control cabinet construction, now offers its customers the right fire protection solution: the installation of an automatic miniature fire extinguishing unit (AMFE). This extinguishes the fire at its source, because thanks to its small size, the extinguishing unit can be placed directly at the source of danger – in the control cabinet, for example.

24/7 fire protection thanks to AMFE

The fire is extinguished in a matter of seconds, thanks to the use of thermal ampoules that trigger a mechanism when a certain temperature is reached, releasing the extinguishing agent directly at the origin of the fire. The automatic device is connected to the equipment to immediately cut off the power supply, preventing further damage.

onoff relies on the fully automated AMFE systems offered by the company JOB, which are characterized by their reliability, robustness and versatility. The AMFE series includes six different sizes from 0.06 to 1.5m³ extinguishing volume and different triggering mechanisms, so that the right extinguishing device is available for every application. The onoff team takes care of the installation in new switchgear cabinets, which are assembled in their own workshop at the Wunstorf site, or offers retrofitting for existing switchgear. Regular maintenance and testing of the extinguishing devices is also part of the new range of services.

Frank Jahr, Managing Director of onoff automation services gmbh, is pleased about the expansion of the portfolio: “With AMFE, we are offering our customers a new, extremely important service. The TÜV-certified extinguishers meet the highest standards according to ARGE guidelines and are an important component of a holistic fire protection concept to minimize the dangers for man and machine. Through the JOB systems, we can individually address the specific requirements of our customers and find the right extinguishing device for every plant and every piece of equipment.”

Ship propulsion systems with liquefied natural gas (LNG) is considered a promising future technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus making a significant contribution to the mobility and energy transition in shipping. Meyer Werft has already been using this propulsion technology for some time in the construction of new cruise vessels. A current example is the latest vessel of AIDA-Cruises, which was transferred to the North Sea in October. Specialists from onoff automation services (formerly onoff AG) supported Meyer Werft in the important phase of pre-inspection of the LNG-powered propulsion system.

Specially qualified personnel who are competent in explosion protection testing are essential for the inspection of LNG plants. Meyer Werft relied here on the expertise of onoff automation services gmbh. Specially trained onoff team members were on site. Together with the shipyard’s engineers and the acceptance inspectors of the Italian classification society RINA, the inspections were successfully carried out. “We are proud that we were able to convince with our LNG competence and to continue the long-standing partnership with Meyer Werft,” says Peter Salomon, Regional Sales Director of onoff automation services gmbh. Already in several joint projects of the Neptun Werft, which belongs to the Meyer Group, the onoff automation services gmbh could successfully prove its expertise in the plant automation of gas tankers. The cooperation in the field of promising LNG propulsion technologies is the next consistent step.

Wide range of services

The shipping industry is one of the core areas of onoff automation services gmbh. In addition to the planning and implementation of automation concepts and the maintenance and inspection of systems, onoff also offers special monitoring solutions that ensure effective and safe ship operation. With the specially developed condition management system InfoCarrier® RAMP, important conclusions can be drawn regarding emission avoidance and cost reduction by consistently recording and storing weather or temperature data, for example. In this way, onoff automation services gmbh offers service from a single source and makes its contribution to more climate- and environmentally-friendly shipping.

A recent study of the “WirtschaftsWoche” confirms it: The mechanical engineering company ProXES from Hameln, a manufacturer of machines and plants for the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry, is one of the 500 world market leaders in Germany according to the magazine WirtschaftsWoche. This success story has been accompanied by onoff automation services gmbh for a good year now, supplying control panels for ProXES’ innovative processing machines.

At the headquater in Wunstorf, onoff has set up its own production area, where the onoff team builds the customized switchboards for ProXES. On the anniversary of the cooperation, onoff invited the customer to an on-site audit. Technical managers, electrical designers and purchasing staff were convinced by the performance of the production area – the conclusion was more than positive: “The cooperation with onoff is as constructive as it is trusting. We feel optimally supported and optimally positioned for future orders”, emphasizes Stefan Zirpel, Head of Automation at the ProXES subsidiary Stephan Machinery GmbH.

An expansion of the successful cooperation is already in the planning stage: At ProXES, the development of the new machine generation and thus the installation of new control panels is on the agenda. “We are very proud to actively accompany the path of a world market leader and to grow together,” says Frank Jahr, Managing Director of onoff automation services gmbh.

Systematic Success: onoff automation services gmbh connects technology, control, and security in a CRITIS company

Wunstorf, April 29, 2025 – onoff automation services gmbh, a company of the SpiraTec Group, successfully implemented the electrical and control equipment of a new water treatment plant, including the integration of systems both indoors and outdoors. With a holistic approach, the essential electrical components were planned, manufactured, installed, and commissioned in accordance with CRITIS (Critical Infrastructure) guidelines.

Comprehensive EMSR Installation and Switchgear Construction
As part of the project, the planning, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning of all electrically relevant systems of the water plant were carried out. This included the manufacturing and assembly of switchgear, including motor control and inverter cabinets, PLC controllers, as well as control system and server cabinets. The installation of the required distribution switchboards was also successfully completed. Additionally, the comprehensive cabling of the entire plant, covering all relevant components such as pumps, transformers, inverters, lighting, emergency lighting, fire detection systems, and security technology, was carried out.

An important part of the project was the integration of pre-configured touch panels, which were used for the operation and monitoring of the entire system. In the area of power supply, the main power cabling was carried out for both medium voltage and low voltage, while the network technology was fully integrated in parallel. Modern sensor technology was planned, installed, and connected for precise monitoring and control of processes. To ensure high flexibility and robustness of the system, both indoor and outdoor facilities were implemented on the water treatment plant premises and successfully commissioned.

Construction and Assembly Management
onoff took over the construction and assembly management, including coordination of adjacent trades. The focus was on compliance with various guidelines, supervision of the installation, EMSR assembly, and commissioning, as well as the organization and monitoring of functional tests. Furthermore, the trial operation and handover tests were expertly supported.

Ensuring CRITIS Compliance
The project was subject to the strict requirements of critical infrastructures (CRITIS). onoff ensured the compliant implementation of the projects, intensive organizational and technical supplier support, and the supervision of occupational safety regulations. With this successful implementation, onoff contributes to ensuring a reliable and future-proof drinking water supply.