We‘re Growing,
The Burke Porter Group has paved the way for innovation in automotive and heavy-duty equipment for over 60 years. Our relentless commitment in improving intelligent machinery puts our customers at the cutting edge of what’s possible.
We continue to transform and expand our global capabilities to serve our customers better, more thoroughly and more closely than ever before.
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1953The Burke E. Porter Machinery Company (BEP) was founded in 1953 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. From the beginning BEP focused on high quality, high durability machinery. The first machine produced was a sanding machine for the wood furniture industry (1953). By 1955 BEP entered the automotive industry by producing auto-rollers to test vehicles. By 1956 BEP started custom machinery production serving the growing foam board processing market. |
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1955BEP enters the automotive industry for the first time by producing auto-rollers to test vehicles. |
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1956BEP starts producing custom machinery to serve customers in the growing foam board processing market. |
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Early 1970'sWheel alignment machine, 1967 BEP was producing large scale foam processing lines, vehicle brake testing equipment and vehicle wheel alignment machines. From now on, the focus moved to automotive test systems. |
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1977Dynamic Toe Setting, 1977 BEP starts exporting the automotive test machinery globally. |
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1987BEP Headquarters Grand Rapids, USA BEP starts to expand aggressively. |
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1988First Korean projects BEP enters the Korean automotive market. |
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1989First European projects BEP enters the European automotive market. |
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1990Logo Frabricom Start of the cooperation of BEP with Fabricom in Bruges, Belgium. |
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1994Electric Roll and Brake Tester BEP developed the first new-era roll and brake testing machine, integrating AC motor technology. This facilitated End Of Line testing of on-board computer systems through newly accepted OBDII communication protocols while simulating driving conditions. |
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1995Motorcycle Dynamometer BEP introduces new dynamometer products conform US EPA standards (2WD, 4WD, motorcycle, NVH, Powertrain, Heavy Duty Trucks, …) |
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1997BEP Europe GmbH Foundation of BEP Europe GmbH in Laatzen, Germany. |
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2002First Indian Projects BEP moves into the Indian automotive market. |
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2003BEP manufacturing facility in Wuxi Foundation of BEP’s Chinese manufacturing facility in Wuxi, China. |
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Early 2000'sRobotic Tyre Mounter BEP continues to expand and |
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2009Logo E-Rational Foundation of E-Rational, the green energy division of BEP Europe in Bruges, Belgium. |
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2010XL Machine Company, USA BEP acquires X-L Machine Company in Three Rivers, USA (MI). |
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2011First high temperature ORC in Ostend, Belgium E-Rational installs its first high temperature ORC on industrial waste heat (low pressure excess steam in a chemical plant, Proviron) in Ostend, Belgium. |
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2013First ORC in Germany (Oerlinghausen) First E-Rational low temperature ORCs installed in German and Norwegian district heating networks. |
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2014First ORC for Japan (Ibusuki), 2014 E-Rational enters the Japanese market for geothermal applications |
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2015Universal Balancing, UK BEP acquires Universal Balancing (Bristol, UK) and CIMAT (Bydgoszcz, Poland) balancing companies. |
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2016 -First ORC in France (Strasbourg) First E-Rational ORC in France (cooling of an industrial waste incinerator in Strasbourg). First E-Rational ORC with direct condenser installed in a wood factory in Cluj, Romania. E-Rational builds the first high temperature ORC for the Korean Market. E-Rational delivers its 20th ORC installation. |
E-RATIONAL • Ten Briele 6 • 8200 Brugge Belgium • Phone: +32 50 40 85 40 • Email: info@e-rational.net
