Krebs Engineers

Krebs Engineers, established in 1953, is based in Tuscon, Arizona. It is the world leader in hydrocyclone separation solutions. From its roots in the US, the company has grown and now has subsidiaries in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Europe and South Africa.

Krebs became a Grant Thornton client in the late 1990s when the company decided to consolidate its accountancy and business advisory services worldwide. Krebs first appointed Grant Thornton member firms in the US, Chile, Brazil, Austria and Australia. Barbara Saffran, chief financial officer, explains the decision "It was important for the company to find an organisation that was not too large but still had the capability to operate globally. We have very high expectations. Grant Thornton firms provided the solution to handling the consolidation of our audit around the world."

"Grant Thornton member firms also help us overcome obstacles in new countries with which we are less familiar. They offer us valuable practical help to understand local customs, tax planning and how to hire employees."

It is important for a large company like Krebs to have a high quality, consistent approach to accounting and reporting. And the Grant Thornton International audit methodology, Horizon, allows member firms to standardise their audit and reporting for clients with operations in more than one country.

Practical, objective advice always on hand

Wolfgang van Ommen, managing director, Krebs Engineers Europe, looks after the European, Middle East & Africa territory. He says: "People from Grant Thornton firms and Krebs around the world have developed an effective working relationship together over the years. They have really helped establish uniform procedures and standards worldwide."

"Some of the work is very complex, driven by the different tax rules and standards. Grant Thornton member firms have made life easier by putting in place simple procedures. For example, in Europe, they inform us in advance if there are changes in the US accounting requirements."

Local expertise

A good example of 'on the ground' support was the recent appointment of Grant Thornton South Africa to help Krebs establish a presence there. Wolfgang comments: "Establishing the South African company could have been tricky as we did not know our way around. When questions came up, local experts from Grant Thornton South Africa were always on hand."

Wolfgang is passionate about the quality of people he has worked with at Grant Thornton. He concludes: "The Grant Thornton firms we have worked with are very proactive. They always provide us with the latest information on 'hot issues' and make sure we are ahead of the game with new rules and procedures. They go beyond what is expected of them and that's why I'd recommend them to anyone!"

"We really benefit from the international capability of Grant Thornton member firms. They are consistent in offering us valuable and practical advice for all our operations worldwide."
Wolfgang van Ommen
Managing director
Krebs Engineers Europe