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| 2008-10-29 |
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Wittmann Battenfeld: Strategic realignment proving successful
 Positive development since new start After the first six months under new ownership, the Austrian injection molding machine manufacturer Battenfeld is reporting positive results. Since it was taken over in April of this year by the Wittmann group, a company of global renown, and its business plan was promptly subjected to a thorough revision, it has now been put on the right course. The family-owned Wittmann group offers long-term prospects of stability, reliability and innovative strength, thus substantially contributing to the further development of injection molding technology for the benefit of its users. The total sales figures of the group in 2008 are expected to reach about 250 million EUR with 1,580 employees, to which Wittmann Battenfeld will contribute about 110 million EUR in sales with 630 employees. The order inflow was excellent up to the beginning of August; it has slackened only during the last few weeks. Advert 
Service companies fully integrated Effective July 1, 2008 the service company Battenfeld Service GmbH, which had been operating separately from the Kottingbrunn facility, has now been fully reintegrated into Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH. This means that the management of the company’s service activities is now once more under one roof. From 1 September 2008 onwards, the sales and service activities have also been reunited as a single company in Germany, now trading under the name of Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH & Co. KG. The explicit target is to have clear, concentrated overall responsibility for sales and services for the benefit of our customers, which has been ensured once more. Effective sales network - integration of sales network completed One of the primary targets during the first few months after the takeover was to merge the global sales networks as quickly as possible. This process is now virtually completed with the establishment of 16 integrated Wittmann Battenfeld subsidiaries. In seven countries (Austria, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Brazil) the sales and service activities for Wittmann and Wittmann Battenfeld continue to be handled by separate subsidiaries due to local market structures. In some of these markets, however, the two sales subsidiaries cooperate very closely. Other key markets are being served by agencies of long standing. A strong signal in Germany In consideration of the importance of the German market, and to give German customers a long-term perspective of continuous reliability, it has been decided to build a new sales and service subsidiary close to the present site. So a 15,000 m² block of land was recently purchased from the municipality of Meinerzhagen. The order to build a facility with 8,000 m² floor space to accommodate offices, a demonstration lab, training facilities and a warehouse has already been placed. The new sales and service center is expected to be opened in June 2009 in the industrial area Darmcher Grund. On course towards a successful future After its new strategic alignment, Wittmann Battenfeld – as a member of the Wittmann group – sees itself as a one-stop shop offering extensive application technology and integrated automation equipment, presenting itself as a complete system supplier and a competent provider of custom-made solutions. “We have set ourselves the explicit target of establishing Wittmann Battenfeld in a new position, oriented towards innovation and growth, and thus lay the foundation for strengthening its long-term profitability”, says the company owner, Dr. Werner Wittmann. To reach the targets that have been set, a 2-stage implementation process has been started. In the short term, the existing successful product range, consisting of the hydraulic, all-electric and toggle machine series ranging from 5 to 650 t, is being improved with additional performance features and complemented with multicomponent models as well as further application technology options, such as Cellmould or complete IML production lines. The toggle machine program with clamping forces ranging from 110 – 500 t has recently been extended by adding the high-speed model TM Xpress. This new series is destined especially for use in the packaging industry, for IML applications and thinwalled parts. The necessary molds for cups and containers and the automation equipment for parts insertion and removal from Wittmann’s own production are offered together with the machine. Immediately after the takeover it was decided to replace Battenfeld’s own range of robots with equipment from Wittmann to utilize Wittmann’s leading know-how in the field of linear robots. Fully integrated automation systems based on the new W8 series were demonstrated at Fakuma 2008. They allow visualization, setting and saving of robot data via the touch screen of the machine’s control system. In the area of service and training, the service program ‘Webservice’ has been developed, based on the proven Unilog B6 machine control system operating under Windows XP. Thanks to this program, direct communication between customers’ injection molding machines and the Wittmann Battenfeld service hotline has become possible without interposing any additional hardware. In the medium term, the company will focus on re-entering the large machine sector with clamping forces of up to 1,600 t. A compact 2-platen clamping unit is being developed, which will be launched at K 2010. The development of a new, costoptimized all-electric injection molding machine is also under way. The first models are expected to come on the market in 2009. Another innovation is planned in the area of micro injection molding. Here, Wittmann Battenfeld has started to completely revamp its Microsystem 50 series. Thanks to its many years of experience in micro system technology, combined with leading knowhow in the area of tooling, machine technology and manufacturing processes, Battenfeld is known as the technology leader in this field. A cooperation agreement in the field of micro injection molding with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of TU Chemnitz has just been concluded at this year’s Fakuma. The company’s Managing Director, Georg Tinschert, expresses his satisfaction with the current progress: “With the Wittmann group as a strong proprietor, we have now achieved the turnaround after the last few turbulent years. We have already made considerable headway towards reaching the ambitious targets we have set ourselves. I am confident that with our current strategy we are on the right course to lead our business into a successful future. We can really be glad about what has already been achieved.” Picture: 3D view of the new sales and service subsidiary in Meinerzhagen, Germany |
Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH, Kottingbrunn, Austria
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