Extensive investments set the stage for the future
In January of 2014, Mühl-acker-based Händle Group merged with Ziegelmundstückbau Braun GmbH in Kluftern. Since then, Händle has invested heavily in the new company ZMB Braun GmbH. In order to further expand the Group‘s strategic position as one of the competence leader, the company is now focusing more on its core areas die engineering und extrusion tooling for the brick and tile industry and the advanced ceramics sector.
For ZMB Braun GmbH, the first big change resulting from the takeover by Händle was the launching of a major investment program. Over the past year and a half, the industrial chrome plating plant has been modernized and expanded, existing CNC milling machines upgraded to state of the art, and a new CNC lathe acquired. In parallel, a new assembly and quality assurance section and 15 new welding stations with cutting edge air extraction set-ups have been introduced and all IT systems – both hardware and software – successively replaced. Moreover, a modern ERP system will soon be steering all business processes in close connection with a likewise new 3D CAD system (coming up in 2016), hence establishing all the prerequisites for CAD/CAM coupling somewhat later on. With regard to materials, new heavy duty coatings and material variants are being developed in close collaboration with Händle‘s design and product development department and leading universities.
To accommodate changing market conditions in the future, the company intends to specialize in the core areas die engineering und extrusion tooling. For example, the three extrusion die series B‑Tec, Vario-Tec and Modul-Tec have already been refined, improved and tailored to the specific needs of the various market segments. By optimizing the space available, Braun will only need two of their present eight production halls. The rest, with a total production/storage floor space of some 4000 m2, will be offered for rent or lease.
Explaining the reasoning behind the traditioned company‘s reorganization, Managing Director Gerhard Fischer avers: “We are certain that this thoroughgoing investment and development program and our corresponding concentration on the important core areas will constitute an enduring fortification of our company‘s stance as market leader.”
ZMB Braun GmbH
www.zmb-braun.de
