Even in the Corona year, international toolmaking is not giving in and is proving to be crisis-proof: Harting Applied Technologies GmbH from Espelkamp in Westphalia won the "Excellence in Production" competition this year and thus holds the title of "Toolmaker of the Year 2020".
After it became clear to the organizers early on this year that the Aachen colloquium "Toolmaking with a Future" would have to be cancelled as a face-to-face event due to corona and replaced by a digital toolmaking day, new solutions were also needed for the annual "Excellence in Production" competition. It was uncertain whether there would even be enough companies with the time and capacity to take part in the well-known industry competition in the crisis year 2020.
But in the end, more than 200 companies took up the challenge - in a field of participants that was as high-caliber as usual, Harting Applied Technologies GmbH was ultimately able to assert itself as the overall winner of the competition and thus as "Toolmaker of the Year 2020". After several years in which the company has regularly impressed the jury in the category "Internal toolmaking under 50 employees", the overall victory has a very special significance for everyone involved in these turbulent times.
The award ceremony did not take place in front of a large audience in the Coronation Hall of Aachen City Hall, as is usually the case, but in a virtual room as part of a live stream. The finalists were connected live, and the laudatory speech for the overall winner was traditionally given by last year's winner Michael Stepper, Managing Director of Fritz Stepper GmbH & Co.
Harting Applied Technologies GmbH: Competence center for complex injection moulding and die casting tools
The decisive factor for the jury was Harting's clearly defined strategy for each business unit, which included roadmaps with defined fields of action and goals, as well as the particularly high level of awareness of vision and strategy within the workforce. The high level of machine utilization in all production technologies thanks to extensive automation, high-performance machines and innovative solutions was also a positive factor. The company has a complete system landscape with high data consistency and relies on a color system that provides information on tolerances, technologies and surface characteristics.
Harting Applied Technologies GmbH is an independent company within the Harting Technology Group based in Espelkamp. It develops, designs and manufactures injection molding and die casting tools for aluminum and zinc as well as assembly systems and special machines in two independent divisions.
In toolmaking, the company has 49 employees and manufactures high-precision and productive tools using single and multi-component technology. The spectrum of products ranges from relatively large-volume housing components for plastic and aluminum connectors to micro injection molded parts with shot weights of less than one gram and structure sizes of less than 100 micrometers with the highest demands on surface quality. In addition to the production of injection molds, the company also focuses on the development of associated injection molding processes for the production of metal-plastic composite components.
The process chain in Harting's toolmaking operation includes in-house pre-development for new manufacturing processes and concepts as well as comprehensive and early consultation with customers. The manufacture of tools includes engineering, design, production and assembly in an extensively equipped technical center.
Harting - also the best internal toolmaker with fewer than 50 employees
In addition to the overall victory, Harting also won the award in the category "Internal toolmaking with less than 50 employees". The jury also awarded certificates to Jehle AG - Werkzeug- und Formenbau from Etzgen in Aargau in Switzerland and Roto Frank Austria GmbH from Kalsdorf near Graz in Austria as further finalists in this category.
The winner in the category "Internal toolmaking over 50 employees" is Fischer Werkzeug- und Formenbau GmbH
This year's winner in the category "Internal toolmaking over 50 employees" is Fischer Werkzeug- und Formenbau GmbH from Horb am Neckar.
The jury counted the systematic use of methods to derive strategic goals and measures as well as the good segmentation of the machinery with the consistent installation of store floor boards for key figures, goals and general information for employees among the particular strengths of internal toolmaking at Fischer Werkzeug- und Formenbau GmbH. The judges were also impressed by the extensive use of automation solutions and the good machine equipment with high technological performance.
Fischer Werkzeug- und Formenbau, based in Horb am Neckar, is an integral part of the Fischer Group, which manufactures world-renowned fastening systems. Fischer Werkzeug- und Formenbau manufactures high-precision multi-cavity and multi-component tools for internal and external customers. In conjunction with its own automation technology, Fischer Werkzeug- und Formenbau also offers complete tool solutions and services such as maintenance, repair and production support for tools.
Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH was another finalist this year.
The winner in the category "External toolmaking with fewer than 50 employees" is Schülken Form GmbH
Schülken Form GmbH from Waltershausen near Gotha in Thuringia was named the best "External toolmaker with fewer than 50 employees".
Schülken Form particularly impressed the jury with its consistent positioning as an international full-service provider with a wide range of upstream and downstream services for so-called turn-key solutions. Schülken relies on low-paper production by using viewer workstations and Industry 4.0 solutions throughout, for example in the form of augmented reality glasses. In this context, the jury also praised the high level of qualification of the employees and the high number of training days per employee in all areas of the company.
Schülken Form GmbH, which emerged from Ralf Grübel Werkzeugbau GmbH, manufactures complex and sophisticated injection molds at the Schwarzhausen site in Germany and, since 2016, also at the Kazan site in Russia. A team of 30 employees concentrates on the design and production of molds, primarily for the manufacture of packaging, closures and medical products. The focus is on high-cavity high-speed molds and multi-component molds. After-sales service for the molds and fast delivery of spare parts worldwide are guaranteed.
Other finalists in this category were BBG GmbH & Co KG from Mindelheim in Unterallgäu and Hanns Engl Werkzeugbau O.H.G. from Bolzano in South Tyrol.
Best "External toolmaker with over 50 employees" is Fischer GmbH
The winner in the category "External toolmaking over 50 employees" is Fischer GmbH from Geringswalde in Saxony.
The jury was particularly impressed by Fischer's cooperation with universities, which is not only used for the continuous further development of tools, but also helps the company to open up new business areas and achieve a high level of industry diversity. The company uses a self-developed, requirement-oriented calculation system with an analytical and highly standardized calculation system. The high degree of standardization of the tools, which is achieved through the use of parametric designs and standard templates, also played a positive role.
With more than 70 employees, Fischer GmbH manufactures tools for stamping and injection molding processes in three-shift operation. The company develops and manufactures progressive and transfer tools, injection molds for single or multi-component injection molding, zinc die casting tools, special systems and devices for the automotive, electrical and metal industries. The focus is on medium-size progressive tools.
EMO - Orodjarna d.o.o from Celje in Slovenia was another finalist in the category "External toolmaking over 50 employees".
The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT and the Machine Tool Laboratory WZL at RWTH Aachen University, together with an expert jury, determined the best tool and mold making companies in four categories on the basis of a detailed comparison and visited them on site during the summer months: The ten jurors from industry, politics, associations and science then determined the ten finalists, the category winners and the overall winner. A total of 278 tool and mold making companies took part in the competition, 203 of which completed the questionnaire in full, 50 of which were shortlisted. The "Excellence in Production" competition took place for the 17th time this year. The day after the award ceremony, selected finalists and partners of the Aachen institutes presented their successful strategies during the Digital Toolmaking Day, which was broadcast live from Aachen this year instead of the International Colloquium "Toolmaking with a Future".
