170 out of 460 people are concerned by these changes in Horb and Empfingen. Discussions between the management and the union of CERATIZIT Deutschland GmbH will start in a few weeks in order to find a mutual acceptable agreement regarding the severance packages. The plant in Empfingen remains key for the Group: Recently CERATIZIT has invested ten million Euro to build a new administration and production facility in Empfingen, where sales and production activities of innovative wear parts solutions will be concentrated. These activities were, so far, dispersed in Dettingen, Empfingen and Horb.

CERATIZIT-Executive Board Member Dr. Wolfgang Glätzle on the planned action: „While the woodworking and furniture industry is booming in Asia and Brazil, it declines in Europe. As supplier we have to react by tailored sales, production and logistics solutions for our customers. Today, we already generate most of our sales into these markets out of Luxembourg where sales, product management and the research & development department are also located. The specialization of the sales and production activities for innovative wear parts solutions in Horb and of our wood activities in a competence center “wood” in Mamer is therefore the final step to be, the best way possible, prepared for the global competition.”

CERATIZIT S. A. – is a pioneer and global player in sophisticated hard material solutions. The company operates from Mamer, Luxembourg.  CERATIZIT is the world market leader in unique and consistently innovative hard material products for wear protection and cutting tools and is present in more than 50 countries worldwide. CERATIZIT provides hard material solutions to customers in selected industrial sectors including the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, oil industry, medical systems, electronics as well as mould and die making. With more than 400 active patents and 4000 employees, CERATIZIT is your strong partner worldwide.

Press contact:
Peter Schwärzel
Managing Director CERATIZIT Deutschland GmbH
Tel. +49-7485-99 802 231
E-mail: peter.schwaerzel@ceratizit.com

The materials mainly machined by ABS Production are stainless steel (40%) and cast iron (50%), the remaining 10% is aluminium, titanium and bronze. For the production of a large pump the employees at ABS Production need an average of 115 hours. Out of these, 90 hours are required for machining, the remaining hours being spent on mounting and tests.

CERATIZIT grade CTC5235 achieved a 25 % time reduction

Milling the contact faces of the pump cases is one of the most important and simultaneously most difficult machining operations. This is where Hans Axelsson (CERATIZIT sales manager for North Europe) and Anders Laago (CERATIZIT key account manager for Sweden) had grade CTC5235 come in. Laago: “We analyzed the combination of material, parameters and results very carefully and were certain that we would be able to support ABS Production in all essentials.“ Tommy Johansson from ABS Production adds: “Mr Axelsson and Mr Laago were right. At the beginning the 25% time reduction already appeared substantial to me. But the CERATIZIT grade really provided surprising results: CTC5235 not only enabled a time reduction of 25% but also more than doubled tool life.“

The second time the CERATIZIT cutting tool specialists scored when machining so called ‘impellers’ which represent the core piece of the pumps. The outer edges of the impeller blades are finish-turned. Laago: “The challenge lies in the interrupted cut. It is not an even surface but single blades that are machined, the insert cutting each blade only very briefly: this means that the insert is exposed to impact and thermal stress. In fact these turning operations can basically be equated with a milling process. In the case of vibration or oscillations occurring during machining, the insert may break.”SPAN>

The machining operation required frequent tool changes. In the past six months CERATIZIT has been able to be of assistance again with grade CTC5235. The new inserts on average have a 100% longer service life in case of a 50% increase in cutting data. The requisites with regard to quality were fulfilled providing a burr-free surface.

We know how water works

The ABS group is the market leader in the field of pumps and periphery for pumping and circulation in the process industry, dewatering, wastewater network pumping stations and wastewater treatment. It is the ambitious goal to keep as much water as is possible clean, for ABS considers clean water the ‘gold of the future’. With their products and services in the field of wastewater transport and treatment the company contributes in an active and sustainable way.

The 170 ABS employees in Vadstena are knowledgeable about water and its optimal transportation. Pumps of the ABS brand are virtually all custom-made solutions: 75% of the orders require development work, the entire programme including only two standard pumps. Every year ABS Production manufactures around 5,000 pumps, 90% of which are delivered to customers abroad. The majority of pumps produced in Vadstena is applied in the paper industry, in water treatment and for fire-fighters. In addition to pumps, around 800 agitators and mixers are produced at the Vadstena plant every year, which are mainly applied to mix and circulate highly viscous liquids and paper pulp.

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Interview with Anders Petersson, production manager at ABS Production AB

What is the average price of a pump?
Petersson: "An ABS pump costs between 1,500 and 150,000 euros. 70% of this amount is made up of material costs. On average the pumps have a service life of 30 years or more."

What is the pump with the maximum performance you have produced up to now?
Petersson: "The pump with the highest performance in our range achieves three cubic metres per second and transports the water up to a height of 130 metres at a pressure of 13 bar. An engine power of 5,000 kW is necessary to operate the pump."

What are the trends in this market?
Petersson: "The pumps that are ordered are increasing in size, this is a very strong trend. We see new markets for bioethanol, wind energy and also oil industry, where we witness increasing investments in fire-extinguishing systems."

Since when have you been working together with CERATIZIT and how do you assess this business relationship?
Petersson: "We have been working together since the beginning of the 1990’s and would describe the cooperation as very good. CERATIZIT is a reliable partner concerning delivery time, product quality and technical support. With grade CTC5235 the company proves that they are now the technological leader."

The largest Marcegaglia company producing cold-drawn tubes is located in Boltiere (Bergamo, Italy). The Marcegaglia company there produces welded and seamless cold-drawn tubes for automotive, hydraulic and mechanical applications. The drawing mandrels and dies that Marcegaglia Boltiere needs are ordered at CERATIZIT Alserio, Italy, which specializes in the development, manufacture and maintenance of high-quality carbide tools.

50 tons at a temperature of 200 degrees (Centigrade) – that’s what the CERATIZIT tools must withstand

Antonello Valsecchi, application engineer at CERATIZIT Alserio explains: “Cold drawing of tubes is a typical area where carbide, thanks to its properties, is the best choice for tools. Dies and mandrels are loaded with very high pressure during drawing. Just imagine that for instance a tube with a diameter of 100 millimetres is pushed inside the die at a speed of 25m/min with a tensile force of 50 tons.” This was also the weight of the largest dinosaur in Europe.

Furthermore mandrels and dies have to guarantee very high wear resistance. “The drawing process is performed at room temperature, but the friction between tube, die and mandrel increases the local temperature to over 200°C,” Valsecchi adds. Heat equivalent to the heat in a domestic oven, which of course cannot harm the CERATIZIT tool. The most frequently used carbide grades for this application are CTF30, CTM30 and CTM40.

Cold drawing of steel tubes - four steps to achieve the perfect tube

Tube drawing is an industrial process for reducing and calibrating both internal and external diameters of a tube. Cold drawing guarantees a very good surface finish and increases the mechanical properties of the tubes.

Step 1:: The raw tubes (8 to 12 m long, 10 to 210mm in diameter) are heat-treated in order to make the material ‘malleable’.

Step 2: The raw tubes are cold formed to reduce their diameter on one side. This step is called pointing and is necessary to form the tubes so that they can be drawn inside the die.

Step 3: The raw tubes are chemically treated whereby their surfaces are cleaned with an acid. The tube may now be inserted into the drawing tool.

Step 4: The tubes are drawn on drawing benches with drawing dies and mandrels.

For further questions, please contact:             

Dr. Wolfgang Glätzle Member of the Executive Board CERATIZIT S.A.  Route de Holzem, B. P. 51 L-8201 Mamer Luxemburg Phone: +43 5672 200-2224 Email: wolfgang.glaetzle@ceratizit.com

Peter Schwärzel Managing Director CERATIZIT Deutschland GmbH Stadionstrasse 2 D-72160 Horb am Neckar Germany Phone: +49 7451 522-231 Email: peter.schwaerzel@ceratizit.com

CERATIZIT S. A. – is a pioneer and global player in sophisticated hard material solutions.
The company operates from Mamer, Luxembourg. CERATIZIT is the world market leader in unique and consistently innovative hard material products for wear protection and cutting tools and is present in more than 50 countries worldwide. CERATIZIT provides hard material solutions to customers in selected industrial sectors including the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, oil industry, medical systems, electronics as well as mould and die making. With more than 400 active patents, a sales volume of 600 mill. EUR and over 4000 employees, CERATIZIT is your strong partner worldwide.

“We are talking about a solution here which brought in a lot of cash. After the first successful tests we integrated the system into the ‘crankshaft’ production line.” Enzo Casanova, Head of Manufacturing Engineering at VM Motori: “The milling cutters have shown advantages such as reduced cutting forces which have increased tool life. The geometry of the inserts has enabled a cost reduction of 20% compared to the previous solution - we like being convinced in this way!”

Jürgen Duwe, research and development department at CERATIZIT Austria, explains the huge success: “The HEC11 system applied at VM Motori combines a close pitch with eight usable cutting edges and high process security through stable tangential inserts. The system operates with minimum cutting forces, thus reducing both deformation of the components and vibration“.

Giovanni Pante, responsible for VM Motori as Key Account Manager Cutting Tools, CERATIZIT Italia explains: “The essential thing when attending to the needs of key account customers is being able to listen and to fulfil their demands. The customer tells us what he needs, while we help him to come to an appropriate solution. Developing products autonomously hoping that they will sell in the market is just not an option.”

Enzo Casanova also confirms that it is not sufficient to offer standard solutions. He says: “We receive input from our business partners that induces us to find solutions and procedures which would not have occurred to us without them. We want our business partners not only to fulfil our wishes but to simply surprise us. This is how a business relationship based on trust is created.”

With reliable engines to a ‘tailor’ of the automotive industry
The Head of Manufacturing Engineering continues: “VM Motori operates in a niche market which is appropriate for our production capacity, and allows our company to extend our know-how, simultaneously improving our position as a professional supplier and optimizing our competitiveness in the smaller Diesel car segment. All suppliers – even those who were against the use of Diesel fuel – had to deal with these business segments as they were aware that it would be difficult, uneconomic and slow to build and produce a Diesel engine themselves.

VM’s market position in fact results from the capability to produce small quantities of reliable and durable engines at competitive prices. In addition, every engine must conform to the latest environmental standards for the relevant market. We consider ourselves the ‘tailors’ of the automotive industry which we underline by offering our customers engineering, research & development, production and tests.

For increased efficiency: weight reduction thanks to compact graphite iron
“The automotive industry demands ‘just-in-time’ production from us,“ explains Casanova. “Neither we nor our customers have a warehouse for engines. These specifications force us to remain flexible.“ And such flexibility requires maximum efficiency: at VM Motori every step has to be spot on.”

Efficiency in production and in the product itself. Diesel engines have always been very efficient: at low revolution speeds they deliver higher torque than petrol engines. A Diesel engine has a quicker response, and thus a more direct acceleration. In addition there is the enormous advantage of very low fuel consumption. The search for ways to further increase efficiency however also continues in the field of Diesel engines. Diesel engines are the heaviest engines available in the market. Casanova states: “We are striving to reduce the weight of our new V6 engine by applying compacted graphite iron (CGI). Thanks to the mechanical properties of this material we are able to produce parts with thinner walls than would be needed for conventional grey cast iron. Furthermore we produce camshafts from thick-walled tubes. The cams are mounted on the tubes. In this way we are not only able to obtain a reduction in terms of weight but also of machining time.”

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Interview with Enzo Casanova:

What are the trends in the engine industry?
Casanova: “There are very clear trends towards increased efficiency and improved performance. An engine with 150 hp can almost be considered a standard engine and does by no means represent an exception. Another tendency is towards engines with smaller capacity (e.g. 1.5 litres) but high performance. There is a strong tendency towards the construction of engines with low fuel consumption which meet the ever stricter laws on exhaust gases. It is a tough job to take all these factors into account. The electronics of the engine are therefore gaining importance as the potential in this sector is still enormous.”

Why did you choose CERATIZIT?
Casanova: “After having looked at some prototypes we decided to start a test phase with CERATIZIT products which were not available in batch production at the time. We firmly believed in the technological and human potential of CERATIZIT. Now, some months after the tests, we can say that the performance has more than confirmed our choice.”

What are the misconceptions in the engine sector?
Casanova: “There are two subjects which come to mind. First of all, it is often said that Diesel engines are rather loud and do not run smoothly. This is not really true. In fact the noise level of an engine depends on the way it is mounted in the car, i.e. how much vibration is transferred to the body and how well it has been insulated. Another misconception is that Diesel engines are big pollutants. Here it must be said that the Diesel engine has undergone a change: it now has lots of power and, thanks to innovative technologies, at the same time it is relatively clean (e.g. particulate filters).”

What are the test procedures for engines at VM Motori?
Casanova: “All engines run for a few minutes in the lab in order to check their performance and a certain percentage of them is subjected to a stricter reliability test. In the near future a ‘cold test’ will also be introduced where the engine runs without consuming fuel, thus making the tests more environmental-friendly.”

Can you give us some basic data on the Diesel engine and its manufacture?
Casanova: “The weight of an automobile engine can be between 240 and 280 kilos. The engine itself consists of 460 components including small parts such as screws, clamping pins etc. the assembly of an engine takes between two and three hours. The guaranteed performance depends on the type of engine and on average this lasts for about 200,000 kilometres.”

How strict are the specifications of the automotive manufacturers?
Casanova: “The automotive industry requires that numerous quality assurance measures are carried out as well as procedures assuring repeatability in batch production. Some of these are quality systems like QS 9000 or ISO TS16949. In addition there are customer-specific requirements to ensure that determined specifications are met.”

And what does this mean for a company like VM Motori?
Casanova: “Our customers do not only demand that we build and deliver high-performance engines, but also set up a fully-fledged quality assurance programme. Qualified employees have to be able to provide the customer with detailed reports which in case of problems give an immediate remedy and have to prove at any time the quality of the batch production process. It has to be guaranteed to the customer that everything possible is being done to not only guarantee the product’s quality by analyzing its possible defects but also through preventive maintenance of all production plants. Already some eight or nine months before production starts, the customer requires in addition that the production capacity is proved with plants operating at full load, which of course has effects on investments.”

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From large engines to the cleanest car engine in the world
VM Motori was founded in 1947 by the entrepreneurs Vancini and Martelli in Cento. Initially VM Motori exclusively built engines for agricultural machines, marine vessels and for industrial machines. Later, however, they were also used in automobiles thanks to an innovative generation of engines provided with a supercharger system as a standard feature. In 1990 VM Motori presented the Turbotronic, which was a revolutionary engine and the cleanest of its class, that was mounted for more than ten years in cars produced by General Motors, Ford and Rover.

Production manager Mirko Cutic answers the question why they have decided in favour of CERATIZIT tools: “It's quite simple: CERATIZIT has an optimum reputation in the field of aluminium machining. As 80% of our products are made of aluminium, the decision was taken very quickly.” For years Elcon employees have relied on CERATIZIT milling cutters of the MaxiMill 270 product line for rough and medium machining of various aluminium alloys applied together with the insert SDHT 0903AEFN-27P H216T, called the 'royal’ insert at Elcon.

Highly complex light components and prototypes
Rijeka on the Croatian coast. The Elcon Gerätebau company can be found in an almost idyllic location near a residential area. Elcon specializes in the manufacture of small batches. Highly complex components are mainly in demand, such as components for the casings of professional video-cameras or components for high-end microscopes and precision measuring devices.

A second string of the Elcon Gerätebau is the manufacture of prototypes. Husein Zlibanovic, managing director of Elcon states: “During the development phase and before the product enters batch production numerous companies commission the development of a prototype. We receive a drawing or even only a sketch which we then optimize. Subsequently we develop the optimum machining strategy and produce the components necessary for the production of the prototype. Currently we are processing an order from KTM for their X-Bow. About 130 prototypes will be built of this car and we will produce certain components for their suspension.” X-Bow, by the way, is the first car that is being produced by the Austrian motorcycle company KTM and represents a radical 240 horse power sports model with a weight of only 790 kilos.

Time is money: only a couple of days from the drawing board to production
At Elcon time is perceived in a very particular way. Production manager Cutic states: “When you only have a couple of days for the drawing, programming, tests and production, then time really becomes the main issue. Time for us literally means money - machine downtime is money lost. We really do appreciate the professionalism of Niteh, the CERATIZIT representative in Croatia. In Karlovac Niteh even maintains a warehouse for us. This ensures that the tools are at our disposal in no time at all.”

Elcon was founded in 1993. Managing director Zlibanovic says: “I started off in a small garage. But it became too small very soon and we had to move. The business concept of concentrating on small batches and prototypes has been very well received by the market. At the moment we have 30 CNC machines, including six 5-axis machines and 10 turning centres, at our disposal. We still have room on our piece of land to extend the production department - our application has already been filed with the competent building authority."

CERATIZIT supplies the most important producer of CBN materials with the tools necessary for high-pressure synthesis (anvils and dies). Furthermore CERATIZIT has been selling CBN inserts for many years, and to an increasing degree also tools for milling applications.

The stress the tools are subjected to during these milling operations is caused by interrupted cut, thermal shock and oxidation, and represents one of the threshold applications of CBN. The carbide expert CERATIZIT has faced this problem by providing CBN with the functional HyperCoat coating and using it for milling applications, which considerably enhances both process security and tool life. In addition it has become clear that these improvements are also achieved in turning applications under difficult conditions, such as the machining of grey cast iron and chilled castings.

HyperCoat coating is the secret
CERATIZIT has developed and patented a specific PVD coating for CBN cutting materials. This innovative coating is the answer to the complex demands on a material applied in milling operations which are characterized by stress variation, thermal shock and oxidation. The recently developed coating is based on an innovative composition which shows significantly better resistance to oxidation and simultaneously excellent wear resistance, especially when it comes to high application temperatures. Compressive stress resulting from the PVD coating procedure provides the new HyperCoat coating with higher toughness and last but not least with more reliability for the tooling system.

Cutting material with success story
CBN has been known as a cutting material for almost 40 years. In 1969 GE (General Electric) launched cubic boron nitride for the first time under the name 'Borazon’ as a revolutionary development in the field of extremely hard grinding materials. CBN does not occur naturally, but is produced synthetically (high-pressure synthesis) and, with a hardness twice as high as silicon carbide (SiC) after diamond ranks as the second hardest material. It shows its strengths particularly when turning hard materials (hardness > 58 HRC), such as hardened steel or chilled castings: CBN is characterized by extreme hardness and excellent heat resistance as well as sufficient toughness for this application area.

Stamping is the manufacture of flat or bent parts made of sheet metal or foil strips using a stamping press and a stamping tool. CERATIZIT produces carbide erosion blocks and formed parts from which the customer makes die inserts and punches through spark erosion (EDM and wire erosion) or grinding. In fact the business segment ‘tool and die industry’ has gained the world leadership in the past few years.

The Leicht + Müller success story
The Leicht + Müller Stanztechnik company produces stamped parts and tools for automotive electrics, telecommunication, household appliances and many other industry sectors. The company was founded in November 1984 by Heinz Leicht, expert toolmaker, and Klaus Müller, tool constructor, in Remchingen near Pforzheim (Germany). Their priority was to enter the international vanguard of tooling manufacturers.

As far back as 1985 Leicht + Müller also started their production of stamped parts. This second string to their bow not only provided synergy effects but also decisive growth impulses for the company. Today Leicht + Müller has 60 employees, who on a surface of 5,500 sq.m. produce approx. 1.3 billion stamped parts (20-80 tons) per year on 10 Bruderer stamping machines.

Up-to-date stamping machines for razor blades
The company is particularly proud of the project for Gillette (Procter & Gamble Group): together with other companies Leicht + Müller developed a complex, fully automatic stamping line for the further processing of razor blades which are applied in the latest product ‘FUSION’. The Americans requested a higher output from Leicht + Müller as compared to the previous technology applied.

In the meantime three complete stamping lines have been built at L+M which are suitable for batch production and have been delivered to Gillette (two of them in Boston/USA and one in Berlin/Germany). The most important parameters of the currently most modern stamping machines worldwide is the notably higher output, 500 strokes per minute, two blades with 13 laser points per stroke respectively, a cleaning module, laser measuring device and a camera in the stamping tool. Furthermore robotics and conveyor belts to guarantee full automation of the process are also utilized.

Vision Control for one hundred per cent process security
Leicht + Müller offers an extensive service range. The company’s designers work on 2-D (Cadda) and 3-D (Solid Works) CAD work places from Daveg. The Pforzheim based company is also able to offer prototyping and pilot production. Last but not least it is involved in batch production of stamped parts with Vision Control for guaranteed product quality and ‘laser marking on the fly’ for 100 per cent traceability (every single part is provided with a marking without slowing down the process).

Combinations of metal and plastic
Leicht + Müller SYSCOTEC (Systems, Components, Technologies) was founded in 2004 and specializes in the development and production of complete assemblies, i.e. combinations of metal stamping products and plastic parts. The new products from Leicht + Müller SYSCOTEC have brought customers such as Mercedes, BMW, TRW and Continental Teves onto the scene. The first batch production for level sensors in automotive windscreen washing fluid started in 2005.

Interview with the leading management quartet of Leicht + Müller
At Leicht + Müller the young generation is already straining at the leash. The sons Timo Leicht and Marco Müller have both completed a profound education. Currently they are working in Sales, Marketing, project management and in the company management, and later on they will entirely take on the responsibilities of their fathers, Heinz Leicht and Klaus Müller.

What is important in stamping technology and what does that mean with reference to the carbide?
Marco Müller: “High precision, long tool life and profitability. Carbide applied in high-performance stamping technology has to be adapted continuously to the high demands regarding tool life and will always be under scrutiny when compared to ceramics.”

Is there a ceramic solution which can keep the pace?
Marco Müller: : “This discussion has been going on for a while. Of course we have already tested special ceramic grades and the results in terms of wear and tool life were sometimes even better than with carbide. However, the application of ceramic is not worthwhile considering the high acquisition costs and the extraordinary complexity of machining operations compared to carbide. Up to now ceramic has not caught on in our sector for economic reasons, and this is also not to be expected in the near future.“

What are the trends in the stamping sector?
Timo Leicht: “Target prices on a globally minimum level, but products of the customary best German quality. The market is becoming more and more difficult and one has to orient oneself based on low-wage countries. For cost reasons one should actually buy components for stamping tools there in order to remain competitive. The quality however up to now does not meet the standards of Leicht + Müller. So we have to concentrate on cost reduction in our company, e.g. automation of the processes.  Another tendency is towards hybrid components (plastic-metal composite material).  An ever increasing number of customers requests complete assemblies from one source, that means stamped parts are covered with plastic and provided with additional components such as e.g. Reed sensors or resistances. Since 2004 we have been able to offer this through Leicht + Müller SYSCOTEC.“

How did the partnership with CERATIZIT start?
Heinz Leicht: “That was at the beginning of the 80’s. At that time Josef Lämmle was the segment manager. He visited us frequently and asked if we were ready to test his products, and he was successful.”

How do you assess the relationship with CERATIZIT?
Klaus Müller: “We are delighted with the carbide from CERATIZIT! We appreciate speed, the large assortment and above all consistent quality. In a business where time pressure is enormous the business partners have to be absolutely reliable. And we fully trust the CERATIZIT team which has been serving us professionally for many years. Carbide is really a matter of confidence!”