Pensioners’ reunion – Successful premiere

On 28th October 2011, the Simon Group invited pensioners to the company site for a first reunion of former staff. Many former Simon employees gladly took up this invitation to visit the place where they used to work once again. Joint managing directors Karl Kammerer and Bernhard Zimmermann informed them about the latest developments, while the retirees enjoyed coffee and cakes. On the subsequent walk around the site, personally conducted by the directors, the former employees were able to marvel at the changes right there in front of them. The afternoon ended with a pleasant, informal get-together.

Betek backs growth – Tungsten carbide production facilities expanded

The tower’s largest single component, the huge drying chamber, was delivered and installed last Friday at the end of a spectacular special journey.

Instead of ‘full steam ahead’, great precision was called for in transporting the drying chamber. The special vessel was transported over the distance of nearly 600km from Schondra-Schildeck near Fulda to Aichhalden in several stages. Its diameter of 4.7m and length of 14m made fast transportation by motorway impossible. The huge drum was therefore transported to Aichhalden by a 530-horsepower truck exclusively at night and along country roads.

In the early hours of last Friday morning, the drying chamber was then finally met by Betek’s production team and project managers at the Simon Group site and with the help of two special cranes with lifting capacities of 200 and 300 tons respectively was lifted above the roof of the building specially erected for the purpose. Thanks to perfect, detailed planning, the operation worked first time and the engineers were able to fit the impressive component safely in its new position within just a few minutes.

With these logistical challenges successfully accomplished, the team at Betek is now ready for the next stages of the construction work, which will be done over the coming weeks. Once the façade of the building is sealed, installation work on the new spray drying system will continue. The plant is due to go into operation in early 2012. It is part of the planned staged expansion of the Betek tungsten carbide production facility.

Using this innovative system from Dorst Technologies, Betek will in technical terms be breaking new ground: thanks to consistent enhancement of the previous tungsten carbide production process it is now possible to implement a water-based form of compactable tungsten carbide production that is environmentally friendly and sparing on natural resources. Previously this complex step of the process was only possible using solvents and in special conditions with protection from explosion. With the new procedure, which additionally makes it possible to use alternative tungsten carbide bonding agents, Betek will soon be setting new benchmarks as one of the first users of this technology anywhere in the world.

Betek is a global leader in the production of tungsten carbide, special tungsten carbide tipped tools and wear-protection solutions. Based in Aichhalden, the company had its initial market successes with special tools for the mining sector. Over time the portfolio was successfully expanded to cover other industries and sectors as well, e.g. road construction, tunnelling, excavation, surface mining, crushing operations of all kinds, recycling, soil cultivation and biomass production. Also included in the Betek range is a comprehensive array of tungsten carbide in numerous shapes and grades for diverse areas of industrial use. Since 1993, Betek, together with the Simon Company Group, which consists of 4 individual firms and 6 profit centres, has been owned by Indus Holding AG.

INTERZUM 2011: Scoring with better ideas

Well equipped with a brand new and out of the ordinary trade show concept, the group’s door and window fittings division showcased its products at this year’s INTERZUM in Cologne, the world’s leading trade fair for suppliers to the furniture and interior design industry.

This thus put us in the centre of innovative trends and visions on shaping future home living design – and very much in our element!

With a striking look to it, the Simon trade show stand, dominated as an eye-catching feature by a giant ‘ideas box’, was ideally positioned in the middle of a number of leading manufacturers and the new products we showed were extremely positively received. These included the new generation of drawer dampers with ‘push-to-open’ functionality, which can also be installed in sliding door systems and will soon be going into full production. The new middle door damping system also created huge interest, especially from numerous bedroom furniture manufacturers.

Simon Furniture Fittings received great feedback from all sides, confirming that that our practical yet ingenious ‘dampened with Black Forest air’ solutions are fully in line with market trends. A great success, on which we are now continuing to build.

The full spectrum
We’re growing with our work.

Our sintering division has succeeded in taking an important step towards long-term cooperation in the automotive sector, gaining a major international supplier to the car making industry as a new customer.

The sintered parts that we supply to this company will make up around 10% of our current annual turnover over the next few years. Initial components, a three-part assembly, are at present already being produced.

Complex jobs call for the appropriate equipment. Thought also has to be given to additional production capacity. Work is therefore going on at full tilt on the new furnace system. The aim is to start test operations at the start of July.

Until then there is still a lot to do, as the new facility has some special technical features that are being worked with here for the first time. In addition to pure nitrogen and water, what is known as ‘endogas’ is also being used as inert gas for the furnace. This is being generated from natural gas on site. Fed with heat, a catalytic converter breaks down natural gas as required into primarily nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon monoxide. It’s a process that saves on operating costs. However, in order to prevent unwanted carbon deposits / deprivation in our sintered parts, the inert gas must now be adapted more frequently than before to the shape of the parts and to the component’s carbon content.

Everything must go!

After the manual electroplating plant was shut down came the disassembly of the constituents parts, which we were partially able to sell on.

A specialist company was commissioned to separate off the hall section from the ongoing production areas with dust-tight partitions and to clear it out. Goods-in and goods-out routes were diverted and a tent was put up as a temporary store. The floor is currently being reconditioned and levelled.

We commissioned Kutter, a road-milling company, to do the milling work on the hall floor. They are using a special Wirtgen precision milling machine for interior work, which is equipped – of course – with Betek tungsten carbide tools.

After their work is done, a floor coating will be applied in order to create new working areas for pre- and post-production handling of the goods. The renovation work is being done alongside the ongoing electroplating operation, which represents a particular challenge.

In parallel with this work, planning is underway for the new plastics finishing plant. Based on a new kind of pre-treatment, known as ‘direct metallisation’, tests with vendors are currently being run. The direct metallisation of synthetic parts involves no chemical pre-treatment steps in the process. Potential sources of flaws can thus be ruled out in advance.

Reinforced team really motoring

The new Systems team is now complete and accommodated in new offices in the tools building.

Five team members will be taking on the future challenges. Roland Krauth has provided reinforcement on the project management side since 1st June, specialising in ‘tools’.

Messrs Dimitrov will in future also be coordinating projects. Mrs Kaiser is responsible for order management and processing.

Alongside the team’s ongoing projects, they have recently also picked up further jobs in a variety of vehicle categories.

Tracing contours - with great precision!

Since January, our tool shop has boasted a powerful 3D measuring system, complete with analysis software, for measuring complex tools and finished parts. The tool shop is now able to offer this service to the various Simon Group divisions. Previously they had to commission external service providers.

Was does the new software do?
The software scans the item’s contours, can measure tolerances in the μ-range and can present actual vs. planned comparisons, e.g. between a client design drawing and the corresponding prototype.

The software produces detailed measurement logs in tabular and graphic form. The 3D measuring system can handle parts up to a maximum size of 320 x 250mm.

It is being used to measure both tools (e.g. electrodes and compression moulds) and finished products (e.g. sintered metal parts, tungsten carbide parts and injection moulded plastic parts).

At home around the globe in the centres of ‘black gold’

Coal mining is very much on the up again! While its importance is on the wane in Germany, internationally major growth and enormous potential are forecast for the years ahead.

At Betek sales of mining tool systems have gone up by over 300% in the last five years and are continuing to grow. Reason enough for Betek to set up operations in the internationally significant coal mining centres and to staff the sales offices created there with local industry specialists, as, for example, already implemented as a successful strategy in Australia, the USA and South Africa.

The latest local Betek operation is in the Siberian city of Novokuznetsk, in the heart of the Kuzbass region, which has particularly plentiful deposits or coal and iron ore. Russia’s coal reserves known today will last – mined at a rate of 300 million tons a year – for more than another 300 years!

Russian mining companies place enormous value on quality products. Mining equipment ‘made in Germany’ enjoys the highest of reputations. Since setting up the local operation, Betek has been able to continually generate new orders and thus an increased market share.

Highly innovative products, attendance at the annual UGOL mining show, plus advertising and a website in the local language help to achieve progress below ground as well!

We can do more than studs! Flexible automation brings new diversity

FlexA – the name says it all! For flexibility was the core element of the specifications list that formed the basis for the design and layout of the new Sitek assembly plant.

A project team consisting of employees from Sitek and from Simon’s electronics, tool making and central purchasing departments contributed ideas and set the project up in summer 2010.

The plant created in this way began operations a few weeks ago. The project was realised completely in house and Sitek is now in a position to assemble parts and pins of the most varied shapes on one machine.

Variable feeder systems (pick & place or sliding feeders) combined with a highly precise linear transfer system and a powerful hydraulic press enable Sitek to make not only pole tips and tyre studs, but also further parts for other divisions, e.g. TungStuds for Betek and sintered moulded parts. The assembly processes are monitored by camera and guarantee 100% product quality.

In bringing the new automatic system online, Sitek has succeeded in further increasing the level of automation in injection processes and at the same time in making the expertise gained in feeding and joining technology available to other divisions of the Simon Group as well.

SIKU Multifaceted synthetics technology

Shortly before the official opening of the new production facility, things got very exciting again at Siku: the new injection moulding system arrived! Long wished for, it is a veritable heavyweight, weighing 16 tons and boasting a closing force of 320 tons.

Using air cushion technology, the heavy machine was ‘floated’ into its final position among Siku’s machinery.

A few days later, with an original Porsche Cayenne standing beside it, it became one of the main attractions for the numerous visitors at Siku’s open day.

The machine can work with tools weighing up to 3 tons. Manufacturing relatively large car components, such as trim strips, is therefore no problem.

The open day was a great success for Siku. Led by Josef Hüsler, the entire team was in action, offering visitors young and old an accomplished mixture of high-tech in-house trade show, spiced up with exciting tours of the premises and a host of exhibits from the world of automotive components and functional furniture fittings, complemented by great entertainment.

Cool new job on offer!

From September 2012, the Simon Group will for the first time be offering training in the role of ‘Warehouse Logistics Specialist’. The successful applicant will be chosen in 2011.

Warehouse logistics specialists handle goods, store them correctly, work out key warehouse operating ratios and participate in planning and organisational processes, to name but a few of this interesting role’s diverse duties.

The job also offers attractive advanced training opportunities, e.g. to become a ‘Logistics Foreman’.

New man adds strength to Simon Group management

Bernhard Zimmermann has joined the Simon Group at top management level. Since September, he has been joint managing director along with Karl Kammerer.

A resident of Oberndorf am Neckar, Bernard Zimmermann (51) studied mechanical engineering and then worked for several years for a number of different machine-building companies. In 1996, he moved to Assa Abloy AB, the global market leader in mechanical and electronic security systems for the protection of buildings. As technical director, he was responsible for various subsidiary companies within the Swedish group. The companies he worked for in this role included effeff Fritz Fuss GmbH of Albstadt and Ikon AG of Berlin. In October 2006, Zimmermann was appointed CEO and administrative board chairman of Keso AG in Richterswil, Switzerland, likewise a part of the Assa Abloy Group. Keso is an international manufacturer of mechanical and mechatronic locking systems.

In the Simon Group management structure Bernhard Zimmermann is now responsible for the central administrative areas of finance, controlling, IT, quality management, human resources and strategic purchasing.

He also manages three of the Simon Group’s total of seven operating divisions: all of Sitek, one of the group companies, and the sintering and electroplating divisions of Karl Simon GmbH & Co. KG.

Core areas of Bernhard Zimmermann’s work include a close focus on client and market needs and the appropriate positioning of the company. His objectives further include organising the business in an efficient and focussed manner and promoting a working atmosphere that encourages innovation and empowers employees to develop their talents.

Software firm Intex and the Simon Group have jointly made a donation to the St Michael’s Childcare Centre in Aichhalden.

Intex Information Systems GmbH, based in Lauf near Nuremberg, one of whose customers is the Simon Group, launched some time ago a special fundraising scheme linked to all document management projects that it handles jointly with PSIpenta GmbH.

For every document reader project, one of which was implemented with the Simon Group, a donation is made to social welfare institutions, such as children’s nurseries, hospitals, church institutions, food banks and many more.

The level of the donation is based on the size of the iCenter: for each document page that the client system processes per year one cent gets donated at the start of each project.

In 2009, numerous fundraising schemes were implemented in this way in the name of Intex iCenter customers and partners in aid of all sorts of different social welfare and charitable institutions.

The institution supported is chosen in each case by the software customer in their own region. The Simon Group chose the Aichhalden Childcare Centre as the recipient of the donation.

At 2pm on Monday 16th November 2009, Intex managing director Dieter Naßler and Simon Group HR director Gerold Klausmann handed over a cheque to the value of €400 to the St Michael’s Childcare Centre in Aichhalden.

Mrs Merk from the childcare team accepted the donation on behalf of the centre.

The spaciously proportioned children’s centre with its future-proof design currently looks after children aged 2-10 in a variety of groups and in addition to extended opening times also provides day care for primary school children during the holidays and various other services. The centre also works on social integration and looks after children with physical disabilities. Eleven members of staff and trainees look after the different groups of children.

Mrs Merk thanked Mr Naßler on behalf of the centre for the generous donation, which will probably be used to buy new robust and long-lasting play and learning materials for the children. She made a particular point of saying that donations of this kind, which are outside of the centre’s budget, contribute greatly to the centre being able to purchase additional, generally very expensive, playing equipment for the children.

New building for workforce and high-tech machines - Simon Group invests in tool making

One of the keys to success at the Simon Group is the company's own tool-making operation. A department that ensures the high precision of Simon products through high-tech equipment and the know-how of 30 staff.

70 metres long and 36 metres wide are the dimensions of the new building, which can already be seen from the road. The building provides ideal conditions for modern tool making. The precision CNC systems, for instance, will be standing on vibration-free floors. The modern machines for vertical and wire spark eroding, flat grinding, cylindrical grinding, milling, turning and micro-machining will now be spread over an area of 2,045m². As well as these come the machines for conventional machining, such as lathes, drilling, grinding and polishing machines. A great deal of high-tech equipment is highly sensitive. All of the rooms are therefore air-conditioned. Well lit, they also create a pleasant working atmosphere for the 30-strong workforce, including trainees. The workers in the tool-making department are all highly qualified. “The tool-making operation produces work of the highest precision and bears a great responsibility,” says Franz Edele, the department manager. “With this experienced team we are able to carry out all client requests quickly and efficiently. That's our strong point and something that we are constantly developing further.”

Another of the Simon Group’s strengths lies in the training the company gives to its own young employees – thus ensuring continuity and the transfer of know-how. Apprenticeships are provided in a variety of commercial and technical disciplines, with 23 young people currently learning a trade at Simon and playing their part in the company’s success.