A lot of future for Waldner's headqurater
Waldner is systematically expanding its capacities: With new CNC machines to deliver even more efficient and precise machining. Not to mention a new production hall for the final assembly of our Dosomat machines and a further hall for powder coating. We are investing around 10 million euro into these projects – clearly signalling our commitment to growth and the future. Stay tuned to this channel for special reports about our powder coating and Dosomat production hall projects.
It's almost as though even the weather wanted to test Waldner’s renowned ability to overcome difficult challenges with aplomb. On the day the heavy-duty truck rolled into the yard carrying the biggest new CNC machine, the heavens opened. Not exactly the ideal conditions for manoeuvring a machine measuring over 5 metres long and over 2.5 metres wide through the large factory gate on caterpillar tracks using a remote-controlled steering system. But yet again, Waldner’s tried and tested technical expertise, forward-thinking planning, and great team work shone through in its collaboration with the professional installers. “We’re talking a matter of centimetres”, says Robert Pfeiffer, head of Process Management at Waldner. “We barely had five centimetres’ clearance to get the machine through the gate, so we needed a good team on hand.”
As Robert Pfeiffer explains, there's a good reason the new machines are so big, besides offering more efficient and precise metalworking: “It’s very simple: The machines that we at Waldner build for our customers continue to get bigger and wider – which is why we in turn need machines with greater clearances to produce the larger components.”
With a total of four new CNC machines and an investment of 2.4 million euro, Waldner is radically modernising its machining division. And the investment goes far beyond the machines themselves, also extending to the hall that houses the machines. “We’re standing in a building that’s now 50 or 60 years old”, says Daniel Mackert. He is in charge of Facility Management at Waldner and, together with his team, has ensured that everything is ready for the new machining processes. “We had to adjust the power supply and compressed air network, to name just a couple of points. There were a whole host of things we had to plan and prepare for. Around a quarter of a million was invested into the infrastructure, the building itself, to create the right conditions for the machines to operate here.”
The investment not only provides the company with a solid foundation for the future, but is also a clear commitment to Germany as a place to do business. Jochen Früh, CEO of the Waldner Group, agrees: “We’re delighted not only to secure our growth with this investment, but also to further strengthen our site at Wangen im Allgäu.”
The Waldner employees are also excited by the new machines. According to Benjamin Klaus, Deputy Head of the Machining department: “We now have two DMV 185 milling machines, which have superior tool magazine capacity and top spindle performance that will allow us to really step on the gas. And the 5-axis milling centres have allowed us to make huge strides when it comes to turn-milling. These feature a counterspindle with a handover process, which effectively means that we only need to clamp the part in once and it comes out fully machined. Benjamin Klaus is delighted: “There’s no question the investment’s been worth it. We’ve invested in the future. There’s nothing on the market that allows us to be so productive and work so efficiently.” Just working with the machines is a joy, according to Jakob Steidle, Machining Technician at Waldner: “Yeah, it's so cool, everything’s new, and the new controllers are a joy to use. I can’t imagine anything better. What more could anyone want?”
Waldner is planning even more investment at the Wangen site with the focus on state-of-the-art machines and optimising the production processes. The company hopes that this investment will lay the groundwork for future success. Visit us again and stay up-to-date with the latest news – there's more to come from Waldner at Wangen!
