Expansion of Arburg Technology Center in the Czech Republic

A high-ranking delegation from the parent company, including Partners Eugen Hehl, Juliane Hehl and Michael Hehl, as well as Managing Director Sales, Helmut Heinson, travelled to Brno for the official inauguration of the new premises. This provides evidence of the great importance attached to the Czech subsidiary by the parent company. Together with subsidiary manager Dr Daniel Orel, the Partners and Managing Director cut the ribbon during the inauguration ceremony for the new extension and toured the new part of the building in the company of 50 invited customers.

fig. 1: Official inauguration of the new premises in Brno (right to left): Subsidiary manager Dr Daniel Orel, Arburg Partners Michael, Juliane and Eugen Hehl and Managing Director Sales Helmut Heinson.

Automation sector enjoys annual growth of between 10 and 15 per cent

In his speech, Michael Hehl, Managing Partner and Spokesperson for the Arburg Management Team, explained how the Czech and Slovak market had developed in recent years and highlighted the continuously rising demand in the automation sector. “Annual growth rates here are between 10 and 15 percent. Of the total of 34 employees, five are exclusively responsible for automation solutions and specific turnkey systems. The addition of five more is planned in the near future. The success of our activities in this sector has meant that we have gradually run out of space in the existing building and no longer have sufficient capacity for the construction and testing of such complex systems. Consequently, it was decided in 2013 to extend the Arburg Technology Center (ATC) here.” Now complete, the new extension has increased the usable floor space in the subsidiary by 615 m2 to over 1,660 m2, he added. He pointed out that the new capacities offer sufficient space to install, test and optimise three automated production cells. In future, delivery times will therefore also be shorter and customers will be able to find out all about the current state of the art in automation technology at Arburg in this sector based on practical applications.  Hehl emphasised that the investment of approximately one million euros in the extension of the ATC Brno clearly underscores the importance Arburg attaches to its Czech subsidiary. The proprietor families, the management and the entire workforce of the Arburg Group wished Dr Daniel Orel and his team all the very best for the future and every success in further expanding business activities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

fig. 2: The new extension offers sufficient space to install and test complex automation solutions and turnkey systems.

Well equipped for the future

On 22 April, a further 100 customers had the opportunity to see the new facility for themselves. Automation solutions and turnkey systems, as well as the Freeformer and additive manufacturing, attracted a great deal of interest over the two days. Subsidiary manager Dr Daniel Orel saw this as proof of the attractions of Arburg's forward-looking technologies: “Growth rates in the areas of automation and projects in particular demonstrate that our solutions are the perfect response to the needs of our customers. Now that we have expanded our capacities by extending the facilities in Brno, our customers can look forward to even better support and even more targeted information and testing options to choose from. This enables us to consolidate advances that will pay off both for us and our customers.”  Dr Orel added that he was proud that there would now be a separate area for the Freeformer and that the Brno subsidiary would become a central point of contact for existing and prospective customers from Eastern and Central Europe.  The fact that there will be a special "Manager Additive Manufacturing” in the person of Marek Zloch, who will provide advice on all aspects of the Freeformer and additive manufacturing, was particularly well received.

Many thanks to Jaroslav Novak for his enormous commitment

While the expansion of the subsidiary heralded a new era, another came to an end: after 22 years of service, longstanding subsidiary manager Jaroslav Novak officially retired at the end of 2014, although he continued to oversee the construction of the new extension through to its completion. Michael Hehl paid tribute to him with the following words: “I would like to extend a special thanks to you for your relentless commitment. During both the construction and extension of the ATC in Brno, you mastered the dual role of site and subsidiary manager superbly and oversaw the construction activities with the utmost professionalism.” Helmut Heinson added: “We all know Jaroslav Novak, who began working for Arburg in the Czech Republic in 1993, as a strong character with enough energy for two, as well as an outstanding expert in his field. He has developed Arburg into the market leader in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia.” He expressed gratitude on behalf of the entire company, the management team and the Managing Partners, all of whom were delighted to know that Jaroslav Novak would stay on in a consulting capacity for the company. Jaroslav Novak took the opportunity to thank the customers and the Arburg Partners for the trust they had shown in him and for their faithfulness, without which it would never have been possible to develop the subsidiary.