Technical highlighTs and

producT

innovaTions

are The hallmarks of a

very successful 2015 fiscal year

i n T e r n aT i o n a l Edition

02/15

Edition

Edition

02/15

02/15

dear colleagues, Dear Business Partners and Friends of GROB,

Burkhart Grob, Margret Grob, Christian Grob (from right to left)

Once again, 2015 was a highly successful yet challenging year, for our company. With your support we will surpass the one billion euro mark in sales for the second year in a row. However, it is far more difficult to maintain our

high level of performance than it was to reach our current level of success. This is, for the most part due to unfavorable prospects of the German machine manufacturing industry itself over recent months.

Currently the GROB Group order book shows a promising record with numerous secured orders. Furthermore, the order backlog extends at least twelve months. This is due to both our award-winning and highly competitive products as well as our extensive global investment activities in machinery and buildings. In Mindelheim alone we have invested more than 150 million euros over the last three years. We have likewise lived up to our responsibilities with social projects at our headquarters in Mindelheim, providing substantial and forward-looking financial support to the technical school, as well as significantly subsidizing the child daycare center. Extensive investments in hiring young employees, apprentices and highly qualified workers constitute another important milestone in our company’s future strategy. All these investments were undertaken to not only ensure our com-

groB’s year in reTrospecT GROB’s world as seen from the outside pany’s competitiveness but also to successfully meet future challenges. This fine tradition of our family company has continued for almost ninety years. And in order to maintain this tradition, GROB-WERKE will likewise remain one hundred percent family-owned in the future. Only in this way can the company continue to invest in its own strengths, and rely on its own energy and resources to ensure future growth. Please continue to support us with your wholehearted dedication and full commitment in the future to successfully pursue our chosen path. We would like to thank you for the dedication and loyalty you have so clearly demonstrated to the company over the past year.

Just as years before, 2015 will also enter the GROB annals as an extremely successful year, a year characterized by impressive and convincing innovations, high customer approval and continuation of the

We wish all of our employees, business partners and friends of the GROB Company Merry Christmas and a successful start to 2016.

GROB headquarters in Mindelheim, Germany

Inauguration of the Burkhart-Grob Technical School in Mindelheim

Completion of the GROB Apprenticeship Hall (H12)

New Technology and Application Center in Shanghai, China

Mindelheim OPEN HOUSE November 2015

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

EMO Milan October 2015

General Motors

investment program at all GROB facilities in Mindelheim, São Paulo, Bluffton and Dalian. But it was also a year in which GROB invested not only in new buildings and machinery, but much more followed

its long-time tradition, by subsidizing the training of its skilled workers of tomorrow. Furthermore, GROB hired 111 new trainees this year, dispersed over all 4 production sites – a new record. In addition to

this cornerstone development GROB also formally opened a new high-tech training center in Mindelheim this past summer. It is reasonably considered the most advanced and modern facility of its kind.

The Grob family

dear colleagues, Once again a highly successful year draws to an end for our company. A year in which with your support we have been able to achieve substantial accomplishments and meet almost all our goals. Indeed, global growth and market conditions have changed dramatically, yet nonetheless, our company has been extraordinarily successful in garnering new customers and work pieces. GROB has continuously increased its market share in new segments. This is a success that perfectly proves that we are pursuing the right path together, a success we can be proud of, and which is based on several pillars. • Our products and technologies enjoy an undeniable market acceptance, a success that is even more remarkable considering that the entire GROB product spectrum originates from our own development department, including innovative machines such as the new G350 – Generation 2 universal machines, the G800, the innovative G300 and G320 system machines or the novel telescoping gantry. Additional detailed information can be found in the technical section of this edition. • In order to materialize all these innovations, we have implemented highly

1

dynamic investment programs in our businesses and production facilities in Germany, Brazil, China and the USA. These extensive investments will guarantee the security of our company, and are only possible because the GROB family immediately reinvests all profits into the company.

In a nutshell, with your great support we have once again managed not only to flow with the market, but also to establish market trends, that allow us to actively and sustainably secure and expand our corporate growth.

commitment and dedication and successful cooperation in 2015.

Thank you very much for your untiring

The GROB-WERKE Management Board

We would like to wish all employees a Merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous start into 2016.

• For some time we have paved the way for upcoming changes to automotive powertrains. We are therefore currently putting together an additional new development group that will exclusively concentrate on this area. A further significant component of our tremendous growth in recent years was the concurrent expansion of our global sales and service network. Thus at the start of 2016, we will be represented with sales offices not only in the “Motor City” Detroit, but also in California. This past October, in conjunction with GROB Italia, a new GROB sales and service subsidiary was established in Italy, by the end of the year we shall also open our tenth base, GROB Poland. In addition to the expansion of our sales and service network, we have also put a new matrix sales organization in place, in order to further boost our company’s growth through sales activities. Wolfram Weber, German Wankmiller, Jochen Nahl

Awards

General Motors Shanghai

Ford

2

Edition

Edition

02/15

02/15

groB Technology Technology highlights and product innovations of 2015 In 2015, we were able to present an entire spectrum of new technological highlights and unprecedented prod-

uct innovations to our customers. These occurred not only in the system and universal machine business,

but also in the area of software technology. GROB development engineers once again did deliver on their prom-

ise to bring immaculate products and increasingly sophisticated technologies to the market.

G800 heavy machining center The G800 represents the latest development of an entirely new machine concept, offering both universal and system machine customers the ideal pallet size for large components. The 800 mm pallet lends itself perfectly to machine engine components for trucks, commercial vehicles, construction machinery and tractors. Furthermore, the G800 also constitutes the perfect machine concept for general mechanical engineering, the aviation

industry, mold-making and power engineering. The 4-axis modular system, also available with 5 or 6-axis options, allows us to customize the machine to our customers’ individual requirements. Its advantages are obvious: The standard version offers an above-average work area, ideal chip-to-chip times, highest rigidity values, excellent swarf drop (also suitable for dry machining) and the ability to utilize extra-long tools of up to 850 mm.

Latest machine technology 6th G-module development stage In order to achieve even greater manufacturing system efficiency, not only the universal machine series but also the system machine range (G300/ G320) underwent extensive redevelopment. Their tool magazine capacity was further expanded, idle and chip-to-chip times were fundamentally reduced while machine dynamics were improved. In addition to the new machines, a telescopic gantry for the

system business was also developed. It offers a more compact and dynamic design, which ideally fits into the lay-

NEW GROB-Pilot4M

NEW

GROB4Simulate

GROB4Connect NEW

NEW

GROB4Coach

GROB4Care

GROB4Line

GROB4Analyze

G350 – Generation 2 One could almost say that it became a tradition for GROB to present an additional milestone in the area of universal machines every two years. The 2007 market launch of the G350 was followed by the introduction of the G550 in 2009. At the 2011 EMO, the milling and turning technology of the G550 T made its debut. 2013 saw the new G750, and this year the G350 – Generation 2 was introduced. The new G350 basically distinguishes itself by significantly improved dynamics, reduced idle and chip-to-chip times,

a new machine design and expanded tool magazine capacity from its predecessor. Due to a repositioning of the tool magazine, we were able to reduce the machine width from 2,450 mm to 2,000 mm, thus achieving a significantly smaller machine footprint. Furthermore, the tool capacity now comprises 60 slots, and can easily be updated to 120 slots with the double disk machine. Thanks to the newly-developed double disk magazine, tool length could also be expanded by 33 percent to 550 mm.

The GROB software technology has also seen two newly-developed modules – GROB4Coach and GROB4Simulate. GROB 4Coach is basically a simple, user-oriented software package containing programming, simulation and training software programs with various functionalities. It enables the machining program of the machine to be run on a PC and visualized three-dimensionally. The software in addition offers a programming

environment with integrated online help. GROB4Simulate is a powerful simulation system, supporting comprehensive collision monitoring, while also taking into account all components such as tool clamping devices, work pieces and other machine components. Key features are the color-coded display of component damage or remaining material as well as the possibility of exact time determination with respect to machine dynamics.

GROB-Pilot4M Concomitant with the invention of the second generation of the G350 universal machine, and the advances of the GROB-NET4Industry, we also developed a completely new control panel (HMI) for our universal machines. The new control panel with touch screen, 3D-Mouse and extensive software applications is called GROB-Pilot4M. It is now possible to apply numerous new and GROB-specific appli-

GROB rotary pallet storage system The newly-developed rotary pallet storage system (PSS-R) for small and medium-size palletizations even further expands the already extensive universal machine portfolio. Besides a high degree of practicability and functionality the GROB PPS-R also allows highly flexible installation due to a very compact design. This system is available in three standard sizes for the G550 – Generation 1 universal machine. In its smallest version (PSS-R5) it offers five pallet storage slots on one level. The

3

and equipped with a more practiceoriented and visually attractive machine paneling.

GROB-NET4Industry

Networks across systems and departments with

GROB-NET4Industry

out of the G-module structure. Parallel to the universal machines, the system machines as well were redesigned

PSS-R10 provides 10 slots on two levels, and the PSS-R13 model boasts thirteen pallet storage slots on three levels. If one takes the pallet at the setup station into account, the number of available pallets increases to a maximum of fourteen. The system itself is extremely easy to integrate, and can thereby be retrofitted to any existing and already commissioned machines. A rotary movement allows simultaneous loading and unloading, eventually achieving short change times.

cations by using this new control panel and software. All GROB-NET4Industry applications can be used with the new control panel. The most important innovations include: • Touch screen operation • Optional second monitor • 3D-Mouse for navigating in 3D drawings • Real-time simulation of NC programs

• All GROB-NET4Industry applications This new HMI successfully rounds out the form factor of our G350 G-module, by a very promising and appealing design. The GROB-Pilot4M will be firstly available in 2016 with the Siemens control unit. Heidenhain and Fanuc controls will follow up later.

Additional product innovations

G320 perfect for turbocharger machining

G500TS thermal spraying system

G320 and G520 two-spindle machining centers with integrated pallet changer

Milling and turning technology for the G750T

4

Edition

Edition

02/15

02/15

groB producTion Production processes at the highest level

groB Buildings and grounds Architects of the GROB world

While the primary focus of production investments in recent years has been on the construction or conversion of new halls, attention has now shifted to the detail. In addition to smaller hall expansions and new buildings, manufacturers are now seeking to enhance production processes and to invest in state-of-the-art production systems.

Whether at the GROB plant in Mindelheim, São Paulo, Bluffton or Dalian – the Mindelheim Architecture Department team has left its unique and lingering signature around the world. Together they are responsible for the implementation of the enormous investment actions most notably in new production facilities that gave rise to the current GROB world. These investments took particularly place over the last decade.

Expansion of the Pre-assembly unit in hall 6 The extension being built between halls 6 and 1 was completed in mid-August this year, thus increasing the production area in hall 6 by over 1000 m². This extension created urgently required space to assemble the fluid cabinet within the production-based workflow, to integrate the outsourced area for clamping devices

into hall 6 and to further improve general procedures. Merging the pre-assembly of the bridge for one or two-spindle machining centers to the center of hall 6 and in close proximity to Machine Assem-

bly allows GROB to both promptly implement technical adjustments, and deploy Pre-assembly staff very flexibly. As Peter Haider, Director of Pre-assembly of System Machines states - „Our main objective

Two million euros for a new heat-treating shop The initial demolition work behind hall 1 for a new building, which is to house among others the new hardening shop, got under way last year. This building had been completed on the same site just eight months later. These facilities, which were over thirty years old, were not only technically obsolete, but also fell completely short of any modern and ecological standards. Consequently, a new heat-treating center has been set up which now boasts state of the art technology in every respect. We can now offer proce-

dures such as plasma nitriding, vacuum annealing, case hardening, deep-freezing and burnishing ourselves by capitalizing on the very latest techniques. The Quality Testing section, which is located in this hall too, has also been brought up to the latest standards. GROB invested more than two million euros into construction and renovation measures. However, it seems safe to say that these costs will be recovered within a very short amount of time through fundamental savings in production throughput times, considerable reductions in administrative workload and a high level of automation.

Automated production system in large part production A fourth machining center for the machining of aluminum components was installed in hall 5 in the fall of this year in addition to the existing G550 production system. GROB furthermore increased the PROMOT pallet store from 90 spaces to 174 - an expansion that was urgently required. As Roland Blum, Head of the Production Business Unit at GROB, explains, „the system could not be used all weekend due to the enormous productivity because all the pallets supplied were processed on Sunday at the latest. With the expansion of this system, we expect to see another marked improvement in

Robot welding in sheet metal production In December of 2015, a new robotic welding cell will also go into operation in the GROB Sheet Metal Production Department. The system consists of two machining stations with large reversing units. The robot is securely suspended from a linear axis and approaches both stations alternately. This concept allows the operator to prepare the other station while the robot is matching the component. Following construction and startup, the welding robot which is designed and supplied by KUKA Systems, is intended to primarily manufacture series and recurring components. In addition, high-precision functional compo-

was to closely interlink Pre-assembly with Machine Assembly in hall 8 to achieve shorter response times. “We have now more than succeeded in doing so through these conversion measures.“

its productivity.“ GROB has also repeatedly and successfully capitalized on this trusted system when it comes to machining larger components. The new G750 production system, which is designed with 36 pallet spaces and currently one machining center, was also commissioned in time for our Open House trade fair.

The “Building and Grounds” department encompasses 8 employees. Besides one architect they are all highly skilled architectural draftsmen and civil engineers. Located at the parent plant in Mindelheim they are accountable for the implementation of new buildings and potential modifications on existing plants. Their area of responsibility comprises the entire building portfolio, from site and development planning through to conceptual planning of infrastructure. In this context they place great value on modern energy concepts and long-term power supply. Once a building project is completed, they are responsible for the entire documentation of the building and related technology. Thus, in addition to all construction activities, this department is concerned with database management, administration of real estate and building-related data. They furthermore advise other departments, provide support in the conceptual stages of various investment projects and define fire safety and safety-related aspects. Moreover, this department is the primary contact for the Facility Management when it comes to questions concerning construction and building maintenance activities. 35 years of successful site and structural development It all started with a small planning department in 1980, just when the office build-

nents will also be welded on the new system. Steffen Setz, Director of the Sheet Metal Production Department, refers to it as „an ideal addition to our highly automated fleet of machinery in sheet metal production.“ The Sheet Metal Production Department expects this to deliver very consistent quality, which will ultimately translate into lower expenditures in the assembly processes.

ing B2 was being completed. This was followed by the planning of the Bluffton plant in the Unites States, the completion of hall 5 and 2, as well as of the office building B3. Hall 4 was finalized in 1990, followed by the expansion of hall 5 one year later. In 1992, hall 6 was finished. Commensurate with progressively increased corporate success investment activities went up significantly, not only at the Mindelheim plant. In 1994, GROB-WERKE, for the first time was nominated one of the Top Ten machine tool manufacturers in Germany. Not surprisingly in 1996, GROB architects immediately started the planning of a new office building B4 and the renewed expansion of the American plant in Bluffton. Although building projects were successively carried out until the end of the 1990s according to current needs, this development all of a sudden changed completely about ten years ago. The reason being the establishment of the general corporate goal to reap a turnover of “one bil-

lion euro in sales”. Determining this target not only meant doubling sales within a fairly short time frame, it also had a substantial effect on construction activities, particularly at the parent plant in Mindelheim. Thus, in 2008 hall 8 was built; one year later the underpass to the south area was constructed, epitomizing a further vital milestone in the entire building history of GROB-WERKE – the development and realization of the entire southern section of the plant with all its buildings (halls 9, 10, 11 and 12), the outdoor facilities as well as the company’s own power and media supply. Plant planning in 2010 for Dalian in China should also be kept in mind, as well as the current most obvious and evident project. The construction of the office administration building B6. Everyday Challenges Broadly spoken, the daily tasks of our colleagues in the Planning and Building Department can be compared to those in a classic Architecture Office. However, their “prime client” is company management, expecting short-term changes to projects and adaptations to the planning or construction process just in the nick of time. Furthermore, all construction work must be coordinated and ensured by various technical crews, guaranteeing that plant processes and traffic will not be adversely affected by these activities. Due to numerous building codes and laws, regulatory requirements and constantly changing EU standards, ecologically-friendly construction and sustainable handling of resources such as concepts of energy recovery and optimization are highly critical. What ensues from this is the fact that forward-looking planning is absolutely vital. Flexibility of production

at the facilities, smooth handover to production, development of standards for the buildings and assurance of the corporate identity can only be ensured by adhering to foresighted planning. This is a requirement that calls for smooth and close cooperation and coordination between the managements of construction and production.

A never-ending task When looking back to the history of GROBWERKE, one will recognize at first glance that construction has always been underway, particularly at the parent plant in Mindelheim. Even today, construction of the new B6 office administration building is in full swing - a project rapidly advancing with GROB’s own team and the active support of an additional architect. Completion is scheduled for August 2016. As regards further planning, new gates with an underground garage on the “South” plant entrance, an integration and restructuring of Hochvogelstrasse as well as a new plant roadway are to be realized. The construction of the new P4 parking lot on Tegelbergstrasse, and additional production-related activities such as the sawing center in hall 7 or the fundamental layout in the production area just complement the extensive expansion plans.

GROB works premises 1980

5

6

Edition

Edition

02/15

02/15

people celeBraTing anniversaries aT groB A new milestone in GROB‘s anniversary history: 50 years with the company

groB anniversaries The company’s long-term employees deserve their honors

For the first time in the history of GROB-WERKE, an employee is celebrating his „fiftieth“ anniversary with the company. Hermann Engstle has worked for our company for over half of its 90-year history. We are delighted for Hermann Engstle and wish him all the very best for the future.

25th anniversary

Strictly speaking, his time actually began prior to GROB-WERKE in Mindelheim. He embarked upon his apprenticeship as a machine fitter with Stetter on September 1, 1965. This company, however, was taken over by what was then ERNST GROB Tool and Machine Factory in 1968 and on whose site our current parent plant was built. Hermann Engstle took up the offer to complete his apprenticeship at GROB and at the end of this was employed not as a ma-

chine fitter as one would have expected but as a draftsman in Mechanical Detail Design. He had gained sufficient experience in this particular area by 1984 to make a further switch to draft design in the Special-Purpose Machines Department. He got so much enjoyment from this work that he faithfully remained there until he was released to work parttime prior to his retirement for 28 years! In a nutshell, he is a dyed-in-the-wool designer from head to toe! As Christian Grob, the company‘s Chief Representative, said in his celebratory speech, „on the occasion of this wonderful anniversary, I would like to express my sincerest congratulations and utmost thanks to Mr. Hermann Engstle on behalf of my parents, the management and the entire GROB Group. Thanks for the

Mr. Hermann Engstle (middle) celebrates his 50th anniversary with the company

faithfulness and immense loyalty that he has shown to our company. This de-

40th anniversary and Retired employees with links to the company of between 30 and 40 years 40 years

serves the utmost respect and our highest regard, in equal measure.“

Werner

Lachenmayer

Controls Engineering

Thomas

Sirch

Tool Production

Finny

Weibler

Catering

Georg

Lindenauer

Controls Engineering

Peter

Steiner

Production

Angelika

Weiß

Drawing Documentation

Arnold

Lutz

Production

Jens

Stemmler

Automation Technology

Manfred

Wengler

Production

Peter

Lutz

Electrical Subassembly

Reinhard

Stöckeler

Service – Express Technician

Steffen

Wurdinger

Service – Project Coordination

Jürgen

Mariner

Production Control

Alfons

Suiter

Assembly Control Cabinet

Axel

Wüst

Tool Technology

Patrice

Martin

Technical Documentation

Christoph

Thalhofer

Subassembly

Gültekin

Yesil

Mechanical Commissioning

Günter

März

Logistics – Quality Control

Thomas

Tröber

Sales – Project Management

Mehmet

Yesil

Technical Documentation

Peter

Mauritz

Production

Thomas

Voigtmann

Fluid Installation

Wolfgang

Zech

NC Programming

Karl

Mayer

Fluid Subassembly

Susanne

Volk

Subassembly Secretary

Peter

Zeyda

Production

Detlef

Merkel

Metal Sheet Assembly

Georg

Weber

Assembly

Andreas

Zielinski

Production

Michael

Minkenberg

Mechanical Design Engineering

Andreas

Wehner

Electrical Installation

Jürgen

Zwinger

After Sales Service

Albert

Möbus

Technical Documentation

Petra

Moller

Mechanical Design Engineering

Alexander

Moser

Production

Benno

Müller

Machine Commissioning

Rolf

Müller

Production

Bernhard

Nattenmiller

Mechanical Commissioning

Andreas

Naumann

Mechanical Design Engineering

Wolfgang

Niessner

Automation Technology

Thomas

Oberstaller

Assembly Control Cabinet

Anton

Osterrieder

Service

Erol

Özgül

Production

Mustafa

Özkarabacak

Production

Aziz

Özmen

Production

Frank

Polinski

Logistics – Quality Control

Magdalena

Pollmer

Technical Documentation

Günther

Preiss

Automation Technology

Rainer

Preschl

Mechanical Commissioning

Wolfgang

Amberger

Production

Christoph

Prim

Fluid Installation

Josef-Herbert

Diepolder

In-house Logistics

Mario

Richter

Electrical Installation

Simpert

Dillitz

After Sales Service

Justina

Ried

Copyshop

Karl

Drexel

Production

Kurt

Riemer

Production

Rudolf

Frey

Production

Jörg

Rohde

Tool Technology

Peter

Gleich

NC Programming

Klaus

Saller

Research & Development

Hubert

Hafner

Automation Technology

Martina

Sander

Proposal

Ernst

Hofmann

Logistics - Shipping Department

Manfred

Schindler

Assembly

Johann

Kerler

Production

Werner

Schliekmann

Fluid Installation

Anton

Lutzenberger

Production

Hermann

Schmid

Production

Wolfgang

Mayer

Fluid Engineering

Wilhelm

Schorer

Production

Albert

Mesch

Production

Guido

Schröder

Logistics – Quality Control

Karl

Preißinger

Production

Helmut

Schwank

Production

Reinhold

Satzger

Automation Technology

Stefan

Schymroszczyk Production

Karl

Schaumann

Production

Jürgen

Seibold

Controls Engineering

Erich

Seitz

Production

Ernst

Seidel

Electrical Installation

Jürgen

Spendel

Logistics

Werner

Stärz

Assembly G-Modul

Herbert

Urbin

Motorspindle Assembly

Manfred

Metzger

34 Years

Wilhelm

Lang

30 Years

Karl-Thaddäus

Degle

30 Years

Gerhard

Deschner

30 Years

Michael

Maurus

37 Years

Peter

Auerbach

36 Years

Peter

Brosche

38 Years

Josef

Ruther

37 Years

Gerhard

Mayer

32 Years

Walter

Schulz

34 Years

Peter

Rettner

38 Years

Heinz-Dieter

Wiethege

30 Years

25th anniversary

25 years

10th anniversary Roman

Becker

Mechanical Commissioning

Michael

Böck

Research & Development

Zoran

Bogdanovic

Fluid Subassembly

Martin

Brugger

In-house Logistics

Yang

Chen

Electrical Commissioning

Michael

Ellenrieder

Electrical Commissioning

Bernhard

Guggenberger Occupational Safety

Alexander

Harrer

Mechanical Commissioning

Christian

Heimpel

Electrical Commissioning

Benjamin

Heiß

Mechanical Commissioning

Alexander

Klimmer

Controlling

Ernst

Lutzenberger

Logistics

Bernhard

Maier

Mechanical Detail Engineering

Florian

Maier

Mechanical Commissioning

Franz

Quality Control

Manfred

Ammann

Tool Production

Christian

Esser

Logistics

Jens

Haase

Mechanical Design Engineering

Christian

Peter

Anwander

Production

Christine

Esser

Tool Technology

Georg

Haid

Mechanical Commissioning

Bert

Markter MayrHämmerle Mittelbach

Thomas

Arloth

Logistics – Quality Control

Alfred

Fastner

NC Programming

Albert

Hatzelmann

In-house Logistics

Manfred

Nett

Assembly Stand-Alone Machines

Matthias

Bauernfeind

Customer Training

Andreas

Fay

Assembly

Gerhard

Hummel

Tool Technology

Heiko

Nowaczyk

Fluid Subassembly

Helmut

Baur

Fluid Installation

Roland

Fichtner

Mechanical Design Engineering

Sahin

Ibram

Production

Sevilay

Özdemir

Catering

Michael

Birle

Technical Documentation

Hüseyin

Fidan

In-house Logistics

Thomas

Juhlemann

Tool Production

Konstantin

Ratke

Production

Alois

Bufler

Controls Engineering

Sabine

Filser

Finance – Accounting Control

Richard

Karl

Production

Reinhard

Reß

Production Planning

Celalettin

Cetin

In-house Logistics

Bernhard

Frey

Subassembly

Jürgen

Kerler

NC Programming

Martin

Ryba

Controls Engineering

Mehmet

Coskun

Mechanical Commissioning

Paul

Gerstle

Tool Technology

Johann-Martin

Klusch

Production

Dirk

Salzgeber

Customer Training

Norbert

Dolp

Tool Technology

Wolfgang

Glas

Mechanical Engineering

Kai

Koch

Production

Peter

Schmid

Electrical Commissioning

Stefan

Eberhard

Tool Technology

Ingo

Göpfert

Subassembly

Mevlüt

Kula

Production

Urs

Schuchmann

Proposal

Joachim

Eckardt

Electric Subassembly

Jürgen

Götzfried

Tool Store

Damir

Kus

Automation Technology

Johannes

Stang

Production

Robert

Egg

Occupational Safety

Bernd

Haas

Electrical Installation

Gerhard

Lachenmayer

Mechanical Design Engineering

Ferdinand

Weiher

Electrical Commissioning

7

25 years

10 years

Service Stand-Alone Machines Mechanical Commissioning

8

Edition

Edition

02/15

02/15

groB Trade fairs The world of GROB machine manufacturing has been exhibited at international events and trade fairs In the past year GROB participated in more than 30 events such as trade shows, seminars or forums in thirteen countries around the world. Almost on a monthly basis, the GROB Marketing team not only presented the latest products and innovations, but

also put much stock in promoting and creating awareness for the GROB brand itself. This, however wouldn’t have been possible without the support of fellow GROB employees from all production plants and

subsidiaries around the world. It was a procession of trade shows starting at the intec in Leipzig and successfully finishing with our in-house exhibition in Mindelheim; a series of trade fairs that in Europe alone

led us to Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Italy. In the Americas we went to Mexico, the USA, Brazil and Canada; in Asia we traveled to Singapore, the People’s Republic of China, South Korea and Indonesia.

Extract from the GROB-trade fair year 2015 1

FEIMAFE | São Paulo | May 2015

2

EASTEC | Westspringfield | May 2015

3

AEROSPACE Event | Mindelheim | May 2015

4

INTEC | Leipzig | February 2015

5

AEROSPACE Event | Brazil | October 2015

6

OPEN HOUSE | Mindelheim | November 2015

7

TECMA | Mexico City | March 2015

8

AEROSPACE Event | Shanghai | September 2015

9

CIMT | Peking | April 2015

10

METALLOOBRABOTKA | Moscow | May 2015

11

EMO | Milan | October 2015

9

2

Consistent structures, streamlined processes and defined responsibilities in the markets in conjunction with the clear focus of the GROB sales and distribution strategy are the key drivers that further fuel the global growth of the GROB Group. This orientation will meet future market demands while also ensuring a more rapid and pertinent response to customer desires. New sales and service branches A significant component of the tremendous growth of GROB in recent years has been the concurrent expansion of our sales and service network. In October a new GROB sales and service branch, GROB Italia, was established, adding to the existing eight GROB facilities. At the end of this year, the tenth GROB facility will open in Poland. In order to be particularly close

10

4 3 6 11

groB sales and disTriBuTion Successful strategic development of GROB Sales and Distribution

8 7

1

to our customers in the USA, we are currently developing a sales office in Detroit as well as a service branch office in California. Due to strategic considerations, GROB will directly support the universal machine market in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, with its own employees. Starting in 2016 they will be the immediate contact persons for potential and current customers. In this way, the GROB parent plant and the entire universal machine sales and distribution force will continue to function as the nerve center for all application and service issues. Soon expanded sales and distribution structures will also be implemented in the People’s Republic of China. Consequently in the future GROB sales and service branch offices in Beijing and Shanghai as well as the plant in Dalian will function as a single unit, GROB China. As an

GROB Italia launched at EMO

entity, GROB China will result in substantially increased effectiveness and productivity of the entire GROB Group, and will further enhance processes within the GROB Group. An important element in

the absolute satisfaction of our Chinese customers is the thorough development of on-site project management based on the same procedures as in the three other GROB plants.

Implementing our sales philosophy in the markets With the goal of consistently implementing our sales processes in the Americas, training was held at mid-year at the GROB plant in Mindelheim for key account managers and universal machine sales personnel from the USA and Brazil. During this week-long training, staff was exposed to processes and tools of the following Mindelheim departments: Key Account Management, Universal Machine Sales, Project Development, Marketing and Project Management. In

addition, they acquired important skills relating to uniform global quote preparation and related processes. Presentations of the latest machine developments and innovations such as GROB-NET4Industry guaranteed a consistent and thorough knowledge of our innovations. Individual workshops provided in-depth familiarity with these topics. The project matrix organization in Sales is thus in full swing, and is already fully functional in all four plants across all sales departments and in all processes.

5

1

3

4

2

8

5 6

9

7

10

11

Worldwide success in the system and universal machine business Proof of the wisdom of the strategic development of GROB Sales is demonstrated by project sales to customers: In China we have enjoyed a high success rate among existing as well as new customers in the system business. Our customers in Germany have remained loyal as well. GROB, with its convincing, comprehensive process competence, was, for example, able to win a widely-acclaimed project for production lines for truck cylinder heads and engine blocks, resulting in a turnkey project with machining centers, automation and assembly, optimally designed in advance based on simulations to meet the requirements and needs of the customer. To mention just two of the highlights of this project: the innovative intelligent tool changer with concurrent tool feed on the G700 as well as the newly-developed special machines with automatic tool change. In the uni-

versal machine area, the sales team likewise has very successfully expanded market share, acquiring, for example, a project with ten G550T universal machines integrated into two FMS lines for high-precision titanium components for aircraft turbines. A further example in the aerospace segment is a project involving four G550 machines and one G350 in which pipe joints are machined from solid pieces for supplying aircraft fuel. On the whole, the proportion of orders from the aerospace industry was significantly increased.

tical processes, tools and high quality standards, we can react very flexibly to customer requirements within our plant network. The new G800 heavy machining center can optimally address the

spectrum of potential customers in the areas of commercial vehicles, shipbuilding and power engineering, thereby expanding our customer base.

Good prospects for 2016 GROB is fully prepared to meet the challenges posed by new technologies such as E-mobility and the changed requirements for the powertrain used in the automotive industry. This is a topic that GROB engineers are intensively investigating. Since our machinery is produced the world over using idenG800 large-scale machining center

9

10

Edition

Edition

02/15

02/15

groB suBsidiaries Successful business development in our subsidiaries‘ markets GROB Machine Tools UK at 25 years and GROB Mexico S.A. at 15 years– the two oldest GROB subsidiaries are not only celebrating milestone

GROB-UK GROB Machine Tools UK turns 25 The oldest GROB subsidiary is celebrating its birthday. GROB Machine Tools UK Ltd. was founded as a sales and service branch in Wellesbourne, in the Heart of England, in 1990. It is now headquartered in Birmingham. Coinciding with the anniversary celebrations, the completion of the Ford Panther project can also be celebrated with the commencement of production on the head and block line at the FORD engine plant at Dagenham. In ad-

birthdays, but have also enjoyed a successful year of trading in 2015. With the sale of the Asian versions of the universal machines manufac-

dition, the first assembly stations will be supplied there in December. Besides that, further G500/G520 units and a special machine for the head and block line of the modular engine were also supplied to the BMW plant at Hams Hall. It is also worth mentioning that our Aerospace business segment has sold the first universal machine to Moyola, a customer from Northern Ireland, for the production of aluminum structural parts. As Louis Hill, General Manager at GROB UK, points out, „It is a very important order for us because it is a reference project in the aviation industry, which is of strategic importance to us.“

GROB-InDIA GROB bolsters its presence on the Indian Automotive and Aerospace market

Subsidiary Manager L.J. Naidu meets Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

GROB-KOREA Impressive user demonstration at the Technology and Application Center in Mindelheim The precision, speed and efficiency of our G350 universal machining center were demonstrated to five delegates from a company from Korea, which produces

In the first year that the GA series, manufactured at the Chinese plant in Dalian, has been available on the market, twelve machines have already been sold and delivered in record time. Five

tured in Dalian, GROB Machine Tools India has achieved a good increase in its market share. GROB Korea has furthermore been attending impres-

sive and convincing user demonstrations at the Technology and Application Center in Mindelheim with good sales results.

groB do Brazil Firmly anchored in the GROB coordinated production system After ten years of buoyant and brisk economic growth, the Brazilian automotive industry is now facing enormous overcapacities. not surprisingly, GROB do Brasil is intensively trying to get a foothold in the export business by virtue of its own global GROBnetwork. By doing so GROB tries to offset potential declines and losses in sales in the domestic market. However, a cardinal prerequisite therefore is to further strengthen and intensify cooperation and collaboration with the parent plant in Mindelheim, as well as the better utilization of the increased optimization of production processes that has now been underway for several years. Sheet metal fabrication department In this particular fabrication shop GROB

do Brasil has set up a completely new and unprecedented sheet metal processing system. A Trumatic 7000 with a Stopa storage system for 376 pallets. The new system is connected to the old L-3030 laser and will thereby supply the plates to be bent for the two Trumpf machines and an EHT bending press. The system was commissioned in close cooperation with our specialists from GROB Mindelheim. Furthermore, extensive employee training was conducted, since a restructuring of the procedure and data storage is necessary to operate this system. Start-up of the system is scheduled for the end of this year. Several welding booths as well as additional welding equipment were also obtained to fully supplement the completely redesigned layout of the sheet metal fabrication shop.

Pre-simulated clamping principles in production

GROB UK Director Louis Hill (right)

machines to TVS Motor for cylinder head and crankcase machining, a joint venture project with BMW, four machines to Ramkirishna Forgings for a steering knuckle project, two GA-machines and one G550 to Azad Engineering for aerospace and one machine to Kumar Exports for the production of steering knuckles. Two G500 system machines were successfully delivered to the Cummins Phaltan plant, near Pune, as well as further

four G350 universal machines to Greatoo India in Chennai for tire molds. In addition, eleven G300 machines, one G500 machine and a gantry were delivered and installed at Hyundai, Chennai. With this project we envisage positive dynamic performance on the Indian market. For this reason, we are further expanding GROB India and are already strengthening its Service.

Apprenticeship program The training workshop, which was entirely re-equipped within the course of this year, can now also be fully utilized. At present, GROB is furthermore investigating the possibility to align the training of its apprentices up to the Mindelheim standard via the Dual Training Program. As a consequence a third year of training would have to be introduced. How-

molds for manufacturing tires, at the Technology and Application Center (TAC) in Mindelheim. The G350 performed the machining of an aluminum workpiece provided by the customer in less than a third of the cycle time achieved by their current machining center. The delegates from Korea were not only absolutely amazed by this outcome, but also persuaded to opt for the machine.

GROB-MExICO Good capacity utilization at GROB Mexico GROB‘s business activities in Mexico are going very well. They are also anticipating further growth in the coming year. This is ensured by projects such as at General Motors in San Luis Potosi, for example, where the GF9 transmission housing is produced, or in Ramos Arizpe, where the latest generation of engine is made.

The firm has received further orders from Nemak and Ford Mexico. In particular, Ford has commissioned systems for the machining of the 8F transmission housing, of the 8F transformer housing and of the middle and outer 8F valve plate. We have also received further orders for universal machines from our biggest universal machine customer, BOCAR. The second Open House event at our subsidiary in Queretaro was a great success.

Production and Design By taking the global production strategy into account, GROB do Brasil has also invested heavily and extensively in new machinery, most notably in the area of production to substantially improve output and quality. Thus, the new information network between Mindelheim and São Paulo, enables GROB to exchange and reuse technical data such as NC programs, tool data and chucking methods. Cooperation and collaboration in the design department was also further enhanced

with Mindelheim, be it in terms of supporting a lack of capacity in the sister plants or processing possible orders within the GROB group. Currently there are even several Brazilian engineers working in Mindelheim and Bluffton – a win-win situation which has undoubtedly shown initial success. The development of the rotary pallet storage system for the G550 – Generation 1 is the result of the close cooperation between the GROB Group. The pallet pool design premiered at the EMO in Milan this year.

Assembly This year, GROB do Brasil has turned out its first G350 and G550 – Generation 1 machines in its own assembly area and shipped them to our Bluffton, OH facility to serve the North American market (7 x G550 and 4 x G350). In order to meet new orders in the coordinated production system, staff from Brazil will support their colleagues in Bluffton during the assembly processes. For instance, there is currently a project for an Argentine customer

underway, that requires the involvement of all three GROB-WERKE in São Paulo, Bluffton and Mindelheim. Representatives from all three plants will be present during the delivery and set-up in Rosario. In the wake of this particular project São Paulo, for instance is supplying the cutting machines such as the G-modules and LIPs with the ancillary machines; whereas Bluffton provides the cylinder head assembly line, and Mindelheim the engine block assembly line.

ever, notwithstanding this fact this might turn out to be a good tool to facilitate the exchange of trainees with the parent plant in Mindelheim. The first exchange of trainees between GROB Mindelheim and GROB do Brasil is actually already planned for the coming year, when two apprentices from Brazil will undergo their training in Germany.

Training workshop at GROB Brazil

11

12

Edition

Edition

02/15

02/15

groB usa GROB Bluffton benefiting from a booming American economy

groB china Numerous successful debuts celebrated in the Chinese plant in Dalian In the past year the plant in Dalian, China celebrated an entire spectrum of debuts. These included the handover of the first completed production cell, the introduction of assembly systems, the start of the first generation of GROB’s apprenticeship program as well as the newly-launched overhaul and renovation project of old GROB machines. All these events perfectly reflect the variety of our newest plant in Asia.

The burgeoning American economy is creating best conditions for a dazzling system machine business while also substantially supporting the successful marketing strategy in the universal machine business. The second sales representative meeting in Bluffton is a vivid reflection of the new marketing strategy and repeated customer awards are unambiguous proof that GROB Bluffton is pursuing the right path. New GROB sales office in Detroit Business for GROB’s system solutions in the US is currently going very well and extremely promising. Our most important American customers, the Big Three, Fiat Chrysler Automobile (FCA), Ford and Gen-

leagues at GROB Bluffton are currently looking for vacant office space in Detroit in order to set up sales offices and meeting rooms next door to these customers. This is a further consistent and critical step towards customer proximity. Sales growth and customer acquisition For some time the overarching goal of our sales program in the US has been acquiring new customers while also sustainably strengthening and nurturing ties to already existing customers. Given the current circumstances, the universal machine business is evolving satisfactorily, yet did fall short of our expectations we had at the beginning of 2015. This is for the most part due to a decline of the American

products and related marketing activities, a new service structure and new partners, as well as regional reporting and setting targets for the coming year. Trade fairs, events and awards To strengthen the “GROB” brand particularly in the universal machine business, GROB Bluffton in 2015 alone attended six trade fairs between the east and west coasts as well as one in Toronto, Canada. Moreover, the Technology and Application Center in Bluffton has also turned out to be part and parcel to our marketing activities. In doing so our team has been challenged with numerous customer applications, some of which have eventually esulted in orders. We are always grateful and appreciate the recognition we’ve received: the awards from our customers. In the wake of this we have once again received the Supplier of the Year Award from General Motors this year. Fiat Chrysler Automobile furthermore presented us with the Capital Equipment Quality Award, and FORD recognized us with their Best Supplier Award.

Production highlights and employee development The new construction phase in Bluffton has been completed. The focus now is on continuing the interior construction such as the expansion of our foremen’s office for the assembly managers as well as the outfitting of the new spindle repair center and CMM room. At present there are more than 400 employees working at GROB Bluffton – with upward tendency. Due to extensive restructuring and reorientation processes of sales activities, starting in January 2016 the GROB Bluffton sales team will move into new office spaces. These are currently being renovated and rebuilt. Furthermore one GROB Bluffton employee is presently undergoing special training in the service area. He will then later be headquartered at the newly-established GROB office at our California representative and be accountable for all service activities there. Besides this we have recruited an additional trainer for the newly created apprenticeship program, “Electrical Startup” to be launched on January 1.

Retrofit of older machines and systems Several overhaul and renovation projects for our customer FAW-VW demonstrate the fact that GROB machines undoubtedly deliver to their promises of still being able to be used even after more than ten years of the most demanding production service. Their machines were extensively overhauled for an additional ten years of production; more than thirty machines of various generations were supplemented by new machinery, thus comprising a newly-designed production system. By doing so FAW-VW continues to maintain useful value and high efficiency of its production lines by reusing expensive components. First training class starts its working life In June, after a difficult but exciting training period, 24 GROB apprentices took their first steps into the actual working life after successfully completing the theoretical and practical final examination. They all bravely started their training in 2011 while our plant in Dalian was not even yet completed. Today they are well-trained industrial mechanics and electronics technicians who can now apply their knowledge on a daily basis in the production areas of manufacturing and assembly. First production cell successfully shipped In August of this year, the first ever by GROB Dalian built production cell for

Final machine assembly at the Dalian plant

machining cylinder heads and engine blocks was delivered and handed over to our customer in time; after a very demanding and challenging acceptance procedure, lasting more than two weeks. Concomitant with the delivery of these highly complex production modules, GROB Dalian was also for the first time able to enhance the universal and system machine product portfolio with linked machines. First complete production cell

Assembly technology as a tool to supplement machining systems As part of partially covering our local customers’ general interest, GROB China was able to ship the first components of a transmission “disassembly” line to our customer Volkswagen this July. This delivery epitomized the first step towards a completely new and for GROB so far unprecedented world of system construction. However, it was also an important step towards being able to offer technically sophisticated and locally manufactured products to meet the increasing demand for automation and assembly technology of the Chinese market.

Assembly technology for Volkswagen

Second representatives’ conference in Bluffton

eral Motors, have just recently launched projects for new engine technologies directly involving GROB. The lion’s share of these projects is being supported and supplied from Mindelheim, even more stressing the necessity to promote the planning for the new GROB sales office in Detroit, which is to be directly located in the back yard of the Big Three. Our col-

machine tools market by 10 to 15 percent in the current year. Nevertheless, we have been able to capture new customers such as Tesla, Kawasaki and Nemak. Furthermore, in mid-August all 17 GROB sales representatives in the US and Canada attended the second sales rep event in Bluffton. Key topics included our new Technology and Application Center

13

Proud graduates of the first year’s apprenticeship program

Retrofit program for FAW-VW

14

We are There for you around The World

GROB RUSSLAND Moscow, Russia

GROB MACHINE TOOLS Birmingham, Great Britain GROB-WERKE Mindelheim, Germany

NEW

GROB SYSTEMS Bluffton, Ohio, USA

GROB HUNGARIA Györ, Hungary GROB MACHINE TOOLS Beijing, China

GROB ITALIA Turin, Italy

GROB MACHINE TOOLS Dalian, China GROB KOREA Seoul, South Korea

GROB MACHINE TOOLS Shanghai, China GROB MEXICO Querétaro, Mexico GROB MACHINE TOOLS Hyderabad, India

B. GROB DO BRASIL São Paulo, Brazil

Mindelheim plant

São Paulo plant

Bluffton plant

Dalian plant

GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG Mindelheim, GERMANY Tel.: +49 8261 9960 Fax: +49 8261 996268 E-Mail: [email protected]

B. GROB DO BRASIL S.A. São Paulo, BRAZIL Tel.: +55 11 43679100 Fax: +55 11 43679101 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB SYSTEMS, INC. Bluffton, Ohio, USA Tel.: +1 419 3589015 Fax: +1 419 3693330 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB MACHINE TOOLS (DALIAN) Co. Ltd. Dalian, P.R. CHINA Tel.: +86 411 39266488 Fax: +86 411 39266589 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB KOREA Co. Ltd. Seoul, SOUTH KOREA Tel.: +82 31 80413130 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB MACHINE TOOLS (BEIJING) Co. Ltd. Beijing, P.R. CHINA Tel.: +86 10 64803711 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB MACHINE TOOLS (BEIJING) Co. Ltd. Shanghai, P.R. CHINA Tel.: +86 21 37633018 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB MACHINE TOOLS INDIA Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad, INDIA Tel.: +91 40 42023336 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB RUSSLAND GMBH Moscow, RUSSIA Tel.: +7 495 6240586 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB MACHINE TOOLS U.K. Ltd. Birmingham, GREAT BRITAIN Tel.: +44 121 366 9848 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB MEXICO S.A. de C.V. Querétaro, MEXICO Tel.: +52 442 713 6600 E-Mail: [email protected]

GROB UNGARIA Kft. Györ, HUNGARY E-Mail: [email protected]

NEW GROB ITALIA S.r.l.

Turin, ITALY Telefon: +39 011 3000 420 E-Mail: [email protected]

puBlicaTion deTails - GROB INTERNATIONAL EDITION 02/15 PUBLISHED BY: GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG, Mindelheim

TEXT: Robert A. Thiem, Agentur T M E, www.tme.at

RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT: Marketing & PR, Telefon +49 8261 996 270, Telefax +49 8261 996 441, [email protected]

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION: inpublic Werbung & PR GmbH, Innsbruck, www.inpublic.at

PHOTOS: GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG Mindelheim Robert A. Thiem, Agentur T M E Photography Klein & Schneider Photography Julia Schambeck Photography Cornely-Verlag

TRANSLATION: www.sprachdienstleister.at PRINTED BY: Holzer Druck und Medien Druckerei und Zeitungsverlag GmbH + Co. KG, Weiler im Allgäu, www.druckerei-holzer.de

Note regarding gender: We place great value on diversity and equal treatment. For the purpose of readability, reference to both genders has been omitted.

www.grobgroup.com