Skip to main content

Author: Möbelfertigung

Already 80 percent of the area occupied

Already one year before the event date, the “Fensterbau Frontale” registers registrations from 480 exhibitors from 33 countries. With over 50,000 m², 80 percent of the available net stand space in the eleven exhibition halls is already occupied. What is new is the sequence of days: the world’s leading trade fair for window, door and facade construction will take place from Tuesday, March 29 to Friday, April 1, 2022 – of course, again parallel to the “Holz-Handwerk”.

“Replacing the Saturday in the sequence of days of the trade fair association with a weekday has long been a wish of the industries, as surveys of exhibitors and visitors have shown,” says Elke Harreiß, head of “Fensterbau Frontale”. “In 2022, we are implementing this for the first time. Exhibitors will have at least as many days as usual for set-up and dismantling.”

Elke Harreiß is very satisfied with the feedback from exhibitors at the current time: “In the conversations, we sense confidence and anticipation for the trade fair – despite or perhaps because of the ongoing Corona pandemic. The desire to meet and exchange ideas in person remains high. This is underlined by the current registration status: compared to the same period of the previous event, we stand at 89 percent of the booked space.”

The “Fensterbau Frontale” team is planning the event along the lines of the safety and hygiene regulations currently in force and with complementary, digital components to offer added value to exhibitors and visitors from all over the world. “Interest in online formats has risen sharply within a year. Digital information and education offerings are here to stay and will remain important even after the pandemic. As the world’s leading trade show, we aim to make our program correspondingly broad and future-oriented.”

This also includes the offer with the motto “Fensterbau Frontale connected”: In order to bridge the time until the next trade fair date for all industry participants, the trade fair bundles relevant information on the net. Thus, all profiles and contact details of the companies registered for “Fensterbau Frontale 2020” are still available in the exhibitor and product database. In addition, the newsroom regularly offers new content from the industry. And in addition to information about the trade fair preparations, news is also continuously shared in the trade fair’s social media channels and bundled under the hashtags #FFconnected and #bridgingthegap.

Invests 14 million euros in the Weißbach site in Germany

The technology company Continental is investing around €14 million in additional capacities and sustainable production conditions at its German location in Weißbach. “With this investment, we are securing the future viability of our plant for surface materials and at the same time giving our approximately 1,000 employees there a perspective for the future,” explains Dr. Dirk Leiß, who heads the Surfaces Business Unit at Continental. Twelve million euros will be invested in a film production line, and another two million euros in an additional exhaust air purification system.

The new film line, including a cutting machine, will enable the site to continue to grow. It will significantly increase the capacity of the site. Among other things, design and functional films are produced in Weißbach for end consumers who want to decoratively embellish or functionally upgrade their four walls. This trend has increased strongly, especially in pandemic times. In the industrial sector, innovative, durable and weather-resistant exterior films are produced for window profiles, front doors, garages and facades, as well as films for kitchen, bathroom and home furniture.

“The demand for our film products is growing continuously,” explains Leiß. “The investment in an additional production line now allows us to win new customers, open up further applications and offer additional products and customer services.” Part of the new line is a film cutting machine that makes customised packaging possible. The entire line is expected to be commissioned in early 2023.

With the new thermal regenerative exhaust air purification plant, which is also planned, Continental is already preparing the plant for upcoming stricter limit values. This plant is expected to go into operation in autumn 2022. With the additional purification capacity, the site will then be able to purify 160,000 standard cubic metres per hour – almost twice as much as before. “This means we even have reserves for changes in quantity or for an additional machine,” says Leiß. The plant can also be expanded if production continues to grow. “So this investment is another step on the way to a sustainable future.”

Retrofitting via online video

In the second half of 2020, Pfleiderer ordered an Evosteam from Dieffenbacher for its MDF plant in Baruth, Germany. Installed directly at the press infeed, the Evosteam preheats the mat by injecting steam. This reduces the time needed to heat the mat inside the press, accelerating production.

Before the start of the Evosteam retrofit in Baruth, a live demonstration took place at Dieffenbacher in Eppingen. As the time available for on-site retrofitting is limited, the demonstration following partial commissioning at Dieffenbacher was intended to ensure that functions were tested in advance, thus significantly reducing the time required for installation and on-site commissioning. “To avoid any unnecessary infection and health risk from the COVID-19 pandemic, together with our project partners from Pfleiderer we carried out the machine demonstration via an online video call,” explains Holger Senk, who is responsible for the Evosteam at Dieffenbacher.

“As a modern alternative, the online demonstration was a great experience. More of my colleagues were able to participate than would have been possible at an on-site meeting,” says Markus Hlawatsch, project manager of the Evosteam project at Pfleiderer. “The Dieffenbacher colleagues explained all the components and functions of the Evosteam to us in detail and demonstrated them live. We were able to clarify our open questions and can now approach the upcoming conversion with confidence.”

“A live demonstration like this—online or on site—is a win-win for both customer and supplier,” adds Stefan Zipf, Head of Dieffenbacher’s Wood Business Unit. “Both partners have an interest in testing the machine before installation to prevent surprises and make commissioning as efficient as possible. Demonstrations like this are not only possible for the Evosteam, but for many of our products.”

First board produced safely on schedule thanks to outstanding teamwork

On February 27, Kastamonu Entegre produced its first board on the new Siempelkamp particleboard line at the Samsun location – on time within the desired time frame. The success factor: Two strong teams pulling together. The success factor: Two strong teams pulled together. Despite all the restrictions caused by COVID-19, the first board was produced on time.

Following the start of assembly in July 2020 and the completion of the dry run at the end of January 2021, the punctual production of the first board represents a further milestone in the implementation of the project. In every phase of the project, constructive teamwork was the focus for all those involved.

Thus, the Kastamonu team of staff at as well as the Siempelkamp employees from Germany and Turkey perfectly coordinated with each other to quickly and safely make their plant fully operational.

“Congratulations and, above all, thanks go to the entire Kastamonu team who made it possible to implement the project on time and successfully during these special times,” explains Ulrich Kaiser, Head of Sales at Siempelkamp.

“The clear and fast communication with the customer’s project management during the entire course of the project should also be emphasized. This is the basis for a successful project,” says Siempelkamp project manager Axel Weiss.

The new particleboard line including Generation 9 “Contiroll” in the 7′ x 37.1m format is designed for a daily output of approx. 2,000 m³. The focus here is on the Turkish furniture industry as a sales market.

The plant is the eighth Siempelkamp plant with continuous press technology which Kastamonu currently operates in Turkey, Russia, and Italy. Since the foundation of the Siempelkamp office in Istanbul in 2010, the team around Faruk Sisci, now consisting of 8 members, has been the first point of contact for Turkish Siempelkamp customers.

Wuerth Industrial Services

Closes 2020 fiscal year with EUR 536 million in sales

Despite the market environment dominated by Covid-19, Würth Industrie Service GmbH & Co. KG was able to achieve sales of EUR 536 million in the 2020 fiscal year. “The past year was challenging in every respect,” said Rainer Bürkert, member of the Central Managing Board of the Würth Group. “The coronavirus temporarily forced us into a lockdown, combined with many extraordinary measures to maintain our ability to act in all business units, the delivery capability of our logistics and full-service system support in C-parts management, but above all to protect our colleagues.”

In this context, restrictions due to lockdowns in numerous countries, early plant shutdowns and plant closures, or delays in the movement of goods due to border controls proved to be additional challenges, particularly in the first half of the year.

“Thanks to our multi-channel strategy, which means that our customers can interact with us via a wide variety of channels – in person, stationary, but also contactless, digital and electronic – we offer our customers precisely the procurement options they need for optimum C-parts management under all conditions, including the pandemic,” says Martin Jauss, Managing Director of Würth Industrie Service.

To ensure the best possible security of supply and high product, service and system quality, the company has invested over EUR 366 million since the start-up years. In addition to the consistent expansion of storage capacity, the existing facilities have been supplemented with innovative technologies. With the measures currently being implemented and those planned, Würth Industrie Service is setting an important course for supplying customers in the future and thus tapping the potential in the areas of automation, digitization and robotics.

In 2020, the Würth Industrial Network also saw a corresponding development. In over 60 companies. In more than 40 countries. With over 5,000 employees worldwide. This made it possible to provide comprehensive, personal advice and the smooth transmission of all important information at a uniformly high quality and system standard – above and beyond the specific requirements of individual production locations. In total, worldwide sales of 1.587 billion euros were achieved in the past fiscal year.

“Our most valuable asset is our employees,” Bürkert said. Despite the Corona crisis, the company did not feel compelled to make structural staff cuts. As before, the number of jobs amounts to over 1,700, with the training of young junior staff playing an immensely important role. In 20 professions, 200 colleagues are undergoing training or dual studies at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University.

There was an organizational change in the Würth Group right at the beginning of 2021. Effective February 15, 2021, Rainer Bürkert, previously Head of the Würth Group’s Business Units and Managing Director of Würth Industrie Service, was appointed to the Central Managing Board of the Würth Group. He will have overall responsibility there for the newly created Würth Industry Line division worldwide.

The company is optimistic for 2021, as the beginning of the first quarter of 2021 is already characterized by increased demand in the market environment. Thanks to a solid financial basis and a strong, technological industrial network comprising more than 60 companies in over 40 countries, the company is well positioned to deal with the crisis and, especially once it subsides, to provide its customers with innovative system solutions and products reliably and safely.

Submit products for the “Interzum Award” now

From now on, participants of “Interzum @Home 2021” can submit their technical novelties, advanced materials as well as exciting product innovations for the “Interzum Award: Intelligent Material & Design”. And the deadline is April 12. The competition is being organized for the eleventh time by Koelnmesse in cooperation with Red Dot. A jury will decide on the best design achievements in the industry in the categories “Function & Components”, “Materials & Nature” and “Textile & Machinery”.

“This competition underlines the importance of the value-added factor ‘design’. Our award winners successfully use the label to positively differentiate themselves from the competition in a large market,” said Maik Fischer, Director “Interzum”.  Professor Dr. Peter Zec, initiator and CEO of Red Dot, adds: “In these also economically difficult times, it is all the more important to communicate one’s own achievements with self-confidence. An award in the interzum award shows that a company is one of the innovation drivers in the industry.”

Participation in the “Interzum Award” is free of charge

The categories for which one can submit a product include:

Function & Components

Lighting and (digital) lighting systems, semi-finished products for case, kitchen, office and frame furniture, fittings, (digital) locks, furniture components, hinges, connectors, etc.

Materials & Nature

Wood, veneer, parquet, interior finishes, decorative surfaces, decorative papers, laminates, wood-based materials, laminates, solid surface materials, edgebands, surface treatments, embossing cylinders, sheet metal, natural materials, etc.

Textile & Machinery

Machinery for upholstery and mattress production, upholstery materials, upholstery accessories, cover materials, leather, adhesives, temperature and humidity sensors for mattresses, smart textiles (light conducting or similar), etc.

A jury will evaluate the competition entries in terms of their design quality, their innovation potential, and aspects such as sustainability or a sensible integration of digital components. A total of six jurors will jointly decide on the entries, awarding “High Product Quality” prizes and recognizing outstanding achievements that set new standards as “Best of the Best”.

The jury is composed of: Martin Auerbach (Chief Executive Officer of the Association of the German Home Textile Industry e. V. and, as part of a cooperation with the Association of Interior Privacy and Sun Protection e. V. and the Association of Mattress Industry its managing director, Wuppertal), Martin Beeh (founder and owner of Beeh_Innovation, initiator of “Materials Cologne – The Conference for Design and Innovation” and university lecturer for design management, Cologne ), Annette Lang (designer, Annette Lang Product Design, Wiesbaden), Dick Spierenburg (designer, Spierenburg Studio, Tienhoven), Prof. Martin Stosch (lecturer for industrial furniture construction, Department of Production and Wood Technology, OWL University of Applied Sciences, Lemgo) and

Prof. Dr. Peter Zec (Initiator and CEO of Red Dot, Essen).

The judging will take place on April 20 and the notification of results will follow on April 21 and 22.

The awards will be presented online on May 4.

Further information about the award and the possibility to register can be found here.

Shortage of raw materials comes to a head

Outages in Europe and in the USA as well as much limited freight capacities on sea and on land have a negative impact on the availability of raw materials essential to adhesive manufacturing.

The adhesives manufacturer from Detmold is facing a disruption to the supply of key raw materials and adhesive intermediates caused by outages at several European and US American chemical manufacturers.

Availability of raw materials essential to adhesive manufacturing had already been limited prior to the outages. The situation has been further exacerbated by the recent severe winter weather in the US South which has led to the loss of a large part of refinery and chemical production capacities in the USA. This has also impacted the supply chains of Jowat’s international locations.

According to the US American Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC), supply chains in and from the USA will take weeks or even months to recover.

In addition, the situation is made even more challenging by currently long transport times and limited availability of freight capacities on sea and on land. In the global raw material market, this also has a significant impact on the current supply situation in Europe and Asia.

Klaus Kullmann, Managing Director at Jowat SE: “We regret the current shortage situation and are doing our utmost to remain a reliable supplier and partner for our customers. Our global orientation helps us operate in a flexible manner and reduce the negative consequences of supply bottlenecks as far as possible. In this unprecedented situation, however, supply disruptions can hardly be avoided.”

Enters into a strategic partnership with Barberan SA

Software manufacturer Printfactory is to work closely with Barberan SA – the two companies today announced a strategic partnership. Barberan SA will now use Printfactory Automation workflow software to offer customers automated print preparation for the “Jetmaster” series.

Founded in 1929, Barberan SA is one of the leaders in the development and manufacture of equipment for surface finishing using digital printing. The digital printing systems are used in many industries such as woodworking, decoration, packaging and signage.

Barberan’s digital printing technologies are at the heart of many manufacturing operations, controlling complete end-to-end production environments. Customers produce industrial products on a variety of substrates including wood, cork, plastics, ceramics and metals. Industrial manufacturing everywhere relies on accuracy, reliability and maximum equipment availability.

Printfactory’s software supports Industry 4.0 operations, making fully automated printing processes a reality. “Printfactory Automation” prepares, schedules and nests production files via its cloud servers, while status, job criteria and production metrics are seamlessly and automatically reported to the customer’s MIS and Web2Print systems.

“This is a great partnership for us,” says Erik Strik, CEO of Printfactory. “It proves that the cloud automation capabilities of our workflow software are suitable for industrial digital printing. By automating the job preparation and colour management elements of an industrial printer, users can significantly maximise their return on investment. And focus on making their products better, faster and with minimal waste or disruption.”

Barberan is also pleased with the partnership, “This collaboration represents another major step towards automating processes and workflows in industrial printing by enabling the integration of prepress and colour management tools in a single platform. Furthermore, because it is a multi-user solution based on cloud connectivity, printers can decentralise prepress tasks and share advanced colour resources within the customer’s ecosystem,” describes Isaac Contreras, electronics and colour specialist at Barberan.

The Printfactory software is distributed through a global dealer network: it increases productivity, guarantees lower ink costs without compromising print quality, improves margins thanks to reduced waste, and ensures consistent, consistent colour. The company’s partnerships with equipment manufacturers promise promising results not only for standard markets but also for industrial applications.

Will work together with Csi Industries B.V. in future

The engineering specialist Gärtner Innovation from Gütersloh and the Dutch manufacturer Csi Industries B.V. have agreed on a cooperation and want to work closely together in the future. The aim is to have an even greater presence in Germany. For this purpose, Gärtner Innovation will take over the distribution for Csi Industries in a big part of Germany.

CSi has been developing conveying and palletising technology since 1964 and has a great deal of expertise. Thanks to the wide product range, a wide variety of logistics solutions can be realised. These range from the handling of individual parts, to the formation of commissions, to loading into lorries. Here, from simple robot palletising cells to fast and sophisticated multi-load palletising systems, tried and tested technology can be used. Robust construction, intelligent control, simple operation and low maintenance are decisive features that are reflected in all CSi systems.