What investments are on the agenda for 2021?

Investments are undoubtedly an important factor for the continued existence and future viability of a company. Continuous modernization ensures the maintenance, improvement or expansion of production equipment and helps us to remain competitive and become more environmentally friendly and efficient. Investments are planned long in advance in order to build up appropriate reserves and, for example, to plan planned machine downtime in production.

With over 80 machines and systems, from small milling machines in our training workshop to vertical centrifugal casting machines, WALZEN IRLE has an enormous amount of machinery to manage.

WALZEN IRLE has had a wide range of investments on the agenda in recent years: A new heat treatment furnace, through which we can reduce our CO₂- We were able to reduce output by almost half compared to the old furnace, was put into operation last year, the relocation of our two die drilling machines is being prepared and the complete conversion to LED lighting is still in the implementation phase. The conversion saves hundreds of thousands of kWh of electrical energy and thus improves the sustainability of the company.

Further major investments have been planned for this year.

On the one hand, the renovation of our largest CNC roll grinding machine, which has been planned for many years, is due in 2021. With an estimated grinding machine downtime of over five months, this is a project that must be planned down to the smallest detail and requires a high level of project management. In particular, the conversion affects the grinding capacities of large calender rolls. The production planning for the first half of the year had to be carefully checked long in advance so that large rolls could be pre-produced accordingly. At the same time, as far as possible, there was a shift to other internal processing options. At the end of January, the machine was dismantled in order to realign it, equip it with a new, state-of-the-art CNC control system, new motors and measurement technology. The machine undergoes a complete general overhaul and is also given a new coat of paint. The new control and modernization of the entire machine ensures that it continues to meet the high requirements and allows pioneering developments in the field of roll production. Most of this work is carried out in-house by our maintenance department. Thanks to good planning and the smooth modernization process, we are expected to be able to complete the work by the end of May.

Another major investment is planned for the second half of the year. A new ladle fire (heating system for casting ladles) is intended to replace an outdated system. This is intended to guarantee homogeneous, time- and energy-saving, environmentally and material-friendly heating. We expect a CO as a result₂-Saving of 110t/year, which once again reduces CO₂-Will improve your footprint.

In addition to investments in kind, we of course also see our trainees and employees as an “investment in the future.” For example, in HAMBL, we have found a partner who provides our trainees with holistic personality training “G.E.D.A.N.K.E.^®“supports the development of their potential.

We will report on the investments and projects in detail as soon as possible.