English 2013 04 April FOBS Magazine

April 2013

Volume 3 - Issue 4

The Stone Gate by Defence Space-saving folding gate by Libero

AOS-Stahl celebrates 10th anniversary

2

fobs.eu

column the publishers

Confusion all round and what we can all do about it together

C

Leo Grapendaal leo@fobs.eu

Rembrandt Happ el rembrandt@fobs.e u

orrosion protection for fencing keeps being a source

sed according to EN 1461 or thermally galvanised and coated in such

of confusion and discussion. On the one hand maybe

and such a colour.” The first half of that sentence is unambiguous:

that’s understandable. A fair amount of combina-

galvanised according to a standard. But the second “thermally gal-

tions of corrosion protection methods are available, they often

vanised”, why isn’t the EN-standard mentioned there anymore?

seem to be the same but still differ considerably in their final

Because “thermally galvanised” in itself can mean thermally galva-

effects. Many of them have something to do with applying zinc.

nising one piece at a time afterwards (EN 1461), but it can also mean

But the way how and - just as important - the moment when this

the continuous Sendzimir process in which the wire out of which

is done make a lot of difference. The terms used in this context

the panel is made, was already galvanised in the wire factory.

are not always the same, which only adds to the confusion.

The words ‘thermally galvanised’ in themselves are therefore Industry associations and some of the companies meanwhile have

useless. Yet we see them a lot. Another term we encountered (in

taken the position that it doesn’t matter exactly which corrosion

German), dip galvanising, also seems quite clear, but in fact isn’t.

protection process was used, as long as the end result complies

Because in that case they are saying that the product was dipped

with clear standards. Whether there’s gold, zinc or chocolate

in a bath one at a time and galvanised there. This doesn’t however

on the panel, as long as it’s known that this particular panel can

necessarily mean that it was done thermally, although the supplier

survive at least so many years under certain circumstances, what’s

is implying that, because electrolytical galvanising can also be

the big deal? This could also eliminate the problems surrounding

done piece by piece in a bath. Again: confusion. We also encounte-

the inaccurate designations that are used, because they wouldn’t

red things like “according to ISO 1461/DIN 50976”. That DIN-standard

matter anymore.

was last edited in 1989, became invalid in 1999 and differs from ISO 1461 in areas that matter. And yet this relic is still dragged in.

However: competing on proven durabilty instead of the process

We could go on and on like this, the industry is far from clear on

is fictional for now. A scan of the websites of the majority of the

this matter.

larger panel suppliers and manufacturers shows us that virtually no concrete durability data are provided. A considerable amount

That’s why we’ve made another attempt at clarifying the terms

of salt spray testing has probably been done by the different panel

elsewhere in this issue. Furthermore, it would be wise if everyone

suppliers, but those data are kept well hidden. Because even

would start using the same unambiguous designations and

though there are no clear durability standards yet, the results of

always state the corresponding standard. Even if everyone would

a salt spray test are better than nothing. As a panel buyer, in that

do that, it would still remain a difficult subject, but as it is today, it’s

area you mostly are in the dark now.

no wonder hardly any customer understands it.

The initiatives to standardise durability have only just risen, so this situation might improve in the future. Until then, it would help if the designations surrounding the corrosion protection that was used would be clear. But there’s quite a bit lacking in that department. Our research of the websites showed us that a lot of confusion is created. For instance, on multiple websites we came across something along these lines: “Available thermally galvani-



fobs.eu

contents

3

imprint

Circulation: FOBS Magazine is published monthly in Dutch, English, French and German by Fobs GbR Weeze.

Coverstory - 34 The Stone Gate by Defence

Our 5400 recipients are all fencing contractors, distributors and producers all over

Headlines

Europe.

Editors: Astrid van den Brink Caecil Kersten Leo Grapendaal Rembrandt Happel

4 TKA moves to new location

14 Space saving folding gate by Libero

Reproduction is only allowed after written approval by the publisher.

Opinions in editorial and advertorial content are not necessarily the opinions of the editorial staff or the

24 Privacon builds new office

37 AOS-Stahl celebrates 10th anniversary

And also:

publisher.

Contact FOBS GbR 47652 Weeze Germany

4 8 10 11 12 17 18 20 21 22 28 33

Normaclo introduces universal mould for their own gates Starmin extends post cap range PPG presents two new paparazzi fencing types Peripro goes France The hunt for the signs Column Stephan Stephani Infographic: Galvanising in a nutshell Van Merksteijn opens distribution centre Van der Voort gets a second beginning Photo of the Month Profile: Fencing Contractors Association Privacon extends gate range

Phone: +49 2837 6631005 E-mail the editors: news@fobs.eu Want to (un)subscribe? abo@fobs.eu Like to advertise? sales@fobs.eu www.fobs.eu

4

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Normaclo introduces universal mould for their own gates Quicker and easier fitting with reusable mould

1 - Base plate

E

fficient,

2 - Sliding rail universal

3 - Wire tie

and

Emily Sionnière of Normaclo,

reusable. Those words make

established in Andé, northwest

up the added value of their

of Paris, doesn’t claim that this

new, self developed mould for fitting

is a revolutionairy invention at

gates, according to French company

all. She admits that a similar

Normaclo. Inside the mould, multiple

mould for situating fastening

holes were applied in such a way that

anchors accurately in advance

for every Normaclo sliding gate or can-

already existed. “The innova-

tilever gate, both operated by hand

tions of this mould are mainly

and automated, the fastening anchors

the simplicity, the universal

and the points for possible wiring are

character and the possibility

already exactly in the right place in

of re-use. The mould is suitable

the foundation before pouring the

for all of the about 30 Normaclo

concrete. The mould can then be reused

gates and can be delivered

for fitting another gate.

within two days.”



4 - Fixing material

5 - Plate for carrying wheels

6 - Distance rail

The mould can be adjusted both vertically and

FLEXIBLE and RELIABLE

horizontally, so the fastening anchors and the tubes for the electrical wiring are in the right place for the gate to be fitted. Straight after pouring the concrete, the mould is taken out of the foundation and can be re-used. For fitting cantilever gates a second, smaller mould is necessary to also anchor the end of the gate.

This smaller mould can not be re-used.

Precisely A

Normaclo

team has worked on developing the new mould

for

over

six months. A close collaboration between

Single Leaf Gates

Industrial Gates

fitters and developers was instrumental in that. Normaclo also made a detailed manual and some technical drawings for using the mould. Sionnière: “In there, we explain clearly and precisely how the mould should be used and which holes are to be used for which gates.

Once you’ve worked with it, it will be clear that fitting gates will become easier and quicker. We expect an amount of time saved of about twenty

(Automated) Cantilever Sliding Gates

percent.”

Railing Systems Normaclo high

has

expectations

of this new product, which was introduced to the European market recently and can be delivered within two days. Sionnière: “We expect the gain in time and the possibility of re-use to be very appealing.

It simply saves money, which is important, especially in this day and age.”



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Privacon Poland Sp. z o.o.

Zławieś Mała 60A PL - 87134 Zławieś Wielka

Privacon Baltics SIA Druvas Iela 8 LV - 5001 Ogre

T: +31 485 442398 F: +31 485 470184 E: info@privacon.nl

T: +48 56 637 6355 F: +48 56 637 6305 E: info@privacon.pl

T: +371 65067710 F: +371 65067711 E: info@privacon.lv

www.privacon.nl

6

fobs.eu

TKA moves to new location

G

erman fencing manufacturer TKA, which stands for Tillmann & Köckmann

Zaunsysteme in Arnsberg, inaugurated their new business premises last January. In the industrial area Gut Nierhof, near Autobahn 445, the company now has a plot of 20,000 m² (5 acres) at its disposal, on which over

5,000 m² (1.25 acres) of production and office spaces were built. Furthermore, on one side of the building, a large area was roofed over for expedition purposes.

“The old production spaces were no longer expandable and therefore not efficient in use,” says CEO and co-owner Markus Tillmann. “It was an assembly of rented warehouses, making it impossible for us to realise a decent materials and production stream.” His business associate Frank Köckmann adds: “Efficient production with tight movement of materials and a modern machine park was becoming inevitable. We just had to.”



 Laser pipe cutting machine After a few months of planning with a young, local architect, the build was completed in a record time of six months. The production was moved over the Christmas break, so they could pick up where they left off as of January of this year. From a large-scale profile storage warehouse a modern laser pipe cutting machine is permanently fed materials from a remote controlled gantry crane. The machine can process posts and profiles of 15 to 220 mm across, at lengths of up to 8,5 metres (28 ft). This way TKA can process both the very long posts and the efficiently divided short posts and profiles. With this versatile

Let’sW make better fences together LE NO LAB AI AV

machine, the company also becomes an interesting supplier for other applications, although the manufacturing of gates and fencing posts will remain the core activity.

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Modern engineering Tillmann and Köckmann also took the opportunity to re-do the EN 1090 certified

Quick-Fix

welding department. “We wanted to get it right the first time,” says Köckmann.

“For example, now we have state of the art welding equipment, exhaust systems and air filters. And the supply of gas is done through underground pipelines, so there’s no need for dragging bottles anymore. We have also considered the environment: we recycle welding heat by using it to heat the building, we have installed solar panels on our roof and we have a geothermal system.”

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Future The location in Arnsberg was chosen considering the future. Next to the new plot there’s another 10,000 m² (2.5 acres) plot available for possible future extension. “With a qualified team and the great possibilities we have with these new accommodations, we see a bright future,” say both owners.



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fobs.eu

8

Starmin extends post cap range

The Starmin post cap is a sandwich of (coated) aluminum, a gasket, acrylic glass, another gasket and another layer of (coated) aluminium.

I

t’s knocking at an open door, although in our industry it’s probably

Economically priced

better to speak of an open gate. But listening to what the customer

Customers also contact Starmin with

wants, should be the basis for everything they do, for every company.

other wishes. An example is the eco

German company Starmin has understood this well.

variant of the rectangular post cap 60x40 that’s been in the product range for a

Square and rectangular post caps

an addition to the product range

year and a half now. Eco in this case

with LED lighting in different

proves to be necessary, says Armin

means ‘economical’, favourably priced,

sizes and styles have been a part

Hempel, CEO and inventor of the

in other words. “The caps are manu-

of the product range of Starmin

LED post cap. “In Austria and the

factured from high-quality ASA plastic,

in Neuenrade in the German

Netherlands you see much more

whereas we normally make them from

of

round posts than in Germany. Our

aluminium,” says Hempel. “We assemble

Dortmund, for some time now.

contacts there told us they would

them ourselves, with parts which are made

Sauerland,

not

far

south

That’s logical, because domestic

like to offer round post caps. So we

by a local factory. We believe in high-qual-

customers provide the lion’s share

started working with that.” Based

ity, locally made products. I could also

of Starmin’s turnover and German

on drawings of posts which the

have those parts made in China, at a much

posts simply are square or rectan-

Austrian and Dutch companies

lower price, but then the lamp would stop

gular.

sent him, Hempel developed a

functioning after a year. Our eco caps are

prototype of a round post cap with

durable, they don’t wear and they don’t

Any size

LED lighting. “I don’t need to know

tarnish.” Hempel can’t say yet if Starmin

are

anything more than the diameter

will be offering round versions of the eco

spreading their wings towards

and wall thickness of the post,” says

post cap any time soon as well. “But if the

the Austrian and Dutch markets,

Hempel. “Every size is possible.”

customer wants it, it will be there.”

But

as

the

Sauerlanders



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SUREClose

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Patented design conceals hydraulics inside the post for a smaller footprint and stylish finish.

Dual thrust-bearings give capacity to handle gate loads of up to 680kg.

Made from high-grade aluminium housings and stainless steel components.

Flush Mount and Centre Mount options available to suit steel or aluminium gates (screw-on or welded).

Models with: Adjustable gate-closing speed, final snap-close (to overcome electric or coded locks), hold-open feature, and plain, pivoting style.

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10

fobs.eu

Perimeter Protection Group expands paparazzi product range

T

he

Perimeter

Protec-

tion Group expanded its paparazzi product range with

two types of plastic strips: a smaller

one and a printed one.

The first type consists of small strips of 95 mm in height. They are suitable for braiding a panel opaque by using two strips per mesh, so you can design more patterns than with the existing 190 mm high strips.

The second type is a 190 mm high strip, on which a gabion motif was printed through using a special printing technique. This way a fence with the looks of a gabion is created, while only one row of panels needs to be put up.

Swing gates and sliding gates can also easily be provided with a gabion look using these strips.

Both paparazzi strips are made out of PVC. They are robust, weather proof and can be braided into both new and existing mesh panels easily. The smaller strips are available in green and anthracite, the printed ones are available with one motif, for the time being. But if there’s enough demand, more motives will follow.



KRAUS

Peripro Fencing goes France

I

R

slidinG Gates

alUette - Cantilevered fully automatic sliding gate

n the Dutch town of Mill (near Nijmegen) Peripro Fencing was founded in

December 2012. The new

company is a partnership of CEO Tony Vanhauten with Dutch company Privacon and teRMinUs - Cantilevered automatic sliding gate

Austrian company B-Alu. Tony Vanhauten Peripro is profiling itself as a one-stop supplier for French fencing installers. It carries a wide range of chain-link panels, mesh panels and railing systems combined with a large assortment of swing gates and sliding gates out of steel and aluminium.

Preparation Over the past three months the young team has been very busy with the preparations. Vanhauten, who was active for Heras in France and Belgium for 11 years, is assisted by former Dirickx top executive Alain Maunie and office managers Gerti van der Ven and Willem van Veghel. “We started from scratch,” says

tRaCKed slidinG Gates - Jumbo

Vanhauten. “A new logo, website, catalogue, compiling the product range, setting up the computer software, we didn’t have anything.

Fortunately all four of us came from the fencing industry, so we were able to extract the best from all of our experiences to immediately get it right this time. Once spring finally gets here, we’ll be ready.”

Independent company “We are backed by two strong businesses, but we are an independently operating company, which is constantly looking out for the French fencing installer’s interests,” says Vanhauten. “Our complete range is focused on the French market, from the bar distance to the standard colours. Even the accessories are selected to the French fencing installer’s preference. It helps that all four of us have a lot of experience on the French market. We speak French, we think in French and we dream in French. We are just not based in

KRAUS

R

swinG Gates

swinG Gate - alzebra

France, but apart from that we’re a French company.”

Golden combination Peripro wants to distinguish itself from the big French competition by specialising in service and flexibility. “We can call in orders from a warehouse with large stock so we can supply very quickly,” says Vanhauten. “But we’re also good at project preparation, which we are happy to take over from our customers. With us, you don’t need to calculate the materials yourself. Customers can just send us a sketch with the dimensions of the fence they sold. We then calculate exactly how much materials are needed for that. This way

foR fURtHeR infoRMations - please ContaCt Us

we offer a golden combination: Dutch flexibility, quality and service

K. Kraus Zaunsysteme GmbH Schuhmacherstraße 7 • D-51789 Lindlar Telephone: +49 (0) 2266 4752-0 • Fax: +49 (0) 2266 4752-52 E-Mail: info@kkraus.de • www.kkraus.de

at a French price.”



12

fobs.eu

The hunt for the signs

I

n our March issue we launched the hunt for the signs.

For this hunt we attached the purple FOBS sign, which Metavo made for us, to a fence in Venlo, at the beginning

of March. John van Megen from ABC Fencing South-East found that sign, even before the previous issue came out.

He attached the sign, together with his own ABC-sign, to

1

John van Megen ABC Hekwerk Zuid-Oost

a fence in Linne, a small town near Roermond. That photo was in our previous issue.

Horst Pricken, CEO of Hermetec from Krefeld (Germany), was able to find the signs. In the meantime, he attached them to a fence elsewhere, adding his own sign of course. The first sign didn’t come along by mistake, but it will be re-added later

2 3

Horst Pricken Hermetec

...

on. Do you recognize the location on the photo? Pricken is giving a small hint: “The signs are no longer in the Netherlands and they have travelled quite some distance to get to the new location.”

As soon as you find the signs, please let us know immediately via phone: +49 2837 6631005 or e-mail: sign@fobs.eu. We will

We continuously try to give the hunt for the signs an inter-

then announce on our website that the signs were found

national character. That’s why we initially hung the sign at

so other people won’t go looking for them in vain. Whoever

a junction of international motorways. The location John

wants to join the hunt, can stay informed on the latest news

van Megen chose also had an international character: the

on fobs.eu/sign.

Rabobank in the background evolved out of a fusion between



the Dutch branch of the German Raiffeisenbank and the Dutch Boerenleenbank (agricultural loan-bank) in 1972.

Location

Distance travelled

Total

Start - Leiden (NL)

0

0

1 - Venlo (NL)

183 km (114 miles)

183 (114)

2 - Roermond (NL)

35 km (21 miles)

218 (135)

fobs.eu

13

Location 3  The signs are now on a fence of a branch of a large D.I.Y. shop chain.

Because this chain has a lot of branches, we also have a photo of a

Do you know where this is? Cut the signs down from the fence, attach

neighbouring building. Please let us know when you remove the signs,

your own sign underneath them and hang the chain of signs at a new

we will then make an announcement on our website, so others won’t

location.

go looking for them in vain.



Found the signs? E-mail to sign@fobs.eu or call +49 2837 6631005

Rules of the game Be a good sport Everyone who works for a fencing

• Put the chain in a place where

• Make sure the chain is accessi-

company, can participate. All you need

lots of people pass by, so the

ble to the finder, without them

are pincers, binding wire or tie wraps

chances of being found are

having to violate the law or

and of course a sign from the company

greater. For example along a main

you work for.

road or near an access road.

Step-by-step plan for the finder: 1 Take a photo of the signs at the

location where you found them.

• Don’t hide the chain on a fence in the woods, or deep in a residential area.

• Don’t hang the chain in a city centre, near a football stadium or

2 Cut the chain off the fence.

any other place where chances

3 Attach your own sign at the

of vandalism are high.

jump a two metre wide ditch.

• Don’t endanger traffic.

• Respect other people’s signs.

• Keep up the appearance of the chain and signs, repair them if they get damaged along the way.

• Everyone can participate, but when you find the chain, if your own sign is

• Hang the chain at least 20 kilometres

already on it, it’s a sign of good sports-

4 Put up the chain at another fence.

(12.5 miles) away from the location

manship to wait another week before

5 Take a picture of the chain at its

where you found it, otherwise it will

bottom of the chain.

new location (try to include a land

take forever to go around Europe.

taking down the chain yourself again.

• For those of you who would like to

mark in your photograph, so the

• Try to put the chain up again on the

add a bonus: you could stick a candy

new location can be recognised).

day you found it or the next day.

bar or some other small token for the

6 Send the photo’s and the address (or GPS coordinates) of the new location to sign@fobs.eu

• Preferably put the chain on a public fence, owned by the municipality or the State. If you want to put the chain on a privately owned fence, check with the owner of the fence first.

next finder to the back of your sign.

14

fobs.eu

Space-saving folding gate from Libero

R

esidential driveways often lack the space for a sliding gate or swing gate. Austrian

company Libero Torbau has a clever

solution for those situations.

Customers who would like to secure their residence with a gate, often encounter problems. Bacause of lack of space there’s no room for a sliding gate and a swing gate with one or two leaves is also impossible due to its orbit and because the required space is used for parking.

Libero Torbau from Klagenfurt - the

product like this in their product

Safety

capitol of the southern Austrian state

range for the consumer market,”

The folding gate is available with two or

of Carinthia, near the Slovenian border -

says marketing manager Birgit

four leaves and in different widths up to

offers a solution for those situations: an

Rulofs, who runs the 50-year-

five meters. The safety edge on the end

automated folding gate with half the orbit

old family business together

registers if the gate touches anything,

of a swing gate. “As far as I know we are

with her brothers Walter and

after which it stalls. But what if for instance

currently the only gate manufacturer with a

Alfred Erdetschnig.

a car is parked inside the gate and

leT‘s fence TogeTher!

pVc fences

Tools wiTh fiberglass handles

folding gaTes

TurnsTiles

The sysTem supplier for fencing conTracTors

www.globalfence.com



fobs.eu

15

 somebody activates the sensor for opening the gate from the outside? “To prevent that, we install a photo cell on the inside, for example on a post or the wall,” says Rulofs. He adds that you also can’t get your fingers stuck between the moving leaves, because the space between the leaves is too big for that to happen.

Drive The folding gate can be installed on slopes of up to five degrees. What’s extraordinary is that the gate functions without ground guidance. How the electro-hydraulic drive is fitted to the first leaf is visible on the inside.

With a reverse mechanism out of stainless steel fitted to it, the second leaf is folded out or in. Both folded in and folded out, the drive is blocked, so the leaves can’t move anymore and an electronic lock is obsolete. “That can only be done with folding gates of up to five meters wide,” says Rulofs.

Design The motor drive, which is invisible from the outside, contributes to the quality of the design, which is well taken care of anyway with the nicely shaped aluminium hinges, among other things. The leaves are available with different fillings. Rulofs, concluding: “We don’t work industrially: everything is handmade. This makes us flexible and able to fulfill just about every customer wish.”



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fobs.eu

column

17

Stephani

Panels versus posts Where can Sendzimir galvanised materials be used?

O

n a regular basis there are

The discussion is all the more surprising,

Stephan Stephani

Sales Manager Germ any Perimeter Protecti on Group

Furthermore it could become tragic, if the

discussions about the dif-

because the quality of the galvanising

terms ‘elecrolytic galvanising’ and ‘hot dip

ferences in corrosion pro-

method is apparently widely accepta-

galvanising’ are confused. A customer can

tection between electrolytic galvanised

ble for posts out of Sendzimir galvani-

then be convinced he is getting a panel

panels and panels which are welded

sed material, while it’s questionable for

that’s been hot dip galvanised according to

from Sendzimir galvanised wire. Sur-

panels. The production methods and the

DIN 1461, when in fact he’s getting an elec-

prisingly, two production methods are

surface treatment have to be adapted

trolytic galvanised panel. What remains is

compared instead of the amount of pro-

to the basic material of course. This goes

that it’s desirable for all customers to be

tection against corrosion. Comparing

for both panels and posts. For posts, this

sufficiently informed about the different

corrosion resistance can be done with

process apparently is tried and accepted.

methods of galvanising, so these kinds of

a salt spraying test for example. These

But how can you explain that the same

mix-ups don’t happen.

and other comparison values are recom-

basic material produces a good quality in

mended by EPPA, as could be read in the

one case and is considered to be of lesser

Fencing Observer of April 2012.

quality in the other case?



18

Infographic

FOBS

fobs.eu

Galvanising in a nutshell Hot dip galvanising

Sendzimir galvanising

ISO 1461

~

EN 10142

~

~

~

~

~

Dipping into a molten zinc bath (piece by piece)

Feeding through molten zinc bath

Alternative designation:

Alternative designation:

Layer thickness: 50 - 150 mµ Forming alloy with steel: Yes When: After final production Inside hollow sections covered: Yes Additional surface treatment necessary: No Surface: Relatively rough

Layer thickness: 10 - 25 mµ Forming alloy with steel: Yes When: Before final production Inside hollow sections covered: except welding seam Additional surface treatment necessary: Yes Surface: Relatively smooth

Hot dipped galvanising

Pre-galvanising

Electrolytic galvanising (discontinuous) DIN 50979

Thermal zinc spraying ISO 2063

-

+

~ ~

Dipping into a watery zinc solution (piece by piece)

Spraying with molten zinc

Alternative designation:

Alternative designation:

Layer thickness: 5 - 25 mµ Forming alloy with steel: No When: After final production Inside hollow sections covered: Yes Additional surface treatment necessary: Yes Surface: Very smooth

Layer thickness: 80 - 150 mµ Forming alloy with steel: No When: After final production Inside hollow sections covered: No Additional surface treatment necessary: No Surface: Relatively smooth

Electroplating, electro-galvanising

Metallising

fobs.eu

3

Red & White

Red rust = corroding steel White rust = corroding zinc, forming on (new) zinc under certain circumstances.

factors in zinc corrosion:

White rust can be removed with

white vinegar

SO2

5% of red rust is the threshold indicating maintenance or replacement. It also indicates the moment a salt spray test is usually stopped.

10cm2 is

the

- Time Of Wetness (TOW) - Chlorides (seasalt, for example) - Sulfer dioxid (used to be a lot more common, in acidic rain)

Stagnant water greatly increases the TOW, shortening the lifespan of the zinc layer. Stagnant water should be prevented in the design phase of the product.

5%

1+1=3

maximum

allowed

Small damage such as scratches or drilling

surface area of an imperfect or

Synergy

19

ungalvanised spot, according

The layers of a duplex coating reinforce each

to the ISO 1461. These spots will

other. The organic layer stops the chlorides from

have to be repaired though.

holes will not rust quickly thanks to the

Cathodic Protection

offered

by zinc. The zinc sacrifies itselfas it were, and corrodes instead of the steel.

reaching the metal layers. The zinc layer prevents under-rusting of the organic layer.

Metallic coatings

Alloys

are the coatings using metals, such

Organic coatings

During hot dip galvanising steel and zinc mix, forming

as galvanising or chrome plating.

Are the non-metal coatings, such

several alloy layers. Some of those layers are harder than the steel underneath.

as powder coatings or paints.

Duplex coating Is an organic coating on top of a metallic coating

Hot dip galvanised coatings are slightly thicker at

corners and edges

Electrolytic galvanising electro-plating 35 - 140 gr/m2 5 - 20 mµ

Sendzimir Galvanising pre-galvanising 70 - 175 gr/m2 10 - 25 mµ

Hot dip galvanising 350 - 1050 gr/m2 50 - 150 mµ

Layer thickness of galvanising methods

Thermal zinc spraying metallising 1.050+ gr/m2 150 + mµ

20

fobs.eu

Van Merksteijn opens distribution centre

D

manufacturer

lers on the Dutch home market, sales will

markets. At the same time a powdercoa-

Van Merksteijn, from Almelo,

utch

panel

keep taking place from Almelo. With the

ting department went into operation. The

moved

distribution

expansion to Hengelo, the company is

company is also in the process of concen-

activities for the Dutch market to Hengelo,

its

aiming to further upgrade and professio-

trating its construction steel activities in

about 20 kilometers away. The company

nalise the customer service level.

Almelo.

motorsports department is also housed.

The location in Hengelo was chosen

The new distribution centre is part of

Both inside and outside large quanti-

because of lack of space in Almelo. In

the trade devision of the company, Van

already owned the building, where the

ties of panels, posts and chain-link were

Almelo, the production division, Van Merk-

Merksteijn Fencing Systems. This division

stockpiled over the past few months.

steijn Fences, extended production this

already has branches in Bulgaria, Germany

winter with their own galvanizing depart-

(Bläser Zaunsysteme), France, Hungary,

Van Merksteijn says in a statement that

ment for wire, in order to focus on the

Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and

the Hengelo location will be used as a

further development of the French, British

Czechia.

substation for the distributors and instal-

and East-European and South-European



www.sommer.eu

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fast installation with easy electrical connection

different colors and heights of the post are available

fobs.eu

21

Van der Voort gets a second beginning were also supplied with climate control equipment for their greenhouses by them.

Van der Voort had not been doing well for a while, the number of employees dropped from around 50 to about 30 over the last few years. Still, a new warehouse was built on the premises less than four years ago. Steel tubular profiles from their own catalogue were used when constructing that warehouse.

The stagnation in particularly greenhouse construction killed off Van der Voort. The company in fact originally started out as

T

a greenhouse constructor in 1945. The company’s domicile of Kwintsheul is not ubes wholesaler Adr. van der Voort from Kwintsheul is getting a second

by chance in the middle of the Westland

chance at life. The company was declared bankrupt by the court in The Hague

area, which as a greenhouse cultivating

on 1 March, but less than a month later, curator LL.M. Van Vlijmen tells FOBS

area is still by far the largest fruit and

Magazine that a second beginning is coming. The insolvent estate was bought by a yet

vegetable garden of the Netherlands.

undisclosed party.

Van der Voort played a significant role According to the curator Van

The wholesaler in primarily steel tubes was an

in Kwintsheul’s population’s social life.

der Voort requested their own

important player on the Dutch fencing market.

In the 1970s the company made sure

bankruptcy, after their principal

Apart from galvanised tubes, the company also

the local sports clubs had a sports hall

bank cancelled their credits. Pre-

supplied untreated tubes and thermally galvani-

at their disposal. Two years ago, Van der

sumably debt rose too high as

sed tubes as well as welded mesh panels. Horti-

Voort gave the handball club notice to

a consequence of deteriorating

cultural companies (greenhouses), construction

look for another main sponsor. That was

turnovers due to the economic

companies and steel construction companies

one of the first clues things weren’t that

malaise.

were among its customers. Greenhouse cultivators

bright at the wholesaler.

Draht Mayr Fences | Mesh | Gates www.draht-mayr.de



22

fobs.eu

Ook Photo eenof the mooie Month foto van een hek gemaakt?

The photo of the month is titled “Kiwi-Fence” and was sent in by Zaunteam Oberschwaben, from the southern part of Germany. Andreas Schmuker: the Locinox construction radio is coming your way.

Would you also like to win a radio?

Send your photo’s to photo@fobs.eu.

April 2013 Mail naar foto@fobs.eu!

fobs.eu

23

24

fobs.eu

Privacon builds new offices and second warehouse

I

n Mill (near Nijmegen) they’re busy constructing the second building for the new

the building however

distribution center of Dutch fencing supplier Privacon Fencing. When the new

consists

building is completed this May, the company will have 9,000 m² (97,000 ft²) of space

space for gates, which

for assembly and storage.

of

storage

Privacon manufactures in its Polish branch.

The first building on the new business

customers. The expedition department

This expansion means

premises,

also has its offices there. The second

space for a stock of

which

was

completed

in

the Summer of 2011, consists of a large

building consists of three floors of offices,

5,000 gates, guarantee-

assembly hall where the gates and

where the approximately fourty colleagues

ing quick delivery.

fences are prepared for shipment to the

have their working spaces. The majority of



fobs.eu

 Everyone under one roof again The current location on the Meulenveldt, in the

the hall was not an option: you often had

same industrial area, is taken over by a sister

to go to another building. We’ll be taking

company in pigsty equipment. All of the depart-

this improved structure with us to the new

ments will come together again in the new office

location. There we can profit from other

building. Commercial director Koen Thomassen

advantages: it’s better for the team spirit and

says: “Practically and financially the new location is

we have a lot more facilities. We’ll have an

of course superior. But the fact that different depart-

in-house showroom at our disposal as well

ments have been at different locations for a while

as a beautiful conference room with a large

also brought us a lot of good. It forced us to com-

roof garden terrace. And despite the fact that

municate efficiently and work according to proce-

we like to be modest, it’s nice that the new

dures, because shouting or asking something down

building has more charisma of course.”



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LIBERO Torbau Erdetschnig GmbH 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria www.libero-torbau.com

s for

25

26

fobs.eu

 Buffer By increasing the storage capacity and expanding the existing distribution center, it’s now also possible to further expand the production capacity in Poland. Thomassen: “In our factory in Poland we have 120 employees in three shifts. Because demand for our products is still increasing, it’s necessary to increase our production capacity in Poland as well. Through the extension in Mill, efficiency can be improved and productivity raised. Especially in the spring, we see an increase in demand for stock products. Customers would like to be supplied to quickly and we as Privacon need to respond to that. This makes it necessary to manufacture these stock products over the winter period. The expansion of our distribution center and storage space in Mill enables us to meet the customer’s wishes even better. Another advantage is that we can offer continuity to our production staff in Poland during the winter period.

This way we achieve not having to train new people all the time and keeping the staff motivated, which is good for both productivity and quality. So it’s a real win-win situation.”

Crane truck Besides from the production and assembly space, Privacon is also expanding its fleet of vehicles this spring. Since the beginning of April the company has had disposal of a new DAF truck with built-on crane, to make it easier to unload fencing (particularly sliding gates) on site, for the Dutch market. Thomassen: “We noticed that the market is changing. Fencing installers want to keep less and less stock themselves, but at the same time they have to be able to respond to their customer’s demands quicker and quicker. We are therefore establishing ourselves in such a way that we can supply on demand quickly. The crane truck is also a part of that. Customers sometimes had to go to a lot of trouble to organise a fork-lift truck or crane, that’s all in the past now.”



Owner Eric Jans

Commercial Director Koen Thomassen

Westfälische Drahtindustrie GmbH Branche Stassfurt • Branche Altgandersheim

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Tension and binding wires of all types of surface treatment Barbed wire out of heavy galvanised, zinc-aluminium and plastic coated wire Rigid mesh panels in different versions Knotted mesh Hexagon mesh and spot welded mesh panels Mobile fencing with accessories Posts, struts, gates, Z-profiled posts and a full range of fencing accessories Sliding gates

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Online info:

www.wdi-werk-hobrecker.de www.drahtwerk-stassfurt.de www.wdi.de

28

fobs.eu

Profile

Fencing Contractors Association

T

he Fencing Contractors Association

Standards

(FCA) is a trade association with a long

In the 1960’s, the FCA was instrumental in

history, representing the UK fencing

industry.

the formation of BS 201, the British Standards committee responsible for managing Fencing Standards BS1722. The FCA has remained at the

The Association was started after Governmen-

forefront of this committee ever since.

tal request in 1942, during the Second World War.

Furthermore, the FCS was involved in the devel-

The UK Parliament recognized the great demand

opment of National Highways Sector Scheme

for raw materials and wanted to be in a position

documents. These describe standards for general

to allocate scarce resources through associations

fencing, electric security fencing, vehicle safety

within the industries and have partners in dialogue

fencing (crash barriers), environmental noise

within those industries by the end of the war. Since

barriers and parapets, in accordance with ISO

then, it has been the largest fencing industry asso-

9001 and mapped, where applicable, to the British

ciation within the UK.

Standards.



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fobs.eu

29

The board Job in FCA: Acting FCA General Secretary, Chair of National Highways Sector Scheme 2A/2C Committee, Chair of Fencing Industry Skills Scheme/Construction, Skills Certification Scheme (FISS/CSCS joint scheme).

Age: 59 Married: Yes

Age: 57 Name: Hugh Kennedy

Married: Yes

Name: Wendy Baker

Children: 3

Company: JB Corrie & Co

Children: 2

Company: Online Services

Hobbies: Travel and

Job in FCA: FCA National Chair

Hobbies: Sailing

(Monmouth) Ltd

Entertaining

 Training Until the early 1990’s, training for fencing operatives was part of

lation, supervision and management of fencing businesses. Only

the responsibility of the construction industry in the UK. The

trained personnel are allowed access onto construction and other

Building and Construction Training Council collected levies based

related sites.

on the companies’ turnovers and provided expensive training not focused on the fencing industry. At this time the Fencing Contrac-

Support

tors Association took over the responsibility for managing training

Hugh Kennedy, Chairman of the FCA: “We really want to be there

in the fencing industry, thus removing a significant financial

for our members. We provide fencing expert advice, a legal helpline,

burden from its members and providing fencing-oriented training

quality assurance advice, but also health and safety advice. The FCA’s

at the same time. Through its involvement with Lantra, the land

keeps its members informed about changes in legislation, working

based Sector Skills Council, the FCA is still carrying out this service

practices, new challenges, technological changes and new solutions.

to its members. The training is focused on health and safety, instal-

We also offer arbitration services and, of course, training. The



30

fobs.eu

 FCA also provides assistance to members with master documentation for employ-

Name: John Smith

ment contracts and quality assurance

Company: Pass & Co Barrier Systems

policies (ISO 9001) and negotiates advan-

Job in FCA: FCA National Vice Chair, Chair of Association

tageous rates for its members with profes-

of Safety Fencing Contractors (ASFC)

sional service providers. We also have a

Age: 69

database for fencing companies looking

Married: Yes

for subcontractors. Also, the FCA ‘Certified

Hobbies: Motorcycling, Caravanning, Classic Car Restoration

Contractors Scheme’ was launched at our AGM on the 21st February 2013. This is a

Name: John Simm

recognised quality assurance scheme.

Company: Simtec Solutions

Future meetings will allow our members

Job in FCA: FCA Council Member and Chair of

to engage in Continued Professional

Electric Security Fencing Federation (ESFF)

Development (CPD) by way of presenta-

Age: 57

tions to aid them to work smarter.”

Married: Yes Children: 3 and 2 Grandchildren

Representation of interests and the social aspect.

Hobbies: Fishing and Running

Ian Ripley, Council Member responsible

Name: Ian Ripley

for liaison with other European Associa-

Company: McArthur Group

tions, “We will continue to try and enhance

Job in FCA: FCA Council Member, representative on British

the image of our industry even more. A

Standards Committee B201 and EPPA liaison.

key factor in this is stimulating the profes-

Age: 62

sionalism of the industry. We represent the

Married: Yes

interests of the industry wherever we can,

Children: 2

like with new or adapted legislation and

Hobbies: Sport (watching not playing, these days), Music

standards. We also recognise the differences in emphasis that European member states place on security and its likely effect

provide opportunities to network with other fencing contractors through

and challenges with regards to specifi-

our annual and general meetings, plus we have our own annual charity

cation and working across borders. As a

golf tournament which has raised over £100,000 for charities nominated

consequence we are keen to keep up a

by our members. This years’ event will be held on Friday 28 June 2013 at

dialogue with organisations similar to

the De Vere Belton Woods Hotel , Golf and Country Club, Grantham, Lin-

ours throughout Europe by supporting

colnshire. The event is open to all involved in the fencing industry and not

initiatives such as that recently started

just restricted to FCA Members. For the further information please contact:

by the EPPA. Of course, we don’t lose sight

Wendy Baker, Acting General Secretary by telephone on 01923 79702 or by

of the social aspect in all this and we

email: wendybaker@fencingcontractors.org”



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fobs.eu

31

Name: Mark Copeland

Name: Alan Cunningham

Company: Metalwood Fencing

Company: Warefence

Job in FCA: FCA Council

Job in FCA: FCA

Member and Chair of Gate

Council Member

Automation and Access

Age: 41

Barrier Association (GAABA).

Married: Yes

Age: 42

Children: 1 Hobbies: Sport and Motorcycling

Hobbies: Equestrian

Name: Ian Frost

Name: Adam Binns Company: Binns Fencing

Company: Newton & Frost

Job in FCA: FCA

Job in FCA: FCA

Council Member

Council Member

Age: 38

Age: 57

Married: Yes

Married: Yes

Children: 2

Children: 3

Hobbies: Rugby

Hobbies: Motorcycling Name: Alastair Henman

Name: Brett Perrodow

Company: Zaun

Company: Allen Fencing

Job in FCA: FCA

Job in FCA: FCA Council Member

Council Member

Age: 33

Age: 43

Married: yes

Married: Yes

Children: 3

Children: 3

Hobbies: Motorcycling

Hobbies: Motorcycling

 The future Kennedy: “We are developing a number of new initiatives to promote the business of our members and will be announcing these over the coming months. The fencing industry is facing a difficult and uncertain economic future, throughout Europe. National boundaries continue to become blurred for the manufacturers serving our industry. It seems likely that installation businesses will also begin to operate across national boundaries too. This will enhance the need for National Associations to be outward looking and work together for the benefit of the European fencing industry as a whole.”



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Product warranty February 2013 As manufacturers and suppliers of systems for perimeter security and access control, we exclusively supply double wire panels that are galvanised piece by piece (hot dipped or electrolytical galvanised) after the panels are welded.

This applies to Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

We voluntarily abstain from supplying fencing panels made from sendzimir galvanised wires, as this does not meet the high expectations of our customers in terms of long lasting corrosion protection.

fobs.eu

33

Privacon adds to gate range

D

utch Fences

company from

Privacon Mill

Quality

Mini-VDS

(near

Because the gates are developed

The new sliding gate is available with welded

Nijmegen) extended its range

for the part of the market with a

mesh or railing system filling in widths of 3

of gates for the consumer market. The

smaller budget, doesn’t mean that the

to 5 meters. Those who also order the motor

company for example started manufac-

company is making any concessions to

drive with the gate, get a plug-and-play gate

turing garden gates and marketed a sim-

the quality. Thomassen: “Even the small

which is fitted within an hour, once the foun-

plified version of their cantilever sliding

gate in the back of the yard, which the

dation is poured. The hand-operated sliding

end user only uses six times a year, should

gates are equipped with a Locinox lock.

gate.

still close properly after some years and “Both in the swing gate and the sliding gate

look presentable as well. That’s why we

product ranges, we were lacking products

use the aluminium reinforced cap hinges

for the cost sensitive market segment,” says

from Locinox and all of the steel parts

marketing director Koen Thomassen. “Our

are hot dip galvanized after welding

customers also come in places where the

and polished before powder coating. For

available budget for fencing is a bit smaller, or

the Mini-VDS the same thing applies: we

where a simple gate more than suffices. The

make that out of lighter profiles, but we

Liga garden gate and the Mini-VDS sliding

don’t economize on the quality of the

gate enable our customers to offer a fitting

wheel chassis, the motor drive or the

solution for this market segment better.”

surface treatment.”



34

fobs.eu

The Stone Gate

by Defence

fobs.eu

G

erman company Defence from Borken (near Oberhausen) marketed a

of extra heavy-duty profiles was

sliding gate which can be filled with stones, so it complements gabion

built. “Besides, we have been looking

fencing, which is increasing in popularity in Germany.

for the right carrying and guiding wheels and the proper settings of

The idea for this design came up when a

saw our cantilever Solid Gate during one of

those,” says production leader

partner, actually a friend of the company,

our first conversations on our premises, he

Holger Tielemann. “What doesn’t

had to enclose his end customer’s premises

was fascinated by the idea of building a can-

stand out with a normal gate, but

with gabions. The customer asked if there

tilever gate filled with stones. So our engineer

with this extremely heavy gate does,

was any way of closing off the driveway

and production leader received the assign-

is a clearly visable tumbling moment

in the same style, which led to the idea of

ment of developing a good solution.”

as soon as the leaf’s weight shifts

Development

to the other and the wheels are not

to branch out the idea,” says Defence

When designing the 3,000 kilo (6,600

adjusted at millimeter accuracy. We

founder and sales manager Peter Hüls. “It

pounds) gate, the developing team

consulted with all of the manufac-

started with the plan of building a sliding

encountered some challenges. The leaf

turers and suppliers, then calculated

gate on a rail, without the upper beam. This

and the construction that carries the

and drew with our professionals for a

way a moving gabion would arise, which

chassis, had to be made very rigid, that’s

long time and finally found the right

wouldn’t optically diverge from the gabion

why the idea of leaving out the top beam

parts, with which we were able to

fence next to it. But when the end customer

was quickly abandoned and a frame out

transform the idea to reality.”

building a sliding gate with stone filling.

“We then gathered all of the parties involved

from one side of the carrying chassis



35

36



fobs.eu

Cooperation

Safety

“The Stone Gate is the result of a very close coop-

Just like every other Defence sliding gate, the gate was

eration of all of the parties involved,” says Hüls.

fitted with all of the necessary safety options. “In this

“We were fortunate that both our customer and

area we, especially Holger, don’t settle for less,” says Hüls.

his end customer were able to think along very

“No gate that’s not absolutely safe leaves these premises,”

creatively with us. When new problems arose,

he confirms. “The Stone Gate is fitted with overcurrent

everyone was immediately thinking along in

protection, infrared photo cells, an emergency stop switch

a goal-driven way. But the motor drive man-

and safety edges on the front and at the back end of the

ufacturer and the chassis manufacturer also

leaf as well as four more safety edges on the guide portal.

thought along and co-developed well with us. If

Especially the safety measures presented a big challenge,

you had to do something like this with bureau-

because all of the built-on parts endure enourmous forces

crats it would be difficult, a little bit of innova-

when one of the safety sensors orders an emergency stop.

tiveness comes with the territory.”

Especially the drive’s transmission gets beat up by a 3 ton leaf at full speed.”

The filling “We’ve made the entire construction in-house

Pilot

and pre-fitted all of the electrical parts,” says

This first Stone Gate has a width of four meters and is

Tielemann, “but the end customer was very

two meters high. “We haven’t calculated what would

eager to fill the leaf with stones himself. We

be the maximum width of the current design yet,” says

created made to measure panels for that on the

Tielemann. “We don’t really have any comparison,

inside. He wanted a smaller grain size and put

because we have never seen a gate like this anywhere.

all of the stones in their proper place one by one,

Of course we have already shown many photos to other

by hand, because he wanted the end result to be

customers and they all responded enthusiastically. The

absolutely opaque. This process took him some

first orders are in as well. If the number of orders were to

time.”

grow, we might develop a standard range.”



Deci Wand Systems is specialised in panels, tubes and gates.

Professional advice, large stocks and fast deliveries ensure maximum customer satisfaction.

TRY THE NEW CAP!

Call us now and order a trial batch.

The leading wholeseller in fencing products

T: +31 71 589 7374

E: info@deciwand.nl

Our complete range consists of: mesh panel fencing, chain-link fencing, tubes, railings, swing and sliding gates, noise fences, gabions, high security fencing, Lace Fence, custom-made solutions and all sorts of fixings and supplies.

fobs.eu

AOS-Stahl celebrates 10th anniversary From one-man business to trendsetter

G

erman company AOS Stahl, parent

AOS founder Oliver Schake was sales

company of Deutsche Zauntechnik, is

manager with a large manufacturer of scaf-

celebrating its 10th anniversary this

folding materials, Rux in Hagen, when that

year. On 11 March 2003 Oliver Schake started his

company - just like the other large German

one-man business B7 Zaundiscount in Gevelsberg,

manufacturer Plettac - went bankrupt in 2003.

a village near Hagen, on the south side of the Ruhr

The big building boom in the East-Germany

area. The name B7 originated from the main road

of after the Revolution abruptly came to an

of the same name, alongside which the company

end when the State’s funds for rebuilding

was situated. Now, ten years and three moves later,

dried up. Many small scaffolding companies,

the company, employing 85 people, resides on

which had bought scaffolding on credit,

a 27,000 m² (6.7 acres) plot in Wetter an der Ruhr,

keeled over, pulling the rest of the industry

alongside the Autobahn 1, where it has its own pro-

with them. Schake, who had worked for Rux

duction facilities and large storage warehouses.

for 14 years, suddenly was out of a job.



37

38

fobs.eu

 How it started Schake says: “My brother’s company had a spare piece of land. I was able to rent it at a small price. It was only 300 m² (3,200 ft²) and paved with gravel, there was nothing there. I put a log cabin for an office on the lot and went on to sell fencing there, directly to end users. I had a website and a catalogue made and advertised a bit, locally. With a small lorry, also borrowed from my brother, I delivered materials to my customers during the day and went to get new supplies from wholesalers at night.”

The growth “It began to get a head of steam,” Schake tells proudly. “I couldn’t get a hold of panels quickly enough, I got so much demand. After only a week I needed to employ somebody to

could even begin to use it, it had already become too small. In

prepare the orders. After six months we moved

2007 we moved to a 7,000 m² (75,000 ft²) site. On New Year’s Eve

to Wetter, to an industrial area near here. We

of 2008, while the western world was in crisis, my wife and I made

had a warehouse of 800 m² (8,600 ft²), but had

the first sketches for our current accommodation. In August 2009

to move again at the end of 2004, to a 3,800

the first shovel entered the premises and we, together with 35

m² (40,900 ft²) site. We built a 1,000 m² (10,800

employees, moved here at Easter 2010, with the intention of being

ft²) warehouse on it in 2005. By that time I

comfortable here for a while. However, we already had to expand

already had four employees and bought the

in November, when we started building the third warehouse. It

first machine that could drill 13 holes at a time

went into operation in April 2011. But that wasn’t it yet. In 2012 we

in a single post. In 2006 we bought an additi-

founded three branches, of which two are completely owned by

onal site of 1,700 m² (18,300 ft²), but before we

us, land included.”



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fobs.eu

 Small orders B7 Zaundiscount started out as a cash & carry company, a kind of D.I.Y. shop for fencing materials.

Consumers could pick out their fence there, pay at the register and take it home with them. Or they could pick it out on the website and have it delivered. The name B7 was changed into A1 Zaundiscount right at the first move. That branch of the company still exists, but only constitutes a third of the turnover nowadays. Schake: “Our structure was built in such a way that we could get small orders ready very efficiently. This quickly proved to be interesting for fencing installers as well. This way, they are no longer required to keep stock of panels and posts. That’s why we renamed the company AOS-Stahl in 2007 and established a seperate trademark for fencing installers: Deutsche Zauntechnik. Once we got the help from the fencing installers, we were really able to expand our market share quickly.”



39

40

fobs.eu

 Wide range and innovativeness Deutsche Zauntechnik’s success however doesn’t only emanate from efficient order picking. “We constantly make sure that our range is as wide as possible,” says Schake. “We have lots of different types of fencing, so fencing installers can offer a very complete range, there’s always something to the end user’s liking. But we’re also constantly looking for ways to make life easier for the fencing installer.

Through offering a very wide range of accessories for example, so every type of fencing can be fitted easily and fast. But also through deposit and return pallets on which the panels can stand up straight. Or through the Panel Boy, a clever cart for distributing materials on site.”

Custom-made Besides from the wide range of standard products, Deutsche Zauntechnik also has its own manufacturing department. It is led by Marian Koza, who has 20 years of experience in fencing manufacturing and has a custom-made solution for every special project. Schake: “Marian completes our supply. Thanks to his team we never have to say ‘no’ to a customer, because he can make anything and everything.”

Trendsetter After ten years of hard work AOS can’t only measure itself against the market leaders, but is also in the forefront in the area of innovation. Schake: “We are checking what the consumer wants all the time and then we offer that. We were the first to offer gabions and privacy fencing on a large scale, the whole market profits from that. During the past year, we brought in the importership of Smoes vertical gates and Tschoeppé design gates. But we’re also still looking for things we can do ourselves. Especially in the winter, when the number of orders declines slightly, a whole team of us are brainstorming about how to serve the market even better in the coming year. There are 30 smaller and bigger innovations in the pipeline for the near future.”

Inge & Oliver Schake



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 Team

41

Future

“Without my wife Inge I wouldn’t have been able

“In terms of space, we are done growing for

to do it,” says Schake. “She also works in the

the moment. I have never had the ambition

company full time and helps me with all of the

of being the biggest anyway. Being big also

difficult decisions. And we have a fantastic team of

brings problems along. Perhaps there will

hard workers and professionals, who pull the cart.

be some foreign branches some day, but

Although it’s difficult, we still try to give as much res-

in Germany we would like to focus on our

ponsibility to the teamleaders of all of the depart-

fencing installers network first. Through

ments as possible. They, in turn, give everyone the

expanding the number of customers a little

tasks they can do well. I want the employees to

bit more on the one hand, but especially also

go to work happy and to experience an enjoyable

through helping fencing installers sell more.

team spirit. Everything you see around you here is

With an even wider product range, esta-

an achievement of that team. If I had had to do eve-

blishing show gardens, extended flyers and

rything myself, I would have never succeeded.”

table samples.”



Design Gates Harry Boley Powered by Gelmo.

www.gelmo.nl

Rijksweg 14 | 6584 AB Mook | The Netherlands | T +31 (0)24 358 07 77 | F +31 (0)24 358 02 37 | E info@gelmo.nl

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Soon in • Locinox Tricone led light • Zaunteam keeps growing • Güngör builds new warehouse • Documentary: how fencing signs are made • Zabag constructs 14 meter wide folding gate

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