ROTARY TABLES FOR THE WORLD FIBRO is a worldwide leading German manufacturer of rotary tables. In an interview with Cornelia Muller, Dr Thomas Grünewald, director of the business area rotary tables, explained FIBROs corporate philosophy and how it has achieved its prime market position.
F
IBRO, short for the names of the former owners, Fischer and Brodbeck, can look back at 50 years of history. The company has two pillars: It is a manufacturer of standard parts for the construction of tools and mould-making. The second pillar is rotary tables, which we look at more closely. The two business units are fairly independent, the first being based in Hassmersheim close to Heidelberg, and the second closer to Stuttgart in Weinsberg.
Precision, quality and reliability
Both units share the same motto, as Thomas Grünewald put it: “Precision, quality and reliability are key. They give us our leading market position. For rotary tables this is so crucial, because the tools and workpieces rotate during the process, so everything must be positioned in a way that nothing fails and nothing slips or misses. The rotary table is a precision axis or the heart of the machine, and it is our task to keep it going smoothly, be it for
the machining of precision parts, the filling of tooth paste tubes or the welding of wedges.” FIBRO brought the first rotary table to the market in 1962. Today, it is the strongest brand on the European market. According to company statistics, about 50 per cent of production is exported directly. Another substantial share is first supplied in Germany and then exported in fully assembled machines. The company estimates that approximately 80 per cent of its products
