Proving its metal Ljunghäll Group

PROVING ITS METAL

Ljunghäll Group is an external engineering partner and expert in high pressure die casting in aluminium. Abigail Saltmarsh reports on its operation.

Hans Linnér

Strong development over the years, an emphasis on quality and a high degree of automation have made Metallfabriken Ljunghäll one of the world’s leading high pressure die casting companies, according to its CEO Hans Linner. The company was established in 1917 and today operates from state-of-the-art production plants in Sweden and the Czech Republic.

“One of our other key characteristics and reasons for our success is quality,” says Mr Linner. “We produce different parts for our customers but they are all made to an extremely high quality.

“We cannot compete on cost with producers who manufacture simple parts in places such as China, but we have a long history and reputation for the manufacture of complex/difficult parts in aluminium. As we develop in the future, we have to maintain that emphasis on quality.”

From small beginnings

Ljunghäll Group’s long history began almost 100 years ago when blacksmith Edvin Ljungkvist and his wife Hilda ran a modest village business producing various kinds of ironwork and shoeing horses. They started just outside the small community of Anderstorp, in the province of Småland, but after several years moved into Anderstorp itself.

The operation expanded to include sand and chill casting, thereby laying the foundation of what was to become one of the world’s most advanced high pressure die casting businesses, Ljunghäll Group AB. In 1963 the company moved to Södra Vi where the Swedish plant still is located today.

In 2007, Ljunghäll expanded further. It acquired Drop Press, now named Ljunghäll s.r.o., located in the historic town Caslav, in the community of Kotna Hora, in the Czech Republic.

High pressure business

Mr Linner said the company has invested in both sites on an ongoing basis. Today it has around 50 state-of-the-art, high pressure die casting machines in the range from 320 tonnes to 3,500 tonnes. It runs three plate HPDC tools for the most demanding jobs, has

over 120 ABB robots to create the highest level of automation and operates 80 CNC machines. A vacuum technique is used on almost all of its HPDC tools.

“We are investing to ensure the quality of what we do and to meet existing customer demand,” he says. “We also want to be ready for new business, whether with existing customers or new customers. Last year we invested €12 million and we will be doing the same this year.”

He continues: “We need more capacity. At the moment, we are also considering the possibility of establishing manufacturing in China. This would be by way of acquisition and would be to serve the Asian market.”

Growing markets

While the Ljunghäll Group has built up a reputation in automotive – both in passenger cars and heavy vehicles – it aims to develop its business in the telecoms market, explains Mr Linner. The company sees this as a growing market for complex/difficult parts.

“We manufacture components for base stations,” he explains. “Some of these require complex/difficult parts in aluminium, which we are able to engineer and deliver.

“We are pushing this side of our business and we have a broad portfolio that we are able to offer our customers.”

The company is also looking to move into new geographical markets, he says. As well as turning towards Asia he believes there are still further opportunities in Europe.

“We have a strong market here in Sweden and would be looking to push out more into Germany,” he says. “This is where many of the manufacturers that we could serve are based.”

A complete service

The Ljunghäll Group offers a complete service. Its engineers will work with the customer on the development of the component from the moment of concept.

As well as initial production capabilities, it has a complete range of after-treatment methods for everything from small telecom parts to the biggest aluminium parts intended for heavy vehicles. High levels of automation and complete manufacturing lines include machining, washing, assembling and leakage testing.

The company has long experience in manual assembling. It uses a “pokayoke”, or mistake proofing system, with fully itemised assembly cells for volume production. It also has a large network of sub-suppliers for insert materials and special demands.

Finally, when it comes to logistics, it offers self billing invoicing, EDI communications, pipe chain, vendor managed inventory, justin-time deliveries and crucial-parts storage.

“Our aim is to continue to do everything as we always have, with an emphasis on detail and quality,” says Mr Linner. “We are looking for growth that will largely be organic, and our aim is to develop the business and to increase profitability.” n