Global leaders in production efficiency Dürr Group

GLOBAL LEADERS IN PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY

The Dürr Group, headquartered in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany, is one of the world’s leading mechanical and plant engineering firms, offering highly efficient manufacturing processes for industries including automotive, chemical, pharmaceutical and woodworking. Industry Europe looks at its long and distinguished history, current structure, most recent achievements and the importance it places on its key suppliers, several of which were honoured at this year’s Dürr Supplier Awards.

The Dürr Group has a strong global presence, providing its mechanical and plant engineering solutions to 28 countries and employing around 14,400 people. In 2015 it achieved a turnover of almost €3.5 billion, owing in part to its distinct culture of continuous innovation: Dürr never rests on its laurels, but is constantly striving to meet evolving customer demands with the latest technologies.

The group has an impressive pedigree, with a history reaching back to 1895 when its founder Paul Dürr established a metal shop for roof flashing in Cannstatt. However, it was not until 1917 that he made his first forays into sheet metal processing and since then the company has gone from strength to strength, expanding all over the world.

With regards to its more recent history, in 2000 the group was taken over by the measuring systems group Schenk. With the backing of this globally renowned player, Dürr has in the intervening years established itself as a full-range supplier of equipment for final vehicle assembly and is also the world leader in balancing and diagnostics equipment.

Production profile

Today the Dürr Group’s production is divided into five distinct divisions: Paint and Final Assembly Systems; Application Technology; Measuring and Process Systems; Clean Technology Systems; and Woodworking Machinery and Systems. Approximately 60 per cent of sales are accounted for by the automotive sector, with the remainder divided between other key market segments such as mechanical engineering, chemical and pharmaceuticals. It has been involved in the woodworking sector since October 2014 when it took over the Homag Group.

Dürr’s Paint and Final Assembly Systems division, Dürr Paint, offers complete paint shops for the automotive industry and beyond, Tier 1 and 2 suppliers as well as systems for vehicle final assembly. As a general contractor it offers everything from a single source, including: plant, application and environmental technologies as well as conveyors, control, automation and manufacturing executions systems and service and modernisation solutions. Also within this division is Dürr Consulting, which offers international customers a range of professional and individual planning and consulting services in the automotive, aircraft, testing facilities and industrial sectors.

The Application Technology division is today the clear world market leader in automated paint application. Regardless of body form, paint systems or number of production units it has well-engineered solutions at its disposal. In particular, the company has been harnessing the growth in advanced robotics technology with the manufacture of painting robots. Furthermore, the innovative Dürr Ecopaint Sealing system product range improves economic efficiency and guarantees the highest quality and environmental compatibility in vehicle sealing. The Dürr Ecopaint Gluing bonding solutions are based on know-how and experience from several hundred installations that have been successfully carried out in recent years. Products are supplied either individually or as combined intelligent overhaul solutions.

The Measuring and Process Systems division is further subdivided into five distinct areas: Balancing and Diagnostic Systems; Assembly Products; Filling Systems; Cleaning and Surface Processing; and finally the Schenck Technology and Industry Park. The first of these, Schenck RoTec GmbH, covers all activities in the area of balancing and diag-

nostics with a wide range of innovative balancing products under the Schenck brand. Dürr Assembly Products GmbH, meanwhile, is one of the world’s leading suppliers of products, systems and plants for the sophisticated assembly and test procedures that are part of automobile manufacture. Dürr Filling’s product portfolio covers filling equipment for household appliances and heat pumps. In the area of Cleaning and Surface Processing, the Dürr Ecolean Group supplies state-of-the-art, needs-based cleaning systems for engine and transmission production as well as metal-cutting and other metalworking processes. Finally, Schenck Technology and Industry Park GmbH is the leading full service provider at Dürr’s Darmstadt site. From facility management to warehouse logistics, financial and medical services, it provides everything to help customers focus on their core businesses.

The fourth main division, Clean Technology Systems, is focused on processes for improving energy efficiency and air abatement. Through this division, Dürr is able to make a key contribution to reducing emissions in a wide range of industry sectors. Its state-ofthe-art plant technology allows for the efficient disposal of exhaust gases and residues whilst ensuring a high level of process reliability and reduced energy consumption. With technologies such as micro turbines, ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle), heat exchangers and heat pumps, Dürr uses excess process heat, waste heat as well as conventional and alternative sources of combustion to store, convert, transmit or transform energy.

Finally, as mentioned above, the activities of the Woodworking Machinery and Systems division are carried out by the recently acquired Homag Group, which offers a perfectly coordinated portfolio for efficient woodworking. Its diverse products and services include: panel production; sawing; surface finishing; drilling and hardware mounting technology; sizing and edge banding; CNC routing and machining; structural element machines; timber frame construction; transport and handling; assembly; packaging; consulting and finally software solutions. A global player

Dürr’s expansion in recent years had been underpinned by solid growth in demand from its customers in China and North America. Over the past year, new orders in China have risen by 52 per cent and have also doubled in America. To give an example of a recent success in China: in July 2015 Dürr completed the upgrading of a 17-year-old paint shop for automaker Shanghai General Motors (SGM) in record time (just six weeks). The company can now apply environmentally friendly water-based instead of solvent-based paints. The order, worth in excess of €30 million, was the group’s largest upgrade project in China to date and also highlights its continued commitment to sustainable production methods.

According to Ralf Dieter, chairman of the management board of Dürr AG: “Looking further down the road, China will remain the largest market for the automotive industry and for Dürr. Given the market volume achieved, the slower growth rate in vehicle sales do not come as any surprise especially in view of the large absolute figures. Our pipeline is still amply filled with new capex projects in the automotive industry.”

Major partnership

Aside from its continued global expansion, the Dürr Group also continues to consolidate its leading position in the domestic market. It received a major boost here in September 2015 when it announced it had been selected by the Volkswagen Group as a strategic partner in the field of surface technology for its FAST supplier initiative. The initiative is targeted at selected suppliers of the Volkswagen Group and at intensifying the level of exchange and cooperation with them. FAST stands for ‘Future Automotive Supply Tracks’. It is intended to make innovations faster and more efficient to develop for Volkswagen. To this end, partners such as the Dürr Group are integrated into projects at an early stage of innovation. It should be pointed out that amongst the suppliers Dürr is the only provider of paint technology.

Ralf Dieter said of the partnership: “The Volkswagen Group and Dürr have been cooperating closely on a global scale for decades now. We’re proud that this successful partnership has been honoured with our inclusion in the FAST initiative. Innovation and globalisation are central strategy fields of Dürr, in which we can effectively support Volkswagen.”

The importance of suppliers

The Dürr Group has long recognised that all of the above achievements would not have been possible without its stable of key suppliers. In May last year (2014), it made the decision to publicly acknowledge this fact when it held its first Dürr Supplier Awards. It was decided that in future these awards will be held every two years as part of the Open House event. The awards, which were presented in three categories (‘Global Partner’, ‘Quality & Reliability’ and ‘Innovation & Technology’), were intended to honour partners that have contributed to Dürr’s success through both strong performance and reliability.

The nomination was based partly on supplier assessment carried out over the past few years, looking at factors such as quality, service and delivery reliability. In addition, Dürr drew up assessment benchmarks for the individual categories in the awards.

The ‘Global Partner’ award was given to Sova Liberec s.r.o. of the Czech Republic. This company, a system supplier of pipework, has been a reliable partner to Dürr for many years, providing engineering, delivery and installation services to many of its construction sites throughout the world.

The award for ‘Quality & Reliability’ went to Nabtesco Precision Europe GmbH. This European subsidiary of a Japanese company suppliers transmissions for painting robots. It received the award because of its excellent quality standards and fast response times, even during the trading problems in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Finally, Sensitec GmbH of Germany received the award for ‘Innovation & Technology’. A manufacturer of measurement technology systems for balancing machines, the company supplies Dürr with innovative, highly precise sensors.

Dürr’s CFO Ralph Heuwing said at the event: “Our suppliers play a crucial role in our business. A partnership of equals with them is very important to us. As an international company which has seen strong growth we need reliable partners who can supply to deadlines on a global scale. In the newly launched Dürr Supplier Award we are seeking to underline our bond with strategically valuable suppliers and accord them recognition for their work.” n