Number 36 | September 2006 | ENGLISH
SETTING OUR SIGHTS ON DIESELS! Woco Group Company Magazine
Woco Products for Diesel Engines
FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE Woco History Part 3
A STRATEGIC POSITION IN THE EAST
Turbo Performance
Woco in Hungary
Innovative Turbocharger Housing Passes Hardness Test with 200,000 Revolutions/min.
EDITORIAL
Commitment is the Decisive Factor To our Employees, On August 15, 1956, the Woco Group enrolled in the Commercial Register. That was the beginning of the company’s development, which was from the start the result of the employees’ full commitment. Nothing has changed to this day. You can therefore be proud of what you have achieved so far. Fifty years after it was founded, Woco is entering a crucial stage of strategic reconstruction. We want to actively use the current selection process in the international supply sector for Woco. Our clients require offers from us on the basis of the most beneficial cost structure. We must help them improve their competitiveness on each of their markets with innovative products and develop other market potentials. We are competing here on an international level and our outstanding technological position will not always be able to protect us. We would have lost mature products with noticeably high cost pressure to our competitors if it had not been for the cost-efficient production, for example in Eastern Europe. However, we also have the possibility to increase additional market potential through customer-orientated production sites. We had already made the first steps with our partners in 1992 in the Czech Republic, long before others had. Our site in Russia is starting to develop the upand-coming Russian automotive market for Woco. Our current new development of a compressor housing made out of plastic for exhaust gas turbochargers in the MAS division confirms that our experience in developing components combined with our expertise in materials can develop innovative product solutions. Our technological
position which has been established for a long time is by all means a competitive advantage. Still we can only maintain this innovation if the Group’s productivity remains sufficiently high. That is one of the goals of the Go 2020 strategy. In the articles “Starting Out to Shape the Future” of the MAS division and “Woco Strategy Map Fair”, you can see that the strategy reaches the most varied positions in the company. It will help us to boost our competitiveness and increase customer benefit. These are difficult times. A continuing decline in demand and adjustments on the market have resulted in shutdowns and layoffs at Woco. It is a tough situation. However, we cannot afford to maintain product programs or individual plants if the company is put at risk. We must concentrate on the product groups, which contribute positively to the success of the company. We must adjust capacities according to the needs of the market development. For our employees, this means that even long term personal engagement and good collaboration may not always prevent layoffs. At the moment, the automotive supply market is facing a difficult struggle. Altogether, we must do everything possible to boost the company’s productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 50 years, we have proven that internationalization and mutability are the only long-term solutions to guarantee the company’s productivity. We trust that you will recognize and use our company’s potential in order to defend the necessary changes, both inside and outside the company, with the “team feeling” of the Woco family.
Franz Josef Wolf
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Bernhard Wolf
Martin Wolf
CONTENTS
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EDITORIAL
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CONTENTS
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INTO THE FUTURE – FOCUSING OUR STRENGTHS PRODUCT/MARKET STRATEGY FOR MOTOR ACOUSTIC SYSTEMS
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TURBO PERFORMANCE PLASTIC IN TURBOCHARGERS
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KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON CASH FLOW ! THE TREASURY OF THE WOCO GROUP
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FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE WOCO HISTORY PART 3
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WOCO IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC INTERVIEW WITH TOMAS MLYNEK
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A STRATEGIC POSITION IN THE EAST WOCO IN HUNGARY
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PLASTEX TRADE FAIR IN BRNO WOCO GROUP TRADE FAIR PRESENCE
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SETTING OUR SIGHTS ON DIESELS ! WOCO PRODUCTS FOR DIESEL ENGINES
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A STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS?! WOCO STRATEGY MAP FAIR 2006
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AN AUTOMOBILE MARKET READY TO TAKE OFF WOCO IN RUSSIA
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TELEGRAM
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IMPRINT
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The successful implementation of the product/market strategy for the Motor Acoustic Systems business unit includes focusing on specific product groups, increasing market penetration and, in particular, expanding activities in the NAFTA region, Asia and Eastern Europe.
Product/Market Strategy for Motor Acoustic Systems
Into the Future – Focusing our Strengths Concentrate on Product Groups and Markets The merger of the Motor Acoustic Systems and Module Technology business units in 2001 created a very broad spectrum of products at MAS. As a result, having so many different product lines made it necessary to choose exactly which ones The Primary to really concentrate on. Vision of Woco MAS In particular, changes in the global business climate mean that Motor Acoustic Systems division * Woco’s the entire company must have a (MAS) develops, produces and markets comstronger focus on specific product ponents and functional solutions for drivetrains, with particular focus on acoustics, groups and markets. In addition to actuators and valve cover modules. achieving significant growth in Our customers are both premium and volume sales, this step is, above all, neces* manufacturers as well as Tier 1 automotive sary to ensure sustained profitability. suppliers in Europe, America and Asia. In pursuing these goals, it is especially important to create a common understanding of the goals that have been set so that all those involved can understand how they fit into the larger context. Achieve market penetration through best prices, differentiation and first-class customer service The way in which we are structuring our product portfolio will allow us to be effectively positioned on the market and efficiently use our resources. To this end, there must be a balance struck between the standardization (simplification) of parts and processes and the market demand for product differentiation. This can be accomplished by creating families of products having a common technical and functional basis. The result will be products that are consistently matched with the needs of the market. Since the products
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Prof. Fang talking to clients
are members of a group, this will facilitate faster innovation and make it easier to adapt a product portfolio to meet the specific needs of different customers. Adapt the organizational structure The organization of Woco MAS has been revised and adapted to ensure complete orientation to the customer. This customer-driven approach is intended to increase our market share and thus produce increased sales, especially in our areas of particular focus: acoustics, actuators and valve cover modules. In doing so, attention will also be paid to measures derived from the SWOT analysis, which evaluates Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This is why our development and production competencies are being further expanded and our level of inhouse production increased (less outsourcing). All organizational units, starting with Sales and Development, and then continuing with Purchasing,
wocoWORLDWIDE
Air ducts, intakes and intake modules (outside-air and cleanair sides), resonators, engine Pneumatic actuators
covers, encapsulation systems
with solenoids, sensors and electronics, electric actuators (mechatronics)
Plastic cylinder head covers featuring integral regulation of crankcase pressure, oil separator, decoupling
Process Technology and Quality, have been consistently Specific, targeted expansion in these regions brought in line with the focal points of our strategy, and with respect to products and processes while, at each department has set up its own team to provide guid- the same time, meeting local content requirements, ance and track progress. will promote trust on the part of our customers and Those responsible for preliminary development of increase their demand for our goods. products and process development have been assigned the Holding regularly scheduled regional meettask of coming up with innovative, economical products with ings involving all relevant business units in order a primary focus on solutions in our core areas. to coordinate activities in Europe, the The introduction of a shared-part NAFTA markets and Asia will database will promote the use of help to increase understanding of the standardized parts and reduce overall conditions faced by personIncreasing freedom to make complexity and costs. Cost nel in each region as well as the further improvements; continuation as a family-owned company analysis teams and cost specific market conditions reduction teams will take encountered there. What’s the lead in achieving permore, such constructive disIncreasing liquidity manent cost reductions. cussions within a multiculIncreasing appeal Meeting our custural group can be valuable Increasing Increasing tomers’ continuing dein finding new solutions knowledge demand mands for lower prices and identifying promising Improving Concentrate on credit rating product groups and, at the same time, synergies. and markets Increasing produchaving to ensure susOur first series-protion (volumes) Accelerate tained profitability when duction projects in China learning/training Increasing trust implementing our cost tarand a very good market Increasing productivity gets will require the highest response in North America levels of discipline from all have shown that the changes Increasing profits Decreasing Woco employees. brought by the implementation of costs our product/market strategy have Expand Our Market Presence Worldalready been well received by our cuswide tomers. Our concentration on specific We are pushing ahead the further expanproduct groups and markets is proving to By concentrating on our sion of our sales and development activibe the correct program for achieving profstrengths, we will ensure ties in Europe as well as in the NAFTA itable growth at MAS in the future. � sustained profitability markets and Asia. Uwe Reichert
Dr. Peter Tomecek (project engineer) and Angela Caligiuri (account manager) discuss a new acoustics project with a customer
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BUSINESS UNITS
Components, modules and systems made of plastics are becoming increasingly significant in today’s engine compartments. At Woco, our experience in developing components for forced induction systems along with our expertise in polymers has enabled us to devise some innovative product solutions. One of our latest developments is a plastic compressor housing for turbochargers.
Plastic in Turbochargers
Turbo Performance Since their first application in production vehicles, forced induction systems have been used more and more in the automotive industry. One such system that’s played an important role in this growing trend is the turbocharger, which is used on almost all of today’s diesel engines and has helped to greatly increase their attractiveness and acceptance. Likewise, there has also been increasing talk about and use of turbochargers in gasoline engines. At Woco, our extensive experience in developing and producing plastic components and modules for turbochargers, such as actuators, noise dampeners, air ducting components and encapsulation systems, was the motivation behind developing a plastic compressor housing. In contrast to the traditional use of diecast aluminum for compressor housings, the use of plastics in this application means that close attention must be paid to critical factors in the engine compartment affecting this material. For instance, higher exhaust gas temperatures and higher boost pressures represent increasing challenges to plastics technology, making continuous research and development necessary. These ongoing efforts include development of new functional solutions and the use of innovative material combinations.
Complex construction featuring innovative solutions: a two-part compressor housing with joint seam
Burst Test / Containment Test In a turbocharger, the compressor wheel driven by exhaust gas pressure generates intake air pressure. Depending on the incoming load, this wheel can spin at speeds of around 200,000 rpm. If the turbocharger is damaged, this wheel can break, escape from its hous-
A need for great durability Woco’s Motor Acoustic Systems unit already has considerable experience in developing air duct components to be installed in high-temperature areas adjacent to turbochargers. In fact, many such MAS components are now used in series production. However, the very demanding technical requirements along with the lack of fundamental experience in developing and producing components for such high-temperature applications represented a great
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ing and cause damage in the engine compartment. To prepare for this eventuality, the durability of the housing is checked in the burst/containment test.
BUSINESS UNITS
Component testing on the function test stand (at ICSI Charging Systems)
challenge. In this case, the difficulty is confirmed by the fact that the technical specifications called for the compressor housing to meet the following conditions:
* Be able to function in high-temperature areas and * * * * *
applications Be able to withstand high internal pressures Be able to resist breakage under dynamic (“live”) loads Have a thermal expansion coefficient similar to that of aluminum Provide minimum clearance between the compressor wheel and housing Be able to pass a burst test
In addition to fulfilling these tough requirements, the solution had to be able to be readily produced on an assembly line.
As it turned out, a combination of materials was the key to success The numerous requirements specified for the functionality of a compressor housing can often lead to seriously conflicting goals in selecting a suitable material. In order to ensure the high degree of dimensional stability of the housing within the intended application temperature range, it was necessary to select a plastic with the necessary thermo-mechanical properties. In particular, this pertains to the high resistance to thermal deformation, high resistance to age-related thermal breakdown as well as to maintaining high dimensional stability of components during the production process. Furthermore, as noted in the list above, the thermal expansion characteristics were supposed to be similar to those of aluminum. With all the suitable, promising properties possessed by thermoplastic materials, even these high-end, technically advanced compounds were still not able to meet all the conditions necessary to succeed in this application. As a result, even at the start of the materials selection process, duroplasts were already being given some serious consideration. However, a detailed analysis of the material properties of duroplasts revealed a significant weakness associated with this category of materials. This material is simply not tough enough for the application; if it were used to make the components, they could be destroyed in the containment test. To rem-
Here’s a place where you’d normally expect to see aluminum: the new compressor housing made of plastic
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Only after passing many tests is the part allowed to be installed in road vehicles: Here, the setup for the dynamic test on the shaker.
edy this conflict, it was decided to pursue a “combine and conquer” strategy of creating a two-component part. In other words, this new approach would separate the requirements for dimensional stability from those for burst strength. In this case, a core section of duroplast would meet the specified functional requirements, especially for dimensional and thermal stability. Then, in order to meet the tough standards with respect to energy absorption in the containment test, this main section would then be enclosed within an outer shell. Based on one of the compressor housings already in series production, a test part was designed and an initial, computer-simulated virtual burst test was conducted. Following this, real-world tests on a containment test bench located on the premises of the customer, Borg-Warner, showed that the damage caused to the core section by the impact of the compressor impeller was as expected, while the outer section survived undamaged. Dimensional accuracy at the highest temperatures Once the part had finally been designed and successfully tested, the next step was to examine the production-related issues. In this step, the two-part design was checked for assembly feasibility and production costs and found to be acceptable in each case. Yet, even at this stage, there was still more www.wocogroup.com new territory to be charted. Since duroplast belongs to the group of cross-linked plastics, it was not possible to join the two sections of the part by means of welding, so an alternative method had to be found. This meant that it would be necessary to adapt the familiar injection molding assembly process to accommodate the dual properties of the part. In devising a solution, the basic approach was to take the two separate prefabricated parts, position them in a suitable assembly device and then join them mechanically with the aid of a suitable thermoplastic bonding agent. However, since it was not possible to achieve a positive seal between duroplast and the bonding agent, an elastomer
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O-ring was employed to seal the entire composite part. This, finally, was the solution that completely fulfilled the high standards specified for dimensional accuracy and centricity. Comprehensive tests until deemed ready for use in vehicles The next step was to make sure that the entire assembly is durable enough for continuous use in vehicles. An especially important aspect here is its durability under the dynamic or “live” loads encountered during vehicle operation. To investigate this, a series of shaker tests were conducted. At the same time, the assembly was simultaneously subjected to combined static (pressurized compressor housing), thermal and dynamic loading. The tests of individual functions were followed by the first functional testing on the test stands at the development partner ICSI. This functional test yielded a positive result, showing that this housing assembly does, in fact, perform favorably compared to an aluminum one. Based on the knowledge acquired during all this testing, it then seemed reasonable to take the next step, which was to start the on-vehicle testing in order to gather information on the performance of the compressor housing under actual operating conditions. A test vehicle was then fitted with a part ready for series production. Currently, this part is still undergoing long-term testing. A variety of promising applications The extensive knowledge gained from the series-production implementation of this part has been a big step forward for the team led by Dr. Anton Wolf and Dr. Nenad Cvjeticanin. These results have yielded a broad range of new expertise in the areas of material and process technology. Even the design, which features the integration of individual functions in one module, has revealed many new solutions that can be applied to already existing automotive components. A detailed description of this project is published in MTZ 07-08|2006 and is available at www.wocogroup.com. ❚ Dr. Nenad Cvjeticanin/ Stephan Senftleben
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wocoWORLDWIDE
To maintain our independence as a family-owned company, it’s important for us to have sufficient cash flow, maintain enough equity and to ensure our liquidity. To manage this, our Treasury functions like a company bank. It controls the availability of money within the company, seeing to it that the right amount of money is available in the right place at the right time. In doing so, the Treasury makes sure that currency, interest and credit risks are kept to a minimum.
Keeping a
Close Eye on Cash Flow! Almost all of
us use a bank to save money or to finance purchases with a loan – in other words, to make our financial resources fit our personal planning. At a large enterprise like the Woco Group, this function is handled by our Treasury Department. The success of our company is guaranteed through an arrangement based on two factors. First, sustained company profits are only possible if our customers are satisfied with our products and services and pay a fair price for them. Second, this income must be managed in a way that allows our company to meet its obligations at all locations. In times of limited financial resources it is essential to have a clear overview of all financial capital available to the Group. That’s because the less you know about the locations and amounts of inflow and outflow the higher your contingency reserves must be to prevent yourself from getting into a bind rendering you incapable of acting. Moreover, any money left in a contingency fund is money that is far better used in creating added value by investing it in the company, such as in product development and production improvements. The Money in Woco’s Wallet Each month, all Woco’s business units prepare a financial status report showing the balances on all external bank accounts at month’s end. In the Treasury, these amounts are combined to come up with the Group’s current financial status. That’s the amount of money in Woco’s wallet. Based on this, an appropriate liquidity projection can be made. This forecast shows at what point in time and to what degree, which business activities will have what effect on liquidity. From this analysis, it can be seen whether the required funds can be generated independently (from operatively generated cash flows) or if additional sources of money will have to be tapped, such as loans. Since we do business on almost every continent, it’s important that sufficient cash flows are available in
different currencies. This means that our company’s success is exposed to the risk arising from fluctuating exchange rates. This risk is analyzed at the Treasury and measures are taken to at least partially eliminate it. What’s more, fluctuations in interest rates can also have considerable effects on the Woco Group’s earnings. That means that close attention must be paid to selecting the best possible mix of financing with respect to fixed and variable interest rates. It’s also true that there’s a lot of money hidden away in what’s known as working capital (current assets, inventories), resources and money that are circulated within the company. In this case, the objective must be to reduce the level of accounts receivable (debts due and owing), cut inventories and decrease liabilities in order to free up hard-cash capital that can be used to lower company debt. To this end, the Treasury prepares a report that is Bank Funds closely coordinated with the Purchasing, Sales and Controlling departments. As a family-owned company, Woco is concerned about maintaining its independence. This means that we must implement our planned growth strategy on our own. That’s why having sufficient cash flow and enough equity are critical for our survival. ❚ Karl Markel
The Treasury team (from left to right) Peter Vollprecht: Specialist in Liquidity Management; Karl Markel: Treasury Director; Klaus Weismantel: Head of Financial Accounting; Michaela Hagemann: Specialist in Cash Management; Silvia Welzenbach: Treasury, Insurance, Leasing
Materials
Products
Receivables
Essential to our survival: the relationship between retaining and releasing liquidity
Working Capital = short-term assets (current assets) – short-term outside capital Working Capital is considered the basis for liquidity planning. On the other hand, it’s also viewed as a “liquidity eater.” Thus, the goal here is to minimize the capital tied up in the working-capital cycle. Freed-up capital is used to reduce obligations to banks.
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On August 15, 2006 we’ll be celebrating the 50th anniversary of our company. In the third part of the Woco story, you’ll read about how the company’s long-term, established strength – it’s readiness to work with and for the market – proved to be the key factor for future success.
Focusing on the future The establishment of Woco’s global network also had a significant impact on the orientation of the activities in the home office in Bad Soden Salmünster: With the opening of the Woco Center for Automotive Technology in 1995, the core functions – product/material/process development, procurement, marketing and logistics – were concentrated there. This led to the establishment of the Communications Center, which serves as a meeting place for employees, customers, suppliers and partners from all over the world. It’s Woco’s central location for holding conferences, seminars and receptions. Making Some Major Decisions Woco pushed forward its activities in Germany by continuing to concentrate on maintaining its leadership in innovation and technology. In support of this effort, the company’s products and structures were adapted in response to market conditions. Specifically, all of its activities were divided into three main business areas: Rubber Technology, Module Technology, and Noise Vibration and Harshness, generally known simply as NVH. What’s more, for the first time, individual areas were made responsible for their own performance. The increased strengthening of Woco’s companies located abroad was not without its larger consequences: once again, in the period after 1992, Woco had to eliminate jobs due to an unfavorable business climate in Germany. In 1998, there was also a major change in the top management of the company, with the next generation – Bernhard Wolf, Jürgen Wolf, Martin Wolf and Christina Kremser-Wolf – assuming leadership. Devising a New Approach for the New Millennium At the start of the new millennium, the ability and willingness to innovate remained the key to growth. For this rea-
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Also a renewal of management: Woco cofounder Adolf Wolf stepped down, and the next generation, Jürgen Wolf, Martin Wolf, Christina Kremser-Wolf and Bernhard Wolf, stepped up
wocoWORLDWIDE
A grand opening of the communications center with many distinguished guests (from left to right): Dr. Peter Haverbeck (CEO of Contitech), Helmut Werner (CEO of Mercedes Benz AG), Dr. Erika Emmerich (VDA President) and Franz Josef Wolf
son, on March 3, 2000 Woco and Michelin combined their activities in the area of anti-vibration technology by forming a jointly operated company – Woco Michelin AVS. This combination of tire expertise and chassis competency and
Focus on the future: The brothers Bernhard and Martin Wolf explain the automotive technology “made by Woco.”
its resulting powerful synergies were to form the basis for innovative technologies designed to improve vehicle ride, handling and overall comfort. Both companies also complemented each other well in other areas. Their joint international network gave them a strong position in the important market in France. In addition, their collaboration allowed them to offer a complete range of products and services covering all steps from product development to production, made available in their two development and competency centers located in Bad Soden Salmünster (Germany) and Decize (France). At about the same time, the Motor-Acoustic-Systems (MAS) division was spun off from the NVH area as an independent unit with a special focus on system solutions in acoustics for engine-compartment applications. MAS was strengthened by its takeover of the diaphragm specialist Effbe, whose knowledge and experience were applied to the control and regulating devices produced by the division, as well as by its takeover of Kronacher Kunststoffwerke, a manufacturer of high-quality parts made of thermoplastics and duroplast. Furthermore, through its merger with the Module Technology area, MAS further benefited by gaining expertise in controllers and actuators as well as in electronics and electrics. In July 2001, MAS moved into its offices in the newly constructed Motor Acoustics Center WOCO Magazine 36/2006
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The architectural
The exhibit in the Communications Center pro-
expression of Woco’s
vides impressive evidence of Woco’s readiness
corporate culture:
to meet challenges with its long tradition of
large sections of
applying the most modern technology
glass in an open, transparent structure
in Bad Soden Salmünster. At the grand opening of the new facility, Woco addressed existing and potential customers by stressing its special skills in initial development work and services as a Tier 1 systems partner for the automotive industry as well as its expertise in all aspects of vehicle acoustics and vibration.
Dedication of the Woco Motor Acoustics Center in July 2001, emphasizing the slogan “An Automotive Engineering SENSE-ation.”
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Responding to Structural Changes in the Automotive Industry The ongoing trend toward consolidation in the automotive industry that had started at the beginning of the 1990’s continued unabated, and the pressure on suppliers continued to grow. Increased sales volumes were made possible by penetrating the market in North America and by opening up new markets in Eastern Europe, China and India – Woco’s early moves toward internationalization, through which it had already established a presence in these markets by means of joint ventures or subsidiaries, was now paying off. At the same time, the customers in closely contested mature markets were becoming even more demanding. In this case, growth was only possible by a strategy of differentiation designed to allow companies to stand out from their competitors – Woco supported OEM strategies through its innovative product solutions. In order to be able to react more flexibly to and meet the exact needs of customers, Woco management and employee representatives worked out a mutually acceptable company standard employee pay scale at the end of 2004.
WOCO Magazine 36/2006
Taking Consistent Advantage of Market Opportunities Now, in 2006, there are around 4,800 employees working at over 30 Woco locations worldwide. More than 50 years after the company’s founding, Franz Josef Wolf is passing responsibility for daily operations on to the next generation. This transition is also reflected in the ongoing further strategic reorganization of the company through Project GO 2020, which is defining the company’s vision, mission, goals and values so that it can be well prepared to meet the business challenges of the not-too-distant future. In the future, Woco’s strategy will emphasize a concentration on core competencies with the objective of increasing profitability in certain selected product groups. Today, Woco is fortunate to be a company that combines the attractiveness of an international enterprise with the flexibility and familiar atmosphere of a modern medium-sized enterprise. Woco develops and manufactures products that significantly increase the level of comfort and safety in automobiles while improving and protecting the environment by decreasing noise and increasing fuel economy. In industry, Woco products improve the efficiency and safety of machinery and equipment. Woco supports its customers with development and production, using its global facilities to ensure optimized costs. However, Woco’s new management team can only be successful by working closely with and having the full support of each and every employee. With all of the changes occurring at Woco, one decisive factor will continue to apply in the future: Strength through Unity. ❚ Antje Endler
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ZGS – Membrány, a.s. in Zlin
Recognizing a Wealth of Opportunity
Woco in the Czech Republic During the course of Woco’s expansion to the east, as our customers began to open up markets in Central and Eastern Europe and produce goods there, Woco could already provide ample evidence of its commitment to this region. Of course, costs had played a major part in our decision to head east. In particular, mature products were becoming subjected to massive price pressure, and so it was necessary to act decisively in order to prevent the loss of business to competitors. In this context, it’s also necessary to keep in mind that Central and Eastern Europe, along with China and India, is one of the world’s most significant regions of economic growth. However, in taking such a critical step it’s always important to find the right business partner, one with whom it’s possible to establish a business relationship based on trust and dedication. Woco found just such a credible partner in Mr. Tomas Mlynek. Recently, We at Woco had an opportunity to conduct the following interview with him.
We at Woco: Why is Woco active in the Czech Republic? Tomas Mlynek: To begin with, the automotive industry is one of the most important industries in the Czech economy. It has a considerable influence on our balance of trade, helps to attract foreign investment and improves the conditions on the Czech labor market, primarily in machinery construction, but also in rubber and plastics production. Now, this kind of positive development has not been true of all areas, but, nevertheless, the overall economic trend is still promising, especially after the political changes in the Czech Republic after 1989. In general, we have good conditions for future development.
WaW: Why did Woco decide to get established in Vsetín? TM: During the “Prague Spring” in 1968-69, there was a relative liberalization of political conditions in the Czech Republic, and Czech business and industry, previously total-
ly controlled by the state, began to make contacts with companies in the West. In 1969, the research institute for rubber and plastics technology in Zlín organized a symposium on rubber production, which Mr. F. J. Wolf also attended along with some of his colleagues. At this meeting, one of the presentations dealt with the newly developed LKV 100 rubber presses, which were being produced in the stateowned enterprise MEZ, located about 30 kilometers from Zlín in Vsetín. Mr. Wolf liked these machines so much that he purchased some of them for Woco. So, that’s how the first contacts were made between Woco and MEZ Vsetín.
WaW: How was this cooperation expanded? TM: Well, back in 1991 there was a shortage of job orders at the then state-run electro-technical enterprise MEZ Vsetín due to the loss of the market in the Soviet Union. So, at MEZ they began to look around for new sources of work. They remembered the personal contact that they had once had with Mr. Wolf at Woco. They started making some inquiries as to whether Woco could help MEZ Vsetín in some way or other. At that time, MEZ Vsetín was not having much success in manufacturing the parts for the electric central locking system for Škoda. That was primarily WOCO Magazine 36/2006
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because there were problems with quality. Beyond that, they really didn’t have the right materials to make such systems. Mr. Woco SystemtechWolf’s response was very fast. His recommendation was to forgo nik’s modern independent in-house development of the central locking system production hall in Vsetín at MEZ Vsetín and to use Woco’s expertise instead (editorial note: At that time Woco was making the central locking systems for Mercedes-Benz). Shortly thereafter, on 21 August 1991, Woco and MEZ signed a cooperative agreement between them. This agreement called for both partners to cooperate in making pneumatic supply lines for the automotive industry as well as in manufacturing special tools and equipment. As early as September 1991, a group of workers from MEZ traveled to Bad Soden-Salmünster in order to receive necessary training. After they returned, the production of pneumatic systems started in Vsetín.
WaW: How long did this cooperation last? TM: In 1992, Volkswagen AG acquired the Škoda Automotive Works in Mladá Boleslav. So, Woco then decided to take over the production from MEZ Vsetín. That spring, Woco founded the companies “WOCO spol. s r. o.” and “Systémtechnik Vsetín s. r. o. (STV)”. All the cooperative production was then transferred from MEZ Vsetín over to the new STV company. During this phase, another significant decision affecting STV was made. It set up its own development department and tool/equipment facilities.
WaW: Why was this such a major decision for Systémtechnik Vsetín (STV)? TM: Systémtechnik now had to find skilled technicians and have them trained by Woco in Bad Soden-Salmünster so that their work back in Vsetín would be up to Woco’s standards.
WaW: What happened after that? TM: At the end of 1994, there were even more radical changes. STV took over the production of actuators and water valves, making it necessary to find new space to accommodate this production. As a result, a new, first-class production facility for solenoid values was built near Vsetín in Jablůnka. Then, in 1996-97, the Czech sub-
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sidiaries started to source plastic components from Czech suppliers. This led to a need for higher quality standards. The transfer of products from EFFBE Raunheim and the start of production of valve blocks and switches made it necessary to expand production even further. So, a building with an area of approximately 10,000 square meters was rented on the grounds of the former Zbrojovka Vsetín enterprise. This step enabled production to be concentrated in one location.
WaW: In the Czech Republic, is Woco active in other areas besides component assembly for the automotive industry? TM: In addition to assembly work at STV, the Woco Group’s activities in the Czech Republic are concentrated on the production of rubber parts. As a result of the search for additional capacities to handle the production of precision parts, the companies WOCO spol. s r. o. and Prokeš, v. o. s. started
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wocoWORLDWIDE SYSTÉMTECHNIK VSETÍN SPOL. S R. O.
ZGS – MEMBRÁNY, A.S.
EFFBE – CZ S.R.O.
ANTIVIBRATIONSTECHNIK S.R.O.
Location: Vsetín Business unit: MAS General Manager: Jiri Halmazna Employees: 590 Products: valve blocks, multifunctional gearshift modules, pneumatic actuators, diaphragm control canisters, aneroid capsules, pneumatic line harnesses/plug connectors, pressure/vacuum reservoirs, pneumatic solenoids/solenoid blocks, crankcase emission control heaters, fuel pressure/ flow regulators, heater control valves/coolant shutoff valves. Founded: 1993
Location: Zlín Business unit: IPS Chairman of the Board: Jiri Podhajsky Employees: 125 Products: diaphragms for measurement and control, metering and pumping devices Founded: 1996 (Member of the Woco Group: 2000)
Location: Velíková Business unit: IPS General Manager: Rudolf Vesely Employees: 73 Products: diaphragms for the gas industry Founded: 1998 (Member of the Woco Group: 2000)
Location: Drnovice Business unit: AVS General Manager: Dr. Ales Mlýnek Employees: 193 Products: at first, molded rubber parts, products for white goods (major appliances), until 2003; then after takeover by AVS, chassis and engine mounts Founded: 1995
a joint venture at the end of 1993. WOCO spol. s r. o. had a 26% share in the new company, which was called Prokeš & Co. s. r. o. and located in the city of Nový Bydžov. However, as part of the implementation of the GO2020 company strategy, these shares were later sold and this production of precision parts was transferred to India.
WaW: Are there any other operations run by the Woco Group in the Czech Republic? TM: In 2000, Woco and ZGS Membrány AG, headquartered in Zlín, concluded a cooperative agreement. In fact, in 2001 ZGS Membrány became a member of the Woco Group in the Czech Republic. With its own expertise and in cooperation with development centers in Germany and France, ZGS Membrány is a major producer and supplier of measurement and control technology as well as metering and pump technology. These products are primarily used in the automotive industry and in machinery construction. Some typical examples of these applications are the compact diaphragms used in the control elements for ABS brake systems, diaphragms for turbochargers and fuel systems as well as vacuum diaphragms used in pneumatic devices for transporting and regulating various media in vehicles and in vehicle engines. For general use in the machinery industry, ZGS produces a whole line of rubber/fabric diaphragms under the brand RECIFLEX. Another company that’s been part of the Woco Group since 2001 is the EFFBE-CZ plant in Velíková near Zlín. EFFBE-CZ
*As of April 2006
manufactures diaphragms for gas meters, LPG diaphragms and other products for the gas industry. Since 2005, the company Antivibrationstechnik, s. r. o. (AVT) has been going through some radical changes. In fact, it’s revamping its entire product line. AVT was founded in 1994, and until 2005 it made rubber parts, primarily for white goods and the construction industry. However, in 2005 AVT was made part of WOCO Michelin AVS, and since then it’s been concentrating on products for the VW PQ 35 program, which it acquired from Helped to get it all started in the France.
WaW: How do you rate the cooperation among the individual companies in the Woco CZ Group?
Kurt Sperzel, Jiri Halmazna, Franz Josef Saum, Tomás Mlýnek
TM: The cooperation among the individual companies in the Czech Republic is going well on a high level. In particular, their Quality and Logistics departments all work very closely together. All central activities, such as financing and sales on the Czech and Slovakian markets are handled centrally by the holding company WOCO spol. s. r.o. Other examples of cooperation are that ZGS AG is a supplier of primary/intermediate products for STV and that many employees at AVT are trained at STV. All in all, the Czech Republic offers many opportunities that we want to make full, systematic use of in the whole Group. ❚
1: The hall of Antivi-
2: The plant of Sys-
3: Excellent quality in the Czech Republic.
4: Kromschröder’s board of
brationstechnik,
tém technik Vsetín
The AVT management team receives a quality
managers visits Effbe in the
s.r.o. in Drnovice
spol. s r.o.
award in 2002
Czech Republic
3
Czech Republic: (from left to right)
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The Woco Group has been established in Budapest since 1993. Initially, its interest in Hungary was primarily due to the advantage of lower wages. Since then, this location has developed into a capable and efficient facility that is a major factor in Woco’s growth strategy.
Budapest
Woco in Hungary
A Strategic Position in the East
The new building provides ample space for handling new orders
The plant in Budapest produces cylinder head covers and acoustics-related components for OEM customers located in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria and Poland. Due to the volume and weight of these products, this central location brings great advantages in customer supply logistics. “To a large extent, we’re profiting from the transfer of production capacities to the East by car companies. In light of this trend, Woco already started to expand this location back in 2004,” explains Karl Markel, who has been the plant’s business manager since July 1, 2006. Working with his colleague Thomas Gärtner, the plant’s technical manager, Markel plans to conclude the facility’s expansion this fall and obtain ISO 14001 certification. Management of the site has been strengthened since August 1, 2006 thanks to Gabór Horváth who has brought with him years of experience in the Woco spirit. Today the plant, located on a site of around 10,000 square meters, has 160 employees. The development company Gumitech Gumitechnológiai Kft., which assists all business units in carrying out their development projects, is also located here. “Our already confirmed growth in sales will ensure long-term use of our newly expanded capacities. Now it’s up to us to supply our customers with the Woco quality that they’ve come 1: View of Budapest to expect,” states Markel, who is on the Danube looking forward to tackling the tasks now before him. ❚ 2: Equipped in custom-
1
2
ary Woco quality: one of the production halls at Ipartechnika 3: Karl Markel with his team in Hungary
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The new international trade fair for plastics, rubber and composites, “Plastex 2006,” had a successful premiere in Brno. Both the organizers and the Woco Group, which exhibited products from all four of its business units, can now look back on a very successful debut event.
PLASTEX
Brno
Trade Fair in Brno
A Successful Premiere for the Plastex Trade Fair The first “Plastex” International Trade Fair for Plastics, Rubber and Composites was held May 16-19 in the Brno Exhibition Hall. The new fair enjoyed a fantastic response, with 189 exhibitors present and 25,000 visitors from the industry and general public. In fact, the Plastex fair set a record for events in the Brno Exhibition Hall. What’s more, over 51% of the exhibitors came from abroad. The fundamental reason for the success of the Plastex fair lies in the dynamic development of industries centered on plastics, rubber and composites throughout Central Europe. An Attractive Exhibit by Woco With a total exhibition area of 3,000 square meters, the Woco Group’s professionally designed exhibition booth (16 square meters) proved to be a great attraction. The Woco exhibit featured examples of products from all four of its business units, such as valve cover modules, actuators, engine mounts, molded rubber parts, plastic parts and machine bases. The company representatives staffing the booth, especially Petr Manas (Customer Sales Manager at Woco spol.), were able to make many interesting new contacts with Czech companies (like wiring harness manufacturers and system module suppliers such as Brano a.s., BOBCAT, HKL spol. s.r.o.) as well as expand existing relationships. The great response to the very effective exhibit resulted in numerous inquiries, especially for Woco APS and Woco IPS. Woco’s high expectations of its participation in this trade fair were fully met to the complete satisfaction of all concerned. ❚ Marie Halbig
Woco’s company representative at its trade fair booth: Petr Manas
Betram Trauth (center) talking with Tomas Mlynek (left) and Rudolf Vesely (right)
Cash Flow ist eine Messgrösse für die Beurteilung der Zahlungskraft eines (from left to right) Unternehmens. Der Cash Flow zeigt, welche Finanzmittel aus Vladimir Korenek, dem Betriebsprozess Uwe Bergmann, Josef erwirtschaftet und wie diese im Unternehmen wieder verwendet Urbanec (z. B. Schuldentilgung, Investitionen) werden.
WOCO Magazine 36/2006
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For decades, the diesel engine led a rather shadowy, secondary existence in the automotive industry, particularly in passenger cars, but nowadays automobiles with diesel engines have become very common and widespread in Europe. In fact, in some European countries today diesel-powered cars account for more than 75% of all new vehicle registrations. This change can be attributed to the development of powerful and relatively quiet diesel engines and, especially, to the addition of turbochargers.
Diesels!
Setting Our Sights on
RUDOLF DIESEL (1858 - 1913), engineer and inventor, developed the motor of the same name
But First: Some History The diesel engine was invented in 1892 by Rudolf Diesel. During its development all sorts of substances were tried in it as fuels. From the very beginning, Mr. Diesel sought to have direct injection into the combustion chamber, but he failed due to the lack of satisfactory injection pumps and precise injectors. Because of this, an indirect method in which the fuel was injected with air was eventually employed. This method permitted the fuel to be metered with enough accuracy and be sufficiently distributed in the combustion chamber. In Germany and in many other countries, the “diesel fuel” (made from crude oil) used today was named after the inventor of the engine. The Principle of Diesel Combustion In contrast to the gasoline engine, in which an inflammable air-fuel mixture is drawn into the combustion chamber, in the diesel combustion process only air is drawn in at first. The fuel is injected only after the air has been compressed. Compared to gasoline engines, diesel engines operate with a high amount of excess air, especially in partial load ranges. In diesels, the temperature of the compressed air (ratios of up to 25:1) in the cylinder increases rapidly, reaching temperatures (700 to 900 °C) that allow the very finely atomized fuel to self-ignite. The output of the engine is regulated by the amount of fuel injected. Disadvantages of the Diesel Engine Along with its inherent advantages of greater efficiency and resulting lower fuel consumption, the diesel engine does have the following disadvantages:
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* Higher emissions of nitrogen oxides compared to a gasoline engine with a 3-way catalytic converter
* The exhaust always contains particulates (such as diesel soot)
* Higher production costs * Rougher, less refined idling and running * Greater weight for the same performance compared to a gasoline engine
* A top speed of 5,500 rpm due to ignition lag, which
means a further increase in performance, is only possible by increasing the mean combustion pressure (or torque)
* Higher power densities can only be achieved by forced induction (e.g. a turbocharger)
* Extensive exhaust emissions controls are necessary The Boom in Diesel Engines for Passenger Cars Until the mid-90’s diesel passenger cars were considered to be economical and reliable transportation, but inferior in terms of performance and driveability to vehicles equipped with gasoline engines, even with the same output rating. This situation changed dramatically with the increased use of turbochargers and the introduction of direct injection. Earlier, to achieve smoother operation, diesel fuel was not injected directly into the combustion chamber, but first into a prechamber or swirl chamber. Then, beginning with the Fiat Chroma TD, direct injection was used. High-pressure (over 1,000 bar) direct injection along with a turbocharger and intercooler produced such benefits as a sig-
wocoWORLDWIDE
Actuation and feedback systems
Products for improving Diesel acoustics Cylinder head covers of plastic
nificant increase in performance, higher efficiency and lower fuel consumption. With these improvements, the diesel lost its previous reputation for being low-powered and sluggish. Focus on NVH In general, though, diesel engines are not equal to modern gasoline engines in terms of vibrations and noise. The primary reasons for this lie in the significantly higher combustion chamber pressures compared to those of gasoline engines and in the combustion process itself. Moreover, in gasoline engines, external spark ignition results in a longer combustion process, while in diesels explosive combustion occurs immediately after the injection of fuel. The immense increase in the popularity of diesel engines was due to the fact that there was also a strong focus on their NVH aspects right from the start. In addition to primary measures to reduce noise and vibration that have a direct impact on engine design (including multiple injection, combustion chamber geometry, exhaust gas recirculation, balancer shafts), other, secondary ones have also made significant contributions. It’s in this category that Woco got involved from the very beginning. In fact, Woco now has over 10 years of experience with such components as sound-dampening covers and charge-air dampers. Woco’s Work for Diesel Engines With its core competencies in acoustics, actuators and cylinder head covers, Woco’s MAS division provides a broad range of parts, components and modules for diesel engines. These acoustic components include noise dampeners for turbocharger, air intake resonators, injector
covers, styling/sound-dampening covers on up to complete air intake modules. Woco MAS produces actuating devices (pneumatic and electrical actuators, also with sensors) and modules such as actuators for turbocharger wastegates and VTG turbochargers, exhaustgas recirculation (EGR) systems and for flap systems used in air management. MAS also produces solenoids for operating pneumatic actuators. Woco MAS was a pioneer in developing plastic cylinder head covers. Woco’s success in substituting plastic for the steel or aluminum traditionally used in these components was a major advance. Today, the R&D work at MAS focuses on crankcase pressure management and, in particular, fine-oil separation. Outlook and Vision With new innovative solutions such as its plastic turbocharger housing, Woco is continuing to expand its applications for the diesel engine. In addition, we’re also increasing the level of added value in our actuation systems by supplying more complex drive units. Recent trends such as low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation and multi-stage turbocharger designs are sure to lead to new product lines. ❚
Mercedes’ modern diesel engine which has been used in the E-class
Dr. Anton Wolf WOCO Magazine 36/2006
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As you know, “We at Woco” has reported many times about the “Woco Scorecard” project and about how this method is supposed to help implement Strategy GO2020. Now, you might think that it’s a really dry topic and that at times it would be tough to explain exactly how the Strategy is also really going to help Woco’s employees. Yet, last June at a “Strategy Map Fair” (scorecard fair) in Bad Soden-Salmünster, the practical aspects and benefits were shown at a large company meeting.
Woco Strategy Map Fair 2006
A Strategy for Success?!
Formulating a new strategy is, in and of itself, no reason to expect sudden miracles. The key to a strategy’s success can only lie in daily application of its content. That’s something that all of us have probably already experienced for ourselves at times. In the case of GO2020, it’s just like many other processes that we’re familiar with in our own lives. In fact, it’s much like working on a project of your own: the better the tools and the more thought put into setting up the job, the more smoothly the work will proceed. Only by making this investment in preparation time is it possible to achieve good results once the work has actually started. Likewise, our Strategy GO2020 is now in the set-up phase. Although a lot of work is being done in many places, the big picture is still not really clear yet. Many of us have already experienced this in our daily project work. Nevertheless, Woco has, in fact, already come a lot closer toward its goal of integrating this new strategic orientation of the overall Group, business units and central units into general planning. The key tool in this implementation is the Woco Scorecard (a balanced scorecard for the Woco target system). At the Group level, the Woco Group scorecard has already been devised by the business owners and manage-
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WOCO Magazine 36/2006
ment (see also issue 34 of WaW, pp. 12-13). Furthermore, many Woco employees from the business and central units have now been able to work out “their own” targets in special workshops. In this effort, the Woco Group “Strategy Map,” a kind of road map and itinerary of the Group’s new directions, provides a comprehensive overview of the interrelationship of the goals specified for different facets of Woco’s business: finances, customers, suppliers, processes and employees. The clear layout of the Strategy Map, with one sheet for each area, provides a concise overall picture of the company’s fundamental goals:
* It clearly shows which local targets have to be achieved in each individual area so that the global strategic goals for the entire company can then be achieved. In other words, it shows the local prerequisites for global performance.
* It makes it much easier to detect target conflicts between areas, allowing measures to avoid such conflicts to be taken early on.
* It facilitates recognition of opportunities for cross-area cooperation so that concrete measures can be taken to properly exploit them.
And that’s exactly what the Strategy Map Fair was all about.
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HOW IT WORKS: THE CAUSE-AND-EFFECT CHAIN FOR THE LOGISTICS SCORECARD Improve liquidity
Finances
Customers
Processes
Employees, Company development, Innovation
Reduce costs
Provide (agreed-upon) service in optimum manner
Define and standardize internal processes; run a “tight ship”
Avoid expenses
Provide optimum consulting
Support implementation
Devise concepts/procedures for customers from standardized modules
What can the Logistics Get employees involved
Coordinate suitability, interest and needs profile
Show willingness to change
area do to help the company meet its goals? The answer is right there
Suppliers
Provide (agreed-upon) product/ service in optimum manner
Provide optimum consulting services
Demand-based flexibility and ability to innovate
on the Strategy Map!
BALANCED SCORECARD The balanced scorecard is a management instrument for aligning an organization with its strategic goals. In contrast to vision/mission statements and other such vague, general formulations, the balanced scorecard attempts to make measurable the progress of efforts to reach strategic goals and supports creation of specific measures to achieve them.
Presentation and Joint Optimization At the Strategy Map Fair, the strategy maps for each of the business units and central units, which had been worked out in the previous months, were presented and explained in detail. After the map fair had been opened, the attendees were asked to examine the strategy maps, which were on display in trade fair format. In this way, the personnel for each area could determine the similarities and differences with their own area’s strategy map. The results were then checked in each of the areas, made part of the respective target system and then approved by the management of the business and central units. The measures added as a result of these changes had to ensure support for the ultimate goals.
The methods defined by the balanced scorecard are intended to expand the focus of management from a traditional view dominated by relatively narrow financial considerations and direct attention to a broader consideration of all relevant aspects and influences, thus providing a far more balanced picture of overall conditions. This much more comprehensive view enables effective creation and refinement of the concrete measures required to (re)align the organization with its goals.
The goals and measures to be achieved will be included in the next planning phase. In this way, GO2020 will become an established part of all company processes and a fundamental step in applying it to regular daily operations will have been taken. But this tool’s usefulness doesn’t end here. After all, what applies at the top levels of the company must also apply to everyone else. This means that there must be a strategy map for each and every department of the company so that each and every employee can see how things are supposed to be going, both now and in the future. In this way, the map can be used as a basis for conducting target commitment meetings. ❚ Guido Stanovsky WOCO Magazine 36/2006
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In the past, any list of the important automobile-producing regions in the world rarely, if ever, mentioned Russia. It’s only recently that international automotive manufacturers have shown a strong interest in getting involved on the Russian market. With the founding of “Woco Rus” at the beginning of this year, Woco has now taken a step into this promising market of the future.
Woco in Russia
An Automobile Market Ready to
The center of the Russian automotive industry: the AvtoVAZ automotive plant
Since opening itself up to the outside world and having stabilized its economic climate, Russia has been experiencing steady, dynamic business growth. With its 142 million inhabitants, who mostly live in the European part of the country, and its immense wealth in natural resources, Russia is going to become one of the world’s most important markets for the international automotive industry in the coming decades. With a vehicle density of 200 per 1000 people (compared to 560 per 1000 in Germany), the increasing economic growth in Russia has led to a rapidly growing demand for vehicles. These promising market forecasts are now making Russia increasingly attractive to international manufacturers.
Dams stand up to the powerful torrent
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New Technology Stimulates Business So far, Russian automotive manufacturers have exclusively controlled a domestic market dominated by the Lada brand, which at 700,000 vehicles per year is the clear market leader. Yet foreign vehicles are becoming much more popular among up-and-coming customers, who with their increasing incomes are placing more importance on greater comfort, convenience and safety. This trend means that in the future Russian vehicles will have to face increasingly stronger competition from foreign competitors. Since Russian cars are largely produced for the domestic market, they have not kept up with international standards in technological developments. Now, competition with foreign models is putting Russian manufacturers under immense pressure to further develop their vehicles. This means that the
WOCO Magazine 36/2006
Togliatti
Take Off goal of making the automotive industry the engine of the Russian economy will require a comprehensive transfer of technology into future vehicle models. Establishing a Modern Supply Structure The large differences in the Russian automotive industry not only exist in technology, but also in its division of labor. In Russia, the development and production of vehicle models overwhelmingly occur at the automotive manufacturers themselves. While in the rest of the world approximately 50% of a new car is generally made at the OEM and the rest at supply partners, at Russian manufacturers the in-house share is about 80% because of far less outsourcing. Automotive suppliers like Woco are thus quite rare in this market. However, in the future, the necessary rapid transfer of technology will be accomplished to a great extent through capable and efficient international suppliers. This is where Woco sees great opportunities opening up. Partnership with AvtoVAZ The largest Russian automotive manufacturer is AvtoVAZ, which sells its vehicles under the “Lada” name. The majority of its annual production of 700,000 vehicles is produced in its main factory in Togliatti, located on the Volga River. Lada vehicles are also produced under license in the Ukraine, in Kazakhstan, Egypt, Ecuador and Uruguay. While these vehicles are tough and sturdy and well suited for the often poor road conditions encountered in Russia, their extremely economical prices are made possible by compromises in the areas of comfort, safety and quality. In order to offer models that meet worldwide standards over the mid-term and thus be able to offer serious
wocoWORLDWIDE
Togliatti is located in one of the most beautiful regions in Russia, directly on the banks of the Volga River
Togliatti
The team at Woco Rus: Nikolai Zaizev, Anna Gorodilowa, Viktor Bärg, Dieter Brändlein, Guido Stanovsky
competition to foreign vehicles, AvtoVAZ has been expanding its contacts with international suppliers for years. The company had been holding talks with Woco since 2002, and in March of this year these discussions finally resulted in a cooperative agreement. Even though AvtoVAZ was at first interested in highquality rubber and rubber/metal components, which led to orders for parts being installed on currently produced models, it is also interested in conducting long-term joint development work on new model platforms. Woco specialists have already carried out some initial investigations and are also members of the development working groups.
Support and Care in the Market Since the beginning of 2006, the new company Woco Rus, The latest Lada model, the “Kalina”: a direct competitor also located in Togliatti and headto the Renault Logan ed by Mr. Viktor Bärg, has been in charge of business in Russia. This is where all Woco sales activities are coordinated. In the future, deliveries to customers will also come from here. In fact, assuming that sufficient sales volumes are possible, planning calls for local production to start at this location in the coming years. ❚ Guido Stanovsky WOCO Magazine 36/2006
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wocoTELEGRAM
Others also have
GOOD IDEAS … Dr. Anton Wolf was not the only one who had a good idea for the presentation of the article “Does it dawn on you?” (We at Woco, number 34, December 2005). The bulb decorates the front page of the Lufthansa magazine (issue 05 / 2006) as well as an advertisement for the Bosch company (seen in “Palais Biron – The magazine for masterminds”, number 3 / summer 2006).
Front page of “We at Woco”, number 34 published in December 2005
Front page of the Lufthansa magazine “exclusive”, published in May 2006
A current Bosch advertisement, seen in “Palais Biron”
Lerna Adam
Some Outstanding
Environment Award
“Antlers” in Irun Presentation of the award at the 10th Automotive Award Night in Düsseldorf/Neuss
The “2006 Parts & Components Automotive Award”
As in previous years, this year the Society of Plastics Engineers International (SPE) also recognized the most innovative and creative achievements in the automotive and supply industries. The clean-air duct developed by Woco with an integral hotfilm mass air sensor, also known internally at Woco as the “antlers” due to its shape, was awarded first prize in the category “Parts & Components - Powertrain.” On July 14, Dr. Anton Wolf accepted the award during the 10th Automotive Award Night in Düsseldorf/Neuss.
Lerna Adam
The award-winning “antlers” (clean-air duct)
Woco Técnica, located in Irun, shows continuity when it comes to protecting the environment. In 2004, their colleagues had already won first place at the Environment Award's Ceremony. Now, this success has been achieved once again. A prize was awarded amongst others for the clean production and the practical application of the environmental policy. Reducing emissions as well as water and energy consumption are other positive indicators. The certificate and the prize of EUR 2 400 were awarded in Irun in July. The money will be used to thank the employees and to motivate them to put in such good performances in the future. Bernhard Eckert
Great Success for EFFBE GmbH
Environment Award’s Ceremony
at Trade Fair
The CONTROL “International Trade Fair for Quality Assurance,” held this year May 9-12 in Sinsheim, is considered to be a top event in its field. Over 800 exhibitors from 26 countries filled all 7 exhibition halls, and more than 22,000 industry representatives attended during the four-day event. As in previous years, the attendees demonstrated great expertise in the quality assurance field.
Exhibit team The Effbe exhibit (Ms. Kratzner, booth at this Mr. Stingl, year’s CONTROL Mr. Weber)
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This year, once again, EFFBE GmbH was represented by products from its Industrial Anti-Vibration Systems (PMS IAV) division. At its booth, covering 30m2, the focus was on presenting products in the area of air suspension elements. By means of three vibration models, visitors could see demonstrations of the advantages of EFFBE – LEVELMOUNT® products. In this way, interested persons could experience the innovative ADS system for themselves by means of the “We’ll keep it level” display (already known to some visitors from the exhibit in the Woco Communication Center). Other models at the exhibit depicted the very good isolation properties and levelregulation features made possible by air suspension elements.
In addition, visitors were able to get a good overview of other fine product lines available from PMS IAV. These discussions with visitors to the Effbe booth clearly show that today’s measuring devices and machines require a very high degree of isolation from vibration in order to provide the speed and precision necessary for manufacturers to achieve competitive advantages. This is thus a market with great potential, one that can only be exploited through the use of appropriate high-tech anti-vibration solutions. One such solution is EFFBE - LEVELMOUNT® model series ADS and SLM-ISR air suspension elements. This trade fair provided an ideal forum to demonstrate our vibrationrelated expertise to existing and potential customers. Michael Weber
We at Woco – Employee Magazine of the Woco Group, No. 36 – September 2006 Publisher: Woco Industrietechnik GmbH, Hanauer Landstraße 16, 63628 Bad SodenSalmünster, Germany, Tel.: +49 (0) 60 56 /78-0, www.wocogroup.com, gstanovsky@de.wocogroup.com Editorial Staff: Lerna Adam, Thomas Barthel, Dr. Heike Beerbaum, Dr. Bernd Casper, Bernhard Eckert, Stefan Engel, Marie Halbig, Gerhard Hepp, Dr. Stefan Jacobs, Michael Klatt, Anna Dagmar Metz, Isabell Papenheim, Roland Schalk, Carmen Schmitt, Dr. Julia Schürmann, Guido Stanovsky, Anke Wolf, Dr. Anton Wolf, Bernhard Wolf Editorial Direction: Lerna Adam, Guido Stanovsky Design and Layout: STRAIGHT – concept & design, Frankfurt a. M./Germany (www.straight-cd.de) Translations: Leinhäuser und Partner, Unterhaching/Germany Printed by: Druck- und Pressehaus Naumann KG, 63571 Gelnhausen/Germany Photos: Werksfotos, STRAIGHT – concept & design, DaimlerChrysler © Woco – Reprints only with prior written permission of the publisher
WOCO Magazine 36/2006
Editorial deadline: October 26, 2006