ARNOLD UMFORMTECHNIK expands:
Inauguration ceremony for the ultra-modern production facility in Forchtenberg
With today's inauguration of the new production building in Forchtenberg-Rauhbusch, ARNOLD UMFORMTECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG has reached another important milestone. The new building covers more than 3,400 square meters and creates space for additional production capacities and jobs in the future.
The company, which is part of the Würth Group, has been firmly rooted in the Hohenlohe region for 125 years and now employs over 1,400 people worldwide. The further investment in the expansion of the site, worth around EUR 25 million, reflects the growth and expected market success and underlines the commitment to the Hohenlohe location. Two further production buildings are already being planned for further expansion. The final expansion is expected to employ around 400 people.
At the inauguration ceremony on December 12, 2023, ARNOLD employees were joined by Prof. Dr. h. c. mult. Reinhold Würth, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Würth Group, and other representatives of the Würth Group as well as numerous business partners and representatives from business and politics were present.
"The expansion of ARNOLD is the visible beginning of a new chapter in the company's history," said Prof. Würth. "This ultra-modern and innovative production facility is a symbol of the future of this company and reflects the Würth Group's commitment to ARNOLD and its outstanding team. It is impressive to see how much passion the company puts into research and development in order to get things done and be at the forefront, for example with connecting parts for the production of electric vehicles."
With space for six forming presses, supplementary manufacturing processes and an area for research and development, the company has created a production area of 2,500 square meters, which is accompanied by an administrative area of 930 square meters.
New standards and ARNOLD technology
At the new site, ARNOLD is setting new standards in forming technology. These enable the company to manufacture products primarily from aluminum and copper with the highest precision using cold forming technology. "The new building is the ideal basis for realizing the specific requirements of the Functional Components business area and thus enabling the necessary differentiation from the other business areas. The building also creates a framework for employees to identify and work together in a personal environment," explains Dirk Döllner, CEO of the ARNOLD Group. "In future, multi-stage parts from the Conform Next series will be produced here, which are in particularly high demand in the electromobility sector."
Conform Next products are used, for example, in the battery as a connecting element or in thermal management as a coolant nozzle or as part of connectors in the vehicle electrical system. A decisive advantage of cold forming is that there is virtually no waste or excess machine chips with these very expensive materials. This technology also contributes to CO2 savings of more than 70 percent compared to a turned part, depending on the geometric shape.
With the introduction of Conform Next series production, the level of automation is also set to increase. For example, driverless transport systems, handling units such as robots and gantry systems, automated warehouses for semi-finished and finished products and automated measuring technology are being used or are already planned. A final, fully automated 100% inspection for features such as component tightness and subsequent packaging in blister packs will round off the process and ensure the highest component quality.
Michael Foss, Mayor of the town of Forchtenberg, and Gotthard Wirth, First State Official from the Hohenlohe District Office, are also pleased that ARNOLD is continuing to establish its roots in the region and that the production expansion in the new industrial area will make its commitment to the location even more visible.
Special thanks go to the architectural firm Kalis Innovation und Projektsteuerung, ABP Projektmanagement GmbH and Mahl Projektsteuerung, who were responsible for the construction.
Sustainable building
Sustainability is of great importance to ARNOLD. In addition to social action, the company has been exemplary in environmental matters for many years. This is also evident in the current building. The integration of around 115kWp PV systems, regenerative heat generation using heat pumps and energy-efficient free cooling via the refrigeration system underline ARNOLD's responsibility for the environment. In addition, the company makes optimum use of heat recovery from ventilation systems, compressors and hydraulic oil cooling on the presses in order to conserve resources. The building was constructed using the KEB40 construction method.
A green roof to bind rainwater and cool the building as well as the environmentally friendly timber construction for the office wing contribute to environmental protection. In addition, a rainwater cistern with a volume of 50,000 liters was installed, which enables efficient use of service water.
ARNOLD products in demand internationally
Since its foundation in 1898, ARNOLD, with its many years of expertise in the production of intelligent fasteners and highly complex extruded parts, has developed into the world's leading supplier and development partner for complex fastening systems.
The ARNOLD Group's network of production sites and sales offices ensures that all products and services are available internationally. In addition to the German sites in Forchtenberg (Ernsbach and Rauhbusch) and Dörzbach, the company is also represented in Rochester Hills (USA) and Shenyang (China). A new production hall with 17,000 square meters was only put into operation in Shenyang at the end of November 2023. With an investment of 35 million euros in the new building and technical equipment, this represents a significant expansion of the existing plant. The Shenyang site focuses on the key areas of lightweight construction and electrification in the automotive industry. In supplying well-known e-mobility manufacturers, ARNOLD plays a decisive role in the supply chain.
About the ARNOLD GROUP
ARNOLD stands internationally for innovative fastening technology at the highest level. Based on many years of expertise in the production of intelligent fasteners and highly complex extruded parts, the ARNOLD GROUP has developed into a comprehensive supplier and development partner for complex fastening systems. With the positioning of "BlueFastening Systems", this development is now being continued under a single roof. Engineering, fasteners and functional parts as well as feeding systems and processing technology from a single source form a unique combination of experience and know-how - efficient, sustainable and international. ARNOLD has been part of the Würth Group since 1994.
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