Steel and metal processing the KALTENBACH way:
Reliable service and advanced technology are our parameters for success

Steel and metal processing the KALTENBACH way:

Reliable service and advanced technology are our parameters for success

Plauen Stahl Technologie GmbH, one of the most productive and innovative steel construction companies in Germany, measures things in terms of tons and with good reason, because when it comes to the steelworks used in bridges, power plants, drilling platforms and floodgates, Plauen Stahl is ahead of the pack, both at home and abroad. Along with its exceptional engineering skills, the company owes its success to its commitment to providing the highest quality, as the company's international clientele has come to appreciate.

When investing in replacement equipment while keeping production up and running, the consequences of such a decision are usually greater than with new acquisitions. There’s simply no place for experimentation when replacing a piece of equipment that’s an intricate part of daily production.

Experience shows that the new equipment should not only augment currently defined production parameters but must also fit into a given setting. That was pretty much the situation at Plauen Stahl when it came to the acquisition of a new blasting system. One of the major challenges was the limited space available. What mattered most in the final analysis was that in a site where approximately 200 highly skilled employees handle and process 20,000 tons of steel annually, everything needs to perform like clockwork. Without this level of precision and quality, well-known reference projects like the Rhine bridge in Cologne, the Boxberg and Moorberg power stations or the Dultenaugraben bridge on the A 98 near Lörrach would hardly be possible.

Outstanding processing options are the best basis for quality

Anyone who examines the steel-processing machinery that Plauen Stahl operates at its plant in Vogtland will quickly notice a particular name cropping up again and again: KALTENBACH. This manufacturer of metalworking machines, based in Lörrach, offers a comprehensive range of technical solutions for steel and sheet metal working, that have been highly regarded around the world for years. It’s no wonder then, that KALTENBACH was able to gain the respect of Plauen Stahl by virtue of its equipment and services it provides. So when it was time for a new blasting unit, the company opted for KALTENBACH’s SPRINT 1504 model. In a nutshell, the machine has 4 powerful turbines à 11 kW that scour, de-rust, descale and purify sheet metal, profiles and thermal-cut blanks to SA 2.5 quality standards – all in a workspace measuring just 1,500 mm x 600 mm.

Expertise and service from a single source provides a competitive edge

This purchase of new steel pretreatment equipment gives the plant its full complement of machinery, putting it in a position to take on a wide variety of orders and applications. Plauen has an impressive collection of equipment that represents practically a cross-section of KALTENBACH’s line of products. Everything from a dependable circular saw to a handy sheet-metal-processing centre, all of it manufactured by KALTENBACH, can be found at the company’s extensive production facilities.

Enthusiasm for technology and much more ...

Plauen Stahl’s employees are enthusiastic, for example, about the HDM 1432 high-performance circular saw, the first item purchased from KALTENBACH. The promise that this saw would have a long and reliable service life has been delivered on many occassions. It is ideal for use on different cross sections and for complex specifications in heavy steel construction – advantages that can be expanded on by using it in combination with a drilling unit. The company eventually decided in favor of the KDX 1215 beam drill. A powerful drive and automatic tool change are just two key features that provide for precise and reliable drilling. Because it’s employed in combination with the KC 1201 notching robot, the unit is able to fully demonstrate its advantages. With its eight axes, it offers a range of versatile solutions for notching H, U and L profiles, as well as square tubes. It’s now become practically indispensable in steel profile processing. Another advantage that the decision-makers in Plauen greatly appreciate is that processing costs have been significantly reduced compared to manual notching – among other things, because data is generated directly, making it possible to work without macros.

Technical versatility and reliability built on partnership

In terms of versatility, KALTENBACH’s sheet-metal-processing centres offer enormous advantages, particularly when it comes to handling a wide array of different jobs, as is the case in Plauen. The KF 2506 machining centre makes it possible to tackle the widest range of projects quickly and reliably: drilling, thermal cutting, counter-boring, thread cutting, graining, etching, marking. This is in addition to the complete machining of specific components for steel and plant construction, such as cover plates, base plates or gussets and a whole range of other things. The KF centre can handle drilling and thermal cutting of metal sheets, metal strips and flat steels in a single step and the processing of programmed plates is fully automated.

For the experts at KALTENBACH, the key element is the ability to work in close partnership with the customer. Especially in high-performance manufacturing areas of modern industrial production, what matters most is that the technical solutions used are absolutely geared to the specific job requirements. This means that in each individual case the focus must be entirely on the parameters on site. Our emphasis on service combined with providing custom-designed solutions is at the core of our relationship with our customers. Matthias Zuckschwerdt, operations manager at the Plauen Stahl Technologie GmbH, sums up his experiences with KALTENBACH: “Our high-profile customers demand a lot from us – and these are demands that we have always managed to satisfy but we’re only able to meet their expectations so long as our equipment is fully state of the art and we are able to count on getting the support services we need. For us it is important that our partners take a real interest in our specific needs and in that respect KALTENBACH has always provided us with ongoing support. Service and responding to specific customer needs: these are the guiding principles that have led to our own success – and we find the same principles at KALTENBACH as well. I think that’s a good basis for long-term partnership.”