Manufacturing
Schunk invests 85 million in its locations
Schunk is investing around 85 million euros in the Brackenheim-Hausen, Mengen, St. Georgen and Morrisville/USA sites by mid-2020, with around 42,000 square meters of additional production and administration space being created.
It all started at the US plant in North Carolina, where the new buildings were officially opened a few days ago. In addition to the expansion of the production area, Schunk Intec USA has also built a spacious new administration building. In the newly created customer center, users can experience Schunk components live and gain additional know-how in technology forums and workshops. Under the motto "One Team - One Family - One Future", the approximately 4,000 square meter new building was inaugurated at the beginning of May with an official ceremony followed by a family day.
Alongside Managing Partners Heinz-Dieter Schunk and Henrik A. Schunk, US Managing Director Milton Guerry was enthusiastic about the opportunities the investment offers for the future. Anthony Copeland, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce, recognized Schunk as a great example of a company that creates jobs and highlights the advantages of North Carolina as a business location.
The largest foreign subsidiary was founded in 1992 to ensure proximity to American customers and the subsidiaries of German corporations. Local production guarantees short delivery times and a high degree of flexibility, especially when it comes to specific components that are produced especially for the American market. Today, the USA site plays a leading role within the group of companies for the entire North and South American market. Schunk has invested a total of almost 10 million euros in the expansion of the site.
Boom in automation and digitalization
An additional 40 million euros will be invested in the competence center for gripping systems in Brackenheim-Hausen, just five kilometers from the Lauffen headquarters. The expansion here covers an area of 22,000 square meters and corresponds to a doubling of the existing production area. The company is investing a further 30 million euros in the competence center for turning technology and stationary clamping systems in Mengen, in the district of Sigmaringen. Here, 12,000 square meters will be added for production, research and development. Five million euros were invested at the St. Georgen site in the Black Forest, where the production area was doubled by adding 4,200 square meters.
Managing Partner and CEO Henrik A. Schunk sees the total volume of 85 million euros as a consistent investment in the future of the company: "In the coming years, we will experience a worldwide boom in automation and digitalization that can only be managed with the appropriate capacities," explains the company boss. Schunk has been successfully focusing on these two trends for several years now, pooling resources and expertise in a targeted manner. Henrik Schunk expects high growth rates, particularly in mechatronic and increasingly also intelligent clamping devices and gripping systems. as
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