In connection to the audits for our quality- and environment certfication, we achieved for the first time the certification of our energy-management system according DIN EN 16001. Because this norm will be withdrawn this year, we will replace this certificate by ISO 50001.

Some time ago we introduced successfully a new harder for making cores in our core-department. The unpleasant odours caused by casting the cores have been reduced essentially. In order to reduce the odour nuisance for the citizens of our town even more , we have invested in more odour binding devices in our dedusting plants and in the core shop. The usual foundry-odours are treated by special enzymes.

Our goal to reinforce our position on the (north-)italian market seems to get some substance. The third biggest brakesystem-supplier on the european market, the Poli-company belongs to our customers now. As a start they ordered approx. 2000 brake-discs with a salesvolume of €250.000.

The Quality Assurance in the machining department feels happy with a new measuring-machine. The Aberlink-measuring machine is used for fast not planned measuringactivities. With the futuristic appearance of the touch probe, the machine bears the ressemblance of a laser-shooting game-computer.

In this spring a second new turning and drilling cell was installed in the machining department for processing brake discs, flywheels and other round parts. The big (end of 2011 installed) cell is used for the production of parts up to ø 800 mm, this small cell for diameters up to ø 500 mm. Both cells consists of two Hyundai Kia lathes, a Cincinatti vertical machining centre and a balancing machine.

Our sales department welcomed Fiat Powertrain S.p.A in Turin as another new customer in northern Italy. The launching order consists of machined flywheels for marine engines.

At the moment we are in the application period for new apprentices for the training, which starts in september.They can apply for apprenticeships in the foundry, machining department, mold making and mechatronics. The union (IG Metall) however with their demand during the wage bargaining that apprentices will only be recruited for a unspecified term, doesn't support job-training very much .

To fulfill the goals of our new certificated energy-management process, a lot of plans and projects have been defined tot achieve a sizable reduction of our carbon footprint. Besides reduction of gasconsumption for heating, we found a very interesting project to reduce electrical consumption by using energy saving engines and enginecontrolsystems. At the moment thorough investigations ar carried out with -amoung others- the support by a mechatronics-student who has to make a case study to get his bachelor-degree.

In the machine shop a new device to evaporate used tooling lubricants has been installed. These lubricants are mixed with water (up to 95%) and are used to cool and lubricate the tools during the machining process. Tis new evapourater will simplify the recycling of the used lubricants by separation the water and the oil by heating the liquid. The 95% recycled water will be used for the preparation of new lubrication emulsion. The waste disposalcosts are reduced by 95% !