A partner and supplier across a wide range of sectors, including automotive, rail and mechanical engineering to name a few, Graewe is a midsize metal processing company based in Finnentrop. Hayley Everett speaks with Managing Director Olaf Graewe on investing in future technologies and the growing importance of the wind energy sector...
How has business been for Graewe in the first half of 2020? Has the company faced challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic?
Trade conflicts, the crisis-ridden automotive and mechanical engineering sectors and the Brexit chaos already had a negative impact on the German economy in 2019. Accordingly, we have made our company crisis-proof for 2020. With the start of the shutdown in March, our focus was on social responsibility for our employees. Within a very short time, home office workplaces were set up for many employees, shift models were adjusted, workplaces were redesigned and employees from risk groups were released from their duties. We then felt the economic effects of the pandemic in the second quarter of 2020 with, in some cases, serious declines in sales.
How is the turning and threading sector performing?
Turning and threading technology is heavily dependent on mechanical engineering, which is in the middle of a recession. Only the continuing construction boom has somewhat weakened the impact on the market for fasteners. In general, one can therefore speak of a market in waiting mode.
What are the major milestones Graewe has hit since its foundation?
Wolfgang Graewe and I manage the owner-led midsize metal processing company. Since its foundation in 1956, the company has enjoyed sustained growth, so as of today 95 employees work at the Finnentrop site, with whom a turnover of around €48 million was achieved in the last financial year.
As a manufacturer of threaded rods, we are known to many in the market. With the foundation of Graewe Tadiv d.o.o. in 2006, we took over a formerly state-owned screw factory in Bosnia-Herzegovina and expanded our product range with hexagon head screw and hexagon socket screws as well as cold pressed parts. Today, our product range includes threaded rods, anchor bolts, stud bolts, turned parts and head screws.
What key service does Graewe provide?
As a stockholding manufacturer of DIN and ISO parts, we offer complete batch traceability and certification with high availability. A particular benefit to customers is the wide range of production processes from cold forming and turning to thread rolling in all strength classes.
Is wind energy a key sector for Graewe and how do you see this area developing in the future?
Wind energy is one of the key revenue drivers for our company. While wind power is booming in other countries, it is going through a severe crisis in Germany. The right political course needs to be set for the industry to once again play a decisive role in the energy turnaround. Then the sector will have growth potential again, not least because of climate change.
Graewe is known for its investment in future technologies- can you outline how this improves the business?
Graewe relies on a high vertical range of manufacturing also for threaded rods, and carries out the heat treatment process, which is decisive for product quality, in-house. For this purpose, modern induction hardening and tempering equipment is used, which ensures a uniform hardening and tempering structure and ultimately guarantees the safe use of the threaded rods.
Is it important for Graewe to invest in its staff and encourage workplace continuity?
As a training company, we counteract the growing shortage of skilled workers in the region. Many of our trainees can be taken on in an employment relationship and remain loyal to the company. Qualified and motivated employees are the key to our corporate success. Many of our employees take advantage of the opportunity to participate economically in the company and to share in the success of the company within the framework of
employee participation.
What are Graewe's ambitions for the next five years?
Climate change is one of the most important challenges of our time. Climate protection can only be driven forward through voluntary commitment to reduce CO2 emissions. We are well aware of this responsibility and will therefore continue to increase the energy efficiency of our company and promote the generation of our own energy.
This article was first published in Torque Magazine. Don’t get the mag? You can apply for a free subscription online today. Or take a look at back issues in the Torque Magazine archive.
