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The Medical Man Story and Photos by Tim Bytael Over the past hundred years, Tuttlingen in Germany has evolved into one of the world’s pre-eminent manufacturing regions for medical engineering equipment. One of the most progressive companies in this cluster of approximately 00 production facilities is Mahe Medizintechnik GmbH. Founder and owner of Mahe is Markus Heckmann who, at just years of age, demonstrates that youth is no barrier to success. CNC MACHINING EUROPE 1
The opening in 1 7 of a factory for surgical instrument manufacture was the origin of a trade that has since become a key component of Tuttlingen’s economy. Today, the town calls itself the “world centre of medical technology,” and with some justification: Local companies produce millions of surgical instruments annually for the global medical sector. Markus Heckmann is from Tuttlingen. He studied Surgical Engineering at the local university, gaining a master’s degree in the subject by the age of . Although his father ran a successful industrial tooling company, the newly qualified Heckmann wanted to make his own way in the world – to establish and grow his own business, and be responsible for his own destiny. In 1990, he did just that, launching Mahe Medizintechnik GmbH from a 5-square-meter garage. Early growth meant Heckmann was almost immediately able to recruit three employees at the fledgling company, a fact that allowed the ambitious youngster to set off on a three-year “business trip,” which would later prove to be the foundation of Mahe’s global outlook. Clearly, Heckmann wasn’t your average itinerant year old. For the first two years of his travels he settled in India, where he established a repair centre for medical instruments and endoscopes. On the way back to Europe, he sojourned for a year in the U.S., ostensibly researching other business opportunities, and generally broadening his understanding of industry and manufacturing. “My travels were important to me,” he says. “It was research, but it was also an opportunity to understand how people think in other countries. Sometimes it’s too easy to be focused straight ahead, not looking left or right. I wanted to make sure I had a view in all directions.” His self-education has certainly paid dividends: The company has grown steadily under his leadership, to the point that it now has 0 employees, and has incorporated his father’s industrial tooling business, which is run these days by his brother, Jochen. Subsequently, Mahe has become a world leader in the manufacture of instruments for endoscopic surgery, with product lines in laparoscopy, sinuscopy, arthroscopy, gynaecology, urology, micro laryngoscopy and broncho esophagoscopy. “It’s not all about hard work,” Heckmann claims, modestly. “I’ve had some luck, too. It’s also about being in the right place at the right time, and being open to opportunities.” Heckmann highlights a particular business decision three years ago as one of the turning points in Mahe’s development. He decided to buy the CNC machine tools of a local, defunct turning company, allowing the company to bring design and manufacturing operations in-house. “After this, everything really picked up,” he acknowledges. “We were no longer relying on external suppliers, and had a lot more control over the manufacturing process.” Around this time – at the beginning of 001 – Thomas Weber, local distributor of <strong>Haas</strong> CNC machine tools and rotary tables, dropped in to see Heckmann, 15 www.<strong>Haas</strong>CNC.com
Page 2 and 3: TABLE OF CONTENTS PREMIER ISSUE FEA
Page 4 and 5: Bucking the Offshore Trend Story an
Page 6 and 7: “Some of our customers also emplo
Page 8 and 9: Business Expansion Story and Photos
Page 10 and 11: Then, some 1 or 1 years ago, anothe
Page 12 and 13: CNC MACHINING EUROPE 10
Page 14 and 15: More than 80 Mod to choose All-New
Page 18 and 19: and introduce him to the extensive
Page 20 and 21: the VF-1, Heckmann purchased a 5-ax
Page 22 and 23: Ice Factory Story and Photos by Eli
Page 24 and 25: Photo: Groupe JFP Visual Communicat
Page 26 and 27: Tork’s investment policy over rec
Page 28 and 29: Photo: Le Floc H/DPPI Rally Car. Mo
Page 30 and 31: Small Wheels - Big Progress Story b
Page 32 and 33: In years gone by, the bike was the
Page 34 and 35: According to Butler-Adams, the oper
Page 36 and 37: CYCLE TIME Dürbheim, Germany After
Page 38 and 39: THE ANSWER MAN Dear Applications: I
Page 40: LEGENDARY SERVICE AND SUPPORT. WORL

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