Energy technology: a new business area - Scherdel GmbH

REPORTS ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, MANUFACTURING, MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY AND THE PRACTICAL APPLICA- 

TIONS OF ENGINEERING SPRINGS AND ON THE SYSTEMS, MACHINERY AND TOOLING DIVISIONS OF THE SCHERDELGROUP 

Dear reader, 

Our Group is pleased to announce 

an increase in orders in almost all 

company sectors. SCHERDEL is 

currently experiencing rapid growth. 

Nonetheless, economic developments 

in the USA and certain 

European countries are still cause 

for concern. We hope that there are 

not bigger problems ahead for the 

dollar and the euro. In spite of this, 

we have every reason to look forward 

to the future with optimism, although 

the markets still face intense 

pricing pressure with increasing 

costs for raw materials and energy. 

Furthermore, logistics is facing a 

real challenge due to delivery time 

problems when purchasing materials. 

I believe it is more important 

than ever before to continuously 

improve all operational procedures 

and processes within the Group and 

to accompany our customers overseas 

in order to offer excellent ʻlocalʼ 

services wherever they are required. 

SCHERDEL has always been able 

to rely on the commitment and 

imaginativeness of its staff. Combined 

with the extensive knowledge 

of our highly skilled engineers and 

technicians, we wish to continually 

develop new products and diversify 

our product range. A good example 

of this is the activities of our subsidiary 

Econ described in this edition. 

Innovation, environmental 

compatibility, sustainability and 

customer benefits are just a few 

of our guiding principles. Let us 

continue to improve on all levels. 

Walter Bach 

Group Managing Director 

Energy technology: 

a new business area 

SCHERDEL subsidiary Econ expands 

the Group’s product range 

E 

nergy is expensive and a decisive 

production factor for many industrial 

processes, and energy costs have 

continued to rise in recent years. 

Against the background of the nuclear 

phase-out in Germany and in view of 

the problems of global climate change, 

environmentally friendly technologies 

are required to generate energy in a 

cost-effective and green manner. 

SCHERDEL is also reliant on energy 

to manufacture its products. 

The SCHERDEL subsidiary Econ 

Energietechnik GmbH has established 

a future-oriented business area in order 

to develop innovation capabilities and 

enhance efficiency in the field of energy 

technology. The Managing Directors 

of this ʻstart-upʼ are the graduate engineer 

Marcus Bach, who is also a partner 

at SCHERDEL, and the graduate 

physicist Marco Bauer. Marcus Bachʼs 

experience in the field of process technology 

will also be invaluable to the 

young company. Moreover, Marco 

Bauer has also gained extensive practical 

experience due to his degree dissertation 

and his position as a former 

research assistant at the Bavarian Centre 

for Applied Energy Research (ZAE 

Bayern). Therefore, all future energy 

technology projects and activities of the 

SCHERDELGroup can be prepared, 

processed and approved by Econ 

Energietechnik GmbH. 

As is standard practice at 

SCHERDEL, special attention will be 

paid to the excellent use of synergy 

effects by involving other Group members, 

for example from the Machines 

and Systems or Research and Development 

Divisions, in Econ projects. It 

goes without saying, however, that 

developed innovations will not only be 

applied in SCHERDEL manufacturing 

locations, but also utilised as a separate 

product range for various industry 

sectors. Initial success has already 

been achieved: the prototype of an 

absorption chiller with a cooling capacity 

of 50 kW was supplied to the German 

Federal Ministry for the Environment 

as part of a demonstration project. 

Please turn to page 2 for more information. 

(dk) 

1 

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING – LOCATIONS – TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT – NEWS AND INFORMATION EDITION 2/2011 E

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 

Industrial waste heat, 

a valuable ‘resource’ 

Absorption chiller from Econ Energietechnik 

GmbH cools server centre in Dessau 

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING – LOCATIONS – TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT – NEWS AND INFORMATION 

Contact data 

Econ 

Energietechnik GmbH 

Marco Bauer 

Scherdelstraße 2 

D-95643 Marktredwitz 

Tel.: +49 (0) 9231 603-556 

Fax: +49 (0) 9231 603-621 

Email: 

marco.bauer@econ-web.de 

The process principle shows that 

95% of the required energy can be 

generated from waste heat. 

C 

omputers, servers and networks 

are, so to speak, the lifelines of a 

company. Without these technical aids, 

a modern manufacturing location would 

simply end up standing still. Server 

rooms are therefore equipped with 

cutting-edge air conditioning to prevent 

system failure at all costs. If you consider 

how many server rooms there are 

around the world and how much energy 

is required to ensure a comfortable 

atmosphere, it is quite obvious that 

cooling with electricity is not the best 

solution in terms of environmental protection 

and sustainability. But there is 

an energy source that is produced as a 

ʻby-productʼ in numerous industrial 

processes and quite often demands 

expensive disposal methods – waste 

heat. The latest development of the 

SCHERDEL subsidiary Econ Energietechnik 

GmbH is based on this fundamental 

principle: an absorption chiller 

which can be operated with district heat 

or heat from solar thermal plants. 

The German Federal Ministry for the 

Environment – which is always searching 

for new and environmentally friendly 

technologies – expressed considerable 

interest in this Econ innovation. The 

absorption chiller was constructed as a 

prototype for a demonstration project 

backed by the Technical University 

Berlin and has since been installed 

in Dessau. 

automation system and used to cool 

the server centre, print shop, lecture 

auditorium and training rooms. The 

core aim of the German Federal 

Ministry for the Environment at its site 

in Dessau is to manage conditions within 

a building as energy-efficiently as 

possible. A decisive factor for the commissioning 

of Econ was, among other 

things, the excellent reputation which 

SCHERDEL has gained as an automotive 

industry supplier. The Groupʼs 

expertise in the application of welding 

technology was particularly crucial. 

Precise workmanship and the quality of 

production play an important role in the 

vacuum technology integrated in the 

absorption chiller. After all, these types 

of machines must also 

remain hermetically 

sealed for longer periods. 

The absorption 

chiller produced for 

the German Federal 

Ministry for the Environment 

in Dessau with a 

cooling capacity of less 

than 100 kW is one of 

the smaller systems of 

a possible series. In 

addition to the generation 

of cooling energy 

from industrial waste heat and solar 

cooling, the technology is also suitable 

for combined heat, power and cooling, 

for solar heating support (the absorption 

chiller is both a cooling unit and a 

heat pump) and for geothermal applications. 

The machine was constructed by 

ZARIAN-Bewegungssysteme GmbH, 

which is also a SCHERDEL subsidiary 

and a specialist in the mechanical engineering 

sector. This ensures the best 

possible use of Group synergies. Econ 

Energietechnik GmbH plans to build on 

its existing knowledge base in cooperation 

with two renowned research institutes. 

(dk) 

2 

It is currently integrated in the building

PRODUCTION 

A specialist for 

welded components 

SCHERDEL plant in Myjava manufactures 

complex back seat frames and side upholstery 

S 

lovakia has become an important 

location for the automotive industry 

in recent years. The German giant 

Volkswagen produces models of its 

various cars there. Kia and the automotive 

group PSA Peugeot Citroën also 

boast manufacturing facilities in the 

former Eastern Bloc state, which has 

transformed from an agricultural country 

to a high-tech economy. Today, Slovakia 

is one of the most important car 

producing nations in New Europe. What 

is more, the capacities of the effective 

and leading-edge car production facilities 

in this country are expanding continuously. 

In the future, new vehicle 

models will be produced in Slovakia – 

for instance VW will produce its successor 

to the ʻLupoʼ, a new city car codenamed 

ʻUp!ʼ, in Bratislava. Based in the 

town of Myjava, the SCHERDEL plant 

ʻC.E.P. Scherdel Pruziny spol. s.r.o.ʼ, 

founded in 1995, is also part of this 

positive development. With a workforce 

of around 170, it is one of the largest 

employers in the region and represents 

a success story. Under the guidance of 

Robert Sasak, CEP Myjava has not 

only experienced substantial growth, it 

has in fact gone from being a manufacturer 

of simple shaped wire components 

to a specialist for welded assemblies. 

For example, the company produces 

complex back seat 

frames and side upholstery 

for various vehicles 

of respected car 

manufacturers. Technical 

skills were brought 

up to the requisite level 

in a short space of 

time. Besides standard 

production procedures, 

such as wire bending 

and manual welding, 

the plant in Myjava also 

offers high-tech solutions 

for spot and MAG 

robot welding. Local 

specialists are responsible for programming 

and controlling the machines. 

Moreover, tool and equipment manufacturing 

skills have also been enhanced: 

design engineers in Myjava 

ensure a quick response to customer 

demands. 

The Slovakian plant is responsible 

for the respective start-up and project 

management of new projects and also 

ensures a smooth transition to volume 

manufacturing thanks to an established 

team of technicians and engineers. And 

it goes without saying that CEP in Slovakia 

has the required certifications and 

regularly participates in important customer 

audits. The company is, therefore, 

a recognised partner and direct 

supplier for numerous SCHERDEL customers 

in the automotive industry. 

A qualified team of sales, logistics, 

production planning and quality assurance 

experts provides customers with 

excellent consultancy skills and respective 

services. In the past, customers 

and developers have had the opportunity 

to witness the knowledge and expertise 

at the Myjava plant first hand during 

so-called TechDays events. The 

future looks bright for CEP Myjava. 

Contact data 

Martin Cervenka 

Tel.: +421 34 6946-700 

+421 34 6946-708 

Fax: +421 34 6946-711 

Mobile: +421 903 748180 

Email: 

martin.cervenka 

@cep.scherdel.sk 

Interested listeners during an 

expert discussion at a TechDays 

event. 

3 

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING – LOCATIONS – TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT – NEWS AND INFORMATION

PRODUCTION 

Reichenbacher 

product range 

Using high-tech machines 

Reichenbacher Hamuel 5-axis CNC machining cen 


PRIMUS 

ARTIS-X 

VISION 

VISION-L 

VISION-U 

VISION-PREMIUM 

ECO-NT 

ECO 

U 

tilisation of a VISION II Sprint 

CNC machining centre from the 

SCHERDEL subsidiary Reichenbacher 

Hamuel by a wheelwright in the Swiss 

municipality of Gontenschwil proves 

how modern machine technology can 

ensure progress even in traditional 

trades. Simon Oehrli, the owner of 

Wagnerei Lüscher, recognised the 

signs of the times and combines traditional 

craft techniques with high-tech 

machinery for production at this traditional 

company. Once again the individual 

consultancy service and extensive 

know-how provided by SCHERDEL in 

the field of mechanical engineering 

were the key factors that influenced the 

customerʼs decision. “Reichenbacher 

took my concerns seriously and offered 

precise solutions. The robust design of 

the Reichenbacher CNC machining 

centre and the quality of bespoke milled 

parts helped to swing my decision in 

favour of VISION II Sprint,” Simon 

Oehrli explains. Further selling points 

were the universal application of the 

machining centre and the practical 

ideas and suggestions of Thomas 

Czwielong, Technical Director at 

Reichenbacher Hamuel and Sales 

Manager for Switzerland. 

VISION: the multi-talent 

The workpieces show what the machine 

is capable of. A recently milled 

threaded spindle guarantees effective 

twist and extend operation of a life-size 

replica grape press. The model for the 

new spindle was an old grape press on 

display at a winegrowerʼs. Furthermore, 

the VISION enables the rational production 

of the great variety of shapes 

which have become part and parcel of 

modern interior fittings. The wheelwrightʼs 

shop now offers 5-axis CNC 

services for wood and wood composites 

carried out under a time and materials 

contract. All common file formats 

can be imported and further processed 

using Mastercam, which provides the 

Swiss manufacturing shop with the best 

possible basis for fast and efficient 

milling. 

The wheelwright’s shop 

Besides wheelwright items, the innovative 

small business also restores vintage 

cars. The demanding task of 

4

to revive old crafts 

tre helps to restore cultural goods 

restoring up to 100-year old vehicles is 

planned and coordinated together with 

the respective wagon-maker. The result 

is a high-quality product. Another 

source of income is the production of 

wooden spoked wheels for vehicles 

built between 1890 and 1930. But 

spare parts for old mills and sawmills 

are also manufactured in Gontenschwil. 

In this case, products range from waterwheels 

and cogwheels to wooden 

shafts. 

Professional help to settle an 

argument about cultural goods 

In 1997, a long-simmering argument 

broke out between the two Swiss Cantons 

of Zürich and St. Gallen about a 

historic terrestrial and celestial globe 

dating from the 16th century – a technical 

wonder of its time. The St. Gallen 

Globe was produced in around 1570 

and was taken from St. Gallen to Zürich 

as a spoil of the Toggenburg Wars in 

1712. In January 2007, it was decided 

that Zürich should keep the original and 

St. Gallen would receive a real scale 

copy – something that was, however, 

easier said than done. 

The celestial globe and its copy 

– St. Gallen Globe 

The skeleton of the scale copy has 

stood in the public records office in St. 

Gallen since the end of 2009. The 

structure is the work of Wagnerei 

Lüscher. Simon Oehrli believes: “The 

creators of the St. Gallen Globe had a 

better deal, as they simply had to do 

their job properly.” He, on the other 

hand, had to find out how the Globe 

was actually produced over 400 years 

ago. The major problem was the 16th 

century processing techniques, as the 

copy had to be made with the same 

methods and techniques to ensure it is 

as close to the original as possible. After 

the presentation of the valuable, 

over two metre high terrestrial and celestial 

globe from the Renaissance period, 

the work was classed as being “better 

than the original”. In contrast to the 

original, the entire complicated clockwork 

mechanism functions perfectly – 

the Globe can be turned by means of a 

crank handle. This unique wonder is a 

perfect example of how old crafts can 

be given a new lease of life through 

modern machines. The SCHERDEL 

Group is proud of the fact that Reichenbacher 

Hamuel CNC machining centres 

are contributing to the preservation of 

priceless cultural goods. 

Contact data 

Reichenbacher Hamuel 

GmbH 

Rosenauer Straße 32 

D-96487 Dörfles-Esbach 

Tel.: +49 (0) 9561 599-0 

Fax: +49 (0) 9561 599-199 

Email: 

info@reicherbacher.de 

www.reicherbacher.de 

The editorial team of 

SCHERDEL news looks 

forward to your contribution. 

Please send topic 

suggestions, wishes or 

feedback to: 

scherdelaktuell@scherdel.de 

or contact Wolfgang 

Schelter on: 

+49 (0) 9231 603 115 

5 


PRODUCTION 

Spiral springs, a contribution 

to environmental protection 

SCHERDEL improving product capacities 

thanks to spiral spring production in Anqing 


6 

Contact data 

Anqing Scherdel Automotive 

Parts Co., Ltd. 

District 24, 3.9 square kilometres 

Industrial Park, 

Anqing Economic and 

Technology Development 

Zone 

246005 Anqing, An Hui 

Province 

P. R. China 

Tel.: +86 556 530 59 89 

Fax: +86 556 530 59 90 

Email: 

info@asp.scherdel.com 

Preparations for the start of production: 

Chinese colleagues from 

Anqing receiving intensive training 

in Seifhennersdorf. 

S 

CHERDEL spiral springs used in 

systems for camshaft adjustment 

significantly contribute to environmental 

protection by reducing engine fuel consumption. 

They also help to minimise 

pollutant emissions and offset the negative 

effects of climate change. Driven 

by innovative thinking, SCHERDEL 

developed a new technology for spiral 

spring production as early as the 

1990s. 

In cooperation with customers from 

the automotive industry and with the 

help of the in-house SCHERDEL Research 

and Development Department, 

application technology engineers at the 

production facility have been able to 

perfect materials and production 

processes over the years. In addition to 

process optimisation, the skills of the 

Groupʼs Mechanical Engineering Division 

play a decisive role. The manufacturing 

systems developed and constructed 

by the SCHERDEL subsidiaries 

AFEMA GmbH and Perfektion 

GmbH provide an important cornerstone 

for spiral spring production. 

Today, the increasingly popular spiral 

springs for camshaft adjustment are not 

only produced in Seifhennersdorf, but 

also at SCHERDEL Sales & Technology 

(SST) in Muskegon, Michigan, and 

in the near future at SCHERDELʼs 

Chinese location in Anqing. 

The spiral springs have the task of 

moving the camshaft adjuster to its 

ʻearly positionʼ when switching off the 

engine. Since the oil pressure in a 

turned-off engine drops rapidly, this required 

adjustment process cannot be 

realised without springs. If the camshaft 

is positioned correctly, the engine can 

achieve the best start behaviour with 

the lowest possible pollutant emissions. 

Furthermore, the spiral spring ensures 

that adjustment speeds are increased 

when adjusting from ʻlateʼ to ʻearlyʼ 

during operation. Therefore, the spiral 

spring helps compensate the frictional 

torque of the camshaft, resulting in reduced 

fuel consumption and less pollutant 

emissions. 

The triumphant success of this environmentally 

friendly ʻspiral spring for 

camshaft adjustersʼ commenced in 

Seifhennersdorf in 2002. Since a fundamental 

part of SCHERDELʼs philosophy 

is to ensure a strong local presence for 

its customers, we set-up spiral spring 

production at our ʻsister plantʼ in 

Muskegon, Michigan, in the autumn of 

2006. 

By 2008, the production capacities 

in Muskegon had to be expanded in 

order to support the huge demand. The 

second expansion phase occurred this 

summer. The larger facility provides increased 

space for the latest generation 

of spiral spring production machines. 

Preparations for the start of spiral 

spring production at the Anqing plant in 

China are currently in full swing. The 

required production equipment will 

make its way to the country with the 

fastest economic growth rate this autumn. 

By the end of the year, the pioneering 

ʻspiral spring for camshaft adjustersʼ 

will be manufactured at three 

Group locations around the world. 

(me/dk)

PRODUCTION 

SCHERDEL Sales & Technology 

continues to flourish 

SST doubles the size of its production facility 

and invests in machinery 

T 

he current upswing in the economy 

along with increasing sales in the 

automotive industry has also given a 

boost to the SCHERDEL subsidiary 

SST (SCHERDEL Sales & Technology 

Inc.) in Muskegon, Michigan. The size 

of the production facility was recently 

extended by 2,000 square metres and 

is now double its original size. 

SCHERDEL began activities in the US 

in 1997 with a Sales & Engineering 

office. The manufacturing location was 

established three years later with an initial 

workforce of 20 people. Today, the 

Muskegon plant employs around 50 

people, with some working in a 3-shift 

pattern. The range of production has also 

expanded considerably over the 

years. 

In the meantime, products manufactured 

at the location include stampings 

and shaped components as well as 

shaped wire components, torsion 

springs, tension and double-body 

springs, Miniflex expanders and spiral 

springs. Investments were also made in 

machinery during the plant expansion. 

As a result, shaped wire components 

with thicknesses of up to four millimetres, 

instead of the previous two, can 

now be manufactured. The Prototype 

Production and Tool Repair Divisions, 

in particular, benefit from the increased 

space after expansion of the facility. 

Storage capacities for materials and 

finished parts have also been enhanced. 

The SST warehouse also 

houses components from other 

SCHERDEL plants required by our 

US customers. Furthermore, the internal 

logistics system in Muskegon is 

currently being optimised to ensure that 

incoming and outgoing goods processes 

can be processed separately in the 

future. All in all, the US SCHERDEL 

subsidiary is pleased with the positive 

revenue forecast for the current fiscal 

year. 

(dk) 

Contact data 

SCHERDEL Sales & 

Technology, Inc. 

3440 E. Laketon Avenue 

Muskegon, MI 49442 

USA 

Tel.: +1 231 777-7774 

Fax: +1 231 777-7775 

Email: 

sales@scherdel-usa.com 


The size of the production facility 

has doubled thanks to the workshop 

extension. 

7

COMPANY NEWS 


Petr Belsan 

Petr Belsan was responsible 

for cooperation 

between SCHERDEL 

and FGR and is the 

SCHERDELGroup representative 

in the Czech 

Service Centre area. He is 

the contact for all customers 

in the Czech Republic 

and responsible for 

developing new product 

areas. 

Contact data: 

Tel.: +420 374 702117 

Fax: +420 374 702112 

Mobile: +420 607 965 966 

Email: 

peter.belsan@scherdel.de 

FGR Midalu – a dream 

on two wheels 

SCHERDEL supplies valve springs for the 

world’s most powerful production motorcycle 

T 

his motorcycle gets the pulse of 

speed junkies around the world 

racing. After being in development for 

more than six years, the FGR Midalu 

with a 2500cc V6 engine was recently 

presented in the Czech Republic. The 

technical data of this superbike is quite 

amazing: a 2442cc liquid-cooled V6 engine 

developing more than 240 Hp and 

200 Nm of torque. It also features an 

aluminium engine block, Nikasil plated 

cylinders and Wiseco pistons. The 

bikeʼs valve springs are produced by 

SCHERDEL and the Group is particularly 

proud to be involved in this pioneering 

project. After all, one of the cornerstones 

of the companyʼs philosophy 

is to be regarded as a trusted innovation 

partner for technical advancements. 

The project under the leadership 

of FGR owner Miroslav Felgr was a 

prestigious project for the Czech Republic 

and was backed by the Czech 

Ministry for Industry and Trade. The 

governmentʼs basic idea was, if possible, 

to only involve Czech cooperation 

partners in the development and construction 

of the bike. In this respect, 

SCHERDEL had a decisive advantage 

due to its production facility in the 

Czech Republic and the excellent reputation 

of its valve springs. Of the 44 

project partners, only four, including 

SCHERDEL, come from outside the 

Czech Republic. 

It is quite clear that the ʻnew star on 

the motorcycle horizonʼ is definitely not 

a ʻlow budget bikeʼ. This is underlined 

by the exquisite materials, exclusive 

components, the detailed construction 

and delicately handcrafted parts. 

Despite its size, the total configuration 

only weighs about 270 kg. The basic 

concept consists of a steel tube truss 

with combined holder for the composite 

fuel tank which merges into the seat 

unit. A further carbon fibre part extends 

from the engine to the rear light. In fact, 

there are a total of 28 carbon fibre and 

a vast number of die-cast aluminium 

parts on board. The rear swing arm and 

the engine cover are also carved out of 

milled aluminium. The swing arm is actually 

a copy of the one used on the 

FGR 125 GP racing bike. The 

SCHERDEL subsidiary INNOTEC also 

provided its experience and expertise in 

the field of research and development 

for the design of the valve springs for 

the FGR Midalu. Until the world premiere 

of the FGR Midalu in the Czech 

city of Usti nad Orlici, the 3-cylinder engine 

of the Triumph Rocket III was for 

many years considered the largest engine 

ever to be put into widespread production. 

However, this record has now 

been captured by FGR and its owner 

Miroslav Felgr. SCHERDEL congratulates 

them and looks forward to further 

successful cooperation in the future. 

(dk) 

8

COMPANY NEWS 

Development partner 

for medical technology 

SCHERDEL happy with participation 

in MEDTEC 

T 

he MEDTEC trade fair in Stuttgart, 

Germany is one of the leading exhibitions 

for the medical device manufacturing 

industry in Europe. As part of 

SCHERDELʼs diversification strategy to 

develop new business areas, the Group 

successfully participated in this trade 

fair for the first time this year. The 

stand soon grabbed the attention of the 

representatives of leading medical device 

manufacturers. SCHERDEL was of 

particular interest due to its comprehensive 

service in the field of product development; 

ranging from selection of 

the right materials and their optimum 

design using finite element calculations 

to prototype production for application 

models. Stand visitors were also extremely 

impressed by the Groupʼs flexibility 

in providing ideal production techniques 

for both small and large series 

production, particularly as SCHERDEL 

has an in-house mechanical engineering 

facility and can, if required, also 

supervise assembly processes for the 

customer. Furthermore, the products of 

the SCHERDEL subsidiary KANYA 

Deutschland GmbH, which has developed 

and realised numerous practical 

solutions in cooperation with hospitals 

on the basis of its proven aluminium 

modular system, also appealed to the 

visitors. 

The medical technology sector has 

large growth potential around the world. 

The crucial factors here are rapid 

progress combined with a large number 

of innovations in the medical sector and 

the demographic shift in the population. 

Stampings and shaped components 

In emerging countries, increasing 

wealth additionally boosts unhealthy 

eating habits which in turn raise the 

willingness for greater expenditure in 

the health sector. The world market for 

medical technology has an annual volume 

of 220 billion euros. 

Germany is the worldʼs second largest 

domestic market after the USA and is 

the leader in Europe. The sector is, as 

mentioned above, highly innovative. 

Approximately one third of the turnover 

of German medical device manufacturers 

is achieved with products that are 

less than three years old. According to 

the European Patent Office, medical 

technology is top of the list when it 

comes to registered inventions with 

16,400 patents. Since striving for innovation 

is a cornerstone of SCHERDELʼs 

company philosophy, medical technology 

is viewed as an ideal partner for new 

product developments. 

It should also be mentioned that the 

number of visitors to MEDTEC Europe 

increases each year. Therefore, 

SCHERDEL will definitely be one of the 

exhibitors again next year. 

(dk) 

Contact data 

SCHERDEL GmbH 

Sales Department 

Peter Öttl 

Scherdelstr. 2 

D-95615 Marktredwitz 

Tel.: +49 (0) 9231 603-464 

Fax: +49 (0) 9231 603-462 

Email: 

peter.oettl@scherdel.de 

Problem solver also in the 

medical technology sector: 

KANYA Deutschland GmbH. 


Coils 

9

COMPANY NEWS 


10 

Service Centre North 

The SCHERDEL Service 

Centre (SSC) North is proud 

to present a new member of 

staff. 

Stephan Jaeger recently began 

working in the Service 

Centre, where a key aspect 

of his work will be the intensive 

support of the Volkswagen 

Group. As a former key 

account manager at Volkswagen, 

Stephan Jaeger is ideally 

suited for his new role. He 

gained formal entry qualifications 

for higher education at 

the Commercial College of 

Oberbergischer Kreis in Gummersbach, 

Germany, and has 

completed numerous further 

training measures – including 

REFA basic training, an apprenticeship 

as an industrial 

clerk and internships as an 

application consultant and in 

the area of materials management. 

Stephan Jaeger was once 

the CEO of an aluminium 

technology company, where 

he also worked as a technical 

director. He has exceptional 

IT skills, for example handling 

the PPS system Orgaplan 

or the SAP modules MM / 

sales / cProjects. The new 

SSC Team North member is 

49 years old and married with 

two children. As an active 

triathlete, marathon runner 

and coach of a youth handball 

team, most of his spare 

time is dedicated to sport. 

(dk) 

Contact data 

Tel.: +49 5308 / 92 192 91 

Fax: +49 5308 / 92 192 94 

Mobile: 0151 120 65 460 

Email: 

stephan.jaeger@scherdel.de 

INTERAUTO, a success 

for SCHERDEL 

Kaluga plant very impressive due to 

cutting-edge production technology 

P 

articipation in the recent 7th international 

automotive exhibition 

INTERAUTO in Moscow proved to be a 

great success for SCHERDEL. For the 

first time, the company had its own 

stand at the event where the youngest 

member of the SCHERDELGroup, 

OOO SCHERDEL Kaluga, took centre 

stage. A total of 687 exhibitors from 17 

countries took part in the exhibition and 

presented their latest developments in 

the fields of automotive components, 

accessories and spare parts spread 

over an area of more than 63,000 

square metres. On a neighbouring 

stand, Russiaʼs leading automobile 

manufacturer, OAO AVTOVAZ, showcased 

its Lada vehicles. 

SCHERDEL was represented by a 

highly skilled team in Moscow: besides 

representatives of the Development 

and Sales Departments from the 

Groupʼs head office in Marktredwitz, 

vehicle interior specialists from Marienberg 

and experts from the SCHERDEL 

plant in Kaluga travelled to Moscow to 

support the team and to provide interested 

visitors with ʻfirst handʼ information. 

The main focus was on SCHERDEL 

production opportunities in the Russian 

market. In this respect, the manufacturing 

location in Kaluga was mighty impressive 

due to its cutting-edge machinery 

for wire and tube forming and its 

equipment in the field of welding and 

assembly technology. Since the start of 

production at the end of 2010, the Kaluga 

plant has been able to win key and 

global customers from the automotive 

parts supply industry, such as Lear, 

Johnson Controls and the Volkswagen 

Group. The trade fair visitors also paid 

special attention to SCHERDELʼs expertise 

as a manufacturer of technical 

springs. 

After all, the Group is one of the market 

leaders in this sector and comprises 

extensive know-how in the development 

and production of components for 

powertrains, brakes, chassis and vehicle 

interiors. Participation in INTER- 

AUTO in Moscow was a successful 

step towards the further growth of 

SCHERDEL in the Russian market. 

And feedback from visitors to the stand 

gives reason for optimism. 

SCHERDEL had its own stand for the first time at this year’s INTERAUTO in Moscow. Our picture shows 

the presentation of the certification of participation.

PRODUCTION 

Well positioned for 

the coming years 

GL-Spezial Platinen GmbH – a 90-year-old 

success story – new investments 

Staff profile 

Weʼd like to introduce staff members 

who will act as your contact 

if required. 

G 

L-Spezial Platinen GmbH in 

Chemnitz is currently celebrating 

three anniversaries: the company was 

founded 90 years ago and re-established 

as a GmbH 20 years ago, before 

joining the SCHERDELGroup five years 

ago. The takeover of ʻSpeplaʼ – the abbreviated 

name of the company – by 

SCHERDEL created excellent perspectives 

for the specialist in the field of 

fine-blanking technology. 

Against the background of extensive 

orders, numerous investments are 

planned for the near future. Thanks to 

the excellent reputation of SCHERDEL 

in the market, renowned customers, 

such as Continental, Keiper, ZF or 

Lear, now belong to Speplaʼs customer 

portfolio. 

The company was founded by the 

brothers Richard and Oskar Lorenz as 

ʻGebrüder Lorenz Platinen OHGʼ in 

1921. The textile industry in Germany 

was experiencing a boom period at that 

time and so-called ʻslidersʼ were initially 

produced for weaving looms, knitting 

and bobbin-net lace machines. 

The company already had its own 

hardening shop for blank production 

and a roller system for adjusting the 

thickness of metal strips. In 1968, the 

first Feintool fine-blanking press was 

acquired and the company became a 

pioneer in the field of fine blanking in 

East Germany. After the fall of the 

Berlin Wall, Spepla lost its key customers. 

The company struggled for survival 

by producing household products 

and industrial sewing machines. After 

the reprivatisation of the company and 

the respective GmbH foundation in 

1991, the young company initially had 

to endure difficult times. 

It is thanks to the former managing 

partner Dieter Opel and his committed 

workforce that the company was able to 

gradually transform from a parts manufacturer 

for textile machines to an automotive 

industry supplier. This also involved 

the courage to unlock perspectives 

for the future in economically troubled 

times by investing in state-of-theart 

technology and going against the 

general trend. The company has grown 

above average each year since becoming 

a member of the 

SCHERDELGroup. 

This increasing success 

under the management 

of Norbert 

Pechstein is now also 

the basis for creating 

new jobs. Moreover, 

the planning of further 

investments for future 

development has already 

begun at Spepla. 

(dk) 

Norbert Pechstein 

Plant manager of GL-Spezial 

Platinen GmbH Chemnitz 

Norbert Pechstein was born in 

Stollberg in 1965. After training as 

a toolmaker, he successfully completed 

an extra-occupational 

course as a certified technician 

and a REFA training program. After 

working in a tool and prototype 

shop and in quality management, 

he assumed more responsibility as 

a production and later plant manager 

at a parts supplier and a 

company for plant construction. 

Norbert Pechstein joined 

SCHERDEL in April 2006. After 

initial cooperation as a methods 

engineer at WEMA at the 

SCHERDEL location in Marienberg, 

Norbert Pechstein gained 

experience in the field of fine 

blanking and became familiar with 

processes in the SCHERDEL subsidiary 

GL-Spezial Platinen 

GmbH, where he was active in 

methods engineering, calculation 

and project management. Norbert 

Pechstein became technical manager 

of GL-Spezial Platinen GmbH 

in the autumn of 2006. He has 

been the plant manager of Spepla 

since 1 January 2009. Norbert 

Pechstein is 46 years old and 

married with four children. His 

hobbies include fishkeeping, photography, 

skiing, nordic walking 

and hiking. 

Contact data 

GL-Spezial Platinen GmbH 

Zwickauer Str. 427 

D-09117 Chemnitz 

Tel.: +49 (0) 371 850021 

Fax: +49 (0) 371 850030 

Email: 

info@spepla-chemnitz.de 

11 


COMPANY NEWS 

Handing over leadership 

The dynamic ʻyoung teamʼ 

will benefit from the experience 

of the older generation 

when the reins of power are 

handed over. 

Generational change 

at management level 

Alexander Kapsch new Sales and 

Marketing Manager at SCHERDEL 


Eberhard Leidl 

Alexander Kapsch 

Matthias Herold 

T 

he retirement of Eberhard Leidl 

from his position as Sales and 

Marketing Manager at SCHERDEL 

represents an important generational 

change at management level. Eberhard 

Leidl was without doubt one of the key 

ʻdoersʼ in the Group and will remain an 

invaluable source of information for 

special activities at SCHERDEL in the 

future. He was widely praised for his 

role in transforming the company into a 

global player and his extensive experience 

will enable him to provide advice 

to the next generation. The new Sales 

and Marketing Manager is Alexander 

Kapsch, who was previously responsible 

for SCHERDEL manufacturing locations 

in America. Matthias Herold will 

deputise for Alexander Kapsch as 

Sales Manager for SCHERDEL Germany. 

The structure of the sales team 

at SCHERDEL will remain unchanged, 

although the areas of responsibility of 

the team leaders will be more focussed. 

Eberhard Leidlʼs career at 

SCHERDEL began in 1986 in the 

Sales Department for stampings and 

shaped components as well as tension 

and torsion springs. The Business 

Studies graduate additionally trained as 

a foreign language correspondence 

clerk and English interpreter. Eberhard 

Leidl proved his value to the company 

as a ʻpioneer managerʼ when setting up 

locations in the USA, Brazil, Mexico, 

Japan and China. He was also the 

provider of ideas and a trailblazer for 

SCHERDELʼs global key account concept, 

which was established for the further 

development of a customer-related 

sales organisation in light of globalisation. 

This ensured the global management 

of key accounts with the aid of 

well structured sales processes. 

One of the greatest challenges faced 

by the future senior consultant was 

surely the recent international economic 

crisis, which SCHERDEL managed 

to handle successfully thanks to the 

dedication and commitment of its sales 

staff. 

Alexander Kapsch, the new Sales and 

Marketing Manager, has successfully 

managed SCHERDEL manufacturing 

locations in both North and South 

America. Alexander Kapsch was born 

in Sao Paulo and holds dual Brazilian 

and German citizenship. He graduated 

from the University of Cooperative Education 

in Mannheim with a degree in 

Business Administration, specialising in 

Industry. The new departmental head 

has been with SCHERDEL since 1997 

and previously worked at the companyʼs 

manufacturing location in 

Muskegon/ Michigan as the CEO of 

SCHERDEL do Brasil (SdB), 

SCHERDEL Sales & Technology 

Muskegon (SST) and SCHERDEL de 

Mexico (SdM). The professional career 

of his deputy, Matthias Herold, began 

with an apprenticeship as a machine 

fitter. He subsequently completed two 

courses of study: graduating in Mechanical 

Engineering and Engineering 

and Business Studies. 43-year old 

Matthias Herold joined SCHERDEL in 

1996 as a managerial assistant. He 

was subsequently employed as a key 

account manager in the Sales and Marketing 

Department, working alongside 

Eberhard Leidl. In addition to his role 

as deputy to Alexander Kapsch, 

Matthias Herold is also the Sales Manager 

for SCHERDEL Germany, the 

Sales Manager for SCHERDEL products 

in new markets and the Sales Coordinator 

for SCHERDEL in the field of 

engineering. 

12 

Responsible in terms of the Press Law: SCHERDEL GmbH, PO Box 440, 95604 Marktredwitz, Germany, Phone: +49 9231603-0, Fax: +49 9231603-462

Energy technology: a new business area - Scherdel GmbH

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