JANUARY 2005 - Wetzel

AT A GLANCE
The management of the Wetzel Processing
Group
Wetzel GmbH
Solvaystrasse 31
D-79639 Grenzach-Wyhlen
the Wetzel management team
from left standing:
Peter Pier-Wetzel – CEO Sales,
Detlev Liebschwager – CEO Sales,
Martin Siebold – Chairman of the Management
Board,
Kathrin Wetzel – Corporate Identity,
Karl Maier – Production
from left sitting:
Michael Freund – Controlling / IT,
Ulrich Wetzel – President,
Joachim Hoyer – Human Resources,
Bernd Lehmann – Technology & Innovation
JANUARY 2005
E
NEWSLETTER
SEAMLESS – NO WORRIES
STARLIGHT
OUTLOOK 2005...
Flexo Roller Manufacturing at Wetzel:
Seamless in Packaging Printing. Since the
70’s,Wetzel has already been working with lasers
in the imaging of flexographic shapes.This involves
endless sleeves in EPDM materials.Till now, these
were mainly used in the tissue and decor paper
markets.Another application is in line rollers for
printing exercise books, notebooks, etc. In packaging
printing, we are strongly present especially in
the pharmaceutical sector; however in the matrix
flexography, our sleeves seldom find application.
But why
90% of the packaging flexographic printers work
with photo polymer plates, because they have certain
advantages as regards colour transfer in contrast
to rubber sleeves. But the development of
rubber sleeves has not stopped yet.Together with
our partners we continue successfully to develop
rubber features.We have managed to optimise colour
transfer through material modifications. Even
At a time in which everybody talks of process
optimisation and time-to-market, plate
assembly can therefore not be up-to-date!
“Star Light“ – Wetzel embosses at a large
scale. We are strongly processing the non-woven
market, and already after a short time, we look
back to very successfully completed projects with
customers in the whole world.We owe this to large
investments in technology and sales activities.
The planning of the 1.2 million Euro investment
project “Star Light“ was already completed at the
beginning of October 2003.The implementation
and installation of last machines were completed in
the middle of 2004.Target of the project was the
expansion of the previous large rollers production
with additional engraving methods. In the sizes
from 4500 mm to 8000 mm of gravure width,Wetzel
mainly produced rhombuses and rectangles by
means of the “pressure-less milling” that is used
only by us worldwide.With the additional application
of laser, wax-jet and large scale milling benches,Wetzel
today offers all imaginable gravure
shapes. We manufacture all rollers needed by our
customers and our technology and innovation department
allow us to view the future with great
anticipation.The projections for the coming year
again stand for a strongly growing order reception
and thus guarantee our employees a secure work
place and Wetzel customers a strong and reliable
partner.
Preview 2005 by the Management of Wetzel
GmbH. A new year always offers a good opportunity
for one to think intensively about the coming
twelve months, but also about mid-term
orientation of the enterprise.To ensure lasting development
of the Wetzel group and all its partners
(customer, employees, suppliers, etc.) under the
wider approach of the balanced score card, the
management has resolved that the constituent
firms of the Wetzel group still want to learn about
the needs of the market and customers more
consistently and are ready to do every thing possible
so that the “Wetzel Organisation“ achieves the
greatest possible customer satisfaction.We will in
future consider customer problems in a multi-facet
manner in accordance with the St. Galler management
model, which was defined as the basic
concept.Wetzel will in future focus not only on
the optimisation of previous solution approaches,
but rather through a closer co-operation between
the sales department and the department of
“technology and innovation” bring new solutions
to the market. Besides these technical product innovations,
we will focus more on marketable services;
attempts will also be developed to have process
optimisation effects beyond the level of previously
considered processes.To achieve the objective
of a constantly improved customer satisfaction
and highest ability to deliver (short delivery
periods, high level of reliability in delivery and high
quality), the necessary measure to achieve operational
fitness of the organisation was introduced
to all employees. In the scope of the process and
innovation perspective of the balanced score card,
the entire supply chain of the order process will
be optimised besides the above described product
innovations.We will reengineer these processes
with interested customers and other partners on
the basis of experience made in the last months
so that common benefit to all participants is guaranteed.
In the employee perspective of the balanced
score card personally explained to the employees
in departmental meetings, it has been defined
that to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction
the highest flexibility is required.This will
be organised through an initiated und introduced
employee qualification program with extraordinary
work input and optimisation of existing flexible
work time models.With these decisions and clear
knowledge that success is based on hard work
and professional craftsmanship, we are certain to
remain an excellent partner for you in future.
the finest matrix widths such as 54 matrix are
possible, thanks to the most modern laser engravers
with 2- and 3-beam technologies - and all
that seamless.At a time in which everybody talks
of process optimisation and time-to-market, plate
assembly can therefore not be up-to-date! With
our sleeves, plate assembly is needless – directly
laser engraved sleeves boost productivity and register
accuracy. Besides the sleeve production,Wetzel
has much more to offer in the area of repro.
Most modern technologies coupled with excellent
knowledge in the packaging sector round up the
product portfolio for the packaging market.Together
with the sales people, our technology & innovation
department permanently develops gravure
methods and materials in accordance with the requirements
of our customers.We research and
develop, not for Nobel prices, but for the competitive
advantage of our customers.Thus Wetzel is
on the right path and equipped for the requirements
of the flexo packaging printers.
flexosleeves
customers in diameters of more than 800 mm and
a gravure width up to 7500 mm.The gravures in
round or oval or image shapes in these large dimensions
are mainly used for non-woven fixation.
These non-woven fabrics on the other hand are
used in the areas of hygiene, filter, medicine, agriculture,
or road construction.Through the Star-
Light project,Wetzel will again pick up the once-attained
leadership under the name Casaretto. Our
many years of experience will again be of great benefit
to you. During the best business days, many
more than 140 embossing rollers were produced
alone by means of the pressure-less milling.
Through the expansion with the new techniques
and yet larger machines, the capacity has again
been increased significantly.The units sold are however
not our main target, but rather, high quality
and consistent reliability in delivery and hence generally
satisfied customers who can depend on
Wetzel’s sales and service team. Our employees
are continuously trained and are conscious of their
important duties.The projects successfully executed
with our customers in 2004 exceeded our expectations
by far. Interesting common plans of our
FLAG
Wetzel GmbH
Solvaystrasse 31,
D-79639 Grenzach-Wyhlen
Tel: +49 (0)7624 / 301-0
Fax: +49 (0)7624 / 301-108
www.wetzel.de, info@wetzel.de
UST DE 142399112
HRB-Nr: 743 registered
at Amtsgericht Lörrach
Responsible for contents:
Kathrin Wetzel
„Although all information contained in this newsletter
has been researched and put together carefully, we don’t
take any responsibility for the correctness, completeness
and up-to-dateness of the given information.Any descriptions
or declarations regarding products or other
specifications of services will in no event replace contractual
stipulations.
All rights are reserved. Copies may only be made and
distributed with the prior written consent of Wetzel
GmbH.”
Peter Pier - Wetzel, Detlev Liebschwager, Martin Siebold
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Dear Business Partners, the ending year 2004
had again many emotional events for us, in one case
we were touched directly and in another case
only as information recipient. One of the most significant
economic changes for a company group like
Wetzel, with strong European operation, was
the expansion of the European Union.Although
there were many critics against this expansion of
the EU, we as a family enterprise with a business
location also in Poland see this event very positively,
since it is similar to the expansion of a family
that brings with it many new and pleasant things
for all participants. From the point of view of a
globally acting EU-family enterprise, we want to
say thank you to all customers for their proved
loyalty and trust in our performance.We thank
the suppliers and all the other business friends for
their partnership support in the course of the sustained
development of our “family”. For the New
Year we wish all our partners a positive entrepreneurial
development, private success, luck and good
health.

WIND OF
CHANGE 2
The change alone is consistent (Arthur Schopenhauer
1788 – 1860) Wetzel will not exhibit in January
2005 at the Heimtextil trade fair in Frankfurt,
but rather organise diverse customer festive
occasions during the trade fair period in Frankfurt
and surroundings. On the one hand, the customers
from Asia will be treated to a Wetzel Asian night
in Frankfurt and on the other hand, the 2nd Wind
of change occasion will this time take place in the
Palazzo Witzigmann.The overwhelmingly positive
feedback from our visitors last year has proven to
us that we can offer our customers excellent service
even without a booth at the Heimtextil and
above all use the time mor efficient, if we talk together
outside the trade fair bustle.The available
tickets in the Palazzo Witzigmann were soon distributed
after the dispatch of the invitations.We
are happy to be able to offer a selected group of
NEW BUILDING IN POLAND
The economic development in the year 2004 was
very pleasant for Wetzel Sp.z.o.o. in the neighbourhood
of Warsaw.We are certain that we will again
significantly increase our turnovers in comparison
to the previous business year. Especially in connection
with the ever growing receipts of orders is
the modernisation and expansion of our machinery
one of our topmost priorities. Many projects
such as the new galvanic-hall building, equipped
with most modern crane systems and new galvanic
baths could already be completed successfully
last year. Investments were made in new helio-machines,
modern lathes and another Polishmaster.
New computer systems, iris printer and software
updates were made in the entire firm.Administrative
areas were also considered for the investments,
not only through the ISDN connection installed
in January. Now, the most important project
is the new factory building which enables us
to better organise the work flow and also offers
customers once again an interesting evening in the
middle of Wetzel sales team. It is our highest objective
to have satisfied customers; please let us
know your desires and suggestions, we depend on
your help to improve our services constantly.
us the badly needed space.We are currently in the
decision process of the selection of the final plot
which will be located near the present factory.A
production hall with an integrated office complex
will emerge and will provide us with sufficient
room and space for the planned growth.We are
convinced that it will soon be possible for us to
implement this new construction and hence continue
guaranteeing you the high quality and assured
delivery schedules.You will get further information
about this project in the July newsletter.
Acrobat at Palazzo Witzigmann
TRAINING WITH
WETZEL IS ATTRACTIVE
EXHIBITIONS
ZOW 21.- 24. 02. 2005. three letters which are
inseparably connected with the furniture suppliers
industry. Since its debut in 1995, the Suppliers Trade
Fair Ost-Westfalen has developed to become
the leading event in this industrial sector.At the
ZOW is where decision makers from the furniture
and suppliers industry meet on the opening day
of forward-looking product novelties and design
solutions trade fairs.The market for wooden décor
manufacture develops quite positively; the demand
for development partners and production of
corresponding rollers is large.Thus, for Wetzel it is
also quite clear that we also present our products
and great know-how at this trade fair that is important
for the entire branch.You will find us in
Hall 21 at Stand Y3.We can fall back to a long tradition
and high level of competence in the area of
printing and embossing.The entire bandwidth of
design via the laboratory phase up to the production
of rollers is already standard in Grenzach-
TISSUE WORLD 04.- 07. 04. 2005. Also at this
trade fair you will find Wetzel.We will be pleased
to hold many interesting talks with you and are already
eager now about the projects we may discuss,
plan and execute together with you and our
technical & innovations team.
INDEX 05 12.- 15. 04. 2005.Your competitive
advantage – Wetzel’s embossing. On Index05, all
the possibilities that non-woven products offer in
full bandwidth are once again presented.We will
display our latest developments, technical novelties
and well established products.As you can easily
recognise from our Star-Light article, we are
equipped to benefit the embossing market in many
ways.We are on site in Geneva with our team -
Axel Erbrich, Michael Streuber, Bruno Pavan, Peter
Pier-Wetzel and Kathrin Wetzel, in order to discuss
with you the latest trends and innovations.
We are looking forward to your visit.We shall still
inform you about our exact location at the Palexpo
on the website and in your personal invitation
letter.
Still any questions Naturally, you may reach
our sales team also through the central Wetzel
email: info@wetzel.de, if you personally should not
be able to attend one of the trade fairs mentioned
above.
The basic professional training with Wetzel has a
very high standing.Already in the year 2003, with a
trainee proportion of 8%, the firm had attained a
very high level of proportion for a medium-sized
enterprise.With the additional apprenticeship places
further created in the year 2004, this proportion
did rise even to 10 % of the workforce.To be
able to optimally cater for the demand for well
trained professional staff and specialists,Wetzel
provides training in the following fields:
- Media Designer for digital and printed media, in
the fields of Media Operation and Media Con
sultancy
- Industrial Sales Person
- Professional Computer Scientist
- Business Management Specialist, specializationindustry.
Until now, media designers had the possibility of
pursuing a one-year additional training in production
to earn the qualification - ”Wetzel rotogravure
form manufacturer” - subsequent to their three
-year training. In this period they learned the entire
production processes through active participation
in the departments.Through this one-year
ning can be either in technology or in the sales
department.To enable the apprentices from the
beginning onwards to be well integrated in the
Wetzel Team, the “Trainee Welcome Event” takes
place at the beginning of every training year.After
a project based task or a joint workshop of all
trainee age groups, the ”new” get the opportunity
for acquaintance with the members of the management.A
questionnaire prepared by trainees is
answered by all management members in a large
roundtable and thus affords the trainees getting
closer to experiences with Wetzel over many
years.Wetzel expects a high degree of dedication
by the trainees, right from the beginning and entrusts
all of them with highly demanding tasks after
just a short introduction.They independently prepare
most different projects, and work intensively
with different departments.Among others, this
newsletter is such a product.Trainees with Wetzel
become integrated in marketing activities, they also
go to trade fairs, and support with the organisation
of internal events and many more. Dependent
upon their performances, they receive additional
payment based on success. Both in their
Wyhlen.A new market for Wetzel Yes. But the
technologies and the know-how which are needed
in this market have for a long time already been
the state of the art in the enterprise.We are grateful
to get to know you.
Your Wetzel ZOW team, Peter Pier-Wetzel, Ralf
Imbery, Dejan Kovacic and Kathrin Wetzel
internal training they became highly qualified specialists
for Rotogravure Production.We can present
further special success in this training as from this
year. In collaboration with the Industrial chamber
of Commerce (IHK) Hochrhein-Bodensee, we have
achieved the integration of “Rotogravure Form
Manufacturer” in the basic professional training of
Media Designers and its certification with an IHK
certificate, specially created for this purpose. Professional
orientation with Wetzel company.
For school leavers, an earlier view of the professional
life is a good help for the final choice of a
profession. That is why we offer young people periods
of practical instruction, especially, for the
training as Media Designers in the scope of professional
orientation in schools or in the holidays.
But also in the other fields of training do pupils
interested take part in short feel- training with
our firm. As from the training year 2005, the dual
course of study -Digital Media- will be offered at
the Berufsakademie Mannheim. Successful graduates
in the 3-year study will acquire a diploma in
media computer science - “Diplom Medieninformatiker/in“.The
position of employment after traiwork
as well as at school we demand excellent
performances from them so that they are excellently
prepared for their professional life. For the
supervision of trainees have two permanent training
heads and several part-time training personnel
been engaged since January 2004. Regular inhouse
lessons, in which the knowledge taught in
the training school is advanced and firm-specific
problems or also socio-political topics are dealt
with, roundup the training. Besides the basic training,Wetzel
Processing Group puts great emphasis
on further qualification of all employees. For this
reason we prepared three new training rooms, in
which the employees are taught by internal and also
external trainers and speakers.Also the employees
from our Hessian subsidiary Wetzel Gravotechnik
and Wetzel S.p.z.o.o. in Warsaw participate
in these training and qualification measures.
Wetzel grows