2011 annual report - ALNO

30SINGLE-ENTITY AND GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT | Economic reportA traditional product with a modern interpretation, ALNO-CLASSIC links tradition and modernity. Presented at thecompany exhibition in autumn 2011, the kitchen in countryhousestyle is designed to please all generations andcombines state-of-the-art technology with solid oak andtimeless glass surfaces.The Group's entry-level price segment, the PINO kitchen,was also developed further in the period under review.Since 2011 Pino offers low-cost knock-down kitchensin additional modern colours especially for young peoplewho are increasingly following this trend towards moredaring and fresher colours when furnishing their homes.Together with the trend colours cashmere, pink, red andblue, the high-gloss foil-wrapped design in particular createsfashionable highlights.The Impuls brand has also enlarged its range of colours.Despite this, however, speed remains the focus of attentionfor Impuls. Germany's fastest kitchen is ready for usewithin a few days. This kitchen consequently reflects theincreasing mobility and short-lived character of our society.Since no more than ten working days lie between receivingthe customer's order and installation of the kitchen, thereis no longer any reason for not moving to a new addressat short notice.The new Wellmann range was also launched in the financialyear 2011 and enlarged to include 25 new front colours.In this way, the Wellmann kitchens make for even greaterflexibility when planning a kitchen. As before, Wellmannfocuses on simple, classical modern, individual elegance.ProductionPfullendorfDuring the financial year 2011, the management beganto establish new structures to optimize competences andcosts at the four production facilities in Germany, with theaim of further increasing the real net output ratio and quality.A clear commitment to the Pfullendorf location was a firststep in this direction. By establishing a production line forglass fronts here, the ALNO Group has decisively improvedits manufacturing competence in this sector.Fronts finished with a glass or ceramic surface are producedon this new line. The glass or ceramic panels arecut to size from larger panels on a CNC cutting table,either individually or in series, and subsequently groundand polished together with the substrate. This knowhowand flexibility in producing standard carcase parts(special surface, cutting to size, flexible manufacture ofparts) allows ALNO to meet individual customers' wishesmore effectively; they are also essential for the competentmanufacture of brand-related products.In addition to glass production, the company also investedin a new packaging machine for small items and a newworktop saw for the Pfullendorf plant in 2011. The internalvalue-adding processes for such components as glass,lacquer or ceramic fronts meeting the ALNO brand'sclaim are also to be developed further and expanded atthe Pfullendorf location. A "centre of lacquer competence"for the ALNO Group is to be established at the Pfullendorflocation.EngerA new Wellmann product range based on the new 13centimetre grid size was introduced at the Enger locationat the start of 2011. The ALNO and Wellmann rangesconsequently use the same grid size. For production andlogistics, this changeover posed a considerable challenge,as two product ranges had to be manufactured in parallel.The materials for the old product range were completelyremoved from the production process at the end of 2011/start of 2012. This means that the "old" Wellmann isnow only available for handling complaints. From 2012onwards, production in Enger will concentrate exclusivelyon the new product range. The new grid and gap size usedby Wellmann allows modern kitchens to be plannedfunctionally and ergonomically in future.In the financial year 2011, the company invested in a newCNC drilling and assembly line for order-based productionof kitchen furniture fronts in order to meet with ever higherindividual requirements for the new Wellmann range. Anew automatic drilling and dowelling machine for carcaseelements was also commissioned in summer 2011.Further investments were also made in the final assemblyarea, in the form of a new assembly line for wall units.With all-automatic press-bonding of the carcase partsand robots to fit the wall unit fixtures, this line representsthe latest state-of-the-art and will ensure high-qualitymanufacture. Plinths and wall units have additionally beenpacked in high-quality cartons since the end of 2011/startof 2012.