Originally founded in 1901 in Schiltach, Germany, by Hans Grohe as a metalworking shop, today's fittings and shower manufacturer Hansgrohe can look back on numerous inventions such as the first hand shower with different types of jet, the first pull-out kitchen fitting or the first shower rail. For almost 30 years, Hansgrohe has also been manufacturing at the Offenburg-Elgersweier site in Germany, which has become the company's most important production location. This is also reflected in the high investment volume in recent years alone: In addition to a plastics technology centre in 2016 and a new logistics centre in 2017, a new plastics electroplating plant went into operation in spring 2019. Hansgrohe invested 30 million euros in the new building, including the electroplating plant, on the existing factory premises in Elgersweier. The building was constructed on an area of 10,000 square metres. At the same time, space was reserved in the hall for further investments in future technologies such as chrome VI alternatives. In the logistics area, too, provisions have already been made for future automation using conveyor technology.
Significant increase in capacity
Whereas around 18,000 individual parts have been electroplated on the existing plant to date, the new electroplating plant has achieved a capacity increase of 30 percent. And this is only the first of three expansion stages. With the second expansion stage, which is expected to take place in three to four years, output can be increased by 60 percent; with the third stage by 120 percent. This means that in future it will be possible to electroplate over 60,000 parts per day. In addition to the increase in capacity, the focus was on sustainability, resource efficiency and safety in plant design.
Autor(en): Wi
