Herma invests €20 million developing new labelling systems facility
German-based Herma has invested €20 million into the creation of a new labelling machine and label applicator facility at its headquarters in Filderstadt near Stuttgart.
The company has completed the move out of its former premises in Deizisau, and the move reflects wider expansion of the business in recent years.
“We were able to design and implement the new facility with a view to the special requirements of machine construction right from the start. As a technology leader, we are thereby able to continue exploiting the vast growth potentials that present themselves to us”, explains Martin Kühl, head of Herma’s Labelling Machines Division. “Everything is optimised with regard to ideal communication, minimal throughput times, and maximum manufacturing excellence.”
For the first time, all the firm’s production lines of the division – both for label applicators and complete labelling systems – are arranged on one single level which also houses the parts warehouse. This renders, for instance, high bay warehouses and rack feeders unnecessary, which makes parts provision considerably faster.
Moreover, the production level’s square area enables optimal access from all sides. Concurrently, all technical functions such as mechanical construction, development, and programming are physically grouped together on the level above – unlike at the former location where most of them were located separately. Herma said it is well-prepared for further growth in this division: if required, all assembly stations can be double staffed at short notice.
Considerably larger areas for incoming and outgoing goods facilitate handling. In the outgoing goods area, for example, the ramps are designed to allow labelling systems with a maximum length of six meters to be loaded onto trucks sideways in one piece. “That is safer and faster than loading via the rear hinged doors”, adds Kühl.
“And another fact that will please our customers: we now have space for an area wholly dedicated to acceptance tests that is physically separate from the production area. There, customers will find ideal conditions to put their systems through their paces.” Herma’s technology centre, where special customer requirements are tested and new industry solutions are developed, is located in a separate space.
In addition, the company has a new 230 m2 showroom, in which the business is now able to present a permanent exhibition of innovative and efficient labelling solutions. “The new plant creates ideal working conditions – not only for our teams, but also for the many international customer teams who visit us every year”, summarises Kühl.
