LPKF is one of the leading global suppliers of laser welding systems for plastics. This product area has been growing rapidly for a number of years. Revenue growth was hindered recently due to capacity bottlenecks at the location of Erlangen.This week the board of directors of the LPKF Group sealed the planned move to a new production and office building by signing a purchase contract. At around 10,000 m² the new premises in Fürth is more than twice as big as the previous location and offers further potential for expansion.
According to Frank Brunnecker, head of the Laser Welding Department, one priority is a marked reduction in delivery times: “We don’t want to test the patience of our clients any longer. And we definitely don’t want to reject any orders due to capacity limits!” Production should already be starting in Fürth by August this year; all of the 125 employees will have been permanently relocated by 2014.
“This investment in the premises in Fürth is, at a cost of up to 14 million euro, the biggest single investment in the history of the company,” explains CEO Dr. Ingo Bretthauer. This clearly illustrates the growth potential LPKF attributes to laser plastic welding.
Laser plastic welding is replacing the conventional joining processes in many areas such as bonding or ultrasonic welding. Production is increasingly being shifted to laser welding procedures, particularly in the automotive, pharmaceutical technology and consumer sectors.