s the ongoing quest for maximising productivity advances
relentlessly, tooling manufacturing has become
If the UK Government needs a few pointers on how manufacturing can really benefit an economy, it could probably learn a lesson or two from Germany – a nation that really values its manufacturing heritage. A company typifying these traditional engineering values is family-run tooling manufacturer Guhring. Dave Tudor jetted off to Germany to find out more.
ultra competitive.
Although each would probably disagree vehemently, in reality there’s probably not much separating the top four or five companies – each produce
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excellent products and provide high levels of support and engineering expertise – but Guhring is not just a tooling manufacturer.
Although known primarily for its vast range of rotary cutting tools – drills, reamers, gundrills, taps, milling cutters, countersinks, thread cutting tools and toolholders, the company, through the acquisition of Hollfelder in 2007, added adjustable tooling insert solutions to its product portfolio, effectively filling a gap in its product range.
But there’s a whole lot more to Guhring: it manufactures its own range of 9-axis CNC grinders entirely for in-house use; it produces its own carbide and develops its own coatings. If that wasn’t enough, Guhring also makes its own coating machines and tool vending management systems.
This is a company that has not only developed its own range of products – but also the processes and machines used to make those products most efficiently. It’s a forward thinking organisation too and invests 5% of its total turnover back into research and development.
In 1898, Gottlieb Guhring started the company with 17 employees manufacturing a small range of twist drills, spirit levels, screw clamps, fastening chains and plumb bobs. In 1964, the current owner and Gottlieb’s grandson, Dr Jörg Guhring joined the company and at a sprightly 76 years old, he still is very much involved in the running of the business. Today, Oliver Guhring represents the fourth generation of the family – sitting alongside his father as part of
a four man executive board and taking responsibility for sales and marketing activities. The company employs 5,000 people globally - including 60 at the Birmingham-based Guhring UK facility headed up by managing director, Mike Dinsdale. “We have a presence now in most countries throughout the world,” Oliver Gühring explains. “There are 46 sales companies globally, 31 production plants and 47 service centres. Our tooling range has grown significantly comprising some 1,850 tool types – including 45,000 standard tools. We have also seen phenomenal growth in supplying bespoke, customised tooling,” he adds.
Headquartered in Albstadt, Germany, Guhring has three facilities in this area: the original building where the business began which
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