Handtmann A-Punkt Automation celebrates 25th Anniversary

Biberach an der Riss, Germany – Handtmann A-Punkt Automation GmbH, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Managing director Andreas Podiebrad states, “I am very proud that we all together developed our company within only 25 years from a small firm into an internationally operating company which is successful in various industries.”

In 1989, A-Punkt Automation GmbH was also integrated into family-owned Handtmann. Along with the takeover, the company expanded beyond the construction of gantry robots into the development and construction of 5-axis machining centers. In the beginning, those centers were only for simple machining operations in plastics and aluminum, but out of this core, expertise in high-tech engineering was successively evolved over the years.

Parent company Handtmann Company Group has been around for more than 140 years and has 3,000 employees worldwide. When Arthur Handtmann took over the company in 1946, it had 20 employees. His son Thomas Handtmann has been leading the company since 1998, now in its fourth generation.

The Handtmann Group comprises six companies and a holding company. Handtmann companies offer metal casting and system technology for the automotive industry, machine construction for the food industry, plant manufacturing for the beverage industry, plastics manufacturing, and machining centers for a very broad variety of markets.

After the acquisition, the first profile machining center PBZ for machining of long profiles was launched in 1993. Andreas Podiebrad who still runs the company today, took over the general management. New products followed constantly. As demand grew steadily new ideas arose and new machine concepts have been developed and introduced into the market.

Production capacity was expanded consistently by building new halls, staff has been increased, and the business became increasingly international. In 2001 Handtmann A-Punkt opened the first overseas subsidiary – the Handtmann CNC Technologies Inc. in the United States. Subsidiaries in Russia as well as service and distribution partnerships worldwide followed. Handtmann is currently planning a subsidiary for the Asian market.

Market needs and demands increase continuously. Trends all aim at the same direction – maximum use of the machines and maximum productivity. These trends need to be pursued and implemented consistently with corresponding machine concepts. Therefore Handtmann A-Punkt Automation GmbH portfolio has grown to four product lines with a variety of machine series and sizes for simultaneous 5-axis machining. The first Handtmann horizontal machining center was introduced in 2007 after the concept emerged in collaboration with long-term customers that needed high chip removal on a small footprint.

After beginning in window and facade construction, industries such as mold and die, tool making, automotive, and especially the aerospace industry began using Handtmann A-Punkt machines. The company is able to cover a broad range of applications in profile machining, small parts below 800mm to large plates up to 50m in length and workpieces with deep pockets. Handtmann also developed a wide expertise in materials as from lightweight up to heavy duty machining.

Handtmann is further expanding the area of applications by offering their first mill-turn-centers with the HBZ Trunnion series. Premiere of these mill-turn machines took place at AMB show in Stuttgart / September 2014 by presenting the HBZ TR 80 T.

In addition to the 25-year anniversary, Handtmann A-Punkt Automation GmbH is celebrating the 10th Handtmann Aerospace Days. With its new name “Handtmann Technology & Aerospace Days” the event will get a new appearance which was necessary due to the expansion of the product portfolio, the increased application diversity, and strategic expansions.

Additionally, Handtmann A-Punkt is offering a variety of options, automation solutions, etc. to realize the optimal customer solution. Therefore customers and their best possible solution, their requirements, and processes are always in the center of actions.

Handtmann Solutions

• Machine solutions
• Four product lines provide a variety of solutions in HPC/HSC applications in aluminum, steel, and titanium
• PBZ Profile machining centers: 5-axis and 6-side machining of profiles up to 30,000mm in length.
• HBZ Horizontal machining centers: Dynamic 5-axis machining of aluminum parts with high chip removal up to max. 4x1m (HBZ CC) and 7x2m (HBZ AC) respectively for components in all materials of light and heavy duty machining up to max. Ø 1,700 mm (HBZ TR).
• Gantry high moving portal machining centers: 5-axis machining of large and heavy parts up to max. 47x7m.
• UBZ Universal machining centers: 5-axis machining of large-volume parts; modular machine design for high flexibility.
• Turn-key solutions:
• Optimized processes.
• Support and consultancy to provide bespoke customer solutions: tool selection, simulation, programming, milling strategy, etc.
• Services solutions:
• Long-term machine availability and continuous increases in productivity.
• Machine maintenance, spare parts, expert support, training, support hotline.
• Finance solutions:
• Advice and financial offerings from Handtmann Finance.

Source: Handtmann A-Punkt Automation GmbH