Milacron's Ferromatik brand-realignment strategy returns workers to full work week ahead of schedule

Milacron's realignment strategy for its Malterdingen, Germany, operations, announced in December 2014 to support a new, forward-looking business model, included a shortened work week until the end of 2015. Since the announcement, and as a result of measures taken, management and staff were able to return to a normal work schedule earlier than planned. The shortened work week was repealed on October 31, two months ahead of schedule.

Milacron Ferromatik responded to PlasticsToday and explained that a full work week in Germany is 35 hours. With a staff of 280, the Ferromatik plant has the same number of employees as it did at the end of last year. "Optimization is based on the new integrated approach," said Michael Schiele, Manager, Strategic Marketing Europe. "Customers benefit from the global footprint and a more localized offering. Milacron has also combined its research and development efforts to improve quality, speed, precision and energy efficiency across its entire product portfolio.

"By breaking down silos and harmonizing our product portfolio across markets, we are able to provide the broadest coverage of service to our customers. This means more resources, deeper knowledge and a more robust product portfolio across the full life-cycle of plastics processing," said Schiele.

Operational changes included optimizing the Ferromatik product range, as well as adding key product features and enhancements to better serve customers and respond to market demand, said the company. The Fakuma trade fair marked the introduction of many of the various new enhancements and products, including the all-electric Electron EVO machine series with the comprehensive and user-friendly Mosaic control, the full-scale and modular Ferromatik machine series, and the servo-hydraulic Magna T Servo, the new all-purpose machine series that had its European debut at the event.

"The measures introduced allowed us the ability to act and better align with changing market dynamics," said Denis Poelman, Managing Director, Ferromatik Milacron GmbH. "Our new sales organization continues to further penetrate existing markets by partnering and collaborating with major international, regional and local customers, and our operational realignment has provided us the flexibility to respond more efficiently to those same customers.

"Since the introduction of the new Milacron brand at NPE 2015, we see strong momentum; at the same time, the synergies within Milacron at the global and the local levels are excellent," said Poelman.