German Tool-Maker of the Year Award 2014

Der Gesamtsieger „Werkzeugbau des Jahres“ und Sieger der Kategorie „Interner Werkzeugbau über 50 Mitarbeiter“: das Technische Competence Center der Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH in Wackersdorf. Von links nach rechts: Peter Dechant (Director Commercial Affairs TCC/SEC), Michael Wiglenda (Director Technical Competence Center) und Holger Heining (Head of Molds), Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH, Wackersdorf, Deutschland. / Overall winner of “Tool-Maker of the Year“ and winner in the category of “Internal Tool-Maker with more than 50 Employees“ was Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH‘s Technical Competence Center in Wackersdorf. From left to right: Peter Dechant (Director Commercial Affairs TCC/SEC), Michael Wiglenda (Director Technical Competence Center) and Holger Heining (Head of Molds), Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH, Wackersdorf, Germany.

This year’s Excellence in Production Awards were presented in Aachen on November 4th, 2014. The prestigious venue was the Coronation Room at Aachen City Hall. The overall winner and therefore “Tool-Maker of the Year 2014” was Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH’s Technical Competence Center. It also won an award in the category of “Internal Tool-Maker with more than 50 Employees. Gerresheimer is regularly among the Excellence in Production finalists, and it won categories in 2009 and 2011.

11 finalists were selected from the 292 companies that applied for the famous Tool-Maker of the Year Awards in 2014. In the selection process, the jury uses the Aachen Tool and Mold-Making Management Model (AWFM) for objective evaluations based on measurable facts. The first stage of the selection process involves checks to establish whether the companies satisfy the minimum requirements for the competition. Then, those companies that do satisfy the requirements are audited by teams of experts. The audit weighting is 20% for financial performance, 10% for customer-related performance, 5% for product-related performance, 20% for processes, 25% for resources, 15% for organization and 5% for management.

Gerresheimer Regensburg manufactures tools and automation systems for the pharmaceuticals and medical technology sectors. The typically stringent quality and development speed requirements in these sectors are met  by way of integrated project management at the company’s Technical Competence Center (TCC). The TCC can autonomously develop fully integrated systems, from injection molding machine and tool technology to automation, and it also provides a comprehensive range of tool-making services. The service portfolio includes series production, production equipment design, process development, project management, quality planning, tool making automation technology and production initiation/pre-series production. Two further TCCs cater to the needs of the US and Asian markets.

The jury was particularly impressed by Gerresheimer’s very detailed and standardized order processing concept which is more or less unique in the tool-making industry. The company’s high audit scores also reflected its excellent performance in the hard machining of complex workpieces. The TCC has a comprehensive range of visual and tactile measuring equipment which can be supplemented by non-destructive computer tomographic measurements if necessary.

The awards were presented by the RWTH Aachen University‘s Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) and the Aachen Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) for the eighth time in 2014. Representatives of industrial and engineering associations, the scientific, business and political communities formed the expert jury. All tool and mold manufacturing companies in Germany, Switzerland and Austria are eligible to apply for the Tool-Maker of the Year Award. A differentiation is made between independent companies (external tool makers) and company departments (internal tool makers) and company size. In 2013 the limit was reduced from 100 employees to 50 employees.