LMT Opens Automotive Support Center for North America In Detroit
New center provides engineering, service and tool management support / High-speed production facility at LMT company Onsrud
Auburn Hills, Michigan/Oberkochen, Germany (June 28, 2006) On June 8, 2006 the Leitz Metalworking Technology (LMT) Group celebrated the opening of their Automotive Support Center (ASC) for the North American Automotive industry in Auburn Hills/Detroit. The Automotive Support Center is a central element of the growth strategy with which the LMT Group aims to substantially increase sales in the North American market over the next few years.
Attendees participating in this important event included dignitaries from the City of Auburn Hills, Oakland County, and the State of Michigan. An appearance was made by Auburn Hills Mayor Mari Harvey-Edwards, and guest speakers included Oakland County Executive Mr. L. Brooks Patterson, Vice President of Business Development for the State of Michigan, Mr. Sandy Ring, and the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Germany, Mr. Fred Hoffman.
The range of services provided by the Automotive Support Center has been specially tailored to the needs of the automotive and machine tool industry. As a general partner, LMT offers these customers its entire international know-how, not only for tool development, installation and presetting, but also for tool refurbishment and tool management. As a result, LMT supports its customers during their running production as well as during the run off phase for new investments. The Automotive Support Center concentrates the competencies of the LMT Group in cutting materials and precision tools. The technology available includes all the equipment needed for presetting as well as various machine tools for test and demonstration purposes. Connection to the internal broadband network gives the Automotive Support Center direct access to the expertise of other LMT companies and the Engineering Center in Oberkochen.
Dieter Brucklacher, Executive Chairman of the Leitz Group, considers this form of networking a major competitive advantage for LMT: "The two most important trends we are currently observing in the automotive industry are globalization and localization. Globalization is compelling businesses to build networks - not only internally, but also externally - and to form partnerships. Localization, on the other hand, means that businesses have to be in a position to support their partners locally on the spot. That is precisely what we are doing - with the Automotive Support Center - by offering our customers in Detroit a unique platform for the rapid joint development of complete integrated tooling solutions for the production of complex components."
In addition to technical support, the Automotive Support Center also offers solutions in the areas of service and tool management. A complete regrinding unit is available in Auburn Hills for tool refurbishment and modifications. A separate production and service unit has been set up at Onsrud, the North American LMT production company. In addition to its main production activity, especially in the area of tooling for lightweight composite materials, Onsrud is now producing hobs in order to respond quickly to customer production peaks and develop prototype tools. Further, Onsrud is now producing special solid carbide tools for the Automotive industry.
Local production of this kind is a decisive factor for American companies when awarding contracts. Dr. Hans F Grandin, President of LMT North America, is all too aware of that: "Besides comprehensive support, our customers are primarily concerned about two things: quality and availability. Generally, when it comes to quality, products from the LMT Group have a head start. Thanks to the high-speed production facility at Onsrud, we can now provide this quality with short delivery times."
The establishment of a special training center at the Automotive Support Center is another expression of this customer focus. The center is equipped with state-of-the-art training technology and linked to the LMT network. The range of training courses is tailored to employees of automotive and machine-tool manufacturers that want to learn about the latest trends in cutting technology. Practical training is carried out on the test and demonstration installations.
Management is convinced the Group will achieve its ambitious goals. "We at LMT aspire to make the biggest contribution to improvements in our customers' performance," stresses Michael Heinrich, CEO of the LMT Group. "As a unique association of cutting technology specialists, we do not only take responsibility for project management, but also for every step of the tool production process itself. We are confident that American customers will appreciate that kind of service."
With the new Automotive Support Center in Detroit, LMT is offering its customers another central point of contact. As a result, partners in the world's most important automotive market can draw on the entire expertise of the companies within the LMT Group. In turn, these centers will give LMT Group companies joint access to customers in key markets. The establishment of additional Automotive Support Centers with comparable services is thus planned above all in the growth markets of China, India and Brazil.
About LMT
The Leitz Metalworking Technology (LMT) Group consists of six companies, each of which is a leader in its respective technological field. It employs a total of 3,000 people worldwide. Together they produce precision tools for more than 90% of the cutting processes applied in metal and plastics processing. The members of the LMT Group are:
BELIN, France, is a technology leader in the field of high-performance carbide-metal, PCD and CBN reamers and high-precision grooving mills and all-carbide end milling cutters for plastics and aluminum alloys.
BILZ, Germany, operates in the field of tool clamping technology. It is a leading maker of thread-tapping chucks and producer of the ThermoGrip® system for the thermal clamping of revolving tools.
BOEHLERIT, Austria, manufactures cutting materials for metal, composites, plastics and wood as well as carbide metals for non-cutting applications. It has acquired a worldwide reputation for producing the very best carbide metals and tools for lathe turning, milling, drilling and rotary peeling as well as chipless forming.
FETTE, Germany, is acknowledged as an outstanding manufacturer of precision milling and hobbing tools. It offers an extensive range of carbide-metal and high-speed steel tools for metal and plastics processing and for thread-rolling systems and thread-tapping dies.
KIENINGER, Germany, is a world leader in the development and production of special cutting systems for complex boring applications and precision machining in the die and mold sectors as well as for the field of tool- and model-making.
ONSRUD CUTTER, USA, specializes in the production of end-milling cutters for the high-speed machining of aluminum, plastics and composite materials in the aerospace industry.
For more information, visit www.lmtfette.com, or contact LMT-FETTE, INC., 18013 Cleveland Parkway, Suite 180, Cleveland, Ohio 44135, Phone: (800) 225-0852, Fax: (216) 377-0787, E-mail: lmtfette@lmtfette.com
