6 INDUSTRY NEWS
FOUNDATION STONE CEREMONY FOR NEW MOTOR PLANT MENZEL ELEKTROMOTOREN HAS launched the construction of its new plant in Hennigsdorf on the outskirts of Berlin with the laying of a foundation stone on 11 June 2022. More than 200 guests and employees attended the celebrations. The new, purpose-built headquarters will be erected on a 24,000 m² plot. All administrative and production workplaces are to be relocated by January 2024. When complete, the new motor plant with an effective floor space of 8,500 m² will increase the manufacturer's production capacities, allow the expansion of the workforce and earn significant efficiency gains through an optimised floor plan. The production area of about 3,800 m² will accommodate the assembly, metal processing, fabrication and winding workshops, paint shops and three state-
of-the-art test fields. In addition, there will be roomy offices, logistics zones and storage areas. The spacious property allows for future expansions and is easy to reach via public transport, motorway or the Berlin Brandenburg International Airport. The move heralds a new era for the motor company, which was founded in 1927. Under the management of Mathis Menzel, the third generation to lead the family business, Menzel has experienced significant growth in recent years. The new building allows for a streamlined and ergonomic layout for all production processes and a higher throughput.
Crane capacities will be significantly increased to meet the demand for everlarger motor systems from customers in all industries. New test fields will also be larger to allow for future expansion of the company's testing services.
RECRUITMENT DRIVE TO SUPPORT EXPANSION ELECTRO-WIND, WHICH HAS BEEN designing and manufacturing single and three phase transformer products for customers in the UK, Europe, and Global Markets over the past 40 years, is looking for staff to support the company’s continued expansion. As a second-generation family owned and operated company, over the past couple of years Electro-Wind has seen exponential growth, with both standard and custom-built products proving to be in demand. A shortage of materials in the general marketplace has boosted its UK manufacturing base and the company has expanded its premises to be based over the two sites. With an ongoing recruitment campaign in place, Electro-Wind’s director, Rachel
Stanley-Cooper, commented: “We are continually looking for candidates that are passionate and committed to working in an established company with forward thinking values to sustain our growth and for succession planning and promotion. “With a very low staff turnover, many of the long-established team members have worked for the company for over 20 years, however the business has expanded dramatically over the past few years with the addition of many new recruits.” The most recent recruit to the business
is Jeff Roberts who has joined the sales team. With a strong background in the electrical distribution and wholesale markets he has had many years direct experience within the electrical industry. Demand for custom built, British made products seems to be higher than ever and the drive to sustain growth and invest in staff is an ongoing priority for Electro-Wind.
ERIKS APPOINTED AS CERTIFIED SKF GEARBOX REBUILDER
ERIKS, THE SPECIALISED INDUSTRIAL service provider, has been appointed by SKF as a Certified Gearbox Rebuilder. Gearboxes are used throughout industry, with the majority of gearbox failures being caused by worn, damaged or incorrectly specified bearings and seals. The SKF Certified Gearbox Rebuilder programme has been introduced to help accredited specialists analyse and identify the root cause of faults, and then to carry out the correct Quarter 3 2022
level of repairs using approved procedures and parts. Peter Townsend at ERIKS explained: “We’ve been rebuilding and refurbishing gearboxes since 1982 and have always used the most advanced and highest quality components. The new SKF certification now provides independent recognition that our engineering processes, dismantling, mounting, assembly and inspection systems, plus the skills and knowledge of our production
teams comply with the highest standards.” ERIKS’ gearbox engineering teams have received extensive training from experts at SKF. They will also routinely be reassessed and given ongoing access to SKF’s bearing applications and knowledge database. This will enable ERIKS’ engineers to ensure that new techniques for bearing failure analysis, together with the latest developments in technology can be deployed as quickly as possible to minimise gearbox downtime. www.theaemt.com
