Welding, joining and fastening
Hubert Rautenstrauch takes that analysis
would be a benefit for the company. This is
one step further.
what we see more and more now but they
“Automotive producers are trying to reduce
are starting slowly.”
assembly times – they are not reducing the
number of fixing points on a car but the
Customers and markets
number of screwing points,” he says. “That
“Our turnover last year was 48 million euros,
simplifies assembly and reduces assembly
which represents an 8% increase on the year
time but does not reduce the number of fas-
before,” Vieth confirms to ISMR. “We attribute
teners. We see that as potential for us also. In
this partly to new applications that we found
essence, you don’t just have to think about
with our customers and new car launches. We
a particular sheet metal part but the entire
expect a further increase of turnover this year
assembly operation and other sheet metal
of around 5% (depending upon the develop-
parts that might be affected by a single part.”
ment of the automotive market in general).
“Our largest market is Germany (highest
A hinge fastening
quantity of cars manufactured in Europe is in
Germany), then France, UK, Spain, Italy etc.
It is our aim to be closer to the customer and
adapt ourselves to speaking their language
using local people.”
Profil also supplies emerging automotive
markets in a number of countries in central and
eastern Europe and has a partner in Asia (a sister
company working with the same kind of tech-
nology), as well as representatives in Korea.
“Our current market focus lies on eastern
Europe i.e. Russia, Czech Republic (already
The automotive industry is starting to take
developed), Poland and Slovakia” says Vieth.
on board these general ideas and concepts
“It is more of a question now of how the
from other areas to fully understand the con-
Russian market will develop and we need to
cept of a car as a whole and not just the sum
analyse that. We also need to see what hap-
of its separate parts. This has significantly
pens in Romania and Bulgaria – these coun-
influenced car design.
tries intend to join the European Union. Our
“Five years ago, no electrical sensor spe-
focus lies more on these developing countries
cialist from an automotive OEM would
because the need to reduce labour costs is
ever talk to someone from Body-in-White,”
much higher here than in less developed
Rautenstrauch adds. “If they talked, they
countries where there is a lot of cheap labour.
would find a fixing solution that might
This is where the 30% benefit can apply.”
require modifications for both but, overall,
Eastern and Asian markets are increasing
22 May/June 2007 International Sheet Metal Review
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