PROJECTS

Quick takeover of 14 moulds for ATAG
Lichtenvoorde - Meanwhile the effects of the company's bankruptcy still reverberate and not least among the company's customers. Customers of bankrupt companies are often abruptly confronted with insurmountable problems. In the worst case, one's own production is prevented, as the supply of essential parts suddenly ceases. A similar problem caused by the bankruptcy of a synthetic injection-moulding company threatened ATAG Verwarming Nederland BV. By responding quickly to "market signals", ATAG was able to prevent its own production lines from seizing up.

"Your own production is you're first concern"
Mr Jan-Pieter Kuenenger of ATAG Purchasing Department points to the summer of 2003 when the news of bankruptcy first reached him. "However unpleasant such news is for all concerned, you immediately think about one's own production. In this case, that of ATAG Blauwe Engel II. Of course, this production had to continue. It's true that the news of the bankruptcy did not come as a bolt from the blue. We had luckily run extra production runs and could therefore continue. But I did phone Timmerije immediately, a company that has worked for us for years. The questions they were asked were whether they could take on 14 moulds and whether they could in a manner of speaking start production the same day". The Account Manager at Timmerije: "You swallow hard. It was in the middle of the holiday period, so that made it extra awkward. Because you cannot set to work with 14 "strange" moulds just like that. Each injection-moulder has its own machines, techniques and systems, so you have to adjust to each mould".

First test products within 14 days
According to Jan-Pieter Kuenenger, the whole process proceeded satisfactorily. "Within 14 days, we could already see the results of the first test runs. The products, for which "inmould decoration" was applied at the previous supplier, came somewhat later. For these products, "inmould labelling" was chosen in consultation with Timmerije. This technique is more flexible and can be used to make smaller numbers. All in all, the plans that were made went smoothly. In fact, nobody noticed anything unusual in our production. I look back with great satisfaction", said Kuenenger.

ATAG, Head start through High-output Technology
ATAG Verwarming Nederland BV is a manufacturer and supplier of high-quality heating equipment and solar power systems. ATAG serves both the consumer and the business market. Besides the Netherlands, the equipment is sold in many European countries. The ATAG head office is located in Lichtenvoorde in Gelderland. ATAG wants to be an innovator in technology, performance and design with a strong accent on High-output Technology.