Following investments of some EUR 36 million in a 13-month building project, GF Automotive’s largest iron foundry in Mettmann, Germany, now boasts one of the world’s most modern manufacturing facilities. The plant’s efficient and resource-sparing production is instrumental in meeting the steadily growing demand for light metal parts in the automotive industry.
The new production line – known as Aeration Moulding Robotpouring or AMR – caters to the trend towards light weight construction and is unique in this form. The new plant has a capacity of up to 60,000 tons of nodular cast iron – total production capacity in Mettmann is around 200,000 tons – and can manufacture cast parts that are exceptionally fine-featured and thus light weight.
Yves Serra, CEO of Georg Fischer, says: “The new, highly automated and very much eco-friendly manufacturing line yet again substantially boosts product quality and replaces two older facilities, thus decisively enhancing our competitiveness.”
With more than 20 robots doing the heavy work, the high level of automation relieves employees of the workload strain. The new production facility is also a benchmark in terms of energy efficiency. The built-in heat recovery system uses waste heat to warm up the production building, while state-of-the-art electro motors reduce energy consumption by more than 40 percent.
