www.hydroforming.net - Homepage
Schedule
Fischer Group buys HDE SOLUTIONS
International manufacturer of stainless steel tubing takes over leading European hydroforming supplier – “a sensible and strategic enhancement of the existing product portfolio”
Achern/Menden, 2 October 2007. The Fischer Group, one of the world’s leading suppliers of stainless steel tubing, has acquired hydroforming specialist HDE SOLUTIONS GmbH. The takeover of HDE means that the Fischer Group has become one of the world’s leading suppliers of hydroforming parts overnight. The Fischer Group is headquartered in Achern, located in the Baden region, while HDE is based in the town of Menden, which is located in the Sauerland region.
“The acquisition of HDE SOLUTIONS is a highly sensible strategic enhancement of our existing product portfolio and a logical step on our path to becoming a multi-tiered supplier of high-quality metal components” according to Hans Fischer, founder and managing partner at Fischer Group. “In terms of sector orientation, product portfolio and management culture, HDE fits in perfectly with our corporate group.“ Both companies produce mainly for the international automotive industry. The Fischer Group ranks among the most important suppliers of HDE but had already established its own hydroforming capabilities. Both parties agreed that the purchase price would not be disclosed.
The Fischer Group employs 1,350 staff worldwide and is one of the main suppliers of stainless steel tubing for the automotive industry and other key sectors. The company was founded in 1969 by Hans Fischer and owns production facilities and plants in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Austria, South Africa and China.
HDE SOLUTIONS was created in 2002 after a management buyout at HDE Metallwerk GmbH, which was founded in 1817. The majority shareholders were three members of the management under the leadership of Managing Director Tom Graf. In addition, the group of partners included three investment funds. In the following years, HDE emerged as Europe’s leading supplier of internal high pressure forming (IHPF) components. The company has also operated a production facility in Chemnitz since 2005, thereby further expanding its capacity. Turnover doubled within a few years to reach approximately 45 million euros in 2006.
85 to 90 per cent of HDE SOLUTIONS’ main buyers comprise well-known manufacturers and suppliers (tier 1) from the international automotive industry, followed by heating and air-conditioning technology, mechanical engineering and apparatus engineering as well as the aerospace industry. Our customers include VW, Boysen, faurecia, Buderus, Eberspächer, Wahler, KTM and Valeo, to mention just a few. HDE currently employs around 240 staff at both locations.
After the takeover, Hans Fischer will join Tom Graf on the Management Board. Stefan Geißler, who will continue to oversee Research and Development, is also to become a Board member. There are no plans for layoffs, closures or relocations of production facilities at HDE as a result of the takeover.
Vari-Form Acquired by Sun Capital Partners
Automotive Component Supplier Vari-Form Acquired by Sun Capital Partners Mar 12, 2007
Warren, MI – Vari-Form, one of the world’s largest producers of hydroformed structural components for the automotive industry, announced that the company has been acquired from parent-company TI Automotive as a part of the acquisition of TI Automotive’s Industrial Group by a key affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc.
Stephen Dow, President, Vari-Form said: “The resources of Sun Capital Partners will further strengthen Vari-Form’s leadership position in the metal forming industry as we continue to focus on the advanced technology that our automotive customers need.”
Vari-Form’s patented Pressure Sequence Hydroforming (PSH) process has produced over 50 million parts worldwide since 1990, including front-end structures, roof rails, and other components. Vari-Form’s process out-performs traditional stamping and conventional hydroforming in many applications where part design is complex. Fewer component sections to assemble, reduced part weight with improved structural integrity, and better dimensional control are among the benefits.
Vari-Form has won numerous consecutive-year contracts and awards for supplier excellence from its OEM and Tier One customers. The company operates sales offices in Michigan and Japan, and manufacturing facilities in Strathroy, Ontario and Reynosa, Mexico. For additional information about Vari-Form, see www.vari-form.com
Hyundai Hysco Hydroforming
Hyundai Hysco starts to enter to Asian market with hydroforming technology
Change the market circumference. Car production in Asia is occupied approximately 34% of global market share. Hyundai-Kia motor group has dramatically progressed in the car industry based on best quality policy since Korean government had to request for liquidity provision from International monetary fund(IMF) in 1997 because exchange rate gave Korean companies more cost merit in the world market. So, at the period, turnover of Hyundai-Kia motor group was sharply boosted so that the company was able to focus on quality issues. This progress is directly influent on its subsidiary company that had to modify their philosophy from quantity base to quality based organization. In addition to this market circumference, light-weight vehicle is the major trend of OEM car makers with regard to demands for fuel efficient vehicle and environmental standards.
Hyundai Hysco expends its hydroforming business Hyundai Hysco is one of the steel makers of Hyundai-Kia motor group which has mainly produced steel pipe for 30 years. Nowadays, Hyundai Hysco has expended its business field to automotive parts such as cold roll, TWB and Hydroforming complying with light- weight vehicle, cost reduction and dimensional precise in order to satisfy customer's needs.
The hydroforming Investment of Hyundai Hysco is as follows:
1) At the end of 1990s: Fundamental survey (material property, tube making technology, testing experiment for forming simulation, bench marking, etc.)
2) Nov. 2003 : Launched the first line of engine cradle for van(fully automated hydroforming line with 5000ton press, supply 200,000pcs per year)
3) Sep. 2005 : Launched the second line of engine cradle for compact passenger car (fully automated hydroforming line with 5000ton press, supply 800,000pcs per year)
4) Until 2008: Launched 4 more lines of engine cradle, chassis frame, A-pillar, side member, electronic applications, etc.
To make sure this achievement, Hyundai Hysco has continuously invested fundamental experiment, FE simulation and trained a majority of design/process engineers at the advanced company in Germany, Japan and USA as well as its facility. Furthermore, Hyundai Hysco is pushing its R&D ability to develop High Strength Steel hydroforming and light-weight material (Al, Mg Alloy) as well as under 45Kgf material hydroforming. - Hyundai Hysco is becoming No.1 supplier of hydroforming part in Asian market. Hyundai Hysco's business field with hydroforming technology is as follows:
1) Engine cradle(for Van, Passenger car)
2) Chassis frame side member(for SUV, Truck)
3) BIW(A-pillar, Roof rack)
4) Engine system(Exhaust manifold, Cam shaft)
5) Electric application(Range, refrigerator handle)
6) Sheet hydroforming development with light-weight material such as Al, MG Alloy.
To supply these parts, Hyundai Hysco is planning to install 4 more production lines (totally 6 lines) until 2008, which consist of from 2000ton small capacity presses to 10,000ton big capacity presses so that it will be able to produce 1,800,000 parts per year. It means that the company will make sure that the No.1 supplier of hydroforming part in Asian market after finishing its business plan. It can be explained not only Hyundai hysco’s business plan but also Hyundai-Kia motor group's global marketing.
Question about this article
Hyundai Hysco Ulsan works
R&D Institute Team Leader
Yun-Gyu Kim
Tel) 82-52-280-0387
Fax) 82-52-287-7800
Hyundai Hysco Ulsan works
R&D Institute Researcher
Dong-Hak Kim
Tel) 82-52-280-0322
Fax) 82-52-287-7800
Last Update: 22.10.2007
