Issue 2/2005
03/02/05
Elevator components and systems for use by people today and tomorrow
Restructuring in Wiedenzhausen
The changes undertaken at Wittur, the components supplier located in Wiedenzhausen, Germany, have been followed closely by the elevator industry over the past 15 months. In January of 2005 the Lift-Report editorial staff had a highly informative discussion with executives at the Wittur AG, Peter Grimm and Michael Lencik, and with Wolfgang Adldinger, technical manager for elevator systems, standards and certification, Norbert Märkl, business manager, and Harald Bohnenstengel, sales manager at Wittur K+S GmbH in Wiedenzhausen.
Norbert Märkl, Wolfgang Adldinger, Michael Lencik,
Peter Grimm, Harald Bohnenstengel, Dr. Peter Lauer
Category: Issue 2/2005
Posted by: Editor
After company founder Horst Wittur withdrew from active participation in February of 2004 it became necessary for the firm to develop a new and future-oriented direction and to define new objectives. The management of the firm was spread across several shoulders and the restructuring of the corporate group was launched.
Triggered by a troublesome investment in the USA and responding to the changed demands of the elevator market in Europe and overseas, along with the firm’s overly broad range of activities, the consequences were realized in 2003 and the require reorganization of the company was started. In these efforts it was necessary to concentrate on core competencies and simplifying operative procedures.
Wittur K+S GmbH, formerly a member of the Wittur AG holding company, which had been founded in 1999 was spun off together with its 47 employees. It now works, as was the case in earlier years, as an independent sales unit for elevator components and systems. Only the special steel engineering operations remain in Wiedenzhausen; otherwise manufacturing was shifted to Wittur Scheibbs. A more slender, process-oriented organization and flat hierarchies are ultimately to result in optimized performance.
In touring the site, Lift-Report was able to review all the many and varied activities carried out at Wittur K+S GmbH. There is a test tower available on the site where new products and elevator systems can be tested and further developed.
A drive in the Wittur K+S GmbH test tower
New orientation
Concentration on core business has resulted in far-reaching changes within the group. This makes for both savings and, at the same time, optimizations in customer orientation. This is also a result of changes in administering the group members all around the world. Global deliveries continue to be one of the objectives of the new group.
The core business centers on doors, cars, steel engineering and safety components, gearless drives and complete systems in both traction and hydraulic designs for elevators with and without a separate machine room. The fields of drives, hydraulics and electronics have been spun off and these components are purchased from leading manufacturers. The industry’s changed expectations made it clear that it is virtually impossible to be among the leading manufacturers in every technology. That is why the product lines will be reduced.
A committee made up of employees from various operating sites was established to identify synergies in the individual production locations, thus making savings possible. Forming joint “purchasing cooperatives” and centralizing individual business units are examples for modifications planned within the Wittur Group. Also being sought is a closer connection between sales and production activities in order to offer customers even faster delivery of the desired products, world-wide. To achieve successful implementation of these ambitious plans, however, it will be essential for each and every employ to understand the necessity and show the willingness needed to embark on new paths.
Touring the company
Core competencies at the Wittur Group
The Wittur Group produces doors and components for doors at a total of eight operating sites around the world. The production figures are quite impressive: 360,000 hoistway door mechanisms and 80,000 car door actuators are manufactured annually. The line of doors includes standard models, high-performance designs, fire-certified hoistway doors, doors for freight elevators up to a maximum of 5 m x 5 m in size, and special-design doors for panorama lifts. The photoelectric sensor systems either installed in a stationary position at the cab or simply mounted in the door panels offer safe and sure door monitoring at widths of up to 3 m, without need of an external control unit.
Complete Wittur cars are manufactured at six locations. The range begins with standard cars and includes glazed models, circular cars and everything right down to custom designs.
The Safety Division markets both individual components and complete systems. Its products are manufactured at five locations around the world.
The gearless drives for the Wittur Group are developed and produced at SAD in Dresden. These drives are distinguished by extremely quiet running, high efficiency at great loads and, at the same time, compact dimensions. About 900 are sold each year.
Of special interest here in the superior witty 2 drive, a gearless system with double rope wrap and a diverter pulley which is located right at the drive unit. This drive is the heart of the MRL-W1 machine-roomless elevator system. Here it was possible to realize small rope, sheave and pulley diameters, making for space-saving installation between the counterweight and car rails at the head of the shaft.
The Wittur Group can certainly use all the good wishes and hopes for success along a path which is sure to be rocky and which the company will have to cover to reach successful reorganization.
The company’s core business
2/2005
