59, route de Wasserbillig, Mertert: This is the address at which you find the new company in Luxembourg. Our latest subsidiary is located approximately 30 kilometres outside the city of Luxembourg and about 15 kilometres from the German city of Trier. This new domicile is a further milestone on our route to a stronger international focus. After India, Hong Kong and China, the branch in Luxembourg expands the network with our physical presence in the European Union.
Strengthening the team.
Otto Hofstetter Luxemburg S.A. started with a team of six professionals. The core competences of the subsidiary’s specialists are mould design and customer care. All members of the team draw on decades of experience in the PET branch of the industry. After the first six months, entirely positive results are evident to both the parent company and the subsidiary. Stefan Zatti, Sales and Marketing Manager at the headquarters, sees the reason for this in each individual’s vast knowledge of the trade. “Our motivation to integrate this long-established team of PET experts in our enterprise was to increase the capacity and design know-how in a single move, and it is already proving to be a success now.”
Inspiring exchange.
According to Gerhard Weinandy, the fellow workers in Luxembourg are in daily contact with their colleagues in Uznach. “At the outset we went through a three-week training and familiarisation programme. In the meantime we meet regularly for an exchange of views either in Uznach or here in Mertert.” The designers in his team are on excellent terms with their workmates at the headquarters. “Our new colleagues in Luxembourg contribute many ideas for new solutions and suggestions to further improve the technology of Otto Hofstetter AG,” adds Stefan Zatti. For him, a new era has started. For example, the Luxembourg team has already developed a first side-entry mould for an Otto Systems system. It will be delivered to the customer in May. Apart from this, discussions are under way for further optimisations of the existing moulds of Otto Hofstetter AG. Gerhard Weinandy adds: “My colleagues and I are fully booked with customer and internal projects for the months ahead.”
Partners at eye level.
Some months ago, a situation occurred which he didn’t dare dreaming of: “When we had to look for a new employer, we regarded Otto Hofstetter AG as our ideal partner right from the beginning. With the PET branch so easy to have an overview of, we knew both the moulds and the company behind them already for a long time.” The short decision paths and the parallels as regards technology and quality accelerated the advances considerably. Moreover, the management in Switzerland never questioned our location, which made the project a perfect solution for Gerhard Weinandy and his colleagues. It marked the start of a new phase. “Since we now design moulds for different platforms, our job is much more varied and the opportunities to contribute our specialist knowledge are much greater.”
Stronger in the EU.
In Stefan Zatti’s view, the four experienced mould designers are not the only big plus of the new subsidiary in Luxembourg. “The new location is right in the middle of very important markets to Otto Hofstetter AG. This means we are even closer to our numerous customers in the Benelux countries, in France and in Germany.” In Gerhard Weinandy we have also gained an experienced man for the sales team who benefits from a broad network in the PET trade and a good reputation. “Anyone striving for success these days has to be flexible and solution-oriented, and maintain close contact with the customers.” It is clear to Stefan Zatti that Otto Hofstetter AG can meet these requirements even better with the subsidiary in Luxembourg.
A wider spectrum of products.
When it comes to design and technology, the engineering team in Uznach and the new colleagues in Mertert operate at the same level. “Of course, the newcomers had to come to grips with the world of Otto Hofstetter AG first, with which they weren’t familiar yet. But with more than twenty years of experience with PET, it didn’t take them long.” To Stefan Zatti, the high level of technical competence is a perfect bridge in all areas of the business. The fact that the plates and many other parts of the moulds are made at the company’s own works in Uznach was new to the Luxembourg designers. Gerhard Weinandy sees important pluses for the customers in this. “Without question, the quality is better than it would be if the parts were bought in. The subcontractor produces according to drawings, but is familiar with neither the whole mould nor the individual functions. Moreover, the entire mould manufacturing process is better controlled, which in turn is beneficial to the quality and production time.”
Access to new talents.
If everything progresses as planned, the management of Otto Hofstetter AG intends to expand the Luxembourg location in the medium term. “We can imagine making our Mertert subsidiary a place to train young mould designers in one to two years’ time.” Until this materialises, trainee designers from Uznach will join Gerhard Weinandy and his team for several weeks at a time. “This gives the up-and-coming mould
designers a good insight into mould making outside the Otto Hofstetter AG world already during their training. A world which, as we all know, is not unimportant in the market.”
More platforms, more possibilities.
To Stefan Zatti, member of the management of Otto Hofstetter AG, the objectives for Otto Hofstetter Luxemburg S.A. are clear: “In the market, nobody will notice whether a mould was designed in Switzerland or in Luxembourg.” Moreover, all our moulds continue to be made and tested at the works in Uznach, from where they are delivered. “The ability to engineer moulds for different machine platforms leads to countless opportunities.” Gerhard Weinandy is convinced that the growing industries in Poland, Russia and the Baltic States, as well as the increasing interest of leading enterprises in cooperating with several partners, will result in attractive prospects.
Strengthened for the future.
Gerhard Weinandy and Stefan Zatti agree: “If the integration continues as smoothly as it has gone so far, the new subsidiary in Luxembourg can look forward to a great future.” For the crew in Mertert, the prospects are even better. “After a phase of uncertainty we are happy, firstly, to have been received so openly and in such a friendly manner by our colleagues in Uznach. Secondly, we are delighted to have found in Otto Hofstetter AG an employer who gives us and our families long-term perspectives again, and thirdly, we appreciate that we can offer our know-how to a company with which we have good chances of mutual growth.”
Otto Hofstetter Luxemburg S.A.
59, route de Wasserbillig, L-6686 Mertert
Phone +352 (0)28 83 94 00
