Mr. Schauland, you have been responsible for production in the entire CHIRON Group since May 2019. What areas are included in this and how many employees work in Production currently?

As well as the final assembly, Production also includes pre-manufacturing – pre-assembly of individual modules and mechanical machining. Also, commissioned designed, preparation of drawings, parts lists, plans and control programs, considering specific customer specifications. Plus, of course, production control and work preparation. All in all, we employ around 300 colleagues in these areas. My area of responsibility also includes factory process planning and preparing for infrastructure investments.

The restructuring and reorganization of the CHIRON Group at the end of last year saw Production moved to the Neuhausen ob Eck location. What exactly does that mean for you?

Concentrating our resources here is really about concentrating on the final assembly of the machining centers and the milling-turning-centers. Since January 2021, that’s all happening in Neuhausen, under the best possible conditions at the CHIRON Group Precision Factory. If we need to, we can also fall back on the entire factory structure, we have »breathing halls« which also have great conditions. Pre-production for both the CHIRON and STAMA brands takes place at the main site in Tuttlingen and in Neuhausen.

You mentioned the factory planning. The Precision Factory was planned for the machining centers of the new series. The changed in use for the current CHIRON Group Precision Factory must have required some serious rethinking?

Yes, we completely re-planned the Neuhausen site and fully reorganized the assembly area. For two reasons: firstly, to integrate the production of STAMA machines from Schlierbach. Secondly, to take account of current market requirements and to be able to act more flexibly. Both in terms of throughput times and in terms of which series are in demand in which markets. In other words, the order structure can be one thing today and something completely different in a month's time. We have to be able to map this accordingly.

How is the Precision Factory organized now? There was a variety of series to bring under one roof. Is there one section for STAMA and another for CHIRON?

That wouldn’t make a lot of sense in terms of complete integration of the STAMA manufacturing. As I said, we want flexible and efficient use along the entire order structure, and, where possible, to work at maximum capacity. Only then can our customers fully appreciate the positive effects of the ultra-modern halls. That’s why we defined a line structure. We use the »Cluster« or »Fixed place« assembly concept as the basis for allocating the series to the current six lines. We also consider the complexity, dimensions and the lead time of machines. A STAMA MT 733 or the new CHIRON MT 715– with an installation area of approx. 25 m² – can’t just be shifted to the next station, it has to be assembled in a fixed place. For example, we organize one line using the Cluster concept, with the 08 and 12 Series assembled in a transfer line. The immediate neighbors are the precision⁺ models, which are more complex. 

A direct question now. What advantages does manufacturing in the CHIRON Group Precision Factory offer customers, what is the added value?

It’s quite simple. If we manufacture all machines in the optimum environment with the best processes, under reproducible conditions, we give our customers the optimum machines for their uses. A constant temperature is particularly important for this. We don’t have seasons here; no icy temperatures or sweltering summer days, it’s always the comfortable 23 degrees required for maximum precision. Centralized logistics, material preparation and good crane capacity also contribute to us being able to fill our halls well, and thus to fully utilize our capacity.

Of course, certain expertise are required so that the advantages you’ve mentioned come to fruition. These expertise were also transferred from Schlierbach to Neuhausen. How was that?

Since January, our subject experts have been fully integrated into the team here at Schlierbach, guiding them in the particularities of manufacturing and assembling the STAMA machines and ensuring that the often-very-complex assembly processes here go smoothly. For pre-processing in Tuttlingen, we took over systems from the STAMA machine park. We use these to produce both parts for machine production and spare parts. By the way, customers with STAMA machines can also continue to rely on the best service, just as before.

Flexibility is the name of the game. Is that just true for configuring the assembly lines, or for employees too?

It’s a good motto. Our goal is to have employees at the site with the widest possible range of qualifications. It doesn’t make any sense to have someone who is an expert in the 08 Series  when there are no machines to assemble at the moment. That’s why we really rehearsed and established the change over the last few months. However, we make sure that special qualifications are also used accordingly.

The original plan for the Precision Factory assumed around 400 machines a year, has that changed too?

Of course. If we are fully flexible, it doesn’t make much sense to have a fixed figure as a target since the lead times differ greatly. In 2019 and 2020, the incoming orders were lower than the previous years, and so we still had capacity to spare. Today, we’re pleased to say that the Precision Factory is working at capacity as planned; even our additional space is occupied.

Earlier, you mentioned the large machining and milling-turning centers were hard to relocate. How do you handle the turnkey projects, which was separate up until now?

Sure, but that has changed. Since this year, we are carrying out the turnkey projects, including test machining, also in Neuhausen. Here, we assemble, build, equip using automation, install the software, start up and complete administration – the full program. We can also complete the final inspection. Customers can come by – when the COVID-19 guidelines permit – and see for themselves how precision is born. We actually encourage this and are always happy to receive visitors!

Mr. Schauland, thank you for the interview and may the CHIRON Group Precision Factory always be working at capacity.

What are the plans for the Schlierbach location? How are you designing the future here?

We are focusing on sales and service. The CHIRON Group has established a new sales structure into which we can incorporate our expertise, especially in turnkey solutions. We’re chasing one target across all brands, achieving the best possible customer satisfaction with our innovative products. Whether by focusing on »Seconds ahead« or »Excellence in Manufacturing«, we’re making sure our customers have our full attention for their current and future requirements.

What is your message to CHIRON Group customers?

When it comes to collaboration, I’d like to reiterate the motto from the International Sales & Service Meeting in March, it captures my sentiment perfectly: Together connected – for tomorrow.

What can the Group learn from the start-up character of CHIRON Swiss?

Our structure is small, agile and digital. The entire organization of the company, as well as our work with our customers, is based on an online platform where everyone is »in one place«. This helps us to be reactive and have full control of the entire value chain. If this digital positioning were to also be successfully established in the CHIRON Group, it could significantly boost our competitive advantage, in my opinion.

What are your goals for the next five years?

We’re currently working with our brand-new product, the Feed5 handling system, and soon will be releasing the Stock5 palletizing system; both of these are perfect expansions to our Micro5 machining center. Between them, they create a LEAN and autonomous production line. One of our focal points for the next few years is solutions with artificial intelligence, to optimize production processes. You could say we’re planning a digital industrial revolution. We’re also looking to break into new markets, including Europe, China and the USA.

What opportunities does retrofitting offer, firstly to the customer, but also for the CHIRON Group itself? What are the biggest advantages in your opinion?

For our customers, purchasing a machining center on which we have collaborated to make it future-ready, has multiple advantages. For example, short delivery times, top performance at an attractive price and also the possibility to break into the world of quality manufacturing on a limited budget, thanks to the CHIRON Group machines. And, as is ever-more important, retrofitting conserves resources. The longer a machining center is in use, the more sustainable it is.

And in your private life do you prefer buying new or up-cycling?

It really depends on what I need a product for and how long the lifecycle of said product is. It depends on my needs and the situation. But I do take care to only buy things I really need or that I will really like for years to come. I think it’s very positive that we, the CHIRON Group, can offer our customers the option of purchasing new machines and up-cycling their machining centers, or even purchasing a retrofitted system from our inventory.

Established in 2011, Bengaluru-based CHIRON India supports customers in every industrial metropolis in the seventh largest country on Earth. The Indian office is a mere (by Indian standards) 850 km away from Pune, around 1,000 km from Mumbai, 1,500 km away from Ahmedabad, and over 2,000 km from New Delhi. »To make sure we can provide support quickly«, explains Managing Director Rajesh Ghashi, »our service engineers are only ever a phone call away. If it's too far to go by car, we simply hop on a plane and are by our customer's side in no time at all. We have very well trained and fully equipped service engineers in every region so we can give our customers the best possible support around the clock«.

CHIRON Group is the »Best Brand in Metal Cutting«
Nevertheless, there was a major accolade in store: The Economic Times, a leading financial newspaper in India, gives »Best Brand Awards« to companies and brands in different sectors each year. This year, the CHIRON Group won the coveted prize in the Metal Cutting category for the first time. The winners are chosen not only by the Economic Times, but also by the renowned market research institute BDB India Pvt Ltd and Breakthrough Management Group International (BMGI), a pioneer in innovation, process management, and Lean Six Sigma.

The prizes were awarded at the ITC Gardenia luxury hotel in Bengaluru on February 25, 2021. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, only the prize-winners attended, but the event was live streamed on the newspaper's website.

Plus there is another accolade to celebrate: »Industry Outlook« magazine has listed CHIRON Group in its top 10 CNC machine manufacturers in India.

Things to see and do in and around Bengaluru

Bengaluru is the largest city in the Indian state of Karnataka in the South-West of the subcontinent. With a population of roughly 12 million, Bengaluru is the third-largest city in India after Mumbai and Delhi, and is known as the »Garden City« because of its numerous parks. It is the center of the aviation and aerospace industry and Indian space research and has been considered the »Indian Silicon Valley« for a number of years. All major international companies have software developed here in large technology parks. Another rapidly growing sector is biotechnology; more than 100 of the 240 Indian companies in this field are headquartered in Bengaluru. The city has a large, Western-oriented range of shopping and leisure opportunities and a thriving nightlife. Especially popular are craft beer bars and pubs, which have earned Bengaluru the nickname »Beer Capital of India«.

Food & drink
Given the fact that India is huge, its cuisine is very varied...