Advanced manufacturing – now!

Advanced manufacturing – now: Under this promising motto, the CHIRON Group invites to the OPEN HOUSE in Tuttlingen, Germany from May 10 to 12. The three days of the event are dedicated to pioneering manufacturing processes that perfectly match your specifications, products and industry.

It all starts in just a few days – and our preparations are almost done: The machining centers and automation solutions in the application hall are ready, and the screens for live broadcasts from the machine room are prepared. Trines and podiums are stocked with machining examples, presentations and lectures are being given their finishing touches, and the »Hirsch Wurmlinger beer« is in the cooler with the other refreshments. In short: We are more than ready for your visit!

What awaits you? As always, a whole lot! We will bring this year's exhibition motto to life for you with exemplary machining processes for Automotive, Medical Technology, Aerospace, Precision Technology, Tool Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering. For example, the unit-cost-optimized machining of e-motor housings with the new DZ 22 S mill turn system 8, the complete machining of a hub with the MT 715 two+ or the high-precision production of a dental workpiece with the Micro5. 

Resource-saving refurbishment solutions, real added value with the SmartLine systems and SmartServices digital services, even more efficient processes with complete automation expertise. You can also obtain information and advice on this subjects from the experts in their respective fields of expertise at the topic islands.

Whatever is on your agenda: Your contact person will be personally available for you, will take you on an »exclusive tour« and can provide you with specific information on your focus topics. The accompanying exhibition with 26 quality partners will also provide inspiration for your manufacturing practice today and in the future. And the lecture program: Automation without limits, mill-turning for e-mobility, friction stir welding perfected – these are just a few of the lectures which will be given on the days dedicated to the themes »competent & smart« and »innovative & sustainable«.

Come and see for yourself: A visit to the industry meeting point 2023 will be worthwhile!

All of the highlights, topics and dates of the event program and your registration, as well as the relaxed  »Get together after work«? It's only a click away!

Look back on the OPEN HOUSE 2022

News from the CHIRON Group

A few months have passed since the last speedfactor has been issued, so there is a lot of news to report. Now all wrapped up for your convenience in our newsticker. To find out more about any topic, you can go straight to the magazine or follow the relevant links.

read time: 13 min read this article on one page

+++ CHIRON Group management team complete again +++
As of May 1, Markus Unterstein will take over the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). For his future tasks, the graduate in business administration brings almost 20 years of experience as a CFO. For the last eleven years, he was CFO at the internationally operating HAWE Hydraulik SE, headquartered in Munich, Germany. »I am delighted that with Markus Unterstein we have been able to recruit an outstanding financial expert who brings with him extensive management experience from his many years of working in family businesses with a technical focus,« said Dr. Armin Schmiedeberg, Chairman of the Board of Directors. For Markus Unterstein, »above all, the technically sophisticated products and the global orientation of the company were key factors in my decision to join the CHIRON Group«.

+++ Welcome, Greidenweis! +++
Since January 2022, Greidenweis GmbH, based in Spaichingen, Germany has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CHIRON Group. Greidenweis is a quality system partner for the automotive industry, developing and constructing machines and systems for laminating, joining and bonding interior compartment components, from the gear lever knob to the roofliner and dashboard. The company continues to manage and develop these business areas independently under the leadership of Michael Greidenweis. In the brand network of the CHIRON Group, GREIDENWEIS represents holistic automation solutions that extend our service portfolio in this area of expertise. With integration from Greidenweis, machining, assembly and manufacturing processes can now be made even more efficient with innovative automation solutions and combined expertise.

Where are the focal points in each case, and how do the areas of expertise complement each other? More on this from Michael Greidenweis and Thomas Marquardt in the article »On the same wavelength«.  

+++ Bok, CHIRON Croatia! +++
Hi HSTEC, hi CHIRON Croatia! Since August 1, 2022, the CHIRON Group has a new brand for high-speed motor spindles, clamping devices and spindle services in its portfolio. And with CHIRON Croatia, under the management of Mladen Šarlija, a new location with over 100 employees. This means that the CHIRON Group is now present in Eastern Europe with another company of its own, can serve customers in the region even better, and is successively developing the location in Zadar on the Dalmatian coast. By the end of the year, the number of employees is expected to grow by around 20 percent, and construction work on a new production hall with around 1,000 square meters is scheduled to start as early as mid-2023. The new hall is equipped with a photovoltaic system on the roof – another step of the CHIRON Group towards climate neutrality by 2025. You can find out more about the new HSTEC brand here.

+++ Good luck, CHIRON Swiss! +++
And of course, »Bonne chance« and »Viel Erfolg!« to Isérables, Switzerland to the entire team and CEO Samuel Vuadens. For the new tasks as a now fully-fledged sales and service company for the entire product portfolio of the CHIRON Group in the Swiss market. For this purpose, CHIRON Swiss has already hired new employees for the best consulting and comprehensive services, and more will follow in the course of the year. Good luck also in developing innovative FACTORY5 products and for further application projects with the Micro5 for the Swiss market!

Production-ready machining solutions for all other markets are the responsibility of the administration in Tuttlingen, Germany. Production of the Micro5 and Feed5 handling system has also been taking place in Tuttlingen since October 2022 in order to better serve the increasing demand for the small, highly efficient machining centers with custom-fit automation and to create capacity for global growth of the young brand. Read more about the smart Swiss innovation in series production here.

+++ Lyon instead of Paris: CHIRON France at a new location +++  
33 rue Paul Duvivier, 69007 Lyon: Since July 1, 2022, this is the new address of CHIRON France. The team has moved into a new building in the center of the lively metropolis and is thus – more than 450 km further south than before – much closer to the majority of customers. If you include the sales experts and service managers operating from different locations, CHIRON France employs 20 staff in total. The five employees working at the new location are not only happy about a well equipped working environment, but also about the short distances to the mountains and the sea. Not to mention the diverse array of cuisines in a city that has come to be known as the »global capital of gastronomy«.

+++ Taicang Innovation Factory celebrates 10-year anniversary +++
Congratulations on 10 years of machine production, CHIRON China! Since 2012, CHIRON China has been providing the local market with machining centers produced in-house, and since 2019 the machines have been being produced in the best conditions in the Taicang Innovation Factory. The installed base in the Chinese market now comprises over 2,000 machining centers, many of them turnkey solutions with customized automation. CHIRON China employs a total of around 200 people and maintains three sales and ten service locations, mainly in the immediate vicinity of automobile manufacturers and suppliers.

The anniversary was celebrated with customers and business partners on December 8, 2022 as part of the first OPEN HOUSE, which fortunately could take place as an in-person event and was very well attended. CEO Jiaping Ren and CTO Willi Riester welcomed the guests on site, Carsten Liske transmitted the greetings of the CHIRON Group management via livestream from Tuttlingen, Germany. In his speech, Jiaping Ren outlined the consistently positive development over the past ten years: Business volume tripled, CHIRON China was able to stay on course despite the challenging environmental conditions posed by COVID-19, rising raw material prices and chip shortages. Important »growth drivers« are processing centers for the e-mobility sector; according to a current forecast, around 13 million e-cars will roll off the production line in China in 2023. More about the first OPEN HOUSE in Taicang here

+++ New corporate website online: Enjoy your user experience! +++
The new corporate website of the CHIRON Group has been online since September 7, 2022, at 06:15 a.m. CET. On the website, visitors will find everything that makes the CHIRON Group special and qualifies it as a partner for demanding tasks.

Company, Products, Expertises, Industries, Brands, Career, News: These are the headings used on the new site. At the same time, the CHIRON Group presents itself as modern, approachable, cheerful, fresh and clear. And with deliberately compact content, it answers the need for fast, targeted and yet substantial information with just a few clicks.

One highlight is the machine configurator, which presents the right machining center after just a few entries. AR (Augmented Reality) representations of the machines, animations and videos are additional digital features that make a visit to the site not only informative, but an interactive user experience. Not yet taken a closer look? Well, click in and enjoy!

+++ New young talents for the CHIRON Group +++
Ready to start reaching their goals: Not only at the headquarters in Tuttlingen, Germany but also at CHIRON China and CHIRON America, motivated trainees have started an exciting new phase of their lives. Since September, Tuttlingen, Germany has had a strong cohort of 32 young talents in nine technical and commercial professions and ten courses of study. Head of Training, Herbert Mattes, is delighted about having a full house on the team and is proud of the good reputation that the training program enjoys in the region: »The fact that we are one of the best training companies in Germany has certainly helped us to fill all open training positions again in 2022. But it's crucial that we continue to further develop our training methods and social activities, and, in particular, encourage personal commitment. Word gets around and this makes us attractive to young people!«

 Now it's time for the 32 new apprentices and students as well as the training team in Tuttlingen, Germany, to get started.
Now it's time for the 32 new apprentices and students as well as the training team in Tuttlingen, Germany, to get started.

The new talents in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Taicang, China, are also being trained to the high German standards. At CHIRON America, trainer Danery Manzanares intensively enhances the skills of the young employees: »That's how we ensure we have a strong workforce for the future and ensure that everyone is truly familiar with the complex products of the CHIRON Group.«

The figures show the high importance attributed to training by CHIRON China: There are currently 51 young people pursuing apprenticeships and study here. To date, 28 have successfully completed their vocational training, eleven of them in June 2022. Three DHBW students, Darry, Ned and Allen, graduated as the best and were delighted to receive the »outstanding graduate« award.

+++ Award-winner: as thought leaders, world market leaders and more +++
With its special expertise in »CNC-controlled, vertical milling and turning centers«, the CHIRON Group is one of the 500 world market leaders 2023 according to the ranking of »WirtschaftsWoche«, Germany's leading business magazine. Also last year, the management and the Human Resources department were pleased to receive two awards: the employer award for »Vordenker 2022« (Forward Thinkers) and the »Arbeitgeber der Zukunft« (Employer of the Future) award, presented by the German Innovation Institute for Sustainability and Digitalization (DIND). CEO Carsten Liske says, »You can only become a trendsetter and technology leader, and at the same time one of the ›Top 500‹ secret market leaders in Germany, with a strong, innovative-thinking workforce. Our corporate culture is a central element for positive corporate development. Innovation, sustainability and digitalization only become a success when you have committed employees.«

In January 2023, the CHIRON Group was also recognized as a » Ehrenamtsfreundlicher Arbeitgeber im Bevölkerungsschutz 2022« (Volunteer-friendly Employer in Civil Protection). With this award, the Ministry of the Interior for Digitization and Communities of the State of Baden-Württemberg honors companies that have supported their employees for many years in carrying out their voluntary work in civil protection.

 CEO Carsten Liske accepted the award from Interior Minister Thomas Strobl and Martin Wycisk, Economic Development Manager for the City of Tuttlingen, Germany.   Photo: Michael Bamberger / www.im.baden-wuerttemberg.de
CEO Carsten Liske accepted the award from Interior Minister Thomas Strobl and Martin Wycisk, Economic Development Manager for the City of Tuttlingen, Germany. Photo: Michael Bamberger / www.im.baden-wuerttemberg.de

CHIRON India is pleased to be »Best Brand in Metal Cutting« for the second time in 2022. Every year, the Economic Times, India's leading financial newspaper, honors companies and brands in various segments with an award.

The best thing about live exhibitions? The atmosphere!

Whether at the AMB in Stuttgart, the IMTS in Chicago or the first OPEN HOUSE of CHIRON China in Taicang: The positive mood was almost palpable, and many a time a happy »Finally« could be heard. Finally, it's all back: machine innovations in action, intensive consultations, lively exchanges and the special dynamics and atmosphere of face-to-face events. 

Big industry meetings, workshops, in-house exhibitions at CHIRON Group locations or sales and service partners, events for additive manufacturing, medical technology or precision manufacturing: Since spring 2022, the CHIRON Group has again successfully played around with diverse event formats. The trade audience around the globe had the opportunity to finally see the innovations live and learn first-hand about manufacturing solutions for sustainably productive processes. One of the highlights in the well-attended exhibition and events calendar took place in Stuttgart's exhibition halls from September 13-17, 2022.

AMB 2022: Chips are flying again!
The exhibition magazine AMB SPECIAL wrote that »key factors for decision-makers at the AMB 2022 are productivity increases and the technical availability of their systems«. What is the best way to achieve these aims? The CHIRON Group provided the appropriate answers to this at the 20th edition of the »International Exhibition for Metalworking« in Hall 10. And presented themselves as a partner who covers all relevant areas of expertise and is therefore able to offer customized complete solutions rather than just machines.

The expertise in milling and mill-turning could be experienced live at three machine innovations: the ultra-compact plug-and-play solution comprising the Micro5 machining center and Feed5 handling system. The MT 715 two+ with integrated workpiece handling for multi-functional complete machining from the bar. And the DZ 22 W five axis with HSK-A100 interface for machining demanding workpieces such as electric motor housings. The presentation on the DZ 22 W five axis also included »better together, better digital« collaborations with cooperation partners. One with ZOLLER for smart tool handling, one for intelligent coolant management with MOTOREX and the ConditionLine SmartLine module.

»After four long years, there is once again a lot going on at our exhibition booth, our machine innovations are live in action, and we are enjoying in-depth consultations and lively dialog in all languages: I've missed the special feeling of in-person events! You can feel how attending an event like the AMB in person has a completely different dynamic and atmosphere than one that is held online.«
Matthias Rapp
Head of Marketing Global

The CHIRON Group Service mainly focused on LifetimeSolutions. The team of experts provided information on classic services and the digital SmartServices for more productivity, best machine availability and optimized overall plant effectiveness, tailored to the different phases of a machine's life.

Learn more about the digital services and the SmartLine digital systems in the video:

After five intensive days at the exhibition, Bernd Hilgarth, CSO of the CHIRON Group, was more than satisfied: »The AMB was the ideal platform to show that we are continuing to keep our PERFORMANCE MEETS PRECISION promise with new, future-proof solutions. The feedback from visitors showed that our product portfolio offers the right answers to current and future challenges in all areas of expertise.«

IMTS 2022 in Chicago: Here too, a full house and great atmosphere
»Thank you for being the best thing about the largest manufacturing trade show in the western hemisphere.« With a grand gesture in typical American style, the Exhibition Chicago used its website to thank the more than 86,000 visitors and around 1,800 exhibitors at McCormick Place. The best thing about the CHIRON Group booth was the un-American »smart and small« Micro5 and perhaps that's why it was so interesting for the trade audience. At its premiere on the American market, the smallest machine from the CHIRON Group could hardly be seen at times, so many people wanted to experience the live machining process of a brass watch case up close. Simon Knecht, Business Development Manager at CHIRON America, was also enthusiastic: »Of course, we studied the market potential in advance and planned the launch carefully – but we were still slightly nervous at the start of the exhibition. Fortunately without reason, the response was very good and we had many substantial discussions with interested parties from very different fields of application. A promising start!«

Photos courtesy of IMTS

Successful OPEN HOUSE premiere in Taicang
From December 8 to 14, Taicang had two things to celebrate: the OPEN HOUSE premiere and the 10th anniversary of the location (more on this in the Newsticker). The machine presentation at the Taicang Innovation Factory focused on highly productive machining solutions for e-mobility. Live in operation were an FZ 25 S five axis machining subframes and a DZ 28 P with pallet changer, ideal for machining large-format workpieces such as e-motor housings and dashboards. As an example of the »German design and quality – made in China« was a MILL 3000 from local production, with which structural components can be machined dynamically, precisely and with strong performance. The experts also provided information about their expertise in turnkey projects with a high degree of automation.

»We are very pleased that we were able to welcome so many customers and industry partners and present our machine highlights and automation solutions to them. Our first OPEN HOUSE will surely be followed by many more!«
Jiaping Ren
CEO CHIRON China

Welcome to the 2023 exhibitions – live!

We look forward to seeing you in person. For example, at the ...

Upcoming exhibitions and events with dates can be found here.