Ruppertsweiler, 22nd April 2016 – To ensure the growth and further expansion of Röchling Hydroma, production capacities at the Ruppertsweiler site are to be increased. Röchling is investing some 1.3 million euros in a new building. In investing this amount the international Röchling Group, to which Röchling Hydroma belongs, is underlining its commitment to the West Palatinate region.
The new building is Röchling's response to the strong growth experienced by the company over recent years. Röchling Hydroma is an internationally leading manufacturer of cutting boards made of thermoplastics. Its products are used in the textile, leather, paper, automotive and food industries across the world. The official footballs used at previous World Cups – "Teamgeist" in Germany, "Jabulani" in South Africa and "Brazuca" in Brazil – for instance, were manufactured using cutting boards from Röchling Hydroma.
The investment will allow the plastics processor to expand its production capacities for cutting boards. Once the new building is completed, moreover, the company will also be able to produce machined components made of thermoplastic according to customers' drawings on modern CNC machinery, enabling it to broaden its expertise in the processing of plastics.
Following the decision to go ahead with the investment, the approvals process was implemented rapidly with the support of the mayor of the local authority, Silvia Seebach, town mayor Hans Föller and Ruppertsweiler district council along with the official agencies involved.
The first phase of construction will see the erection of a hall with a floor space of 500 m² and integrated 2-storey office. The expansion of the site will allow the introduction of cutting-edge production technology that will optimise production processes and further improve the working conditions for employees. The existing sanitary and rest rooms for the workforce will also be renovated and extended in the course of the construction project. The highest standards of noise protection will likewise be implemented in the extension. The project is scheduled for completion at the end of July this year. Further investment in expanding the site is already planned for the next few years. An additional 1,300 m² of space is available for this purpose.
Unique mix of know-how
Röchling Hydroma can call on expertise that is unrivalled in the market when it comes to selecting materials and the manufacturing processes for cutting boards, having manufactured its own cutting machines until 1986. "That means we have a unique mix of know-how from both sectors – cutting techniques as well as the manufacture and processing of plastics. Our aim is to achieve an optimum cutting result, maximum precision and long life of the cutting board and tool", said Managing Director Gerold Fatscher.
Matthias Weber, Sales Manager International, added: "Our cutting boards are used throughout the world wherever soft materials have to be cut. That includes, for instance, the production of premium leather seats for cars, soles for ladies' and mens' shoes, as well as textiles, felt, fleece and cardboard. As an internationally focused company, we now record 80 per cent of our sales outside Germany."
To produce the cutting boards Röchling Hydroma uses high-quality raw materials whose processing is very environmentally friendly. The scrap material produced in the manufacturing process is almost entirely treated on site or by external partners and reused in special recycled products.
