On the occasion of its Supplier Days 2016 BMZ, one of the leading suppliers worldwide for lithium-ion batteries, for the first time honored three partner companies for outstanding performance. The supplier awards, which will be distributed annually in future, this year go to Sony Europe (quality), S.K. Handel mit Industriebedarf (flexibility) and LTI Metalltechnik (innovation). “To be able to defend our successful position on the dynamic, rapidly increasing international battery market, we – as high-tech company –need suppliers that not only deliver first-class materials and products but also provide an active support as for meeting upcoming challenges. It is more than gratifying to have reliable partners such as Sony Europe, S.K. Handel mit Industriebedarf and LTI Metalltechnik on our side. We are proud of these partnerships and would like to thank all awarded companies for their exemplary commitment“, says BMZ owner Sven Bauer at the award ceremony
Guiding principle of the two-day event was the motto “Together for Germany” in the course of which Sven Bauer, Peter Adomeit, head of Strategic Purchasing, and Klaus Zengel, head of Operative Purchasing, explained to more than 50 producers and providers how BMZ is going to master future challenges together with its suppliers. In doing so the BMZ management also considered required measures to secure the production site in Karlstein in the long run as well as possible solutions for further improving sustainability.
With the recent commissioning of the first section of Europe’s Battery gigafactory, BMZ clearly signaled their commitment to the production site Germany. Until 2020 six further production, laboratory and office buildings covering an entire space of 25,000 m² are planned on the new company site comprising 55,000 m². After the completion of the construction works amounting to around 80 million euros, up to 1,500 BMZ staff members will produce an annual 800 million lithium-ion batteries of the most different sizes with an overall storage capacity of 30 GWh.
As Sven Bauer explained during a common tour of the innovative production units equipped with the latest logistics systems and automated Kanban-based production sites, it is indispensable to integrate all suppliers even closer to the internal logistics and production processes in order to meet the target. “A high-tech company like BMZ not only depends on the most innovative technical equipment and a functioning infrastructure. Equally important are highly motivated and well trained employees as well as efficient suppliers with a focus on partnership. For the future BMZ will focus on commonly sharing values as regards quality, flexibility and innovation with all suppliers. This is not only to our customers’ advantage but also serves to secure the production site Germany in the long run”, said Bauer.
To meet the challenges the market imposes, BMZ plans a continued expansion of the production capacities in Poland, China and the USA parallel to the enlargement of the Karlstein gigafactory. Thus Peter Adomeit underlined additionally that for an internationally operating company such as BMZ the choice of suppliers not only depends on product quality, high flexibility and outstanding innovation but also on further factors such as reliability, delivery reliability, development skills and international focus. His conclusion: With more than 2000 customers worldwide and more than 250 new development projects annually a trustful cooperation with all partners on all levels is indispensable.”
The importance of close cooperation with all partners on all levels was further emphasized by a product show on the occasion of the Supplier Days. Here the versatile applications of modern lithium-ion batteries were impressively demonstrated by the example of several dozens of up-to-date innovations. Company founder Sven Bauer admits: “That we can offer individual customized solutions for the most different fields of application such as cordless screwdrivers, hammer drills, vacuum cleaners, robot mowers, leaf blowers, chain saws, e-bikes, energy storage systems, forklifts, the unique fun electric scooter Scrooser, the street scooter of the Deutsche Post, the City-e-taxi or the 356 Porsche Speedster replica of the Munich carmaker Turn-e, is not only based on the unique know-how and the tireless commitment of our staff, but also on the close cooperation with our suppliers”.
Guiding principle of the two-day event was the motto “Together for Germany” in the course of which Sven Bauer, Peter Adomeit, head of Strategic Purchasing, and Klaus Zengel, head of Operative Purchasing, explained to more than 50 producers and providers how BMZ is going to master future challenges together with its suppliers. In doing so the BMZ management also considered required measures to secure the production site in Karlstein in the long run as well as possible solutions for further improving sustainability.
With the recent commissioning of the first section of Europe’s Battery gigafactory, BMZ clearly signaled their commitment to the production site Germany. Until 2020 six further production, laboratory and office buildings covering an entire space of 25,000 m² are planned on the new company site comprising 55,000 m². After the completion of the construction works amounting to around 80 million euros, up to 1,500 BMZ staff members will produce an annual 800 million lithium-ion batteries of the most different sizes with an overall storage capacity of 30 GWh.
As Sven Bauer explained during a common tour of the innovative production units equipped with the latest logistics systems and automated Kanban-based production sites, it is indispensable to integrate all suppliers even closer to the internal logistics and production processes in order to meet the target. “A high-tech company like BMZ not only depends on the most innovative technical equipment and a functioning infrastructure. Equally important are highly motivated and well trained employees as well as efficient suppliers with a focus on partnership. For the future BMZ will focus on commonly sharing values as regards quality, flexibility and innovation with all suppliers. This is not only to our customers’ advantage but also serves to secure the production site Germany in the long run”, said Bauer.
To meet the challenges the market imposes, BMZ plans a continued expansion of the production capacities in Poland, China and the USA parallel to the enlargement of the Karlstein gigafactory. Thus Peter Adomeit underlined additionally that for an internationally operating company such as BMZ the choice of suppliers not only depends on product quality, high flexibility and outstanding innovation but also on further factors such as reliability, delivery reliability, development skills and international focus. His conclusion: With more than 2000 customers worldwide and more than 250 new development projects annually a trustful cooperation with all partners on all levels is indispensable.”
The importance of close cooperation with all partners on all levels was further emphasized by a product show on the occasion of the Supplier Days. Here the versatile applications of modern lithium-ion batteries were impressively demonstrated by the example of several dozens of up-to-date innovations. Company founder Sven Bauer admits: “That we can offer individual customized solutions for the most different fields of application such as cordless screwdrivers, hammer drills, vacuum cleaners, robot mowers, leaf blowers, chain saws, e-bikes, energy storage systems, forklifts, the unique fun electric scooter Scrooser, the street scooter of the Deutsche Post, the City-e-taxi or the 356 Porsche Speedster replica of the Munich carmaker Turn-e, is not only based on the unique know-how and the tireless commitment of our staff, but also on the close cooperation with our suppliers”.
