INDUSTRY NEWS
Valk Welding celebrates 60th anniversary
An eye on digitalisation
Mercedes-Benz and Siemens plan to cooperate on advancing digitalisation and automation in the automotive industry , supported by the State of Berlin . Mercedes- Benz AG aims to digitise its production processes . Siemens , a supplier of automation , industrial software and smart infrastructure , will bring its technologies to the partnership to ‘ develop highly flexible , efficient and sustainable automotive production ’ with Mercedes-Benz .
The Mercedes-Benz Berlin-Marienfelde site in Germany will be transformed into a competence centre for digitalisation with a focus on the development and implementation of the digital Mercedes-Benz Cars ecosystem , MO360 , in addition to the redesign of production activities . In the future , e-mobility components will also be assembled in Berlin .
The company wants to secure the future for the Berlin plant , which is the oldest site in the Mercedes-Benz global powertrain production network . The Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus in Berlin is the technological and digital nucleus for the entire Mercedes-Benz Cars production network . Its objective is to roll out the new developments that have been tested in Berlin at Mercedes-Benz plants worldwide and provide the users with the required qualifications .
“ With the Werner-von-Siemens Centre for Industry and Science in the Siemensstadt in Berlin , there is already an excellent wealth of experience that can be incorporated into this cooperation . Siemensstadt2 and the Mercedes- Benz Digital Factory Campus Berlin will be transformed into two modern digital sites ,” explained Siemens . n
Air Tractor produces 4000th aircraft
At the end of March 2021 , an Air Tractor ® 502XP , a singleseat agricultural aircraft , was delivered to its new owner during a send-off ceremony attended by employees and local dignitaries . It is the 4,000th aeroplane that Air Tractor has produced since it began operations in 1972 .
“ After 49 years of continuous aircraft production , all of us here are really pleased to celebrate this moment ,” said Jim Hirsch , Air Tractor President . “ Only eight years ago , we built our 3,000th aeroplane ; now we just surpassed number 4,000 . This year we find ourselves in the fortunate position of having historically strong demand for our aircraft . While we are subject to agricultural market ups and downs , our manufacturing continues year after year on a rising trend line .”
At its Olney ( Texas , USA ) manufacturing facilities , Air Tractor employs close to 300 skilled workers , engineers and support personnel , many of whom are second- and
Employee-owners at aircraft manufacturer Air Tractor , Inc . ( Photo : Business Wire ).
third-generation employee-owners . The company was founded by Leland Snow , an agricultural pilot , aeronautical engineer and entrepreneur . Before his death in 2011 , Snow established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan ( ESOP ) providing employees 100 percent beneficial ownership and retirement benefits for their service to the company .
Air Tractor produces a line of eight aircraft for agricultural purposes ; fighting wildfires ; narcotic crop eradication ; fuel-hauling to remote villages ; fighting locust plagues ; mosquito control and cleaning up oil spills in coastal waters . n
Valk Welding is 60 years old this year , a milestone for the European welding robot integrator . With the establishment of “ LAS Verkoopmaatschappij ”, Remco H . Valk ’ s father started the company on 22 March 1961 and it has grown into one of the largest welding robot integrators in Europe .
“ The automation of welding technology has always been an important part of our business , alongside the sale of welding wire and welding equipment ,” said Remco H . Valk . This led to the delivery of its first welding robot in the late 1970s .
The growth that followed was a result of active market developments in welding technology , with branches also being established in Denmark , the Czech Republic , France and Germany from 2004 onwards . It now numbers 170 permanent employees and a permanent group of about 25 external staff .
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic , the company further expanded last year with , among other things , the establishment of a Swedish subsidiary , Valk Welding SE , as well as commissioning a new sales , training and assembly facility in the Czech Republic . It also developed a Management Information System ( MIS2.0 ) and set up Valk Welding Precision Parts producing robot torches , cable assemblies and shock sensors inhouse .
“ Robot torches , shock sensors and cable assemblies are a crucial component of the All-in-One Valk Welding welding robot systems . With our own production facility for the robot torch systems , Valk Welding is now 100 % independent from third parties , which is our target for the future ,” added the company . n
. valkwelding . com
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