Spotlight On ...
Schmidt + Clemens is already using AI in marketing . Its use is planned in other areas of the company . A dedicated project group consisting of engineers , computer scientists , and AI experts has been formed to examine and plan various fields of application within the company .
A Family Business That Lives Family Values
An employee survey revealed that the value that is most appreciated in the company is honesty . This honesty is reflected in the error management culture at Schmidt + Clemens . Niemczewski explained : “ If you want to work innovatively and create something new , you have to try things out , make mistakes , allow mistakes , communicate honestly about mistakes , and learn from mistakes . That is the key to success ." However , this honest way of working is not only of the utmost importance for product development but also for the company ' s continuous improvement efforts . This way , the company is also constantly developing internally as an employer , in its work processes and all other internal structures .
Schmidt + Clemens also wants to take responsibility : for its employees , their well-being , health and safety , but also for society , which is why sustainable action is a clear focus of the company .
Products for More Sustainability
“ We are currently investing in new machines with the aim of using the earth ' s resources more sustainably . Schmidt + Clemens is doing a lot to organize itself more ecologically ,” said Niemczewski . The company currently operates a small photovoltaic system . All lamps in the factory have been replaced with energy-saving LED lights and employees have been trained in environmentally friendly behavior . However , this does not make a foundry CO 2
-neutral . For this reason , electric furnaces are operated , and investments are made in centrifugal casting systems that are heated electrically to avoid the use of fossil fuels .
The biggest contribution that S + C makes to sustainability is the products that are developed to help customers reduce their CO 2 emissions . The SCOPE pipe , for example , is a centrifugally cast pipe with which S + C is the world market leader . The company has patented a process that creates an internal profile in the pipes to optimize heat transfer . The surface area of a smooth pipe is much smaller than that of a SCOPE pipe . By increasing the surface area in the pipe , much better heat transfer is achieved , and the turbulence ensures better mixing inside the pipe . The customer can decide whether they want to use less energy or use the same energy but get a significantly higher output . “ The SCOPE pipe has prevailed and was selected for the EU-funded ' Steamcracker of the Future ' project . The material is patented , as is the process we use to create this profiling in the pipes . Increasing the inner surface area seems obvious , and many have tried to copy it , but no one has yet succeeded ,” Niemczewski explained . “ But this is just one of the products with which we make our contribution .”
Passionate Workers Thanks to Company Ethics
Schmidt + Clemens is proud of its products that reduce the industry ' s CO 2 emissions . “ We cannot undo the damage that humans have done to the environment and climate , but we want to make our contribution to the corrections that will make a cleaner tomorrow possible ,” emphasized Niemczewski . " We reach many young people with this commitment . We often hear complaints from other companies that the younger generation does not want to work . However , we have found that there has simply been a shift in values and that most of them need to feel that they can stand behind what they do and be proud of what they achieve . When this is the case , they are passionate and energetic about their work . The reliable relationship between employer and employee and the feeling of being heard with their ideas and feedback also plays an important role for almost all employees , but especially for young employees . Although we have been operating in an ' old economy ' for 145 years , we are always able to adapt to such changes and create modern and attractive workplaces thanks to our constant striving for innovation and flat hierarchies ."
Employees are brought on board with innovations and their opinions are trusted . “ The employees know best what we can do better , both in terms of processes and as an employer ,” relayed Niemczewski . This approach is paying off . In March , Schmidt + Clemens received the “ Highest Innovative Strength ” award in the “ Innovative Strength ” study conducted by the information channel “ Welt ” and the analysis institute “ ServiceValue .” The analysis is based on around 215,000 assessments by managers who rated the innovative strength of German companies . In the steel industry , S + C secured the top position out of 19 companies surveyed .
Schmidt + Clemens has launched “ Innovation Now ” to organize feedback and generate ideas . This is an idea collection portal where all employees can suggest ideas on a wide variety of topics . Niemczewski explains enthusiastically : “ The company ' s internal social media network ‘ Innovation Now ’ was introduced three years ago and is a transparent program where anyone can see , like and comment on any idea - totally interactively . There are also ' confidential ideas ' that can be sent to a specific team without public visibility , but this happens very rarely because everyone really values the exchange and joint development of ideas . Every idea has a tile , and because people can like it , you are able to see directly : who is moved by what , how many people find which idea relevant ?"
" If you take a broader view of sustainability , the fact that our employees often stay with us for 25-50 years is also very sustainable . If someone has a permanent job where they feel comfortable , in a beautiful region with a high recreational value , good schools , and an excellent healthcare system , then they also avoid environmental pollution . Simply because employees are motivated to live close to their workplace and can therefore avoid emissions caused by long daily commutes . Avoiding constant changes of workplace and place of residence also reduces stress , waste , and emissions ,” commented Niemczewski .
Commitment to Education
There are currently 17 vacancies at Schmidt + Clemens . Among others , the company is looking for smelters who do not necessarily need training as foundry mechanics , but only experience with an electric arc
Facts & Figures
Founded in 1879 Management
Dominic Otte 1879
Jan Schmidt-Krayer ( Managing Partner ) and Dominic Otte
Head office Lindlar-Kaiserau , Germany
Further production sites
Sales office Turnover
Spain , Czech Republic and Malaysia
USA
356 million Euro ( as of 2023 )
Employees around 1100
Operating area Just under 13 hectares
or induction furnace , two skilled hands , and passion . In addition , the S + C Academy trains around 50 apprentices in a wide range of industrial , technical , and commercial professions . The academy also provides training for other companies , partly out of a sense of responsibility for the region . If smaller companies are unable to adopt certain topics from the training framework plan , they can book these modules with the academy and S + C will then train their trainees in these topics or help them prepare for their exams .
“ We are proud of the fact that we actually take part in the IHK ' s ( chamber of commerce ) award for the best trainees every year and have already trained Germany ' s best foundry mechanic in 2016 and the best cutting machine operator in 2022 . We have such modern equipment that we are also an IHK examination venue for many professions . We are also involved in the examination boards . Lisa Büchle , for example , is one of our employees who sits on the examination board for industrial clerks . She does this on a voluntary basis and , like the firefighters among our employees and other volunteers , is exempted from working hours ,” concluded Niemczewski .
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the profiled company and may not reflect the position of Stainless Steel World Americas .
Stainless Steel World Americas - June 2024 | www . ssw-americas . com 3