KARL MAYER Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH builds world-class warp knitting machines, and is the leading pioneer on this market. This title brings with it certain obligations, and the company must constantly invest in state-of-the-art production technology, modern process organisation and efficient materials handling technology.

The latter has been modernised and optimised considerably over the last twenty months, and is now housed in a new logistics centre in halls 9 and 10 of factory 2 at the company’s headquarters in Obertshausen.The key element of the new materials flow control centre is an automated small components warehouse for the storage, transport and distribution of bought-in, production, electrical and spare parts. This ensures that every component is in the right place at the right time. Setting up the logistics centre, and particularly the small components warehouse, involved a great deal of hard work. This entailed clearing everything out of the halls, carrying out extensive alteration work, assembling the shelving and transport systems, linking the logistics sequences to the SAP system, and finally stocking the warehouse.

All these jobs required total commitment and close cooperation from everyone involved in the project, including the external suppliers; they also had to be prepared to follow new and unconventional paths. The new centre shows just how much effort all the workers put into the project, and presented the perfect opportunity to have a party. To this end, every one involved in the project, as well as representatives from the suppliers, got together on 8 December to celebrate the official opening of the small components warehouse.First of all, however, the managing director, Herr Fritz P. Mayer, thanked everyone present for their enormous effort. Every department and section involved in the project worked extremely closely and efficiently with each other. This, together with the total commitment of everyone involved, allowed the project to run quickly and smoothly.The result of their joint efforts is a wonderful building, which combines functionality with first-rate working conditions, and which is a perfect model for all the changes taking place in the company as a whole.Following the managing director’s speech, the head of production, Dr. Armin Funck, who was in charge of the project, also said a few words. He also emphasised the importance of close cooperation between everyone involved in the project, which made it such a success, and praised the team spirit of all the employees. Dr. Armin Funck also said that the total support of management had been extremely important. He went on to say that the new small components warehouse should enable the company to react even more quickly and decisively on the international market. He then complimented everyone present on their enormous achievement and thanked them for their unfailing effort and hard work, which had often involved working at weekends.

A short walk around the warehouse facility was followed by a delicious buffet. Whilst enjoying pretzels, sausages and salad, there was plenty of opportunity at the party for people to get to know each other more informally than when they are at work.