For about two years, MAPAL has been working hard on solutions for the die & mould sector. In September 2020, the company hit the ground running on a broad front – with a product range tailored to the needs of the industry. A peek at the new specialist catalogue or at die-mould.mapal.com shows the entire range of services.
MAPAL has big plans for the market launch in the die & mould sector. Dietmar Maichel, Head of Segment Management Die & Mould, made a clear statement: “In this interesting sector, we want to convince with the same competence that makes us strong in sectors such as the automotive industry or machine engineering.” To meet this demand, a team of specialists at MAPAL have been intensively dealing with the requirements in the die & mould sector. For example, the company is striking new paths in sales and logistics. Many products are available from the warehouse through MAPAL and authorised specialist trade partners.
All from a single source
The quick availability of tools was important for the team of experts. However, the first priority was to establish a product range that satisfied the special requirements of the sector. “We used our expertise from the existing MAPAL range and gained key sector knowledge from our acquisition of the Voha-Tosec and Radtke companies. Both companies specialise in solid carbide tools in the die & mould sector and have been part of the MAPAL Group since 2018. This network enabled us to determine the best geometries and in cooperation with the experts, to define the sector-specific tool dimensions,” explains Maichel. The programme for the die & mould sector now forms a cross-section through MAPAL’s tool portfolio, from milling with fixed and replacement blades and drilling to countersinking and reaming. “It is an integrated programme that has not been offered on the market in this form until now,” emphasises the market segment manager. This is because it also includes clamping tools, setting and measuring devices and dispensing systems and engineering services – the entire range of the complete supplier. For companies in the die & mould sector, this means they can receive a consistent machining solution from MAPAL, if needed, which offers lots of potential for efficiency. “We are very well positioned with this programme,” says Maichel. Uwe Rein, Sales Director Die & Mould is also confident: “We are well-equipped for the die & mould sector.”
MAPAL combined its expertise from the existing and key sector knowledge for the die and mould industry into a product and service programme that provides all from a single source.
Trade partners in Germany, where sales have already started, have expressed a lot of praise and positive feedback. Uwe Rein: “Dealers have been impressed by our activities in the die & mould sector.” They find it interesting to have MAPAL by their side as a precision tools manufacturer, “who offers one of the most comprehensive programmes of products and services there are. Currently, no other providers feature such a vast and in-depth assortment for potential end customers. Dealers appreciate our specialist skills and the solution focus that MAPAL has for customers.”
The MAPAL programme is also becoming increasingly popular with major direct customers in the die & mould sector. “This shows that our tools have already been well-received in the sector,” adds Rein
Country-specific coordinated sales strategy
However, it is mainly smaller businesses that are active in the die & mould sector. “We therefore decided to serve these customers via a regional trade channel to offer them a fast and efficient service,” explains Rein. Across Germany, MAPAL now cooperates with various trading companies. These are locally represented and based in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hessen and North Rhine-Westphalia. “All trading partners are specialist dealers for cutting tools. Along with having a great deal of expertise, they play a huge regional role in supplying end customers with precision tools,” says Rein. In addition to the MAPAL assortment for the die & mould sector, these trading partners usually also sell machines and corresponding accessories. MAPAL is also already working with authorised specialist dealers in Denmark, Italy and Portugal. “We will also be expanding the trading network in Italy and Portugal to make it more closely interlinked,” announced Rein. As for the international availability of the product programme for the die & mould sector, MAPAL plans to take a gradual approach. “We are pursuing a strategy tailored to each country by making use of our experiences from practical tests in Germany.” Each market launch is being planned and prepared with care. International trading partners and the respective country subsidiaries of MAPAL are in close contact. Through in-house training programmes, MAPAL ensures that employees and customer contact partners have up-to-date product knowledge and application expertise at their disposal.
MAPAL offers the complete tool programme for the die & mould sector: from milling and drilling to countersinking and reaming.
Neuer Fachkatalog
Rund 6.500 Artikel umfasst das Portfolio von MAPAL für den Werkzeug- und Formenbau, der dazugehörige Fachkatalog ist mehr als 500 Seiten stark. Wer durch die Seiten blättert, entdeckt zahlreiche Produkthighlights. Für Dietmar Maichel gehören dazu beispielsweise die Werkzeuge mit Hochvorschubgeometrie, sowohl die VHM-Ausführung der OptiMill-Baureihen als auch die Varianten mit wechselbaren Schneiden, die eine Bearbeitung mit hohen Abtragsraten ermöglichen und darüber hinaus flexibel einsetzbar sind. „Zu nennen sind auch die Kreisradiusfräser OptiMill-3D-CS mit ihrem großen Wirkradius oder die Bohrreibbahle MEGA-Drill-Reamer, die drei Arbeitsgänge in einem einzigen kombiniert und im Formenbau vorwiegend bei Passstift- und Auswerferbohrungen zum Einsatz kommt.“
Der Katalog ist in verschiedenen Sprachen verfügbar und steht auf die-mould.mapal.com zum Download bereit.
Digitale Werkzeugdaten und ein Lieferversprechen
Was die Verfügbarkeit der Produkte anbelangt, orientiert sich MAPAL ganz an den Erfordernissen der Branche. „Wir wollen schnell liefern“, versichert Maichel. Der Großteil der Artikel ist vorgehalten und innerhalb des jeweiligen Lieferversprechens, entweder innerhalb von 24 Stunden oder nach spätestens fünf Tagen, verfügbar. Viele weitere Artikel sind auf Anfrage erhältlich. Sie werden dispositiv überwacht und bei Bedarf in puncto Lieferversprechen flexibel angepasst. Auch die Anfertigung von Sonderwerkzeugen ist möglich. Für Kunden stellt MAPAL zudem digitale Werkzeugdaten für CAD/CAM-Systeme bereit.
Dietmar Maichel, Global Head of Segment Management Die & Mould bei MAPAL
Dietmar Maichel ist seit 2006 bei MAPAL. Zunächst war er als Versuchs- und Entwicklungsingenieur im R&D für den Bereich Luftfahrt und die CFK-Bearbeitung tätig, anschließend arbeitete er im Bereich 3D-Milling. Von dort bringt er Erfahrungen in der Fertigbearbeitung von Bauteilen aus dem Vollen mit. Maichel begleitete unter anderem die Umsetzung von Kundenprojekten im Bereich der Strukturbauteilbearbeitung sowie der Turbinen- und Impellerfertigung.
Uwe Rein, Director Sales Die & Mould bei MAPAL
Uwe Rein ist neben seiner Position als Director Sales Die & Mould auch Geschäftsführer der MAPAL Tochter WEISSKOPF Werkzeuge in Meiningen. Bevor Rein zu MAPAL kam, war er viele Jahre im Handel tätig. Der technische Fachkaufmann für Werkzeuge und Maschinen begeisterte sich früh für den Werkzeug- und Formenbau. Im Laufe seiner Karriere sammelte Rein neben einer Vielzahl von Kontakten im Werkzeug- und Formenbau auch umfangreiche Branchenkenntnisse und Erfahrungen.
