Sicher mit System Seal of Approval for Brose Plant in Rastatt

Brose’s plant in Rastatt has received the “Sicher mit System” (SmS) seal of approval from Berufsge­nossenschaft Metall Nord Süd, an institution for statutory accident insurance and prevention. Armin Deuchert, supervisor and auditor for Berufsgenossenschaft Metall Nord Süd, presented the award to project manager Sabine König and Karl Kovac, who as director of production is responsible for occupational safety, on August 6, 2008, in Rastatt.

In order to receive this seal of approval, a plant must perform very well in the evaluation criteria relevant to health and safety at work. Additionally, the company’s essential business procedures are examined and taken into consideration before the institution makes its decision.

“Only 45 of the 95,000 companies that are insured by BGM have received our seal of approval to date,” explained Armin Deuchert at the official award ceremony. “Outstanding companies deserve to have their achievements honored. This is why I am pleased to be able to distinguish Brose Rastatt for its exemplary occupational safety management. In addition to high safety standards and ongoing efforts to avoid unnecessary work loads, it was the speedy lines of communication and the many means of communication between superiors and employees that particularly impressed me,” Deuchert continued.

Plant manager Jan Francke: “The welfare of our employees is a significant factor in our family business’ success and an essential component of our company culture. We are pleased by this recognition, and in the future we will continue our efforts to perform at the highest level in all company divisions.”

Door Systems from Rastatt – just in sequence since 2004

Parallel to the start of production for the new A Class in June 2004, the Brose plant in Rastatt became operational, manufacturing door systems for Daimler in the automobile manufacturer’s industrial park.

These door systems are manufactured by the production network formed by the plants in Hallstadt and Rastatt: in
Hallstadt’s highly automated facilities, window regulators and seals are affixed to the module supports; in the Rastatt plant, the door systems are completed with cable harness, door control unit, lock, speaker and additional attachments, and roughly 4,800 units are assembled in up to 1,000 versions daily.

The completed door systems are then directly transported to the automobile assembly line in gondolas via an overhead conveyor, which connects Brose Rastatt with the Daimler plant. Thus, Brose’s products are pretested and ready to be installed at the automobile manufacturer, just in sequence and a mere 60 minutes after order placement.

Depending on the location, Brose’s just-in-sequence assembly has an operation time of between 60 and 80 minutes from the electronic order placement to the delivery of the door systems to the automobile manufacturer’s assembly line.

Brose sets worldwide standards as the market and technology leader

Brose is considered the inventor of the modular door system and over the last twenty years has evolved from a specialist for window regulators to a system integrator responsible for the entire door’s development. With a market share of 39%, Brose is the leading supplier of door systems worldwide.

The door system developed by Brose, which divides the vehicle door into a wet and dry section, is today’s recognized standard. According to this design principle, the “dry” half of the door receives the electronics, while the “wet” half houses the mechanical components. The modular construction allows for a great number of product variations without needing extra time for modification or conversion. A further plus for this technological innovation: fewer parts are needed, the potential for error is reduced, and sealing individual electronic functional components is no longer necessary.

“It is only with innovative products and efficient assembly techniques and organization that we can profitably manufacture in a high-wage country like Germany,” continued plant manager Francke. Currently, approximately 70 workers are employed at the Brose plant in Rastatt.

In ten plants in Europe and overseas, Brose currently manufactures door systems, window regulators, locks and seat adjusters for about 27 models of the brands Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach. The partnership with the Daimler Corporation is one of over 75 years.