Custom-made rollers from Körchow to all of Europe

01.07.2016

FMG has been building transport rollers for baggage and conveyor belts for 25 years.

Körchow.They are not only indispensable at airports, the food or pharmaceutical industries as well as cement and gravel works also need them: Conveyor systems that transport goods from A to B. In order for this to work smoothly, transport and support rollers are required. These have been produced in the Körchow district of the municipality of Biendorf (Rostock district) for XNUMX years. Red rollers from Fördermittel Mecklenburg GmbH (FMG) are installed in systems throughout Europe. "Our XNUMX or so customers include intermediaries and plant manufacturers from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland as well as the Netherlands, Sweden and Poland," says Managing Director Anja Wendt. "Every day we send XNUMX to seven tons of our rolls on the way."

Everything started in 1991 in the former workshop of the agricultural production cooperative in Körchow. Her father Thomas Schuster and Bernd Lehmann, both mechanical engineers, saw potential for their company in the hall. "It was an advantage that the existing production facility could continue to be used," explains Wendt.

A plus for the region, because with its 45 employees, FMG is one of the largest employers in the community today. 32 fitters, welders, varnisheers and career jumpers - all from the region - work in production. There are also two women on the team. In addition, two men from the Kröpelin workshops support the plant mechanics. But there are no trainees. “Körchow is too off the beaten track for young people,” the 45-year-old concludes. The shortage of younger people will be tackled with internal retraining.

2000 working days from Monday to Friday. The varnishers and welders' work is so time-consuming that it is organised into a three shift system. Things get loud at the XNUMX square metre production hall on the outskirts of Körchow. Metal hits metal, the milling and cutting machine rattle and there is a whooshing sound as falling shavings are blown away. It smells of fresh paint. Countless tubes in various dimension made from steel, stainless steel or plastic are piled up in the hall.

FMG uses these six-meter-long blanks to manufacture the typical red transport and support rollers. “These basically consist of a tube, an axle, a ball bearing and a seal,” explains Wendt, who joined her father's company in 2009. The trained bank administrator makes her tours through the hall every day. “A relaxed atmosphere is important to me,” says the 45-year-old. Together with Uwe Eilers FMG will continue to run after the company's founders departure.

The workers saw the blanks to the desired length, attach other components, weld it all together, varnish and pack the rollers for delivery. “We don't manufacture on an assembly line”, emphasizes Wendt. Individual productions of three to four rollers are fulfilled as well as orders of 5000 pieces. The process from order to delivery takes an average of 14 days. “We've found our gap in the market thanks to this quickness an our offer of small quantity jobs”, says the managing director. Due to the many fields of application, their production is not sector-specific. Only the long transport routes from Mecklenburg are a disadvantage.

But leaving Körchow has never an option. Business is going well, and the number of competitors across Germany is mageable. “There is only one roller manufacturer in Eastern Germany,” the 45-year-old claims. The company had a turnover of 4,2 million euros last year.

And it continues to invest. It recently invested a six-figure sum in an extension of the production-hall as well as new machinery. And is set to continue in the comming years. "We want to further develop our product in line with the market and invest in new materials and technologies," says Wendt.

By Ann-Christin Schneider | Newspaper: Ostseezeitung