Traismauer, 12th October 2018, BEKUM Maschinenfabrik Traismauer GesmbH celebrated its 50th anniversary with a colourful and happy ceremony. The family owners, the Mehnerts, celebrated this special day together with the workforce, their families and many guests of honour from the world of politics and business. The ceremonial program focussed on presentations of the latest blow-moulding series of machines – xBLOW – and tours of the company for the guests.
An Austrian success story
The Traismauer industrial complex, which currently includes the BEKUM Maschinenfabrik Traismauer GesmbH building, was founded more than 90 years ago. Up to 1945, aircraft components were manufactured in this block of buildings.
After the second factory owner, the VOITH technology group, closed down the production of firewood processors, paper machines and turbo gearboxes for locomotives in 1968, the production halls and inventory were put up for sale. For BEKUM Maschinenfabriken GmbH located in Berlin, which had been founded 10 years beforehand and whose business was growing swiftly, this company acquisition was a major project in terms of the company’s evolution. This was because, at this point in time, the Berlin Wall greatly hampered the ability to attract sufficiently qualified employees and industrial sites were few and far between. At the same time, in two stages, more than 150 qualified skilled workers and foremen were re-employed.
September 1968 saw the start-up of BEKUM Traismauer and, during the course of the first few months, it manufactured machine parts for production in Berlin. As a reliable partner and supplier of top quality, the production range was continuously extended through the manufacture of key components such as steel housings, locking systems, extruders and blower heads.
BEKUM, the high-flyer in the nascent blow-moulding industry, increased its production range and – in Traismauer – it manufactured and mounted not only parts, but also complete large-scale blowing machines in the BA series for bulk canisters, drums and containers. Advanced and new developments in this series resulted in machines for technical parts, fuel tanks for automobiles and double-station blow moulders for canister production. This is how extremely successful large-scale blowing machines in the BA series evolved, with their development being the full responsibility of the BEKUM Traismauer site from 1994 onwards.
The machine range has been continuously improved and enlarged through the company’s own design, development and process engineering departments. Down through the years, other globally-significant customers in the automobile, packaging and additional industries have also been brought on board.
Fit for the future
From autumn 2015 onwards, all European blow moulding machines have been built by BEKUM in Traismauer only. The site has also been greatly expanded with more than 7 million euros being invested and almost 70 new employees hired.
In a ceremonial address, the managing partner, Michael Mehnert, underlined the company’s core values: “Quality, service and leading technology are the three things that encapsulate the brand essence of BEKUM. This was the basis for success in the past and these values are also our way ahead into the future.” He also provided an outlook about future developments in blow moulding machines at BEKUM.
With an innovative machine design of well-known quality, the positive commitment of our employees, reliable partners along with our loyal and new customers, the company is evolving continuously and looks forward positively to what lies ahead for the next 50 years.
Captions:
Caption BU1 BEKUM 50J BMT –from left: City Council Mr. Thomas Woisetschläger, Mr. Gottfried Mehnert, Mr. DI Michael Mehnert, Mrs.HeidemarieMehnert
Caption BU2 BEKUM 50J BMT –Machinepresentations:
Presentation of BEKUM high-performance blow moulding machines xBLOW-series for thefully automatic production of handleware container.
About BEKUM ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pioneer and Trendsetter in Blow Moulding Technology
Founded in Berlin in 1959, BEKUM Maschinenfabriken GmbH is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of extrusion blow moulding machines.
Founder Gottfried Mehnert conceived the name BEKUM as the acronym (Berliner Kunststoff Maschinen).
The company began to flourish in its founding year with the development of the world’s first neck-rim calibration. Numerous innovations and patents followed, confirming that BEKUM, with its innovative and customer-oriented machinery solutions, has always been ahead of its time – and remains so to this day.
When innovative and economical machinery solutions with high productivity for individual packaging requirements of hollow packaging are in demand, then BEKUM, with over 55 years of experience in blow-moulding technology, is the first choice worldwide.
Product Range and Applications in Food and Non-food
With future-oriented and reliable production processes and fully electric, as well as hydraulic machinery for the commercial production of blow moulded containers ranging from 5 ml to 3000 l, BEKUM offers everything for plastic packaging from one source.
Philosophy of the Company
Building and maintaining long-term relationships with market partners through future-oriented, predictable company policy determine the actions of the first and second generation of the family, represented by Michael Mehnert. This strategy ensures the jobs of dedicated and experienced staff. The preservation of traditional structures, an established network of partners and far-sighted adaptation to change form the basis for continuous development and inspiration for the company in the interest of partners, customers and employees.
Innovation and Technology
Process reliability, availability, efficiency and sophisticated design characterise the high standard of BEKUM production lines for blow moulding.BEKUM contributes the expertise that has grown based on these references, associated with various patents in blow moulding, to the fulfilment of every customer requirement.
The level of process design is key for process reliability, reproducibility, parts quality and cost-efficiency. A high-quality production line for extrusion blow moulding, consisting of machine, die and automation which is impressive in terms of speed, wear resistance, availability, process reliability and stability alike, is critical for return on investment (ROI) and the level of added value.
Facts and figures
With 18,000 machines delivered and installed worldwide - about half of them still in use - the BEKUM Group has achieved by far the largest production of blow moulding machines of any brand.
The BEKUM Group serves approximately 100 countries around the world directly or through representatives.
Today, 300 employees work for the BEKUM group worldwide at three locations in Europe and in the US (Berlin (Germany), Traismauer (Austria) und Williamston (USA)).
