Optimizing both production plants of PB Swiss Tools was a task that required precise planning, flexible execution and superb cooperation.
Like Bauberger, Swiss Tools stands for no-compromise Swiss quality. This family company based in Emmental has about 150 employees and produces quality tools and medical instruments. It exports these products throughout the world, especially to Europe, Asia and America.
The long-term project involved setting up the production process in an optimum way in both facilities, which are located about 5 km apart in Grünen and in Wasen i.E. Over the course of a year, 80 systems were moved in five stages lasting one to two weeks apiece. The declared goal was to avoid operational interruptions or keep them as short as possible. The precise planning flexibly took into account the utilization of production capacity and special situations that occurred. For example, when an advertising campaign generated big demand and production had to be boosted, Bauberger delayed the planned moving date by a week.
PB Swiss Tools has experience in dismantling and assembling small machines but for big systems and complex moves, the specialists from Bauberger AG need to be called in. Beat Gehrig, project manager at PB Swiss Tools: “Bauberger, our people and the external telematics experts worked so well together.” Besides flexibility, Gehrig appreciated the efficiency and concentration with which the Bauberger installers tackled the job. They kept an eye out and repaired any small defects that came to light during dismantling.
The sliding headstock lathes and other lathes as well as presses and assembly systems were dismantled into their individual components and quickly reassembled again at their intended destination thanks to precise documentation. Interacting parts such as the 5m long bar loader for the lathe had to be aligned to the nearest hundredth of a millimeter. Every process, every movement of every machine was precisely planned and meticulously recorded beforehand, but as Gehrig said: “The plan is one thing, reality is another.” It turned out that the hall was sagging slightly, so the experts from Bauberger had to take this into account during the alignment procedure.
Gehrig was obviously impressed by the precise work and professionalism of the Bauberger employees: “After all, they move machines worldwide, not just 5 km away.” That is why the project manager invited people over to his home for a barbecue or also organized a joint outing to a nearby alp.
Special tools
- 100 mt knuckle boom crane with trailer
- 10t transport box
- Special equipment, chain hoists
- 7t forklift
- 3,2t forklift
- 5t assembly crane
- Installation dollies
- Total weight of tools: 75t
PB Swiss Tools
| Employees: | 150 |
| Production output: | 10 million units per year, about 850,000 per month |
| Range: | Over 2,400 articles (tools, medical instruments) |
| Share of exports: | 66%, representative offices in more than 70 countries |
