Germany Celebrates Top-Notch Moldmakers

Phoenix Contact's toolmaking division is "Toolmaker of the Year 2018". After winning the award for the first time in 2016, the company has once again won the prestigious award, which is annually organized by the Fraunhofer IPT and the WZL RWTH Aachen. The award is given annually to the top tool and moldmaking shops, selected by a top-class jury consisting of representatives from industry, trade associations and research.

The award ceremony was held on November 7, 2018 the evening before the 14th international "Tool and Die Making for the Future" colloquium in the majestic setting of the Coronation Room in Aachen’s town hall.

The award’s jury praised the shop’s efforts in Industry 4.0 and additive manufacturing projects, which act as a driver of innovation for the Phoenix Group. The jury positively assessed a consistent increase in automation in production through expanded flexible automation cells and the global tool shop information system, which is available for anyone around the globe at Phoenix. This in-house-developed system offers transparency across all databases and manufacturing processes, as described in our article here.

Phoenix Contact, based in Blomberg, Germany, consists of 12 manufacturing companies and around 50 sales companies. Its product range includes components and system solutions for power supply, including renewable energy, as well as for device, machine and control cabinet engineering. Phoenix not only manufactures screws, plastic and metal parts in-house, but also highly automated assembly machines and punching and bending tools and injection molds. Phoenix Contact Tool Shop Plastics in Blomberg, which has three departments and 180 employees, controls its global network for injection mold construction. The product portfolio includes consulting services, prototypes, rapid tools and complex multi-cavity, high-speed tools.