MIXING
TOGETHER
OUTLOOK 2013
Dear team members and friends
of the HF MIXING GROUP,
With the merger of the three companies Farrel, Pomini
Rubber & Plastics and Harburg-Freudenberger into the
HF MIXING GROUP over three years ago, it’s time to pause
and take stock.
We can be proud of our achievements! All economic
indicators show improvement – our position on the world
markets and with key customers has consistently in-
creased.
Considering market developments, it becomes clear that
the processes of change we made were essential: tradi-
tionally, automobile and tyre manufacturers are globally
present and serve the world market; the plastics in-
dustry operates internationally, close to endcustomers, and
manufactures of industrial rubber goods are becoming
more and more global, operating beyond ‘historical mar-
ket boundaries’. Thus, it is only logical for us to position
ourselves globally.
Since the automotive industry interacts so strongly with
our company, we would like to use this issue to give you
first-hand information of this relationship in an article
written by Michael F. Ableson from Adam Opel AG. This
may help us all to better understand the challenges of
the future.
To meet these challenges, it was absolutely necessary
for us to bring together all our companies and consider
the values of our employees. The development of the
HF MIXING GROUP brand has been supported by all
employees across all locations in a sustainable, committed
manner. Thank you to everyone for your support!
Regarded as one entity, our Group now offers a lot more
potential for development than the former essentially
smaller individual companies would have ever been able
to. Fine examples of where this can be seen are in the
construction of the new technical centres in Ansonia,
Connecticut, USA and Freudenberg, Germany. Our cus-
tomers appreciate the opportunity to test new technolo-
gies. Beyond that, we as a Group are now in the position
to further develop the basic value-added processes of
our customers.
Besides purely technical developments, our customers’
employees are more and more at centre of our attention.
We already have training events such as our mixing sem-
inar and last year’s ‘1
st
German Mixing Championship’
on offer. In future, we want to offer comprehensive train-
ing possibilities to our own personnel as well as to our
customers’ employees.
In addition to these ‘centralised’ services, our customers
always come first. That’s why we have expanded our
service network with new stations in South East Asia,
India and Eastern Europe.
The global cooperation of our employees creates addi-
tional synergies in purchasing and production. Thereby
the establishment of an own subsidiary in Slovakia,
which we were able to complete in November through
the acquisition of the company ZTS-LR NaJUS, a.s., is
of particular importance. This acquisition makes it possible
for us to ensure production of non-core components in
Eastern Europe and thus relieves our other manufacturing
sites in Castellanza, Italy; Freudenberg, Germany and
Rochdale, UK.
As you can see, we are on an exciting journey. Take part
in our successful development and go ‘on tour’ with the
HF MIXING GROUP!
We hope you enjoy reading!
Mark Meulbroek
Dr Andreas Limper
Board of Management of the HF MIXING GROUP
