20 Years of Excellence in Production: The "Toolmaker of the Year" Competition Celebrates Anniversary

With the "Excellence in Production" competition, the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) at RWTH Aachen University and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT annually select the best tool and mold making companies in German-speaking countries. All participating companies receive an individual key figure report, which serves the tool and die making companies as a location determination in the industry environment. Participation in the anniversary edition of the competition is made more attractive by innovations and additional prizes: In two new categories "EiP Newcomer of the Year" and "Best Sustainability Initiative", up-and-coming and sustainable moldmaking companies will be honored.

 

Participation in the anniversary year is also very simple: After registering at www.excellence-in-production.de, companies can first fill out the first part of the questionnaire. A selection of key questions about the company must be answered by March 1, 2023. Immediately afterwards, participants will receive an initial evaluation before the second round of the competition begins with more in-depth questions. Participation in the competition is also possible after the first phase. The closing date for the second round, in which the company can qualify for the final round, is May 1, 2023.

In the next step, the team of experts from WZL at RWTH Aachen University and Fraunhofer IPT uses a scientifically based key performance indicator system to form an initial ranking of the participants. The team then assesses the best companies in detail during on-site visits. Based on the on-site impressions of the Aachen moldmaking experts, all visited companies are given extensive feedback on organizational and technological fields of action along the order processing. In addition, each participating company receives an annual subscription to the web seminars of the WBA Aachener Werkzeugbau Akademie, a ticket to attend a seminar of the WBA Aachener Werkzeugbau Akademie of their choice, a ticket to Formnext or MouldingExpo 2023, as well as participation in a draw for two wild card visits by the EiP experts.

Free, anonymous evaluation shows strengths and potential for improvement

In 2023, companies in the moldmaking and tooling sector will once again have the opportunity to compare themselves with the competition anonymously and free of charge. Participating companies will find out how they compare with the competition in the individual sub-disciplines.

Participation is possible for both external moldmaking companies and internal moldmaking departments within manufacturing companies. For orientation, the two Aachen research institutes offer interested first-time participants a sample evaluation for download. In this way, the companies gain a detailed overview of which industry-related key figures will be evaluated even before they register.

Excellence in Production: Scientifically based and proven in practice

In addition to financial, customer and product-related results, the processes, resources, organization, sustainability, strategy and management of the companies are also considered for evaluation. The competition has been known in the moldmaking and tooling industry for 20 years as a yardstick for evaluating the performance of companies.

The multi-stage selection process and the focus of the questionnaire on the most important contents enable companies to signal their interest in participating in the competition at the beginning with little effort. The contact persons at the WZL of RWTH Aachen University and the Fraunhofer IPT are available for queries during the further course of the competition to ensure that all key figures are recorded correctly. The detailed evaluation ultimately comprises around 100 key figures, which can also serve the participating companies as starting points for improvements in their own operations.

Festive awards ceremony in Aachen's Coronation Hall

Now that the pandemic situation has largely eased in 2022, the evening ceremony in the Coronation Hall of Aachen City Hall could once again take place in the usual festive atmosphere. Thus, around 250 guests were present to witness the honoring of the finalists and category winners. The coveted title as "Toolmaker of the Year 2022" was awarded to Fritz Stepper GmbH & Co.KG on October 26, 2022. The overall winner convinced the jury with the use of high-quality machines with a low average age and a high degree of automation. In addition, the jurors praised the extremely high level of added value, which ensured the supply of tools to customers in the past turbulent years. Since the overall win in 2019, there has been close involvement of the highly qualified employees in a large number of development and innovation projects, the jury also noted.

Strong partners support the competition

The "Excellence in Production" competition is supported by the companies Hasco Hasenclever GmbH + Co. KG, as the main sponsor, as well as WBA Aachener Werkzeugbau Akademie GmbH, Kunststoffcluster Österreich, Swissmem and the German Engineering Federation. Another supporter of the competition is the trade fair for additive technologies "Formnext". As media partners, VDI nachrichten and the trade journals FORM+Werkzeug and werkzeug&formenbau report on the event.