As a contract manufacturer, MBM Industrie GmbH in Mühldorf am Inn builds machines according to the designs of its customers. The machines produced with a high level of manufacturing depth are as diverse as the industries served. To manage production with as few tools as possible, MBM has recently implemented the tool dispensing system MATRIX from INGERSOLL WERKZEUGE GMBH.
The company has a tumultuous history. It all began over 100 years ago with a construction site for the Inn Canal. This provides water for the hydroelectric power plant in Töging, which supplies electricity for the aluminum industry. The construction site later became a repair shop for construction machinery. In 1988, Canadian entrepreneur Heinz Weber purchased the Mühldorf operation of the bankrupt construction company Polensky & Zöllner and founded MBM Maschinenbau Mühldorf GmbH, marking the beginning of large machine production.
We build machines
When Eduard W. J. Regele and Tilmann S. Rosch took over the company in 2018, they initially considered renaming it. However, they quickly realized that the name MBM was very positively associated with the existing customer base. Therefore, the well-known abbreviation was retained but reinterpreted. Today, it stands for the Bavarian slogan 'We build machines'.
Currently, twelve production halls are located on the 48,400 square meter site, with a total production area of around 12,000 square meters, where MBM employs 80 staff. Expansion plans are already underway. Special machines and systems, including large-format areas, are the focus of MBM. With a broad customer mix from various industries, the company is highly diversified and thus relatively crisis-resistant.
The plastic industry is very strongly represented, but the paper industry, mining industry, steel industry, food industry, and battery technology are also customer sectors.
Vertically integrated manufacturer
Test runs and the commissioning of the manufactured machines take place at MBM in Mühldorf. If the customer wishes, support is also provided for setup at the deployment site, internationally. MBM has all processes of the value chain in-house. In addition to the entire range of mechanical processing, this includes sandblasting, sawing, flame cutting, bending processes, welding, and painting. 'We are a vertically integrated manufacturer, which allows us to respond very flexibly to customer requests and have short lead times,' explains Managing Director Tilmann Rosch.
The company's large machine park allows for the processing of turned parts up to 2 m in diameter and 6 m in length. Surface grinding is possible up to 7 m in length, and milling even up to 13 m in length. Since especially the large machines are often underutilized with the production of their own components, MBM also operates as a contract manufacturer. A rather curious part was recently produced: a 5 m tall vodka bottle made of stainless steel, needed for an event.
For the production of a variety of different components starting from lot size 1, tool management plays a crucial role. MBM aims to achieve standardization of cutting tools to handle the diverse tasks with a minimum of different tools. The company has been considering acquiring a system cabinet for this purpose for years.
After a series of comparisons, the tool dispensing system MATRIX from INGERSOLL was chosen. Tilmann Rosch explains the reasons: 'The systems on the market generally promise the same functions. The MATRIX dispensing system convinced us with its clear user interface, quickly learnable and intuitive operation, and cleverly designed hardware. Last but not least, the good collaboration with INGERSOLL also played a role.'
Close coordination for optimal solutions
For four years, MBM has been working intensively with INGERSOLL and has had good experiences with the tool manufacturer's service. Rosch particularly appreciates the short decision-making paths and quick coordination loops: 'When we receive a new machining task, we first think about how we can solve it and which tools are best suited for it. Then we consult with INGERSOLL and ask about their approach. If INGERSOLL has a better idea, we work out the optimum.'
Typically, a short phone call is sufficient for coordination. Drawing excerpts via email are also helpful.
As a technical consultant for INGERSOLL, Michael Bum visits the customer on-site approximately every two weeks to discuss various tool topics and find solutions for the upcoming tasks in close coordination. 'We are not a series manufacturer but have new tasks in mechanical processing every week. Therefore, we gladly take advantage of technological support,' Rosch appreciates this service. Since the manufacturing processes are always individual, the mutual exchange is very beneficial for selecting the right tools.
'From the beginning, we aimed for standardization of the tools,' explains Michael Bum. The first step was to reduce the variety of used indexable inserts. How the MATRIX system helps with this is explained by Thomas Kölbl, who is responsible for the MATRIX cabinets throughout Bavaria as an application technician at INGERSOLL: 'With the help of the system, a data basis is created that provides information on how many tools were needed for which orders. Subsequently, one can question whether the quantity corresponds to what was done with it.'
Sleeper tools and bestsellers
This also paves the way for standardization, as Tilmann Rosch explains: 'Based on integrated statistical evaluations, we can quickly identify which are sleeper tools and which are frequently in circulation as bestsellers. Our strategy is to define standards so that the cabinet holds exactly the standard tools that are always needed and for which there should be no shortages. For the sleepers, we check whether they are still necessary or whether they can be sorted out.
With every item less, we save effort and money.' At MBM, MATRIX monitors the inventory and makes a reorder suggestion when needed; automated
Order is prepared.
One challenge is also to eventually replace tried-and-true tools with more modern ones. It is constantly checked whether the tools in use are still up to date or if there are optimization potentials. 'We continuously review our manufacturing processes and see if this is still the right technology or if there is something better available now. The support from the experts at INGERSOLL is very valuable,' says Rosch.
No confusion possible
In coordination with the tool manufacturer, MBM chose the MATRIX Maxi Premium model with individual compartment locking. Its 374 compartments not only allow for reliable inventory control but also prevent incorrect selections. Since the employee only has access to the selected compartment, there is no longer any risk of confusion, especially with indexable cutting inserts and visually identical measuring pins. MATRIX also manages tools at external storage locations, such as large tools on shelves.
The system was put into operation in May 2024 and is still under construction. MBM started with turning tools and measuring instruments for the filling, followed by milling tools. 'Initially, we will store the most frequently needed tools and will expand the system as needed,' announces Rosch, who already sees significant advantages from the use of the MATRIX cabinet in the early phase. He is particularly pleased with the management of the over 1,000 measuring instruments that are in circulation in the operation. The MATRIX software also monitors their periodic checks, ensuring that only calibrated measuring processes are carried out. And one more special feature: since the car key for the Sprinter has its MATRIX compartment, it no longer needs to be searched for.
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