20 Years of WINTERSTEIGER Sägen GmbH: Investments, International Expansion, and Innovation
For 20 years, WINTERSTEIGER Sägen GmbH—formerly Banholzer Sägen GmbH—has been part of the Austrian WINTERSTEIGER Group. The company develops and manufactures saw blades for thin-cutting wood (Ried) as well as for joineries, sawmills, the food industry, and many other sectors. In addition, it supplies its two subsidiaries—SERRA in Rimsting and HEMA in Frickenhausen—with saw blades for a wide variety of applications.
On the history of WINTERSTEIGER Sägen GmbH: How has the site developed over the past 20 years?
Just one year after the acquisition by WINTERSTEIGER, construction began and the company relocated to the Arnstadt Nord industrial park: into a modern new building covering 5,000 m². We invested approximately 2 million euros and expanded our production area by 50%. In 2018, we expanded the production facility to 7,000 m². Since then, we have invested approximately 500,000 euros annually and have now once again reached our capacity limits.
Therefore, the next major construction project is on the horizon. The building authority has approved the preliminary building application for a warehouse expansion. This 4,500 m² project will be carried out in 2 to 3 construction phases. The building permit for the first phase, covering 1,400 m², has been granted by the relevant building authority, and we are currently evaluating the optimal time to begin construction.
The pandemic, supply chain bottlenecks, inflation: What helped the company navigate these turbulent times?
For one thing, we have a very diverse product portfolio. This is a huge advantage, because in addition to saw blades for thin-cutting wood, we also manufacture saw blades for narrow-cut and block band saws, joiner saws, saws for the food industry, and saws for the metalworking sector. This gives us multiple sources of revenue and allows us to respond flexibly to constantly changing market demands.
Second, with an export rate of over 90%, we’re well-positioned internationally. If a market or region isn’t performing as well—for a variety of reasons—we’re able to pivot relatively quickly and offset any impending losses. We are in good hands within the growing “World of Woodtech,” which is part of the international WINTERSTEIGER Group.
In addition to WINTERSTEIGER in Ried and the automation specialist VAP-WINTERSTEIGER in Mettmach—what else is part of the World of Woodtech?
Also on board is SERRA Maschinenbau in Rimsting, which manufactures stationary and mobile sawmills; we produce band saw blades for them and provide band saw blade service.
Outside the wood industry—a sector we call “Beyond Wood”—HEMA Maschinenbau is also part of the group. HEMA, located in Frickenhausen near Stuttgart, manufactures highly specialized sawing machines for lightweight construction materials such as insulation materials or for the interior components of trucks, trains, and much more. Here, we are constantly challenged to familiarize ourselves with sawing processes outside the wood sector and to offer solutions.
Through SERRA and HEMA’s customers, we receive valuable feedback on how our saw blades perform in other industries. This close relationship with customers is crucial for the further development of our products. In the World of Woodtech, everyone benefits from one another, enabling us to meet ever-changing customer requirements.
What else drives your company forward?
We’re very innovation-driven and consistently refine our products. Last year, we launched the new X-Run saw blade, which stands out for its longer service life. Our customers really appreciate that we’re moving forward with our products. We also have something in the pipeline for 2024, but we’re not revealing any details just yet.
In early June, we’ll be celebrating our 20th anniversary in style. With 65 employees in saw blade production, we’ve remained a very close-knit company, and together we look to the future with great optimism.