Insight into 100 years of mixing technology: A guided tour of Gustav Eirich Maschinenfabrik

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Foundry Corporate News Topic Green Sand

12. December 2024

A guided tour of Gustav Eirich Maschinenfabrik in Hardheim, Baden-Württemberg, offered exclusive insights into a century of mixing technology. A special highlight was the visit of the company's own museum. Furthermore, future-oriented topics relating to foundry sand preparation were discussed.

Pressemitteilung | Reading time: min | Bildquelle: Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich GmbH & Co KG

For us at Foundry-Planet, one of the highlights is to visit our valued customers where they work, plan and produce. It is the encounters and places where stories begin and from where high technology is shipped all over the world. A special highlight was the visit of the company's own museum. Furthermore, future-oriented topics relating to foundry sand preparation were discussed.

Maria-Luise LIEPE | Sales Western Europe

‘Last year was one of our best years,’ Maria-Luise Liepe reported during a guided tour of the production halls at the company's headquarters in Hardheim. The family-owned company, now in its fifth generation, was celebrating its 160th anniversary last year.

The Eirich mixer: a revolution in the industry

During the tour, Foundry-Planet gained exclusive insights into Gustav Eirich's pioneering mixing techniques, first and foremost the patented ‘Eirich mixer’. It revolutionised the entire industry back in 1906 thanks to its versatility. Today, Gustav Eirich is a globally active group that manufactures machines and systems for mixing technology, granulation/pelletising, drying and fine grinding. Impressive is the vertical range of manufacture of 80 per cent that the company achieves. For decades, Eirich has also been supplying a wide range of industries with sand mixers.

India: A growing market for foundry sand processing

According to Liepe, around 20 to 30 per cent of Eirich sand mixers are destined for the foundry sector. India in particular has developed into an important market: ‘India is our focus. The sand mixers used there are entirely manufactured by our sister company EIRICH INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED,’ explains Liepe. Similarly, business in China has also developed successfully over the last 20 years. Another growing market segment is Mexico, where the American subsidiary Eirich Machines Inc. was represented at the recent GIFA FundiExpo 2024.

Eirich strengthens Germany as a production location

Despite global expansion, Germany remains an important production location for Eirich. With an investment of 5.5 million euros in a new production hall at its main site in Hardheim, the company is making a clear commitment to Germany. The three-storey hall offers 750 m² of optimal production conditions, which can be expanded to 1,210 m² if required. Equipped with a special extraction system, a 10-tonne gantry crane, two 5-tonne cranes and a passenger and goods lift, the hall ensures a smooth flow of materials. A photovoltaic system on the roof rounds off the modern infrastructure.

Focus: modernization, automation and digitalization

According to Liepe, the focus of current production is on modernising existing systems. Automation and digitalisation are also key topics for the future. During the tour of the five production halls and the training workshop (550 employees in Hardheim, including 36 trainees), it became clear how the company successfully combines tradition and innovation.

The MIXEUM EIRICH: A museum for sand mixers

‘Wherever you are, between Cameroon and Alaska, we'll build your plant,’ was the motto of Paul Eirich, the former Managing Director. His heartfelt project was to build the company's own museum, the ‘MIXEUM EIRICH’, which gives visitors an insight into the company's history and the development of Eirich sand mixers. The museum is located in one of the historic buildings on the factory premises and documents the history from then until today.