01/2012

This was 2011 …

The Tsunami in Japan, unrest in several countries, the economic and financial crisis have influenced the thinking and actions in politics, the economy and in strategies. The debt crisis continues to cause uncertainty. The world is moving and changing rapidly. New communication technology results in a global information flow and high transparency.

The markets and general conditions for mechanical engineering are changing. It has never been boring, but never as gripping as over recent months. In view of rising material and operating costs it is important to look at total product life cycle costs. This is an issue on which Pedax has always focused and which will become even more important in future, which means that Pedax will focus even more strongly on it. The course has been set. Despite all internal and external problems 2011 was a good year for us. After all, we met our expectations, developed new ideas and consolidated forces for the future.

Pedax was able to deliver customised machines and systems that operate and provide greater efficiency in Mexico, Macedonia, Canada, Australia, India and many other countries, especially in Europe, of course.

Pedax is ready to meet the challenges ahead, and we are optimistic for 2012.

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Pedax is gaining momentum …

Two becomes one

Crises offer opportunities for tidying, new ideas and unconventional measures. Creativity is called for. We had been meaning to tidy up for some time. Now we have done it. Two successful companies, Stema Engineering and the Pedax Bitburg Maschinenbau GmbH, have merged to become a powerful unit, Pedax, which will focus on you, our customers, and reinvent itself. The change was initiated rapidly and implemented quickly. It is almost complete. To the outside world we illustrate it through a new appearance. The cards have been re-distributed. The responsibilities are clearly defined. Each division has a manager, which is how it should be in a high-performance company.

The production has become leaner, faster and more efficient. Pedax produces mainly at its Bitburg site, with a high degree of vertical integration and with experienced experts who have been with the company for a long time as well as newly qualified staff who were trained at the plant.

Quality and tradition were redefined, because we know that advantage and safety will give you the edge in your daily business. Long-lasting quality is therefore very important to us, as are simple operation, comprehensive service and worldwide customer proximity.

Pedax offers a comprehensive range of machines and systems for concrete reinforcing steel processing. We have the right system or the right machine for any job of any size, and we use our expertise to design complete plants right from the initial planning stages through to commissioning with the result that they operate very efficiently and economically. In all design considerations the focus is always on the production costs per ton processed concrete reinforcing steel, because these costs can be reduced by various measures. One option is to look at the production operation holistically and to always assess machine performance in conjunction with the logistics. This approach offers potential that can make a significant difference, and this is where the actual added value for the customer is created.

Ultimately, the key factor for you are the production costs per ton, man and time. With Pedax you are among the winners because you benefit from the durability, quality, service, experience and professional advice Pedax can offer based on our competence and the wealth of experience from projects around the world. What use are high-performance machines, plants and conveyor systems, if the individual processes are not coordinated? As you can see, Pedax is not only concerned with the quality of the machines, but also with the efficiency of your whole plant. This was already unique in the past, and has now become even better.

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Welcome to Wire in Düsseldorf

26. to 30. March 2012
Hall 16 · Booth K04

Wire is the global flagship fair for the wire and cable industry. It goes without saying that Pedax will be there in order to discuss the latest trends and developments with you. We will show you interesting new machines and production techniques, which enable you to respond to customer requirements even more effectively and will give you an advantage.

Come and see us. The distances are short. Düsseldorf Airport is close by. And why not enjoy a fresh Bitburger at our booth. We look forward to welcoming you as our guest.

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New service manager at Bitburg

Pedax is enhancing its service offerings, in view of the fact that the economic efficiency and performance of a machine crucially depends on targeted professional preventive and corrective maintenance. This is why Pedax has special standards in this respect. Markus Barthen, 37, took on responsibility for the Pedax Service 10 months ago. He has been with the company for more than 10 years and is therefore very familiar with all machines and systems. He is also very aware of the needs and problems that occur on a daily basis: not least in view of the fact that he personally participates in the hotline that is staffed by competent experts at Bitburg and Kvistgaard and is able to resolve many smaller or even larger problems over the phone. During 2012 we will expand our service further, both nationally and internationally, in order to be able to respond even better and faster. Our maintenance contracts play a key role in ensuring that machines are professionally serviced and maintained at the current state of development on a regular basis, just like in the automotive sector, where this is well-established practice. The process involves updating machine parameters, checking and adjusting speeds, applying length corrections and checking angles. This increases the availability of your machine, reduces the demand for spare parts, avoids downtimes and ultimately improves the economic efficiency significantly. The cooperation with all Pedax agencies will be improved. We will employ additional technicians and will put our training on a new, modern foundation. Response times will be reduced significantly. All these are aims that are important for all of us, and in particular for you.

» Markus Barthen, Service

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A company on the move…

Our realignment, which commenced in 2010, is complete. At the Bitburg site we also produce now, run in and dispatch stirrup-bending machines. This logical development was in fact long overdue, since key machine and system components have always been produced at Bitburg. Pedax Bitburg has advanced part production facilities with economic processing centres, on which key machine components are produced. This ensures outstanding quality and at the same time high flexibility.	» New assembly hall for automatic stirrup benders in Bitburg	» Storage for machine and spare parts in Bitburg
At Bitburg we implemented an advanced, customisable assembly line for stirrup bending machines, which is located in new section of the factory in which all Twinmaster machines are built and run in. Twinmaster stirrup benders benefit from advanced servo technology. Pedax offers the complete range, including small machines for concrete reinforcing steel diameters up to 8 mm, complete processing centres for stirrups and double bends and the Twinmaster 20 which can process twin-strand up to 16 mm and single-strand up to 20 mm. We also invested in storage technology, because internal component supply for system assembly is just as important as the parts and tool service for Pedax customers. The system manages more than 50,000 items, because we stock not only parts for new machines, but also parts and tools for bending or cutting machines that are 20 or 30 years old. Our parts service, warehouse and general service are ready to serve you. The consolidation of all our machines and spare parts at a single location ensures smooth supplies. Pedax utilises advanced storage technology and cooperates with several courier services to deliver parts anywhere in the world in the shortest possible time.

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Permatic double bender

The Pedax range of Permatic double bending systems was extended and adapted to market requirements. The comprehensive range comprises the Permatic 50, 60, 65 and 60 SK. Of particular interest is the new high-performance double bending line Permatic 60 SK, which features position-controlled drives and new control technology. In addition, we were able to realise significantly smaller centre to centre distances; the small distance of only 104 cm (centre/centre bending plate) facilitates an even greater range of bending shapes. The machine also has a new user interface. Production data are entered via a dialog on a touchscreen, or read directly from the label or online.

The Permatic double bending system can be operated by a single operator from a single location. The investment therefore pays for itself through saved staff costs alone, because a more conventional machine requires at least two operators. Additional benefits are increased performance through faster bending and automatic processing. A Permatic double bending system from Pedax should therefore feature in any bending shop.




» Double bending machine Permatic 60 SK

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Interview with Knud Foldschack

Mr. Foldschack, Pedax is a leading manufacturer of processing systems for reinforcing steel and you have been CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Pedax for some 20 months now. How do you rate development and how do you see the company today? Today compared to 20 months ago I see Pedax as one united company, with increased efficiency and lots of possibilities to develop in the future. Pedax has also come through the global financial crisis with reasonable results and I believe this and the fact that we in the near future are implementing a number of new initatives will leave us well prepared for future growth. What opportunities do you see for Pedax in the future in this hard-fought and specialised market? As mentioned above, we will in the near future launch a number of new initiatives. As in any business it is extremely important to be close to your customers and listen carefully to what they need. We will increase our presence in the market in the near future - and in our development pipeline we have a number of very interesting new products, which are the results of what our customers have asked for. This combined with our strong presence in many key markets gives me a good feeling for the future.

» Knud Foldschack - CEO PEDAX

In 2011 parts of the production were relocated from Denmark to Germany. What problems were encountered and what are the advantages for Pedax’s customers? It is a big project to move a production from one country to another. There are many things to take into consideration and a lot of tasks that are changed from one employee to another. I would say that it is almost impossible to avoid problems in such a process, but I must say that the colleagues that have been involved in this have done a fantastic job, and thanks to their efforts we have kept problems at a minimum. To be honest I am not sure our customers will experience a big difference compared to before. The move will increase our internal efficiency – and hopefully this will increase our ability to be even more flexible towards our customers. But as I said – it may be difficult for our customers to tell the difference compared to before the move. How important is the vertical range of manufacture and what effects on quality are associated with it? Of course it is important that you are in control of what you are doing. The better control you have the better quality. And now where we have everything under one roof, then we of course expect that we will be able to control things much better. Are high quality, service and consulting strength given due recognition and does this effort pay off? One of things that many customers have told me is that they are very impressed and pleased with our service and support, and that is one of their key reasons to choose Pedax products. In today’s market quality is a parameter that customers do not always recognize and take into consideration, but Pedax is recognized for its high quality and it is my clear impression that customers that are working with our products also realise that it pays off in the long run to go for quality. A machine manufacturer must work all over the world. How does a mid-sized company solve that and where do the challenges lie? To work worldwide you need a lot of resources and have insight to several markets and different requirements. As a mid-size company it is impossible to cover all markets worldwide – therefore the solution is “focus”. That you choose the markets that you want to work in, and that you in those markets provide the full package – sales, service and support. How do you expect the world market to develop in the future and what rank will Pedax occupy? Pedax do not want to be the largest player in the market. It is our aim to be our customers’ preferred partner and that our customer recognizes all the benefits that they get from working with Pedax. How you would describe the character of Pedax if you could only use three words? Value for Money. If I may comment on that: At Pedax we know that we do not have the cheapest products in the market, when you just compare the price. We believe that the right factor to look at is the “total cost of ownership” or in other words – what does it cost you to own a machine during a period of time. When you look at this factor, then we believe that what Pedax offers is very competitive and “value for money”. What are your personal wishes for 2012? I hope that we will soon see some indications of recovery for the global economy. We all need some optimism to come back, so that we can get an increased flow of business and so that we can secure more work places for employees around the world. Thank you very much for the pleasant conversation.

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New branch office in Argentina

The South American market is developing. Pedax is therefore concentrating even more intensively on this area. For this reason, Pedax SRL will be established in Argentina on 1 March 2012. Pedax SRL is responsible for service and sales in the South American region, concentrating on Argentina, Brazil and Chile. The responsible employees have worked for Pedax for many years, have experience in service and know their countries and customers. Pablo Donnet will be responsible for sales, while Hernan Neri will take care of service and support. Norberto Donnet will continue his present job as a service technician in North America and will additionally work for service at Pedax SRL.

We are sure that Pedax SRL will be a success and that this establishment will provide us with a good basis for achieving outstanding performances.

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Combiline cutting systems operate fully automatically

The tried and tested Combiline was used as the basis for a new, fully automatic bar cutting system that works without an operator. This high-tech system was commissioned at a large concrete and precasting plant in Belgium. Taking into account the severe space constraints at the plant, the complete system was designed such that it fits exactly into the existing hall and that unmanned operation is possible without restrictions.

To this end a Combiline shearline was equipped with an automatic counting and insertion system, Autender S. The system also includes a bar store with software-controlled positioning from which the concrete reinforcing steel to be cut is automatically removed and transferred to the cutting muzzle. Residues and scrap are automatically removed from the cutting and working area and taken to a scrap container via a chute system. In addition, the plant also features a conveying and collection system for short lengths so that such items can also be cut and stored automatically without manual intervention.

Overall, the production plant operates largely unmanned and is equipped with automatic collection systems. Stationary Combiline systems with transverse moving stores offer are highly flexibility and offer a wide range of options.



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Safety

Safety issues are already considered during the design phase in order to eliminate potential hazards or at least reduce them to a tolerable residual risk. Taking into account the Australian guidelines, in collaboration with the operator, the Company ARC and Australian safety inspectors, a sophisticated safety concept was developed and adapted to the system such that all current standards and machine requirements could be satisfied. Australia has very high safety standards.

The whole production unit is secured through a safety fence system with locking mechanisms at all access point. Dangerous sections are secured by screens and safety doors. At certain key points fences were avoided in order to ensure high system efficiency. Instead, contact-free opto-electronic safety devices are used there. The safety system is based on fail-safe Siemens control technology. This enabled safety-related components to be integrated in the Profibus communication. Complex safety functions were realised via the software. The state of all safety devices is continuously displayed at the control station. Safety infringements are analysed and displayed in real-time.

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From liquid steel to customised reinforcing steel mesh

The Mexican company Talleres has implemented a highly versatile plant that includes crude steel production, a continuous casting system, an integrated concrete steel rolling mill and a wire mesh production facility.

The MG 630 Tailor machine from our partner, Schlatter Industrie AG, processes drawn and hot-rolled material and can weld wire diameters between 6 and 16 mm to form wire meshing. Openings for windows, doors or electrical installations are dealt with directly, so that no post-processing is required. The system can produce almost any shape and wire diameter combination just in time, based on client specifications. The complete plant can be operated by a single person. The longitudinal and transverse wires are handled by eight pay-off reels, which can each accommodate coils up to 5 tonnes. The Pedax straightening system Rectormatic 8-2-S with eight hyperbolic straightening units and integrated central lubrication can straighten and cut two wires simultaneously with a speed of 140 m/min. Feed trolleys take the accurately fitting longitudinal and transverse bars into the welding line, where they are welded by up to 12 independent welding presses. The Pedax Rectormatic rotor straightening system is available in various combinations and configurations, or as a stand-alone machine, and is therefore also of interest for bending shops that need to straighten concrete reinforcing steel with high quality and performance.



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Concrete reinforcing steel from coils up to 20 mm

The world is changing. This also applies to processing of concrete reinforcing steel. There is an increasing tendency to process wire diameters up to 20 mm from coils. Naturally this affects the production processes and the machinery in bending plants. Automatic stirrup benders tend to become central processing centres which are used for straightening and for producing double bends and of course stirrups. In short: a high-performance processing centre should be able to meet all requirements. With the Twinmaster 16 III and the new

» Twinmaster 20

Twinmaster 20, Pedax offers two high-performance production systems which benefit from servo technology, advanced machine design and two bending heads. The Twinmaster 20 can process wires with up to 20 mm diameter or two wires with up to 16 mm diameter. Detailed information can be found on our website at www.pedax.com

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New software for higher performance

Faster production of stirrups

You need higher performance or want to save time? No problem. With the new HS software from Pedax your machine can achieve up to 30 % higher output. How did we do it? Quite simply! We looked at the process steps in detail and managed to reduce idle times significantly. Most Twinmaster machines with servo drives can be retrofitted via a reasonably priced software update. It goes without saying that new machines come supplied with the fast new software.



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Reduce times by up to 80 % with rollmats.

Pedax now also sells the Spinmaster for the automatic production of rollmats. What is important and interesting about this is that the mats are not welded; instead, the bars are automatically tied together using a wire-tying technique and wound up into a rollmat. The use of rollmats reduces laying times on the building site by up to 80 %, because the mats are unrolled like a carpet. That is simple, effective and unbeatably fast. In addition, expensive reinforcing steel is saved by the use of rollmats, because both the diameter and spacing of the bars can be freely selected. A Spinmaster works automatically with one operator. Since there is no welding, any kind of reinforcing steel can be processed, including stainless steels or coated bars. The mat retains its flexibility thanks to the wire-tying technique. Inaccuracies can be corrected easily.

No licence fees need to be paid for production with the Pedax Spinmaster. Are you interested? Then talk to us about the benefits of rollmats and about the Spinmaster.


» Spinmaster BF for the production of rollmats

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Cador 30 and 50

Cador cutting systems are robust, fast, customisable and strong. Based on a design that has been tried and tested for more than 40 years, Pedax has developed a system with a convincing price, performance and simplicity. New controllers simplify operation further. They are designed to enable all functions to be controlled intuitively via a multi-function stick, like in an excavator, for example, where similar controllers are used.

Cador cutting systems are available with 300 or 500 mm cutting and working widths. They are supplied as complete systems for 12, 14 or 16 m cutting lengths and are suitable for application on construction sites or in bending shops. The proven basic concept was retained: The concrete reinforcing steel to be cut is positioned on the measuring conveyor via end stops. The robust cutting machine moves to accommodate intermediate dimensions. This refined design results in a high-performance system at a favourable price.


1 - Material placement magazines – 5,000 kg load capacity / compartment
2 - Infeed conveyor
3 - Simplex cutting machine, mobile, including hydraulic unit
4 - Measuring conveyor with transfer to the left and right
5 - Quadruple material collecting pockets

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New statistics program

Pedax automatic bar cutting and bending machines are equipped with advanced Siemens controllers. Data are entered quickly and conveniently via a touchscreen. Text displays have (largely) been avoided. The machine requests data in logical steps, which makes data entry straightforward. The basic principles behind our bar cutting and bending machines are the same, so that switching between machines is straightforward for the operator.

A new program extension enables production performance to be analysed based on various criteria. Overviews and comparisons are available on a weekly, monthly, annual and of course shift basis. This program extension is now available as a small and handy add-on. Pedax machines with Siemens PC 477 controllers can be upgraded.

» View monthly statistics

» View annual statistics

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Steel Con Macadonie opened by prime minister Gruevski

Macedonian company “Steel Con“, along with its Dutch partner “Gerliko Group“ opened a plant for rebar processing in Kumanovo village Mlado Nagoricane in Macedonia on September 14, last year. The EUR 3.5 million investment, including a substantial grant from the Dutch Government, is to open 100 jobs, whereas the rebar placement has been secured through several projects in Macedonia and abroad. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who attended the opening ceremony, voiced satisfaction from the investment.

„Republic of Macedonia is increasingly seen as a business destination. Our efforts in the past period aimed at promoting the country and favorable business conditions are starting to yield results“, stressed PM Gruevski. According to him, investments such as the one by Steel Con represent an additional encouragement for the Government in further improving Macedonia‘s business climate.

Netherlands Ambassador to Macedonia Marriet Schuurman said the plant was another example of the growing ties between Dutch and Macedonian business partners, confirming that capital knows no boundaries, nations and distance. Richard Lieverst, general manager of the Gerliko Group, invested a lot of time and energy in bringing existing know-how from Western Europe to Macedonia. Steel Con general manager Boban Todorovski said the plant opened a new chapter in the company‘s history, adding that the Government‘s proactive policy has made this type of investment a reality. Steel Con was established in 2005 and has worked alongside the Dutch partner Gerliko since 2010. Also thanks to the partnership with the Gerliko Group, Steel Con has developped to one of the leading suppliers of rebar and reinforcement constructions in the region. Over a period of only two years the original steel construction factory has expanded and modernized and has set up a brand new reinforcement centre. The reinforcement plant covers an area of no less than 2,600 m² and can annually process approx. 15,000 tons of steel. Six months after the official opening, the customers in the region have definitely found their way to Steel Con and the current order status is well in excess of the high expectations. Prior to the actual realization of the reinforcement plant Steel Con has conducted a severe selection procedure in search of the right supplier. Steel Con has always strived to supply top quality and was in search of the right partner that could meet these high standards.

Pedax is very proud to have made it through this strict selection procedure and to have been awarded the order for this project. Steel Con has chosen modern rebar processing equipment, that ensures quality, accuracy, high performance and flexibility. The sum of these features is represented by state-of-the-art equipment: a TWINMASTER 16X+ stirrup bender, a SHEARLINE 120 and a METAMATIC 32 reinforcement centre. With this ultramodern setup Steel Con has put itself at the top of the rebar industry in the wide region in one single stroke.



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New newsletter contact

Silke Roth joined the Pedax marketing team in April last year and deals with our newsletter, among other tasks. To suggest topics for the newsletter you can contact her directly on s.roth@pedax.de We will try and cover your suggestion in the next issue.

» Silke Roth, Marketing

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New Production Manager

Torsten Mayer has strengthened the Pedax team as COO (Chief Operations Officer) for some 8 months now. He made a considerable contribution to ensuring that the relocation of production from Denmark to the factory in Bitburg was completed quickly and with no significant friction losses. Mr. Mayer is 37 years old and has taken care of production equipment at international companies. At Pedax he concentrates on production processes, on purchasing and on logistics

» Torsten Mayer

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PEDAX online

Subsequently to our redesign Pedax also switched over to a new online look in the end of last year. Visit us on www.pedax.com!

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