Contract manufacturer for sheet metal working, machining and welded/assembly modules, as well as manufacturer of gravity roller conveyors and transport racks
Schulz Fördersysteme GmbH
Geratal – district of GräfenrodaNew on Amplifa
About Schulz Fördersysteme
Schulz Fördersysteme GmbH is a medium-sized contract manufacturer founded in 1991 in Gräfenroda, operating under the brand “Blechbearbeitung Thüringen”. Its core business is sheet metal working with 2D and 3D laser cutting, laser-punching, CNC bending, deburring, pressing, straightening and manual sheet metal fabrication. In addition, the company offers machining (turning, milling, sawing), the manufacture of complete welded and assembly modules including robotic and laser welding, as well as assembly. Surface treatments such as powder coating, KTL (e-coating), galvanizing and pickling are carried out in cooperation with long-standing partners. Materials processed include steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass and copper. In addition to contract manufacturing, Schulz is a manufacturer of gravity roller conveyors and transport racks. Customers include, among others, the automotive industry and conveyor technology; deliveries are made throughout Europe. On approximately 10,000 m² of production space, around 90 employees manufacture parts from 30 g to 5000 kg.
- Site
- Geratal – district of Gräfenroda
- Processes
- Laser cutting (2D), Laser – punching, Laser cutting (3D) – 3D laser cutting/laser welding with CO2 laser, Bending (CNC press brake), Deburring, Pressing, Straightening, Manual sheet metal fabrication (rolling on 4-roller bending machine, profile bending)
- Materials
- Steel, Stainless steel, Aluminium, Brass, Copper
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, DIN EN ISO 3834-2, DIN EN 15085-2 CL1, DIN 2303, Certified specialist company under WHG, ISO 9001, ISO 3834-2, EN 15085-2 CL1, WHG certified specialist company
- Founded
- 1991
- Employees
- 90
- Industries
- Automotive industry, Conveyor technology/Intralogistics, Mechanical engineering, Intralogistics/Conveyor technology
- 01
Laser cutting (2D/3D) and laser-punching
- 02
Bending, pressing, straightening, manual sheet metal fabrication
- 03
Deburring
- 04
Machining (turning, milling, sawing)
- 05
Joining: welding, laser welding, clinching, projection and stud welding
- 06
Assembly
- 07
Surface treatment (in cooperation)
- 08
3D measurement and documentation
Materials and Processes
Steel
Base material for laser-cut parts, bent parts and welded assemblies in automotive and conveyor technology
Stainless steel
Processed, among other things, on a separate deburring machine to avoid contamination
Aluminium
Light sheet material for laser-cut and bent parts
Brass
For laser-cut parts in sheet metal fabrication
Copper
For laser-cut parts in sheet metal fabrication
Locations
Geratal – district of Gräfenroda
DEHeadquarters, production
- Part weight / size
- 30 g to 5000 kg
- Lot size
- Single parts to medium series
- Materials
- Steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, copper
- Flatbed laser (fiber and CO2), max. 4000 x 2000 x 25 mm, up to 8 kW
- Punch-laser combination machine Trumpf TM7000
- 3D laser cutting/laser welding system (CO2), 3000 x 1500 x 1500 mm
- Handheld laser welding device, 16 m² laser welding cabin
- 6 CNC press brakes (Trumpf), 36–320 t, bending length 4050 mm
- Deburring machines Lissmac (steel, 2-sided) and Weber (stainless steel)
- Eccentric press up to 125 t, hydraulic press up to 250 t
- Straightening machine, 4-roller bending machine, profile bending machine
- CNC lathe with bar feeder, 340 x 1500 mm
- 5-axis CNC machining center, 2000 x 600 x 800 mm
- Welding robot compact cell (CMT, stud welding)
- Welding cobot with manipulator, 2000 x 1000 x 1000 mm
- Double gantry system with two 6-axis robots, 7000 x 2500 x 2500 mm
- Clinching press (Tox CEU), 0.3–12 mm total sheet thickness
- 3D metrology (optical/tactile) in a climate-controlled measuring room
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser cutting (2D)Machining | ±0.1 mm | 4000 mm × 2000 mm × 25 mm | – | – | Steel, Stainless steel, Aluminium, Brass, Copper |
| Laser – punchingMachining | – | – | – | – | Thin sheet (up to 6 mm) |
| Laser cutting (3D) – 3D laser cutting/laser welding with CO2 laserMachining | – | 3000 mm × 1500 mm × 1500 mm | – | – | – |
| Bending (CNC press brake)Forming | – | 4050 mm | – | – | – |
| DeburringSurface | – | 1500 mm | – | – | Steel, Stainless steel |
| PressingForming | – | – | – | – | – |
| StraighteningForming | – | 1500 mm | – | – | Sheet up to 12 mm thickness |
| Manual sheet metal fabrication (rolling on 4-roller bending machine, profile bending)Forming | – | – | – | – | – |
| Turning (CNC with bar feeder, cycle-controlled)Machining | – | 1500 mm × 340 mm | – | – | – |
| Milling (5-axis CNC machining center)Machining | – | 2000 mm × 600 mm × 800 mm | – | – | – |
| Sawing (band saw automation, circular saw automats for metal)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manual machining (drilling, countersinking, reaming, threading, broaching, grinding)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Welding (manual) MAG/MIG/TIGJoining | – | – | 30 g – 5000 kg | Single parts – medium series | – |
| Welding (robotic)Joining | – | 7000 mm × 2500 mm × 2500 mm | – | – | – |
| Laser welding (incl. handheld laser welding)Joining | – | 3000 mm × 1500 mm × 1500 mm | – | – | thin sheet thicknesses |
| ClinchingJoining | – | – | – | – | Sheet 0.3–12 mm total sheet thickness |
| Projection weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Stud weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Orbital rivetingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| AssemblyAssembly | – | – | 5000 kg | – | – |
| Powder coatingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Wet paintingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| KTL (e-coating)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Galvanic zinc platingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hot-dip galvanizingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| PicklingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
23 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatbed laser (2D, fiber and CO2) | Trumpf | 8 (2007–20 | 4000x2000x25 mm, max. 8 kW | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Punch-laser combination machine (fully automated) | Trumpf TM7000 | – | – | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| 3D laser cutting/laser welding system (CO2 laser) | – | – | 3000 x 1500 x 1500 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Handheld laser welding device | – | – | 16 m² laser welding cabin | 2024 | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| CNC press brakes (hydraulic and electric, 36–320 t) | Trumpf | 6 | Bending length 4050 mm, angle sensors | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Deburring machine (steel, 2-sided) | Lissmac | 2 | Component width 1500 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Deburring machine (stainless steel) | Weber | 1 | Component width 1500 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Eccentric press | – | – | up to 125 t | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Hydraulic press | – | – | up to 250 t | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Straightening machine | – | – | Pass-through width up to 1500 mm, sheet thickness 12 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| 4-roller bending machine | – | – | – | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Profile bending machine | – | – | – | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| CNC lathe with bar feeder | – | – | 340 x 1500 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Cycle-controlled lathe | – | – | 340 x 1500 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| 5-axis CNC machining center | – | – | 2000 x 600 x 800 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Band saw automat | – | – | – | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Circular saw automat for metal | – | – | – | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Broaching machine | – | – | max. keyway width 12 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Welding robot compact cell (CMT power source, stud welding technology) | – | – | max. 1200 x 500 x 500 mm (L/W/H) | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Welding cobot with multi-station operation and manipulator | – | – | 2000 x 1000 x 1000 mm (L/W/H) | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Double gantry system with 2 suspended 6-axis robots | – | – | max. 7000 x 2500 x 2500 mm (L/W/H) | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| Clinching press (CEU) | Tox | – | Total sheet thicknesses 0.3–12 mm | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
| 3D metrology (optical and tactile) in a climate-controlled measuring room | – | – | – | – | Geratal-Gräfenroda |
Additional services
Quality and Certifications
Quality assurance includes 3D metrology (optical and tactile) in a climate-controlled measuring room as well as inspection-plan-based partial inspection in production. Certified to ISO 9001:2015, DIN EN ISO 3834-2, DIN EN 15085-2 CL1 and DIN 2303.
| Evidence | Geratal – district of Gräfenroda |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| ISO 3834-2 | |
| EN 15085-2 CL1 | |
| DIN 2303 | |
| WHG certified specialist company |
History
- 1991
Founded by Peter Schulz in Gräfenroda; start of investments in the latest technologies
- 1993
10 employees
- 1997
Takeover of part of Gothaer Fahrzeugwerke – entry into the automotive industry
- 1998
Start of apprenticeship training
- 1999
Introduction of the laser welding process
- 2001-2006
Expansion of the production hall from 1600 to 7500 m²; 79 employees; approx. 90% of revenue from sheet metal processing
- 2007-2013
8 laser cutting systems, 103 employees, one of the major sheet metal processing companies in Thuringia; audit to DIN EN ISO 3834-2:2006
- 2019
Expansion of the product range to include transport racks
- 2019-2023
Introduction of laser welding with a 16 m² laser welding cabin; certification to DIN EN 15085-2 CL1; certified specialist company under WHG
- 2021
First successful audit to DIN EN 15085-2 CL1 (07.04.2021)
- 2024
Investment in a handheld laser welding device; trade fair appearance at Logimat in Stuttgart