Batterien-Montage-Zentrum will make up for production losses - caused by the fire - before November

After the fire during the night of August 20, 2008, which caused tens of millions of Euros of damage, the management of Batterien-Montage-Zentrum GmbH in Karlstein (Germany) - our supplier of rechargeable batteries - in the meantime, assumes that the destruction of a production area and a warehouse will definitely not mean any long-term losses for its customers. “As matters currently stand, by November we will have processed all production backlogs and subsequently return to normal business,” says Sven Bauer, Managing Director of BMZ after completion of the preliminary damage analysis.

In order to keep the effects of the fire for the customers as low as possible, the BMZ management, in consultation with the management of Gleichmann Electronics, already initiated a whole series of measures immediately after the fire. These included changing short-term from a single-shift to a multi-shift operation in order to optimally utilize the capacity of the ESD protected production area in BMZ Works 3, in which above all especially high value rechargeable batteries are assembled, as well as Works 4.

In parallel, 5,000 m² of office, production and warehouse space in Roedermark (30 km from BMZ’s main premises) have, in the meantime, been rented. This space will serve as an alternative until the new buildings are completed in Karlstein. “The new manufacturing site, which will be operational before our relocation at mid of October, and the close proximity to our main plant guarantees a fast and uncomplicated recovery of the regular production flow,” reassures Sven Bauer in a conversation with Gleichmann Electronics just prior to the publication of the current Gleichmann Electronics Newsletter.

According to Sven Bauer, the move should be mostly completed in the next few weeks. According to the current assessment of Sven Bauer, also the destruction of a large part of the inventory will not have any long-term effects on the business operation. For one thing there is inventory in external warehouses, which one can fall back on, and for another thing, most of the suppliers are being very cooperative in this exceptional situation.

Gleichmann Electronics will obviously keep you informed of further developments at Batterien-Montage- Zentrum. Separately from that, our personnel are also available at all times to answer your personal questions either by phone or email.