AT MAPAL'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2000, Dr Dieter Kress also welcomed numerous representatives from the international subsidiaries.
From tool manufacturer to international full-service provider
1990–2013
After 1990, MAPAL successfully seizes two major opportunities: by setting up foreign agencies, the company becomes a “global player” - and by cleverly acquiring specialised companies, it becomes a solution provider for complete manufacturing processes. The medium-sized company from Aalen becomes the MAPAL Group.
MAPAL IS GROWING IN EVERY RESPECT
The principle successfully introduced in Germany of working in sales with its own well-trained sales representatives is also applied by MAPAL to international business from 1990. Mostly with the involvement of existing trading partners, MAPAL initially establishes subsidiaries with their own production and repair facilities in Italy (1990), France (1992) and Great Britain (1993). Following the automotive industry, foreign representatives are established in Hungary (1995), Poland (1996), the Czech Republic (2000) and Romania (2004).
The first MAPAL foreign subsidiary in the Far East is established in South Korea in 1991. This is followed by representatives in Singapore (1995), Taiwan (2000) and in the important growth market of China (2000). In the same year MAPAL establishes its own location with a production plant in India.
MAPAL also establishes its own agencies on the American continent, in Brazil in 1997 and in Mexico in 2004. In the USA, MAPAL's first foreign subsidiary, established in 1977, is relocated from New Jersey to Michigan in 1996 - and thus close to the major car manufacturers. In 2013, a production facility is also established in South Carolina.
Parallel to globalisation, another trend is taking place, particularly in the automotive industry: customers want to buy fewer and fewer individual tools, but rather solutions for complete manufacturing processes. In order to meet these requirements, appropriate companies are acquired and integrated into the MAPAL Group: in 1994 the Pforzheim-based manufacturer of PCD tools WWS, in 2003 the specialist for solid carbide tools (SC) Miller in Altenstadt, in 2004 the multi-bladed reamer manufacturer August Beck in Winterlingen, in 2008 the clamping chuck manufacturer WTE (Werkzeugtechnik Ehrenfriedersdorf) and in 2012 the drilling and milling tool manufacturer Weisskopf in Meiningen. MAPAL has been meeting the growing demand for ISO tools since 1996 with MAPAL ISOTOOL in Sinsheim, which has been based in Eppingen as MAPAL ITS since 2015. MAPAL has also been meeting the increasing service requirements of customers since 1996 with project management by Tool Expert Teams (TET) and customisable tool management solutions.
The internationalisation and expansion of the product range has led to enormous growth for the MAPAL Group, which generated turnover of around 440 million euros in 2012 and employs around 4,100 people worldwide.
HIGH-RANKING VISITORS: In 2007, the then Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Christian Wulff, and the German Federal President, Dr Horst Köhler, visit the MAPAL stand at the EMO in Hannover. Dr Dieter Kress personally takes over the tour of the exhibition stand.
IN THE ‘MIDDLE KINGDOM’, Chinese employees are employed predominantly – right up to the management level. They receive extensive preparation for their tasks from MAPAL experts.
IN 1998, Dr Dieter Kress visits the production facility of MAPAL Japan in Misato, near Tokyo, which was founded two years earlier.