Outsourcing to a professional
“We have outsourced all our metal degreasing to Richard Geiss GmbH,” explains Harald Sommer, head of materials management at Klaus Baier GmbH & Co. KG. Originally, Klaus Baier had its own small-volume cleaning plant. The parts cleaning at the site was to be expanded due to increased demand and therefore also a higher number of units. But then Klaus Baier found out about Richard Geiss GmbH through a tip from the plant manufacturer Pero. “We quickly realised that we could not compete in the league offered by Richard Geiss GmbH when it comes to degreasing. Instead of expanding our in-house degreasing, we opted to outsource the entire parts cleaning area to the professionals – and it really paid off,” adds Werner Gmeinder, production manager at Klaus Baier GmbH & Co. KG.

As a result, both professionals can focus on their key areas of expertise: Klaus Baier on toolmaking and stamping technology and Richard Geiss GmbH on contract cleaning and related services.

Sustainable contract cleaning
Richard Geiss GmbH has been cleaning Klaus Baier’s stamped parts, around 500 lattice boxes per year, at its head office in Offingen since 2016. The solvent specialist uses two systems for in-house contract cleaning: One system works with modified alcohols such as RG Cleaner 63. This is also used for the conservation of parts. The other system uses perchloroethylene (PERC) and cleans parts efficiently of, for example, deep-drawing oils. “We operate our high-end degreasing system using high-purity PERC recyclate. This corresponds 100 per cent to the fresh solvent in terms of quality, but has a significantly lower carbon footprint: Geiss PERC achieves a 90 per cent CO₂ saving compared to fresh solvent,” explains Bastian Geiss, Managing Partner of Richard Geiss GmbH.

The professionals at Richard Geiss GmbH carry out all steps in the process from receipt of goods, preparation and cleaning of parts, quality control, assembly and packaging of parts according to customer requirements and finally goods issue. The entire cleaning process is computer-controlled, so that no uncleaned parts can leave the approximately 800 m² large contract cleaning hall.

High surface tension
The parts that Klaus Baier sends to Offingen for cleaning include tube plates or heat exchangers for intercoolers, which are later used in VW or BMW vehicles. “These parts for the automotive industry must be completely clean,” emphasises Harald Sommer. The combination with high-quality Geiss solvents ensures that the highest surface tensions are achieved during degreasing in Offingen. “In the case of Klaus Baier’s parts, we always have a surface tension greater than 38,” adds Waseem Rana, head of contract cleaning at Richard Geiss GmbH. Thanks to the reliable top cleaning results, Klaus Baier only checks the cleaned parts for surface tension and residual dirt on a random basis.

In addition to the automotive industry, Klaus Baier also supplies other industries, such as household appliances. For example, the company manufactures pull-out rails for ovens for Bosch-Siemens household appliances. These are also sent to Offingen for professional degreasing.

Process reliability
In contract cleaning, the specialists at Richard Geiss GmbH apply cleaning processes that are specially tailored to the parts, so they are cleaned thoroughly of chips, particles, oils and grease. The Bavarian solvent specialist cleans parts with sizes up to 1,200 mm x 800 mm x 970 mm (L x W x H) – whether stamped, deep-drawn and turned parts or steel and stainless steel parts as well as assemblies. Due to short batch times, a high batch weight and permanent solvent distillation, Richard Geiss GmbH’s contract cleaning works reliably and cost-effectively for customers. “We no longer have to worry about degreasing our parts, but can rely on absolute process reliability because Richard Geiss has the expertise,” emphasises Werner Gmeinder.

Flexibility in contract cleaning
Despite all the process reliability, Klaus Baier also benefits from great flexibility in contract degreasing by Richard Geiss GmbH. Klaus Baier works just in time for its customers and can also rely on this with contract cleaning in Offingen. “We work in three shifts with a lead time of two to four days. This can also be done faster if absolutely necessary. Then the parts arrive at the contract cleaning business unit in the morning and can be picked up straight away again in the evening,” explains Waseem Rana.

Klaus Baier works with seven different oils in production. “Sometimes we have to switch to a new oil in the middle of the process. This is no problem with contract cleaning at Richard Geiss GmbH,” explains Werner Gmeinder. Or Klaus Baier receives parts that have already been pre-greased for further processing. The solvent specialist also analyses these oils in the company’s own laboratory in Offingen and carries out oil compatibility tests.

All-round service
Everything comes from one single source with contract cleaning at Richard Geiss GmbH. The solvent specialist provides its customers, including Klaus Baier, with lattice boxes for the produced parts. In the case of heavily oiled parts, the lattice boxes are also equipped with oil collecting trays. Klaus Baier uses a freight forwarder to deliver its parts from Pfronten to Offingen, some 150 kilometres away. “We also have our own fleet, with which we take over the entire logistics for our customers,” emphasises Bastian Geiss. The contract cleaning professionals also repackage the majority of the parts after the degreasing process for Klaus Baier, so that they can be delivered directly to customers in the original packaging. Various laboratory services are also available to Richard Geiss GmbH customers for an optimum high-end degreasing process.

Author: Sabrina Deininger

About Klaus Baier GmbH & Co. KG
Klaus Baier was founded in Pfronten (Allgäu), Bavaria, in 1963. The family-owned company designs and produces high-precision tools and stamped parts at its site. Focused on technology, Klaus Baier produces a wide range of tools and stamped parts for a wide variety of industrial sectors and supplies a wide range of industries, such as automotive, commercial vehicles and household appliances. From consulting and conception to tool design and the finished tool: Klaus Baier covers the entire production process with its own tool shop. In the world of stamping technology, Klaus Baier also supports product development and the series production of stamped parts. The family business employs 110 people at its Pfronten site.

About Richard Geiss GmbH
Richard Geiss GmbH is one of Europe’s leading specialists in solvent recovery, based in Offingen in the district of Günzburg. The company produces high-purity distillates from solvent waste by distillative processing. Richard Geiss GmbH supplies solvents for industrial surface cleaning, textile cleaning, and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Contract cleaning rounds off the range of services as the fourth business area. Richard Geiss GmbH employs approximately 110 people in Offingen. The company has an approved processing capacity of 50,000 tons of solvents per year, which are processed into high-purity distillates and is certified according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001 as well as a waste management specialist. Richard Geiss GmbH was founded in 1959 by Richard Geiss and today Bastian Geiss manages the family business in its third generation.

Info:
Richard Geiss GmbH
Lüßhof 100, 89362 Offingen, Phone + 49 8224-807-0, info@geiss-gmbh.de, www.geiss-gmbh.de

Press contact:
Bettina Nilius, Marketing
Tel. 08224-807-91, bettina.nilius@geiss-gmbh.de