After a year of planning, Vaude recently put a fully automated production line into operation. This makes domestic production more competitive, flexible and independent of global partners, the company says. Since many work steps still require manual, artisanal execution, the name “Vaude Manufaktur” remains. The company has been manufacturing backpacks, bike bags and lifestyle bags here since 1980. Vaude does not use PVC materials.
“We have decided to invest in our production at the company headquarters and to strengthen our manufacturing facility in order to make it sustainable for the future. Because it stands for our values, our roots and our core competencies,” says Managing Director Antje von Dewitz.
With this investment, Vaude is not only securing the production site in Tettnang and its “Made in Germany” products, but is also strengthening the competitiveness of the factory. “We are increasing our production capacities and can also produce more independently of global partners,” explains Philipp Schwarz, head of the factory. In addition, the new layout makes it possible to implement individual customer requests, such as own logos, at short notice.
Under the management of Philipp Schwarz, the 1,800 square meter area was restructured, modernized and rebuilt within six months. With the commissioning of an automation line from Erler Automation specified for Vaude, an innovation was advanced: the repeatable and process-reliable handling of textiles, so-called flexible components. An automation solution has now been created for this.
“I am very proud that in the future we will be producing more than forty models in our factory according to the latest industry standards, in significantly shorter delivery times and with less material waste. We have optimized our production processes and are training our team so that in the future we will be able to manufacture more than half a million products annually,” explains Philipp Schwarz. “Through these investments we have gained a clear technological lead in the textile manufacturing industry at the German site in Tettnang.”