The Schaeffler Group is a global automotive and industrial supplier. With precision components and systems in engines, transmissions and chassis as well as rolling and plain bearing solutions for a wide range of industrial applications, the Schaeffler Group aims to make a decisive contribution to "Mobility for tomorrow" today. The brothers Dr. Wilhelm Schaeffler and Dr.-Ing. E.h. Georg Schaeffler laid the foundation stone for today's group of companies in 1946 with the establishment of Industrie GmbH. The company's rise began when Dr. Georg Schaeffler invented the needle roller cage in 1949 and soon afterwards INA's cage-guided needle roller bearing was produced in large quantities for the German automotive industry.

The Automotive Aftermarket division, based in Langen, was founded in 1976. It is responsible for the global spare parts business and supplies innovative repair solutions in OEM quality. The Repxpert online portal offers services for workshops such as practical training, assistance with repairs via a hotline or the workshop portal, and the development of special tools. The Schaeffler Group's main development locations in Germany are Herzogenaurach, Schweinfurt and Bühl, which are networked with other development centers in Europe, Asia and North and South America.

materialfluss spoke to Gert Schade, Director Implementation at Neovia Logistics.

materialfluss: Why did Georg Utz GmbH become a partner for this important project?
Gert Schade: Even before starting such an important project, it is important to sound out exactly who is suitable as a partner and who can implement the requirements we have specified. It was particularly important for us to have a company at our side that has many years of experience in injection molding and a high level of expertise in the areas of product design and materials. This is where Utz convinced us. In addition, the Utz team was proactively involved in finding a solution and we were able to benefit from the company's enormous expertise throughout the entire project. Utz was very flexible in the provision of the prototypes and also the final container, which was decisive for the successful implementation of the project.

mfl: What requirements must the new container fulfill?
Schade: We wanted to develop a container that was as cost-efficient as possible. That's why it was particularly important to develop a profitable solution together with Utz as early as the material selection stage and during the production of the mold. This had to be achieved without compromising on the quality of the container, which we succeeded in doing. The new container has a low weight and is therefore very easy to handle. Nevertheless, it is very dimensionally stable, has reproducible dimensions and a high surface quality. Thanks to its drainage holes, it is suitable for sprinklers and adapts perfectly to its surroundings. An all-rounder, so to speak. Together with Utz, we have developed a future-oriented container that meets all our requirements.