Powercrusher production capacity upped

Compact crusher manufacturer Hartl Anlagenbau has opened a new production facility in the Austrian town of St Valentin that will allow it to increase production capacity to 400 units per year. The 12,000 square metre (130,000 square foot) factory sits on a 60,000 square metre (650,000 square foot) plot and was constructed in less than a year and makes use of the most modern technology.

Following powdercoating (claimed to be a first by the company) all crusher parts will be assembled at 'islands' on a travelling assembly conveyor. The new facility is such that 'just in time' delivery can be applied to the assembly of the company's products, allowing for a leaner manufacturing process that the company says will play a major role in how it plans, produces and delivers its products in the future. According to Dominik Hartl: "In 2008, we produced 250 machines that gave us a €62 million (US$80 million) turnover. We are anticipating a 30-35% decline in these figures for 2009 as a result of the economic crisis. I expect that the crisis may last for one or two more years but after this we will be operating our new facility at full capacity."