“The current geopolitical situation is characterized by crises and conflicts. So it is even more important that we consistently strengthen our industrial capabilities in Germany and also in Europe. The RENK Group is leading the way here in Augsburg and stands ready to make its contribution to European defense capabilities. Industry and politics must work together shoulder to shoulder to bring about the necessary efforts in this regard. And so we are delighted to be able to officially launch our new modular production concept in the presence of Minister President Dr. Markus Söder,” said Dr. Alexander Sagel, CEO of the RENK Group.
The concept is built around standardised modules, with assembly trolleys loaded in advance and supplied directly to workstations by automated guided vehicles. This reduces search and setup times, minimises logistics, improves quality and shortens throughput times.
Drawing on proven methods from the automotive industry, the approach enables different transmission variants to be assembled on the same line. It creates economies of scale, provides a model for RENK’s wider production network, and allows flexible capacity increases across locations to support sustainable growth and robust localised production.
“The modular production concept enables us to deploy our highly qualified employees far more efficiently and flexibly, hence why we are able to produce a significantly higher number of transmissions in the same time frame. With operational excellence in practice, we can be more agile in our response to changes and further increases in production volumes,” said Dr. Emmerich Schiller, COO of the RENK Group.
With early investment in capacity expansion already in place, RENK is prepared to meet the growing needs of the Bundeswehr and allied forces. The company also plans to invest around half a billion euros in targeted capacity expansion and research and development over the next four to five years.
