Exhibitors satisfied with Motek 2012

91 high-value contacts for Ventzki, a manufacturer of lift and tilt equipment

Motek, the trade show for the assembly and handling systems and automation industry which takes place in Stuttgart, attracted fewer visitors in 2012. Nevertheless, the Ventzki Handling Systems team were able to make contact with many new customers and were asked to submit 91 proposals.

More than half of the decision makers involved specifically requested a site visit to discuss projects which are in the planning pipeline and hold further detailed discussions with Ventzki on workstation systems and investment plans. The company, which supplies lifting and tilting equipment for assembly and material handling applications, was more than satisfied with the outcome of the four-day event.

Visitor numbers at the show were down by more than 1,200 compared to the previous year. 35,647 industry professionals from 93 countries had a look around the stands which were organised by roughly 1,000 exhibitors. Ventzki Managing Director Gregor Zens gave a very positive verdict. He reported making contact with many new customers this year at the 100 m2 stand decorated in the company red & grey design at the East Main Entrance in Hall 1. “Around 50 people from a whole range of industries who had not known anything about us prior to the show asked us to suggest a solution,” explained Zens. The design team at the mid-tier supplier of handling systems is now busy putting together tailored proposals for the various process logistics and line automation applications. “80% of the queries are related to a specific problem area in production, and our task is to provide tailored solutions," said Zens.

Production Managers and Supervisors from the automotive supplier Läpple were among the visitors at the stand. They explained that they had stopped by to find out what new handling systems are available which could make their production operations more ergonomic and efficient. Ventzki showed them a vacuum lifter and matching base which could be used for fast, easy mounting of car doors, and that happens to be an area where Läpple is actively searching for a better solution. “We are currently looking for a way to increase efficiency and productivity at precisely these workstations. The solution we have seen here looks very good,” commented the Production Manager.

Zens said that over the course of the show the ten handling devices on display had attracted an equal level of interest. The range included a container lifter with electric drive, large pallet lifters and tilters, a lift dumper for small parts containers, a modular, expandable, rotating flat (low-profile) lift table for tugger train systems and a slewing crane with vacuum lifter with swivel mechanism and matching tilter for load carriers.

The company has 27 employees and generates annual sales in excess of 3.5 million euros, with well over three fourths contributed by customer-specific solutions. The company handles more than 350 orders per year where customers describe the problem and Ventzki provides the answer. The engineering contribution, which is coordinated by the in-house design and development team, can be as high as 40% on these orders.