Multi-generational tradition, innovative approach - Thoni Alutec
Thoni Alutec is a producer of light alloy castings in sand and gravity die. Experience gathered over decades combined with continuous expansion of the product range as well as highly skilled staff have made the company one of the most competent jobbing foundries worldwide.
Diversification of the activity range gives the customers of the enterprise a complete supply chain related to light alloy castings. The customers are individually supplied with castings according to various international standards and thus receiving a complete solution tailored to their requirements. The integration of all processes in-house, provides shortest delivery times and a very high level of quality.
Family business, innovative approach
Thoni Alutec is a family-run business. The ins and outs of founding are maintained and improved generation after generation. The scale of the company’s growth is visible when one refers to its personnel figures. In the first year of business activity the enterprise employed no more than 25 people. Owing to hard work, commitment and teamwork, Thoni Alutec managed to become a key market player with more than 500 employees. At the current moment, the company is one of the largest jobbing foundries for aluminium castings worldwide. The success of the company is connected with its innovative attitude towards doing business. The company believes that investing into new technologies as well as continuous development of the product offer allow to keep up with market transitions and meet the requirements of the customers. Thoni Alutec is then a company combining a multi-generational tradition with state-of-the-art technology solutions.
Customer orientation
Incessant development of technological solutions as well as upgrading of the already possessed ones are a significant characteristic of the producer. The company is aware that in order to face the challenges of the ever more competitive market it has to be one step ahead of other market players. In order to compete on the international market, the enterprise decided to establish its own department of CNC machining and to purchase one of the most modern and technologically advanced CNC machine tools. This facility has constantly been growing and up to now the company can rely on 10 CNC machining centers and 4 CNC lathes to machine the aluminium castings. The most important advantage of this step has been the possibility to deliver the clients the final product. Thanks to this solution, the customer cooperates with one supplier solely, what shortens the delivery time and minimizes its costs. Furthermore, what distinguishes Thoni Alutec from other foundries is unique attention paid to customer relations. They are based on partnership rules and belief that top quality is in the centre of client’s interest. The producer does castings according to individual requirements, yet keeps them in line with international standards. Another virtue of the enterprise is short delivery time. European customers are served either with producer’s own trucks or local transport companies which have been serving Thoni Alutec as loyal and reliable partners for years. Customers out of Europe are receiving their goods by ship.
Products
Starting from casting design, pattern shop, foundry, machine shop to assembly, Thoni Alutec supplies light alloy castings up to 10 tonnes in weight and more than 30 feet in length. Nevertheless, the heart of Thoni Alutec has always been aluminium foundry. It was the foundation of the business and looks back over decades of experience and tradition. Combined with the latest equipment in foundry technology and determined employees the company challenges any requirements the customers demand. Looking at the company’s range of products an expert can easily judge its achievements on the aluminium foundry market. Customers from different industries worldwide perceive Thoni Alutec as a reliable and high performing partner. Faraway customers in the United States, China or India are the best evidence for the high standard of the producer’s work and confidence in its manufactures. Currently there are nearly 1000 sets of tooling in the company’s stores. Having the large variety, Thoni Alutec can meet each customer’s demands individually. The enterprise supplies mainly to the following industries: medical, robotic, energy, railway, mechanical engineering, combustion engines. However, the producer is constantly engaged in creating new applications for light alloy castings. It opens up new, interesting business possibilities for the nearest future. At the current moment, Thoni Alutec offers two casting methods. They are based on sand casting and gravity die casting process. The former offers highest flexibility and low tooling cost. It is used to produce casting weighing up to 10 tonnes and covering a length of over 30 feet. The gravity die casting process is used to produce high quantities and gives also higher strength. Nevertheless, this method has its limits and currently Thoni Alutec can produce maximum casting weights of 90 kg. Heavier parts also can be produced but this is very much depending on their shape.
Quality focus
Aluminium castings of high requirements have to go through stringent tests. Thoni Alutec offers its customers a vast variety of state-of-the-art test equipment to monitor all processes and to evaluate the soundness of the castings. It starts with the incoming inspection of raw materials and can end with testing machined castings for integrity. The foundry is equipped with a complete metallurgical laboratory to determine the chemical and mechanical characteristics of each melt and to analyze the metallurgic condition of the molten metal before pouring. The light alloy castings of Thoni Alutec can be also x-rayed in 2 CNC controlled chambers, which dimensions make it one of largest x-ray facilities of its kind in Europe. In order to define whether a casting is sound and tight the company can also perform a pressure and tightness test in 2 vacuum chambers. These machines give an indication on the leak rate of each individual casting. All the procedures are conducted by skilled and certified staff, which is authorized to issue certificates according to international standards. To be able to perform all these procedures Thoni Alutec has had its processes, equipment and staff certified in various fields. The process of incessant quality development also is connected with audits conducted by both the customers as well as a number of independent organizations. The quality focus has been confirmed by a number of certificates: IRIS, ISO 9001:2008 DB, EN 19001 as well as many others specific to the industry the company represents. Shortly the producer is to receive certifications in line with AS/EN 9100, NADCAP, which are prerequisites to start cooperation with the most demanding sectors of the market, e.g. the airline industry. In fact, the quality concern is so important that the company wants to be associated with this virtue. Thoni Alutec shall also stand for perfect organization and quick delivery of ordered manufactures.
Success through the people
The company believes that the employees contribute to the success of Thoni Alutec. They are then perceived as the enterprise’s driving force, which enables accomplishment of appointed goals. The company identifies its future potential with its employees, thanks to whom it is possible to achieve the priorities. In order to guarantee high competency of the staff, the enterprise invests into their qualifications. The employees are encouraged to take up to new trainings and develop their skills. It is namely their knowledge and creativity that will decide about the future of the company and its market position. Despite the scale of employment, the company does its best to individualize relations with each of the employee. Their expectations and ideas are very important and are always taken into consideration. The company is characterized by teamwork, which gives every employee the feeling of affinity. What is more, the enterprise guarantees its personnel employment stability, which has become of crucial value especially during the recent market turbulences.
Environment and local community
Thoni Alutec undertakes numerous actions to prevent or limit any emissions to the environment. They concern among others ground water protection. In this respect the undertakings come down to industrial and sanitary wastewater or any surface rain water from the whole site collected in a drainage system and fed to the local sewage plant for treatment. Thoni Alutec also has installed a vast number of air filtration systems to retain any impurities from extracted air and can boast of efficiency of up to 99,9%. Lots of effort was put into research and trials to find the right way to reduce noise levels in different areas inside and outside the plant. In the end, acoustic panels and cabins were used to stop the noise from spreading and accumulating. Last but not least, recycling is a philosophy at Thoni Alutec. The company practices it wherever possible around the plant. The current level of recycling moulding sand is as high as 98,9%. Another aspect of Corporate Social Responsibility that Thoni Alutec is quite active at is involvement in the life of the local community. As majority of the company’s employees are fans of football, the enterprise supports financially local junior football teams: Stalówka 98 and KS Strażak Przyszów. For around a year, Thoni Alutec has had also its own amateur football team. The company provides it with technical back-up and cheers it in the course of the games. During trainings of the team, production workers have an opportunity to meet with representatives of the management. So far no one has been hurt in these clashes, what confirms the friendly atmosphere of the company.
Written by Aleksandra Strojek
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