TPT May 2008

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Industry News
May 2008 6
LAP GmbH Laser Applikationen, Germany,
has recently opened a new 1,500m2
production building at its Lüneberg
headquarters. The expansion effectively
doubles the company’s production space to
allow for big increases in machinery orders.
Involving a total investment of almost €4
million, the development provides the laser
measurement equipment
manufacturer with the
necessary space to produce
large measuring systems for
the steel industry.
During the last three years
the company has raised its
turnover by 150 per cent to
€30 million. The expansion
was urgently needed due to
these record turnovers and
increasingly fuller order books.
The production of large
measuring systems – which
sometimes span over eight
metres – could not be realized
in the existing facilities. The
expansion of the production
capacity was unavoidable.
Mr Guido Jung, managing
director of LAP, explains “Our
systems must be completely assembled
and tested here in our workshops under
realistic conditions before they can be
shipped to our customers. We are now
in a position to perform pre-shipment
approvals in our workshops, checking
every single detail before the system
is shipped. This gives our customers
confidence.”
With future development in mind, the
investment package also includes the
modernization of existing facilities at the
company’s headquarters in Lüneburg. The
new production building features special
foundations for the heavy equipment, a
crane with a lifting capacity of more than
five tonnes and a most state-of-the-art IT
infrastructure.
The software engineers have direct access
to the systems from their work places,
As the doors closed on Tube 2008 many new doors had already
been opened, with full order books, newly forged partnerships
and excellent prospects for post-fair business the result of the
show held in Düsseldorf from 31 March to 4 April.
Tube welcomed a record-breaking number of over 1,000 exhibitors
in more than 41,000m2 display space, while partner show wire 2008
hosted 1,129 exhibiting companies. The two regular shows were also held alongside
new show Metav, which meant that
Tube was relocated into exhibition halls
6, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 8a, 8b and part of hall
5. The new halls 6, 8a and 8b
provided a more modern
environment for Tube
exhibitors.
met all expectations we have of leading
international trade fairs. For us, they
proved to be outstanding platforms with
the expected high level of sophistication of
the trade visitors.”
Over 73,000 visitors attended the
combined Tube and wire events. Tube
welcomed 32,900 visitors from 71
countries, a 9.7 per cent increase on
2006. Of these visitors, 52 per cent were
international.
The next show will take place in Spring
2010, with an announcement on show dates
due soon. The jury is also currently out on
whether Metav will take place alongside
Tube and wire in two years’ time.
Messe Düsseldorf – Germany
Fax: +49 211 4560 87
Email:
Website:
New LAP facility doubles production space for
‘large measuring systems’
 Mr Guido Jung and Dr Armin Röckseisen demonstrating a system for the measurement of tube inside diameters. From left:
Mr Hans-Peter Werner (technical director at LAP), Mr Manfred Nahrstedt, Mr Hartmut Möllring, Mr Guido Jung, Dr Armin
Röckseisen (senior director of LAP), and Mr Ulrich Maedge
 The showgrounds in Düsseldorf saw a
record-breaking Tube 2008, with over 1,000
exhibitors
Tube 2008: the industry favourite romps home again
 A number of artistic exhibits added
extra interest to Tube 2008 (exhibit
from Felss Group)
There was a mixed reaction to the co-staging of
Metav, with a number of exhibitors saying that the
show had become too large, while there was little of
relevance between Tube and Metav.
Dr Ing Joachim Schönbeck, chairman of the
management board of SMS Meer GmbH and
member of the management of SMS GmbH,
said, “The two trade fairs, wire and Tube, have
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