Freie Presse on Oct 13,2004: Their Strength is Complicated Components

The Ottendorf-based Arnold Elektronik GmbH has customers in Europe and the United States

Lichtenau/OT.Ottendorf The Lichtenau-based Arnold Elektronik GmbH has more than 4,000 subassemblies including coils, reactance coils, transformers, one-to-one transformers and current transformers. These are all parts called inductive components by experts that are needed in such sectors as mechanical engineering, rail vehicles or medical technology. But, Arnold Elektronik also preassemblies cables for the switching cabinets it supplies to Siemens at its Chemnitz location. „Inductive components and preassembling cables are our two mainstays“, says CEO Marion Becher.

Arnold Elektronik GmbH has been manufacturing inductive components for more than 70 years. Her grand uncle Arthur Arzt founded the company in 1932 as a family company for precision mechanical and precision electromechanical articles. It was then transformed into a limited commercial partnership in the 50's and nationalised in East Germany at the beginning of the 70's. In 1990, it was finally reprivatised.

But, the series of important phases in the company was continued when it moved to a new production plant in November 2000 in the Ottendorf Business Park. They invested 1.7 million euros in their buildings and engineering, including such innovations as new measuring systems for customised testing of each subassembly for various parameters. The complexity of production techniques has also changed in relation to earlier times. The CEO gives one example: „In the past, a coil could take five minutes to wind, but now some parts require a half an hour because production has become much more differentiated“. That involves the combined efforts of 36 employees. „We generally produce smaller lots up to 100 pieces, but also complicated components the manufacture of which requires a lot of dexterity. That's why we hired a lot of women from the textile industry“. We have two trainees who are learning to be electronic technicians for instruments and systems. If they prove themselves, they will be hired on a full-time basis.

Marion Becher is also targeting close relationships with other companies in the region beyond the borders of Arnold Elektronik GmbH. One example of a successful partnership is joining forces with the Lebenshilfe-Werkstatt in Mittweida that supplies components for Arnold. The Lichtenau-based Arnold Elektronik GmbH also is developing relationships to a Frankenberg-based company at an economic event that was looking for a business partner for cable preassembling. Ms. Becher believes that „it's important to go outside of your four walls to get to know your environment. Of course, it takes time to develop these relationships, but they pay off in the end“. Opening up has given Arnold Elektronik a stable and diverse clientele that can be found in Germany, France, Switzerland and the United States. „That's how we can compensate for ups and downs in different customer sectors“.