Trelleborg Sealing Solutions values the highly-skilled staff and suppliers from the region
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions is one of the Schaffhausen companies which in spite of their significance for the area are relatively little known among the wider population, yet almost everyone has at least one Trelleborg product at home.
The origins of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Stein am Rhein AG are to be found in Silcotech AG which was founded in 1984. In 2011, Silcotech was examining its succession planning and at the same time, staff at the HQ of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions in Stuttgart were looking for a manufacturer of elastomers. «The acquisition resembled a wedding rather than a take-over», General Manager Jarno Burkhardt is keen to emphasise. The company has had a history of continual growth right from the original launch as Silcotech and more recently following the take-over by Trelleborg. It now employs 130 staff.
Expanding cleanroom production capacity
The Swedish parent company, Trelleborg, is a global leader in the field of polymer solutions used to seal, absorb impact and protect equipment. The plant in Stein am Rhein specialises in the production of parts made from liquid silicone. Thanks to the properties of this material, the company’s products can be found in a wide range of applications. «Almost every coffee machine produced by leading brands such as Jura and Nespresso contains seals produced by us», Burkhardt explains.
«Almost every coffee machine produced by leading brands such as Jura and Nespresso contains seals produced by us.»
Jarno Burkhardt
A particularly important part of the company’s operations is its cleanroom production facility which is used for the manufacture of components for insulin patch-pumps, aids for breast-feeding and babies’ dummies which help correct tooth alignment. The company invested around CHF 10m in this production operation about 2 years ago. And Jarno Burkhardt is already working on plans for the next steps: «In the course of the next one to two years, we have to decide what we’re going to do with our second manufacturing line.» That’s because increasing demand will mean the capacity of the existing line will be reach its limits.
«By comparison with a major city, staff turnover is much lower here.»
Jarno Burkhardt
Staff stay with the company
As Trelleborg Sealing Solutions works in a highly-specialised sector, the company has to carry out training to ensure new recruits acquire the specific knowledge and skills required at the company. «That’s why we look for staff who are likely to stay with us in the long-term», Burkhardt explains. And this is why being located in Stein am Rhein has further benefits: «By comparison with a major city, staff turnover is much lower here», the M.D. comments with satisfaction.
