SMALL-CAPITAL
PROFIT PARTICIPATION RIGHTS

For A Machine to Automatically Open
Cardboard Boxes

Grunddividende: 8%

Überschussdividende: 15%

 

 

 

1 Business Activities

1.1 General

Bernhard HÖRL GmbH focuses primarily on the production of:

- Individual and small serial parts for machine, tool and vehicle production
- Sample parts and 0-series parts
- Gauges and testing benches
- Special machines

The customer base includes companies such as, for example, Valeo GmbH Bietigheim, BorgWar-ner Beru Systems GmbH Ludwigsburg,
Magna GmbH Assamstadt, Bosal-Oris GmbH Markgrönin-gen, Richard Fritz GmbH Besigheim,
E. Zoller GmbH Pleidelsheim, Neff GmbH Bretten and SEW Eurodrive Bruchsal in order to name only the most important customers.



Up to now, the catchment area has been limited primarily to Germany. Bernhard HÖRL GmbH’s standard products include storage devices,
pressing devices, gauges, testing benches and wear-and-tear parts made of aluminium bronze.
The company has specialised in the device and spe¬cial machine production segments.
In cooperation with the customers, customised solutions are specially developed for the respective application requirements.

In the past, Bernhard HÖRL GmbH registered a utility model for a precision part apparatus
for a machine vice which was first successfully utilised by the company itself and was later sold for a profit.
How close Bernhard HÖRL GmbH’s products are to the market is also reflected by the fact
that the precision part apparatus was awarded a Bavarian State’s Prize in 1995.

 

1.2 Storage Device

Bernhard HÖRL GmbH also received a Bavarian State Prize in 2007 for the basic development of the storage device for work piece carriers.

As a rule, so-called flexible production lines are used for the industrial production of all types of products.
That is to say, the production cells are connected to transport belts upon which the work pieces
are transported from one workstation to the next.
In order to attain constant production quality, the products to be produced are fastened in place on so-called work piece carriers.

A multitude of models, small batches and substantial time pressures require the possibility of the fast
and cost-effective refitting of all mounting devices.
Short refitting times are becoming more and more important for mounting and production equipment.

production machine in action

Without a storage device, the work piece carriers, which often can weigh up to 25 kg, must be replaced by hand.
That is very strenuous work because the conveyor belt is oftentimes loaded down with 20 – 30 work piece carriers.

Through the automatic replacement and the intermediate storage of the work piece carriers,
valuable resources are saved (both time as well as also physical resources) during the refitting of the mounting lines.
Owing to the customer’s need for additional specific process requirements,
it became necessary to develop the storage device for an intelligent,
modularly-designed process unit for long-term processes
such as cooling, drying, heating and testing as well as for automatic and/or manual parts handling.

 

 

2 Company

2.1 Historical Background

The company was founded in 1986 by Bernhard Hörl, machine-building master mechanic, born in 1962. In 1987,
the company was transformed into a GmbH [limited liability company] which was registered
in the Registry Court of the Municipal Court of Besigheim.
In 1995, the company moved into the newly built office building at
Georg-Murmann-Str. 10. In 2008, the adjacent building with an additional 450m² was leased.

2.2 Business Objective and Mission Statement

The company’s business objective is the supplying of companies in the production industry
with technically high-quality mounting and testing units.
From the idea to the mounting and beyond, our team provides support in a qualified,
competent and advisory capacity. Our cus-tomers can rely on our products’ characteristic features such as quality, safety and reliability.
They are the basis for a trustful and partnership-based cooperation.
Technical implementations are always the result of a trustful dialogue between the customers and our experienced em¬ployees.
The best solution is logically implemented and realised – always in cooperation with the customer.
Thus, our customers receive products with high cost-effectiveness, outstanding quality and great reliability.

2.3 Company’s Organisation

The Managing Partner is Mr. Bernhard Hörl.
In addition to his executive management duties, he is also responsible for the Marketing and Sales Divisions.
The executive management is sup-ported by Ms. Smetana who is also responsible for the Order Processing Division.
The Design Division is managed by Mr. Joachim Ackermann, born in 1961, certified mechanical engineer.

There are two more certified mechanical engineers and a technical draftsperson working in the Design Division.
 The technical draftsperson is also responsible for the technical purchasing and its delivery timeframes.
The Production and Mounting Divisions are managed by Mr. Thomas Zundel, born in 1968, machine-building master mechanic.
There are eight more specialised workers and a trainee working in the Production Division.
The Production Manager is also re¬sponsible for the ordering of materials,
raw and auxiliary resources, the purchased products and their delivery timeframes.

Currently, Bernhard HÖRL GmbH employs exclusively qualified employees.

- 5 employees, 1 trainee and 2 assistants who consist of:
- 2 machine-building master mechanics
- 3 mechanical engineers
- 1 technical draftsperson
- 8 specialised employees including lathe operators and cutters
- 1 commercial employee

The developmental know-how that is available has been allocated to three persons for design purposes.
There are no great personnel dependencies because all knowledge is constantly documented.

 

 

 

3 The Planned Developmental Project:

A Machine to Automatically Open Cardboard Boxes

3.1 State-of-the-Art Technology

In the current industrial world, a very large number of goods are shipped in cardboard pa-ckaging.
Even in our highly-automated world these days,
this cardboard packaging is still ope-ned manually by hand as in the past because there are no suitable mechanical solutions for this.
Workplace accidents occur again and again which are attributable to the blades slipping or the like.
Precisely the resulting lost working time constitutes substantial monetary expen-ditures for companies.

3.2 The Planned Technical Solution

The goal of the current developmental project is to develop
a cost- and highly-effective mecha¬nical solution which can be used to automatically open cardboard packaging.
Thus, the option is supposed to exist to completely open the cardboard packaging
or to give it a perforated cut so that it will be possible to open it later without any aids.
By means of this fully-automated solution for the mechanical opening of cardboard packaging,
this can, first of all, make a subs¬tantial contribution to preventing workplace accidents and,
secondly, to substantially reducing the personnel expenditures in the incoming goods centre.



Our fully-automated solution  was developed, to open a large number
of cardboard boxes in a short time without damaging the contents.

 

3.3 Project Innovations

- Maximum size of the cardboard boxes 600 x 600 x 400 mm
- Adjustable cutting depth of the blades
- Variable cutting speeds
- Tool life monitoring
- Automatic tool replacement
- Throughput rate of approx. 500 cardboard boxes per hour
- Simple servicing by untrained personnel
- Sensor buttons for the determination of cutting length, i.e. expensive measuring devices are not required
- Integrated power absorption for the assessment of blade quality
- Able to be combined with popular roller conveyors
- Interfaces to the up-streamed and down-streamed machines

It suffices to define the types of cutting and tools,          subsequently the machine works automatically.

At the cutting head the cutting depth can be adjusted from 4 to 11 mm infinitely variable. Individual requirements can be fulfilled.

Following types of cuttings are possible:

At the cutting head the cutting depth can be adjusted from 4 to 11 mm infinitely variable. Individual requirements can be fulfilled.
It suffices to define the types of cutting and tools, subsequently the machine works
automatically.

 

Hinge Cutting One side of the cardboard box (preferably the narrow side) won´t be cutted open, the cover can be opened up. Complete Cutting After cutting open the cardboard box the cover can be simply removed. Perforation Cutting The cover remains connected with the edges of the cardboard box. These can be simply removed by hand. The advantage is that the contents of the cardboard box remains protected until the box will be completely opened.

 

3.4 Competition / Patent Situation / Patent Research

The Cornerstone Automation Systems Company has a system being offered with ABOT
which can likewise be used to automatically open cardboard boxes.
The system from the Cornerstone Company works with an industrial robot which makes the cut to open the cardboard boxes.
The cardboard box is first optically measured by means of this system. Then the cutting opera¬tion is done.
However, this system has gained only minimal acceptance in the market because
this machine solution has a very cost-intensive design.
Thus, the sales price for the entry-level version is approx. 120,000 €.
The patent research has revealed that the Cornerstone Company has registered a patent with No. US 7.720.567 B2.

The sales price for our development will amount to 55,000 and 60,000 € depending upon the features it has
For the basic development of the machine, a patent registration was submitted on
22 Sept. 2011 to the DPMA [German Patent and Trademark Office], file no. 10 2011 053 862.3.
Likewise, a registration was submitted for a utility model, file no. 20 2011 051 411.0.

4 Market

4.1 Market Overview

As far as we know, no comparable product exists. We are referencing the products currently being offered in Sub-Point 3.4.

4.2 Target Groups

The target groups for a machine for the automatic opening of cardboard boxes include:
All types of processing industries which receive goods in
cardboard boxes (e.g. passenger ve-hicle suppliers, the foodstuff and/or chemical industry,
mail-order companies and mail-order merchants, all kinds of distribution companies, among many others.

4.3 Market Potential / Market Volume

 

We assume that the machine for com-panies with a package port of more than 100 cardboard boxes per day can be interesting. It is not possible to determine a pre-cise number of potential customers. In this context, one may not neglect the special designs and/or special re-quests from the customers which can comprise sales which should not be underestimated.

 

 

 

5 Marketing

5.1 Market Segmentation

Market Regions:

Priority 1: Southern Germany
Priority 2: Germany and other German-speaking countries
Priority 3: Europe-wide

5.2 Market Introduction Strategy

- Exhibit at the LogiMAT specialised trade fair in Stuttgart,
  (in-ternational specialised trade fair for distribution, materials and the flow of information)
- Exhibit at the FachPack specialised trade fair in Nuernberg, (leading specialised trade fair for packaging solutions)
- Direct marketing and telemarketing

5.3 Sales / Marketing

Direct marketing and telemarketing are organised by Bernhard HÖRL GmbH
and are implemen¬ted by freelance employees.
A sales employee must be deployed in order to positively develop the new product.
The acquisition results are then forwarded to freelance sales representatives who subsequently conduct the sales meetings.

Offers are then prepared by Bernhard HÖRL GmbH.
Representations are planned for the fol-lowing countries (one representative each for):

- Baden-Wuerttemberg
- Northern Bavaria
- Southern Bavaria
- Hessen, Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Italy
- France
- Holland, Belgium

5.4 Sales Forecast for New Development

The long-term goal is that each sales representative will sell one machine every two months on average.
That is to say, the production of one machine per week is planned.

 

6 Location / Logistics / Production

6.1 Domicile

The company’s premises are owned by the partner and his wife and are sufficient. Another building with approx. 450 m² has been leased.

6.2 Logistics / Administration

The personnel resources are adjusted to the sales development.
From the current perspective, however, it will be necessary to hire one additiona
l employee for the mounting work at the earliest in 2013. In 2014, one sales employee must be hired.
The IKT used and the CAD worksta¬tions provided will meet the current and future
requirements up to at least sales development of 4 million euro.

6.3 Production Resources

The resources and tools that are required for the development and production (mounting)
of the special products are available.
As has already occurred, the capacity deficits will be over-come via subcontracting and external personnel.

6.4. Technology

The developmental know-how that is available has been allocated to three persons for design purposes.
No great personnel dependencies exist because all knowledge is also constantly do-cumented.

7 Risk Analysis

7.1 Internal Risks

Currently, there is a severe shortage of management personnel at the company.
Individual departures of management personnel could decisively weaken the company.

7.2 External Risks

The company is very greatly dependent upon the automobile supplier industry.
Thus, the finan¬cial situation in this industry also has a direct effect on the company.

7.3 Hedging

Owing to the additional expansion of the company, the management must be more broadly supported.
That is to say, the directors of the individual divisions must be more greatly integra-ted into the company’s management.
Sales may no longer be conducted only by the managing director,
but one sales employee must be deployed in a supporting capacity (see Sub-Point 5.3 in this regard).
The developmental know-how that is available has been allocated among
three persons for design purposes (see Sub-Point 6.4 in this regard).
At the same time, the market must be developed as quickly as possible so that it can be made at least more difficult,
if not outright impossible, for additional competitors to enter the market.

 

 

8 Managing Director

Bernhard Hörl
Machine-Building Master Mechanic
born in 1962 in 74357 Bönnigheim/Germany

Georg-Murmann-Straße 10
74391 Erligheim
Germany

Tel.: +49 (0) 7143 87370
Fax.: +49 (0) 7143 873727

E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Internet: www.hoerl-gmbh.de