A “Maestro” finish for the Rottaler shutters

The German company, Rottaler Fensterladenbau, is one of the main manufacturers of shutters and cabinet doors for furniture in south-east Bavaria. A business run by real professionals in wood processing who in turn are flanked by another “Maestro”: a Superfici robot for painting which has dramatically improved productivity and efficiency in this company, while maintaining that sophisticated quality which has always distinguished its artisan products.

An entrepreneurial story which dates back to 1956 over two generations, and whose roots lie in the traditions of Southern Bavarian with its joinery workshops and that strong passion for wood which is one of the undisputed symbols of this region.

After all, Rottaler Fensterladenbau is a genuine expert in wood. We’re talking about a company which uses this material to manufacture top-quality products for blacking out and shutting windows and doors. Shutters, cupboard doors and fronts are the result of a constant artisan perfection and stem from the work and dedication of an expert workforce and designers as well as innovative technological equipment.

About thirty employees, a turnover of around three million Euro, a production which supplies only industry specialists: joinery workshops, timber construction workshops, window and door manufacturers both in Germany and 30% in other European countries like Austria, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. Rottaler Fensterladenbau Mayer takes on the market’s complexities and evolutions with these figures.

Master craftsmen and technological innovation

“The attention to the customer begins with the choice of raw materials. This is why we only use high quality wood from the mountains” explains Philipp Mayer, General Manager who took over control of the company from his father Wolfgang Mayer in 2018. “The quality of our products needs to be high and constant and must guarantee significant resistance over time against external agents” the young businessman clarifies. Quality is a recurring word used at the Bad Griesbach im Rottal factory and also concerns the modus operandi of this company which only uses dynamic equipment and professionals who, in this industry, are real...masters.

And this is the second secret which lies at the heart of the success of Rottaler shutters. How do you guarantee the highest standards to satisfy a market which is becoming ever more demanding? How do you speed up delivery times even with bespoke productions? Philipp Mayer and his team have often asked this question and nowadays, they also have to deal with a shortage of qualified manpower, that expertise which the company has always relied on.

The additional “Maestro”!

Fortunately, technology is here to give a hand, as is the case with the recent arrival at the factory of another Maestro: no coincidence that this is its name, the articulated robot which Mayer wanted to buy. A solution created by Superfici, part of the SCM group which is a leading company in terms of painting and finishing. Designed by following the movements of an artisan’s arm, this robot offers an exceptional finishing quality with each individual spray and on each window and door. All this with the advantage of guaranteeing a management system and highly efficient control to paint all the parts of the object and expose the true heart of the window and door.

“This robot allowed us to achieve the most accurate and efficient production and to make our processes more reliable”, Philipp Mayer points out. “The surfaces on our products keep their beauty over time and are more resistant. Furthermore, we manage to obtain all these advantages without too much effort: with Maestro, even the most bespoke machining work can be programmed easily”.

Digitalisation is a key element for Rottaler Fensterladenbau. “With the help of our company software, each order can already be simulated on the computer. These orders can be consulted in the machine, and this allows us to resolve discrepancies more easily”.

From entering orders to invoicing, everything is done digitally following a precise and orderly flow. “The transmission of data starts in the office and ends in the machine and the whole process is tracked to guarantee the client a unique product”.
 

The German company had opted for hi-tech solutions from the SCM group even before buying the Maestro robot. They use the highly versatile dmc sd 60 sanding and calibrating machine. So, together with the robot for painting, the surface treatment process can count on the support of a single technological benchmark partner which is part of one important group and has been leader in the field of wood processing for seventy years.

The company in Bavaria uses a 5-axis cnc machining centre, the accord 40 fx, for drilling and routing. It is particularly appreciated by Mayer for its MATIC bars worktable offering a fast, accurate set-up.

What would Philipp Mayer say if he were to sum up the purchases made? “With SCM and Superfici, we have always been guaranteed rapid and reliable support both at the consultation stage and when choosing the solutions best suited to us, whether that be at technical-support level when assembling the machines or after sales. This has made it much easier for us. We are extremely satisfied, and we see ourselves continuing to work with SCM and Superfici even in the future”, Mayer confirms.

The company is already focusing on its future projects: opening up to other European markets and investments in digitalisation and automation to continue to increase its production-process efficiency while still offering competitive prices.
 

Rottaler (Germany)