Take equal parts technology, entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen. Add to that the rare ability to anticipate market needs and you have a recipe for long-term success. At AP&T, an expert company in metal and fiber forming production solutions and preferred supplier to many leading manufacturers in the global automotive industry, that recipe has worked for 60 years. The company transformed three small workshops in the Swedish countryside into a global player.
When AP&T unveiled its production solution for the cost-effective manufacture of large, complex press-hardened parts earlier this year, it was in some ways no surprise. The company has proven time and time again that it is a pioneer in developing technological solutions that meet its customers’ productivity and sustainability challenges. AP&T’s exceptionally energy-efficient servo-hydraulic press is one of many examples of what is possible in an innovative environment. The company’s solution for forming high-strength aluminum is another. Both have been added to the product portfolio in the last ten years. During this period, AP&T has also renewed and expanded its automation program with a new generation of SpeedFeeders for efficient sheet handling in various process steps – upstream of the line, from press to press, in transfer and at the end of the line – and introduced new generations of its Multi-Layer Furnaces (MLFs). Innovation goes hand in hand with continuous improvement. The operational business has been expanded to include a range of services, all designed to provide customers with worry-free, profitable production over the entire lifetime of their equipment.
Trinity
The tool manufacturer Vibab was founded in Blidsberg in 1964, Lagan Press started manufacturing presses in Lagan, Sweden in the same year, and Tranemo Hydraulmaskiner was founded in 1970. In 1989, these three companies merged under the name AP&T (Automation, Presses & Tooling) and focused on the international market. At this time, AP&T also laid the foundations for its One Responsible Partner concept, which has set the tone for its customer offering ever since. This concept manifests itself, for example, in AP&T’s willingness and ability to act as a fully responsible line integrator, regardless of whether it is a turnkey, customer-optimized line from AP&T or the integration of new equipment from AP&T with existing or new machines from other manufacturers. In the 1990s, the push to become a global player began to pay off. Demand for AP&T’s production solutions grew rapidly, sales tripled and AP&T established itself in several European countries and the US. But it took until the early 2000s for development to really take off. It was then that AP&T became a world leader in press hardening and a respected knowledge partner to the global automotive industry. AP&T has worked hard in recent years to strengthen this position, but has also continuously expanded its offering in both established niches, such as heat exchanger plates, and new niches, such as fiber forming. Of course, it is impossible to predict what will happen over the next 60 years. Development is a continuous process, and needs and challenges are constantly changing. Only one thing is certain: strong core values will endure. But it is always advisable to take a look into the future from time to time.
Web:
aptgroup.com
