100 years sawing on

Sawing machine builder Behringer is celebrating its 100^th anniversary this year. Since the founding of the company in 1919, it has developed into one of the world’s leading suppliers of innovative sawing technology.

The history of the sawing machine producer starts in 1919 when August Behringer founded a small locksmith and mechanical workshop in the village centre of Kirchardt, 50 miles north of Stuttgart. In the early years the company mainly carried out repairs but the workshop also started producing machines and equipment for agriculture.

In the turmoil of the post-war period necessity was the driver of invention. Due to a lack of sufficient repair orders, Mr Behringer responded by supplying a gap in the market in the region. Many small metalworking companies had no opportunity to separate iron precisely before further processing, so, the entrepreneur began producing his first metal hacksaws.

Beginning in 1952, the necessary cast iron for production was made in the workshop’s own iron foundry. Since that time, Behringer sawing technology and the use of vibration-dampening cast iron components have been closely linked.

In 1962, sons Herbert and Wilhelm Behringer took over the management – with the development of the first bandsaw machines in the 1970s and the specialisation in robust, column-guided designs.

Early on, Behringer focused on the high demands of the craft, industry and steel trade sectors for precise, efficient sawing machines. The product range expanded rapidly to include mitre and vertical bandsaws to cover a wider range of applications. The takeover and integration of the circular saw specialist, Eisele in 2000 made the Behringer Group one of the few complete suppliers in the sawing technology market.

Today, Behringer GmbH is an internationally active, medium-sized family business run by the grandchildren of the founder, Rolf and Christian Behringer, the third generation. Traditional values, innovative solutions, solid technology and a high-level of vertical integration characterise the company. Most of the machines produced are exported to over 80 countries. Sales and service offices in the US, France, China and United Kingdom and over 30 agencies worldwide underline its international focus.

With extensive investment in the production sites at Kirchardt and Weilheim in Germany, Behringer is making itself fit for the future. Two new assembly halls and a generous extension to the R&D department are being completed and will be occupied after the anniversary celebrations in November.

Another focus of the investment is the networking of production facilities and the digitalisation of business processes via the in-house BEHR Connect platform. It is designed as a gateway that connects sawing machines, drilling lines or material handling systems and makes it possible to use the wealth of data from the Internet of Things (IoT) with extensive analysis. With add-on modules, linked production lines are controlled and optimised through numerous processing steps.

One of Behringer latest saws is HBE560A Performance, high-performance billet cutting bandsaw. Its robust design, innovative saw feed system with servo motor and its powerful drive concept make it a specialist for cutting difficult-to-cut, high-alloyed materials.

The HBE560A Performance is the smallest machine of the new HBE Performance series, which covers a cutting range from 560mm to 1,060mm with a total of four models. They are used in a wide range of applications, such as steel trading, machine and tool making or in steel adjustment.

Behringer www.behringerltd.co.uk