“Tool Making Market Mirror”
The "Tool Making Market Mirror" initiative was launched in 2017 to ensure market transparency in tool, mold, and model making. Not only does this application-oriented company comparison give insight into the industry, it also offers participating companies concrete recommendations. The initiative is organized as a cooperative. VDWF members Professor Ludwig Gansauge (TH Deggendorf), René Haidlmair (Haidlmair), Werner Hauk (Hauk Modell- und Formenbau), Gerald Schug (Huissel), and Richard Pergler were elected to the board, with Managing Director Ralf Dürrwächter elected as Chairman. VDWF President Professor Thomas Seul heads the initiative together with the trio of experts Benedikt Ruf (Gindumac), Claus Hornig (ClaHo), and Jens Lüdtke act as analysts and lend their expertise.
Key Figures for Future Entrepreneurial Viability
In the Tool Making Market Mirror, participants are quantified, analyzed, and compared in terms of entrepreneurial competitiveness and added value for an independent market mirror. A holistic view of the company is foregrounded. Within this context, four higher-level fields of analysis have been created:
- Company key figures
- Production, organization, processes
- Marketing, communication, sales
- Digitization, automation
The Tool Making Market Mirror provides answers to fundamental questions company leaders in tool making have. For example: Is the company profitable and sustainable? Is the productivity level competitive? Are the staff sufficiently qualified and motivated? Is there a mission statement and a strategy? Are corporate processes and projects organized efficiently? How modernized is the software and machinery? How professionally are marketing and sales activities implemented? How competitive is the company in automation and digitization?
Comparability and filter criteria
Tool-making companies can compare themselves according to company size, target markets, and product areas. The size of the company is determined by the total assets, sales revenues, and number of employees. In the product range, distinctions are drawn between tool making, mold making, model making, and mechanical engineering. Target markets are divided into automotive, consumer/packaging, electronics, aerospace, health/pharmaceutical, mechanical engineering, and other. The initiative welcomes both VDWF member and non-member companies.
Indexes
An overall “Zindex” (future index) is generated for each participant. Based on this Zindex, a company can rank in an industry comparison. For each participant, the analysis results come with specific action step recommendations. The implementation of these recommendations allows the company to measurably improve and further develop. Using the overall data from all participants, the Tool Making Market Mirror also creates the “Bindex” (the industry index). The Bindex is an indicator of the current sustainability of the industry.
Through continuous data acquisition and application-oriented industry comparisons, participants benefit in the following areas:
- Market transparency and comparability
- Specific recommendation of action steps
- Recognition of industry trends
- Strong, credible foundation for future decisions
- Strengthening the industry
Data protection and data safety
Developers have placed the greatest importance on data security. All data are managed with the highest possible level of security in mind. This is supported by the latest technologies such as SaaS – a two-factor authentication and pseudonymization of participants by an independent data custodian. This means that experts can only work from a secure data room. IDs assigned to the company are provided by the data custodian.
Individual report
Participating companies will be provided with an in-depth questionnaire for analysis. The team of experts analyze the data collection and create an individualized report for each company. This shows the development status of the company in a sector comparison and gives specific recommendations for actions to improve the current condition. The participating company receives a reference value for evaluating its future viability via the “Zindex” and can classify itself in a sector comparison. The individual report therefore both supports enterprises and serves as a navigational tool for future-oriented corporate management. Areas of activity and action steps which can be integrated into day-to-day business on short notice can be seen at a glance. The traffic light system enables companies to prioritize fields of action in order to focus on their implementation planning. Furthermore, company results with “Top 5” and “Best 5 in Class” values can be considered in an industry comparison.
Cooperative
The Tool Making Market Mirror provides added value through the commitment of its participants and the quality of the data collected. Participants can actively contribute as comrades in the further development and establishment of the initiative. The organization of the initiative as a cooperative guarantees that the data are in good hands since data belongs exclusively to the companies themselves.
As a cooperative member, companies receive an individualized report for the preferential price of 1,190 euros (plus VAT). Participation for non-members costs 2,500 euros (plus VAT).
Companies can join the cooperative by subscribing to at least one part of the cooperative. Tool makers can become “makers of the future” for as little as EUR 1,000.
