Castolin GmbH in Kriftel celebrates its 60th anniversary

In the last week of June 2014, Castolin Germany celebrated its 60th anniversary with live music, new welding equipment demonstrations and bright future plans. Devoted employees working in the company for more than 10/20/30 years have been rewarded with dedicated CastoPins. After an investment of 400.000 euros in renovation, the German branch in Kriftel recently became the new Central European Warehouse for Castolin clients in Central, Northern and Eastern Europe. 

Castolin GmbH was founded in 1954 in Frankfurt Nied by René Wasserman, deriving its name from  the Latin translation of cast iron. The foundation of Castolin GmbH was part of the expansion after the 2nd World War and started with the production of rod electrodes and the distribution of Castolin filler metals for brazing, welding and thermal spraying. But even then, Professor Wasserman had a much more advanced vision for the company future, which was destined to prolong the lifetime of industry parts. In 1971, he published a richly illustrated book entitled: "How to save Millions by reducing the Stock of Spare Parts." He tells the story of encounters with major industry leaders who proudly showed him large and well-stocked spare parts warehouses, built as protection against equipment downtime. But Professor Wasserman knew the future lies in expanding service life of existing parts:  "Obsolete spare parts inventory reduces the profit significantly. Tremendous capital is invested and immobilized in this warehouse inventories." He knew that  modern welding technology allows for joining of virtually all metals, achieving bond properties that are superior to the initial base metal.

Today Castolin Germany has 134 employees and a 2.600 sqm warehouse surface, serving customers in Central, Eastern and Northern Europe. In Germany alone Castolin customer numbers rise at 15.000, including both medium-sized metalworking shops, as well as major industry actors like Opel, BMW or Heidelberg Cement. 350 parcels are sent out from the warehouse daily, with an objective of 100.000 deliveries per year in future. Around 20 trucks come in and out the Castolin premises on Gutenberstr. 10 in Kriftel daily: three times a week the warehouse is stocked with products from the Castolin manufacturing plant in Dublin, twice a week transports arrive from the French production plant.