Common point between the Spanish Federico Ferrer and the German Thomas Group, metal, of course! But up to this day of October 2011 when the acquisition of the former by the latter became official, the two entities had different industrial and commercial strategies! "This is precisely where stands today the interest of our merger," explains David Gregorio Ballesteros, the new General Director of Federico Ferrer. Because Thomas Group is primarily a big machine to convert metal parts for mass packaging.
The Langenselbold plant, the group’s headquarters in Germany since its inception in 1963, has an annual production of some 5 billion parts, mostly cups for aerosols with a score of presses. The two U.S. plants with one of them, the Thomas Erie Inc, in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1980 and the other one Solla Eyelet Products Inc. in Connecticut, which was acquired in 2000, can produce about four billion parts (1 inch cups) for the first one with 17 presses and 750 million (ferrules, pump covers, syringe caps, 1 inch threaded cups, actuators) for the other one with 62 presses. The factory in Valencia, established in 1982 also produces ferrules, pump covers and actuators with eight presses. It has a capacity of one billion parts a year while its anodizing line can treat in the same period some 450 million parts. And that’s not the end of it... The Chinese factory founded in 1997 by the Group also produces cups and ferrules and can rely on an annual capacity of 600 million parts. Finally, the two Argentine factories have a total capacity of 750 million parts mostly for the manufacture of 1 inch cups, ferrules, pump covers, actuators, caps with more than 25 presses.
A spearhead with the two plants in Valencia and Barcelona
"As for Federico Ferrer, you do know its positioning," explains David Gregorio Ballesteros. "Basically to process metal parts for the high-end sectors of perfumery and pharmacy. The whole of it thanks to 13 transfer presses, eight uni-stationary and two automatic anodizing lines."
"Clearly, we were meant to become partners," emphasises Miguel Sanchez Alpiste, the new Sales Director (but former Commercial Director of Federico Ferrer who left to join the Valencia plant of the Thomas Group six years ago. "Especially since Thomas Group’s strategy is clear, he says, to increase its penetration in the luxury and selective market and, of course, especially in perfumes and cosmetics."
And to succeed in this luxury segment the group now owns two production units of importance in Europe with a plant in Valencia and the other, of Federico Ferrer, in Barcelona.
"Not only does the anodizing capacity of both plants (550 million units) represent a real plus on the marketplace, points out Thomas Turiaf, but the lines that run in Barcelona (chemical and electrolytic) are extremely efficient." When you know that one of the keys to operate in this luxury segment stands in the ability, flexibility and versatility of anodizing lines. “And in their ability to achieve quickly quality tooling. Which is our case!” adds David Gregorio Ballesteros. A Barcelona factory, whose managers intend to make the best use in the coming months to better invest in this high-end packaging segment, particularly the one concerning make-up where the company already generates 40% of its turnover with some outstanding references for Helena Rubinstein or Lancaster. "But we also have some very interesting references in high-end perfumery, insists Miguel Sanchez Alpiste, and skincare with Shiseido, Issey Miyake, Jean Paul Gaultier, La Prairie, Jesus del Pozo among others."
To note the very recent installation of a thirtieth transfer press at the factory.
