Finally independent: “quick and effective response” with own laser cutting system

The marina in Monaco, the Titanic Museum in Belfast or the university library in Freiburg – all these buildings have one thing in common: facades from Metallbau Früh GmbH. Based in Umkirch in southern Baden, the company implements international projects in facade construction – from planning and production to installation. To be independent of suppliers when cutting aluminum sheets during production, Metallbau Früh decided to purchase a laser cutting system. The company found the right solution in the MasterLINE series of lasers, “to be able to react quickly and effectively”.

Metallbau Früh GmbH, a specialist in modern facade construction, is based in Umkirch, a community in southern Baden not far from the French border. The owner-managed company, with a family tradition stretching back over 100 years, is contracted for projects throughout Europe. “We live by our reputation,” says Anton Früh, owner and managing director of Metallbau Früh GmbH, looking back on spectacular projects such as the marina in Monaco or the Titanic Museum in Belfast. With a team of over 150 specialists, the company realizes complex custom designs in facade engineering using a wide range of materials and construction types. Facade surfaces of up to 25,000 m², order volumes of up to €30 million and project durations of up to five years are not uncommon.

Planning, production and installation from a single source

One decisive advantage that Metallbau Früh GmbH has over many other companies in the industry is that the company's own specialized personnel handle the entire process, from planning and calculation to production and assembly, for the metal and glass facade constructions that have been ordered. “This often starts with a blank sheet of paper. The architect has an idea, which we then implement with a technical solution. We are a large-scale manufacturer, not a mass producer,” emphasizes Managing Director Anton Früh. For many years, the company has used a waterjet cutting system to cut the individual designs from different materials such as steel, stainless steel or architectural bronze. Until the beginning of 2022, Metallbau Früh purchased sheet metal parts, in particular 3 mm thick aluminum sheets, from external suppliers.

MasterLINE laser cutting system fulfills all requirements

Due to increasing dissatisfaction with the quality of the purchased parts, as well as the associated costs and waiting times, Früh decided to start cutting thinner sheets in-house as well. Thus, in November 2020, the search began for the right machine to cut 3 mm thick aluminum sheets with a size of 4 x 2 m. Using internet research, Metallbau Früh looked at and compared different cutting systems on the market. After a conversation with MicroStep Europa, Anton Früh's decision was then made: the laser cutting system from the MasterLINE series, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE Smart^FL” meets all the requirements. “Reliability is very important in construction. The area sales manager was quickly able to convince me that MicroStep Europa (ACCURL partner in Germany) is the most reliable company, so we signed on the same day that the offer was presented.”

Laser series impresses with reliability and performance

Since it was put into operation in February 2022, the 2D laser cutting system with shuttle table has been in continuous use to produce sheet metal cladding for facades. “The machine control is very user-friendly, the initial training by MicroStep Europa employees was uncomplicated and the service is also top-notch,” reports Michael Salenbacher, machine operator of the CNC cutting systems at Metallbau Früh, ‘we can now react much faster and more effectively’. The MasterLINE was connected to the company's existing Lantek software so that jobs on the waterjet and new laser cutting system could be processed with the same software. “The machine has done an excellent job with all the tasks we have given it so far. We are very satisfied with the reliability of the system and the cooperation with MicroStep Europa,” emphasizes Anton Früh.