STOCKO CONTACT takes part in the Engineering Design Show (EDS) from 11 to 12 October 2023 in Coventry, England.
The Engineering Design Show is the event in the UK that mainly covers the areas of mechanical engineering, electronics and embedded design.
The trade fair showcases the entire spectrum of technologies and solutions for the whole electronics manufacturing sector, reflecting the rapid technological development in all areas of the industry.
Companies of all sizes are represented on the exhibitor and visitor side.
STOCKO will be presenting numerous solutions for the important topics of contact and connector technologies in a competent and practical manner on an international stage.
For us, this trade fair is an excellent opportunity to present our product range and innovations and to exchange ideas and receive valuable feedback in direct dialogue with customers and interested parties.
STOCKO CONTACT participated in electronica at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (Shanghai) on 11th - 13th july 2023.
STOCKO, a competent company in the connector industry, headquartered in Germany, participated in the fair with its advanced products and equipment. In addition to its booth products, STOCKO introduced 4 new connector products: ECO-TRONIC PL, ECO-TRONIC IMS, ECO-TRONIC FB and S-LINX 1.27 D
At the same time, STOCKO also exhibited the matching semi-automatic processing technology for insulation displacement connections - WT365. The device is powerful, easy to operate and well-designed. Especially the personal demonstration by the engineers on site attracted most visitors to stay.
Although STOCKO has a certain brand in the connector industry, further development is constant. We keep an open ear to the requirements and future application needs to serve the market demand rationally and attract more customers.system, accelerate brand building, rationally address market demand and develop more new products to serve more customers.
In order to strengthen the cooperation and team spirit between our two training workshops in Andlau and Hellenthal, the trainers from both locations launched a joint project this year. This allows the trainees to get to know each other and the respective "unfamiliar" location can also be visited in this way.
How is this idea turned into reality? The two locations complement each other in terms of production technology. For instance, the production areas, the development departments, and laboratories repeatedly work together in a team for the joint product range. It therefore makes sense to pass on this team idea directly to the trainees. The toggle press project was divided into individual modules. The trainees at both locations then produced the assigned individual parts for their modules in the spring after their interim exam. In addition, there were short coordination exchanges and reports on the progress of the respective work in between.
The trainees Kevin Hohlmann and Johannes Hüpgen (2nd year of apprenticeship as tool mechanics) were therefore faced with the task of completing a toggle press from the individual parts. For this purpose, the two travelled to our STOCKO plant in Andlau in June 2023 for 2 days. A hearty breakfast and a factory tour were offered as a nice supporting programme. This allowed the trainees to get to know each other better.
The individual parts were then assembled, adjusted, screwed together, drilled, and pinned in Andlau. Finally, the finishing touches were added.
The result of the cooperation is certainly worth seeing! The workpiece is staying in Andlau and will be then used there in the crimping department.
The fact that the work results of the training workshops repeatedly find their way into the production areas and laboratories in order to prove their suitability for practical use is an additional incentive. Of course, it should not be a one-off event or a one-way street. A continuous exchange is the common goal.
The plan is to exchange drawings of the individual parts again and, for example, produce a second press. Then the apprentices from Andlau will be visiting us in Hellenthal. This cross-plant trainee exchange strengthens the team spirit and promotes the skills of STOCKO trainees.
"The project was a lot of fun for us. We are already looking forward to the continuation next year in Hellenthal.“ Kevin Hohlmann and Johannes Hüpgen.
The trainees Kevin Hohlmann and Johannes Hüpgen (SDH) are pictured with their colleagues Simon Faivre, Guillaume Hattenberger and Gabriel Jaeck Gruhn (SFA) and their finished workpiece.
STOCKO has participated in the EWPTE May 2023 with the slogan "Come Wired and Leave Inspired" in Milwaukee / Wisconcin Expo Center.
The Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo is a specialised trade fair for cable manufacturers and connector and wire harness companies.
This is where the industry meets with more than 3,000 attendees and nearly 200 exhibitors to find solutions for difficult wire harnessing through training and education, and to take advantage of the opportunity to network with industry leaders and professionals at the expo.
STOCKO presented on topics of crimping, insulation displacement technology and innovations in the electrical industry and exchanged views with visitors and customers on the latest contact and connector developments.
Solutions for a sustainable future.
ISH is the industry meeting point for the international sanitary and heating and air conditioning industry – the heart of the HVAC sector!
STOCKO CONTACT presents itself on a new modern stand together with other Wieland Holding companies.
Issues relating to the sustainable use of water, heat and air and the successful implementation of the energy topics reveal an enormous interest. The requirements for intuitively operable and modern electronic assemblies and, associated with these, for innovative connector solutions, and wiring groups are growing.
STOCKO CONTACT was highly satisfied with the face-to-face discussions with customers and the interested trade fair visitors. The changed market and product requirements were able to be discussed with a large number of the interested parties, some of them also represented at the trade show as exhibitors.
STOCKO CONTACT celebrated the completion of the training of their new recruits together in January. Today, STOCKO can look forward to 4 trainees in 2 different professions who have successfully passed their specialist examinations. To achieve this, the young people had to first acquire job-specific skills and knowledge within the framework of the training regulations for three and a half years and then prepare intensively for the final exams – and they all achieved their goal in a commendable way.
The trainees thus presented themselves in a radiant and highly motivated manner at the graduation ceremony in the training workshop. Together they were able to receive congratulations from the commercial manager Ms. Haas and then celebrate their successful training with their instructors and companions.
"Today, 4 trainees have successfully laid the foundations for their further professional careers. They have thus created a basis on which they can build and also master the future. They are our top performers of tomorrow, our future.“, said Ms. Haas in her speech. Once again, she also stressed that training has always been and will continue to be a high priority for STOCKO. In addition to the instructors, many other employees took care of the young people during this time and made sure that everyone finished with good or very good final grades.
The three newly minted tool mechanics were also given a surprise at their new workplaces by the Managing Director, Mr. Servi. He rewarded the achievements of this particularly good graduate year group with a certificate and an extra bonus payment.
With apprenticeships in the industrial / technical and the commercial sector, STOCKO offers a diverse range of training opportunities.
Graduating trainees:
Christina Walber (training: materials inspector), taken on in QA
Nico Schäfer (training: tool mechanic), taken on in toolmaking
Thomas Reinartz (training: tool mechanic), taken on in mechanical engineering
Lars Reder (training: tool mechanic), taken on in toolmaking
One of the best graduate year groups so far for tool mechanics!
Lars Reder, Nico Schäfer and Thomas Reinartz get a surprise visit at their new workplaces from Mr. Servi, Ms. Haas and Mr. Schmitz.
Personal congratulations for the outstanding achievements. Each presented with a certificate for the highest distinction.
Special award for the outstanding grades (94%, 95%, 97%). As one-off special bonus, € 10 per percentage point was awarded.
In January, a Sumitomo DEMAG injection moulding machine from the Systec series with 50 tonnes of clamping force was relocated from the production department to the training workshop. It replaces our Arburg Allrounder, which has been in use since 1986, and also brings our machinery up to date here. Another step forward for the STOCKO training workshop.
We now have the opportunity to let our process mechanics for plastics and rubber technology to practice with a modern injection moulding machine from the beginning of their training.
Because the DEMAG Systec 50/370-200 is already equipped with a modern NC system, which is also used by us in the injection moulding production area. In addition, we now have the option of using handling to automatically integrate the removal of sprues or workpieces into the production process.
In this context, a new column-mounted slewing jib crane was also installed to equip the injection moulding machine.
Unlike in production, the training workshop does not have its own connection to the central basin with cooling water. That is why we use a separate cooling unit for machine cooling and for supplying the tool temperature control. Since our previous cooling unit often reached its performance limits with the smaller machine, it was necessary to replace it with a new and more effective unit.
We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank Mr. Servi and Mr. Kirch, as well as all the employees involved in the relocation, for your support!
In order to continue to meet the high demands of our customers, we are investing in new machines.
STOCKO is renewing and expanding its machinery with 8 new injection moulding machines (5x 100t clamping force and 3x 60t clamping force) and thus increasing the proportion of all-electric and thus energy-saving and high-precision machines to 69%.
All machines are equipped with 3-axis servo extraction devices and tool internal pressure monitoring for cycle time optimisation and quality monitoring.
In total, the machine spectrum ranges from 50t to 220t clamping force, from conventional, horizontal machines and vertical machines, to two-component machines. In order to implement more complex vertical range of manufacture (e.g. punching grid technology), these are increasingly being supplemented with automation systems.
We produce over 3.1 million parts a day by injection moulding from technical, mainly flame-retardant plastics (inc. PA, PBT, PC, POM). Together with our other articles and contacts (whether individual or assembled), that corresponds to 10 billion customer solutions in the STOCKO Group.
With these investments in the machinery, STOCKO is responding to market requirements and is thus once again expanding its production capacity. We are pleased that such measures will allow us to increase capacity and improve efficiency. In this way, not only are we securing jobs, but also creating new vacancies.
The AHR Expo in Atlanta has opened its doors - STOCKO is pleased. Many trade exhibitors will present themselves at the international US trade fair for air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technology.
From 6th to 8th february 2023, all interested parties can get to know the innovative product solutions in the field of STOCKO connectors and crimp terminals in more detail at the booth.
In hall C at booth 7148 the STOCKO experts welcome you!
Electronica 2022, once again an international meeting place for the electronics industry covering the entire spectrum of electronics.
STOCKO CONTACT presented itself in a future-oriented manner with a large number of new developments surrounding the many topics relating to connectivity.
Digitalisation, energy and sustainability were the central topics of electronica 2022. The trade fair stretched across 14 halls covering a total of 160,000 square meters with a large professional audience.
STOCKO CONTACT presented with a new stand concept over an area of 170 m² the product range of connector systems, crimp contacts and cable lugs.
The atmosphere was very positive – finally live in Munich again after four years. Many intensive discussions on worthwhile topics and the active exchange on the sector highlights of HOME APPLIANCE, HVAC, AUTOMOTIVE and INDUSTRY.
The SIA VISION Congress in Paris presented the latest technologies for automotive lighting.
Many car manufacturers and tier one suppliers showcased the latest innovations in the areas of safety, design and trends in interactions using lighting technology.
STOCKO CONTACT was part of this important congress and presented the latest developments in safe connector solutions on their exhibition stand. There was a particularly intensive exchange of experience with an interested professional audience as well as very good feedback about the company's own product offers and developments.
Engineering Design Show 2022 EDS - A trade fair for engineering, electronics and embedded design
The Engineering Design Show is the only event in the UK dedicated exclusively to engineering, electronics and embedded design.
At its new exhibition stand, STOCKO CONTACT presented the main topics relating to the HOME APPLIANCE, HVAC, AUTOMOTIVE and INDUSTRY sectors.
A highly interested trade audience was very enthusiastic about the latest connector generation and connectivity.
STOCKO CONTACT presents itself with a new stand concept at IZB - Europe's leading trade fair for the automotive supply industry in Wolfsburg.
Under the motto Connecting Car Competence - Intelligent, digitalised, self-driving, IZB 2022 took place in Wolfsburg. STOCKO CONTACT presents, in addition to the main topic of cable lugs, the latest generation of connectors concerning connectivity and lighting on its 60 m² exhibition stand at the Volkswagen AG group headquarters in Wolfsburg.
STOCKO is thus stepping up to the mark with a fresh brand identity. The slogan "The Source of your connection" underlines the consistent and innovative orientation.
Trade fair visitors and the STOCKO team met for a highly interesting exchange of experiences in a felicitous ambience.
STOCKO CONTACT is a leading international company for electromechanical components, where its focus on developing customer-specific solutions for vehicle electrical systems shapes the future.
More safety through fire safety exercises by the volunteer fire department on the factory premises of STOCKO CONTACT
On Sunday, 25.09.22, STOCKO CONTACT, together with the volunteer fire departments of the Hellenthal fire brigade and the Hollerath fire fighting group, carried out a fire protection exercise at the Hellenthal site.
Even though STOCKO CONTACT is well prepared for an emergency in all building complexes with sprinkler systems, smoke detectors on ceilings and false ceilings, alarm systems and its own extinguishing water tank, such exercises are required under real conditions and always lead to very interesting findings.
In order to simulate real conditions in the best possible way, a production area was made "invisible" by a fog machine and some people to be rescued were hidden. The members of the fire brigade had to fight the "fire" whilst using breathing equipment and perform the rescue operation. Both tasks were completed successfully.
The exercise was rounded off by a subsequent inspection of the warehouses, production halls and workshops with all the fire brigade members involved, with notes and explanations on the critical points, such as the places where the power supply for the entire site would have to be disconnected in an emergency.
Reacting correctly in an emergency!
The escape and rescue routes were also tested as part of the rescue operation.
The inspection of the premises and exercise units.
The cooperation with the fire brigade was a complete success. As a result, it can be ensured in the future that the rescue workers have best prepared themselves for an emergency and have already familiarised themselves with the local conditions beforehand.
STOCKO CONTACT and volunteer fire department of the Hellenthal fire brigade and the Hollerath fire-fighting group in Hellenthal - a great team in terms of safety!
STOCKO CONTACT Germany invests in a further expansion of the production hall
We are pleased about the great progress of this year's internal construction project. Thus, in addition to the current production facility, another important milestone in terms of optimising operations will have been achieved. The move into the new building is planned for the end of 2022.
With the extension covering approximately 1,000 m², STOCKO will expand the assembly areas for further fully automatic assembly lines under construction. In recent years, STOCKO has more than doubled its capacities, especially in the case of the so-called RAST series.
In order to further increase the dynamics in production, a central measuring technology system for the production areas of punching, injection moulding and assembly will be established in the new building.
The measuring technology will work in three shifts, in order, for example, to issue production approvals in the ongoing process in a timely manner. These and other metrological tasks will be accelerated by being put together as well as by being centralised in one place.
In close interaction with the production areas, work preparation plays an important role. Due to the central location of the new building, the work preparation will also move the workplaces to the new building.
As part of the measures presented, the performance of the Hellenthal site will once again increase significantly and thus further improve STOCKO's ability to react.
STOCKO is setting another positive sign for solid economic growth in order to respond quickly and efficiently to customer needs.
We congratulate our apprentices Florian Groß, Sven Hoven, Justus Junker, Patrick Keller, Tim Pohl (all: toolmaker), Pascal Meyer (Dual study program student – Industrial Mechanic) on success in their final examinations.
The examination results were celebrated in a small group on 25 June together with the trainers, training officers, the responsible department heads and the chairman of the works council.
We are happy to take on all apprentices at STOCKO and wish them a successful start in their specialist departments.
On that occasion, we would like to thank our trainers, training officers and all employees who contributed to the successful outcome of the training.
The promotion and training of young people has always been one of the cornerstones of our corporate philosophy. We are particularly pleased to welcome nine apprentices to our ranks again this year.
For the new apprentices, the first day started with a welcome by Mr Schmitz (Head of Training) and Ms Haas (Commercial Manager) as well as the future supervisors from the departments.
The apprentices spent the morning together, getting to know each other and receiving initial important information about the group of companies and the training. This was followed by a tour of the company and the production buildings. In the afternoon, the apprentices were able to get to know their workplace, colleagues, and trainers.
We wish them every success!
By the way: there are still apprenticeship places available for the start of training in August 2022.
Welcome to STOCKO CONTACT!
Timo Bornewasser, Robin Kemmerer
(both: process mechanics for plastics and rubber technology)
Johannes Hüpgen, Kevin Hohlmann, Nils Müller
(all three: tool mechanics)
Christoph Lenzen
(IT specialist for system integration)
Felix Malsbenden
(warehouse logistics specialist)
Justin Zenner, Eric Wollgarten
(both: electronics technicians for industrial engineering)
A look back at the good old days.
STOCKO Contact, a company with exemplary character. Our medium-sized family company can look back on 120 years of successful existence and has reason to look back in a very special way in 2021. The training workshop, which opened in 1971, has already existed for half a century.
There have been trainees at STOCKO since the beginning of the 1970s. Around 250 young people started their industrial training at the company since its beginnings – first toolmakers, then plastic formers. Today, tool makers in the field of stamping technology, process mechanics for plastics and rubber technology, industrial mechanics for precision equipment construction (Bachelor of Engineering) as well as machine and system operators with a focus on metal and plastics technology are trained in the commercial sector. For a long time, STOCKO has also been offering the opportunity for qualified and future-oriented training in the commercial sector. For the most part, the next generation is given a direct perspective in the company.
Our employee Karl-Heinz Scherer is one of the people who witnessed the beginnings of the STOCKO training workshop as a young toolmaker apprentice from August 2nd, 1971. Its founding was “a wise and forward-looking decision”, says 64-year-old Mr. Scherer (tool design). Where else could you have found your skilled workers for the special requirements in the company?” In the first three months, you mainly stood at the vice and learned how to handle a wide variety of files from the bottom up, then you were taught how to use the various machine tools, such as lathes and planing machines, etc., until the end of the first year of your apprenticeship. The eight-hour day of an apprentice at that time also included the duty of picking up snacks in the first year of the apprenticeship.
In the second and third year of the apprenticeship, the trainees switched to the different departments. Here, the trainee was assigned an “apprentice” – his personal contact person / trainer.
“The training from the second year of apprenticeship was already tailored to the needs of the company,” Scherer recalls: “We were busy in many ways and already worked for the entire company.”
What you have learned is immediately put into practice
Much of what had to be laboriously done by hand at the time has now been taken over by high-quality machines, but you have to know how to operate them first. And this requires a wide range of knowledge of these machines, as well as the associated peripherals and software. A budding toolmaker today has to know everything that a toolmaker had to be able to do in the past. In addition, he has to be as familiar with CNC technology as he is with control technology. During their training, the STOCKO company trainees also go through numerous internal departments, such as tool making and tool service, moulding technology, the stamping department, injection moulding, quality management, the physics laboratory, and maintenance. Here, the young people already gain a lot of practical experience in handling technically sophisticated machines and equipment.
First of all, the trainees in industrial and technical professions learn practical basic skills, such as marking out, filing, measuring, and drilling. Later in the training, more and more machining processes are added, such as turning, milling, and grinding. Each subject area is supplemented by preparatory theoretical lessons in specialist knowledge, mathematics, and occupational safety. Project work serves to impart skills relevant to the exams. This includes, among other things, planning, performing, and checking various activities. In the further course of the training, the conventional machine activities that have already been learned are expanded with computer-controlled CNC technology.
Depending on the occupation, the trainees switch to the internal departments either from the second or third year of training. There they are instructed and supervised in their daily work by our training officers. In some professional fields, we also offer young people dual studies in the neighbouring cities of Cologne and Aachen.
Those who learn at STOCKO today will, according to the commercial manager Kristina Haas, soon take on tasks independently. “Our trainees are allowed to work in the day-to-day business relatively early, are given intensive support and are therefore able to quickly put their knowledge into practice. With us, the entire company is actually the training workshop.”
When asked about the importance of promoting young talent, Haas clarifies: “It is important to us to get young people excited about our industry at an early stage and to bind them to the company. Our goal is to train primarily for ourselves. Because it is very difficult to find qualified skilled workers with an electrical engineering background on the open market.”
Almost all trainees are taken over
STOCKO Contact GmbH & Co. KG continues to employ almost 100% of its trainees after the end of their training period. As a rule, a trainee who has completed vocational training receives a permanent employment contract. Every year, six or more young people are hired for vocational training – a number that, in the words of Stefan Schmitz (Head of Training), makes it possible to specifically address the needs of the individual. And he adds: “Here you are valued from the start, and you get a lot of support. We have a very familiar atmosphere with one another.”
In August 2021, nine new trainees started their training at STOCKO.
In addition, it should not be left unmentioned that in addition to the commercial, technical occupations in the training workshop, the following apprenticeships have been carried out at STOCKO for several years:
Archive photo data:
Those were “the good old days”: An apprentice working on a milling machine
The company attaches great importance to qualified young talent
Again this year, 5 young people have started their training at STOCKO CONTACT in Hellenthal.
After a small-scale welcome by representatives of our management, works council and trainers, they first attended internal training courses on occupational safety and our quality management.
After creating their personnel files, they got to know the individual departments during a tour of the company.
Due to a generational change in our industrial training, from September 2020 Mr Stefan Schmitz, supported by Mr Aleksandr Miller, will train the future apprentices in the usual "STOCKO manner" in our new 560m² training workshop and prepare them for an exciting and successful working life.
We wish them all every success and above all much enjoyment in their work!
From left:
Hendrik Niebes Tool mechanics
Mick Albrecht Process Mechanic for Plastics and Rubber Technology
Leon Reder Tool mechanics
Paul Klein Tool mechanics
Josephine Schell Office Management Assistant
