The magazine of Friedhelm Loh Group

The magazine of Friedhelm Loh Group


ATR Industrie-Elektronik GmbH
Experience – Engineering

ATR: “The supply chain works!”

The consequences of the corona pandemic have long since reached the control and switchgear engineering sector. Now, one question in particular is troubling the leading managers in the industry: Will the supply chains keep going? Will suppliers really be able to keep their promises to deliver at the present time? The good news is: yes they will!


Timo Amels, managing director of ATR Industrie-Elektronik GmbH is aware of the health risks that Covid-19 poses for his employees and thus he implemented some practical preventive measures such as working from home and separation of work areas at an early stage. And it’s been a success. But he can also see what is at stake for business: “Besides the health of our employees, one of our current biggest concerns is that the supply chains will break down and logistics will collapse.” The 53-year-old manager sees the potential dangers: “It would mean that we would have to put all of our roughly hundred-strong workforce on short-time work overnight.”

Since the Krefeld company also supplies its plant technology to the food industry, it has “system-relevant” status. “At the moment, orders are still stable,” Mr. Amels says. For example, in order to keep production processes running and to fulfil its delivery commitments, ATR ordered larger quantities of enclosure and housing technology from Rittal five weeks ago as a precautionary measure – they received the products straightaway. “Our suppliers’ ability to deliver is extremely important to us,” the managing director explains. The company, part of the Siempelkamp Group, which supplies UL-tested switchgear to the US market on a large scale, is committed to meeting its deadlines.

"Reliable and strong partners are invaluable in times of crisis."


Timo Amels
Managing Director, ATR Industrie-Elektronik GmbH

“Thanks to Rittal’s excellent delivery capability, we are able to keep up to speed and adhere to the deadlines that we have promised our customers.” Mr. Amels is convinced that “reliable and strong partners are invaluable in times of crisis.”

The system supplier Rittal is reliable and deliverable, even in times of crisis.

The strengths of ATR Industrie-Elektronik GmbH are not only its extensive expertise but also the company’s high productivity. If all the enclosures manufactured in one year were to be lined up in a row, they would have a length of more than 6.5 kilometres. Another vital prerequisite here is optimal cooperation with suppliers. In particular, Rittal’s just-in-time deliveries are indispensable for smoothly running production. Twice a week, a large articulated truck delivers enclosures, housings and other components such as cooling units and power distribution technology. A separate, on-site storage facility affords extra flexibility. ATR is already working very concretely on further digitising its the entire value chain, for example through the use of Eplan Engineering Tools such as EPLAN ProPanel. Above and beyond this, ATR is currently using Rittal’s video training courses to give its employees further training on the new AX and KX small and compact enclosures.

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