FROM SMALL GLAZIER TO MAJOR PLAYER ON THE MARKET

60 employees, total floor space of 9,500 m² over two sites and over 50 years in existence – these are the key data behind Glas Lang GmbH, which operates successfully in the fields of glass production and glass construction. With defined core competences in the production of basic glass, toughened glass (ESG), partially tempered glass (TVG), laminated safety glass (LSG), enamelled glass and fire safety glass, as well as glass with a nano coating, Glas Lang is a prime example of a successful Austrian family company that can serve the trends of the future with the right investments.

 

Glas Lang through the years 

The company was founded in 1965 by Otmar Lang Senior as a glazier's workshop in Mondsee-Tiefgraben. In 1995, alongside its glazier operations Glas Lang also began glass production.

With a tempering oven, grinding system and drilling system, the company also produced toughened glass. Otmar Lang Junior took over the running of his father’s company in 2000, and developed company production in particular, in order to serve potential future markets such as façades, glazing, safety glass, the solar and door sectors, supplying to wholesalers, etc.

Due to the growing customer base, the first hall quickly became too small and production was expanded to include a second factory in Mondsee in 2010. Furthermore, the focus was also directed towards laminated safety glass.

The co-operation between Glas Lang and LiSEC began with investment in a LiSEC laminating system. “Even back then, we were already moving towards a decision to work together with companies located in the local area. Thanks to rapid support and quick solutions, it was possible to minimise downtimes, which in turn allowed us to improve our own customer satisfaction," says Otmar Lang Junior.

Today, toughened glass and laminated glass are the company's most important products.

 

With innovative machines of today to quality products of tomorrow

In 2019, Glas Lang invested in the LiSEC SplitFin (EPS and MRX), a grinding system with water jet and the possibility of drilling and milling. Otmar Lang Junior is well aware: “As an entrepreneur you have to recognise the signs of the times and be alert and willing to invest – that is what makes a good entrepreneur!"

For Mr Lang it was important that the new processing machine be capable of producing extremely efficiently, and that a high throughput as well as top quality be attainable. Grinding, drilling and the water jet in a single "tower" was not an expedient solution for the company, because there was a requirement to decouple the peripheral processing from the internal processing. When it came to selecting the new processing machine, the investment decision was therefore made in favour of the LiSEC SplitFin.

“In addition to the optimum glass support, the suction plates used and the built-in spindle technology, the machine offers the advantage that it is not only possible to perform water jet processing, but that drilling can additionally take place – all in all, this machine is perfect for us", says Otmar Lang Junior and goes on to explain why:

“Normal holes are not really calculable with a water jet in terms of costs. It is more efficient to produce the normal holes with a conventional drill and only the high-quality cut-outs with a water jet. Due to the higher running costs of water jet processing compared to a simple drill, this should also only be used in those areas where you have high added value. This is possible with the SplitFin system due to the separate processing towers". This separate value creation, which is facilitated by the two independent processing towers, is a key USP of the system for Glas Lang and was ultimately the primary factor in the company’s decision.

The LiSEC SplitFin therefore offers economic and technical advantages, and it stands out for Glas Lang in particular due to its speed, accuracy, as well as the throughput and quality achieved. “The entire work procedure is outstanding – a top quality product is output on the other side within the shortest possible time.  Particularly in the area of high-quality glass lites sheets like those used in staircases, or with shapes such as counter-bores, cut-outs or even glass doors or overhead glazing, and in interiors, where high furniture quality is essential and you wish to be state-of-the-art, you must use such systems in your production if you intend to be successful in the future," says Otmar Lang Junior.

In his opinion, another advantage of the SplitFin system is the simple and intuitive machine operation. After just a short induction phase, the Glas Lang employees were able to work with the new system and achieve the desired results. This laid the foundation for the key factor of production reliability, which is essential for manufacturing operations.

Glas Lang also relies on LiSEC in the area of software. The company owns the software packages GPS.prod and GPS.order. The former is software for production planning, which allows the production sequence to be organised from the glass plate in stock, through the laminating process, insulating glass production or any other arbitrary process, to the packaging of the products. GPS.order is a software for order management, which helps to accelerate and automate the processing of quotations and orders.

 

About trends in the industry

For Otmar Lang Junior, one trend in the glass industry is clearly moving in the direction of automation that ensures high-quality products – in particular with mass products. He is certain: "Anyone who sleeps through the trend will not last forever." Quality plays a central role and is becoming increasingly important.

 "We must work with high-quality systems that produce high-quality products – much higher quality than the standard prescribes, otherwise we are no longer competitive. It is essential that processing be of high quality across the board and LiSEC machines facilitate that," says Otmar Lang Junior in relation to the development.

In Austria in particular, many glass products are requested individually, with varying dimensions and in small numbers of pieces. Here, too, the trend is heading in the direction of high product quality. It is important for the future that production facilities be flexible in nature, in order to achieve the same throughput with varying requirements. Here too, the SplitFin system with its separate processing towers offers an optimal basis for processing glass products.

 

Glas Lang and LiSEC

"Over the years I have come to appreciate the open communication with Mr Otmar Lang.

Also during the many discussions regarding the possible investment in a SplitFin system. LiSEC benefits from a customer like Glas Lang, who has decades of experience in glass processing and with whom we work together on further developments and improvements", says Klaus Grabenschweiger, Regional Sales Manager of LiSEC.

Otmar Lang Junior is also satisfied with the cooperation with LiSEC: "Our suggestions and requests are quickly taken on board and we receive an honest answer as to what is and what is not possible, and where we stand. To date, everything has been implemented just as we envisaged it". He also emphasises the high quality of LiSEC service, which was always available promptly if problems arose and impressed with rapid, competent solutions.

 "I am extremely satisfied with your systems and everything is running optimally for us, in particular with the SplitFin – the machine is highly productive, straightforward to operate and fares very well in comparative terms. When you construct something new again we will certainly be one of the first to install it, if it fits our needs!”
 

 

07.05.2020, Lisec