"Welcome aboard" is the motto in Rudolfstetten
01.03.2023
The pirates among the surface technicians at BWB are the Rudolfstetters. With their galvanic processes, they are the exotics within BWB's anodising plants in Switzerland. The site near Zurich specialises in electroless nickel coatings, among other things, and is boldly steering into fresh waters: in the new production line, electroplating is now also used for gold and silver plating.
First mate and philanthropist
Plant manager Reto Castelluccio welcomes us to BWB-Iten in Rudolfstetten. With a lot of heart, he takes care of all the company's needs: customer requests are listened to here and together the appropriate surface is determined and quickly implemented. "We are the pirates within the BWB family: the finest precious metals surround us. Our work is often an adventure," he smiles and leads us into production.
Reto Castelluccio welcomes us to "his ship", Ahoy Reto.
"Every day I look forward to the colourful mix of motivated people. Whether it's project managers looking for solutions in mechanical engineering, galvanic challenges or trial trainees. Like treasure hunters, we find the right path, the optimal coating, the right person. I like the variety – it never gets boring," Reto tells us.
Anchorage and training centre
In the busy atmosphere of the production hall, the customer parts are prepared, coated and carefully packed. Like a ship's crew, everyone works together and helps out when there are changes of course. The crew of thirteen remains open to new possibilities and processes. In a separate production line, the "Ruedistetters" now galvanise gold and silver.
Insights into the new gold and silver production wing at BWB in Rudolfstetten.
Captain and alchemist
The experienced electroplating technician and business economist Andreas Betschart is not a man of big words: matter, processes and metals are his world. "In times of scarce resources and energy, the demands on components are increasing. The higher the manufacturing costs, the longer the individual component should remain in use," Andreas explains. How and where components are used and with which coating they remain protected in the long term, the BWB "pirates" find the right answers to these questions.
Impressions from the Rudolfstetten plant
Coating protects against extreme conditions: Heat, high humidity, aggressive seawater or waste water must be taken into account for the service life of the individual components. The chemically nickel-plated surface protects these steel control units in hydraulic systems from external influences.
Coating protects in hot and humid extreme climates: The chemically nickel-plated telescopic door rails are prepared for their use in Dubai, for example.
The steel telescopic rail with plastic content pragmatically receives the appropriate corrosion protection for its use at temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius and a humidity of up to 80 percent in coastal regions without having to be dismantled.
Are you looking for the right surface protection for your machine part?
Contact the first mate of the BWB in Rudolfstetten now:
Reto Castelluccio
T +41 58 861 96 02
reto.castelluccio@bwb-group.com