Ferg debuts new infrastructure in its 40th anniversary

Coinciding with its 40th anniversary, Ferg, specializing in tools for threaded, has opened new industrial facilities, 2,000 square meters, in Gurb (Barcelona), for greater and better means, apply an absolute rationalization of the Organization, computer optimization, having greater openness and better work comfort. The new infrastructure consists of technical Office, warehouse product, Department of expedition of the product, Department of facilities of marking with laser technology, Office Administration, archive, meeting room and show room.

House where Ferg was founded in 1963 detail for grinding of threads first grinding machine for grinding 1964 Ferg threads

Since its founding in 1963, based on the project of three friends who mounted a metallurgical workshop, Ferg company has grown and has become a recognized international company in the manufacture of threading tools: males, bearings and blades, mainly. It has industrial assets, a computer professional highly experienced, qualified and high human value, know how, industrial infrastructure and advanced technological equipment.

Ferg abbreviations correspond to the letters of the initials of partners Fernández and Grau and the initials of the values that the company has wanted to offer since its inception: reliability, economy, regular, and guarantee, while the three engarzadas rings represent the Union of the three founding partners. A brand that forty years later maintains its identifying strength.

After a few early years marked by production needs, at the end of the 1960s Ferg begins to become professionally. The first profit is re-invested in new facilities, new machinery and expansion of the staff. Of the 50 square meters passed 300 in 1968, and 700 square metres in 1978 thanks to the acquisition of new industrial plants.

The main factory is installed in Gurb, Vic-bordering municipality. In parallel with the increase in m2, and the increase of the machine park staff has also increased. And that, of the three workers who were at first, became 29 in 1968 and 96 in 1978.

At the end of the seventies, Ferg is already a company consolidated with a high degree of specialization and competitiveness. It has an extensive national network and exports its products to international markets.

The 1980s was a period of expansion of the company, which experienced an increase in orders from customers in different markets: automotive, aviation, shipbuilding, electronics, mechanical constructions,... It is the time in which the company committed to the expansion of the sales network for the peninsula, with dealers strategically placed to guarantee the supply. At the same time, Ferg manages to introduce their products in foreign markets demanding in quality and technology such as: Germany, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, United Kingdom. And also in other markets: South America, South Africa, Israel, Syria, Morocco, Hong - Kong and Singapore.

Since 1973, and after various studies of the R & d, the company developed its own rules of control of receipt of steel, as initial security of their products.

In the early 1980s, when the heat treatment was still performed in furnaces of salts, Ferg also incorporated an advanced technological equipment. In other phases of manufacturing such as machining, cylindrical grinding, grinding of grooves and thread grinding, Ferg has been a pioneer in the integration into the production process of the most modern machines. Also, in maintenance and oil filter, has developed technological processes, being the first industry sector joined the process of manufacture, a filtering of the oil of refrigeration plant in 1981.

The 1990s were years of crisis for the Spanish economy and the countries members of the European Union. The origin of the economic recession dominated monetary imbalances produced as a result of the entry of Spain in the European monetary system in 1989. Outdated towards the European inflation and policy antidevaluación led to let Spanish producer prices to be competitive in Europe and exports suffered a sharp decline.

Since 1993 the consumption fell sharply and the labor market began a strong process of precarization. This whole situation affected all sectors of economic activity and as a solution, the companies have been forced to resize their structures, adapt the templates to the new situation, renew technologically and become more flexible and competitive. It was the time when many companies ceased their activity and disappeared.

It was not the case of Ferg, who faced the crisis thanks to the advantageous situation that brought the economic, technological and industrial, solvency achieved during his professional career.

The company assumed the readjustments and reinforced its technological potential to successfully meet the challenge of the 2000: their competitiveness.

At age twenty of its Constitution, Ferg tools had been consolidated in many European markets. Since its founding Ferg attended the events and fairs of the sector most important, and this contact with the outside was the will of improvement and refinement.

The leading role of Ferg on the market is due to the constant improvement in supply and service, with a highly qualified team identified the objectives and the corporate culture of the company. On the other hand, the great experience in a production specialty in which the know-how is an element of paramount importance, as well as an industrial infrastructure for large entity and solid specialization, with an advanced technological equipment, product of a maximum reliabilitythat demonstrate their competitiveness and confidence and fidelity of the distribution companies of the Ferg products around the world.

Osona is a region with a geographical situation privileged, near Barcelona, France and the coastal regions. Communications hub. Its socio-economic development, has a diversified industry in textiles, metallurgy, tannery, turnery of wood, food and chemistry.

Metallurgy with subsectors as diverse as electronics, household appliances, the hydraulic machinery and the industrial tool, is the second sector on occupancy and includes important companies, as it is the case of Ferg.

For its part Vic, economic engine in the comarca of Osona, concentrated almost 20 per cent of the total of the companies already established in this region, belonging to the industrial sector. The most important are transformative and mechanical industries of the metallurgical industry, followed by food and hides.

Convert a steel bar rough in a fine tool for precision geometric, able to withstand mechanical stress, it is not easy.

The phases and tasks that are required for the transformation of steel in males and ready to sell bearings are: raw, mechanization, heat treatment, grinding, and marking. In each of the operations is carried out a systematic quality control during the manufacturing process, applying all the research and developments in Ferg.

It was precisely the national pioneer company to establish its own rules of control in the reception of the steel, in the early 1970s. After investigations of materials, Ferg formalized a series of parameters and characteristics for the high speed steel, to be narrowly met any game in the factory. Only good ironworks exceed this regulation and provided to Ferg their steel, which is a guarantee of the final quality of its products.

This is the first process in the production cycle which is subjected to crude steel. Its purpose is to provide the metal bars a size and a shape that make them suitable for subsequent processes. The mechanization of the male begins in CNC lathes and continues with the milling of the square of drag. After this phase, the resulting pieces are already about to for the next process, heat treatment.

Is one of the phases of production of greater transcendence, since it will provide to the metal indispensable physical qualities for his performance. It does a decade roughly the thermal sensors treatment realised subjecting the fast steel to high temperatures in ovens of salts, an operation  extremely delicate that requires of a deep knowledge of the material and of the class of mechanical effort that will demand to the tool.

In the actuality, the technology based in ovens of empty has substituted to the ovens of salts, with big advances with regard to the precision, regularity and efficiency of all the process. Ferg Also is pioneering in the incorporation of this modern technology in his plants. The thermal sensors treatment has like aim dissolve part of  the carbides  that the fast steel contains.  They provide some only qualities regarding tenacity, resistance to the wear and resistance in hot, perfectly adapted to the specific function that will develop the tool, guaranteeing like this an optimum performance.

This is the operation that will endow each tool of your geometry. Prior to this stage, is the checking of the gap between points and straightening for induction machines ensures that the concentricidad of the males. Then cylindrical grinders of high technology are properly rectified said, to move later to the opening of slots.

The precision of the grinding of the thread and the destalonado of the entrance to the Ferg males is fully guaranteed. The control and accuracy that require all these mechanical operations are guaranteed by the experience of its staff and used technological equipment.

It should be noted that, in the phase of the grinding of the thread, Ferg check 100% of its production. Bearings, for its part, follow a parallel process of manufacture, although it does not reach the levels of automation of the males. A combination of craft, "Know - how" technology is the basis of its manufacture.

The complexity of the tools requires a strict monitoring and control of each of the steps and operations of the process.

The technical office is the Department responsible for strict compliance with the operational requirements.

During the process are checked those manufactured, which respond to the rules of quality Ferg, which has a sophisticated equipment of metrology, developed, partly with his own brand technology.

On the other hand, the studies and controls, including carried out through the metallography microscope, they have a dual function: firstly check the proper application and control of heat treatment operations; then ensure that the quality achieved after the process does not suffer any alteration or deterioration during grinding.

Ferg  It devotes important human resources, technicians and economic to the development of studies and projects oriented to the constant innovation and improvement in the manufacture and quality of the final product. These improvements affect to all the phases of the productive cycle, from the control of the prime matter, until his finishing and labeling, going through all the intermediate stages, and by logistical appearances, of rationalisation of processes, of energetic efficiency and environingingmental respect.

After the final stages of manufacture, the tools are ready for their marking, storage and issuance. The process of marking that once was an almost artisan operation is performed today with the most advanced technology of laser machines. In addition to speed up the operation, it is a much clearer view of the technical references for each product, with the consequent ease of identification and management. Once marked, the tools are protected and stored, waiting for his expedition to the market.

Much of the efforts of Ferg are directed to the maintenance and improvement of a fast, modern and efficient trade infrastructure. It has an extensive trade network in national and European market.

From a crankshaft of motor boat to the Assembly of rods of a pair of glasses. Ferg tool is aimed at automotive, household appliances, telephone, computer, construction, agriculture, research, medicine, telecommunications...