Quality through dialog

MANN+HUMMEL GmbH is one of the world's leading filtration specialists. The company manufactures a variety of filters and parts for machine construction, process engineering and industrial manufacturing, while also focusing on producing filter elements for the automotive industry. 

The Marklkofen site in Bavaria alone manufactures a total of 60 million easy-change oil and fuel filters a year. Together with other product groups, the output adds up to 160 million filters that are produced annually in Marklkofen, and 500 million at all sites around the world.

MANN+HUMMEL also draws on warm and cold-rolled strip from Salzgitter, but especially on electrolytically and hot dipped zinc-coated steels. As David Vicente, Director Material Group Steel at MANN+HUMMEL commented: "The Salzgitter portfolio is very well suited to our requirements and offers the right products that we can process. The presence in all material groups was also a reason for our decision to work with Salzgitter AG."

Dietmar Baur, Vice President Purchasing Automotive Aftermarket/ Industrial Filtration added: "Our cooperation with Salzgitter AG is still in its infancy; the company has been one of our suppliers since 2010. Particularly the strategic decision to integrate Salzgitter Mannesmann Stahlservice, or SMS, in Karlsruhe into the group had a positive influence on our decision to work with Salzgitter."

Another important consideration for David Vicente is the combined access to a producer with technologically high-quality steel products and a steel service center with a clear focus on service.  "Previously we did not specifically see Salzgitter as a contact. The SMS takeover opened up new perspectives: we found the idea of a steel service center directly tied to the manufacturer to be very interesting, because we assumed that here we could ensure our expectations regarding a focus on service and flexibility and also have the opportunity to establish direct contact with the steel mill. The competitive facility in Karlsruhe was a further factor that simplified our decision. And now, we additionally have access to technological know-how and Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH."

Dietmar Baur and David Vicente show that the dialog between MANN+HUMMEL and the SMS/Salzgitter Flachstahl supplier team is seen as added value by pointing out the systematic performance assessment used to evaluate their suppliers on the basis of key performance indicators.  "At this point we can very clearly state that SMS rates so highly with us particularly because this partner shows clearly superior results in the "partnership" reference point. This focus on cooperation is the basis for our wish to further expand our work with this team."

The SMS/Salzgitter Flachstahl team accounts for ten percent of the volume of steel purchased in Europe for the "Automotive Aftermarket" segment. Only an intensive relationship based on partnership and trust could have achieved such a positive result in such a short time.

This functioning cooperation between MANN+HUMMEL GmbH and Salzgitter Flachstahl is the fundamental basis for further expansion of the supplier relationship in the future.