Inovatools was founded in 1990 for tool production in Bayern. It has been growed continuously since the company was founded and today Inovatools has production and sales locations around the world in over 40 industrialized countries.
On a 4,300-m2 production area in 4 locations, the company develops, manufactures and sells more than 14,000 different tools and approximately 220 dimensions. Over 250 employees in around 40 sales countries generate solid carbide standard tools and highly specialized custom-made products, including sharpened cutters, drills and reamers, with an annual turnover of around 35 million euros in 2019.
Inovatools is owned by the Swedish group of companies Indutrade, listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, since 2018. Thanks to the financially strong new owner, Inovatools invested around 10 million in 2018-20119, not only in new products, but also in sustainable production and increased quality standards. With the acquisition of Indutrade, the family-owned company broadened its horizons and secured its stable, global growth.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Inovatools: The broad product range of Inovatools includes highly specialized solid carbide tools for cutting technology. From standard solutions to customized products tailored to individual requirements. With 100% in-house production and quality control.
In addition to our extensive range of milling cutters, we have grown considerably in drill bits in recent years. We offer our customers high process reliability and excellent surface quality for deep drilling.
Our products are used in a wide variety of applications. Every day. Worldwide: automotive industry, aerospace or mechanical engineering
Another strength of Inovatools is express service. Following a rapid design and quotation, the tools are delivered as quickly as possible according to uniform quality standards at the highest level. Under optimal conditions, our customers get the specially manufactured tools in one week.
Design, manufacture, coating from a single source.
Thanks to our technical competence and lean processes, we are the only supplier in the German market that offers express service.
With its regrinding and coating service, Inovatools enables its customers to reduce their tool costs and increase the sustainability of their production. The worn tools are professionally ground, coated and ensure reprocessing.
Inovatools is also a competent consultant for its customers with its many years of experience in machining technology and the latest online services. With Ino-Cut, our customers achieve the best cutting values for various applications. With the help of the digital twin – through CAD data exchange – a virtual mapping of machining processes is possible.
E.E: What’s the news for 2020 about new products?
Inovatools: We developed a new line for aluminium, non-ferrous metals and plastic machining with a high performance carbon thin coating, which has a high surface quality and wear-protection.
In the meantime, the use of lightweight materials such as aluminium and composite materials is increasingly becoming the focus of production.
Where classic hard material layers are not sufficient and diamond layers are actually “overdressed” or unsuitable for the base materials, the Ta-C layer appears in combination with innovative tool-geometry as a cost-effective solution.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
Inovatools: The automotive industry is one of the most important branches of industry in Germany, whose sales have been increasing continuously for more than 10 years. The German market has expanded its competitive position and has so many successful years behind it. Half of the machine tools built in Germany go into the automotive industry, so that the machine tool manufacturers are heavily dependent on the alternative drive options.
The industry is under a lot of pressure to innovate and new business models are expected. Worldwide sales of the automotive industry can almost double by 2030 – from today $ 3.4 trillion to $ 6.6 trillion.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
Inovatools: On the one hand, we will have to deal with how we can use our resources more efficiently and, on the other hand, the question of the mobility concept of the future is becoming increasingly important. This creates new challenges to react quickly.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
Inovatools: The focus is on sustainability and process stability. With our product innovations, we offer our customers a variety of options for increasing productivity in a holistic approach.
In addition to growing milling tool portfolio, we provide innovative solutions in deep-hole drilling.
On the other hand, digitization is becoming an increasingly important topic. Inovatools offers a broad portfolio of applications from which the user can choose the solutions he needs from CAD-Data transport to providing the cutting data
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2020?
Inovatools: Because of Corona Crisis will be the year 2020 not an easy one. For individual companies, it will be about getting confusing, recognizing the right trends in machining technology and walking quickly.
A good strategy could be the pre-competitive collaboration of all members across the entire process chain. This form of cooperation can also help to manage the uncertainty.