KUK Group is a leading manufacturer of customer-specific winding goods and electronics. Thanks to the in-house development department and integrated machine and tool making, the company is able to produce inductive components flexible, in high quantities and in highest quality for automotive, industry and medical & sensor sector.
Besides its headquarters in Appenzell (Switzerland), KUK Group has five subsidiaries with a total of more than 800 employers. This ensures an optimal network for global customer service, procurement, manufacturing and logistics in the supply chain of winding goods and electronics.
Interview with Manuel Inauen, CEO of KUK Group.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Manuel Inauen: KUK Group is a manufacturing partner for highly demanding coils and assemblies from the product idea to large-scale production – regardless of dimensions and shapes. KUK doesn’t offer any standard product but develops and manufactures exclusively according to the customer’s requirements. Our in-house automation department guarantees high-quality series production and a short time to market for coil manufacturing.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
M.I: In the field of medtech and sensor technology, KUK has succeeded in operating with ever thinner wires. We are now able to wind and contact ultra-thin wires of down to 0.010 mm diameter (pure copper) directly onto magnetic cores. Minimum diameters of the micro coils from 0.3 mm outer diameter are thus possible. This opens a great innovation potential for developers.
Another innovation is our patent air coils: The start and end wire of the coil are located on the outer diameter of the coil, which saves space.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
M.I: The core competence of KUK are winding goods, such as air coils, bobbin coils or transformers. We are manufacturing winding goods in all shapes, dimensions and series sizes based on the customer’s specification. The offering is completed by assembly service and PCB assembly. Thus, KUK is a one-stop EMS service provider that offers the entire range from coil production to the assembly of a complete motor.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
M.I: The demand for winding goods is growing strongly, one could even speak of a trending topic. A wide variety of applications rely on coils, from medical technology to cars and photovoltaics to sensor technology. Or plants for the production of semiconductors, and for these plants KUK manufactures customer-specific pumps.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
M.I: Various market trends are currently driving demand for winding goods, including e-mobility, sensor technology and the next level of automation in industry. Our customers are demanding smaller and more powerful components for their products. That’s why KUK Group supports them from the very first development step to find the best solution together.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
M.I: As mentioned, KUK Group is a fully customer-specific manufacturer that does not have its own product catalogue. Consequently, our innovations can be found in the manufacturing process. We are currently moving into a new technology centre at our headquarters in Switzerland to take a further step here: Innovative production processes and even more intelligent automation systems and robots are intended to further strengthen KUK Group’s market leadership in the field of winding technology.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2022?
M.I: Sales are expected to increase slightly in 2022 as well, despite the pandemic problems in China. Of course, sales growth will continue to be driven by inflation. This is not only evident in electronic components, but also in other procurement markets. The whole industry is currently in a delicate situation due to inflation. Profitability can quickly turn into a loss. It is important to point out that we achieved extraordinarily strong growth in 2021, with the number of employees increasing by about 150 within one year – such rapid organic growth must be carefully managed.