Impressive by performance, light by design – 25 years of Hirschvogel Aluminium GmbH
For 25 years, Hirschvogel Aluminium GmbH, based in Marksuhl, Thuringia, has been producing vehicle components made of forged aluminum that have a low weight and, unlike cast aluminum components, nevertheless offer high strength.
The company belongs to the Hirschvogel Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of steel and aluminum components for the automotive industry. Hirschvogel Aluminium GmbH started out in September 2000 with around 50 employees. During the founding period, Hirschvogel Eisenach GmbH, located in the immediate vicinity and specializing in steel components, offered support by providing skilled workers and specially converted machines. The first order was for aluminum steering knuckles for a renowned German car manufacturer.
“Today, we at Hirschvogel Aluminium GmbH have around 280 employees working across a facility spanning 7,000 m2, producing aluminum components for vehicle manufacturers and suppliers around the world – on seven press lines, with a high degree of automation, and using state-of-the-art technology,” says Plant Manager Thomas Walda. Since 2022, the company has also offered the possibility, upon request, of machining the hot or cold forged components in its in-house Machining department and supplying them ready for assembly. “This is added value that we are happy to offer our customers,” states Mr. Walda.
The focus is on structural elements for the chassis and car body. Examples include steering knuckles, wheel carriers, damper forks, control arms, or even crash elements. The components, which are always designed to customer specifications and to fit the available assembly space, weigh between 100 grams and nine kilograms, depending on their size. “This bandwidth shows that we are just as adept at producing filigree or complex component geometries as we are at generating those with large formats,” says Thomas Walda. This is expertise that Hirschvogel Aluminium GmbH makes available within the entire Group – as was the case in 2012, for example, when aluminum forging was established at the Chinese plant.
Matthias Kratzsch, CEO of the Hirschvogel Group, sees good opportunities for the plant in light of developments in the automotive market: “Hirschvogel Aluminium GmbH is working toward the future and enabling its customers to implement modern vehicle concepts.” Its forged aluminum components make the mobility of tomorrow lighter, more energy-efficient, and – when used in crash-relevant areas – safer thanks to the high ductility of the material.
Image: Direct neighbors – Hirschvogel Aluminium GmbH and Hirschvogel Eisenach GmbH in Marksuhl, Thuringia, Germany © Hirschvogel Holding GmbH