TUCKER The Fascination of Team Spirit.

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Candace Norris
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1 TUCKER

2 TUCKER The Fascination of Team Spirit.

There are many reasons for the successful development of our company: The decisive factor, however, is probably that we have always laid great emphasis on working together in partnership with our

3 When the Tucker Metallwaren GmbH was founded on June 26, 1959, the company produced hooks and eyes for the shoe industry. Today half a century later TUCKER GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of innovative and high-quality fastening and joining technology for the automobile industry. There are many reasons for the successful development of our company: The decisive factor, however, is probably that we have always laid great emphasis on working together in partnership with our customers. This way we have learnt what they need and have been able to support them with precise solutions even for extraordinary tasks. What has distinguished Tucker since its foundation is our strength in analysing proven technologies and developing them further into new products that are in line with market requirements. The fascination of team spirit is our life. It s in all our products and company culture. This fascination has helped us not only to offer our customers a product range to meet all their requirements but also to expand it in a sensible way. As a result we have turned into a powerful systems manufacturer. Without the employees who have worked for our company over the last 50 years, all this would never have been achieved. It is thanks to their innovative spirit, their assiduity and their unique way of thinking and acting that we can celebrate this anniversary this year. And it is the basis for the years to come, in which we can meet new challenges with selfconfidence. It is my wish for the future that we continue to have competitors and partners who will challenge us. Their demands are a substantial condition for the steady improvement of our performance ability. We enjoy being evaluated by our customers as to our performance, our powers of innovation and our standard of quality. This is why we will carry on working in the future with the same enthusiasm and loyalty as hitherto. Manfred Müller President Emhart Europe

4 When it comes to fastenings in industrial manufacturing, you cannot work without TUCKER GmbH. Since our foundation in the year 1959, we have been developing and distributing products that give a genuine added-value. This is our aspiration this is our success. BEING A ONE-STOP SHOP. In the 50-year history of TUCKER, We have always adhered to the principle that we must develop true innovations in the area of fastening and joining technology and not confine ourselves to copying products that are already on the market. Living our aspiration is deeply embedded in our company culture and has been the decisive reason why our customers appreciate us as a reliable and powerful partner. Our more than 500 employees are supporting today, in the automobile industry in particular, all well-known car manufacturers world-wide plus a large number of supply companies. Our products range from the development, manufacture, and distribution of welding equipment and weld studs, self-piercing and pop rivets as well as plastic fasteners, to the planning and installation of the systems. As we produce all the important components ourselves, we can guarantee highest quality and operating reliability. A large number of services as well as a modern training centre, where we provide extensive support to operators and maintenance personnel, make our offer complete. More and more companies from other sectors of the industry are beginning to show interest in our products and services. We also supply our fastening solutions to agricultural engineering companies, manufacturers of sanitary facilities and producers in the area of housing and switching cabinets. Being integrated in the Emhart Teknologies Group and as part of the Black & Decker Corporation, we can draw on global technological know-how and a world-wide service and distribution network. TUCKER is present with our own branches at all important automobile industry locations in Europe, North and South America and Asia. Innovative products, comprehensive service and training, global representation TUCKER offers solutions to all assembly problems in industrial fastening from a single source.

5 Driving backwards without a passport The cooperation with our customers all over the world requires, apart from expert knowledge, a particular fl exibility with regard to cultural differences and technical persuasion work. This sometimes includes peculiar ways of doing things. In China, for example, a service employee s free time was planned for him in detail along with his work. He had to go through an extensive programme of the Takeshi s Castle type and in doing so, he won the Reverse Slalom Car Race. His speech at the award ceremony was welcomed enthusiastically: he held it in his Hessian dialect of German. Another service technician didn t have such a pleasant time. When he went to Mexico to install a welding system, his contacts at the partner company were rather sceptical as to whether everything would really work after the servicing. So they unceremoniously asked him for his passport as pledge. Self-confi dent as he was, he gave it to them and without further ado he installed the plant absolutely on time.

When TUCKER offered their first welding machines in Germany in the seventies, there was little interest on the part of Germany s automobile industry.

6 When TUCKER offered their first welding machines in Germany in the seventies, there was little interest on the part of Germany s automobile industry. The breakthrough was achieved only by a combination of assiduity and innovative spirit. A representative from a German volume manufacturer, who was basically interested in the products, demanded proof from TUCKER that the machines would really perform a correct weld. Within only a few weeks, we managed If you re really able to do that, you will get the order. to develop a system that would do exactly this. With this we were the first company in the area of stud welding that could deliver a direct monitoring of all weld parameters.

7 Stud welding has revolutionized the fastening of components on car bodies. Where holes once needed to be drilled or punched to fix components with bolts, we are using studs today that are welded onto the car body. The advantages are obvious: simpler processing, higher solidity and better protection against corrosion. TUCKER s part in this development is considerable, as we have improved stud welding still further several times. quality in real time has become possible. The latest highlight is stud welding with alternating current. We are the only company worldwide that offers a technology that switches polarity during the weld process. This way the temperature in the weld zone can be accurately controlled. In just one work cycle coatings or soiling are removed before the stud is welded by raising the weld current without the risk of overheating in the weld zone. New weld heads, electromagnetic control motors, reliable feed units we have always considered stud welding as a system. Over the years not only have the size and functions of weld heads been optimized so that today we can weld studs even at positions that are very difficult to access. But the use of new motors is also reducing maintenance effort while process reliability has been improved. Digitalisation is a further milestone in the development of stud welding. We developed control and energy units that control and monitor the complete weld process with all its parameters via digital signal processors in real time. Thereby even the last remaining variation in production is prevented; control of Today TUCKER is the systems manufacturer for stud welding world-wide. We supply our customers with machines aligned with each other, ranging from weld gun and weld systems to control and feed units. In addition, you can receive along with our extensive studs programme suitable consumables for every purpose. STUD WELDING.

8 WELDFAST. NUTFAST. Several hundred million mounting supports are used in the automobile industry every year. With the L-retainers that are commonly used, 75 per cent of the material is used just for the mere fastening of the car body. TUCKER looked into this problem at the end of 1998 and brought some lasting changes to the world of mounting supports. Our Weldfast system works without a fastening flange. This has considerable effects on production: A weld head picks up the retainer, positions it precisely on the base plate and finally welds it with a drawn light arc in a single process cycle. This happens in the normal production line: personnel-intensive manual subassembly has become obsolete. This does not only enable our customers to save valuable resources, but they also achieve higher solidity of the retainers at lower weights and improve corrosion protection. Compare this with the Tucker Nutfast-System: here the nuts are welded with drawn light arc welding. For this a single-side access is sufficient, which enables a considerable reduction in production costs. Both methods illustrate the TUCKER spirit: we are constantly analysing existing solutions for industrial manufacturing and consistently working on their further development. Our extensive know-how, direct customer contact and the joy of innovating help us to do so. Our Nutfast range follows a similar principle. Hitherto nuts have been mounted in two ways: either by pressing during the forming process in the press or afterwards by resistance welding. Both processes have a high failure potential and, due to the necessity for accessibility from both sides, are rather difficult to perform.

To err is human. A German premium car manufacturer used a varying number of mounting supports for their top model, depending on the particular specification.

9 To err is human. A German premium car manufacturer used a varying number of mounting supports for their top model, depending on the particular specification. In doing so, they welded between six and ten types (e.g. for xenon light and level control) manually. As mistakes occurred again and again sometimes supports that weren t needed were welded or some necessary ones were forgotten the company was looking for a solution with an automated process to tack the supports needed and thus minimize the known mistakes. Later during the production process they would be welded manually. As there was a close cooperation between the company and TUCKER, the Weldfast system came to their attention. It worked so well that the manufacturer was able to weld the supports in only one step without manual reworking.

50 years of TUCKER. Congratulations The success of a company depends directly on qualified, engaged and reliable employees. Such qualities cannot always be taken for granted.

10 50 years of TUCKER. Congratulations The success of a company depends directly on qualified, engaged and reliable employees. Such qualities cannot always be taken for granted. There are numerous specialist books, a great many experts and ever more good advice on how best to motivate and support your employees The Fascinat TUCKER stands for team spirit. Not only do we stand as one team behind our products but also at our daily work. We see ourselves as one big team facing the challenge of our customers high demands together. This common spirit crossing TUCKER is not just the name of a company for me. I have been with the company for 25 years and I feel a part of the whole. At our company, the human being is looked at in all the boundaries of departments and authorities is something very special. their individuality. You can contribute your own ideas, get on without fierce competition and enjoy doing your job. Wolfgang Obermann Marketing Director Systems Jeanette Vannuys Team Leader Accounts Receivable

11 and thus receive the best possible performance in return. We here at TUCKER have quite a simple formula: We live flat hierarchies, treat each and every colleague with respect and enable all employees at TUCKER to fully unfold within the framework of their work area. That it works can be seen from the extremely low fluctuation, company loyalty that is far above average, and above all the first-class results that we as a company obtain for our customers. ion of Team Spirit. Direct communication instead of disputes about authority; results instead of red tape; and orientation for the future instead of standstill in the present I don t know of any other company where people live out this philosophy as they do at TUCKER. So no At TUCKER, we seek out, support, and reward unconventional methods and ideas too. As an energy engineer, I can therefore really develop the solutions that are most suitable for our wonder that even after twenty years at TUCKER, I still look forward to my job every day. customers demands. This is what makes us successful both as employees and as a company. Robert Volnhals Customer Manager Martin Weiss-Knoepfel Engineering Electronics

12 Even long into the eighties, pipes used to Ergonomics thanks to Xmas-tree. be fixed manually on the underbody of vehicles, for example with spotwelded steel-sheet lugs or clips that were screwed on by hand. Union representatives rightly complained that such overhead manual work could not be demanded from a worker over a longer period of time. Consequently, a German volume manufacturer started looking for a more ergonomic solution. It was a member of the TUCKER field staff that laid the foundation stone for a breakthrough development: In his workshop at home, he developed a special stud on which clips could be securely fastened in a simple way and without a lot of force the Xmas tree stud. So we were able to make such assembly work less burdensome for the workers; as a second step the work could even be fully-automated. Today, the Xmas tree thread has become the standard stud shape in the European automobile industry.

13 Fastening elements tend to be made more and more often of plastics. Understandably: they are lightweight, cost-effective, can have almost any shape, and are easy to process. TUCKER has been supplying the automobile industry also in this area for many years with custom-made solutions for the most varied applications. That s why we can offer a product portfolio of several thousand retainers, which are used for example to securely fasten pipe systems, coverings and sheets, cable harnesses and hoses, strips and seals or even complete modules and subassemblies. Of course, ready-made solutions do not exist for all fastening tasks. That s why we offer our customers with special requirements the services of our excellent development department. On request, they will design the optimum retainer, carefully considering the costs of a subsequent high-volume production. We combine careful material selection with purposeful design and easy processing. For example, a new plastic nut with prepared thread helps reduce mounting forces. The difference between twist-on force and overturning torque is so great that there was a great increase in mounting security. It is still today the only plastic nut that can be mounted using a high-speed setting head. Our latest accomplishment is a development on our own initiative: A new generation of stud-clip combinations can be welded on the body-in-white and is already being used successfully in a new premium sedan car. However, with Plastifast, TUCKER has developed a solution that is reducing tedious manual work more and more. For this we form chains of plastic parts on a practically endless carrier string that is wound onto a reel. By means of am electronically controlled setting tool the parts are precisely fed, positioned and set. Plastifast already works with a number of assembly scenarios which we are gradually extending. PLASTIC FASTENERS. Apart from products, we also do research on their processing in production. The innumerable shapes and the problems they cause during sorting and feeding still prevent comprehensive automatic processing.

14 MECHANICAL JOINING. With the cold joining technology of selfpiercing riveting, TUCKER also supports its customers there where traditional weld joints reach their limits. Fine sheet, high-strength steel sheet made of different alloys, stainless steel sheet or aluminium; coated or uncoated; two or more layers almost all materials can be joined automatically with our mechanical joining technology in one work cycle without pre-drilling of holes. As the owner of know-how in the area of joining technology we can offer our customers a complete modular self-piercing riveting system that comprises control units, setting devices, tool supports (C-frame) and rivet feeders. Of course, we can also deliver a large number of semi-hollow and solid rivets and offer special tools for clinching. Some special feature make our range particularly attractive: We work exclusively with electro-motor-driven setting spindles as they in contrast to hydraulic alternatives ensure accurate press-in depths of the rivet. In addition, maintenance efforts for our customers are reduced significantly this way. In order to prevent electromagnetic influences on the system, we transmit the signals between the individual components via fibre-optic cable instead of traditional copper wire. Comprehensive process monitoring makes the system complete: In practice, all process parameters, like force-way progression or sheet thickness and rivet length, are displayed on the control unit. A failure monitor gives a signal when entered tolerances have been exceeded and allows for a fast correction. We are confidently positioning ourselves also in this product field as the leading systems manufacturer. Our world-wide representation and the close cooperation with our customers have helped us considerably here. They already integrate us into the development at an early stage and rely on our know-how and thereby receive individual systems custommade for the respective purpose.

Compressed air instead of plastics. Aluminium has significant weight advantages over steel sheet while having the same strength. Disadvantage: welding requires significantly more effort.

15 Compressed air instead of plastics. Aluminium has significant weight advantages over steel sheet while having the same strength. Disadvantage: welding requires significantly more effort. That s why it is a good idea to combine aluminium parts with self-piercing rivets. A German premium automobile manufacturer wanted to intensify his efforts in this direction in the midnineties but discovered that there wasn t yet any satisfactory solution for the automatic feeding of the rivets. Hitherto they had been delivered fixed on a plastic tape, which led again and again to disruptions in production. Tucker took up the challenge and developed a feed unit which could work without plastics. From then on the rivet was transported from a container drum to the setting unit by means of compressed air and could then be set without any problems.

Human guarantee New products also always make new demands on a flawless operation. How quickly a small operating mistake can creep in, which then has a big effect on the production process.

16 Human guarantee New products also always make new demands on a flawless operation. How quickly a small operating mistake can creep in, which then has a big effect on the production process. Since the seventies we have provided our customers with a service technician to deal with all the questions about the operation of the plants and thus offer an added value that really pays off. One of our customers in Mexico is so convinced of the expertise of our staff that from time to time he has his personal service technician flown in from Germany to his production site in Mexico for one or two weeks.

17 Machines in automatic manufacturing are always exposed to high stress and loads. Regular maintenance and repair of wear parts gains a particular importance here. TUCKER supports their customers comprehensively not only in this area. As we know that a good customer relationship begins long before the contract is signed and does not end with delivery, we have installed a service chain in the market that has no rival. Our services already begin during the planning phase. We accompany our customer during the first tests as intensively as during the initial start of production. That we also make adjustments later during manufacturing goes for us without saying. We see such a performance as part of our philosophy and therefore provide it at our cost. In this way our customers can quickly and easily draw on an international network of highly-qualified service staff and have the benefit of the outstanding reputation that they have achieved in the sector. Of course, our service also offers specially tailored maintenance. Our individually designed contracts benefit our large customers as well as smaller supply companies who often have fewer staff for maintenance work. We can adapt fully to the respective requirements and service the systems and machines within the shortest possible time and, if possible, on site. Our range of services is rounded off by a comprehensive training programme. At our headquarters in Giessen, Germany, we have built an up-to-date training centre where maintenance and production technicians receive comprehensive training. We deploy specially-trained experts who avail of an excellent practical knowledge. Our training courses link theoretical aspects directly with practical application in a fully equipped workshop. Here we do not rely on standardized contents but design custommade courses for the respective individual requirements. All this we guarantee for the full product manufacturing time for satisfied and successful customers. TRAINING, SERVICE, MAINTENANCE.

18 Developing instead of copying; acting instead of reacting; meeting customers needs instead of trying to restrict customers requests to existing products TUCKER stands for unlimited customer orientation. This was already so when the company began and will continue to be so in the future. In order to meet the high standards we set ourselves in relation to our customers, we are targeting investment in research and development. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. About 15% of our employees work in departments in this area. Here they can enjoy the greatest possible freedom, as nobody can be hurried to have excellent new ideas. Our success proves us right: In comparison with the size of our company, the number of patents we own is well above average. We are very proud of that. Of course, there are further reasons for our success. We keep in touch with our customers, build up a partnership based on trust and always have a sympathetic ear for new tasks. In close cooperation we develop real solutions which are then brought to production line status in a short time. Of course, we also profit from our group network. Thanks to Emhart Teknologies and its affiliated companies, we have access to markets on which we are not personally represented and can benefit from their experience and from other technical innovations. And of course it is this global network that we can draw on for the benefit of our customers here. In the years to come we will profit from this ability more than ever as especially our core sector, the automobile industry is facing a significant change. Rising customer demands and necessary environmental aspects can only be realised with new materials and application scenarios, which will in turn require new manufacturing methods. TUCKER has all the requirements and qualifications to develop them successfully for ourselves and our customers.

19 Cleaning welding Owing to our close contact with our customers we get to know a lot about the problems and worries they deal with every day. Once a European premium car manufacturer complained that aluminium sheets have to be cleaned with great effort before studs can be welded on, as the lubricants used during cold-forming disturb the welding process. Our field service passed this information on to our development department. They began to look into the problem and came up with a solution roughly within a year: stud welding with drawn light arc using alternating current. The final details were clarified in direct cooperation with the customer and only a few weeks later he could clean and weld in one working cycle and that all fully automatic and reliable.

20 TUCKER Tucker GmbH An Emhart Teknologies Inc., company Max-Eyth-Strasse 1 D Giessen Tel Fax info@tucker.de Internet Registered at the magistrate s court of Giessen, Germany HRB 1775 Managing Director: Mike A. Tyll, Manfred Müller, Martin Kreimer Editor: Barbara Roos (responsible according to press law), Carsten Greiert Graphic layout: müller kommunikation

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