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About Hermle
Franz Hermle & Sohn was founded in 1922 and has its headquarters in Gosheim
in the Swabian Jura, Southern Germany. Franz Hermle & Sohn is the largest
producer worldwide of mechanical table clocks, hall clocks and wall clocks and a
market leader in the manufacturing of mechanical clock mechanisms. The product
range, under the brand name "HERMLE" comprises of more than 65 basic clock
mechanisms of most varied designs. "HERMLE" products stand for German
technology. Traditional craftsmanship's combined with state-of-art manufacturing
methods warrant customer satisfaction in more than 80 countries around the world.
Hermle's Product
"HERMLE" products are entirely manufactured in Germany offering a wide range of
completed clock line starting with special carriage clocks, vacuum plated or all
metal, mantle clocks, wall clocks, regulators, 400 day anniversary clocks and
extends to grandfather clocks. Hermle ships to some 80 countries around the
world and its mechanical and quartz movements can be found in most of the
clocks worldwide. Hermle's emphasis on sophisticated engineering and
automated production secured the Company a high market share in moderated
priced clocks. Products innovations over the last years have included the
"Flagship", new quartz movements with chiming quality equal to their mechanical
counterparts and a range of add-on features for quartz models. In its wide range of
finished clocks a comparatively new introduction is a modern line of wall and
mantle clocks. The Company is now working on several new developments and
expects to launch these items in the very near future.
One of the most modern clock factories in the World
"HERMLE" clocks are produced from one of the most modern clocks making plants
in the world. Operating from 2 plants in Gosheim, 1 in Reichenbach, Germany and
another 1 in Amherst/Virginia, USA covering about 150,000 square feet and a work
force of 500, it has been acclaimed as a center for advance technology and high
efficiency. Its production programs range from traditional clocks with mechanical
and quartz movements, with or without chime, to high tech radio controlled clocks.
Nearly 100% of the parts are made in-house with advance equipment and
machinery. Molding, metallizing, lacquering and production of very complicating
turn parts needs to be carefully controlled to ensure that every piece of "HERMLE"
clock meet up to the highest standards of precision and quality.
One of the recent investments in machinery has been in the procurement of
precision equipment to finish the pivots on each clock arbor after all the dust
preventive plating materials have been removed. These machines placed a
polished finished on the pivots and careful checks are made to ensure that rigid
quality control standards are maintained. This improvement should extend the lives
of "HERMLE" movements considerably. The Company has also invested a
considerable amount of capital in improved processes to finish the pivots on the
train wheels in the mechanical clocks. All nickel plating is removed from the pivots
and then they are polished using these machines. Then careful inspections are
made during each step of this operation. The factory is now working on developing
additional features for lesser-priced movements and expects to launch these items
in the near future. Hermle is the world leader in the manufacturing of mechanical
movements, producing more that 1 million units annually and sells to over 130
countries around the world. It's not surprising that you will find that many of the
mechanical clocks in the market are fitted with a "HERMLE" movement.
Applying Modern Technology To Clock Making
Within a few kilometers of where the Danube River begins its journey to meet the
waters o f the world. Hermle products begin on their way to almost every country on
the globe. Like the Danube, the Hermle factory system has adapted itself to meet
the changing nature of the modern marketplace and still maintain a strong forward
momentum.
The Hermle factories engaged in making both mechanical and electronic clocks
are nestled in a picturesque Black Forest valley in southern Germany. The planes
are located in the shores of Reichenbach and Gosheim. This valley has always
been the home of the Franz Hermle & Sohn Uhrenfabrik and over the last 70 years
it has become one of the major business enterprises in the area. The valley has
traditionally been the home of several factories engaged in the production of
precision machinery and small mechanical components, so there is an
abundance of skilled labor available. Even though some of these factories have
grown to a considerable size, the valley has never taken on an urban character and
still maintains a quiet village atmosphere that is ideally suited for clock making and
precision manufacturing. This quiet way of life has not impeded the progress of the
factories in the area. Most of them are as modern as one would expect to find in
any of the major industrially developed countries of the world. All of them have had
to automate their operations to the maximum extent possible so they can remain
competitive in their respective markets. Franz Hermle and Sohn is no exception in
this regard. They have constructed a factory complex which is one of the most
modern and efficient facilities in the world for manufacturing both mechanical and
electronic clock movements. Hermle mechanical clocks start their existence in the
Reichenbach plant, which produces almost all of the component parts that are
found in the wide range of mechanical movements the company manufactures.
Several semi-automatic machines that have traditionally been associated with the
production of mechanical clock parts have been upgraded with computerized
control mechanisms to increase the number and type of functions they can handle.
The increased efficiency of these modified machines, as well as the recent
investments the company has made in new computerized machinery, has enable
Franz Hermle & Sohn to continue to provide their products at very competitive prices
all over the world. Almost very operation in the Reichenbach plant has been
automated and very few workers are required to produce a sizeable quantity of
parts for the Hermle assembly lines and spare parts stocks. These continued
innovations have helped to reduce the greatest cost factor in any precision
manufacturing operation - the cost of labor. In most cases these changes have not
been made at the expense of Hermle employees, as those displaced by
automation have been relocated to other production activities in another part of the
factory system. One of the most recent investments in machinery has been in the
procurement of precision equipment to finish the pivots on each clock arbor after all
the rust preventive plating materials have been removed. These machines place a
polished finish on the pivots and careful checks are then carried out to ensure that
rigid quality control standards are maintained. This improvement should extend the
lives of new Hermle movements considerably.Even those operations that still have
to be accomplished by hand have been automated to the maximum extent
possible. The drums that operate the hammers on chiming movements are still
assembled by hand but every effort has been made to make the parts available to
the assembler in a fast and efficient manner. Other operations such as the
assembly of automatic beat setting services are best accomplished by it but
automated machinery that can sense the correct tension on the spring is used so
the operation can be carried out quickly and efficiently. The clock plates for
mechanical movement are prepared on the lower level of the main Gosheim plant.
After being stamped from a roll of sheet brass each plate is brought to a perfectly
flat state and the decorative designs are placed on it. Great care is taken in drilling
the holes in the plate that will accommodate the wheels and other components.
The plate is prepared for finishing and is given a coat of baked lacquer before it is
sent on its way to become part of a mechanical clock movement in the assembly
facility. The assembly of mechanical movements is accomplished on the upper
levels of the main plant building in Gosheim. Wheels are placed between the
plates and the movement starts its journey down the assembly line on a conveyor
belt. At each station employees add additional parts to the movement and place it
back on the conveyor. This process is continued until the movement is completed
and moves to the inspection station. All Hermle mechanical movements are
test-run for one winding cycle on racks adjacent to the assembly facility. The
company devotes a respectable amount of its staff and their time to quality control
operations. A considerable investment has been made in computerized equipment
to upgrade the quality control efforts of the company. Most of the mechanical
movements are prepared for shipping to Hermle customers all over the world once
they have completed their test runs. Other movements are transferred to the new
Hermle plant in Gosheim located only a few blocks away, where they are installed
in cases procured from local suppliers. Most of the clocks assembled in this facility
go to Hermle's European customers and to fill special orders. While Hermle
operates a subsidiary plant in Amherst, Virginia, it is not economically feasible to
equip most of these facilities with duplicate machinery. Some parts for mechanical
clocks that require specialized machinery or complex manufacturing processes are
made in the Reichenbach and Gosheim plants and shipped to Amherst. Every part
that goes to the U.S. plant is given a 100 percent quality control inspection before it
leaves Gosheim. Components for Hermle electronic clocks are produced in the
buildings that house the plastic injection machines. These parts undergo several
different types of finishing processes before they enter the assembly facility. The
basic electronic movement is assembled totally by automated equipment. Different
components are then added to the basic movements to produce a wide range of
functions and features available to Hermle customers. Even though the basic
movement is assembled by an automated process most of the operations
required to add the additional features can be accomplished by hand more
economically for limited production runs. Hermle electronic 400-day clocks are
assembled in the new Gosheim plant by teams of two employees. Each clock is
totally assembled by these teams, which is somewhat different than the traditional
production line approach used in most factories. The assembly of each electronic
clock can be completed quite quickly and efficiently using this method. Several
work stations in this facility allow the assembly of different quartz electronic 400-day
models at one time. The Franz Hermle & Sohn showroom in the headquarters
building reflects the wide range of horological products the company is capable of
manufacturing. These range from traditional, weight-driven clocks to new,
state-of-the-art, radio-controlled timepieces. The different styles and features,
appearing on clocks made to satisfy the tastes of people in different parts of the
world, emphasize the extent of the distribution of Franz Hermle & Sohn's products.
Franz Hermle & Sohn was founded in 1922 and has its headquarters in Gosheim
in the Swabian Jura, Southern Germany. Franz Hermle & Sohn is the largest
producer worldwide of mechanical table clocks, hall clocks and wall clocks and a
market leader in the manufacturing of mechanical clock mechanisms. The product
range, under the brand name "HERMLE" comprises of more than 65 basic clock
mechanisms of most varied designs. "HERMLE" products stand for German
technology. Traditional craftsmanship's combined with state-of-art manufacturing
methods warrant customer satisfaction in more than 80 countries around the world.
Hermle's Product
"HERMLE" products are entirely manufactured in Germany offering a wide range of
completed clock line starting with special carriage clocks, vacuum plated or all
metal, mantle clocks, wall clocks, regulators, 400 day anniversary clocks and
extends to grandfather clocks. Hermle ships to some 80 countries around the
world and its mechanical and quartz movements can be found in most of the
clocks worldwide. Hermle's emphasis on sophisticated engineering and
automated production secured the Company a high market share in moderated
priced clocks. Products innovations over the last years have included the
"Flagship", new quartz movements with chiming quality equal to their mechanical
counterparts and a range of add-on features for quartz models. In its wide range of
finished clocks a comparatively new introduction is a modern line of wall and
mantle clocks. The Company is now working on several new developments and
expects to launch these items in the very near future.
One of the most modern clock factories in the World
"HERMLE" clocks are produced from one of the most modern clocks making plants
in the world. Operating from 2 plants in Gosheim, 1 in Reichenbach, Germany and
another 1 in Amherst/Virginia, USA covering about 150,000 square feet and a work
force of 500, it has been acclaimed as a center for advance technology and high
efficiency. Its production programs range from traditional clocks with mechanical
and quartz movements, with or without chime, to high tech radio controlled clocks.
Nearly 100% of the parts are made in-house with advance equipment and
machinery. Molding, metallizing, lacquering and production of very complicating
turn parts needs to be carefully controlled to ensure that every piece of "HERMLE"
clock meet up to the highest standards of precision and quality.
One of the recent investments in machinery has been in the procurement of
precision equipment to finish the pivots on each clock arbor after all the dust
preventive plating materials have been removed. These machines placed a
polished finished on the pivots and careful checks are made to ensure that rigid
quality control standards are maintained. This improvement should extend the lives
of "HERMLE" movements considerably. The Company has also invested a
considerable amount of capital in improved processes to finish the pivots on the
train wheels in the mechanical clocks. All nickel plating is removed from the pivots
and then they are polished using these machines. Then careful inspections are
made during each step of this operation. The factory is now working on developing
additional features for lesser-priced movements and expects to launch these items
in the near future. Hermle is the world leader in the manufacturing of mechanical
movements, producing more that 1 million units annually and sells to over 130
countries around the world. It's not surprising that you will find that many of the
mechanical clocks in the market are fitted with a "HERMLE" movement.
Applying Modern Technology To Clock Making
Within a few kilometers of where the Danube River begins its journey to meet the
waters o f the world. Hermle products begin on their way to almost every country on
the globe. Like the Danube, the Hermle factory system has adapted itself to meet
the changing nature of the modern marketplace and still maintain a strong forward
momentum.
The Hermle factories engaged in making both mechanical and electronic clocks
are nestled in a picturesque Black Forest valley in southern Germany. The planes
are located in the shores of Reichenbach and Gosheim. This valley has always
been the home of the Franz Hermle & Sohn Uhrenfabrik and over the last 70 years
it has become one of the major business enterprises in the area. The valley has
traditionally been the home of several factories engaged in the production of
precision machinery and small mechanical components, so there is an
abundance of skilled labor available. Even though some of these factories have
grown to a considerable size, the valley has never taken on an urban character and
still maintains a quiet village atmosphere that is ideally suited for clock making and
precision manufacturing. This quiet way of life has not impeded the progress of the
factories in the area. Most of them are as modern as one would expect to find in
any of the major industrially developed countries of the world. All of them have had
to automate their operations to the maximum extent possible so they can remain
competitive in their respective markets. Franz Hermle and Sohn is no exception in
this regard. They have constructed a factory complex which is one of the most
modern and efficient facilities in the world for manufacturing both mechanical and
electronic clock movements. Hermle mechanical clocks start their existence in the
Reichenbach plant, which produces almost all of the component parts that are
found in the wide range of mechanical movements the company manufactures.
Several semi-automatic machines that have traditionally been associated with the
production of mechanical clock parts have been upgraded with computerized
control mechanisms to increase the number and type of functions they can handle.
The increased efficiency of these modified machines, as well as the recent
investments the company has made in new computerized machinery, has enable
Franz Hermle & Sohn to continue to provide their products at very competitive prices
all over the world. Almost very operation in the Reichenbach plant has been
automated and very few workers are required to produce a sizeable quantity of
parts for the Hermle assembly lines and spare parts stocks. These continued
innovations have helped to reduce the greatest cost factor in any precision
manufacturing operation - the cost of labor. In most cases these changes have not
been made at the expense of Hermle employees, as those displaced by
automation have been relocated to other production activities in another part of the
factory system. One of the most recent investments in machinery has been in the
procurement of precision equipment to finish the pivots on each clock arbor after all
the rust preventive plating materials have been removed. These machines place a
polished finish on the pivots and careful checks are then carried out to ensure that
rigid quality control standards are maintained. This improvement should extend the
lives of new Hermle movements considerably.Even those operations that still have
to be accomplished by hand have been automated to the maximum extent
possible. The drums that operate the hammers on chiming movements are still
assembled by hand but every effort has been made to make the parts available to
the assembler in a fast and efficient manner. Other operations such as the
assembly of automatic beat setting services are best accomplished by it but
automated machinery that can sense the correct tension on the spring is used so
the operation can be carried out quickly and efficiently. The clock plates for
mechanical movement are prepared on the lower level of the main Gosheim plant.
After being stamped from a roll of sheet brass each plate is brought to a perfectly
flat state and the decorative designs are placed on it. Great care is taken in drilling
the holes in the plate that will accommodate the wheels and other components.
The plate is prepared for finishing and is given a coat of baked lacquer before it is
sent on its way to become part of a mechanical clock movement in the assembly
facility. The assembly of mechanical movements is accomplished on the upper
levels of the main plant building in Gosheim. Wheels are placed between the
plates and the movement starts its journey down the assembly line on a conveyor
belt. At each station employees add additional parts to the movement and place it
back on the conveyor. This process is continued until the movement is completed
and moves to the inspection station. All Hermle mechanical movements are
test-run for one winding cycle on racks adjacent to the assembly facility. The
company devotes a respectable amount of its staff and their time to quality control
operations. A considerable investment has been made in computerized equipment
to upgrade the quality control efforts of the company. Most of the mechanical
movements are prepared for shipping to Hermle customers all over the world once
they have completed their test runs. Other movements are transferred to the new
Hermle plant in Gosheim located only a few blocks away, where they are installed
in cases procured from local suppliers. Most of the clocks assembled in this facility
go to Hermle's European customers and to fill special orders. While Hermle
operates a subsidiary plant in Amherst, Virginia, it is not economically feasible to
equip most of these facilities with duplicate machinery. Some parts for mechanical
clocks that require specialized machinery or complex manufacturing processes are
made in the Reichenbach and Gosheim plants and shipped to Amherst. Every part
that goes to the U.S. plant is given a 100 percent quality control inspection before it
leaves Gosheim. Components for Hermle electronic clocks are produced in the
buildings that house the plastic injection machines. These parts undergo several
different types of finishing processes before they enter the assembly facility. The
basic electronic movement is assembled totally by automated equipment. Different
components are then added to the basic movements to produce a wide range of
functions and features available to Hermle customers. Even though the basic
movement is assembled by an automated process most of the operations
required to add the additional features can be accomplished by hand more
economically for limited production runs. Hermle electronic 400-day clocks are
assembled in the new Gosheim plant by teams of two employees. Each clock is
totally assembled by these teams, which is somewhat different than the traditional
production line approach used in most factories. The assembly of each electronic
clock can be completed quite quickly and efficiently using this method. Several
work stations in this facility allow the assembly of different quartz electronic 400-day
models at one time. The Franz Hermle & Sohn showroom in the headquarters
building reflects the wide range of horological products the company is capable of
manufacturing. These range from traditional, weight-driven clocks to new,
state-of-the-art, radio-controlled timepieces. The different styles and features,
appearing on clocks made to satisfy the tastes of people in different parts of the
world, emphasize the extent of the distribution of Franz Hermle & Sohn's products.
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