20 years of Fill and Hamberger
The machine engineering company Fill and Hamberger Flooring GmbH & Co. KG from Rosenheim have been working together successfully for almost 20 years. What once began as a bold step has developed into a real success story - based on trust, a spirit of innovation and a shared passion for precision. Erwin Altendorfer and Franz Xaver Maier from Fill as well as Michael Paringer, Peter Huber and Hans Bauer from Hamberger provided exciting insights into the beginnings and future of this partnership.
“At the beginning of the 2000s, circular saw technology was still the undisputed standard in the wood industry - including at Hamberger,” recalls Peter Huber, outgoing Production Manager of the HARO Hamberger Flooring division. This changed abruptly when Franz X. Maier first came to the headquarters of Hamberger Industriewerke in Rosenheim with a visionary idea: instead of relying on circular saws, the future was to lie in thin-cutting band saw technology.
Courage creates progress.
The idea was initially met with skepticism, but after discussions and several trips, including to Finland, Peter Huber was convinced by the new technology. In 2006, Fill's first fully automated SPEEDLINER thin-cutting bandsaw line was sold to Hamberger, followed by the second in 2011. Both are still running smoothly in multi-shift operation today.
“The technology was revolutionary back then and is more up-to-date than ever today,” emphasizes Michael Paringer, Technical Managing Director at Hamberger Flooring. The innovative SPEEDLINER system from Fill not only improved the quality in the production of lamellas for parquet and multilayer boards, but also impressed above all with the drastic reduction of the kerf from around 4 to just 1.3 millimetres - a milestone in terms of productivity and resource conservation. This is because thin-cutting technology has made it possible to get the most out of the raw material wood, in short: less waste, more efficiency. “We are naturally proud of this,” emphasizes Erwin Altendorfer, Head of the Wood Competence Center at Fill.
In addition, with the new Fill high-performance thin-cutting technology, Hamberger said goodbye to the time-consuming drying of the wood blocks and instead opted for wet cutting - a step that reduced the drying time from six weeks to just 48 hours.
This radical change of course not only required extensive adjustments in production, but also a complete rethink of the usual processes. “It was definitely a learning process on both sides - but one that paid off,” emphasizes Peter Huber.
Demand and ambition.
“Since the pioneering years of our SPEEDLINER, we have consistently developed the machine further and will proudly present the “Edition 2025” at LIGNA in May. While ease of maintenance, good accessibility and maximum efficiency are now taken for granted, the challenges today lie more in the digital world. With our CYBERNETICS tools, we have raised the machine to a new digital level. Thanks to the expertise and many years of experience of customers such as Hamberger, pioneering technologies for wood and parquet processing are being created - always at the cutting edge,” explains Erwin Altendorfer.
High standards have proven to be a real driving force for progress in the Fill/Hamberger collaboration right from the start. “Demanding customers naturally increase the quality of the machines,” Franz X. Maier and Erwin Altendorfer agree. And it was precisely these high expectations that acted as a turbo for development. The SPEEDLINER achieved an impressively high level of performance right from the start.
Shared values as a foundation.
The fact that humanity is not neglected despite all the technology is evidenced by shared memories, such as the Weißwurst dinner at Hamberger's headquarters in Rosenheim. “There are sometimes intense discussions - and not just about machines. And there's also plenty of banter,” smiles Franz X. Maier. And even if they don't quite agree on the right way to eat veal sausages, their ideas for future collaboration are surprisingly similar: “Stability and reliability are extremely important to both of us,” emphasizes Erwin Altendorfer, adding: “When a company like Hamberger has been relying on our high-tech machines for decades, that speaks for itself. It shows that we don't just build machines, but solutions that last.”
Hamberger and Fill have more in common than just technology - it is shared values such as trust, reliability and a spirit of innovation that make this partnership so successful. Both companies are family-run, focus on sustainable growth and create the perfect balance between tradition and innovation. “We look forward to the next 20 years of constructive cooperation,” explains Peter Huber's successor, Hans Bauer.
About Fill
FILL is a leading international machine engineering company based in Gurten, Upper Austria. With sophisticated high-tech systems and custom manufacturing solutions for metal, plastics and wood, Fill makes its customers the best in their fields. The automotive, aviation, sports and building industries all benefit from the expertise of the company founded in 1966. FILL is 100 percent family-owned, in 2024 more than 1,000 employees recorded an operating output of 202.5 million euros.
About Hamberger
Hamberger Industriewerke GmbH in Stephanskirchen near Rosenheim manufactures floor coverings and toilet seats in independent divisions. The group of companies also includes agriculture and forestry and the retail sector. The company exports 48 percent of its products to 90 countries.
SPEEDLINER 920-350 HYBRID
The Fill SPEEDLINER 920-350 HYBRID thin-cutting band saw ensures maximum precision with maximum performance and flexibility in the production of slats for parquet and multilayer boards. The robust design enables consistently high performance with consistent accuracy, whereby precision band saw blades from various manufacturers can be used for wet and dry cutting. With a kerf from 1.1 millimetres, maximum efficiency is guaranteed. Depending on requirements, the SPEEDLINER HYBRID bandsaws can be operated as a stand-alone machine or as a multi-head system with various modules connected in series with automation. The long product service life, which is unrivaled in the industry, and low operating costs are a guarantee for long-term economic use.
Caption:
Photo 1:
Successful partnership for almost 20 years: (from left) Franz Xaver Maier (Fill), Michael Paringer (Hamberger), Hans Bauer (Hamberger), Erwin Altendorfer (Fill), Peter Huber (Hamberger)
Photo: © Fill
Image 2:
SPEEDLINER 920-350 HYBRID Thin-cutting band saw
Image: © Fill
Photo 3:
In five SPEEDLINER HYBRID modules arranged one behind the other, the workpieces are cut into lamellas with a kerf from 1.1 mm.
Photo: © Fill
Image 4:
SPEEDLINER HYBRID bandsaws can be operated as stand-alone machines or as multi-head systems with automation.
Image: © Fill
