Very strong in press work and production of washers

Innovation, quality, know-how, reliability and customer focus: five reasons why customers have worked with Haemers for decades. The company specializes in press work and the production of washers. Both small and large series are produced in Gullegem, from inlay work to the fully automated production of metal elements, both from coils and sheets. The production hall includes eccentric presses, fully automatic press lines, a hydraulic press, guillotine shears and a modern equipped tool shop. In the in-house packaging department, the goods undergo a very last quality control before they leave for the customer.

We write 1932 when Rene Haemers started his one-man mold making business with a few second-hand machines in a modest workshop. Today, his life's work has grown into a specialist in press work and the manufacture of washers and non-standard nuts. Customers come from various sectors, including machine and equipment construction, automotive, construction, furniture, and fasteners. 

"We focus on the production and machining of sheet metal, small and large series, from inlay work to the fully automatic production of metal components and parts from coils and sheets. One can come to us for all presswork according to model or plan, but we also produce 150 to 180 tons of washers per month, in more than 5,800 different sizes and all possible combinations in terms of inner and outer diameter, all without molding costs. Finally, we offer non-standard nuts in a variety of shapes and sizes," says David Mulnard, who runs the family business with his aunt Caroline Haemers. "We can count on a team of 22 experienced and qualified employees for this. We have up-to-date machinery to machine workpieces in steel up to a thickness of 15 mm and in stainless steel up to 12 mm thick. We can also provide all presswork parts with tapped holes, threads and chanfins and perform small series welding. All pieces are available countersunk, painted or blank. We therefore always supply a fully finished product."

Investing in people and machinery

Haemers holds quality in high regard. That is why we deliberately choose high-quality basic materials. Various quality controls are also carried out throughout the production process and employees are continuously trained. In the packaging department, the pieces undergo a last thorough final inspection before they are delivered to the customer. Since September 2017, the company has been ISO9001:2015-certified. 

In addition to quality, innovation, knowledge, customer focus and reliability are the main reasons why customers have often cooperated with this manufacturing company for decades. 

"Knowledgeable employees, a digital tooling management system and modern machinery are the basis for our quality products. For example, we have 22 eccentric presses for inlay and semi- or fully automatic production of up to 400 tons. Our flagship machine is a 160T press line with coil unwinder up to 6 mm, which was installed in early 2020. On our fully automatic press lines from 63 to 160 tons of press force, the larger series are finished. In mid 2019, we also installed a hydraulic press for deep drawing work with sheet thicknesses up to 5 mm, and in the cutting department there are two guillotine shears for cutting sheets up to even 13 mm thick," Mulnard explains. "Thanks to a stock of more than 1,000 tons of preliminary material in both iron and stainless steel, we can guarantee our customers short delivery times. Moreover, we have a fully equipped tool shop to design all tools, dies and molds in-house down to the smallest detail and to manufacture and maintain them with the utmost precision. Thanks to an in-house designed module system, where dies and forms are combined to create a desired workpiece and can also be reused afterwards, we are not only even more flexible, but also significantly reduce or even eliminate tooling costs for our customers."

Looking to the future

Haemers has a spacious warehouse, with 650 pallet spaces for storage of goods, and its own packaging department with fully automatic machines for boxes, plastic bags and jute bags. The goods are delivered in the region with its own van, and for other deliveries at home and abroad it works with regular logistics partners. 

Meanwhile, the family business continues to invest to ensure customers receive even better service. "We recently purchased a cobot, taking a further, unique step in presswork automation," David Mulnard concludes. "And in the spring of 2023, the new fully automatic deburring line will also become operational."