Novedades

AHEAD OF THE TIMES
Pioneers in safety at work

Acting in a far-sighted manner is a high priority for the Betek management team – and not only in terms of product development and opening up new markets. “The safety and health of our staff is very important to us,” stresses Managing Director Karl Kammerer.

Key factors in any workplace being attractive are not only the technical equipment, team environment and social benefits, but also the precautions taken by the employer in terms of health and safety at work. Several new EU directives are currently in the news that present major challenges for all tungsten carbide manufacturers.

“In that respect we’re ahead of our times,” explains Karl Kammerer, proudly presenting what has been achieved by manufacturing manager Walter Mauch, technician Jochen Kern and their maintenance team. Betek in Aichhalden is now home to one of the most modern carbide production facilities in the world. Tungsten carbide is the name given to metal mixes that consist largely of WC as the aggregate and cobalt as the binding agent. The processing of these metal powders causes the creation of dust – and research suggests that metal dust can present a health risk. This is something long since taken into account by the Betek production facility. The company did not want to take any risks here, but instead sought to utilise the challenge of ‘health and safety at work’ as an opportunity.

Typical features of the production facility are therefore modern, sealed systems and machines, plus ingenious, efficient dust extraction techniques. Mixing areas are provided with dust vacuum extractors both in the room and attached to the mixing vessels, while the milling and mixing process takes place in sealed containers. The use of highly modern, sealed processing machines thus reduces the occurrence of dust to a minimum.

And there is one more really nice thing about these preventative measures, as Karl Kammerer explains: “It’s not only in terms of good health that investing in safety at work pays off. We have been able at the same time to improve quality and reduce costs.”