As a family-owned business in the third generation, R + FK Schulte KG (rfks) has been a reliable partner for washers, stamped parts and screw locking devices for 85 years – with all its products 100% manufactured in Plettenberg, Germany.
With the aid of more than 50 state of the art stamping machines, and the expertise of well trained specialists, rfks has established itself as a market leader, according to DIN/ISO standards, throughout Europe. At the same time, the company also distributes special parts according to individual customer requirements as a basic capacity.
“What sets us apart from direct competitors is our versatility and know-how in both worlds. We are at home in DIN/ISO standards, as well as customised special parts,” emphasises Peter Schlütter, sales manager at rfks. “Our in-house construction and tool manufacturing unit enable us to provide individual solutions for each customer – covering a wide range of thicknesses from 0.05mm to 12mm.”
Through constant new investments, rfks keeps up with the increasing demands of the market and its customers. For instance, last year rfks’ CEO Carl Philip Schulte invested in three new stamping machines – two 500 tonne presses and one 250 tonne press, as well as a vibratory grinding centre, enabling the company to increase its production capacity by over 30%.
“Our new vibratory grinding centre provides added value not only to us, but also to our customers. Previously, we often outsourced this process step due to capacity reasons. Since performing this step in-house, we benefit from reduced processing time, increased flexibility and overall greater efficiency in our production. Furthermore, a significant update of our ERP system awaits us this year to ensure even greater warehouse transparency for every employee,” explains Carl Philip Schulte.
“At rfks, we rely on long-term, sustainable partnerships and thanks to our comprehensive service, we are able to support our customers whenever and wherever we can. Through a proactive day-to-day business, as well as continuous communication with our customers, we have positioned ourselves optimistically for 2023 and beyond,” declares Peter Schlütter.
Will joined Fastener + Fixing Magazine in 2007 and over the last 12 years has experienced every facet of the fastener sector – interviewing key figures within the industry and visiting leading companies and exhibitions around the globe. Will manages the content strategy across all platforms and is the guardian for the high editorial standards that the brand is renowned.
