Successful search for cooperation partners in Slovenia

The company, based in the Voitsberg region, produces innovative, cost-efficient solutions for structural and fluid management. An extensive product portfolio (stamping, deep drawing, edging, laser cutting and coating) enables STS Formtechnik GmbH to serve customers from numerous sectors, such as automotive & rail vehicles, agricultural & construction vehicles, aircraft & watercraft, sports equipment & furniture manufacturing, and renewable energy. Thanks to its diverse manufacturing capabilities, the company is able to join all individual production components to the highest quality standards using various welding and soldering processes.

In mid-2018, new order series involving aluminum and (stainless) steel followed, for which suppliers in the metalworking sector as well as cooperation partners in tool making were urgently sought in Slovenia.

Cooperation with ICS

As the responsible EXPEDIRE project partner, ICS had already visited STS Formtechnik GmbH as part of a company visit in the fall of 2017, in order to gather all of the company’s concerns and determine its specific cooperation needs.

With the help of CEO Wolfgang Knöller, a suitable cooperation profile was subsequently created and added to the EXPEDIRE database, so that the Slovenian EXPEDIRE partners could access it.
The search for suitable suppliers soon began in the Maribor and Ljubljana regions, and numerous interested Slovenian companies came forward.
Among the interested parties was also the company CNC Center Peitis, which was invited to the first supplier day on December 12, 2017 in Voitsberg. Already during the initial meeting, it was evident that these two companies were a very good match, suggesting the potential for cooperation.
A business relationship for contract manufacturing in Slovenia was established between STS Formtechnik GmbH and the company CNC Center Peitis.

“The supplier day in Voitsberg, which you organized together with the Slovenian project partners (MRA), brought us new Slovenian suppliers in a relatively short time and opened up interesting networks.”

Wolfgang Knöller, CEO, STS Formtechnik GmbH

Following this initial successful cooperation, the CEO once again approached ICS to acquire additional suppliers.

In the course of advertising for another supplier day, the company Tehno Pond, which Mr. Knöller already knew from earlier times, came forward among others.
Current data was therefore exchanged directly between the companies via the EXPEDIRE project partners, and a business contact was established.
As a result of the EXPEDIRE supplier days held, a close business relationship for contract manufacturing in the field of laser cutting developed between STS Formtechnik GmbH and the Slovenian company Techno Pond.

In order to stay on top of ongoing international business dealings, the CEO also promptly secured a sought-after place in the EXPEDIRE Export Academy on the topic of “Intercultural Management” and gained valuable insights for international business contacts.