German formwork specialist on course for growth in its anniversary year

1994 saw the launch of "better ideas" made in Hockenheim. 25 years ago, renowned engineering office Reymann Technik founded Ratec GmbH as an affiliate with the aim of implementing rationalization ideas in the field of formwork technology. Its planning business had recognized that there was unexploited potential in the formwork sector of precast concrete production. In the absence of appropriate solutions on the market, the company decided to close the gap in the market with its own self-developed products.

Initially, the company acted as a dealer only but as demand increased, it set up its own production facilities at the Hockenheim site. Now, 25 years later, the company employs almost 80 people, has a production site of 4,000 m² in Germany and another in the USA, as well as branches in the USA, Singapore and Spain. Ratec has established numerous standards in formwork technology with its solutions, starting with switchable magnets for fixing formwork, followed by complete formwork systems with integrated switchable magnets to robot-compatible complete systems with which the company has equipped numerous plants to date.

Positive development in core business

The traditional core business in the field of magnetic formwork continues to develop positively: Over the past two years, Ratec has equipped more than 2,000 production boards with RT U60 Pro filigree formwork for new plants of the Chinese project developer and investor MyHome. In the past fiscal year alone, over 100,000 neodymium magnets were manufactured by the company's own magnet factory in Solingen and installed in Ratec formwork components - more than ever before. "Having our own magnet production facility in Germany is one of our strengths and it enables us to react flexibly to special requests and particularly complex requirements," explains Jörg Reymann, Managing Director of Ratec GmbH. "Our specialist know-how and creative solutions are increasingly becoming our USPs. We embrace almost any challenge when it comes to complicated formwork requirements and we are in a position to provide successful solutions to our customers' problems."

Product range expansion

For more than 10 years, the company has also been involved in the further development of volumetric formwork solutions and production technologies for complex precast concrete elements. One of these, "upcrete", is a process for the pressure-filling of closed formwork. It has proved particularly effective for highly complex concrete elements and high-quality surface finishes and is already in use on five continents.

At bauma 2019, the company exhibited further innovations in the company's 3D formwork segment, including live demonstrations of its size-flexible modular formwork for walls, whose functionality was presented using a large model of the shrinkable inner core. The formwork was developed for a residential construction project in Asia where it has already successfully passed its first test. Further solutions for industrial applications including transformer stations and elevator shafts, complete the product portfolio.
Jörg Reymann, Managing Director of Ratec GmbH, summed up: "bauma is traditionally the main trade fair event for us and once again we have not been disappointed by the response in the year of our 25th company anniversary. We perceive the interest of the visitors and the quality of conversations as having been particularly positive".

Follow-up orders for the modular housing project and transformer station formwork

While the company introduced its extended range of 3D formwork solutions to a wide audience for the first time at bauma 2019, the solutions presented here have been in use, and effectively so, for 2 years already. Particularly pleasing: Follow-up orders have already been placed for the production of formwork for transformer stations in Germany and for another modular housing project in Peru. Six years ago, the first "upcrete" modular house production went into operation in Ica, Peru. Due to its success, it quickly became clear that further projects would follow. The starting pistol has now been fired for "Los Altos de Castilla", a new residential area near Piura. The planning order has gone once again to Reymann Technik GmbH, the general contractor of the first project who designed and delivered a turnkey solution.

Ratec will again develop and supply the "upcrete" modular formwork and the necessary pump technology for pressure filling from below. Sale of the future homes has already started, and the demand is high for these owner-occupied homes which will be up to 80 % state-subsidized.

Focus on future issues

Irrespective of project successes, product development, which is always very intensive, continues in all areas. The technical design and production departments are recruiting personnel to support the growing trend. The company is also investing, among other things, in the certification of its QM system in order to demonstrate its high quality in accordance with international standards, as well as in the further development of its production technology and the opening up of new sales regions.