Posted to News on 19th Oct 2026, 09:00
ARNOLD UMFORMTECHNIK Opens New Surface Treatment Centre
ARNOLD UMFORMTECHNIK has officially opened its new surface treatment centre at its Dorzbach location. With this investment of approximately 30 million euros, the company is expanding its expertise in surface treatment technology, strengthening supply security, and providing a significant boost to the long-term development of the location.
Among those attending the opening were Robert Friedmann, Spokesperson for the Wurth Group's Executive Board; Rolf Bauer, Honorary Member of the Wurth Group's Advisory Board and former member of the Wurth Group's Executive Board; Dirk Dollner, CEO of the ARNOLD GROUP and Executive Vice President (EVP) of the Wurth Group; Bernd Weidner, the responsible Managing Director at ARNOLD; Thomas Muller, Head of the Heat Treatment and Surface Technology Competence Centre, and Lukas Franz, Head of the Surface Technology Department.
Highly automated zinc-nickel plating
At the heart of the new surface treatment centre is a highly automated zinc-nickel barrel plating line with integrated tempering and topcoat processes. Automated process monitoring, state-of-the-art inline bath analysis, and validated procedures ensure consistently high and reproducible coating quality.
The surface treatment centre comprises more than 4,000 square metres of production space. With this expansion, ARNOLD is strategically further developing its value creation at the site. At the same time, with this significant investment, the Wurth Group is underscoring its confidence in ARNOLD and in the future of the Dorzbach site.
Significant CO2 savings
In addition to technology and quality, the efficiency of the new centre plays a key role. Energy-efficient plant systems, state-of-the-art building technology, and shorter transport routes reduce annual CO2 emissions by approximately 1,740 metric tons.
"The expansion of our production capabilities makes an important contribution to securing the site in the Jagst Valley," emphasises Robert Friedmann.
Lukas Franz reflects: "This project has been a part of my life for nearly a decade. From the initial idea to the start of operations, our goal was to create a sustainable and state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Seeing today how this vision has become a reality still feels a bit surreal - yet at the same time, it's impressive and makes me proud."
Greater process control and supply security
For ARNOLD's customers, the new Surface Centre opens up additional opportunities to coordinate processes and coating requirements collaboratively at an early stage. In-house expertise enables streamlined workflows, a high degree of process control, and a reliable supply.
During a guided tour, guests gained insights into the technology and quality assurance as well as the energy and resource management of the new Surface Centre. The official opening was then celebrated with a joint symbolic launch ceremony.
