News

March 2010 - G550 triumphs at METAV

The G550 made its first official appearance in public the METAV trade fair in Düsseldorf, and was met with enthusiastic approval. The new five-axis machining center was clearly a major draw for visitors to the GROB stand. The G550 thus represents yet another technological milestone, and reinforces GROB’s position in the standard machine business.

Encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive media response when the G550 was unveiled to the press in Mindelheim late last year, GROB marketing manager for standard machines Rudolf Dreer and his team were confident when they traveled to Düsseldorf. However, they did not yet have a clear, unequivocal idea of how their customers would react to the G550. It quickly became clear that the new standard machine would emerge victorious from its baptism by fire. Visitors to the GROB exhibition stand were particularly impressed by the parts that were machined with the G550, as well as the capabilities of the tool, such as the 250 cutter head, the 485 mm long boring bar, and the interpolation turning, which were all showcased in the demonstration. 

It seems that the consistently positive response to the G550 was also noted by our competitors, as attempts to point out deficiencies in the “G-force” were redoubled. However, these attempts were in vain. “Yet more evidence that we are on the correct path in the standard machine business as well”, said a plainly delighted Rudolf Dreer. “I have not yet heard a single negative reaction to the technology of our G550 from our customer base.” Reactions at METAV clearly reflected the high level of trust that customers have in the quality of GROB products, in the standard machine business as well.

GROB’s encouraging advances in this market segment are helping to make lasting improvements to the company’s overall presentation. “In general, METAV showed once again that our portfolio is extremely well developed”, Christian Grob, Chief Representative for GROB-WERKE is convinced. Now the coming business year must yield what everyone is expecting: the great recovery. “At GROB, despite our good orders position, we are keeping our estimates cautiously realistic, and will not be misled into premature euphoria”, Christian Grob is as yet diffident. “The market still has to consolidate again, and the backlog of unsold machines has to be moved. And most importantly, the residual reluctance to invest on the part of our customers must be definitively improved!”

GROB’s final assessment after METAV reveals an entirely positive situation. Interest in the G550 is high, and the product is right. This is shown by the number of inquiries, which almost equaled the inquiries at METAV in the boom year, 2008. Substantive orders are expected in the next few weeks. GROB is certain that this trend will continue, and will be confirmed at the AMB trade fair in Stuttgart in the autumn.