On site worldwide
Our success story is closely linked to numerous well-connected locations worldwide. With our production facilities, agencies and service points, we have a global presence and can react immediately to current market situations. Our international team stands for close cooperation, customer proximity and a strong corporate culture that shapes our success worldwide.
Facts and figures FFT in figures
From 1974 until today Our history
1974 - 1978
As the two owners Rabofsky and Bock had no successors for their pleating machine factory, the plant in Mücke was taken over by Gerhard Faust, Horst Eckard and Bruno Frey as shareholders on January 1, 1974. Under the company name "Faust Fertigungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG", they founded the company FFT with a focus on production technology in the automotive industry. The focus was on welding systems, mechanization systems, electronic control gauges and special machines.
Due to the increasing order situation, the decision was made in 1978 to build a new assembly hall in Mücke with an area of 1,000 m².
1981 - 1984
In 1981, the innovation-driven engineers patented the first automatic system for positioning and affixing windscreens to the car body, thereby gaining a high reputation in the automotive industry. This development is still the basis for fully automated window installation in all vehicles today.
In 1984, just in time for the company's 10th anniversary, the second large assembly hall with an area of 1,000 m² and a new office building with 2,000 m² were opened in Mücke for the constantly growing company.
1986 - 1988
In 1987, shareholder and managing director Gerhard Faust decided to sell his shares. Reinhold Schiele took his place in the management. In this context, the company was renamed "FFT Flexible Fertigungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG" in the same year. Following the successful implementation of a major order from Audi, confidence in FFT grew and further major orders from well-known car manufacturers followed.
1989 - 1993
Due to increasing demand, a third assembly hall with 3,000 m² and a technical office with 2,000 m² were built in Mücke in 1989. In the same year, FFT developed the world's first flexible production system, which replaced the shuttle system with new robot handling systems. This resulted in the entry into derivative-independent automobile production. With the opening of the border and the associated investments by German OEMs in the new federal states, FFT sought cooperation with Werkzeugkombinat Schmalkalden. In 1990, a branch was founded there and 65 employees were taken on.
1995 - 1997
In 1995, the branch in Schmalkalden was expanded with a 1,500 m² assembly hall. Today, over 200 employees work there and are responsible for the production and assembly of numerous components for all FFT projects in Europe.
At the turn of the year 1995/1996, Rainer Gößmann took over the management of the company and expanded his management team to include Manfred Hahl and Peter Walper. In 1997, FFT Mexico was founded in Puebla as a strategic location. It serves as a project and technology center for the Mexican market and is responsible for the implementation of complete systems.
1998 - 2000
This was followed in 1998 by the founding of FFT Spain in Silla, Valencia. Today, an office area of 500 m² and an assembly area of 4,000 m² are available for the approximately 50 employees. The site serves as a project and technology center for the Iberian market and has a CNC measuring center and a MAG prototype center with laboratory. The focus of the site today is on MAG welding systems and projection welding machines.
In 2000/2001, a further major step was taken with the construction of a 10,000 m² production and assembly hall in the Fulda West industrial estate, as well as an office building with 4,300 m² of office space.
2003 - 2005
In 2003, the company was renamed "FFT EDAG Produktionssysteme GmbH & Co. KG", as EDAG AG acquired 100% of FFT in 2004. The headquarters moved from Mücke to the new building in Fulda-West.
In 2005, FFT Romania was founded in Campulung in order to become less dependent on suppliers and to be able to cover the increased demand for individual parts. The focus at this location is on large welded parts and the assembly of modules, which are then installed in systems worldwide.
2006 - 2012
In February 2006, the German entrepreneur Lutz Helmig and his investment company Aton acquired 100% of EDAG and thus also its subsidiary FFT. Due to the positive focus of both companies on their core competencies, FFT became a fully-fledged subsidiary of Aton GmbH in 2012 and thus a sister company of EDAG. This was followed in 2012 by the founding of FFT USA in Greer, Spartanburg. The focus of FFT USA is on engineering, design and production as well as the operation of complete systems. FFT China was also opened in Shanghai this year. The site now comprises an office area of 4,790 m² and an assembly area of 7,300 m² and employs more than 350 people. The last milestone this year was the takeover of the BBZ vocational training center in Fulda.
2014 - 2016
It was not until 2014 that the company was given its current name "FFT Produktionssysteme GmbH & Co. KG". In order to double the employee capacity, the decision was made to expand the project office in Fulda-West to a total of 700 workstations. In the same year, the FFT Group acquired a 51% stake in the company EDAG Werkzeug + Karosserie GmbH, took over the software company EKS InTec GmbH from Weingarten and founded another branch in Bremen. 2016 saw the commissioning of the world's first flexible lightweight framing system and the realization of the first human-robot collaboration (HRC) in body-in-white construction in the automotive industry. A further site was also founded in Poland and the company Ciratec from Belgium was acquired by the Group.
2017 - 2019
In order to expand further and meet increasing demand, a further 5,000m2 hall was completed in Fulda in 2017. Work also began on the construction of an additional assembly hall in Schmalkalden to provide more space for logistics. In 2019, the FFT Group was sold from ATON to the Fosun Group. FFT became fully part of the network of Fosun International Limited, an innovation-driven consumer goods group that has been listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange since 2007. Fosun's mission is to provide high-quality products and services for families around the world in the areas of health, happiness and prosperity. With the acquisition of the FFT Group, Fosun expanded its business areas to include the "Intelligent Manufacturing" column, which now includes several other technology companies in addition to FFT.
2020 - 2022
With the coronavirus crisis hitting the automotive industry and its suppliers hard, FFT began a strategic realignment with the implementation of proprietary products and digital services in its business model. In addition to the mobility industry, the aim was also to increasingly reach non-automotive manufacturers, which FFT can support with meaningful automation. A new branch was founded in Chengdu, China, and the foundation stone was laid in Shanghai for the new headquarters of the parent company EASUN, which has also included FeRe since 2022. The company for gluing and dosing technology was thus able to grow in a strategic partnership with FFT and FFT benefited from new technological expertise within the group of companies.
An excerpt.Satisfied customers
Many customers place their trust in us because of our particular strength in global project management, especially in the areas of body shell construction and automation technology. In addition to our successful cooperation with major automotive manufacturers (OEMs), we also support customers from the aviation industry as well as small and medium-sized companies from various branches of industry. Through precise planning and international coordination, we realize tailor-made solutions - from complex large-scale projects to individual requirements of various industries.
Entrust us with your manufacturing process and experience how an efficient automation solution can increase the performance and quality of your production.
With different challenges. Reference projects
FFT has successfully implemented numerous reference projects in various industries. Whether automotive, aviation, white goods or other industries - every project presents unique challenges. Thanks to our many years of experience and innovative solutions, we master complex requirements efficiently. From highly automated production lines to customized production solutions, we always offer our customers the highest quality and precision. In this way, we create sustainable and future-oriented solutions that ensure the long-term success of our customers.
Assembly of CFRP hulls using various welding techniques CFRP aircraft fuselage
Welding CFRP structures can make aircraft structures lighter and shorten assembly times. Welding technologies up to TRL6 were developed in the EU-funded MultiFAL project. FFT Produktionssysteme was responsible for the assembly station, including automation, safety and movement systems for the welding effectors.
Production of the MINI Countryman FFTigv ELEVATE at BMW in Leipzig
Production of the MINI Countryman has been running at the BMW plant in Leipzig since November. FFT's iGV ELEVATE optimizes the process with line- and cycle-independent machining for higher output. An integrated AOI cell enables automatic surface inspection directly on the iGVs.
Automated production of household appliances. Oven welding
An automated welding solution for domestic ovens was implemented in an FFTlasertec Protection Cabin from FFT. This project is a good example of how FFT also provides targeted support for smaller customers outside the automotive industry when it comes to process automation.
1,000 robots and 10 months time New customer VinFast
In 2018, FFT received an order from VinFast for four projects and the market launch of eight new vehicle models. The body shell with 1,000 robots was built in Vietnam. Although the production halls had not even been built in 2017, FFT realized a rapid project implementation, so that the first body was manufactured in just 10 months and series production could start in July 2019 - a milestone for the new OEM.
Automated raw material production Aluminum production
In Dubai, FFT supported an aluminum supplier with the automation of its raw material production. The plant, which is divided into two lines, processes 200,000 tons of the metal every year. Liquid aluminum is poured, cut to size and supplied as a finished bundle. Artificial intelligence checks the quality, while robots grind edges and automatically pack pallets.
25 years of successful use Leak detection newt
MERO Germany GmbH has been successfully using the FFT leak detection pig for pipeline leak detection since 1999. Monthly pig runs have made it possible to avoid 75 weeks of downtime. The development began back in 1995 in collaboration with EDAG and TÜV Süd.