Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH (hereinafter as Lorch) is one of the leading manufacturers of arc welding systems for industrial applications, the demanding metal working, as well as for use in automation with robots and collaborative robot systems. For more than 60 years, Lorch’s premium quality systems have been manufactured in Germany at one of the world’s most cutting-edge manufacturing plants for welding equipment and exported to more than 60 countries. The welding equipment engineered by Lorch merges first-rate suitability for real-world applications with superior ease of use and outstanding efficiency, setting new technological standards in the marketplace.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
LORCH: Lorch is fully focused on arc welding machines. For more than 60 years, we are developing reliable welding machines for MMA, TIG and MIG-MAG.
In addition, Lorch is one of the top players on the market into domain of Collaborative robot welding systems. Besides that, Lorch is present as a supplier of the welding power sources for all important manufacturers of Industrial robots. We are very proud of the fact that our R&D department was even enlarged in last year, despite the tough circumstances that all of us were facing. This shows Lorch dedication to innovation and constant improvement of our products.
E.E: What’s the news for 2021 about new products?
LORCH: Despite the fact that we are facing one of the biggest global crises in the modern history, Lorch is strongly committed to innovations. Even more, our R&D department has been enlarged in this Corona period because there are many ongoing projects.
Therefore, the market should expect very soon some novelties from Lorch in MIG-MAG range of products, TIG Cobot Welding Systems and ROBO power sources. Lorch is deeply involved in Industry 4.0 performances. This includes innovative Cloud-storing solutions of welding-data – as well as real-time monitoring of welding parameters. Lorch-products fully correspond to the actual and future demands of digitalized working-procedures.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
LORCH: As mentioned before, Lorch’s only focus is the arc welding. For manual welding, we are covering all three ranges: MMA, TIG and MIG-MAG.
For each range, we are having different series of welding machines. Moreover, each series is having a variety of models with different values of maximum amperage. A full range of gas- and water-cooled torches and accessories complete the range. Moreover, LORCH offers single-purpose welding-automation for linear and circumferential welding-applications.
Regarding Collaborative robots, Lorch is offering Cobot Welding packages for MIG-MAG and TIG welding.
In the field of Industrial robots, Lorch is offering ROBO MIG-MAG and TIG power sources.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
LORCH: Lorch offers welding-equipment to many different sectors of industry. From mining-sector, Automotive-industry, Railway, Aviation-industry, Earth-moving equipment-manufacturer, power-generation industry to the education-sector.
Our clients are both small- medium and big size industries.
This variety of fields gives an important stability to our company.
In the actual economic situation – some of these sectors are in a good … or very good position. Especially all sectors related to construction-industry is booming in Europe and also in Romania. On the other side – the Automotive industry is involved in an important transition period.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
LORCH: Last year was demanding. When global pandemic has started, there was a certain impact to different types of industry. Some suffered a lot, some suffered little bit, but also some had a growth during last year.
Many companies had reduced their investments in the new equipment. In Q3 there were good signs of recovery and the trend is positive and still present. Additional boost has come from the EU funding and government support. All together with ongoing vaccination against Covid-19 are creating positive environment for the industry recovery. There are many arguments to stay positive about the market trends in 2021.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
LORCH: From our point of view, the innovative product that would have the biggest impact to the market is the Cobot Welding System. We, in Lorch, are proud to the fact that we had a vision of the great future of this product on the market. Therefore, we have started to create a synergy of Lorch welding power source and Collaborative robot from Universal Robots before most of the competitors.
The advantage we had from the very beginning is still present in Lorch’s favor. Today we are proudly offering to the customers Lorch Cobot welding system for MIG-MAG and TIG applications.
E.E: Why this is the most innovative product from our point of view?
LORCH: There are two reasons.
First one, there is a big gap between manual welding and fully automation welding with industrial robots. Lorch Cobot welding system is a solution to fill this gap.
Second one, the constant lack of welders as a chronical issue. Again, Lorch Cobot welding system is the perfect solution to overcome this issue.
To conclude, for the small and mid-size companies, with small to mid-size series of products, Lorch Cobot welding system is the perfect solution. Easiness of programming and high repeatability of welding results are strong points of this welding system for above-mentioned companies.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2021?
LORCH: Overall, we are expecting more signs of the recovery of metal industry. With the government supports and bank loans with the very low interest, there will be a good climate for investments into new equipment. The process would be slow, but with constant movement in positive direction.
Our personal estimations are to keep the leading position in the segment of collaborative robots welding systems and even to increase the market share and on the other side to continue to prove reliability and superb performance of our manual welding equipment, proudly made in Germany.
