I’ll be spending two packed days with the folk from Blum, touring a number of the six factories and seeing much of the operation in action. Some of the technology in place has to be seen to be believed. Many of the warehouse functions, for example, are fully automated with self-driving vehicles to pick and deliver items as needed.
What I find fascinating is that, in order to create many of the products it produces, Blum also designs and manufactures the technology and machinery needed. Meaning that, as well as holding numerous world-wide patents on its products, it also holds patents on the machinery needed to produce them.
It might interest you to know that Blum was originally founded in 1952 by Julius Blum, an iron fitter and blacksmith, who had quickly progressed to the production of hinges by 1958. Still family-owned and -run, Blum boasts close to 5000 employees world-wide and its products have won numerous international design awards.
I’m hoping to meet with a variety of people at Blum and will definitely be asking about new product releases scheduled for Australia later this year…check back for more when I’m on the ground.
