Biberach an der Riss, 23. January 2024 – Toolmaker Cajhen is Slovenia’s leading manufacturer of rotary tools and circular saws. In addition to the local market, the company also has a strong presence in south-eastern Europe and is increasingly supplying its products to the EU as well as Asia and Latin America. Cajhen uses several grinding machines from Hessian sharpening specialist Loroch, part of the VOLLMER Group, for producing and resharpening its circular saws. Loroch recently delivered two new TWIN 860 grinding machines, which are able to machine both HSS and HW circular saws in a “twin” configuration.
The Slovenian city of Laško has around 13,000 inhabitants and is located in the Štajerska region, historically the Lower Styria area. The region is known for its delicious beer and relaxing thermal baths – as well as for tool manufacturer Cajhen. The family business was founded in 1969 as a small turning shop. In 2001 it began producing cutting tools made from carbide and ultra-hard cutting materials such as PCD, MCD and CBN. Today, Cajhen is a leading tool supplier not only in Slovenia but also across south-eastern Europe, with around two thirds of its products sold on the domestic market. Cajhen’s customers are found in the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as in foundries and other mass-production sectors. Cajhen also produces cutting tools and circular saws for other tool manufacturers.
Cajhen uses Loroch machines to automate its production
Matjaž Cajhen, CEO of toolmaker Cajhen, uses the new Loroch TWIN 860 grinding machines to machine HSS and HW circular saws.
“More than 90 per cent of our production is special tools that we adapt to our customers’ individual requirements”, explains Matjaž Cajhen, CEO of Cajhen d.o.o.. “That’s why it’s crucial for us to have high-precision CNC machines like those from Loroch, which can guarantee automated tool machining around the clock”.
With 30 employees and more than 25 CNC machines, Cajhen manufactures around 50,000 customised cutting tools and circular saws every year: It takes 24 hours from the request for a special tool to the quotation, with an average delivery time of three weeks. The company also sharpens over 70,000 tools and saws every year. Cajhen has been using Loroch grinding machines to machine its HSS circular saws for many years. Loroch is based in Mörlenbach in southern Hesse, and is part of the Biberach-based VOLLMER Group. Cajhen’s production hall in Laško houses the Loroch Evolution K850-M and Solution K850 models, among others. These can operate as compact service centres for sharpening and chamfering metal circular saw blades.
The Loroch TWIN 860 sharpens HSS and HW circular saws
“In the area of circular saws, we are looking to expand our range both with our own brand and alongside our established partners, such as the Italian company Julia”, says Matjaž Cajhen. “To this end, we have recently acquired two new Loroch TWIN 860 machines, which will also allow us to develop further in the field of carbide-tipped circular saws”, he continues.
Loroch used the name “TWIN” because the CNC-controlled machine can automatically sharpen both HSS and carbide-tipped (HW) circular saws using two different methods. For HW circular saws with thick cutting widths in particular, the TWIN 860 does not use a feed pawl like a conventional machine, instead feeding via a precisely-controlled centre drive device. The HW saw tooth is then clamped, and only machined using the two-axis-controlled grinding head. Thanks to its combined TWIN process, Cajhen can not only save enough space for a second machine, but also control the machining of its HSS and HW circular saws uniformly and intuitively via a touch screen.
Cajhen aims to use Loroch technology to aid its worldwide expansion
By investing in two new Loroch machines, Cajhen is looking to sustainably boost its growth and, specifically, expand its global business. In addition to the European market, the company’s focus is on Latin America and Asia, where it already has solid partnerships. Using state-of-the-art machines such as those from Loroch, Cajhen’s engineers can develop innovative tools and circular saws that guarantee a long service and high-precision machining of metal, wood or composite materials. The tool manufacturer also offers complete control of its cutting tools, which come with the corresponding measurement records.
“As part of the VOLLMER Group, Loroch has global representation, which means we are able to not only act as a supplier of grinding machines around the world, but also serve our customers as a full liner for sharpening”, explains Hartmut Kälberer, CEO of Loroch GmbH. “In particular, our new TWIN 860 grinding machine shows how we can profitably bridge the gap from HSS machining to HW circular saws, allowing us to innovatively expand the portfolio of the entire VOLLMER Group”.
The TWIN 860 automated grinding machine from Loroch, a VOLLMER Group company, can be used to produce HSS and carbide-tipped circular saws.