In 2021, Madolex laid the groundwork for the engineering of a new foam oven for Sekisui Alveo, a company specializing in the development, production, and sale of high-quality polyolefin foam. However, the project came to a standstill just before the machine could be installed. At that time, Alveo’s focus shifted elsewhere, causing the plans for the oven to be temporarily shelved.
Movement returned to the project in mid-2025. The 'foam oven' project was dusted off, and Elmar Dohms was appointed as an external project manager to steer the restart in the right direction. To ensure a successful completion, the right suppliers had to be brought on board. For Dohms, choosing Madolex was a logical step; having worked with the company on previous projects, he knew their approach and was confident that the team at Madolex possessed the technical expertise required to get this complex file back on track.
The greatest challenge of a project that had been idle for four years was the initial inventory. Where did we leave off? What has changed in the meantime? And most importantly: does the 2021 design still meet the standards and insights of 2025? Together with the project manager, the scope was re-examined. New insights led to a slight adjustment in the plans, allowing room for mutual refinements in the design. Throughout this process, Madolex proved to be an active partner: not just executing what was on paper, but providing feedback and sharing expertise to optimize the final result.
The core of the work centered on the winding section of the foam oven. The oven produces foam with a width of 1.20 meters and a thickness between 3 and 6 millimeters. This material must then be wound tightly and precisely onto rolls that can reach a diameter of up to one meter. The existing technology for this process had become outdated over the years and was no longer serviceable. Furthermore, the winding quality left much to be desired; the foam simply wasn't being wrapped around the roll with enough precision. Our task was to handle the mechanical portion of this modification, including the replacement of the obsolete motors.
In November 2025, the oven was figuratively fired up again. The goal was ambitious: the modification and installation had to be completed within a seven-week window. It was a period of high intensity, but there was no room for panic; Madolex’s signature no-nonsense attitude once again made the difference. In a project where various parties (handling electrical, control systems, and mechanics) were interdependent, we understood the stakes better than anyone. We pulled out all the stops to ensure we were never the bottleneck. If that meant shifting into a higher gear outside of regular working hours, it was done without question.
This pragmatic mindset proved essential when facing the inevitable hurdles common in projects of this nature. Over the years, machines are often modified without every change, such as a longer bolt or a non-standard thread, being updated in the technical drawings. While many parties might get bogged down in disputes over the fact that reality doesn't match the documentation, Madolex opts for a direct approach. Rather than complaining about inaccurate drawings, parts are taken to our own well-equipped workshop and modified immediately. It is this decisiveness that ensures minor irritations never escalate into major problems.
Thanks to short lines of communication and a "plain English" approach, the project ran exceptionally smoothly, a sentiment echoed by everyone involved. We moved forward with purpose, and the project was delivered exactly as agreed. For Sekisui Alveo, the gains are substantial. Every objective formulated at the restart has been met. With the new motors and mechanical upgrades, the machine is once again fully serviceable for years to come. Most importantly, there is a clear improvement in output: the winding quality has increased significantly, ensuring the foam is now wound onto the rolls with the desired precision.
Ultimately, it is about more than just "delivering what is requested"; it is about the willingness to go the extra mile and to both think and act proactively. Because of this attitude, everyone involved in this project can look back on a successful collaboration. The result: a machine running at full capacity and a client who is more than satisfied.
