Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Polychrome GMBH 4

Polychrome GMBH 4               by Mr. Bob Gumbinner

After Kay had brain surgery in [1966], and was diagnosed with an astrocytoma, in order that I could take care of her, the direct responsibility for Polychrome GMBH was assigned to Simon Chu, who was made a vice-president. I did, however, still go to Germany a number of times, particularly when a DRUPA was scheduled. In order to make grained plates a building on a stream close to downtown Osterode which had been a furniture show room was purchased. A graining line was installed and a coater sent from Yonkers. The mechanical parts of the graining line were bought from Deprieux, and the anodizing section from Langbein. Both of these companies were in the Dusseldorf/Cologne area. I went several times to their factories. One time I rented a Mercedes and took a new autobahn between Kassel and Dortmund. There was very little traffic and the road had straight sections. I drove part of the way at over 125 miles per hour. For the B and C lines in Yonkers we bought two shaft revolving unwind stands and heat seal splicers from Deprieux. After Fred Hozeny retired, Mr. Brown took over the maintenance in Yonkers. I had him build an accumulator so there was no stopping of the lines when a new roll of aluminum was spliced to the web After a few years and several additions to the Osterode facility, land in a nearby town, Katzenstein, which had buildings for growing mushrooms, was bought A building was erected and an additional production line installed.