Hunold + Knoop company history

We work with you to develop technical plastic parts that meet the highest quality requirements.

2025

  • PV system plant II
  • New cooling system Plant I (sustainability)
  • Cobot (6-axis robot system)

2024

  • 8(!) new trainees
  • Introduction of LEAN management and KPIs
  • Tablets on all injection molding machines
  • Feedback block for employees

2023

  • Major employee survey and strategy day
  • Corporate film “Herzblutkino”
  • Laser welding system
  • Hanover Fair Industry
  • 66 Injection molding machines

2022

  • Successful implementation of measures to protect employees from COVID-19 and continuation of operations
  • Defibrillators for Plant I + Plant II
  • 60 injection molding machines

2021

  • Successful implementation of measures to protect employees from COVID-19 and continuation of operations
  • Technical management introduced
  • Climate protection award 2021 WESTENERGIE (insect hotels)
  • New company homepage
  • 6 additional trainees

2020

  • Successful implementation of measures to protect employees from COVID-19 and continuation of operations
  • Historic high in orders on hand for toolmaking
  • Carrying out a remote audit
  • Another award as a top employer for medium-sized companies
  • Introduction of bicycle leasing for employees

2019

  • Innogy Climate Protection Award 2019
  • Introduction of a warehouse management system
  • Professionalization and expansion of our project management
  • Re-certification DIN ISO 9001:2015 (quality management)
  • Re-certification DIN ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management)

2018

  • Zero granulate loss” initiative
  • 3D scan
  • New ERP system
  • Re-certification as a “family-friendly company in the Soest district”
  • HANNOVER MESSE Industry
  • 200 employees

2017

  • 40 years of Hunold + Knoop Kunststofftechnik GmbH
  • Realization of the 2,000th tool project
  • HANNOVER MESSE Industry
  • LEAN management
  • H+K Blog
  • 15 trainees

2016

  • 3D-printed tool inserts (near-series prototypes in the shortest possible time)
  • DIN ISO 9001:2015 certification (quality management)
  • DIN ISO 14001:2015 certification (environmental management)
  • Re-certification as a “family-friendly company in the Soest district”
  • Röders HSC milling machine
  • 50 injection molding machines from 5-500 tons clamping force
  • Reaching the “jury list” of the “Großer Preis des Mittelstandes” competition (Oskar Patzelt Foundation)
  • HANNOVER MESSE Industry

2015

  • Certification DIN EN ISO 14001:2009 (environmental management)
  • Expansion of the “micro injection molding” production technology
  • Reaching the “jury list” of the “Großer Preis des Mittelstandes” competition (Oskar Patzelt Foundation)
  • Customer audit “Automotive” according to VDA6.3 with a dream score of 100%

2014

  • Inclusion in the “World market leaders from South Westphalia” directory
  • Certification “Family-friendly company in the district of Soest”
  • Reaching the “jury list” of the “Großer Preis des Mittelstandes” competition (Oskar Patzelt Foundation)
  • 3D metrology – Geometric product specification and testing (GPS)

2013

  • Expansion Plant II – takeover of the buildings and land of the former plastics processor KKT Kühlmann GmbH
  • BGM – Introduction of occupational health management
  • Energy management
  • >170 employees
  • 11 trainees
  • 46 injection molding machines up to 500 tons
  • Introduction of a process engineering department
  • Active participation in HANNOVER MESSE Industry for the first time

2012

  • 35-year company anniversary
  • >100 employees
  • Certification Code of Conduct
  • 42 injection molding machines up to 500 tons
  • New BDE system
  • New CAQ system
  • Cavity pressure technology
  • High-gloss surfaces, visible parts, painted parts

2011

  • 40 injection molding machines
  • 6 Sliding headstock automatic lathes
  • Filling pattern analyses (flow studies) for product development
  • Infrared thermography for tool optimization
  • Gesek Business Show
  • Homepage 2.0

2010

  • 10 trainees
  • New tool store and social rooms
  • Expansion of the injection molding department up to 500 tons (37 machines)
  • New 6-axis robot system
  • PROFORM 2010 trade fair
  • Main prize winner in the 2010 SME program
  • Photovoltaic system

2009

  • New CNC machining center
  • New wire erosion machine
  • In-house prototype production
  • Introduction of 3D printing technology for prototype production
  • Processing of TPU-X® (cross-linked TPU) achieves series production readiness
  • 1st H+K team event
  • Factory tour as part of “Our village has a future”
  • Main prize winner in the 2009 SME program
  • System supplier to the automotive industry

2008

  • New CNC lathe with automation (6-axis robot)
  • New 250-ton injection molding machine
  • New high-speed radial drilling machine
  • New sliding headstock automatic lathe from STAR
  • PROFORM 2008 trade fair
  • Gesek Company Forum 2008
  • Main prize winner in the 2008 SME program

2007

  • 9 trainees at H+K
  • Additional 6-axis CNC sliding headstock automatic lathe
  • Additional grinding machine (Tschudin)
  • New 3D measuring machine

2006

  • 35 Injection molding and rubber processing machines
  • For the first time, the profession of cutting machine operator is also being trained
  • New construction of a 600m2 hall
  • New personnel time recording system is introduced
  • Automatic sliding headstock lathe from STAR
  • 6 new injection molding machines
  • New conditioning system
  • Additional laser measuring device

2005

  • Cooling system with integrated heat recovery
  • 220-ton Arburg injection molding machine
  • 60-ton Arburg injection molding machine

2004

  • Two new 6-axis articulated robots
  • New construction of a 420 m² hall with an additional 120 m² covered area
  • Recertification audit DIN ISO9001:2000
  • 150-ton DEMAG injection molding machine
  • 80-ton DEMAG injection molding machine
  • 80-ton Arburg injection molding machine
  • 35-ton vertical injection molding machine from Dr. Boy
  • New creation of the company presentation (brochure and Internet)

2003

  • Implementation of a new PPS/ERP system including connection to the existing MDE and CAQ system
  • MFI tester (Melt Flow Index) for incoming goods inspection of thermoplastic materials
  • New ARBURG and new DEMAG injection molding machine
  • New CNC die-sinking EDM machine EXERON 313 MF 620 x 420 x 400 with 20-fold changer
  • New centerless CNC grinding machine from Agathon
  • Three new CNC sliding headstock automatic lathes (Tsugami and Miyano) for the production of long and slim precision turned parts

2002

  • 25th company anniversary in April
  • Trade fair: EUROPARTNER 2002 in Dortmund
  • CNC machining center
  • 3D CAM system VISI 9.2
  • New tie-bar-less injection molding machine with 1,500 kN clamping force

2001

  • Moving into the new office buildings
  • 45 employees / 4 trainees / 15 temporary staff
  • 3D CAD system VISI 9.2
  • Introduction of an operating and machine data acquisition system (BDE/MDE) with graphical control station
  • Introduction of a new quality assurance system (CAQ)
  • 6 new injection molding machines in the 80 – 250 to range
  • A total of 31 injection molding and rubber processing machines
  • New construction of an access road
  • New certification according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000

2000

  • New construction and redesign of the existing office buildings

1999

  • New construction of a 400 m² warehouse

1998

  • 25th modern injection molding machine is put into operation
  • New construction of the tool shop and tool warehouse
  • Enlargement of the warehouse
  • Enlargement of the office wing
  • Purchase of approx. 13,000 m² of land
  • Approval of our 15,000 m² industrial estate
  • Introduction of a PPS system
  • 35 employees

1997

  • Certification according to DIN EN ISO 9002

1996

  • Introduction of a QM system in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9002
  • 20. employees

1994

  • CAD design

1993

  • QA facility
  • Production management is set up

1992

  • 10. employees
  • New construction of a warehouse 450 m²

1988

  • 1. office employee

1987

  • New construction of a production hall 800 m²

1980

  • Transformation of the GbR into Hunold + Knoop Kunststofftechnik GmbH

1979

  • 1st employee and at the same time 1st trainee

1977

  • 01.04. Foundation of Hunold + Knoop GbR by Josef Hunold (master toolmaker) and
    Karl Knoop (graduate engineer)