Making everyday life on construction sites more effective and significantly reducing costs for contractors – that is the vision that drives us at Mayer Schaltechnik. Our answer as a formwork manufacturer and distributor to the challenges of the industry? Creative in-house solutions in the field of formwork. The focus is always on one thing: innovative product development that is consistently geared towards the needs of construction companies and their employees.
The origin of product development
Every product development is slightly different – and yet they all start with a clear goal: to create formwork systems that meet the increasing requirements for occupational safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The ideas for this are developed directly where they will later be used: on the construction site. We analyze specific challenges in close dialogue with building contractors and specialists on site.
From these impulses, we develop initial solutions in the form of sketches, models or concept ideas. Together with our customers, we test and improve them, sometimes discarding approaches and then rethinking them. Our claim: only what meets the highest standards of practicality and quality goes into series production.
Customer advisory board as a think tank for construction innovation
A special committee accompanies and inspires developments enormously: our customer advisory board. Since 2008, we have regularly brought together decision-makers and experts from the construction industry. It’s not just a place for discussion – it’s a place for planning, thinking and shaping.
Whether it’s customer satisfaction, time studies to optimize work processes or new formwork systems – the work of the advisory board plays a key role in shaping our innovative strength. For example, systems such as the PRIMAX telescopic formwork, the lightweight aluMAX manual module, the ultraMAX folding shaft and our latest solution, the klappMAX slab formwork box, have been decisively co-developed.
klappMAX as a prime example – when building innovation takes shape
The story of the klappMAX is an impressive illustration of how we at Mayer Schaltechnik live product development. The trigger: a sentence from Mr. Köhler, Managing Director of Karl Köhler GmbH and member of the customer advisory board, during a conversation with our senior boss in October 2020: “It must be possible to design something that can be folded and unfolded – like a table tennis table.”
This impulse was the initial spark. What followed was an intensive creative and technical development process – accompanied by late-night sketches on the bedside table, passionate tinkering and structured innovation work.
From thought to innovation
With the aim of finding an answer to the challenges of the construction industry, we developed the idea further. In a specially convened customer advisory board working group, existing systems were analyzed, requirements defined and initial concepts evaluated. Together with experienced construction professionals, a specification sheet was created, which served as the basis for the construction of the first prototypes.
Tests, feedback, fine-tuning
The following months were all about further development: we held intensive workshops, tested the prototypes in real construction projects and used the findings to make numerous optimizations. Whether at our building yard or on real construction sites – every detail was tested, adapted and improved. Until the decision was made in October 2024: klappMAX goes into series production.
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