Dornbusch have a workforce of 65 people in the factory in Kempen, Germany, where they produce embossing rollers, embossing plates and printing rollers to adapt the surface of materials such as glass and plastics as well as leather. The rollers produced tend to be for full hides and sides such as used in upholstery leather. For the production of other types of leather, tanneries tend to require small plates as they work with smaller hides.
Dornbusch’s business has an international focus, with 85% of production being exported. The company have agents all over the world. In Europe, their client base is the automotive and upholstery industry.
The company’s technicians work either in conjunction with well known Italian machinery suppliers such as Mostardini or Baggio Tecnologie, Emmezeta, Bergi, or directly with customers. Clients send a sample of the design they require and Dornbusch’s customer service technicians will find a match from a stock of over 30,000 designs, or create a tailor-made design if necessary, beginning from a sketch.
Keeping up to date with changes in the fashion world is a priority for Dornbusch and members of the team have been going to the Parisian shows for the last 20 years, and are regulars at exhibitions in Türkiye, India, and Hong Kong to spot the latest designs and effects. Technicians then review the stock to see if they have a close match and to ensure these are made available to customers. This flexibility and adaptability is a great advantage when dealing with the fashion world.
With their combination of skill, precision and experience, Dornbusch’s success meant that they outgrew their original premises in Krefeld, and moved to Kempen in 1990 to more modern facilities with room for expansion. Dornbusch are constantly looking to the future with a continuous R&D programme. Two years ago, they introduced a laser engraving technique involving a computer scanner. This speeds up the development process enabling them to deliver the finished roller to the tannery quicker: which means that tanners are able to launch the latest trends on to the market more quickly.
With an annual turnover of €8-9 million, Dornbusch continue to look to the global market, keeping pace with changing trends as well as the shift in the demands of tanners.
