Honex AG – General Planning and Construction of a Highly Efficient Factory Building with an Innovative Energy Concept
Honex AG is a Swiss high-tech company specializing in punching and forming technology. As General Planner, IE Technology executed a future-oriented new building using resource-saving construction methods.
The Factory as an Expression of Identity
Project
General planning of a new building for the punching and production sector
Client
Honex AG
Key Data
Working Together for Project Success
Services provided by IE Group
Challenges & Solutions
Pioneering Energy Concept for a Resource-Saving Production Plant
Operational Layout with Calculated Space Reserves for Future Growth
The Project in Detail
From a Traditional Location to a New Building on a Greenfield Site
Founded in 1948, Honex AG has developed punching and forming technology to the highest level of maturity. The company produces highly complex punched and formed parts with fine‑cut edges for a wide range of industries worldwide. However, after more than 70 years of operation at the Wetzikon site, the historically evolved structures could no longer meet modern efficiency and productivity requirements – payloads and ceiling heights in the old factory building restricted further growth.
Iterative Operational Planning for Specialized Manufacturing Processes
Punching and forming involve various work processes: engineering, toolmaking, prototype manufacturing, and series production, supplemented by sub‑processes such as ultrasonic washing and trowalizing. In line with the IE planning principle “from the inside out” and based on a Honex process diagram, IE Technology developed a spatial relationship diagram. This resulted in an Operational layout with optimized processes and an integrated warehouse and logistics concept.
Energy Self-Sufficiency Through Geothermal Energy and Photovoltaics
The energy concept uses geothermal energy with geothermal probes and a thermoactive component system (TABS): heating pipes cast into concrete use the building mass as thermal storage for both heating and cooling. A comprehensive photovoltaic system on the roof enables the production of stamped parts almost entirely with solar energy.
Result: an Identity-Creating Factory Completed in Record Time
After 36 months of concept planning and 16 months of construction, the 3,619 m² factory building was ready for operation in March 2022. The machinery was moved to the new location within ten working days. Production now occupies a continuous ground‑floor area, while administration and social spaces on the upper floor offer modern, light‑filled workplaces. The result: a factory with a strong identity that produces significantly more efficiently.
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