About us

The owner of LOOP, Marc Zick, knows what is important to contract manufacturing. In an interview he talks about challenges, his team and potential within the industry.

What can customers expect from LOOP?

Our customers have a quality-conscious, innovative and flexible partner in LOOP. They know that their know-how is in discrete and reliable hands; non-disclosure agreements with each partner are essential for us.

What sets LOOP apart from its competitors?

Contract manufacturing is our core business. We do not manufacture our own products and therefore have no market interests of our own. We are partners with our customers and not potential competitors.

What are the special challenges posed by your job?

Our industry is also subject to changes currently under way. Bespoke solutions in production, the latest technologies and maximum flexibility are decisive factors in order for us to remain a strong partner for our customers in future. We are modernizing in all areas of operations and working on digital transformation.

In addition, there is a constantly increasing number of industry-specific regulations and standards, e.g., related to REACH, occupational safety and environmental protection. It is not always easy for a medium-sized enterprise to keep up to date in this , which is why we have employees who exclusively deal with these areas.

Is there anything else that's particularly close to your heart?

A positive working atmosphere within the team is very important to me. When this is the case, competencies can be retained and the company is able to continue its development. In addition, I am personally very interested in new production technologies that will enable us to improve internal processes and respond to the needs of our customers in an even more individualised basis in future. My ambition is to provide our customers with the best possible solutions and products.

What innovations do you expect from the industry?

I like that the industry is in constant motion. I particularly like the fact that the issue of sustainability is currently gaining in importance in the chemical industry as well. The use of natural raw materials, biodegradability of products, increasing energy efficiency in production and innovative energy storage technologies, for example, all play a role in this context.

What is the best way to develop a product?

Customers normally come to us with fully developed products. As an exception, however, we are sometimes asked for recommendations regarding suitable raw materials on the basis of our competence and experience. Of course, these cases are also subject to the strict observance of non-disclosure agreements; know-how is never transferred from other customers.

 

In the case of completely new products, initially developing process technology on a small scale in our Customer Service Technical Centre (“CST”) has proven to be a very effective tool. Upscaling to production scale and the respective pilot production are conducted in a subsequent step. This supports approval of the technical process and gathering precise, costing-related data. All development steps are conducted in close cooperation with our customers.

How does LOOP approach environmental protection?

Environmental protection is an important issue for LOOP as well. We implemented environmental management in accordance with ISO 14001 in 2016; certification will follow in 2021. Certification of energy management according to ISO 50001 is currently in preparation.

Environmental preservation is incredibly important, especially in our industry. Dust and steam-laden exhaust air, as well as waste water, are cleaned by filtration, separation and activated carbon.

All relevant buildings and surfaces are completely contained within Water Resources Act compliant tubs or have a Water Resources Act compliant coating so that neither soil nor groundwater may be contaminated.

In the case of completely new products, initially developing process technology on a small scale in our Customer Service Technical Centre (“CST”) has proven to be a very effective tool. Upscaling to production scale and the respective pilot production are conducted in a subsequent step. This supports approval of the technical process and gathering precise, costing-related data. All development steps are conducted in close cooperation with our customers.

How long does it take from initial idea to finished product?

This can vary greatly. In some cases, customers themselves have in-depth production know-how but nonetheless have us perform production because they do not have sufficient production capacities. We also have customers who discontinue parts of their production due to reduced need, for example in the case of solvent-based products, and outsource production to us. Or they may have products in their portfolio that are in the last third of their product life cycle, but that remain important as complementary products. These customers are very familiar with process technologies, associated quality controls, markets and distribution channels. Accordingly, this involves a form of outsourcing that can be completed within a few weeks.

And what about a new development?

In this case, we start at the very beginning, because the customer often has no clear idea of how their later product can best be manufactured. These customers contact us because they do not own or want to operate their own production facilities for example. It may also be the case that required plant technology is not available or is not compatible with the environment because the customer cannot obtain the appropriate approval at its own location. We are also happy to provide assistance in such cases.

What’s important to know about the LOOP team?

All management positions and areas of responsibility are staffed with competent and experienced specialists. Most employees have worked for LOOP for many years; the average length of service is currently around 8.5 years. Employee satisfaction is of critical importance to the company. This helps us ensure that specialised know-how is retained and each customer has a permanent contact person. We are all guided by reliability and commitment in dealing with our customers and believe that this is the best foundation for a successful and collaborative relationship.

Do you want to take advantage of your know-how?

Please feel free to call us: +49 281 83135 OR write us.