Close partnership with Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster
We have been working with Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster (LHW) since December 2016. How time flies! A good moment to reflect: three years of partnership on equal terms, three years of shared progress, three years of support and product innovation. Because LHW not only takes over a small part of our production, but also develops solutions for new products with us.
We have been working with Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster (LHW) since December 2016. How time flies! A good moment to pause and reflect: That was three years of partnership on equal terms, three years of shared progress, three years of support and product innovation. Because LHW not only takes on a small part of the production of Bracenets, but also develops solutions for new products together with us.
The fact that we were able to grow so quickly is therefore not least a success for the LHW. We are grateful for their commitment. That is why we are in close contact and recently visited Neumünster again. Also there: Also there: A few of our new employees who are getting to know their colleagues at the LHW for the first time
What is the Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster?
But before we visit the individual production teams: What exactly is the Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster? In short: The LHW helps people with disabilities to lead self-determined lives with the greatest possible independence. It also offers support and encouragement at school, work and in their free time, strengthens strengths and weakens weaknesses. Here, everyone has the same rights and everyone has the right to be different - because here it is about togetherness instead of discrimination, solidarity instead of exclusion and care instead of violence.
With a wide range of offerings, the LHW responds to people's individual needs and enables them to develop and participate in society and working life. These opportunities extend across several workshops in which around 320 employees work under the supervision of their 40-50 supervisors. Three production teams as well as the media workshop and the warehouse support us in the manufacture of our products and the development of new ideas.
Visiting the production at Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster
Marco, production manager at LHW, welcomes us to our tour. He has known our founding team Benjamin and Madeleine since they began working together over three years ago.
Now we're off on a tour of the LHW production teams. All of our colleagues put a lot of effort into it and take the time to show us the individual work steps in detail and answer our questions. Let's go!
Preparation of the Bracenets
The first production team we visit helps us make the Bracenets with magnetic fasteners. Under the guidance of their supervisors Christel and Wally, Jeanette and Basti prepare the straps so that another team can attach the fasteners later. Basti cuts the net strands and removes the knots from the cross connections. He has been making Bracenets for three years. He says that the work requires a lot of stamina and patience - but he enjoys it and is happy about the quiet work.
Jeanette sits opposite Basti. She doesn't have the patience for the knots, so she takes the finished strands of net from Basti and trims them to the right length for the bracenets. Basti and Jeanette complement each other - but not only at work, as they tell us, because they are even engaged! They always work together for half a day on the bracenets. Basti and Jeanette both have a Red Sea , but they prefer to make bracenets from slightly thicker strands of net, as these are easier to handle.
gluing the closures
The Bracenets are glued to the magnetic fasteners and finished by Anja, Katrin and Emily from Katja's team. They have developed their own system for this. They place the fasteners in a wooden template in which they stand securely, then fill them with glue and add the cut bands in the last step. As soon as they are dry, the finished Bracenets are sent to us in the Hamburg "Netquarter".
Unlike Jeanette and Basti, Katja’s team prefers to work with the Adriatic and Baltic Sea - because they are thinner and easier to glue into the closures. But they also like making the other Bracenets: Because with Bracenet everyone has the feeling of being involved in protecting the environment and saving the oceans and animals, confirms Katja.
Production of “One Fits All” Bracenets
Our tour continues to the team of Elke and Dennis, who assist us in the production of handles for our Soulbottles as well as our adjustable bracenets supported. By moving the knots, these bracenets fit around every wrist; the production team developed the technology themselves.
Alex shows us how he makes the handles for the Soulbottles as well as the adjustable-size bracenets. Elke and Dennis are proud of their group because their employees have worked with great skill and dexterity. Of course, things don't go at the same speed every day, but there is no room for stress here - because even though LHW produces as a service provider for other companies and they really appreciate this opportunity, well-being and health always come first.
engraving the closures
Gunnar, Tobias and Patricia work together with eight employees in the LHW media workshop. The media workshop offers a range of more complicated work - because in order to operate all the different machines here, the employees have to remember many details and be able to work on the computer. The workshop offers a wide range of products and services, from textile printing and embossing to digital printing of all kinds, such as canvas, adhesive films for walls and vehicles, and much more.
Two machines for laser engraving, which they use for example for glass, wood and for the tubes of our size-adjustable bracenets, are part of the equipment. For example, the media workshop engraved the football club's logo into the closures for our cooperation with Werder Bremen, as well as the pendants for the GoodNet campaign. We can see how it all works and looks: After all the settings have been made on the computer and the closures have been arranged in the machine, the thin laser beam starts - at an astonishing 5 meters per second. We don't wait long and the closures are ready, with a flawless Werder Bremen logo. Tobias himself is a St. Pauli fan - and without further ado, one of our colleagues from Neumünster embosses a few cutting boards for us with the St. Pauli logo. Thank you very much for the lovely gift!
storage of the nets
Lastly, on our tour we visit the LHW warehouse. This is where the production of Bracenets in Neumünster begins and ends: The employees pre-cut the nets so that the other teams can process the nets in smaller parts, and then send the finished packages to us in Hamburg. A large part of our nets are also stored here. The nets come to their recovery first to our partner Nofir, where they are cleaned, stored and pre-sorted. The nets that are suitable for our upcycling are then brought to our factory or to the LHW in Neumünster. Here they are stacked in huge sacks - and you can hardly believe your eyes, they shine in so many colors. We got an overview of the colors, types and quantities of nets, brought some samples back to the factory and are already working hard on many ideas for new products. Stay tuned!
More information about the Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster
To learn more about Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster, just visit their website . You can also visit them directly and support them – for example by shopping at the Pfauenhof nursery or the pottery, having coffee and cake at Café Olé or by placing an order for the media workshop. The adjustable bracenets, which the LHW supports us in producing, can now also be ordered via our online shop buy.
Thank you, dear Lebenshilfewerk Neumünster, for the great day with you - and of course for our collaboration! We were very happy to visit you again, to gain new insights into your work and had a lot of fun. We have a special partnership and we look forward to your visit!