PBM makes a pilgrimage to what is universally regarded as the spiritual home of the builders’ level, Stabila.
Okay, so it was hardly the stuff of Richard the Lionheart. The intrepid crusader was held captive for several months around 1193 in the gravity-defying Trifels Castle that overlooks the scenic town of Annweiler in south east Germany. A budget airline (even with delays) meant our journey took a matter of hours rather than the horror-filled months of the twelfth century, but make no mistake, there is still a very important mission going on in these parts.
An early clue, for those with a smattering of the local language, is the giant dragonfly sculpture which adorns the town’s main roundabout. The word for that particular insect and parlance for the bubble-encasing bit of the humble spirit level is the same — libelle. And it has been part of Annweiler folklore since the end of the 19th century, when Gustav Ullrich established a factory for measuring equipment known as Stabila.
Up until that time, all spirit-type levels had been made of wood and the simple glass encased bubbles were extremely vulnerable to knocks. All that changed with the introduction of aluminium casings, and in 1952 a patented acrylic vial with an impact resistant housing, which continues to set the company apart from its competitors.
Today, Stabila’s Annweiler factory produces more than 10,000 levels a day on 24/7 shifts in more than 50 different configurations. Still family-owned, the business remains totally committed to the promised land of mistake-free measuring and levelling.
In the company’s impressive training campus, we were given our first lesson from Head of Application Management and Training, Philipp Scholz, who posed the question: “If you gave a tradesperson the choice to keep just one item from your tool box, which would it be?” It is a debate which has no doubt raged on building sites around the globe for decades but, when it all comes down to it, the most costly mistake in construction is a measurement error.
As Philipp continued: “Pretty much every modern construction is based on 90° angles. If you have a quick and sure-fire quick way of achieving this, then you really are on to something.”
Herrr Ullrich’s first invention, which laid the foundation for Stabila, was a new version of the wooden folding rule. Awarded a patent for a spring loaded hinge, it was built using locally-sourced timber from the surrounding forests. In an age long before retractable tape rules, it proved extremely popular with all manner of craftsmen and was soon being exported across the world. And whilst it never really achieved the same following in the UK, the firm says that “there is still very much a place for it in modern construction.”
For the vast majority of tradespeople across the globe however, Stabila has achieved iconic status for one thing — the spirit level, which thanks to its 130 year know-how and dedication to the cause, has evolved into one of the most sophisticated and vital tools in the build process.
As Sales International Director, Frank Dreisbach explains: “Our engineering team spends a lot of time on site talking to professionals, watching how they use levels and what can be added to the various functions to make them even more beneficial on the job site. From that feedback our technicians get to work and design a tool which meets those requirements.
“Above all, the levels must be extremely robust to withstand the rigors of the site where being dropped or knocked is part of the working day. The key element for us has always been the housing of the vial and the complete protection afforded to it all times. It’s all very well having a lovely-looking, shiny new level but the weak point with so many of our many competitors is in the vial housing, which is often held in place with not much more than a dab of glue.
“It’s never seen by the end user but out of sight should not be out of mind. Even a small malfunction in bubble performance can lead to some extremely costly call backs, and even total building failure. In this business, you simply cannot afford mistakes to be made through shoddy design and tools simply not up to the task,” adds Frank.
Quality Control
A tour of the 350-strong workforce factory showcases the lengths the company goes to ensure that every product that leaves will live up to its ten year warranty. The latest machinery is employed to give the company the edge and retain its reputation as a market leader in Germany and a formidable presence in over 70 other countries.
Multiple cleaning processes, as well as a high resistant powder coating with reinforced bodies, provides a product that can stand up to regular abuse. Adjusted constantly in the production process and then permanently bonded with a synthetic resin, the vials are filled with a special liquid that never fades and is resistant to temperatures ranging from -30° to 50°. The interior walls of the vial are precision ground and the corrosion free reference rings are flush with the surface, allowing the bubble to move freely at all times.
Levels are configured in different ways to meet the measuring requirements of the particular trade and fitted with magnet systems to ensure good adhesion to the surface, whilst there’s a choice of end caps for shock absorption and finger grip openings for added mobility and comfort.
Indeed, the differences in trade requirements has been met with a series of products such as the 96/196 for work with high demands like bricklaying; the Type 80 M specifically developed for plumbers with printed installation dimensions and notches for transferring gauges; and the Type 70 for electricians with marking holes and aids.
The broad range of levels are complemented by an exhaustive range of IP 65 rated electronic measuring tools, allowing complicated arithmetic problems like slopes and angles to be solved and displayed, often with acoustic guidance.
As Frank Dreisbach explains: “Every part of the manufacturing process is checked and checked again to remove even the tiniest of possible flaws in the finished product. At all stages, the best possible materials are used and — whilst this makes us a target for competitors looking to undercut the Stabila offering — it is this company’s fundamental conviction that we will never compromise on quality.
“As a family business we are totally committed to investing in new product development and in recent years this has led to a number of innovations such as a telescopic level, removing the need for the tradesman to take up to three tools to the job, and a level to aid plumbers to accurately position sanitaryware and a robust level for formwork.”
Frank continues: “The same attention to detail has been given to the latest range of laser levelling and measuring devices where robustness is at the design fore. Damage on site is a real worry for such a high value item and we have taken every precaution to safeguard the vital components.”
Pocket tape rules, open reel tapes, architect’s tapes, levelling boards and feather edges complete the line-up. So that when it comes to accurate measuring on site, it’s fair to say that Stabila is continuing to take product development to a completely new level.
For more information on Stabila’s comprehensive range of products and support services for merchants, visit www.stabila.com.
