Tightly woven, strongly connected: Press pads from the Rhine
- nn0095
- Nov 19
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Stolberg is considered the jewel in the crown of HUECK's locations – a global market leader with a unique working atmosphere surrounded by greenery.
HUECK Rheinische is not an industrial company like any other. On the one hand, the production of press pads in Stolberg near Aachen played a significant role in HUECK securing the Berndorf AG Wander-Bär-Award in 2024 with impressive business figures. On the other hand, the factory site is surrounded by greenery and an agricultural atmosphere.
“It's all part of the experience to see a squirrel snuggling up to the window during lunch break,” enthuse the ladies from the internal sales department. The press pads produced in Stolberg are not cosy and soft – they impress with highly complex technical properties based on innovative textile compounds.
Connection conducts heat
In wood-based material production – e.g. laminates or veneers – the press pads are positioned precisely between the heating plate and the press plate. They ensure even heat transfer from the heating plate to the press plate surface, thus ensuring perfect surface structures.
HUECK Rheinische is a global leader. 85 per cent of its production is exported. Some customers have been supplied for 30 years, reports operations manager Stanislav Sapasnik: “This connection creates a close relationship with the product and mutual understanding. Every problem is the seed for the next important development.”
Precision & teamwork for success
Durability is no coincidence: high-quality press pads ensure that even older presses continue to run reliably – a clear efficiency gain for many customers. In production, HUECK relies on state-of-the-art weaving technology for silicone and synthetic yarn pads. The systems are individually configured and enable maximum precision with maximum flexibility.
A particularly challenging large order was recently completed successfully – a real team success that has noticeably strengthened cohesion. “Every success brings us closer together,” emphasises operations manager Stanislav Sapasnik. Reason enough to celebrate joint successes together – for example, with a hearty breakfast with the entire team.
Close to nature
Visitors to the HUECK factory in Stolberg, which only appears to be stuck in time, can experience intact fauna and flora as well as industrial history set in stone. The narrow factory entrance is located in a nature reserve on a tributary of the Münsterbach stream.
The historical origins of this ‘close connection to nature’ in press cushion production are clear. The textile composite fabrics made of brass and copper wire and silicone rubber are manufactured on the site of an 18th-century copper mill. The original vaulted cellars of the ‘Nepomukmühle’ still exist today beneath the production hall.
Stanislav (C.)
As “captain” (C.) of the 13-strong team in Stolberg, Stanislav Sapasnik demonstrates a willingness to learn, perseverance and social skills. The 41-year-old operations manager was born in Kazakhstan and joined HUECK Rheinische in 2010 as a textile machine operator. He immediately felt at home: “Our products are not easy, but that's what makes them interesting. What's more, the working atmosphere is very friendly.”
When the company was looking for a successor for the operations management, he completed a four-year further training course despite his professional commitments – proof of his future orientation. He put his newly acquired skills to good use and took on responsibility.
In his spare time, the competitive ex-cyclist regularly gets on his bike – and covers up to 80 km at a stretch, without electric assistance, of course. As a father of two, he not only finds sporting balance in this, but also clears his head – for family, work and new ideas.