Vaillant Group and WAAK Cable Assembly: 40 years of successful collaboration

Since the early 1980s, WAAK Cable Assembly and Vaillant have been working together. The Vaillant Group, headquartered in Remscheid, Germany, is one of the most renowned and largest producers of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Initially, WAAK started as a second-source supplier for the German Group, but thanks to its reliability, quality, drive for innovation, and continuous improvement, WAAK evolved into one of Vaillant’s main suppliers. Today, WAAK produces complex cables and cable harnesses, primarily for condensing boilers and heat pumps. Both companies strengthen one another and set new standards in the HVAC industry.

WAAK Cable Assembly: Part of Vaillant's success story for more than 40 years

The Vaillant Group was founded in 1874 in Remscheid, Germany, and has grown into one of Europe’s leading HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) manufacturers. Vaillant Group develops innovative heating, (heat recovery) ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Today, the company employs 16,000 people and has multiple locations worldwide. For more than 40 years, WAAK has been a part of Vaillant Group’s success story.

Need an experienced cable assembly partner? WAAK is here to help you! 

Consistent cable quality lays a solid foundation 

WAAK Cable assembly first came into contact with Vaillant in 1981. At that time, WAAK was one of Vaillant’s few foreign suppliers. Initially, WAAK primarily acted as a second-source supplier, producing mainly single-core connection cables. Romeo Lostia, Director Group Series Purchasing Electronic & Combustion, explains: "Compared to today's cable harnesses, these were relatively simple products, but, nevertheless, WAAK distinguished itself through its consistent quality. Over the years, this gradually increased our trust in WAAK as a supplier. This reliability laid the foundation for a later, more extensive collaboration. Interestingly, some components produced by WAAK back then are still used as spare parts today. In my view, this is the best proof of the quality and reliability that WAAK demonstrated right from the start."

WAAK becomes Vaillant's main supplier of cables and wire harnesses

WAAK’s consistent quality and flexibility were quickly noticed within Vaillant. Thanks to its strong performance, WAAK Cable Assembly rapidly developed from a second-source supplier into the main cable and wire harness supplier for Vaillant — and later also for the broader Vaillant Group. Romeo Lostia comments: "What makes the collaboration valuable is that WAAK always closely cooperates with us. They are flexible and attentive to our needs, even when it comes to more challenging matters such as price agreements or short-term requirements.” 

One of the initiatives through which WAAK differentiates itself from the competition is its planning system. According to Romeo Lostia, "WAAK developed its own planning system based on historical purchasing data. This results in short delivery times and exceptionally high delivery reliability. For a major industrial player like us, operating in a fast-evolving market, this is essential. We highly value such a proactive approach.” 

Discover WAAK's technical expertise in cable assembly

Innovation: Co-developing wire harnesses for Vaillant's heat pumps

Gradually, WAAK grew beyond the role of supplier to become a true partner. A great example of this is the joint development of cable harnesses for heat pumps in 2016 and 2017. For several months, WAAK’s engineering team worked side by side with Vaillant’s developers. Together, they optimised existing cable harnesses and developed new ones, focusing on cost reduction, improved efficiency, and greater reproducibility. According to Romeo Lostia, the project “not only led to qualitatively better products, but also optimised the cost structure. For us, the whole project was so successful that its approach served as a blueprint for other product groups and suppliers within the Vaillant Group.”

WAAK Cable Assembly: Reliable supplier of cables and cable harnesses

For Vaillant, WAAK Cable Assembly remains synonymous with high-quality products, flexibility, and strong customer focus. "If you engage with WAAK, you will quickly discover that they are deeply committed to the success of their customers. We can therefore wholeheartedly recommend WAAK," Romeo Lostia affirms. This recognition has resulted in a long-term partnership based on mutual trust, shared values, and the joint ambition to continually improve and set ever higher industry standards.