COMPANY EXCURSION: FIT FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
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Company visits
Third-semester students started the winter semester with a 3-day company excursion, which is a fantastic opportunity to learn about career opportunities at global companies in Baden-Württemberg. One student said, “It’s very interesting to see the operations in different industries and amazing to see how automation transformed their production. There is such a big industry and whole supply chain behind a small product, such as a screw. I learned to appreciate the small things.” Read more below about the company visits.
Häfele company visitHäfele Fit for Digital
The first company visit was to Häfele, a family-owned company located in Nagold, in the northern Black Forest. They have been developing hardware and fitting systems and electronic locking systems since in 1923. Students were warmly welcomed by Bruno Schanz, Head of HR Development, and Eduardo Rodriguez, Pricing Manager and a MBA alumnus (Class of 2017). Eduardo shared insights about working at Häfele and reminisced about his MBA studies at Pforzheim, as “a life-changing experience and it enriches you in many aspects of your life.” After a tour of the smart-living showroom of the “fourth dimension of furniture,” Andreas Waidelich, Head of Online Marketing and Cross Media Platforms, presented about transformation of sales and marketing to meet the demands of Industry 4.0.
HOMAG company visitHOMAG. Your Solution
HOMAG Group AG, founded in 1960, is the world's leading manufacturer of wood processing machines. It is headquartered in Schopfloch in the northern Black Forest. Director of People Development & Communication, Christian Schulten, welcomed the students and presented about HOMAG’s transformational journey from a privately-owned company to a global corporation. He inspired students about HOMAG’s “global and winning mindset.” Students had the opportunity to experience the innovative technology that HOMAG offers through its 25th anniversary in-house trade fair, for example, touring a production plant through virtual reality glasses and seeing live robotics on the production line.
Würth company visitWürth, “It’s not just work. It’s more than that.”
The next day the MBA group continued their excursion in the Heilbronn area. Würth is a family-owned business located in Künzelsau, which was founded by Adolf Würth in 1945. It is one of the leading quality brands for assembly technology. Their family corporate culture was palpable throughout the visit, from the welcome presentation to the warehouse tour. Students learned how to manage the world’s largest sales force through the presentation of Annika Klotz, Sales Operations International. Asked about the company culture at Würth, Ms. Klotz’s response explains it all, “It’s not just work. It’s more than that.”
MAGNA company visitMagna Powertrain
Magna Powertrain, an operating unit of Magna International, is a premier supplier for the global automotive industry with full capabilities in powertrain design, development, testing and manufacturing. In Untergruppenbach, 45km north of Stuttgart, one of the world's largest portfolios of manual, dual-clutch and hybrid transmission systems is being developed and prototype tested. Students were impressed by the technical aspects of the transmissions as they toured the prototypes and testing. They also had the opportunity to learn about the digitalization operations through the Industry 4.0 and Manufacturing Execution System project. Thus, the students ended this winter semester’s first excursion with valuable insights into Magna Powertrain’s transmission portfolio.
