„Ziehl-Abegg is bursting at the seams in the Künzelsau headquarters“, is how Chairman of the Board Peter Fenkl explains the necessity for the investment in the Gewerbepark Hohenlohe. Ziehl-Abegg is making room for the drive technology division right next to Motorway A6. In this sector, the team surrounding Drive Head Ralf Arnold is developing and selling safe and reliable motors with special control technology for elevators – i.e. is involved directly in the original core business of the company Ziehl-Abegg, which has been growing for over 100 years. „The new construction will create the prerequisites to optimize production and to attack additional problems“ explains Chief Technology Officer Norbert Schuster. The new electromobility for commercial vehicles division (keyword: gearless wheel-hub drive for commercial vehicles) will be residing in the 16,000 square metre new building.
That is why Schmid deemed Ziehl-Abegg as one of the pioneers which is investing in research and development in the still-young sector of electromobility. And one which with drive technologies that have a future is securing and creating high-grade jobs in the south-west. The Minister for Economic Affairs verbatim: „The technological change does not merely provide opportunities for the automotive sector itself. It has potential for all companies which although not currently active in the vehicle environment have the competencies needed for electromobility. Ziehl-Abegg AG is an outstanding example of a previously ‚non-automotive’ company that is using its skills for electric drives and that is transferring them to an electromobility application.“
Up to now, the entire drive division has resided in the Künzelsau headquarters. The employees in this division will relocate to the new factory at the end of 2013, so the number of employees at Ziehl-Abegg in the industrial park (Gewerbepark) will increase by about 100 people. In total, the company areal on the motorway provides an opportunity to employ an additional 1400 people in ten years. „That depends strongly on the overall economic development and the potential in the labour market“ explains Chairman of the Board Fenkl.
„Künzelsau has no need to worry about jobs being cut in Künzelsau“, reassures HR Board member Achim-Curd Rägle. After all, the area freed up will be used for control technology and development. Moreover, global sales, which are decisively influenced by technology, will be expanded. Ziehl-Abegg will be investing over a million euros in the headquarters to accomplish that.
„The latest crisis demonstrated that new products which save energy and which bring persistent improvements to the customers will always have a future“, emphasises Fenkl with a view of the global shifts in the capital and financial markets. Ziehl-Abegg spends about 7% of the annual sales on being able to provide customers with constantly improved fans and drives. About 300 technicians and engineers work on making improvements and developments at the Künzelsau high-tech company.
The continual growth of Ziehl-Abegg can also be seen in the construction projects: In 2008, the „InVent“, at a cost of 13 million, was inaugurated in Künzelsau. In 2009, the first expansion of the Gewerbepark Hohenlohe followed for 10 million euros. Now the new building for the drive division is planned, which for 24 million euros will make 16,000 square meters of space available.
Up to now in the Gewerbepark Hohenlohe, at Ziehl-Abegg the competence centre for the manufacture of so-called centrifugal fans was located in the existing factory. 300 employees machine metal there with modern laser cutting plants and folding presses. Aided by robots, fan impellers are welded together and subsequently balanced with the highest quality. Furthermore, the young process air division is also located in the industrial park.
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