Žamberk (Czech Republic), Uzwil (Switzerland), June 13, 2022 - On
June 10, 2022, Bühler celebrated the 10th anniversary of the integration of the
Žamberk production site into Bühler Group. Employees of the site as well as
representatives of the city and the region were invited to the celebrations. On
Saturday, June 11, an open house was held where visitors and interested parties
could have a look behind the scenes and learn more about the training and
employment opportunities at Bühler Žamberk.
In
2012, Bühler AG took over the Žamberk production site from Rieter, which until
then had mainly manufactured machines and parts for the textile industry. Until
1990, production belonged to Elitex and they manufactured spinning machines and
winding equipment. In 1994, the site became Rieter Elitex, and in 2004, just
Rieter.
At the beginning, Bühler manufactured products primarily for its
Milling Solutions (MS) division, including filters, airlocks, vibro
dischargers, as well as control cabinets for plants and much more. Over the
years, the portfolio grew and so did the importance of the site in Europe.
Today, Žamberk plays a central role in Bühler's production network and is a
leading example of applied production technologies such as robotics or
automation.
A site of success for 10 years
"It
is with pleasure and a little pride that we look back on 10 successful years in
Žamberk and look positively into the future at a site that masters a large
product portfolio, is very well organized, and responds flexibly and innovatively
to challenges and changes," says Stefan Scheiber, CEO of Bühler Group. He
joined the celebration with two other members of the Bühler Executive Board,
Holger Feldhege, COO Manufacturing, Logistics & Supply Chain, and Mark
Macus, CFO.
"With
Žamberk, we are in the European market and can efficiently produce
cost-sensitive and sophisticated products. What was already important 10 years
ago, has gained additional significance in the past two years," says
Holger Feldhege.
In
Žamberk, Bühler primarily produces machines and products for the Bühler Group,
but with up to 20% of its capacity, also for third-party customers, for example
for the textile and automotive industries. Comprehensive production ranging
from materials procurement to machining, sheet metal processing, surface
treatment, and final assembly, including control engineering and on-time
delivery of the finished goods in Bühler quality, distinguishes the site and
makes it crucial for other Bühler sites. The production facility manufactures
individual parts for other Bühler manufacturing sites in Europe at up to 30% of
its capacity. The diversity of jobs and professions offered by the production
site goes hand in hand with the size of its portfolio.
Celebrating success and leading into the future
In
addition to 10 successful years of the site and its employees in the Bühler
network, there was another anniversary. Jiri Appeltauer, the previous
Production Manager of Žamberk, had already been working at the site for 32
years when he took over in 2012. He celebrated his 30th anniversary as head of
the site and handed over his successful legacy to Andreas Schachtner, who will
take up this challenge in addition to his current role as Head of Business
Development in Manufacturing, Logistics & Supply Chain (MLS) from July
2022.
To
recognize and celebrate both anniversaries and the leadership handover, all
employees along with the municipal council of Žamberk, and school and
university leaders from the region were invited to the festivities. Following
speeches by the management and a tour of the plant, Jiri Appeltauer officially
handed over operational management to Andreas Schachtner. "It is a good
feeling to know that this important site will continue to be in good hands. The
current challenges of the market require skill and a good sense of how the site
needs to develop," says Holger Feldhege.
"The
Žamberk site has continuously increased its importance for the Bühler network.
This is also thanks to the successful and future-oriented management of Jiri as
well as the dedicated and highly qualified employees. For the region, the
Žamberk plant is a beacon in terms of apprenticeship training and cooperation
with local institutions. We sincerely thank Jiri for his commitment and wish
Andreas all the best for his additional task," says Stefan Scheiber, CEO
of Bühler, in his address.
Well positioned for growth
Žamberk
will continue to play a central role for Bühler's European sites. "The
developments of the past two years and the resulting challenges for production
operations have strengthened our resolve on positioning ourselves in Europe in
order to minimize risks such as production stoppages and supply
bottlenecks," says Stefan Scheiber. In order to remain effective and
flexible, we still need well-trained employees and specialists.
At
the open house on Saturday, interested people from the region had the
opportunity to view the entire site and learn more about the many job
opportunities at Bühler. Andreas Schachtner and Jiri Appeltauer were available
to answer questions and provide information about the comprehensive training
and continuing education programs offered.
Andreas
Schachtner is optimistic about the future of the Žamberk site: "I am
looking forward to continuing our good contacts with the educational
institutions in the region that Jiri has built up and cultivated. Recruiting
skilled workers and experts is becoming increasingly difficult; however, I am
convinced that Bühler will remain an attractive employer for the region with
its extensive educational offerings, stable market environment, and modern and
competitive production," he says. "Through training and continuing
education, we are continuously developing ourselves. We give our apprentices
confidence early on and open opportunities for them in the international
working world because we want them to work later as cosmopolitan, innovative
and versatile employees, whether in Switzerland or elsewhere in the
world."
-By
Bühler
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