Kathrein Drives Forward Transformation at the Rosenheim Location
The company is transforming its HQ to an innovation and technology location and in addition to new areas for research and development, a lead factory will be established in Rosenheim in the next few years.
This lead factory will be established for the development of standardised and innovative production processes.
The new alignment of the Rosenheim site is an essential component in the reorganisation of the Kathrein Group. Markets are experiencing ever shorter cycles of innovation, meaning that customers must simultaneously come to grips with a constant stream of new demands. As a technology pioneer, Kathrein is facing the challenge – research activities at the headquarters will be significantly expanded. The company has recruited more than 100 highly qualified specialists in the past 12 months alone, and former production and office spaces are being transformed as well as a new development and test building constructed at Works III in the Klepperstrasse.
TRIED-AND-TESTED PRODUCTION PROCESSES ADOPTED
The lead factory will network the areas of innovation and product creation with the widely branched production division within the Kathrein Group. "We will be developing innovative products and processes in the lead factory so that they can be simply adopted by other production sites within our company group, and without any losses in quality," explained Frank Ullmann, Chief Operating Officer of the Kathrein Group. If processes in the lead factory progress stably, these will then be transferred to other locations where series production will be initiated.
OVERALL PRODUCTIVITY INCREASES
"The concept of a lead factory gives us significant advantages," continued Ullmann. "On the one hand we benefit from a direct proximity to our research and development resources, and on the other we are able to exploit the many decades of production experience at the headquarters." By adopting tested manufacturing processes, productivity levels throughout the group of companies will increase.
DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN EXECUTIVE BOARD AND WORKS COUNCIL
The concept of a lead factory will be accompanied by a qualitative transformation in Rosenheim. Levels of natural fluctuation will be primarily used to modify the employee structure to the new requirements. Cutbacks in personnel however cannot be avoided as part of the new alignment. How the transformation is specifically implemented will be the theme of confidential discussions between the executive board and the works council in the coming weeks, and both sides have agreed to inform together about intermediate results.
"For the executive board it is very important that the transformation is socially acceptable, with individual offers for our employees. We are confident of finding a solution for everyone," emphasised Anton Kathrein, Managing Director of Kathrein. All tariff policy instruments will be used to this effect.
