This is currently one of the largest private-sector construction projects in northern Bavaria. After a short planning and construction period of just over two and a half years and just in time for the company's 50th anniversary, conveyor technology elements and control cabinets have been manufactured in the new "Plant II North" since the beginning of September 2021. This will create up to 1,800 new attractive jobs in Parkstein - for IT and PLC specialists, project staff, design engineers, metalworkers, mechatronics engineers and electricians. The opening was duly celebrated with guests in compliance with the current framework conditions. In his speech, Minister Albert Füracker described the company as a "shining example for the whole of Bavaria."

"Forward-looking solutions and successful projects were and are the driving force behind the Witron Group's strong growth. We have decided to make this investment in order to continue to reliably meet this high demand in terms of quality and quantity. In addition, this step makes it possible to secure jobs in the region as well as in the subsidiaries in Europe, North America and Australia in the long term and to remain at the cutting edge of technology. After all, innovation and motivated, well-trained employees have been a cornerstone of Witron since the company was founded," said Walter Winkler in his speech. "A company must not be interchangeable. Not in terms of the solutions it offers, and certainly not in terms of its corporate culture and the commitment of its employees. Only then will it be successful in the long term. Natural intelligence is at least as important as artificial intelligence."

Albert Füracker, Bavarian State Minister of Finance and Home Affairs, praised Witron as an added value for the Upper Palatinate and a shining example for the whole of Bavaria. Füracker also emphasized the Witron culture based on tradition and progress. "Witron has been a down-to-earth company for 50 years, which still modestly describes itself as a 'hidden champion', but is a true 'real champion' - with Walter Winkler as an entrepreneurial personality who is characterized by creativity and passion. A personality who not only has ideas and plans in his head or perhaps even sketches them on paper, but also implements them consistently and, above all, successfully. For the benefit of customers, for the benefit of employees, for the benefit of society," said the Minister. Witron's ongoing success is the result of inspiration and perspiration.

Thanks to everyone involved in the project

"Just a few months after the decision to plan and build, the first earthworks began. This also required pragmatic cooperation with the local authorities, architects, all suppliers and the responsible general contractor. Thanks to many hard-working hands and the great commitment of everyone involved, the inauguration of Plant II North can be duly celebrated in the anniversary year after a construction period of just under two years," Walter Winkler was delighted to say.

Another 1,800 jobs planned

Witron currently employs 4,800 people, a good 2,000 of whom work at the Parkstein site. In the next two years, this figure will rise to 7,000 employees worldwide, for which customer orders have already been placed. Turnover of almost 1 billion euros is expected for the 2021 financial year. "Due to this positive outlook, it is imperative to significantly expand production resources and hire additional employees," explains Walter Winkler. "We will then be able to offer up to 1,800 additional attractive jobs in Parkstein - for IT specialists, control and project staff, design engineers, mechatronics engineers, electricians and metalworkers."

Highly optimized material flow - pioneering work processes

The Parkstein-based logistics general contractor has been manufacturing its highly dynamic and energy-efficient pallet, container and tray conveyor technology elements itself since 2005. Production for all projects worldwide is centralized in Parkstein. Production resources were already massively increased in 2010, 2013 and 2018. In the new Plant II North, the area for the production of conveyor technology elements alone, including electroplating, covers 87,000 square meters. A further 12,000 square meters are planned for the production of control cabinets. The storage capacities in the automated warehouses are designed for 10,500 pallet spaces and 23,750 container spaces. The maximum height of the buildings is eleven meters. For reasons of space optimization, storage is largely below floor level.

Our machinery uses the latest production technology, such as laser punching and bending combination machines or a large area for galvanic surface finishing. This enables the necessary breadth of production and therefore consistently high quality down to the last detail. The manufacturing process is more reminiscent of a manufactory than a production plant. This is because the final assembly of the conveyor elements is carried out at so-called production islands using precisely coordinated work processes. All production islands are designed as bright and ergonomic workstations and stock all the parts required to complete an element and its variants. Production control and parts supply is supported by a Kanban system in conjunction with automatic pallet, tray and container storage. The individual production and storage areas, including incoming and outgoing goods, are precisely networked with each other in a transparent, highly optimized material flow.

Instead of on site at the customer's construction site, the wiring work on motors, control and regulation units is carried out in an optimum working environment during the production process. This results in high product quality, shorter commissioning times and efficient interaction between controllers, sensors and the PLC and IT components, which are also developed in-house at Witron.

Witron solutions supply over 100 million people every day

"We realize projects in a systemically relevant industry. Every day, our solutions supply more than 100 million people with food and many important everyday necessities via stores or online retail - economically, ecologically and socially. Numerous customers worldwide, especially in the food sector, rely on our project experience and technological expertise, such as the OPM/COM technology patented by Witron," emphasized Walter Winkler. OPM/COM is considered one of the most successful fully automated picking systems for retail units worldwide. "In addition, our customers - and we are particularly proud of this - rely on the values and culture that make the Witron family business so unique: Rolling up our sleeves, keeping promises, being credible, reliable and predictable, staying down-to-earth," said Winkler, highlighting the company's strengths. "The entire Witron Group is aware of this responsibility every day. And with the additional opportunities that Plant II North offers us, we are rising to this challenge - today and in the future, for the benefit of our customers and employees".

The article appeared in materialfluss 10/21.