Tag Archive for: HAHN Automation

HAHN apprentices take 4th place at German championship for mechatronics engineers

HAHN apprentices take 4th place at German championship for mechatronics engineers

The apprentice team consisting of Valentin Butz and Jonathan Seis from HAHN Automation Group missed the podium at the German championship of mechatronics by a hair’s breadth: they finished fourth, only 0.4% points behind. During the WorldSkills Germany competition at the Festo Learning Center in St. Ingbert from October 17 to 21, the two apprentice mechatronics engineers had to compete against five teams from other companies. The team from Sick AG won the competition. They will now continue training to officially represent Germany at the WorldSkills Championships in September 2024 in Lyon, France.

Every two years, the best future mechatronics engineers meet for the German championship of the WorldSkills Germany organization. From assembly and connection, to maintenance and optimization of a technical system, the participants were expected to complete three to four consecutive tasks on each of the three days of the competition, which they had to master as a team in a specified time.

Fulminant race to catch up

Unfortunately, the first day of competition went anything but well for Valentin and Jonathan. They had to deal with many technical problems and were completely thrown off their game. The two prospective mechatronics engineers were only able to complete a small part of the day’s task and thus scored almost no points. “After the final whistle, they were devastated. It was clear that gold and silver were in all likelihood out of reach and they know what they are actually capable of,” explains Stephan Boos, Trainer at HAHN Automation Group. “It took some good coaxing and motivation from the mental coach and me to get them back on their feet.”

The next day, everything was to go differently. With their heads held high, Valentin and Jonathan started into the competition and everyone saw immediately: the previous day was history. They started a brilliant race to catch up, completed the remaining work from the previous day and mastered the actual day’s task with flying colors. They were able to leave the competition area before time ran out. As a reward they received thunderous applause from all participants and jury members.

The task of the last day of the competition was to optimize the sorting system, which had been assembled and programmed on the first two days, in terms of cycle time and air consumption. “Valentin and Jonathan went all out and were the only team to rebuild their system not only programmatically but also mechanically,” says Boos. “Everyone else focused only on program operations.” And this plan worked: as on the previous day, they dominated the field and were the first team to leave the competition area 36 minutes before the time was up. Thus, the HAHN Team was not only able to score the extra points for the most efficient layout, but also time points.

Since the other participants also performed very well, it was exciting until the award ceremony whether the race to catch up was still enough for a place on the podium. In the end, the HAHN Automation Group Team missed third place by only 0.4% points. “Under these circumstances, this is a terrific result. I am extremely proud of Jonathan and Valentin and they can be too”, Stephan Boos is happy about the performance of his apprentices.

Team performance

At the Regio Cup in July, the two budding mechatronics engineers were still opponents, but at the German championships they competed as a team. After their first experience of competition in the summer, they were both driven by ambition: “For me, it’s exciting to be able to compete with others,” explains Jonathan Seis. “In addition, you gain a lot of experience in a very short time during the competition and also during preparation, which can also help you later in your career.” Valentin Butz can only agree: “My motivation to take part in the German championship was mainly that I wanted to prove my skills and measure myself against other apprentices in my field.”

They traveled to the competition well prepared. In September, they had already gone through a training camp lasting several days. “After that, we knew exactly where we stood and which screws still needed to be tightened,” explains Trainer Stephan Boos. “Together we drew up a training plan and successively tackled one point after another.” Since there were quite a few points, many a weekend fell victim to the training. In addition to the practical training, they also had the opportunity to participate twice in mental coaching with a sports psychologist, which focused, among other things, on coping with tension and excitement.

“The effort was visibly worthwhile, as we saw just after the end of competition days two and three,” states Boos.

Making apprenticeship attractive

The HAHN Automation Group has been a member of the WorldSkills Germany organization for several years, has participated in the competitions more often and has been a regional organizer itself. From the group’s point of view, learning in competition is a perfect complement to the training itself. Only those who face the competition situation out of their own conviction and tackle the required tasks with personal interest prove they have the staying power and often achieve better results.

“In my opinion, the WorldSkills competitions are a highly underestimated tool for also raising the profile of vocational education among the general public and making dual training more attractive to young people,” thinks Stephan Boos. “For this reason, we have also been hosting the Regio Cup for mechatronics and industrial mechanics in Rheinböllen every year since 2021, so that the topic becomes more widespread and many can benefit from this great concept.” And further, “The gathering of different companies also creates a lively exchange among each other, which not only concerns the competitions, but also the training concepts themselves.”

Targeted training of junior staff has a very high priority for the HAHN Automation Group. The trainers understand qualified apprenticeship not only as imparting technical knowledge, but also as supporting young people in their personal and professional development. You can find more information here: Vacancies for apprentices.

 


The tasks demanded the highest concentration and tact from Valentin Butz (left) and Jonathan Seis (right) of the HAHN Automation Group.


Happy participants and experts after the competition in St. Ingbert.

HAHN Automation celebrates 30th anniversary

Rheinböllen, Germany – HAHN Automation celebrates its 30th anniversary on the market and invites partners, customers, suppliers and press representatives to join the Innovation Days in Rheinböllen on September 14 and 15. Founded in 1992 by Thomas Hähn in his parents’ garage, the company developed from a small design office in the Hunsrück region to a global group of companies within just under 30 years. Only a few years after the company was founded, the first foreign location was established with the expansion into the USA. Today, HAHN Automation employs more than 1,000 people at 12 production sites in China, Germany, Great Britain, Croatia, Mexico, Austria, the Czech Republic and the USA. In 2014, the RAG Foundation in the form of the RAG Stiftung Beteiligungsgesellschaft (RSBG SE) invested in HAHN Automation, which led to the formation of the HAHN Group three years later as a platform for the further development of the company network. The HAHN Group unites a network of specialized companies for industrial automation and robot solutions. At its production and service locations, the group employs approximately 1,800 people in 14 countries worldwide. Well-known customers in the automotive, consumer goods, electronics and healthcare industries benefit from over 30 years of expertise. This know-how in the field of automation technology ensures that resources are used efficiently and robots, as well as digital technologies, are implemented purposefully. “We are very pleased with the development that HAHN Automation and later also HAHN Group have accomplished. Over the past 30 years, we have been able to implement countless customer projects, establish strong partnerships and, above all, make an important contribution as an employer, especially in the Hunsrück region, but also at all other company locations. I am looking forward to the coming years and am confident that we will continue to write the success story,” says Frank Konrad, CEO of HAHN Automation. For Thomas Hähn, company founder and CEO of the parent company RSBG Automation and Robotics Technologies, one thing is certain: “HAHN Automation is not only a great success story in itself, but rather also the nucleus for many other exciting developments, company foundations and partnerships. Through the entry of the RSBG SE in 2014, we were able to put the plan to establish an international pioneer in industrial automation into action. In addition, HAHN Automation was also the origin of all developments towards HAHN Robotics, HAHN RobShare and most recently the United Robotics Group.” In order to celebrate the 30th anniversary also with partners, customers, suppliers and press representatives, we therefore cordially invite you to visit us in Rheinböllen on September 14 and 15 and to participate in the Innovation Days. For employees, families, friends and interested persons there will also be an Open House on 17.09. on the entire company premises. Further information about the Innovation Days: https://www.hahnautomation.com/en/30years

Success stories of the HAHN Group network

With locations all over the world, the HAHN Group offers a large network. In the following article, four employees report on their exchange experiences between international sites.

Carlos, Project Leader Assembly HA DE AS, came from Mexico to Rheinböllen

Efrain, Junior Software Engineer Controls HAHN Automation GmbH, came from Mexico to Rheinböllen

Kresimir, General Operations Manager HAHN Automation S. de R.L., came from Rheinböllen Germany to Zagreb Croatia, and afterwards to Queretaro Mexico

Johannes Philipp, Project Leader Assembly HAHN Automation GmbH, came from Germany to the Czech Republic, and afterwards to Mexico

What was your reason for this experience?

Carlos: I wanted to learn more about both – the work at HAHN Automation in Rheinböllen and the German culture. I believed that it was a good opportunity for my professional and personal development.

Efrain: I wanted to continue growing as a professional and as a person. My boss gave me this opportunity and I said yes to it.

Kresimir: I am an open person who is always searching for new challenges. The dynamic of our work means we could never have the same day twice.

Johannes Philipp: A colleague told me that they didn´t find someone for the job yet and I felt like doing something new. I spent 2 weeks visiting the location and then joined the team for 4 years.

How was the experience with your new colleagues? Did you feel well integrated?

Carlos: I always felt welcomed, even though it took me some time to adapt. By the time that I arrived, I did not speak neither understood the German language that much. Now I can do it a little bit more than before. Everyone is nice, helpful and willing to collaborate. I feel integrated with the team and I enjoy my days at work.

Kresimir: Since I have started at HAHN Automation in Germany, I have always had a feeling that we are one family. As a foreigner coming to Germany, without knowing language, all the team members accepted me very well.

Johannes Philipp: In the Czech Republic, it was very difficult at the beginning because of the language. The people were very skeptical. After a year, I did an intensive language course and then I could communicate even with the 50% who did not speak English at all. That made a huge difference. People really appreciate it when you learn their language. It opens up a completely new range of opportunities.

Did this experience improve your technical skills? Did you get to know new technologies or processes?

Efrain: HAHN Automation in Germany is bigger than HAHN Automation Mexico. Here you can find more projects, more technologies, more specialists, more processes. If you have any technical issue, there are more people available that you can ask for help. I have had the chance to collaborate in projects made for different customers worldwide.

Johannes Philipp: Technically, we learn new things with every project. The Czech Republic has a different way of thinking than the Germans. You have to find a common basis for that. That is not always easy, but you also have to realize your goals and never stop learning.

What was the one thing you benefit the most of?

Johannes Philipp: Definitely the interaction with people and I lost the fear of trying new things. I have seen that everything is possible.

Would you recommend an exchange to other employees and why?

Efrain: If they have the opportunity, they just need to take it. They must not be afraid of the people, the country or the language. They need to know that they will learn a lot and they will find out how people live. This can help them growing professionally and improve themselves personally.

Kresimir: Do not be afraid to try new things and to take opportunities that scare you. It is a big learning experience.                                                                                                                       

Thank you for the interviews!

The MOBILE.EXPO update – continuation planned for 2022

The HAHN Group MOBILE.EXPO is currently on a winter break. After a successful start in autumn 2021, the journey will continue in spring/summer 2022. Highlights of the forthcoming dates are above all several company anniversaries, which are also celebrated in this context.

The HAHN Group MOBILE.EXPO visited nine different locations in Germany and Belgium in just a few weeks. The integrated trade fair appearance during the FAKUMA in Friedrichshafen and the visit to Mainz during the HAHN Group Global Conference & Sales Conference were particularly interesting. The European tour will soon be continued with the planned stops in Lüdenscheid, Kremsmünster (Austria), Úvaly (Czech Republic) and Rheinböllen. At the same time, the locations also celebrate important dates such as the reopening of the DAHL Robotics location with an integrated Mobile Robots Experience Center or the numerous company anniversaries within HAHN Automation. In Rheinböllen, the company can already look back on 30 successful years of operation.

The aim of the MOBILE.EXPO is to share a selection of different topics and technologies from the HAHN Group company network. This enables personal exchange with colleagues, customers and partners from the regions. After the long period of contact and travel restrictions, the audience happily accepted this offer and numerous visitors were already able to get an idea of ​​modern automation and robot technology.

The regional HAHN Group locations can set their own priorities during the MOBILE.EXPO, which means that different highlights can be observed during the tour. The team from Waldorf Technik in Engen welcomed the local mayor and 100 students from the trade school in Singen to arouse their interest in technical professions. In Diepenau, the management of GeKu Automatisierungssysteme presented the expansion plans for their location and announced the long-term expansion of their workforce. In meetings with the Rhineland-Palatinate Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt and the Thuringian Economics Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee, the MOBILE.EXPO was also able to place important topics on the further development of the respective business locations, education and innovation with political influencers.

During the event, attention was paid to compliance with the distance rules, the recording of contacts and hygienic protective measures. However, due to the corona situation in winter 2021, it was decided that the last four MOBILE.EXPO events would be rescheduled in spring 2022. This ensures the highest level of security for all visitors and participants. Further information on the new dates will be announced as soon as possible on the HAHN Group website and on LinkedIn.

Take a look at the impression of the MOBILE.EXPO 2021 in the following photo gallery:

HAHN Group appoints Frank Konrad as CTO/COO

On February 1st, 2022, Frank Konrad will take over responsibility as CTO/COO for the technical and procedural control of the entire HAHN Group, in addition to his role as CEO of HAHN Automation. With this step, the corporate network will accelerate the integration of its subsidiaries in order to prepare for the planned growth.

As CTO/COO, Frank Konrad will be responsible for the business areas of innovation and development, engineering and software, processes and project management as well as purchasing. With this decision, the HAHN Group is preparing for the great potential of innovative projects in the fields of automotive, diagnostics and medical devices as well as electronics.

“As a global company, we have the size and the strength to be a reliable development and implementation partner for our customers, even for very large and complex automation projects. Therefore, we will join our competencies and capacities even more closely together,” states Philipp Unterhalt, CEO of the HAHN Group. He adds: “I am very happy that Frank is ready for these challenges and that he is putting his decades of experience and competence at the service of the entire HAHN Group.”

Frank Konrad, who also took over the chairmanship of the board of directors of the VDMA for the Robotics + Automation trade association in October 2021, is a partner and CEO of HAHN Automation and has significantly shaped the company’s positive development. The 49-year-old automation expert adds his experience to the management of the HAHN Group consisting of Philipp Unterhalt (CEO) and Axel Greschitz (CFO).

“I see great potential in the HAHN Group, which we will realize even faster through harmonization and integration of the individual companies”, explains Frank Konrad who is looking forward to the new task. “We always take into account the requirements of the individual companies, industries and customers. That is what makes this role so exciting, along with the implementation of a joint innovation strategy.”

Frank Konrad will also keep the role of CEO of HAHN Automation. The massive expansion of the organization that is currently taking place strengthens the entire team and takes the positive market development into account.

HAHN Group MOBILE.EXPO offers local trade fair in your region

Frankfurt am Main, Germany – The HAHN Group MOBILE.EXPO is picking up speed and presenting its technologies and products with its innovative exhibition and trade fair concept at 13 locations in Europe
The HAHN Group starts its MOBILE.EXPO in Europe on September 20th. At 13 locations in 5 countries, including a stop at the FAKUMA trade fair, the new exhibition and trade fair concept brings the technologies, products and contacts of the company network to regional customers and partners.
The HAHN Group shows digital and service-oriented concepts on 60m² of exhibition space in the specially converted exhibition truck. With the help of a wide range of information, a place for exchange, networking and brainstorming is created. At the accompanying exhibition, the current state of the art in the field of automation and robot technologies can be experienced up close on a further 80m². The agenda is designed for each truck stop location-specifically and thus sets sustainable impulses for transformation and knowledge transfer within the respective region.
Interested participants can register for MOBILE.EXPO on the HAHN Group website: https://www.hahn.group/en/events/mobile-expo/
The MOBILE.EXPO is carried out with the following event dates and locations:
  • 20.09. – 23.09.2021 | HAHN Robotics in Bettlach, Switzerland
  • 28.09. – 01.10.2021 | Waldorf Technik in Engen, Germany
  • 12.10. – 16.10.2021 | FAKUMA in Friedrichshafen, Germany
  • 19.10. – 21.10.2021 | Mainz, Germany
  • 25.10. – 26.10.2021 | HAHN Robotics in Fichtenau, Germany
  • 08.11. – 10.11.2021 | HAHN Robotics in Kelmis, Belgium
  • 15.11. – 19.11.2021 | GeKu Automatisierungssysteme in Diepenau, Germany
  • 22.11. – 24.11.2021 | HAHN Robotics in Ponitz, Germany
  • 25.11. – 01.12.2021 | HAHN Automation in Ùvaly, Czech Republic
  • 02.12. – 07.12.2021 | HAHN Automation in Kremsmünster, Austria
  • 09.12. – 11.12.2021 | HAHN Robotics in Lüdenscheid, Germany
  • 13.12. – 17.12.2021 | HAHN Automation in Rheinböllen, Germany
In addition to the information materials that can be experienced on site at MOBILE.EXPO, the HAHN Group offers featured content on the subject of “DIGITAL ADVANCED AUTOMATION” on their website. Through a video case study for the Healthcare industry, you will learn how today’s production will be further optimized through the application of intelligent and digital automation technologies. With its network, the HAHN Group is able to offer complex large-scale projects from a single source and to distribute capacities in times of high incoming orders. The video as well as a short presentation of the digital product portfolio and the responsible contact persons can be found here: https://www.hahn.group/en/digital-advanced-automation/

HAHN Group sets the course for the future

The HAHN Group is preparing for further growth.

With the reorganization of the investment structure by RSBG SE, the investment company for medium-sized companies of the RAG Foundation, RSBG Automation & Technologies GmbH is created as a new corporate platform. This also results in a broader potential and further synergies for the HAHN Group. The previous CEO of the HAHN Group, Thomas Hähn, will be in charge of the new platform. The previous managing director Philipp Unterhalt will take over the helm of the HAHN Group on April 1, 2021. Together with Axel Greschitz (CFO), the further expansion of the group in factory automation is driven forward. Additional locations are to be opened in the next few months.

RSBG Automation & Robotics Technologies GmbH as a new company platform enables growth in further business areas through the use of technical and organizational synergies

With the establishment of RSBG Automation & Robotics Technologies, RSBG SE opens up the possibility for further technology investments besides the HAHN Group. The HAHN Group is a 100 percent stake in the new platform and focuses on automation and robotics in the industrial environment. In addition, further investments in automation and robotics in non-industrial areas are planned.

Further development of the management team underlines the stability and continuity of the HAHN Group

The management of RSBG Automation & Robotics Technologies is taken over by Thomas Hähn, founder of HAHN Automation and longstanding CEO of the HAHN Group. In the future, as CEO of RSBG Automation & Robotics Technologies, he will be responsible for all activities in the area of automation & robotics, and will therefore continue to be strategically linked to the HAHN Group.

Philipp Unterhalt takes over the management of the HAHN Group. Together with Axel Greschitz as CFO, he will push the next growth step and promote the diversification of the company network. Unterhalt will take up his new role as CEO of the HAHN Group on April 1, 2021.

“I am pleased to introduce Philipp Unterhalt as the new CEO of the HAHN Group. He has demonstrated outstanding strategic orientation. With his international experience and value-based management style, he is the ideal candidate for the further development of the HAHN Group. I really appreciate our cooperation and look forward to continuing it in the new constellation,” said Thomas Hähn, CEO RSBG Automation & Robotics Technologies GmbH.

Philipp Unterhalt has been with the HAHN Group since 2014 and worked as its managing director since 2019. Together with Thomas Hähn he developed the concept of the HAHN Group as a platform for entrepreneurially managed automation companies and managed all transactions of the group of companies. Under his leadership, the new companies were integrated and the digital strategy was also developed and implemented. In addition to the operational business, the 39-year-old is also responsible for corona management at the HAHN Group. The economist lives with his family in Essen.

“The HAHN Group is a fascinating group of companies and entrepreneurs. Due to the network character, we can use the synergies of a large company and still be very close to the customer with innovative solutions,” explains Unterhalt. “I am really looking forward to working with the entire team in order to continue our successful strategy: organic growth, supplemented by technological expansion as well as expansion of the business in additional industries and the strengthening of global activities.”

Into the future with mobile robotics

The HAHN Group continues to grow even during the pandemic. Incoming orders across the Group in 2020 increased by 21 percent compared to the previous year, in particular due to orders in the healthcare sector. The focus of the current year is, among other things, on growth in the area of mobile robotics. Two more locations for the HAHN Robotics Network are to be established in southern and eastern Germany this spring. Mobile robotics enables the support of logistics processes in production with minimal integration effort and thus offers even for smaller companies interesting automation solutions that quickly pay for themselves.

Waldorf Technik and HAHN Automation jointly serve the demand for the healthcare industry

The market for the healthcare industry has been booming in recent years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global demand for diagnostic laboratory consumables rose to unprecedented levels.

As a member of the HAHN Group, Waldorf Technik has access to a global network of automation and robotics specialists. The knowledge transfer within the HAHN Group and synergies in training of employees allow all companies to work together in managing additional order peaks. This allows Waldorf Technik to find a suitable solution together with the customer while fulfilling the order in a timely manner with the support and cooperation with HAHN Automation.

It quickly became clear that HAHN Automation could support Waldorf Technik not only with the building of standardized systems at their site in Rheinböllen, but also add their expertise in construction and design in order to improve processes. Automation systems for pipette tips are now also being manufactured in Rheinböllen in order to meet global demand.

The applied technology

As part of the cooperation, the patented and proven Vario TIP® FSS system from Waldorf Technik is built at the HAHN Automation site according to customer specifications. HAHN Automation and Waldorf Technik both grow from the exchange of knowledge. As a result, HAHN Automation today designs and builds completely new modules as required in order to jointly deliver unique production systems for the manufacture of laboratory consumable products.

Benefits of working together

As partially standardized solutions from Waldorf Technik were already available, HAHN Automation was able to implement the projects very quickly. With its extensive experience and competence, HAHN Automation was able to actively support the development department of Waldorf Technik. This experience with the healthcare industry, which was gained in a short time, is particularly valuable for HAHN Automation: The HAHN Automation Süd location in Villingen-Schwenningen was officially opened in September 2020 and focuses on the planning, design, construction, assembly and commissioning of assembly and testing systems for the production of medical devices and systems. The local team can also carry out appropriate equipment validations in order to adhere to FDA and EMA standards.

Synergies within the HAHN Group

With modular automation processes, the value-added steps in the manufacture of medical consumables can be covered even better through the cooperation between Waldorf Technik and HAHN Automation, as well as HAHN Robotics, GeKu and WEMO. Customers have the advantage that they are looked after by closely coordinated teams within the HAHN Group, which already have cooperation experience and enable quick collaboration.

The HAHN Group Sales Roadshows – an event review

In September and October the HAHN Group organized several localized sales road shows as an alternative to the annual sales conference. Usually around 70 German-speaking sales employees from the various HAHN Group subsidiaries meet in one place to exchange ideas and develop their networks. Due to the travel and assembly restrictions of the corona pandemic, however, the event had to take place in a smaller scale. Therefore, it took place in several regions and was carried out with smaller groups at each location.

The sales staff met at three HAHN Group sites in Germany: at HAHN Automation in Rheinböllen, at HAHN Robotics in Diepenau, and at Waldorf Technik in Engen. The first day started with the presentation of the new company presentation with many insights into the development of the corporate group by Thomas Hähn, CEO of the HAHN Group. On top of that, a presentation of the latest standard products, such as Smart Solutions, Mobile Robots and the Palletizing Kit took place. The second day of the roadshow featured a local factory tour and joint workshops.

These product presentations and the exchange with one another were of central importance for the sales teams in order to get to know the solutions of the sister companies within the HAHN Group, as well as to discuss the possible combinations for customized systems with standard solutions.

“We are impressed by every one of you. That is why we encourage the exchange of ideas and networking between our teams,” Thomas Hähn told his audience. “With the HAHN Group and our subsidiaries, we still have a lot of potential for growth. That is why we invest in you and give you the security you all need so that you can continue to do your great work. ”

Equipped with lots of new information and marketing tools, the sales teams return to their workplaces. Building on the positive feedback of this event series it will be repeated next year at other HAHN Group locations. In addition, the HAHN Group plans to promote closeness to their customers, which is why starting in spring 2021, the HAHN Group will implement mobile trade fairs or road shows with the motto “Advanced Automation”. The respective sales teams can arrange individual appointments with their customers and present the latest product innovations Smart Solutions, Mobile Robots and Palletizer on site and in person. So far, three events are planned at three different locations in Germany. However, this concept will soon be expanded. With the help of the mobile road show, customers and salespeople no longer have to forego personal contact, but have the opportunity for exchange while adhering to the current hygiene and safety requirements.

On an international scale the HAHN Group is planning for a series of digital training events, in order to make the content of the German sales roadshow accessible to all. This event series is already in development for January and February 2021 in order to successfully kick off the new year.

Are you interested in participating in a mobile road show? Contact us at advancedautomation@hahn.group for more information. We are looking forward to the exchange with you!