A quarter of a century full of commitment, innovation and team spirit: Michael Abt, Head of Electrical Engineering and Technical Service, celebrated his 25th anniversary with Aero-Lift Vakuumtechnik GmbH on 1 February. The long-serving employee is not only a central pillar of the company, but also a role model for perseverance, passion and tireless commitment to satisfied customers.
On the occasion of his anniversary, Michael Abt was honoured by the management for his many years of service to the company. Katja Haak and Tobias Pauli presented the jubilarian with a gift and a certificate to thank him for his commitment and his important contribution to the development of Aero-Lift. They praised Abt’s tireless commitment, which has contributed significantly to the company’s success story.
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"The downward trend is not based solely on cyclical fluctuations in demand, but now has very tangible structural causes," says Dr. Dietmar Ley, Chairman of Robotics + Automation.
Robotics and automation in Germany has lost competitiveness: For 2025, the industry is forecasting a total turnover of minus 9 percent to 13.8 billion euros. Last year, companies closed with a turnover of minus 6 percent at 15.2 billion euros.
“The sales trend in the robotics and automation industry signals a need for action,” says Dr. Dietmar Ley, Chairman of VDMA Robotics + Automation. “The downward trend is not based solely on cyclical fluctuations in demand, but now has very tangible structural causes: These include, for example, the robotics and automation industry’s excessive dependence on the German automotive industry. Added to this are weaknesses in competitiveness, which business and politics must address with consistent reforms.”
Incoming orders slump The economic and structural weaknesses in incoming orders were not only evident in Germany in 2024, with a drop of 16% compared to the previous year. Growth impetus from abroad also failed to materialize: Demand shrank by 2 percent. The only bright spot for German robotics and automation was exports to the eurozone: incoming orders from eurozone countries rose by an impressive 44% in 2024. In contrast, foreign demand excluding the eurozone countries was 13% below the previous year’s figure.
Reforms needed “Companies in the German robotics and automation industry need to focus on their own competitiveness,” says Dr. Dietmar Ley. “The priority is to speed up innovation. We also need to be more agile in order to react more quickly to customer demand and set ourselves apart from competitors from abroad. Finally, we also need to bring costs down to a competitive level.”
A resolute reform agenda is also needed from politicians, Dr. Ley demands: “We can no longer afford locational disadvantages such as excessive regulation and excessive costs in international competition. The economy in Germany needs reliable framework conditions that support growth and do not slow it down,” he emphasizes. Then robotics and automation could shine again. Because: “All long-term growth trends for our industry of the future are still intact. We must now set the right course,” emphasizes the VDMA trade association chairman.
Cyncly, the global leader in interior design and manufacturing software and content solutions, announces the appointment of Kristina Lengyel as Chief Customer Officer. In this role, Kristina will report to CEO Anand Krishnan and lead Cyncly’s entire customer organization, which includes Customer Experience, Customer Success and Professional Services. Her goal is to ensure that customers get the most value from Cyncly’s solutions and that the company continues to meet the dynamic needs of its customers.
Anand Krishnan, CEO of Cyncly, comments: “I am delighted to welcome Kristina to the team. She will be responsible for managing and improving our customer experience. Her efforts will help us bring together Cyncly’s extensive industry expertise so that our customers can benefit even more from our innovative products and services.”
Kristina Lengyel has extensive management experience in a wide range of areas – from professional services and engineering to customer organizations of global B2B companies. She specializes in growth strategy and has been instrumental in launching new software products and leading global service and customer success teams. Prior to joining Cyncly, Lengyel held senior customer service positions at OpenText, Salesforce and Ultimate Kronos Group.
“I look forward to working with Anand Krishnan and the leadership team to further position Cyncly as a trusted partner and strong client organization,” says Kristina Lengyel. “With a clear vision for growth and innovation, and a commitment to fostering valuable connections across our industries, Cyncly is well positioned to ensure long-term success together with our clients. My goal is to resolutely build on our previous milestones and ensure that we remain a trusted and valued partner for our customers in the future.”
The Grass Group is to restructure its management team. The previous Managing Director Helmut Kainrad left the company in January 2025 due to differences of opinion regarding the strategic direction of the Grass Group. The commercial and technical divisions will be managed on an interim basis until a successor is found. Ercan Bal will remain responsible for sales and marketing as Managing Director.
“Helmut Kainrad has played a central role in the development of the Grass Group in recent years. We would like to thank him for this and wish him all the best and continued success for the future,” explains the company management.
Opening ceremony of Hettich Vietnamn: Matthias Bertl (Managing Director Hettich Southeast Asia and General Director Hettich Vietnam), Jana Schönfeld (Managing Director Hettich), Andrea Casoni (Sales Manager FGV), Thanh Phan (Communications Director of Hettich Southeast Asia and Deputy General Director Hettich Vietnam)
For a year now, the two family-owned companies Hettich and FGV have been joining forces in the furniture fittings industry worldwide. With Hettich Vietnam, they have created a company that offers customized solutions for the dynamic Vietnamese furniture industry and trade.
The official establishment of the company in Vietnam is an important step with regard to the growing furniture market. This strategic investment by the Hettich Group demonstrates its long-term vision to promote and drive sustainable developments in growth markets across Asia and continue to set trends and move markets in its class. Jana Schönfeld, Managing Director of the Hettich Group, explains: “We want to be more than just present in the market. We want to become part of the Vietnamese community and share our experience and innovations from Germany and Italy.”
The establishment of the official branch in Vietnam for the distribution of Hettich and FGV products not only improves sales opportunities, but also promotes strong partnerships with renowned local companies. Matthias Bertl, Managing Director of Hettich Southeast Asia, explains: “In a fast developing market like Vietnam, it is crucial to understand the local conditions. Therefore, Hettich Vietnam is the only supplier that distributes unrivaled quality products and innovations. This is complemented by extensive support from professionals to jointly develop solutions that enrich the lifestyles of consumers across the country. As Hettich Vietnam expands its distribution channels nationwide to increase visibility and drive growth through increased dealer partnerships, the company is additionally focusing on getting closer to the local design and furniture communities as well as homeowners. The goal is to offer innovative and functional solutions that meet the needs of the local market.”
Now that the furniture manufacturers Staud and Leuwico have filed for insolvency proceedings at Stuttgart Local Court, investors are being sought for the companies. In consultation with the provisional creditors’ committee, the insolvency administrator, Dr. Dietmar Haffa from the law firm Schultze & Braun, has commissioned the M&A team at Pluta Management GmbH to carry out this process.
“We will now begin to approach the market and hold the first talks with interested parties in the coming days. The two brands Staud and Leuwico have a great tradition and we are looking for a suitable investor who will successfully lead the furniture manufacturers into the future,” explains Nikolaus Röver, Head of M&A Transactions at Pluta. The aim is to complete the investor process by the planned opening of the proceedings in February 2025.
“Staud and Leuwico stand for high-quality furniture for bedrooms and offices. The feedback from specialist retailers and our customers is positive. We are working on restructuring the companies. With the right partner, we see a good chance that there will continue to be a market for Staud and Leuwico furniture in the future,” say Günther Berchtenbreiter, Commercial Director of Staud, and Nicolas Kammerer, Managing Director of Leuwico. The management will also be supported by Marc Trösser, Chief Restructuring Officer of the Vivonio Group (Trösser&Co.).
Both companies employ around 250 people (around 150 at Staud and around 100 at Leuwico). Production at the Staud and Leuwico sites will continue and deliveries to customers will take place as planned. The business partners are supporting the continuation of operations. Feedback at the PMRExpo trade fair was also consistently positive for the Leuwico furniture exhibited. Leuwico presented its products at the trade fair in Cologne at the end of November despite filing for insolvency.
ASB GlassFloor has won over three award juries in recent months. The triple, consisting of the renowned “German Stevie Award”, the award from the US media company Fast Company as one of the “Most Innovative Companies” and the “Tech in Sport Award” from the British Sport Industry Group, impressively underlines the innovative strength of the Bavarian medium-sized company.
With ground-breaking technology and an innovative approach, ASB GlassFloor has fundamentally changed the conventional ideas of what glass floors are capable of in combination with LED technology. In sport, the floor redefines the entire sporting experience and at the same time opens up innovative opportunities for sponsorship, brand activation and fan loyalty. In architecture, it can be used to create extraordinary immersive experiences that can cover the entire spectrum from artwork to brand experience. ASB GlassFloor’s innovative and versatile developments are already being used by a wide range of customers, including Microsoft and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Christof Babinsky, Managing Director of ASB GlassFloor, is equally delighted with each of the three awards: “We are proud of all three awards – and of course they also spur us on to drive innovation forward and establish it in other areas, just as we have already succeeded in doing in sport.”
Drema, the international trade fair for machinery, tools and components for the woodworking and furniture industry, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The event, which will take place at the MTP Poznań Expo site from September 10 to 13, 2024, will once again attract several thousand professionals from the wood and furniture industry to Poznań. Here you will have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the latest machines and technologies for woodworking and furniture production.
The Drema was held for the first time in 1978 and met with great interest even then. Initially, the event was held every two years, alternating with the exhibition of machinery and equipment for furniture production, which featured exclusively Polish exhibitors. Due to the dynamic development and enormous potential of the wood industry in Poland, it was decided in 1994 to turn the event into an annual event.
Over the years, Drema has evolved and expanded its thematic spectrum. The event has become increasingly popular with both Polish and foreign exhibitors and visitors. Interest increased particularly in the 1990s, when it became possible to fully develop the Polish market. In recent years, the Drema theme has been expanded to include tools, materials and components for the manufacture of furniture, both box and upholstered furniture.
The Drema Fair is one of the few fairs in the world that took place regularly and without interruption according to the calendar during the pandemic. Today, DREMA is the largest supply center for furniture manufacturers in Central and Eastern Europe. The importance of the trade fair in Poznan is demonstrated by the fact that Drema is one of around a dozen worldwide events for the woodworking industry officially supported by the European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (EUMABOIS).
This year’s edition promises to be very positive. It will be larger than Drema 2023, both in terms of exhibition space and the number of exhibitors. Once again, the largest companies have registered to take part in the event, where innovative solutions and technologies of tomorrow for the wood, furniture and sawmill industries will be presented.
The exhibition also includes machines for cutting and sewing fabrics, components for furniture production and furniture accessories as well as adhesives and lacquers. You can find the current list of exhibitors at: www.drema.pl.
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Matthias Pollmann, Vice President trade fair management of Koelnmesse (2nd from left) with the winners of the Interzum Forum Italy Award.
At Koelnmesse’s new event, the Interzum Forum Italy in Bergamo, an award will be presented in several categories. A renowned jury selected winners in the well-known Interzum categories Function & Components, Materials & Nature and Textile & Machinery. There was one prize each for innovation and sustainability. Find out more about the jury HERE.
The winners are:
Function & Components Innovation: MarcaClac die Cattaneo Sergio and Scilm S.p.A.
Function & Components Sustainability: Sititaly SAS the Davide Rossetto
