Dr. Gerhard Wobser, long-time President and CEO and formative head of the temperature control specialist LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, is celebrating his 85th birthday. The Doctor of Physics, who has led the family business for almost four decades, can look back on a life full of innovations, entrepreneurial challenges and social commitment.

In 1971, Dr. Wobser joined the company founded by his father and, after his father's death in 1977, took over the management of the company together with his brother Karlheinz. Under his aegis, LAUDA developed into a global technology leader for temperature control units and systems.

Dr. Gunther Wobser, President and CEO in the third generation since 2003, pays tribute to his father's life's work: “My father's calm leadership and expertise have made LAUDA what it is today. His ability to combine scientific precision with entrepreneurial flair was and is the basis of our long-term success.”

Even after retiring from active management in 2010, Dr. Gerhard Wobser has remained closely associated with the company as a shareholder and member of the Advisory Board. “We are delighted that we, as the management team, can still benefit from his experience and opinions today,” emphasizes Dr. Gunther Wobser.

In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Dr. Gerhard Wobser has always distinguished himself through his cultural and social activities. From 1998 until his retirement, he was Chairman of the industry association Spectaris for twelve years and is now its Honorary Chairman. The LAUDA FabrikGalerie, which he founded in 1995, has become an integral part in the regional art scene. From 2013 to 2019, he was Chairman of the Lauda-Königshofen Community Foundation, which he was instrumental in founding. Thanks to his donation, the Kilian Fountain at the Catholic Church in Lauda was put back into operation in 2020.

“My father's achievements go far beyond business,” explains Dr. Gunther Wobser. “His passion for art and culture and his commitment to the community have left a lasting mark not only on Lauda-Königshofen, but on the entire region.”

Dr. Gerhard Wobser has received several awards for his services, including the Staufer Medal (2006), the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon (2011) and the Citizen’s Medal of the City of Lauda-Königshofen (2019). Even in retirement, Dr. Wobser remains active. He devotes himself intensively to his cultural interests, attends art exhibitions and concerts and is a passionate golfer.

The birthday celebration will take place in Weimar, the city of Goethe, one of his favorite places. All employees as well as the shareholders and the LAUDA Seniors' Club wish Dr. Gerhard Wobser all the best for his 85th birthday, good health and thank him for his lifelong commitment far beyond the boundaries of the company.

LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, the world market leader in precise temperature control, has successfully completed the renovation and expansion of its training workshop. The project, which began in mid-May 2023, now offers optimal training opportunities for commercial apprentices and underscores LAUDA's commitment to the future of the company and its employees.

Dr. Gunther Wobser, President and CEO of LAUDA, emphasizes the importance of this investment: “As a world market leader, it is our responsibility to create optimal conditions for training our future skilled workers. By modernizing our training workshop, we are establishing new standards for ourselves in vocational training and enhancing our reputation as an attractive regional employer.”

The extensive modernization includes doubling the number of workstations from six to twelve with state-of-the-art standard workbenches. In addition, the number of soldering tables with solder fume extraction has also been increased from four to eight, enabling comprehensive soldering training for apprentices and skilled workers. A special highlight is the equipment of the workbenches with separate power supplies, which indicate various safety levels through signal lights.

Dr. Mario Englert, CFO of LAUDA, explains: “The investment in our training workshop is an investment in the future. We have spent a six-figure sum in renovation and modernization to provide our trainers and apprentices with the best teaching and learning conditions.”

Further improvements include the enclosure of the room for better noise protection, a trainer's office with two workstations, and a huge 86-inch digital flipchart for interactive presentations and training sessions. The project concept was developed internally by an experienced team of production planners and training managers. It is particularly noteworthy that the implementation was largely carried out in-house by the commercial apprentices. Under the expert guidance of experienced trainers and project managers, the apprentices were able to directly apply their theoretical knowledge to practice and gain valuable experience in project realization.

With the completion of the modernized training workshop, LAUDA once again underscores its commitment to training and developing young talent. The company offers a wide range of future-oriented apprenticeship occupations, including Electronics Technician for Devices and Systems (m/f/d), Warehouse Logistics Specialist (m/f/d), Mechatronics Technician (m/f/d), and Mechatronics Technician for Refrigeration Technology (m/f/d). The new workshop provides optimal conditions for practical, high-quality training in commercial occupations and simultaneously serves for the further education and training of existing personnel, thereby promoting knowledge exchange and continuous professional development within the company.

new.degree GmbH will cease its business operations on June 30, 2024. The wholly owned subsidiary of LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, the global market leader for precise temperature control, was founded in 2021 to drive forward the innovation and digitalization of the parent company. There was previously a similar company based in Silicon Valley, USA, but it ceased operations during the pandemic and transferred its tasks to the German company. After careful consideration, the liquidation of new.degree, »The LAUDA Digital Innovation Hub«, will now be completed.

»The closure of new.degree is a decision that was very difficult for me personally. After all, it was my initiative, which I launched full of energy during my stay in Silicon Valley,« explains Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO at LAUDA. »Agile innovation management is still very important to me. However, the last three and a half years have shown that integrating these tasks into the parent company is more efficient.«

Bringing the innovation and digitalization topics back to LAUDA should improve the direct product reference and enable greater economic success in the long term. Only around a year ago, new.degree moved into new offices in the InnoHubs on Skyline Hill in Würzburg, which are now also being vacated. By bundling expertise under the umbrella of the parent company LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, digital activities will be more closely aligned with the core business and existing customer relationships.

Dr. Mario Englert, CFO at LAUDA and also Managing Director of new.degree GmbH since the beginning of 2024, explains: »Despite numerous ideas each year, only a few have made the leap to concrete business cases. In the current overall economic situation, it makes more sense for LAUDA to focus on its core competencies and drive digitalization forward by additional hired employees at the company headquarters.« 

The closure of new.degree GmbH does not mean the end of comprehensive innovation efforts, but rather represents a strategic step towards a more focused approach at LAUDA. »We would like to thank all former employees of new.degree GmbH for their dedicated work over the past few years,« emphasizes Dr. Gunther Wobser. »The experience and knowledge gained is of great value and will enable us to continue to drive forward the digital transformation at LAUDA in the future and be successful in the long term.«