LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG announces that Dr. Ralf Hermann, Managing Director and Chief Sales Officer (CSO), will leave the company on August 31, 2024. Dr. Hermann looks back on a successful career at LAUDA, during which he has made a significant contribution to the growth and strategic realignment of the world market leader for temperature control units and systems.

Dr. Hermann joined the company in June 2017 as General Manager Constant Temperature Equipment. On February 1, 2018, he was appointed Authorized Signatory and on April 1, 2022, he was finally appointed Managing Director as part of the Drive250 strategy project. In his role as CSO, he was responsible for all of the company's customer-oriented activities, including international sales, key account management, project management in plant engineering, service and product management. He played a key role in the development and implementation of the Drive250 strategy, successfully introduced a new CRM system and further expanded the digitalization of sales.

“It was a pleasure to play an active role in shaping the success story of LAUDA. Together, we were able to increase sales by more than two thirds between 2017 and 2022 despite the difficult COVID years,” explains Dr. Hermann. He has particularly positive memories of working together at LAUDA: “I will always have fond memories of the good cooperation with all my colleagues, especially with our outstanding global sales team.”

Dr. Gunther Wobser, President and CEO of LAUDA, paid tribute to Dr. Hermann's achievements: “We are very grateful to Dr. Hermann for his work and commitment over the past years. His expertise and commitment have been important to the success of LAUDA.”

Following Dr. Hermann's departure, Dr. Gunther Wobser will take over the sales department and will continue to be supported by the two managing directors Dr. Mario Englert (CFO) and Dr. Marc Stricker (COO). LAUDA would like to thank Dr. Ralf Hermann for his commitment and wishes him all the best for the future. The family-owned company is confident that it will be able to continue its growth path in the future and expand its position as world market leader.

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.