LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG honored Norbert Hönninger for his impressive 40-year anniversary with the company. During a ceremony, the managing directors, the management team, the works council, and the mayor of Lauda-Königshofen honored the extraordinary performance of the long-serving employee, who has helped shape the company for four decades.

Norbert Hönninger began his career at LAUDA on June 1, 1985, where he initially worked in the pre-assembly of customer-specific refrigerated thermostats. Following a period of refrigeration pre-assembly, he transitioned to operational logistics in November 1987, where he remained for over 35 years. From 1986 to 1989, he attended the master school for mechanical engineering and toolmaking while working. In his role as production controller, he was responsible for the creation and optimization of production plans and the comprehensive management of production orders. Particularly during the coronavirus pandemic, he mastered the demanding challenge of parts supply with great commitment.

In his laudatory speech, Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO of LAUDA, paid tribute to the special achievements of the jubilarian: “Norbert Hönninger has shaped LAUDA for over four decades with his thoughtful approach and foresight. We celebrate his anniversary, which demonstrates the value of long-term employees to our family business. His continuous development and commitment make him a role model.” Dr. Wobser presented Hönninger with the LAUDA Certificate of Honor and the Certificate of Honor from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Dr. Lukas Braun, Mayor of the town of Lauda-Königshofen, emphasized the social significance of such work and life achievements and praised the anniversary as a sign of reliability. He emphasized that mutual trust between employers and employees is particularly important in difficult times. Norbert Hönninger had radiated stability and professional competence for over four decades and embodied the loyal core staff that was invaluable then as now. Dr. Braun conveyed his congratulations and the certificate of honor from the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann.

Christoph Baumann, Director Global Production, emphasized the lasting impact of the jubilarian on the company: “Norbert Hönninger has achieved an impressive performance and played a decisive role in shaping LAUDA. He has always acted with composure and forward thinking and has been a central pillar for many years.”

Works Council Chairman Elmar Mohr referred to the significant social events of 1985 and paid tribute to the employee's continuous development from his beginnings at the production control station throughout his entire career. Mohr emphasized Norbert Hönninger's prudent approach and structured way of working and conveyed the greetings of IG Metall and the entire workforce.

Since November 1, 2024, the jubilarian has been in the release phase of partial retirement. The passionate fisherman and hiker will officially retire on October 31, 2026, at which point he will have more time for his hobbies.

LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG successfully presented its expertise in the field of artificial intelligence at two major events in May 2025. Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO, and Florian Grunwald, Director IT, provided valuable insights into the practical application of AI technologies in SMEs at specialist events in Heilbronn and at the LAUDA headquarters. More than 120 participants from the region benefited from the practical experience of the world market leader for precise temperature control.

The event kicked off on May 20, 2025 with a joint event organized by the Heilbronn-Franken Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the appliedAI Institute gGmbH at the IPAI Spaces in Heilbronn. Dr. Gunther Wobser gave the keynote speech on AI strategies from an entrepreneurial perspective. Florian Grunwald added practical insights into the implementation of LAUDA.GPT, which was set up in collaboration with the Munich start-up meinGPT, and presented the procedure for the successful introduction of AI systems. In front of more than 90 managers from medium-sized companies, he explained how the company's own AI platform is driving the family business's digitalization strategy forward.

This was followed on May 22, 2025 by the ‘SMEs meet AI’ conference at LAUDA in Lauda-Königshofen. Organized by Unternehmer Baden-Württemberg e.V. (UBW) in cooperation with appliedAI and D11Z. Ventures GmbH & Co. KG, the event offered over 60 participants a platform for intensive discussions about AI applications. Five innovative start-ups – become.1, Semorai, S2 Data, Unchained Robotics and Resourcly – presented their AI solutions and promoted dialog between established companies and innovators.

“The rapid use of AI is crucial for the competitiveness of SMEs,” emphasized Dr. Gunther Wobser during the panel discussion in Lauda-Königshofen. “We must not allow ourselves to be held back by regulatory provisions such as the EU AI Act but must drive innovation forward with entrepreneurial courage. AI not only helps us with process efficiency but also opens new business areas and improves our customer solutions.”

At both events, LAUDA presented its proprietary AI platform LAUDA.GPT, which works with generative artificial intelligence and relieves employees of a wide range of tasks: It creates and translates texts, analyzes large amounts of data and supports the programming and automation of workflows. The modern, model-flexible architecture allows for the use of various AI models, with full compliance with all data protection regulations. This provides employees with the opportunity to focus on value-adding activities, leading to a substantial increase in productivity.

Florian Grunwald emphasized the central importance of a structured introduction: “The success of our AI implementation is largely based on the concept of key users. These employees act as multipliers and make a significant contribution to acceptance and successful integration. Thanks to an agile approach, we were able to achieve impressive efficiency gains in various areas of the company in a short space of time.”

At LAUDA, AI is not only used in the form of generative systems such as LAUDA.GPT, but also in the cybersecurity sector with AI-supported security solutions for the prevention, detection and defense against cyber threats. In addition, LAUDA is developing AI-based systems for predictive condition monitoring of temperature control units on automotive test benches in the joint research project ‘ProTemp’ with Aalen University.

The two specialist conferences highlighted the high level of interest shown by SMEs in practical AI solutions. In Lauda-Königshofen, Dr. Andreas Liebl from appliedAI gave the keynote speech ‘AI for SMEs’, before a moderated panel discussion explored specific strategies for the correct use of AI. Finally, Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner shed light on the legal aspects of using AI. Tim Wenniges, Deputy Managing Director of Unternehmer Baden-Württemberg, and Tom Villinger, Managing Director of D11Z. Ventures, emphasized the innovative power of the approaches presented.

With both events, LAUDA is underlining its position as an innovative player in the integration of AI technologies in the SME sector. The company not only focuses on optimizing internal processes but also pursues the goal of integrating AI technologies into products and services in order to better meet customer needs and open up additional sources of revenue.

“The lively participation of many interested parties shows the hunger for knowledge of practical AI applications in SMEs,” summed up Dr. Gunther Wobser. “The exchange of experiences and the networking of different stakeholders are crucial to fully leveraging the potential of artificial intelligence. As an innovative family-owned business, LAUDA will continue to break new ground and share experiences with other companies and institutions.”

LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, world market leader for precise temperature control technology, presents LAUDA Universa, a brand new product line of innovative bath and circulation thermostats. The pioneering product family combines advanced technology with improved, environmentally friendlier refrigeration technology and offers highly flexible solutions for numerous laboratory applications. The devices have been developed based on four central pillars: customizability, performance, connectivity and sustainability.

Customizability – highly flexible, thanks to modular system

The new Universa product line comprises the three variants, ECO, PRO and MAX, which cover different customer requirements and performance classes. Its modular structure allows baths, control heads and cooling unit to be flexibly combined. »Out customers benefit from wide-ranging flexibility,« remarks Enrico Bossart, Head of Product Management. »The modular approach enables high customizability and optimal adaptation to the requirements of the respective application. Additionally, the configuration can also be subsequently expanded by exchanging individual modules.«

The identical bath openings of the high- and low-temperature thermostats mean that accessories such as covers, racks or sample holders can be used with any variant. Bore markings on the edge of the bath also offer the option for customer-specific expansions.

Powerful – Precise temperature control for every application

The new product line covers a temperature range of -90 to 300°C, with a temperature stability of up to ±0.01 K. With heating outputs of up to 3.6 kW and cooling outputs of up to 1.6 kW, the Universa thermostats are suitable for numerous applications in research, science and industry. All the devices are designed for both internal bath applications and external temperature control tasks. Quick heating and cooling times support an accelerated research, development and production process. Precise temperature control and high temperature stability contribute to reproducibility and process stability. This makes LAUDA Universa the go-to partner for laboratories and industrial operations.

»The LAUDA Universa product lines upholds the proud tradition of our first universal thermostat U 8, which my grandfather and company founder Dr. Rudolf Wobser developed in 1949, thereby creating a brand new type of equipment,« says Dr. Gunther Wobser, Managing Director of LAUDA. »With our continuous research and development, we are continuing to shape the future of precise temperature control as the recognized world market leader.«

Connective – Digital, connected and future-proof

All Universa thermostats are equipped with USB, Ethernet and even WiFi interfaces as standard. This allows them to be effortlessly integrated in existing lab systems and fulfills the requirements of digital laboratories. Via the convenient LAUDA Command app, the devices can be remotely and wirelessly controlled using a smartphone, tablet or PC. Remote maintenance, monitoring and data acquisition are possible by connecting to the LAUDA.LIVE Services IOT solution, providing increased operational safety.

The Universa PRO and MAX variants can also be expanded with up to 11 different interface modules – from analog through to EtherCAT or OPC/UA. »Their extensive connectivity makes our Universa devices the ideal components for the laboratory of the future,« explains Enrico Bossart. »Seamless integration in IOT systems like LAUDA.LIVE Services enables the continuous monitoring and optimization of the devices, in future also via advanced AI solutions, which LAUDA is already researching and developing in partnership with universities today.«
 

Sustainable – Environmentally friendly technology with a future

A special feature of the new Universa product line is the consideration of sustainability aspects in every product. This includes the exclusive use of natural refrigerants in all its thermostats – from its compact entry-level models to its powerful high-end devices. Meanwhile, the quantity of refrigerant is consistently less than 100 grams. Furthermore, all the refrigerating machines work with speed-controlled, patented compressors, which are extremely energy-efficient to run in everyday partial load operation, thanks to inverter technology – a unique product benefit, especially in the entry-level segment. As an additional bonus, users can look forward to significantly quieter operation. »Sustainability is not just a buzzword for us – we have anchored it in every aspect of our product development,« emphasizes Enrico Bossart.

All devices also benefit from an optimized ventilation concept, which reliably prevents condensate and oil vapors from penetrating the electronics, while minimizing condensation and media transfer – a patented feature that ensures high reliability.

LAUDA Universa is designed to last. LAUDA’s confidence in the underlying quality is expressed in its 5-year premium warranty, which is offered for the entire product line.

The right solution for any requirement

»With the new Universa product line, we have responded to our customers’ requirements and created a well-thought-out system that stands out for its modular structure, high performance, connectivity and, not least, its sustainability,« summarizes Dr. Gunther Wobser. »LAUDA Universa stands for technology at the highest level and opens up a new dimension in temperature control.« All LAUDA Universa devices are both CE- and NRTL-certified, and available in different power supply variants. This allows them to be used worldwide and offers high security of investment by complying with international standards.