LNT Automation taken over in full
For fischer, 2017 was also significantly shaped by the further alignment towards digitalisation, comprising the areas of Industry 4.0 and e-commerce, which fischer also lives up to by expanding its portfolio. In 2017, the company took over LNT Automation GmbH in full after the company had taken over 90 per cent of the experts for the development, production and supply of electronic systems in the previous year.

fischer also acquired shares of the 3D printing start-up trinckle 3D last year. With paramate, its core product, the company enables applications for 3D printing, in particular for the web-based design of 3D models without the need for CAD knowhow. Alongside trinckle 3D, fischer also bought shares in other start-ups.
The fischer Consulting process consultancy meanwhile founded subsidiaries in Italy and China in 2017, therefore continuing their   internationalisation strategy.

High increase in employees – award-winning training
By the end of 2017, the fischer Group of Companies employed 5,000 members of staff, 400 more than at the end of 2016 (plus eight per cent). fischer therefore underlines its good reputation as an excellently positioned medium-sized family business.

Education has been of utmost importance at fischer since the beginning. 105 apprentices and dual education students are currently employed by the company. Overall, fischer provides training for 29 different technical and commercial jobs. 825 young people applied to 41 apprenticeship and dual education study places during the past financial year. fischer received multiple awards for its excellent training, which offers far more than other training companies with its various seminars, initiatives and placements abroad: In 2017, the company received the “DHBW Dualer Partner Award” (Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University dual partner award) as well as the award for “excellent training company” by the German chamber of commerce. fischer was also selected as “best training company in Germany” by the Capital business journal, as well as “best training company in the installation and fixing technology category” by Focus Money.

Since it opened in 2010, the Klaus Fischer BildungsZentrum (education centre), has recorded over 8,500 registrations for over 560 free events which fischer employees can attend outside of working hours. The centre is a company facility for general further education and training.

Expansion of international activities
The fischer Group of Companies has also successfully operated at an international level for several decades.  The fischer subsidiary in the Czech Republic accordingly celebrated its 20-year anniversary at its site in Ivanovice na Hané in 2017. A new production facility with a usable floor space of 7,200 square metres was opened in the same year. Over 1,900 different fixing products are produced in Ivanovice na Hané and are exported all across the globe.

The Chinese subsidiary fischer fixings Co. Ltd. in Taicang also looks back on a successful 20 years of company history.  In June, the anniversary will be celebrated with the opening of a new production building (10,500 square metres of usable floor space) for the fischer automotive systems division, which has been located in Taicang for years. Particular attention was given to a sustainable method of construction for the modern building. fischer is therefore pooling its manufacturing capacities in order to be able to supply the Asian region even more efficiently. fischer has also been successfully represented in South America for several years: In Buenos Aires, fischer Argentina was also able to look back on its 20-year history in 2017.

With the opening of a new location in Freiburg in 2017, fischer is also acknowledging its German sites. The Freiburg site comprises a plot area of 13,900 square metres and a usable floor space of 8,600 square metres. The move was carried out from the neighbouring town of Emmendingen, at the previous site of the Upat brand.

Forecast: Similar turnover growth as 2017 expected
The fischer Group of Companies is planning a similar turnover growth for the current financial year as in 2017. In addition, further companies will be joining fischer.

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