Making Heavy Loads Easier to Handle
Interview with Dipl.-Ing., Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Georg Komposch, Managing Director
Across modern industry, companies are increasingly investing in intelligent handling and lifting solutions to improve efficiency, ergonomics and productivity. Customized systems are becoming especially important, as production processes often require highly individual approaches rather than standard solutions. For decades, Albert Fezer Maschinenfabrik GmbH has specialized in precisely these tailored vacuum handling systems. From its headquarters near Stuttgart, the family-owned company develops and manufactures solutions used worldwide across industries ranging from logistics to steel processing.
European Business: Mr. Komposch, Albert Fezer Maschinenfabrik has a long history. How did the company evolve into what it is today?
Georg Komposch: The roots of our business go back many decades. My grandfather founded FEZER in 1933 after separating from the company that later became Festo. In the beginning, FEZER focused on woodworking machinery. Vacuum technology entered the company during the 1950s, and over time it became increasingly important. When I joined the company around 30 years ago, FEZER was going through a difficult phase. We analyzed our business structure and realized that vacuum technology offered strong growth potential, while other areas were less profitable. That was the decisive moment when we concentrated fully on vacuum handling systems and customized lifting technology.
European Business: What would you describe as FEZER’s core competence today?
Georg Komposch: Our strength lies in offering customers complete and highly individualized solutions. We do not simply sell products from a catalog. We analyze production processes and develop systems that improve efficiency and ergonomics. Over the years, we have built up enormous expertise in customized vacuum lifting systems and crane solutions. Because of our modular design approach, we can adapt standard components into highly specialized systems very efficiently.
European Business: Can you give an example of such customized projects?
Georg Komposch: We are active in many different industries, which means the range of projects is extremely broad. Recently, for example, we delivered a telescopic 40-t traversing beam to a steel mill in Turkey. The system handles steel plates that are 20 m long and weigh up to 40 t. Shortly afterward, we received another order for a 25-t solution. On the other hand, many of our daily applications involve handling loads of 50 to 80 kg in logistics or production environments. These systems often combine vacuum tube lifters with crane installations that are tailored precisely to the customer’s workspace.
European Business: What makes FEZER different from competitors in the market?
Georg Komposch: One major advantage is that we can provide complete solutions from a single source. There are only very few companies worldwide that can offer both the crane systems and the vacuum lifting devices themselves. Many competitors have to purchase crane systems externally, which increases costs and reduces flexibility. Because we manufacture our own systems, we can offer customers very competitive and technically optimized solutions.
European Business: How international is your business today?
Georg Komposch: We are active worldwide, although we do not operate our own subsidiaries abroad anymore. Years ago, we tried to establish a presence in China, but that did not develop as expected. Today, we work successfully with international distribution partners who know their local markets well. Our products are used across Europe and in many other regions worldwide.
European Business: Which industries are particularly important for FEZER?
Georg Komposch: One of our advantages is that we are not dependent on a single sector. We supply customers in logistics, aviation, steel processing, recreational vehicles and many other industries. This broad positioning helped us remain stable even during economically difficult years. When one sector weakens, another may develop positively, which creates balance for our business.
European Business: One topic that attracted attention is your introduction of a four-day workweek. Why did you decide to take this step?
Georg Komposch: For companies of our size, recruiting qualified employees is one of the biggest challenges. We are located in a region surrounded by major industrial groups such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Bosch. Competing with those companies is not easy. About three years ago, we introduced a four-day workweek, and it turned out to be an excellent decision for us. Since then, we have attracted highly qualified employees and improved satisfaction within the company. Initially, I was skeptical, but the results have been very positive both internally and from the customer perspective.