Wirtschaftsforum: Ms. Anton, am-Computersysteme GmbH was founded almost 40 years ago by your now deceased husband and his then study colleague Rolf Mößmer – at a time when computers and software were just starting to take off!

Sonja Anton: Yes, back then the topic of IT became increasingly interesting for private users as well as for companies, and beyond the use of single PCs, smaller networks quickly became more relevant. As many of our customers needed both new hardware and corresponding software solutions at that time, we engaged in both fields from the beginning – a focus we have remained faithful to this day: In addition to providing IT infrastructure, we therefore got involved early in the development of commercial software, such as for invoicing and inventory management – what you would typically call ERP today.

Wirtschaftsforum: Which customer segments are your primary focus?

Sonja Anton: We primarily serve small to medium-sized enterprises with 10 to 1,000 users, operating across a variety of industries – from the pharmaceutical sector to manufacturing-intensive suppliers. However, a particular emphasis is placed on the fresh produce sector, where for example, fruit and vegetable wholesalers whose products subsequently flow to supermarkets and discount stores, as well as cutting plants and manufacturers of convenience products are among our clients. Here, we have developed a software solution tailored specifically to the unique needs of this industry – with special attention naturally on the fail-safety and multiple redundancies of the systems used, to ensure a seamless cold chain even in case of problems. Thanks to increasing remote access capabilities and well-structured service offerings, it is now effortlessly possible for us to work with clients throughout Germany from our central location in Nürtingen, even under these challenging conditions.

Wirtschaftsforum: Which innovations are you currently focusing on?

Nico Anton: Digitization continues to advance relentlessly among our clients – to consistently accommodate this evolution, we of course continuously expand our existing products. For instance, the picking and storage processes are increasingly paperless and predominantly managed via tablets and scanners. We have already introduced corresponding Pick-by-Voice systems. Additionally, interfaces with large automated storage systems are becoming increasingly significant. Furthermore, we are currently working on additional software developments that we aim to bring to market readiness in the coming years. But not only in the ERP environment there is much happening; the topic of IT security is also a top priority for us and our customers due to the heightened security situation. In this context, I was able to lead my first project in our family business as a bachelor's student when I was responsible for our certification according to the information security guideline ISO 27001.

Wirtschaftsforum: What other changes are currently happening in your company?

Sonja Anton: We have grown very healthily in recent years and have evolved from a rather small to a medium-sized company in the process. We want to consistently continue this development in the future. Following the retirement of Rolf Mößmer, one of the two founders last year, we were able to gain Dominik Helff, a strong CEO who also sees his further professional future clearly at am-Computersysteme. Together with our 50 employees, we want to continue to stand for the values that have made us strong: a clear customer and service orientation as well as comprehensive technical expertise!