Forster Profile Systems: Innovative Steel Systems
Interview with Dr. Jürgen Schwarz, Managing Director of Forster Profile Systems GmbH
Forster Profilsysteme is one of the leading manufacturers of steel and stainless steel systems for windows, doors, and facades. The Swiss company, with more than 200 employees, processes over 12,000 tons of steel per year and specializes in safety-relevant and energy-efficient building components. In the interview, Jürgen Schwarz, Managing Director of Forster Germany, explains how the company remains successful despite turbulent times.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Schwarz, looking back, what significant development steps has Forster Profilsysteme undergone in recent years?
Dr. Jürgen Schwarz: At Forster Profilsysteme, we have made two to three key developments. In addition to the acquisition of Forster by the family-owned Reynaers Group in 2018, in Germany, notably the shift to direct sales in 2015 was a significant step. Through direct support, we were able to strengthen our customer relations and more intensively meet the needs of our customers. Ultimately, the construction of the modern Forster Campus in Romanshorn in 2024 with a technology center, production and logistics hall, and office buildings at one site is a central component for sustainable, high-quality, and carbon-neutral growth.
Wirtschaftsforum: How is your company currently positioned, and how is the economic situation developing?
Dr. Jürgen Schwarz: Our headquarters, Forster Profilsysteme AG, is located in Romanshorn, Switzerland. In Germany, we are represented in Oberursel near Frankfurt, and our logistics are based in Weilmünster. Internationally, we are active in over 30 countries, with our own sales companies in more than 20 countries and through exclusive distribution partners in about 10 countries. Despite the current economic turbulences, which particularly affect the construction industry, Forster, as a niche provider with a strong global brand, is very well positioned. With our excellent, high-quality products and systems, which are unique in sustainable construction internationally, we look forward with confidence to the future and will continue our growth path.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you experience the issue of skilled labor shortages?
Dr. Jürgen Schwarz: The situation in the labor market, having a worker-friendly market, also has positive aspects. Companies are making much more effort to recruit workers and skilled personnel. This has led to a change in thinking in recent years, for example in areas such as home office and corporate social benefits. Companies where the owner or manager does not live values and cannot motivate and appreciate employees will have a very hard time in the future. In 2024, we received an award from FOCUS as a Top Employer in the SME sector, based on a purely employee survey.
Wirtschaftsforum: What products does Forster offer, and can you name some reference projects?
Dr. Jürgen Schwarz: We develop and produce safe and energy-efficient steel solutions for doors, windows, and facades in challenging projects. Besides meeting the highest functional requirements such as fire protection, smoke protection, intrusion and bullet resistance, as well as sound insulation and thermal insulation, our systems also offer our customers unlimited possibilities in terms of design, durability, and stability. Furthermore, Forster's staff stand by our clients and business partners from architecture, planning, and construction with comprehensive services. Our reference projects include the Trinitatiskirche in Dresden, where historic arches were fitted with modern steel-glass elements under monument protection regulations, the Haus Adeline Favre in Winterthur as the largest training center of the ZHAW with high fire protection requirements, and the football stadium La Tuilière in Lausanne featuring a unique facade and door system with high security requirements as a UEFA-compliant venue.
Wirtschaftsforum: From your perspective, what are the key success factors for Forster?
Dr. Jürgen Schwarz: The foundation of any company is its employees. We are very proud and pleased that many employees have built up extensive knowledge and competence in technical requirements and approvals as well as planning, architecture, and manufacturing of our system solutions over the years. Equally important is the relationship with our customers, from whom the best ideas come. Only those who listen to their customers can offer products and services that meet customer expectations. The partnership with our suppliers has also proven its worth especially recently when it came to material shortages.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is your vision for Forster in the next three to five years?
Dr. Jürgen Schwarz: We are convinced that the demands in the construction industry will increasingly move towards sustainability. Sustainability as a key factor in the construction industry is not only a commitment for us but a conviction that we also live and actively shape in all our business processes. Our campus in Switzerland was built largely with 'Green Steel' and has received a LEED Gold and Platinum certification as the only company in Switzerland. With our profiles, we offer Low Carbon Emission Steel focused on resource-efficient energy consumption, recyclability, circular economy, and longevity. We sense a higher demand for sustainable solutions in the construction industry from clients and project developers as well as on the architects' side, and Forster is well-prepared for this.