Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Wiese, Mr. Wiegelmann, you took over as the new managing directors of Schuhl & Co. GmbH earlier this year. Can you give us an insight into the company's history?

Christian Wiese: The roots of our company go back to 1935. At that time, Schuhl & Co. GmbH was founded as a production company for the parent company NUTAP in Hagen, which specialized in the manufacture of thread cutting machines and forming presses. After World War II, in 1953, we moved to our current location in Winterberg-Niedersfeld. Since then, we have established ourselves as specialists in cold extrusion parts and have continuously developed further.

André Wiegelmann: Particularly noteworthy is the innovation of the combination nut in the 1970s, which significantly simplified the assembly process for our customers. Another milestone was the expansion of our production capacities in 2015 when we first also relied on other pressing technologies. With our taking over the company on January 1, 2025, we have made the next big step to further lead the company into the future.

Wirtschaftsforum: How is Schuhl & Co. structured today and what role do your employees play in this?

Christian Wiese: We currently employ nearly 90 staff at our only location in Winterberg-Niedersfeld. We are particularly proud of our low turnover rate. Many of our skilled workers have completed their training with us and have been loyal to us for decades. The knowledge and experience of our employees are a crucial success factor.

André Wiegelmann: Our annual turnover varies depending on the economic situation and is around 11 million EUR. We focus on strong employee retention and a sustainable personnel strategy. For us, this means specifically training young professionals and offering them development opportunities within the company.

Wirtschaftsforum: The automotive industry is a crucial part of your business. How do you respond to current challenges?

Christian Wiese: The automotive sector is undergoing massive changes, which naturally also affects us. We felt the first impacts with the diesel crisis back in 2015. Additionally, we have faced challenges from COVID, supply chain issues, and rising raw material and energy costs.

André Wiegelmann: Our goal is to tap into new markets. In addition to the automotive industry, we intend to significantly expand into the aerospace, medical technology, and mechanical engineering sectors. Our technology has clear advantages: reduced material loss, shorter production times, and higher efficiency. This also opens up interesting opportunities in new industries for us.

Wirtschaftsforum: What role do digitalization and sustainability play in your company?

Christian Wiese: Digitalization is a crucial factor for us to remain competitive. We continuously optimize our processes and increasingly rely on data-driven production control. However, the human factor remains indispensable – especially in our manufacturing process, which is heavily dependent on experience and finesse.

André Wiegelmann: Sustainability is a major issue in metal processing. 100% of the metal waste we generate is recycled. We also focus on energy-efficient production processes and have conducted an energy audit to identify further savings potential. Currently, we are also examining whether we can implement a photovoltaic system despite challenging site conditions.

Wirtschaftsforum: What about your activities in international markets?

Christian Wiese: We have customers all over the world. While we are strong in Germany, we are expanding our export business. Current economic developments show that it is important to have a broad international base.

André Wiegelmann: A central component of our growth strategy is trade fairs. This year we are participating in Fastener Fair in Stuttgart and SchraubTec in Bochum. In addition, we are revising our sales strategy to specifically target potential new customers.

Wirtschaftsforum: What long-term goals do you pursue with Schuhl & Co. GmbH?

Christian Wiese: Our focus is on innovation and expansion. We want to consolidate our market position in the automotive industry, but at the same time, we aim to open up new sectors. We rely on sustainable technologies and the highest quality.

André Wiegelmann: We also want to increase our customer base and communicate the benefits of our manufacturing technologies more effectively. This requires a targeted marketing strategy that includes trade fairs and also increasingly digital channels. Our vision is to establish Schuhl & Co. as the leading provider of complex cold extrusion parts in Europe and to set new standards in quality and efficiency.