FRITSCH was acquired by the MULTIVAC group and with that it joined a network of resources helping it thrive. These include everything from R&D to day-to-day operations, with the information exchange going both ways. Guido Spix, Group President, MULTIVAC and Frank Gabriel, Managing Director, FRITSCH explain how the companies help each other to grow together.
Mihu: To show how the two companies are growing together, it would be interesting to learn how they came together in the first place. Why did MULTIVAC acquire FRITSCH, considering the types of technology each specializes in developing?
Guido Spix: FRITSCH was well known at MULTIVAC, from a large number of projects involving both companies in the past. A good example is the packaging of pretzels for baking stations. MULTIVAC’S strategy to grow as a solution provider in processing has been complimented in an excellent way with the acquisition of FRITSCH. The information that FRITSCH was available for acquisition came to us by chance. However, we immediately saw the opportunities in the acquisition, starting with the similarities in engineering between the two companies. While the industries we serve are different, from an engineering standpoint the companies are closely related. We realized from the beginning that the idea of having both companies under one roof was going to work out perfectly.
And last but not least, I am proud to say that MULTIVAC is an outstanding mechanical engineering company. We very quickly recognized that FRITSCH, an extremely innovative company, could benefit from our ‘operational excellence’. Innovation is a very important part of our overall strategy. Both companies are leaders in their fields with innovative products. We work systematically on joint solutions, both in automation and technology.
