Bizerba investing in digitization and additional location

With 4,300 employees worldwide and its headquarters in Balingen, Southern Germany, the scales specialist provides solutions for industrial companies from the most diverse sectors and is also indispensable in stationary retail trade. Numerous supermarkets are using solutions from Bizerba. "We are a globally operating company with a good reputation that is present throughout the world. Bizerba as a family-owned business is clearly committed to the business location Germany" emphasizes Andreas W. Kraut, Chairman of the board, CEO and shareholder of Bizerba SE & Co. KG, Balingen. This commitment is underlined by the company’s investments in the German sites Balingen, Meßkirch, Hildesheim and Bochum. Since last year we have been modernizing office areas based on latest new work environment insights. And the global logistics center at the headquarters in Balingen is currently under construction. In Meßkirch, Bizerba’s production site for slicers, the company invested considerable funds in buildings, infrastructure and production systems such as an innovative friction stir welding machine. In Bochum, the company significantly modernized the label printing facilities in terms of printing machines and systems. And at the Hildesheim site, checkweigher production capacities could almost be doubled. "These multi-million investments in infrastructure as well as ongoing investments in digitization have been driven forward in recent years in order to allow Bizerba’s clear growth course", states Kraut.

Site in Eastern Europe

A positive development and the continued growth lead to the fact that production capacities at the German sites are reaching their limits. At the same time, new regions have evolved as clear growth markets in recent years. "Eastern Europe unfolds strong dynamics and is therefore a strategically important market for Bizerba", says Andreas W. Kraut. With this additional site, Bizerba will be able to react to trade restrictions between the USA and China in a more flexible way and thus contribute to greater independence in the flow of goods and money. Therefore, the company will build a new site in this region in order to increase production capacities. As a global player, investing in growth regions is crucial for Bizerba to be as close as possible to the customer.

"Expanding capacities by a location in Eastern Europe is Bizerba’s next logic step of the growth strategy 2025. This will also secure jobs at home in the long term”, highlights Andreas W. Kraut."

"By expanding the international production network in the European area, we are securing our global competitiveness and we are thereby creating the condition for growth even in price-sensitive product segments", emphasizes Frank Reinhardt, Vice President Global Operations, who has overall responsibility for the global production units. "The final selection of the exact location is planned for early 2021. Production start in the newly built factory is scheduled for the end of 2022."

Investing in digital transformation and software competence

In addition to expanding production capacities, the digital transformation remains a strategically important topic for Bizerba. The company continues to invest in the digitization of processes and in the modernization of its IT infrastructure to ensure the collaboration across its international locations. Already today, tools for international collaboration are used which significantly contributed to a positive development of Bizerba’s business during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

In addition to hardware, the proven solutions from Bizerba have been including software for some time. "Our competence is unique on the market, the possibilities of our software in connection with our devices are tremendously diverse", states Andreas W. Kraut. Building on this know-how Bizerba expands its software competence. For this purpose, an own area is now being created: Bizerba Software Solutions. This area brings together all software competences of the company. Tudor Andronic (Vice President Bizerba Software Solutions) and Stefan-Maria Creutz (Vice President Digital Transformation) will manage this new area which shall lead to a significant increase in sales of software components. In addition, Bizerba Software Solutions accompanies innovative topics concerning market and series maturity.

New requirements accelerating digital sales processes

Effective January 01, 2021, the newly created sales area will be headed by Michael Berke (Vice President Global Sales  Marketing) from Frankfurt am Main. In this function he will be in charge of both, global sales activities for areas Industry and Retail as well as for area Global Marketing & Communications. Furthermore, he will be responsible for Global Product Line Management and Global Key Account Management for the areas Retail and Industry.

One of Berke’s most important tasks will be the digitization and standardization of the sales processes worldwide. The expansion of international sales competence and the focus on inside sales and campaign management will further increase Bizerba’s global presence.

Andreas W. Kraut: " I look forward in welcoming Michael Berke to my Management Board. A very experienced leader with a great personality and a well-connected network. I am convinced that his experience in the field of payment systems and his understanding of the market will be very beneficial for Bizerba." Michael Berke previously worked at Elavon, Inc. as VP Head of Sales DACH/BeNeLux – one of the top 5 leading provider for cashless paying systems worldwide.

Into the future with confidence

Bizerba is well prepared for future challenges. Even in times of crisis we continue to invest in locations, structures, digitization and in the organization. As early as 2021 new products and solutions will be launched on the market offering customers new possibilities. Digitization is a subject which must be consistently pursued not only in processes and systems but also in solutions.