Corporate news
75th Anniversary of Schleicher Fahrzeugteile
On 25th August 1945, 75 years ago, our company was founded in Munich by my grandfather, Rudolf Schleicher Sr., in the economically difficult post-war period.
Like many other companies, we started planning the celebration of this anniversary at the beginning of 2020 - until we were faced in January with a challenge of a different kind which knocked all our plans on the head: the appearance and spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
The end of February saw the introduction of such hygienic and precautionary measures for our staff as would have been inconceivable beforehand, e.g. the suspension of visitor reception at both plants, distancing and the wearing of face masks. And supplier and customer plants had to close for a prolonged period, leading to a slump in our planned turnover.
We speedily organised even more teleworking facilities and the introduction of Microsoft TEAMS soon empowered meetings in virtual reality; our staff has been on short time in varying degrees since April. These measures have enabled us to continue reliable delivery to customers and to provide them with the quantities required on schedule.
The coronavirus had a turbo impact: internally there was a new impulse towards digitalisation and digital networking. We have generated a strict cost management system at the same time as recognising what energy and opportunities are created when everyone concentrates on essentials.
Like Grandfather 75 years ago, we also believe that every crisis presents a chance – and we want to take this chance: we will continue to invest in our company, even in this year of challenges, 2020, and have already realised or initiated further new acquisitions.
And the sentiments we prepared for our anniversary prior to the coronavirus still apply:
It will increasingly be our task in the future to meet the requirements of our exacting customers on the global market at a time when demand cycles are becoming shorter and are characterised by greater fluctuation. Our success depends on the optimum amalgamation of our staff’s knowledge and organisational talent combined with the best materials, machines and processes to suit the case in hand, at the same time as maintaining sustainability and reliability, taken as a challenge and a commitment.
We wish to thank all stakeholders - our customers, our staff and our business partners - for the past 75 successful years and look forward to further cooperation in the future.
Take care and stay healthy!
Stefan Schleicher, Dipl. Ing.
Managing Director
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