ANNIVERSARY CONGRESS

50 YEARS OF FFT

ANNIVERSARY CONGRESS WITH INTERNATIONAL GUESTS

FFT is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, an anniversary congress was held at the Fulda site on 17 & 18 September. Exclusively invited business partners, important customers and suppliers celebrated together with FFT.

The congress opened with the premiere of the new anniversary film ‘50 Years of FFT’. Tristan Pfurr (CEO) then welcomed the numerous guests and took them on a journey through the last 50 years in his presentation ‘We are writing history’.

FFT was founded in 1974 by Gerhard Faust, Horst Eckard and Bruno Frey as "Faust Fertigungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG". Even then, the first automatic systems for positioning and gluing screws to the car body were patented. This was followed shortly afterwards by the company's entry into flexible automotive production with the use of robot handling systems instead of shuttle systems. In 1987, FFT was renamed Flexible Fertigungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG. Since this time, innovation and technological progress have been an integral part of the company's philosophy. This has enabled FFT to establish itself as one of the world's leading suppliers of innovative, flexible and highly complex manufacturing systems.

Frank Eilers, a renowned expert on digitalisation, AI and new work, was another item on the event's agenda and gave a captivating keynote speech on the topic of ‘The changing world of work’. With his in-depth expertise, he took the audience on a journey into the current developments and challenges of the modern world of work. He focussed in particular on innovative concepts such as the 4-day week, which could not only improve the work-life balance of employees but also increase productivity. He also highlighted the increasing importance of working from home and the associated opportunities and challenges. Another interesting aspect of his presentation was the in-depth analysis of why video conferencing was often perceived as so stressful. Eilers impressively conveyed how these new forms of work influence our daily lives and what strategies companies and employees can develop to be successful in this dynamic environment.

Flexible and agile in plant engineering - Volker Stark, Managing Director of FFT, presented FFT's expertise in plant engineering. FFT has an impressive global presence, which enables the company to realise large projects efficiently. The network of locations and the local teams are a great advantage, as they promote direct contact with customers and enable a rapid response to their needs. Thanks to its global positioning, FFT can optimise the use of resources and ensure that projects are not only implemented successfully but also on time. ‘Thanks to international collaboration and local expertise, FFT is able to master complex challenges,’ says Stark.

The supporting programme also offered interesting contributions in the afternoon. In addition to specialist presentations, keynote speeches and exhibition stands, various seminars were offered that visitors could book in advance.

Between the two seminar sessions, Enno Däneke provided exciting insights into the potential and opportunities of the mobility revolution and explained why e-mobility will definitely be the drive system of the future. China stands out here as a leading market and battery electric vehicles are also the dominant form of drive for city buses in many countries. The trend towards autonomous driving is also already being tested in countries such as China and the USA. Commercial fleets of autonomous vehicles are already in use there.

At the end of the successful first day, all participants met in the Kneshecke and reviewed the day together. With delicious food and a cosy atmosphere, networking was not neglected either.