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CEO Wolfgang Kozsar joins the Supervisory Board of ROFA AG as of the 01.01.202121. December 2020After 31 years at the helm of the ROFA Group, Wolfgang Kozsar is leaving his position as CEO to join the Supervisory Board of ROFA AG as of the 01.01.2021. Career at ROFA started in 1989.Wolfgang Kozsar can look back on an outstanding career since joining the company in 1989. In 1993, as one of two shareholders and managing directors, he took over the former Rosenheimer Förderanlagen GmbH and has since had a lasting influence on the company. Under his leadership as Chairman of the Board, the ROFA INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GROUP has grown into a globally active group of companies with a current turnover of EUR 360 million and 1300 employees/*. Wolfgang Kozsar will move to the Supervisory Board of ROFA AG from 01.01.2021 and will thus continue to support the company in an advisory capacity. We thank him for his passionate commitment and wish him all the best for the future. Andreas Bauer: With ROFA for 25 years Andreas Bauer will succeed Mr. Kozsar as Chairman of the Board. We are pleased to be able to fill this key position with a manager from our own company. Andreas Bauer has been with the company for 25 years in various positions and has shown, during the last 8 years in his role as COO, how innovative strength, efficiency and reliability can be combined. His most important tasks now are to carry on the company’s course as a techologically advanced business with a solid foundation of values and to set up and expand all the companies in the ROFA INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GROUP in a future-oriented manner....
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ROFA is “Top Employer in Medium-sized Businesses 2020”29. July 2020ROFA INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION AG has been awarded the title “Top Employer in Medium-sized Businesses 2020” by Yourfirm.de, one of the leading online job portals in German-speaking countries. The intention of the award is to highlight the advantages of medium-sized employers for those looking for jobs. Medium-sized companies, like ROFA INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION AG are attractive employers and have no disadvantages compared to big corporations. Short decision-making processes, good career opportunities, a family and respectful environment and a wide range of responsibilities are just some of the reasons that make jobs in medium-sized companies attractive for job seekers. Especially in challenging times such as those we are currently experiencing, it is important to highlight these strengths when looking for new staff. The signet is a helpful quality characteristic here. Visit our career site and learn more about the ROFA Group as an attractive employer: karriere.rofa-group.com...
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A great representative of Straubingen’s mechanical engineering industry is quietly saying “FAREWELL”!14. July 2020Josef Moll handed over management of MOLL Automatisierung to his successors on 1 July 2020. As the new mayor of Leiblfing, he is going to focus on the welfare of his home municipality in future. Picture: Josef Moll, former company owner and managing director of MOLL Automatisierung Back in 1985, the year in which a certain Boris Becker was the first German to win the tennis tournament of Wimbledon at the age of only 17, another young man from Lower Bavarian Leiblfing was about to soar high as well. Josef Moll preferred a torque wrench to a tennis racket, however. With his competence in the craft, entrepreneurial courage, and unshakable self-confidence, he combined characteristics that were about perfect for building a company of his own. When he graduated from the master’s school in Passau as Bavaria’s youngest master mechanical engineer at the age of 20, he took over management of MOLL Maschinenbau in the early 1980s. At the time, the company had only four employees. MOLL was still developing and building agricultural machines at the time. It barely made ends meet. Young Josef Moll found that condition intolerable in the long run. In his first year as managing director, he therefore set all gears in motion in order to be listed as a supplier of conveyor facilities the operation previously only knew from catalogues. Looking back, that decision clearly was the most important one in his entire career, laying the basis for a new, successful, and much larger company. After the successful start as a supplier for the automotive industry and the growing entrepreneurial requirements due to this, Josef Moll brought in Franz Bayer as an experienced and competent business partner. The double management started driving the company’s development with outstanding success. Since MOLL quickly grew to exceed the dimensions of the old Eschlbach workshop by far, a production site with an operating area of about 36,000 sqm was built in the new industrial quarter of Leiblfing to keep up with the big players in the automotive supplier industry in terms of capacity as well. When moving into the new corporate site with 28 employees at the time, Moll had recognised that he would need to focus most strongly on services in the area of engineering in future in order to remain competitive in the long run. Based on this insight, he established an independent design department with Manfred Rüth, head of design at the time and later to become his co-manager. Now, the company was able to offer everything from design, to production and assembly, to commissioning from a single source as a general contractor. This was a quantum leap from an entrepreneurial perspective. The hard battle for the OEMs’ favour lasted many years. Eventually, Moll and Bayer acquired their first large order beyond the 10-million-DM threshold in 1996. It quickly became clear that MOLL would prevail in this trial by fire. With such a reference under its belt, the company was able to gradually establish itself as a key player of the automotive industry. It subsequently acquired globally operating OEMs such as Audi, Volkswagen, and Daimler as new customers. Larger order volumes also required more space, of course. Moll outgrew the production capacities of its new building in Leiblfing once again after just a few years. Subsequently, he had the company’s headquarters extended by building two halls (with a useful area of about 3,500 sqm) and expanded the design office (by approx. 250 sqm). After a decade and a half of constant growth, the founder suffered his first entrepreneurial setback in 2001, when a fire started by a technical defect burned the newly constructed second production hall almost down to its foundations. Thanks to the alertness and quick reaction of an employee, the remaining operating premises could be saved from the flames. After rebuilding and the subsequent expansion of the factory by production halls three and four (each with a useful area of about 2,000 sqm), the expansion course could continue unhindered, however, also on a global level. The first large order for the US market was the delivery of conveyor facilities for the BMW factory in Spartanburg/South Carolina in 2003. In the subsequent years, the MOLL staff grew to a headcount of 140, distributed among several sites, e.g. in Leiblfing, Sindelfingen, or Braunschweig. After MOLL Maschinenbau was sold to the Austrian group EK-Finn, Josef Moll watched from afar as “his” company fell into insolvency, not least as a consequence of the global economic crisis in 2009. As the manager of the newly founded engineering office MAT in Perkam, Moll maintained a close enough contact with the directors of ROFA Group at the time that they could eventually be convinced to purchase and integrate newly founded MOLL Automatisierung into their group of companies. The board of ROFA Group, under chairman Wolfgang Kozsar, had one condition for the purchase of MOLL, however: Josef Moll had to return as managing director. Together with Manfred Rüth, Moll faced new challenges in that function in order to bring his own former company back to an economically sound footing. Backed by the group parent ROFA and with great personal commitment, he contacted his old companions to help him return MOLL Automatisierung to calmer waters. His first three years as the new “old” managing director were so successful that another factory hall (with a useful area of approx. 2,500 sqm) had to be built to meet the rising demand to the production capacities. The Moll/Rüth duo eventually returned to the track of success for good in 2014. Since their return, they had been able to increase the company turnover by a magical fifty percent! After optimising structures and processes in the company, driving development of the IT infrastructure on the highest level, and ordering construction of another assembly hall, Josef Moll decided to pass his responsibility on into younger hands. After two years of managing the company together, he finally handed over the management to his successors Stefan Bauer and Thomas Wittmann on 1 July 2020. Josef Moll retiring? – Impossible! What is likely going to be his last big project is all about his home region: the Leiblfing municipality. Freshly elected as mayor there, he has a clear idea of his future creative and productive contributions, similar to the manner in which he built his company. He wants to make this vision come true in the years ahead. The chances for this are quite good. After all, he is known as someone who has always been true to his word! As managing director of MOLL Automatisierung, Josef Moll will be remembered as someone who… still knew all employees in person and always considered their private lives in everyday work gave every employee the feeling that they were an important part of his company spoke his mind and convinced others on technical and interpersonal levels always strove to maintain a balance between private life and work always considered social commitment essential places importance on values and traditions, in particular those of Bavaria was, all in all, a down-to-earth managing director throughout the time that he was responsible for the company, with great passion, empathy, and enthusiasm that is rare in these days! The entire staff at MOLL Automatisierung, including managing directors Stefan Bauer, Thomas Wittmann, and the board of directors of ROFA group, thank Josef Moll for his many wonderful years of cooperation, and for more than 250 secure jobs in the Straubing-Bogen district. Thank you, “Sepp”, and all the best for your future!...
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ROFA-LEHMER has been awarded “IHK-Training Company 2020”16. April 2020The Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) Regensburg is granting ROFA-LEHMER Förderanlagen GmbH, located in Bodenwöhr in the Upper Palatinate, the quality certificate “Ausbildungsbetrieb 2020” for its extraordinary commitment in education. We are very pleased about this title and encouraged to continue a high level education. As a training company, it is our ambition to qualify our apprentices as independently working and thinking young professionals. We pay particular attention to integrating our apprentices into the project business, so that they finally take on own responsibilities. Of course, an experienced mentor is at their side from the very beginning. Further information about the training opportunities at ROFA-LEHMER Förderanlagen GmbH can also be found on our career website ....
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New Automated Guided Vehicle17. February 2020The innovation “Caesar PN-1.0 MYk” is a platform truck that has been specially designed to meet the needs of the automotive industry. The automated guided vehicle (FTF) is an upgrade of the “Caesar” series of MLR System, which are already used by well-known car manufacturers. The new platform truck dimensions are 1,700 mm × 900 mm × 280 mm and is transport loads up to 1,000 kg. For convenient loading, the flat vehicles are equipped with a lifting unit that can be jacked to 177 mm if required. The drive concept with two combined travel and steering axles allows unlimited mobility in all directions. According to the Ludwigsburg-based company, these are the best conditions for high flexibility with little space available.The automated “Caesar” platform truck travels at a speed of up to 1.5 m/s, has a modern energy concept and allows long running times with short loading cycles. Safety equipment such as personal security scanners, blue spots and 3D cameras for obstacle detection meet the highest standards for accident-free operation, also in interaction with people. Matching the design and colour scheme of its parent company ROFA, the new transport vehicle “Caesar PN-1.0 MYk” now comes in blue....
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Progress through know-how13. February 2020Electric mobility, car sharing, autonomous driving: The automotive industry is currently undergoing a profound transformation. As a supplier of conveyor systems and special machinery, MOLL Automatisierung GmbH has recently been able to play a major role in the reconstruction of automobile plants. And the Leiblfing-based company also sees itself well prepared for the coming years. Image: Managing directors of MOLL Automatisierung GmbH (from left to right: Stefan Bauer, Josef Moll, Thomas Wittmann) The change has long been reflected in forecasts: by 2030, it is predicted, that every third new vehicle registered in Europe will be electrically powered, and in China it is even expected to be almost every second. Alternative mobility concepts such as car sharing are said to make up ten to 15 percent of total car sales by then. Technical advances in the field of autonomous driving will significantly change the design and functional equipment of vehicles over the next 15 to 20 years. For many automotive suppliers, this means drastic changes in their business models, combined with the risk of losing their place in the race between technologies and their various suppliers. MOLL Automatisierung, the Leiblfing-based supplier of conveyor systems and special machines, a member of the ROFA Group, has been able to adapt to this technological change in time. “We are currently in the privileged position of being involved in the reconstruction of automotive plants of all well-known OEMs. In 2019, this has brought us a total turnover of well over 100 million euros”, sums up Managing Director Josef Moll. In view of the increasing competition from China or Eastern Europe, we must keep an eye on the market, but there are still areas where the quality work of German engineers is in demand. In 2019, this has brought us a total turnover of well over 100 million euros”, sums up Managing Director Josef Moll. In view of the increasing competition from China or Eastern Europe, it is true that we must keep an eye on the market, but there are still areas where the quality work of German engineers is in demand. In particular, Moll sees problems in the area of simple conveyor technology: “It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with foreign competitors in terms of price. This means that our product portfolio must be adapted to the new situation. We need to invest more in special mechanical engineering and automation technology, because here in particular, engineering know-how and product quality still count more than the price itself”. Marriage stations – the assembly of body and chassis – is one of the driving forces of MOLL Automatisierung. In this business sector, projects in Germany, South Africa and Mexico generated a sales of over 30 million euros in 2019. “We delivered our first marriage in 2003 for BMW in Dingolfing. Since then, we have developed into one of the top 5 suppliers worldwide. Our goal is to expand our position in the coming years and become more or less independent of developments in drive technologies. Because one thing is certain: even an electric car consists of a body and a chassis” jokes Moll. Accordingly, the company is aggressively facing the current economic downturn in the automotive industry. Moll: “Many suppliers are currently struggling with order bottlenecks or short-time work. On the other hand, after the final expansion of our production facilities, we can concentrate on expanding our engineering and building up the necessary know-how in this way. We hope that this will give us a decisive advantage in the upcoming years”....
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Innovative fashion logistics – BSS realizes a shuttle warehouse for Meyer & Meyer in Peine12. February 2020Meyer & Meyer, the leading international provider of fashion logistics with a long family tradition, offers its customers full support along the entire value chain and sets new, future-oriented standards with a holistic “From Sheep to Shop” approach. This includes the consistent use of the latest intralogistics, adapted to constantly increasing customer requirements. Since autumn 2018, Meyer & Meyer has taken over the complete distribution logistics for the 183 stores and e-commerce customers of Adler Modemärkte AG in Germany and Austria. The existing goods distribution center at Peine had to be expanded to include a powerful intralogistics system. New, convincing concept BSS Bohnenberg GmbH from Solingen won over with a shuttle warehouse concept and was commissioned in spring 2018 to implement the expansion planned by Meyer & Meyer.The core element was a 3‐aisle shuttle‐system with a height of 12 meters, a length of 65 meters, and a capacity of 20,500 parking spaces. This highly dynamic and energy-efficient solution won over, through optimal use of space and land and a high throughput, guaranteed by 33 storage vehicles as well as 3 devices ‐ and 6 container lifters. The fully automated warehouse for double-deep storage of cardboard boxes and folding boxes with flat-packed goods was connected to the conveyor technology also supplied by BSS on two levels. While the lower, long-established conveyor technology level takes over the incoming ‐ and outgoing goods flow, the conveyor technology installed at the stage level is connected to the picking ‐, packing ‐, and return areas. BSS also supplied the entire automation technology, the visualization, and the material flow computer, tailored to customer requirements. The plant was built in three construction phases and gradually put into production. Find out more about this project....
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ROFA AG is granted the certificate of eligibility for central bank12. February 2020Companies which have been rated as eligible by the Bundesbank’s credit assessment may be regarded by the Bundesbank and other Eurosystem central banks for monetary policy purposes in the same way as companies which have been rated investment grade by one of the rating agencies acknowledged by the Eurosystem for monetary policy purposes, i.e. credit claims against such companies are eligible as collateral for monetary policy operations of the Bundesbank and other Eurosystem central banks. For ROFA INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION AG, the acknowledged credit rating is of great importance in national and international business transactions. With this certificate the company is classified as a particularly creditworthy and Europe-wide recognized business partner....
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