Fritsch A ‘Global Player’

The success of German bakery systems maker Fritsch as a global player – and at the same time as a traditional, owner-operated midsized operation at home within a basically rural infrastructure – has caught the attention big players in the political arena.

So much so that German Economics Minister Michael Glos paid a recent visit to the company’s new technology centre in Kitzingen, Germany.
Covering some 3000m², the centre makes it possible for bakers to test Fritsch systems and machines in various configurations, to develop new products, and to optimise the production and quality of their own product range.
The centre houses the entire range of testing possibilities, from dough preparation with the help of an industrial chilling room to proofing cabinets, freezers and baking ovens, as well as all of the other equipment necessary for the hands-on development of a complete range of baked products under optimal conditions.
“In terms of technology, you are at the top of the roster, you are a successful player in the world market and well-known for your strength of innovation,” said Glos.
He spoke of Fritsch being a ‘beacon in the world of mechanical engineering’ that satisfies all the prerequisites for weathering eventual times of crisis.
Managing director Klaus Fritsch thanked Glos for his visit and for the opportunity to discuss directly issues currently facing mid-sized, family-run companies with a top-level government representative.
Fritsch feels that with its 500 employees, 30 of them apprentices, his company is well prepared to weather a potential crisis.
“We’ve found a healthy balance of national and international markets. We are present in a great number of countries worldwide, throughout Eastern Europe and the Middle East, for instance, and this makes us much less dependent on the development of individual markets.”
Fritsch, with headquarters and main plant in the Franconian town of Markt Einersheim, has succeeded in increasing its group sales by more than 20 percent over the last year to almost €90 million.
At the same time, the number of incoming orders grew by more than 40 per cent. Both domestic and foreign sales have played a part in the company’s growth, with the share of exports maintaining a level of around 70 percent.