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HOLZ automation

We’re celebrating our anniversary!

Doing business with enthusiasm for 50 years

In 2020, HOLZ automation has every reason to celebrate – the former small, individual toolmaking operation looks back at half a century of company history. Today we are an internationally successful operating specialist for automation with 75 employees, although when our family enterprise was founded in 1970 things looked completely different: our founder, Manfred Holz, worked alone at that time in the small garage of his newly built single-family home… This just shows that a lot has changed in the last 50 years! For our anniversary, therefore, we want to pause and look back on the development that ultimately made us what we are today: a Swabian family enterprise with people who think ahead and inventors who absolutely love what they are doing.

Seven years long »Manfred Holz Werkzeugbau« operated out of Holz’s garage in Maubach and, during this time, was able to build up a reputation as a particularly competent partner. Large customers such as Mahle, Bosch and Stihl placed their trust in Holz even at that time. The year 1977 then saw the move into the workshop annex – together with the three skilled workers employed at that time.

In 1983, a development away from pure toolmaking to a manufacturing shop took place – the first CNC machine was procured!

Even then, the promotion of junior employees was a core concern at Holz. Only three years later, in 1986, the first apprentice, Jens Traub, made his training company very proud when he passed his exams as the third best in the Federal Land Baden-Württemberg – a meaningful signal!

A further strong signal followed shortly after this in 1987: co-operation with the tuning specialists at AMG was started. In this case, Holz was responsible with immediate effect for machining motor blocks.

After all the positive developments in the first 18 years, certain setbacks also had to be overcome. In 1988, there was a magnesium fire in the workshop that caused serious damage not only to the two CNC machines, which were new at the time, but also to large sections of the facility. Thanks to the rapid and courageous action of all persons involved, the worst-case scenario was prevented. Luckily no one was seriously injured and production downtime was also kept to a minimum.

After Holz had recovered from this accident, the company aspired to reach new heights – the new property in the industrial area Waldrems beside Backnang was acquired and a new, modern and generously proportioned production hall was set up in only eight months. The company moved into the new location on the 1st of May 1991 and, with this step, also converted to a limited company (GmbH).

And the 90s were a really successful decade for Holz GmbH. This was when the significant groundwork for further development was laid.

Not only that the first important anniversary – namely 25 years of Holz – could be celebrated in 1995.

In 1996, Jürgen Holz founded »Holz engineering« – an independent engineering office; in 1998, the first complete special purpose machine was delivered: a diffusion welding machine for starter armatures, and in 1999 Holz started the first development project – the »automatic infeed of flexible parts«.

In the 2000s, HOLZ developed into a specialist for special purpose machines – the birth of HOLZ automation

The good news continued in this decade in rapid succession: major orders are received from reputable customers such as Bosch (in international locations such as Belgium, USA, Czech Republic), Porsche and Daimler AG; HOLZ participates for the first time in its own right at a trade fair; initial certification according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 followed shortly by an upgrade to DIN EN ISO 9001:2008 takes place …

At this point, HOLZ 36 has employees – and celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2010.

In 2014, we took another big step and ventured towards the future by reorganising the company: we invested in a new location, highly qualified employees and in a modern work environment and equipment. Not only because we believed in it but also with the future in mind.

Since then our development has quickened even more. Today, we can justifiably claim to be a sought-after specialist and full-service agency in the area of special purpose machines and automation technology – and that, in spite of this, we have remained true to our values and convictions. Every now again we receive confirmation that we are on the right path – after all, we have received different awards and prizes which, of course, make us and our team really proud.

Secure in this knowledge, the 50th anniversary fills us with pride and gratitude. There are a few people around without whom we would not be where we are today.

It is high time to say THANK YOU

Our 75 employees are our most precious asset and they make us proud. All departments accomplish great work day for day. Irrespective of whether this is administration, technology, production or assembly, our people in purchasing and logistics, our trainees, whether in sales or project management – each and every one of them makes an important contribution to the success of our company. A particular mention must be made of the readiness to think beyond the limits of the respective department, areas of responsibility and subject fields. Nobody is set in their ways, everybody is open to new ideas and unconventional ways of thinking. We are proud to have so many competent people in our team – and that’s why we say THANK YOU! Thank you for your loyalty, your co-operation, for the commitment and readiness to be enthusiastic together with us.

Similarly, our customers also deserve a big thanks for placing their trust in us time and again and initiating and implementing successful projects together with us. Our joint success and the valuable co-operation continue to motivate us over and over again. It is wonderful that our customers share our spirit and courageously think ahead together with us. We also promise that we will still not rest until the full scope of a project has been completed in a satisfactory and thrilling manner for all participants.

Our motivation increases with success

Those who look back should not forget to look ahead as well. After all, we know that we have to stay tuned to be strong and remain strong in future as well. We will do everything in our power to achieve this: we will invest in the training and further training of our employees, we will remain on the ball at the technical pulse of our time and will not be scared to continue to think outside the box. Resting on our laurels is not for us – our work in future will also be committed, enthusiastic, Swabian, but different. None of us at HOLZ like a standstill; we will put progress and further development on the agenda in the future. In this spirit: to the next 50 years of HOLZ automation!

Thanks a lot to all who share our path!