Podcast „Alles neu...? Aus dem Maschinenraum“

The systems from automation specialist Hima are there to prevent the worst from happening: they balance steam crackers in chemical plants, ensure that the doors on the famous London Tube open on the right side and protect power grids from hackers. In times of geopolitical crises and military conflicts, the understanding of security has grown, says Hima CEO Jörg de la Motte in the podcast "Everything new...? From the engine room". "Awareness of the importance of critical infrastructure has also increased significantly among the population. This started with corona and is now continuing with the topic of cyber security, for example", says de la Motte.

The Hima Group is based in Brühl near Mannheim, employs 1,100 people and had a turnover of just under €190 million in 2024. The family-owned company has over 50 locations around the world, but its internationalisation is not yet complete. ‘There are still blank spots on the map, and there is still potential to be tapped,’ says Steffen Philipp, Managing Partner and great-grandson of the founder. In the podcast, he also talks about entering the Chinese market: "It wasn't that difficult for us to get started there because our customers were looking for opportunities to set up production facilities in China. We started very small, it was a long process."

The family entrepreneur also explains what it was like to put the company in the hands of an external CEO. "The change in company size means that at some point, you have to think: Can you take the next steps?" He told that the answer for himself was no. ‘I have enough training and experience for a company with around 1,000 employees,’ says Philipp. ‘After that, there are structures and processes that I can no longer support because I simply haven't learnt’. His realisation: ‘The best thing is to surround yourself with people who are better than you are.’

How can the origin and future of Mittelstand companies be courageously united? What are the challenges facing family businesses and what experiences do they gather in digital transformation? These questions are answered by “Alles neu...? Aus dem Maschinenraum“, the interview podcast for German Mittelstand*. Once a month, Tobias Rappers, Managing Director of Maschinenraum, and Nils Kreimeier, Senior Editor of the business magazine Capital, talk to thought leaders and makers from the heart of the German economy and focus on the personalities and their motivation. *The podcast is in German.

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