New Maschinenraum members: SCHÄFER Groups become part of the innovation ecosystem

Neunkirchen, Siegerland / Berlin

The three SCHÄFER Groups, including one of the world's leading solution providers of modular warehousing and logistics systems, will become part of Maschinenraum. The alliance of around 50 Mittelstand companies as well as university partners and other innovators is working together on the digital transformation of German Mittelstand. The SCHÄFER groups want to use the exchange with other members of Maschinenraum to share ideas on how to deal with challenges in recruiting, cultural change and sustainability, among other things.

With the founding of the company in 1937, Fritz Schäfer laid the foundation for his life's work and that of his four sons – today, the internationally operating SCHÄFER Groups employ more than 11,000 people on six continents. Over the years, the companies Schäfer Werke, SSI Schäfer and Schäfer Shop, which today form the SCHÄFER Groups, developed from a factory for the production of sheet metal goods. The sister companies operate independently worldwide in diversified business fields: SSI Schäfer Group offers products and systems for in-plant material flow and waste technology, Schäfer Werke Group is active in steel processing and steel trading, and Schäfer Shop is a complete outfitter and one of the leading B2B mail order companies for office, warehouse and factory work. The sister companies use synergy effects within the group for their customers.

Understanding the digital transformation as an opportunity and breaking new ground

"Of course, the digital transformation has also set everything in motion for us. We see this development not only as a challenge, but above all as a great opportunity. A few days ago, for example, we launched our Digital Academy, which is a cross-group forum for exchanging ideas on the very topics that move us. From new technologies and business models to the changing corporate culture and sustainability. However, learning from each other and cooperating is not just something we do internally – we want to consciously open ourselves up to the outside world with the Maschinenraum membership and are very much looking forward to the knowledge transfer and exchange on best practices, trends & co," says Uwe Herzog, Project Manager Digital Transformation.

"We know that especially medium-sized companies as well as family businesses are traditionally not necessarily the loudest – At the same time, however, they are, like the SCHÄFER Groups, global leaders in their fields. It is therefore all the more gratifying to see that they have now decided to open themselves up to cooperation and exchange. Not only to learn, but also to provide valuable impetus to other members of Maschinenraum," says Tobias Rappers, Managing Director of Maschinenraum.

About Maschinenraum:

Maschinenraum, a shared innovation ecosystem from Mittelstand for Mittelstand, unites German Mittelstand and family businesses to boldly shape the future. Already about 50 family-owned companies – including Viessmann, Fiege Logistik, Dussmann Service and Paracelsus Kliniken – have joined Maschinenraum to jointly drive the digital and sustainable transformation of Mittelstand.

About SCHÄFER Groups:

The SCHÄFER Groups are a German family-run group of companies based in Neunkirchen (Siegerland) and in the Westerwald region, consisting of three independent international companies. The SCHÄFER Groups evolved from Fritz Schäfer GmbH, which was officially registered as "Fritz-Schäfer – fabrikmäßige Herstellung von Blechwaren aller Art" in Burbach on January 16, 1937. Over the years, the family business became the SCHÄFER Groups with Fritz Schäfer GmbH and two other companies: Schäfer Werke GmbH and Schäfer Shop GmbH. The parent company, Fritz Schäfer GmbH, developed into a globally active group of companies, the SSI Schäfer Group.