Around 3,000 people assembled in the new production hall 9, as GROB's chief, Dr. Burkhart Grob, and Bavarian State Premier Horst Seehofer stepped on to the podium. Dr. Grob thanked Horst Seehofer for coming and stressed that "the visit was a great honor for him". But it was also important to him that he thanked and paid his respects to his employees, who "because of their superb training and excellent work have over the decades made a significant contribution to the company's success,“ adding that their efforts were also very much appreciated by GROB's customers. He singled out General Motors, who only recently presented GROB with a global award as the best supplier of machine tools and assembly systems for 2012.
Mr. Seehofer described GROB as a jewel, which has a worldwide presence but is at home in Bavaria. Responding to Dr. Grob's praise of his employees, Mr. Seehofer said: "Let's take our hats off and pay our respects to GROB and its staff. With their high skill levels, they are the backbone of our economy." And it went on: "An entrepreneur's appreciation of his employees is the key to a successful company. Company bosses in Bavaria are role models, not bogeymen. Companies like GROB are a great credit to Bavaria."
After the speeches, State Premier Seehofer toured the Technology and Application Center and was once again extremely impressed. The focus was on the latest generation of GROB machining tools, which can cut a wide variety of parts. A linked system for the automotive industry with linear technology was also demonstrated. The Bavarian State Premier, Dr. Grob and the GROB management then made their way to the plant's own cafeteria to discuss current issues around Bavarian SME policy. One thing on the agenda was the "Technical College for Automotive Engineering and Electric Mobility at Mindelheim Vocational School". Mr. Seehofer wanted to see for himself at high ministerial level, whether such a school is a useful adjunct to the training opportunities currently on offer. But that was not enough for Dr. Grob. He spontaneously agreed to make available a start-up fund of two million euros for this project, thereby ensuring that the school can be built.
After two hours, once Horst Seehofer had entered his name in the district of Unterallgäu's and Mindelheim's "Golden Book", and also GROB's visitors' book, his highly successful tour of the GROB plant ended. This visit was arranged as part of his tour of the Bavarian local authorities and also one element in the "Bavaria on the move" strategy for the future, which aims to invest in the family, education and innovation. Set against this background, his visit to GROB occupied a very special place. And for more than 700 employees, it was a very special day. This reception was their first chance to meet their boss – they had all been hired in the last two years to meet demand from GROB's strong sales growth!
