Voices on the GROB In-house Exhibition 2022 – Christian Müller, GROB CSO

GROB has put on an excellent In-house Exhibition at great expense. What were the motives for organizing the largest In-house Exhibition in the history of the company?

This year, the 2022 In-house Exhibition has turned out to be 50 percent larger than all previous In-house Exhibitions. Our goal was actually to show all GROB products and technologies. That means, in addition to the universal machining centers and the latest automation solutions, new systems for system technology, the F-Series, information on electromobility, an expanded range of digitalization, our latest liquid metal printing machine and the entire product range from the GROB Service.

In short, we wanted to present the complete diversification. We also wanted to show that we can serve our visitors fully and that there are more technologies at GROB than they may currently know from their own product range.

GROB set the course for electromobility six years ago and is still selling very well in its traditional business of system and universal machining centers. What is the secret of this success?

Electromobility from GROB is present on all continents. What started in Europe is now also in full swing in America and Asia. Electromobility does not just mean assembly systems for stators, rotors and battery systems. The complete upheaval has also taken place in the machining world for components and parts associated with electromobility. These primarily include battery trays, stator housings or subframes. We have also managed the turnaround very successfully in this area. In the world of machining, for example, the focus is on the F series, which dominates the world market with these new components.

GROB has fundamentally and consistently realigned its sales department. What was changed and, above all, why did GROB decide to take this step?

Due to the strong diversification, we were also forced to reorganize our sales department. Not only has the product range changed, but also the customer spectrum, which has required a completely new approach in the sales organization. New products, new customers and new technologies, in some cases in a displacement market, simply demand a new mindset and a new setup. This usually means more and even more qualified personnel. Furthermore, it was important for us to inspire and bring along 16 branches and five plants from a sales perspective.

How does that translate into numbers?

Our incoming orders increased by over 35 percent last year. It is worth noting that this increase is spread across all technologies, namely universal machining centers, system solutiongs, electromobility and service. The universal machine business saw the biggest increase, at over 45 percent. A development that has resulted from the additions of the 4-axis machine and the small 5-axis G150 machine, but also from the further development of GROB automation. 

GROB has become a full-range supplier and market leader in the electromobility market. How was this possible so quickly, especially against the backdrop of a still completely unknown terrain?

The first thing that speaks in favor of GROB is the innovative strength that allows such leaps in development at all. A change that only a few companies worldwide could have achieved on their own.

The system and universal machining center business has also developed well. How did GROB manage that?

Not only have we continued to develop electromobility, but we have also launched eight new CNC machines in the last two years. And that's not the end of it. We are currently planning even larger machines for machining giga-castings.

If you could ask an oracle how GROB will stand in five years, what do you think this oracle would tell you?

We will be in an even better position in five years' time than we are today. We will have further expanded our electromobility building kit in both machining and electromobility. We will be one of the market leaders in Europe for the manufacture and supply of systems for battery cell production and will further expand our presence in electromobility in the Americas and Asia regions. In universal machining centers, we will adapt our product range and options to market conditions and expand accordingly.

Thank you very much for the interview!