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Würzburg/Lauda-Königshofen, June 28, 2024 - new.degree GmbH will cease its business operations on June 30, 2024. The wholly owned subsidiary of LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, the global market leader for precise temperature control, was founded in 2021 to drive forward the innovation and digitalization of the parent company. There was previously a similar company based in Silicon Valley, USA, but it ceased operations during the pandemic and transferred its tasks to the German company. After careful consideration, the liquidation of new.degree, »The LAUDA Digital Innovation Hub«, will now be completed.

»The closure of new.degree is a decision that was very difficult for me personally. After all, it was my initiative, which I launched full of energy during my stay in Silicon Valley,« explains Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO at LAUDA. »Agile innovation management is still very important to me. However, the last three and a half years have shown that integrating these tasks into the parent company is more efficient.«

Bringing the innovation and digitalization topics back to LAUDA should improve the direct product reference and enable greater economic success in the long term. Only around a year ago, new.degree moved into new offices in the InnoHubs on Skyline Hill in Würzburg, which are now also being vacated. By bundling expertise under the umbrella of the parent company LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, digital activities will be more closely aligned with the core business and existing customer relationships.

Dr. Mario Englert, CFO at LAUDA and also Managing Director of new.degree GmbH since the beginning of 2024, explains: »Despite numerous ideas each year, only a few have made the leap to concrete business cases. In the current overall economic situation, it makes more sense for LAUDA to focus on its core competencies and drive digitalization forward by additional hired employees at the company headquarters.« 

The closure of new.degree GmbH does not mean the end of comprehensive innovation efforts, but rather represents a strategic step towards a more focused approach at LAUDA. »We would like to thank all former employees of new.degree GmbH for their dedicated work over the past few years,« emphasizes Dr. Gunther Wobser. »The experience and knowledge gained is of great value and will enable us to continue to drive forward the digital transformation at LAUDA in the future and be successful in the long term.«

Lauda-Königshofen, June 25, 2024 – LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG has awarded Itzik Avni, owner and Managing Director of the Israeli LAUDA representative Meshulam Avni & Son Ltd. with the Dr. Rudolf Wobser Medal. The world market leader for temperature control technology thus honored the outstanding achievements, tireless commitment and many years of successful cooperation with the Israeli partner from Nescher, southeast of Haifa. The award ceremony took place during the festive gala dinner, which was part of the LAUDA supporting program at the world's leading trade fair ACHEMA in Frankfurt am Main and was attended by numerous LAUDA dealers and international representatives.

The Dr. Rudolf Wobser Medal is the highest award given by the family business in recognition of an individual's outstanding achievements. The award ceremony was a moment of surprise and joy for the recipient: Itzik Avni is only the second recipient from outside the company. Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO of LAUDA, who presented the medal together with his father and former Managing Director, Dr. Gerhard Wobser, emphasized the significance of the award: “The award is a sign of our deep appreciation for Mr. Avni's extraordinary achievements - especially in difficult times such as since the terrible events of October 7, 2023.”

The agency, which has been in business since 1970, tripled its turnover from 2022 to 2023 to over one million euros and was able to not only continue its business activities but also maintain a high turnover level. The personal connection between Meshulam Avni & Son and LAUDA was also highlighted. “The strong relationship between the Avni and Wobser families, which has grown over more than 50 years and generations, reflects our commitment to long-term and successful partnerships. It is our pleasure and privilege to maintain and strengthen these German-Israeli ties,” added Dr. Gunther Wobser. A special highlight will be Itzik Avni's 50th anniversary with the company next year. Health and enjoyment of work run in the family. The company founder, his father Meshulam, worked until the age of 90 and died in April 2010 at the age of 95.

LAUDA acknowledges the achievements of Meshulam Avni & Son and looks forward to future joint projects.

Lauda-Königshofen, June 24, 2024 – LAUDA Technology Ltd, the British sales company of LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, has once again been honored for its outstanding performance with the “Best Agency for Plant Engineering” award. The award ceremony took place on June 11 at the LAUDA stand during the ACHEMA trade fair in Frankfurt am Main. This is the fifth time that LAUDA Technology Ltd. has received this award; the company was last honored in 2022. Special mention was made of the achievements of Paul King and John Telford, Sales Manager Industrial Units, who once again demonstrated their outstanding performance.

In the presence of Dr. Ralf Hermann, CSO of LAUDA and responsible for sales, service and product management, and Dr. Thorsten Ebel, Director Area Sales International at LAUDA, the President & CEO of LAUDA, Dr. Gunther Wobser, presented the award and expressed his appreciation: “It is a remarkable achievement to be so successful in these challenging times. LAUDA Technology, with John Telford as a specialist in plant engineering, has once again demonstrated a high level of technical competence”.

Dr. Hermann praised the performance of the British subsidiary: “The sales growth of LAUDA Technology is impressive every year. It surpasses itself again and again. We are very pleased with this positive development and would like to thank the entire LAUDA Technology team for their commitment.”

The development of LAUDA Technology since its founding in 2012 has been remarkable: after steady growth in recent years, the company has more than doubled its sales in the plant engineering sector to around six million euros. With two major customers from Ireland and another from the UK, LAUDA Technology has a strong customer base in plant engineering that is set to expand further in the coming years.

Lauda-Königshofen, June 17, 2024 – LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER, the world's leading provider of precise temperature solutions, draws an extremely positive conclusion from ACHEMA 2024, the world's leading trade fair for the process industry. From June 10 to 14, the exhibition center in Frankfurt am Main was once again the meeting place for the chemical and pharmaceutical technology, biotechnology and industrial environmental technology sectors. Over the five days of the trade fair, 106,000 visitors from 141 nations found out about the products and services of the 2,842 exhibitors from 56 countries.

With a modern, bright and inviting exhibition stand, LAUDA presented itself to the international trade audience from its best side. The presentation of two new product lines, the LAUDA Ultratemp process thermostats and the Universa bath thermostats, as well as a strong focus on sustainability, energy efficiency and digital products such as the LAUDA Command App characterized the world market leader's trade fair appearance. In numerous discussions with process engineers, biotechnologists, engineers, chemists and other industry experts, LAUDA's groundbreaking refrigeration innovations were convincing across the board.

Product innovations: Ultratemp process thermostats and Universa bath thermostats
At ACHEMA 2024, LAUDA presented the Ultratemp process thermostats to the public for the first time: These impress with their performance and precision and meet the highest requirements for demanding applications in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

As an innovative solution that is characterized by its modular design and the flexible combinability of control heads and baths, LAUDA presented the new Universa product line. The devices work with natural refrigerants and frequency-controlled compressors, which enable energy-saving operation, especially in partial load operation. With the Universa U 8 PRO, the Universa U 1645 MAX and the Universa U 845 MAX, LAUDA is presenting tailor-made and high-performance solutions for a wide range of applications in the laboratory sector at the trade fair.

Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO of LAUDA, was satisfied with the course of the trade fair: “We are proud of how our innovations were received at ACHEMA 2024. The positive response and the continued high level of interest confirm our position as global market leader. Compared to the last ACHEMA, which was significantly weaker in 2022 due to the pandemic, we were able to increase the number of registered contacts by 154 percent. We see this as a positive signal for the challenging financial year.”

LAUDA, the world's leading supplier of precise temperature solutions, will present a wide range of innovations at this year's ACHEMA in Frankfurt am Main. Two new product lines and a focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and natural refrigerants will characterize the LAUDA presentation this year. In addition, a cross-section of the extensive portfolio of process thermostats, circulation chillers, and plant engineering will be on display.

Ultratemp Process Thermostats - High-performance Temperature Control for Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Technology

LAUDA Ultratemp represents a new generation of process thermostats - powerful and precise, designed for demanding applications in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. With impressive heating and cooling capacities of up to 50 kW, a temperature stability of ±0.5 K, and an operating range of -5 °C - 60 °C, Ultratemp process thermostats meet the highest demands. Their robust, easy-to-clean stainless-steel construction and intuitive operation via buttons and LCD allow efficient and precise use. Their bi-frequency power supply and the wide ambient temperature range of -15 °C - 50 °C make them fit for global use. Conceived for biopharmaceutical applications, they can effectively control large volumes of up to 5,000 liters. LAUDA Ultratemp process thermostats will be presented to the public for the first time at ACHEMA.

Universa bath thermostats - modular, sustainable, digital, and powerful

The new LAUDA Universa range of devices comprises three primary performance classes: Universa ECO, Universa PRO, and Universa MAX, which cover all laboratory and pilot plant requirements, from cost-effective entry-level units to powerful professional thermostats. LAUDA Universa has a completely modular design. The control heads and baths can be flexibly combined. With bath volumes of 4 - 42 L and bath depths of 160 - 320 mm as well as cooling capacities of up to 1.5 kW and heating capacities of up to 3.6 kW, the ideal technical solution can be configured for every application and an optimum price/performance ratio ensured. All units in the range use natural refrigerants and frequency-controlled compressors. The latter allows energy-saving operation, especially at partial load. Examples of the Universa U 8 PRO, Universa U 1645 MAX, and Universa U 845 MAX will be on display at the trade fair.

Focus on natural refrigerants and efficiency

In addition to the new product lines, numerous innovative refrigeration solutions for the process industry will be presented, which cover different performance classes and requirements and can be flexibly integrated into complex process structures. A selection from the extensive portfolio of process thermostats and circulation chillers will be on display - with a focus on energy efficiency, sustainability, and natural refrigerants. From propane- and CO2-based process thermostats with a single-digit GWP (Global Warming Potential) value to the current generation of circulation chillers, which enable energy savings of up to 50 percent compared to older, still widely used models, LAUDA underlines its commitment to sustainable development. "Empowering Excellence. For a better future" is both a vision and a commitment, manifested in a comprehensive sustainability strategy that combines technical feasibility, visionary thinking, and a sense of purpose.

Lauda-Königshofen, May 27, 2024 – A summit for world market leaders with around 400 participants took place in Beijing for the first time. The initiators were the Academy of World Market Leaders, which was founded by the former Economics Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Dr. Walter Döring, and the German-European Center for SME Cooperation DEZ in China. The venue was the impressive “Beijing-China-Germany International Convention and Exhibition Center” building complex in the middle of the Shunyi district, in the immediate vicinity of the Chinese capital’s airport. There is a large industrial area in which predominantly German companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Bosch and the medium-sized company Wilo have settled.

China is very impressed by the success strategies of the so-called hidden champions, leading global companies, of which there are around 1,700 in Germany. Above all, the big names are known abroad. A similar phenomenon exists in China, whose economic structure largely consists of small and medium-sized privately owned companies, although most of them do not yet have global sales structures.

The German world market leaders included ebm-papst, represented by the managing director responsible for sales, Thomas Nürnberger, Würth, represented by the foundation's former chairman of the board, Harald Unkelbach, and LAUDA, represented by President & CEO, Dr. Gunther Wobser, attended the summit.

The delegation of around 100 German company representatives was accompanied, among others, by the former German Economics Minister, Peter Altmaier, as well as the long-time member of the Bundestag, former minister and current chairman of the German-Chinese parliamentary group and the China Bridge dialogue platform, Dr. Hans Peter Friedrich.

Dr. Gunther Wobser took part in a panel discussion about the opportunities for German-Chinese cooperation and presented the family business LAUDA in the large plenary session. He focused on the important collaboration in the growth industries of electromobility and hydrogen drives, for example for trucks, and LAUDA's powerful product range as the world market leader for precise temperatures. He referred to the Chinese sales company, which has existed since 2008 and the production set up in 2023, which develops and produces first-class LAUDA devices from China worldwide.

The highlight was the reception of a small delegation by the Vice Minister for Trade and International Economic Relations, Ling Ji. Minister Ling Ji explicitly asked the company representatives about opportunities for improvement and took intensive notes. The protection of intellectual property, which is particularly important for German companies, was mentioned several times. Dr. Gunther Wobser asked for support with the required CCC certification and cited difficulties for his two Chinese subsidiaries in accessing digital information from the German headquarters. Minister Ling Ji then commented in detail on the individual points and generally pledged his support.

The Chinese government is showing increasing interest in creating investment-promoting conditions for German medium-sized businesses and thus attracting investments into the country. German world market leaders, in turn, want to continue to play an active role in Chinese economic life and expand their market position in the important sales market. As the conference showed, they are open to targeted cooperation with Chinese customers and family businesses.

Lauda-Königshofen, May 24, 2024 – Roy Lu is the new general manager of the sales subsidiary LAUDA China, which manages the global product range of LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, the leading manufacturer of temperature control devices and systems. The 41-year-old electrical engineer has many years of experience in technical sales and has, among other things, worked for German branches in China such as Siemens and medium-sized companies such as Lenze. Most recently, he was responsible for the Chinese branch of a German manufacturer of connection systems and successfully expanded the business there.

Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO of LAUDA, was together with the Director Area Sales International, Dr. Thorsten Ebel, on site in Shanghai to welcome the new employee. Convinced of the market opportunities in China, Dr. Wobser on the successful filling of the position: “The dynamics in China are unbroken in the medium and long term. In addition to our core markets in chemistry and biotechnology, we want to exploit opportunities in electromobility and hydrogen technology. Globally leading companies in particular rely on globally valid quality standards, which we, as the recognized world market leader for precise temperature control, offer with our own presence in all important markets.”

By filling this key position, LAUDA China is ideally prepared for the future and will concentrate on implementing the Drive250 growth strategy with Roy Lu. Dr. Ebel, who has been intensively supporting the team himself for several months, adds: “With Roy Lu, we have been able to gain an experienced manager who will further develop the market with the competent team. We will continue to expand our sales in the short term.”

LAUDA China was founded in 2008 and supports local dealers and end customers. Since the beginning of 2024, the Shanghai-based company has acted as a logistics hub and sells the entire LAUDA device portfolio in the strategically important region. The business has expanded significantly in recent years in particular.

Lauda-Königshofen, 14. Mai 2024 – After a five-year pandemic-related interruption, an Asia Sales Meeting of LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG, the world market leader for precise temperature control, took place for the first time again from April 15 to 19, 2024 in Da Nang, Vietnam.

Personally welcomed by Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO of LAUDA, representatives from across Asia came together for the eighth edition of the Asia Sales Meeting to take part in training, courses and workshops. A total of 50 participants from Vietnam, India, China, New Zealand and other countries attended this important event.

In his welcoming speech, Dr. Wobser gave an update on LAUDA's business development and emphasized the importance of further cooperation in the context of the Drive250 strategy project. Other highlights were the presentations on new products, regulatory requirements and sales techniques. The upcoming launch of the LAUDA Universa appliance line and the world's first mobile, battery-operated ultra-low temperature chest freezer, Mobifreeze, attracted particular interest.

The event also provided an opportunity to recognize new and long-standing partners on the Asian market. Dr. Wobser, together with CSO Dr. Ralf Hermann, Dr. Thorsten Ebel, Director Area Sales International, Felix Heinrich-Bignasse, Director Key Account Management and Marco Hauser, Area Sales Manager Asia, presented the awards to those honored. Hazim Dawood, Mustafa Hazim and Yasmin Ghazi from The Specialization Company from Iraq received the award as “New agency with outstanding sales success”. Sandeep Sawant and his daughter Devaki Sawant from Sawant Process Solutions from India were honored with the award as “Long-time agency with continuous increase in sales during the last five years”.

The participants praised the excellent organization and the venue in Da Nang. Numerous constructive discussions took place during and after the official program, demonstrating the partners' commitment to LAUDA and their enthusiasm for future cooperation. In conclusion, Dr. Ralf Hermann and Marco Hauser emphasized their expectation that the knowledge gained will have a positive impact on concrete deals and new business.

“The 8th Asia Sales Meeting marks a significant milestone for LAUDA in Asia. The positive response and the intensive discussions underline the strength of our partnerships and the common pursuit of success,” summarizes Dr. Gunther Wobser.

With the successful conclusion of the meeting, LAUDA is now concentrating on the further implementation of its global strategies and is looking forward to new business in the Asian market.