From apprentice to department head

They have known the company their entire working lives, having started as apprentices. Today, Florian Feulner and Manuel Zahn head two departments at HERMOS Schaltanlagen GmbH. “There are many opportunities for advancement in this company,” the two say.
It was their interest in technology, craftsmanship, circuits, technical drawing and physics that led Florian Feulner and Manuel Zahn to apply to HERMOS Schaltanlagen GmbH in Mistelgau in the 1990s. It was also the proximity to home: one comes from Gollenbach, a district of Mistelgau, and the other grew up in Löhlitz—also not far from the HERMOS site. Starting in 1992 and 1995 respectively, both completed an apprenticeship as an energy electronics technician specialising in industrial engineering. “Those were very different times,” the two recall.

At that time, HERMOS had just 25 employees. A manageable team: everyone knew everyone, and everyone helped everyone. It is no surprise that both returned to HERMOS immediately after their time in the German Armed Forces. “That was a given for me,” Florian Feulner recalls, and his colleague adds: “I was happy to come back because we all knew each other. Friendships had formed beyond work.” What followed was a career with many different stages, plenty of variety, but always with a clear direction: upwards. First, they worked as skilled workers in the workshop and took the first career step as group leaders. “Back then we also spent a lot of time on installation assignments,” Florian Feulner recalls, mentioning stays in Australia, Turkey “and pretty much every corner of Germany.” His colleague adds, referring to England: “You experience a lot—many things stay with you.” Such assignments also bring the team closer together.

Department management and personnel responsibility

From 2011 to 2019, Florian Feulner moved from production to sales, but in 2019 he took over as Head of Production. “You are closer to the product, closer to the technology,” he says. Under his leadership, around 150 skilled professionals work in Mistelgau, Bayreuth and Tannenwirtshaus, manufacturing control cabinets for plants all over the world—sometimes for the automotive industry, sometimes for ships, or parcel sorting systems. They all have one thing in common: every control cabinet contains HERMOS know-how. Manuel Zahn has headed the Sales and Work Preparation department since 2017. “It is a responsible role that can involve sums in the millions,” he says. It is also a department where technical understanding is required. Three quarters of his 15-person team come from production and have learned the manufacturing process from the very first screw.

Further training with support

To prepare for their roles as department heads, Florian Feulner and Manuel Zahn completed further training at the University of Bayreuth to become manufacturing and process managers—one year alongside their regular work, but with the company’s support. In addition, a course entitled “From employee to manager” was on the agenda. “We were well prepared for our task,” the two say. Today, both are proud—proud of their personal careers, but also proud of the development of the company as a whole. “After all, we both worked with commitment and motivation for more than 25 years to contribute to the success of the entire company.” That is why they now want to encourage young people to pursue a career at HERMOS. “There are many opportunities for advancement in the company,” explains Manuel Zahn, and one option would be, as it was for him and Florian Feulner, to start in the workshop. At HERMOS, promoting talent and each individual’s special abilities has always been a top priority. That is also why many have been with the company for many years and helped build it into what it is today in terms of size and importance. “You know each other and share many experiences,” the two say about the team spirit at HERMOS Schaltanlagen GmbH. They are the best example of what is possible.