Interview with Robert Friedmann Page 3
A customer visit Page 6
The Würth Group can look back on a suc-cessful year 2008. We raised sales to EUR8.82 billion and recorded the second-bestoperating result ever. A success achievedthanks to the outstanding commitment ofour suppliers and our employees, but firstand foremost our customers.
Inspiring our customers by facilitatingtheir everyday work with our services andcommitment is the guiding principle atWürth as well as our challenge. What thismeans in practice is shown in the report onpages 6 and 7 of this Annual Magazine.Join our sales representative Daniel Bartschon a visit to his customers in Munich.
The Würth company would also not be thesame without its commitment to art andculture and the social responsibility that itassumes. Across Europe the number of ex-hibition halls for the Würth Collection atcompanies of the Würth Group has in- creased to 14. The newest asso ciated gallery,
Musée Würth France Erstein in Alsace, ope-ned its doors to the pub lic in 2008.
Freie Schule Anne-Sophie is particularly closeto my heart; that is the school funded by theCharitable Würth Trust which has its own edu-cational concept. In 2008, 350 students and 40teachers were able to move into the new schoolbuilding in Künzelsau. This is an importantmilestone in the young history of the school.
In “InSight”, we report on these and manyother topics from the Würth Group. Enjoyyour read!
Sincerely yours,
Bettina WürthChairwoman of the Advisory Board of theWürth Group
Editorial
Sales Würth Group
2006 2007
7,748
8,489
2008
8,816
2005
6,914
2004
6,203
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
in millions of EUR
Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008
INSIGHT
PageAt a glanceMilestones 2008 2
Interview with Robert Friedmann,Chairman of the Central ManagingBoard of the Würth Group 3
Serving our customersWorking with a passion and the aspiration to continually improve 4
Focus: quality management 4
SalesWürth Italy goes on board 5
Würth SolarSunny times ahead forGeneCIS photovoltaic modules 5
ReportOut and about in Munich with a Würth sales representative 6
TrainingTaking opportunities, developing one’s personality, making a career 8
Würth commitmentAware of our social responsibility 9
Art and cultureAn inspiration inday-to-day business 10
Sports sponsoring 11
Company profileof the Würth Group 12
Content
Our goal:
inspiring our customers
Well advised – A customer visiting one of ourWürth sales branches
Satisfying our customers is not enough. Wewant to inspire them. With products andquality. With comprehensive advice and ex-cellent service. We want to get out to ourcustomers and into new markets. We areconstantly on the look-out for areas inwhich we can improve further or for waysin which we can help boost the efficiency ofsmall businesses and industrial companieswith our products and services.
On a global scale and locally: About 60,000Würth employees endeavor to deliver topquality and service the whole world over.
Competent advice on location at our businessassociates is ensured every day by around30,000 sales representatives. Indeed, cus tomerproximity is the guiding principle of all Würthsales branches. Is a part missing at the building
site? Is an item needed quickly at the com-pany? In 36 countries, the Würth sales bran-ches make sure that the tradespeople can covertheir immediate needs in direct proximity totheir place of work or their company’s location.
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Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008INSIGHT
At a glance
Milestones 2008
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
AcquisitionsThe Würth Group starts into fiscal year 2008with two strategically important acquisitions.The Danish trading company Arvid Nilsson A/Sand the US trading company Marine FastenersInc. join the Group.
Central Managing BoardJoachim Kaltmaier (47) is appointed to theCentral Managing Board of the Würth Group.He takes charge of finance and accounting.
Anniversary Würth Italy, a trading company with a long-standing tradition in the WürthGroup’s core business, celebrates its 45th anniversary.
110 yearsThe HAHN + KOLB Group, a subgroup of theWürth Group, located in Germany, looks backon 110 years in business.
TraineesIncluding the new career entrants, a totalof 1,096 trainees are employed by theGerman Würth companies. The numberof trainees employed by the Group thusreaches record levels.
Management relayRolf Bauer (65), Deputy Chairman of the Central ManagingBoard of the Würth Group steps down from his position on theGroup’s top management body and joins the Würth Group’s Ad-visory Board. Peter Zürn (49), former Chairman of Adolf WürthGmbH & Co. KG, is appointed new Deputy Chairman of theWürth Group’s Central Managing Board.
Three million customers The Würth Group welcomes its three millionthcustomer, Franz Hahn Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH,from the Lower Austrian town of Ybbs.
CongratulationsArnold Umformtechnik GmbH & Co. KG, oneof the Würth Group’s production companies inGermany, celebrates its 110th anniversary.
InnovationWürth’s focus is on developing innovative pro-ducts and solutions for customers. A new gene-ration of ASSY® screws for high-performancewood connections is launched on the market.
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Mr. Friedmann, we are here in the logisticscenter of Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG in Kün-zelsau, Germany. What is the significance ofthis center for the Würth Group?
The logistics center is the heart of our organi-zation – in combination with the sales net-work, of course. As a Group that is mainlycomposed of trading companies, we can saythat what goes on here in the logistics centeris our “production”. This is where goods arereceived and dispatched. Logistics is the lar-gest department in the Würth Group’s inter-nal organization.
Würth sells itself as a professional partner fortrade and industry on the strength of the relia-bility of its deliveries. What distinguishes theWürth Group from the competition? In whatway is Würth a cut above the rest?
Screws can be bought anywhere, tools can bebought anywhere – we have thousands ofcompetitors. But we don’t just sell products,we sell entire systems. That is our strength.
For example, we sell screws in packs that arecolor-coded to correspond to the matchingdrill bit, making it easy for the workman tomatch them up. We also offer a storage sys -tem for the screw packs that facilitates bothstorage and reordering. These are the thingsthat make us stand out from the competition:thinking in terms of systems.
That sounds like the refinement of very simpleproducts.
Someone once said that “Würth is the perfec-tion of the ordinary”. Although “perfection” isof course a big word, we certainly aim to per-
fect the small things, the simple things, inorder to be able to offer a package that benefitsthe customers and helps them in their day-to-day work. After all, 40 percent of our sales are
generated with products that have been in ourportfolio for less than five years. This is a goodvalue for a trading company.
How do you position yourself as a partner forthe trades?
You have to think along the same lines as thecustomer. How does the product benefit thecustomer? What aspect of packaging is im-portant to the customer? When and wherewould the customer like the goods to be deli-vered?
The Würth Group has posted a series of recordresults in the past. Business was more slug-gish in 2008. How is the Würth Group reactingto challenging conditions?
The fact is that our customers continue buyingeven in difficult times because there is alwaysa need for our products. They buy less, butthey do buy. Swift delivery, high quality and re-lieving the customer’s workload with our ser-vice are still just as important. That’s why I saythat especially when the economic conditionsare so difficult, we must concentrate evenmore on improving our core competencies.
The Würth Group wants to continue expan-ding internationally. At the same time, theGroup has a very wide range of business fields.How specifically does the Group plan to ex-pand?
Decisions on the expansion of theGroup are made using prudentbusiness judgment. That is one ofProfessor Würth’s guiding princi-ples. In light of this, the diversifica-tion of our business serves tospread risk. I say this bearing inmind the market share that we gainas a result, and also the added ex-perience that it brings to the Group.
What is your forecast for 2009, parti -cularly in light of the economic crisis?
We are in a good position overall.We are decen tralized, which enables us to takeaction at a local level. We are diversified, and
INSIGHTAnnual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008
therefore not overly dependent on individualindustries. And we were able to put somethingby during the good years, for example by achie-ving exceptional liquidity and a high equityratio. Now we need to react to developmentson local markets at the level of individual coun-
tries and companies, perhaps with cutbacks,but always with new sales approaches and
ideas. Our main objective must be to get an ac-tive grip of the situation.
Sales development Würth Group 1999–2008
1999 2000 2001 2002 2006 2007
4,110
5,136 5,277 5,360
7,748
8,489
2008
8,816
2005
6,914
2004
6,203
2003
5,453
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
in millions of EUR
Development of the Würth Group in figures
Pre-tax operating result Würth Group 1999–2008
1999 2000 2001 2002 2006 2007
268305
270 281
515
640
2008
545
2005
455
2004
395
2003
330
600
450
300
150
60,000
45,000
30,000
15,000
1999 2000 2001 2002 2006 2007200520042003
in millions of EUR
Employees Würth Group 1999–2008
as of December 31
41,95223,48839,809
21,96937,40719,240
36,16118,45931,191
16,616
46,97326,085
50,76727,488
54,90629,020
63,69930,650
2008
62,81130,831
Employees, thereof sales staff
Well positioned to activelyshape the future
Interview with Robert Friedmann, Chairman of the Central Managing Board of the Würth Group
Würth’s core productrange contains more than100,000 products. Around22,000 packages leave thedistribution center in Kün-zelsau alone every day,with 99 percent of ordersdispatched within 24hours of receipt. Thisplace is buzzing withspeed and reliability –qualities that define all ofthe Würth Group’s opera-tional units.
Perfecting the ordinary
Thinking along the same lines as the customer
Our distribution network runs like clockwork: fast and reliable
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Direct selling: the heart of our companyCustomer proximity and customer orientationare exemplified by the ways in which custo-mers can make their purchases at Würth. Di-rect selling in its original form, which hasmade the company what it is today, is one ofthe Würth Group’s special strengths. About30,000 sales representatives have over 70million customer contacts per year around theworld. Specializing in the divisions Auto, Metal,Wood, Construction and Industry ensures thatevery member of the sales staff is a competentpartner for our customers in his or her field.
Sales branches: being close to the customerTo cater to the needs of our different targetgroups, we continuously seek to develop oursales channels further. To complement thesales force, Würth is increasing the number ofits sales branches around the world. This way,customers can cover their immediate needs indirect proximity to their place of work or theircompany’s location.
The parent company of the Würth Group,Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, opened up 36new sales branches in Germany in 2008, rai-sing the number of sales branches nationwideto over 280 by year-end. Globally, 41 groupcompanies already offer customers this chan-nel to buy their products. For our customers,
the sales branches and service provided by oursales force combine into the best possible, in-dividual service, giving them a choice betweenvarious points of contact.
A wealth of ideas and qualityThe Würth range in the core business com-prises over 100,000 products – from screws,screw accessories and dowels to chemicalproducts, furniture and construction fittingsand even right through to tools, power tools,storage and retrieval systems. The utmost prio-rity is for Würth products to meet the highestquality standards. Another challenge that wehave set ourselves is to provide customers with innovative products and solutions thatoffer outstanding benefits. Satisfying our custo -mers is not enough. We want to inspire them –with services that facilitate their every day work.
One example of Würth’s own developments isthe ASSY® screw for the wood and construc-
tion trades. Since the patent application wasfiled 18 years ago, the ASSY® screws haveproved themselves in practice on the market.Since then they have been continuously re -fined and in October 2008 Würth launched anew generation of ASSY® 3.0 screws. Manyscrews tend to splinter the wood close to theedge. With its special screw head the newASSY® makes a secure connection and sinks
perfectly into wood and fittings thanks to the milled pockets on the screw head. TheAW® drive patented by Würth also ensures op-timum power transmission when tighteningscrews. The asymmetrical screw thread makesfor easier screwing and prevents overtightening.This is just one more example of how we applysmall, but practical ideas to actively supportour customers and contribute to their success.
ASSY® 3.0 – a new generation of screws forhigh-performance wood connections
Top: Putting a quick fastener for vehicle registration plates to the weather test
Right: The before/after comparison
Serving our customers
Working with a passion and the aspiration to continually improve
Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008INSIGHT
The Würth Line companies – the Group’s corebusiness – have process management andsupplier development systems in place as wellas a comprehensive quality assurance system.
New products such as screws, dowels, reversi-ble ratchet handles, grinding wheels, tongsand various chemical products are tes ted, validated and released centrally by AdolfWürth GmbH & Co. KG’s quality manage-ment. Only if it passes all quality gates is a pro-duct added to the range of products. Qualitycontrol naturally also performs systematic te-sting of incoming goods.
For example, foremen and engineers putpaints, insulating and plastic materials to theweather test in the parent company’s labora-tory in Künzelsau. The lab equipment allowsrapid simulation of how the material ageswhen exposed to rain and various tempera -tures. “The weathering testing instrumentvery quickly reveals differences in productquality, which would otherwise only be repor-ted by customers years later,” says Jan Kobald
Focus: quality management
IN
STEAD OF SPLITTING
IT!
CONNECTS WOOD
Consulting at the Würth sales branch (above) or on location at the customer (far left)
More than three million customers from trade and industry worldwide are supplied by the Würth Group. The core values at the heart of our company are first-class product quality, a consistent focus on the needsof our customers combined with the aspiration to continually improve, and our employees’ enthusiasm.
from Würth’s quality assurance team. This en-sures that Würth selects only the best productsfor its product range.
Besides the weathering testing instrument, themain test equipment includes various hard-ness testers, tension testing machines, doweltes ting equipment, a torque and car headlighttest facility as well as a materials analysis de-vice to determine the chemical composition ofa product. The test laboratory of Adolf WürthGmbH & Co. KG has been accredited underDIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and thus is recog -nized as a competent and independent testcenter. We have employees working in productquality control at further test laboratories in Germany and other countries includingSwitzerland, Slovakia, the United States, Italy,Brazil and China.
The Allied Companies, which operate in busi-ness fields adjacent to our core business, alsohave their own quality management systemsgeared towards customer requirements.
Würth aims to meet, or even exceed, the highest quality standards. Needless to say, we have aquality management system to safeguard our standards.
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Whatever you do, don’t get seasick! That is themotto of the sales representatives from WürthItaly on their collaboration with MSC Cruises.The company is one of the world’s best knownand biggest shipping companies. Its fleet often cruise ships offers exclusive cruises aroundthe globe.
A small town with 5,000 inhabitantsMSC Cruises is constantly enlarging its fleet.By 2010 another two cruise ships will be laun-ched. One of them, the MSC Splendida, is thetwin sister of MSC Fantasia. The two shipshave a tonnage of 138,000t each and are tallerthan the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each ship has1,637 cabins and can accommodate 3,959 pas-
sengers. Covering 27,000 m², the public areashouse a theater with 1,600 seats, a wellnesscenter, four restaurants, two buffet areas, fiveswimming pools, twelve hot-tubs, bars, shops,a disco, a casino, a Formula-1 racing simula-tor, a 4-D cinema, a squash court and a playarea for children.
A company like MSC is confronted with count-less challenges. The ships are constantly at seaand cater to the thousands of tourists who wantto use the various amenities on offer everyweek. Everything has to work perfectly so thatthe guests can enjoy their stay to the fullest. Ifyou count the crew, every ship is like a smalltown with 5,000 inhabitants. To make sure
everything runs smoothly, the crew includesplumbers, electricians, carpenters and mecha-nics.
Well equipped on the high seas with ORSY®
For the procurement of assembly and faste-ning technology, MSC needs a professionalpartner which offers a large range of high-quality products. And just as importantly,one that offers reliable, punctual and flexiblecustomer service. Würth Italy supplies thecruise ships with the consumables and toolsneeded for the servicing and maintenance of the ships. What is more, MSC Fantasia is to be equipped with an ORSY® system(ORganized SYstem). Würth’s customized
shelf system ensures that all the products arewell organized. In this way, the available sto-rage space is used in the optimum way andthe tradesmen can see at a glance whichitems need to be reordered. In the future, theship is also to be equipped with ORSY®scan.This scanner system allows the crew to orderthe products they need electronically by sim-ply scanning the barcode on the packagingor on the shelf – even at sea.
Work in dry dockWhen the ship is in dry dock for repairs,things really heat up. The ship becomes a construction site. Mechanics, plumbers, elec-tricians and carpenters have to do the best possible job in just a few days. The direct support by the key account management andby product trainers from Würth Italy has proved to be particularly helpful in such situa-tions. Being on the spot means that they cancater directly to the needs of the individualusers and offer suitable solutions.
Just-in-time delivery from port to port The biggest challenge is delivering on time be-cause the ships only stay in the various portsfor one day. Personal communication with thecrew members who use Würth products is alsolimited to the short stays in ever changingports. Every opportunity therefore has to beused to go on board, for example to presentnew products.
Würth Italy makes sure that all orders for theships arrive in the port of call on time. The col-laboration between MSC and Würth goesmuch further than just procuring products.They work closely together as partners to con-tinuously improve the procurement processfor MSC with a view to increasing value added.
INSIGHTAnnual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008
Würth Italy on board for MSC
Würth sales representatives on a customervisit on board the MSC Fantasia
Sunny times ahead for GeneCIS photovoltaic modules by Würth Solar
It is ten years ago now that Würth Solar wasfounded and the pilot factory for CIS solarpower modules went into operation. CISstands for a chemical compound of copper(Cu), indium (In) and selenide (Se). In themeantime, the CIS technology has becomefirmly established in the booming solarpower market. In 2006 the pilot factory wasreplaced by large-scale series production in Schwäbisch Hall which now produces350,000 photovoltaic modules per year. Pro-jects completed around the world demon-strate the high degree of acceptance enjoyedby Würth Solar’s CIS modules offered underthe brand GeneCIS.
Nowadays, residential houses with photovol-taic devices are commonplace in many coun-tries around the world. In recent years, anever-increasing number of companies andmunicipalities have also decided to use theirlarge roof expanses to generate electricity. Insouthern Europe there are numerous solarfarms, in which solar power is harnessed on
a large scale. These are all typical fields of ap-plication for GeneCIS modules and completephotovoltaic systems produced by WürthSolar. The company is now equally at homeon the markets in southern Spain as inFrance, Greece, Italy and, of course, Ger-many.
More recently, architects, developers andplanners have started using photovoltaic mo-dules as design elements. Thanks to theirtechnical features and their special aesthetics,GeneCIS modules are ideally suited for directintegration in facades and roofs. That is whatattracted Chinese facade builders to WürthSolar. The impressive result: GeneCIS mo-dules have been integrated in the roof ofAsia’s largest train station in Beijing, a highlycomplex architectural project that was com-pleted in 2008. The facade of the new WorldJewellery Center in Milan also generates elec-tricity. By using GeneCIS modules, the cen-ter of the Italian jewelry industry has itself be-come a real gem.
Würth is constantly developing its business fields – not only within the core business but alsoin diversified business units. In recent years, the development of Würth Solar, a subsidiary ofthe Würth Elektronik Group, has been particularly dynamic.
The new South Railway Station in Beijing
Detached house with GeneCIS modules
Facade of the World Jewellery Center in Milan covered with solar modules by Würth Solar
Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008
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We love selling! Out and about in Munich with Würth sales representative Daniel Bartsch
INSIGHT
My “second workplace”: the car
We don’t wait for customers to come to us, we go to them!
Grüß Gott!
My name is Daniel Bartsch. As sales representative in the Wooddivision at Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, I work in the Munichsales territory. My customers are mainly carpenters, window andawning fitters ranging from 2-man operations to large compa-nies. But why don’t you see for yourself:
Join me as I visit my customers in the “urban jungle” ...
With the ORSY® shelf system by Würth, all the itemsneeded in the workshop are within easy reach. Let’s seeif anything needs to be reordered …
“Stop ... ... and go.”
“Good morning, Mr. Strbad!” From fittings and screws to sandpaper and glue – the Würthproduct range covers everything that a joiner’s workshop needsto assemble and fasten furniture.
This morning, my first customer is DiakonieHasenbergl e. V. in the north of Munich. I havean appointment there with master joiner Walter Strbad.
Munich: with more than 1.3 million inhabitants,Germany’s third-largest city, an important busi-ness center, lots of famous sights like the Frauen- kirche Church and, of course, lots of traffic!
In the joiner’s workshop that belongs to the“Youth work” of Diakonie, those who have notmanaged the transition from school to job ontheir own are eased into working life. At themoment, seven apprentices are doing a joinerapprenticeship and there are eleven additionaltraining positions in which the learners areprepared for employment.
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Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008 INSIGHT
Würth sales branch doubles as showroom
Perfect fit: On-site customer support at a two-man business
The Frankfurter Ring branch is one of nineWürth branches in the greater Munich area. Ihave arranged an appointment there with Florian Kuchler, a customer who has askedfor my advice. He is looking to buy a newhammer drill. The branch is the ideal show-room to demonstrate our range of electronicmachines such as battery-powered screw -drivers, hammer drills and angle grinders.
“Screws for chip board panels? – Are youfamiliar with the new ASSY® 3.0?”
Mr. Kuchler opts for the Würth master battery-operated hammer drill, a high-performance, grid-independent power tool with adjustable electro-pneumatic
hammer mechanism for drilling stonework and masonry.
Manfred Huith has been a good customerfor many years. His small workshop is spe-cialized on window and door constructionas well as customized furniture and inte-rior finishing. “I am very satisfied withWürth’s customer service and Mr.Bartsch’s regular visits. Even when Ineed fittings or screws at short notice,all I have to do is give Mr. Bartsch aquick call and I can count on gettingmy order delivered on time,” Man-fred Huith explains. That is why hebuys practically all of the assemblyand fastening products he needsfrom Würth.
... and, with a last glance to the branch, another successfulday draws to a close. And now I’m off home. There
are more customers to visit tomorrow!
Würth’s compact battery-powered screwdriver in action fastening fittings
And it’s off to thenext customers!
The sun has set in the meantime…
Good customer support is good fun.
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Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008INSIGHT
Vocational training is a top priority of Würth’sHR work. For decades, we have offered trai-nees a range of opportunities to kick-starttheir career. To illustrate, the Würth Groupcurrently employs 1,096 trainees throughoutGermany, who are training in 64 vocations.The parent company of the Würth Group,Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG alone trains inmore than 20 professions. In addition to com-municating professional expertise, Würthprioritizes promoting personal development,for example by having trainees work some oftheir time at a social facility.
Würth’s internship programAnother component of the Group’s active trai-ning initiatives for future professionals is theundergraduate internship program. Würth of-fers internships in all areas of business admi-nistration at its offices in Künzelsau. The in-ternships offered by Würth at European andother foreign companies are also very popularwith students.
Opportunities for lifelong learningOnce training is complete, Würth offers a rangeof on-the-job academic training programs. ABachelor of Arts (BA) degree can be gained
Vocational training – an exciting time
after three-and-a-half years of study. AkademieWürth offers this program in collaborationwith Hamburger Fern-Hochschule – Univer-sity of Applied Sciences. Akademie Würth alsooffers a Master of Business Administration(MBA) – Global Business program in collabo-ration with the renowned University of Louis-ville, Kentucky in the US. The 13-month inter-national program is open to anyone with atleast three years of professional experience whohas already completed the first degree. Thecourse is held both at the University of Louis-ville and in Bad Mergentheim, Germany. Par-ticipation in both the Bachelor and MBA pro-
grams is also open to potential applicants notassociated with the Würth Group.
Career developmentWürth places a high value on filling vacant ma-nagement positions internally with its own highpotentials. This is supported by two programs –MC Würth and the High Potential program.MC Würth prepares professionals for positionsin mid-management. The High Potential pro-gram supports managers on their way to uppermanagement levels.
“During my business administration course at Fachhochschule Gelsenkirchen – University of Applied Sciences, I spenta year in the Netherlands – first studying for a semester at the Hogeschool van Arnhem Nijmegen, then on work ex-perience at Würth Netherlands in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. I decided to join Würth after hearing a lot of good things about thecompany during my studies.
My responsibilities at Würth Netherlands were in the field of product management. I supported my colleagues by translating product data and advertising brochures, for example, as well as taking part
in product analyses. I also performed market analyses for Würth sales offices in the Netherlands.I enjoyed the work very much as I was able to apply the theoretical knowledge that I had gained
in college to real-life situations. On the whole, I really liked the Dutch mentality – open to every-thing and eager to help. That’s all you can hope for when you go to work and study in a foreigncountry!
In my spare time, I often met up with colleagues to eat at our homes or in restaurants. ‘s-Hertogenbosch also has a lot of nice small cafés where you can meet up in the evenings.I often went jogging, which was a good way to get to know the town and its parks. As a fanof Borussia Dortmund soccer club, a highlight for me was of course travelling to Dortmund
with my Dutch colleagues. Being in the stadium was fantastic, just like the rest of my time inthe Netherlands.”
“I started my training as a wholesale and foreign trade clerk at Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG in Künzelsau in September 2007 as one of 88 trainees. Despite the great number of trainees in my year, I quickly established arapport with my colleagues. This is also helped by the number of projects we get to take part in, for example thesales organization’s Apprentice Rallye, during which I accompanied and assisted two sales representatives for20 days. This helped me get to know customers directly on location, and experience a day in the life of a salesrepresentative first hand.
The “Social Learning – Learning in Other Spheres of Life” project gives Würth trainees the opportunity to spenda week at a charitable institution such as a home for disabled persons, the homeless or senior citizens and sup-port the caregivers. This is how I ended up working at the Shelter Workshop in Ingelfingen. The week was roun-ded off by an outdoor weekend at which all of the trainees camped out, struggled with gravity on the high ropescourse and discussed our experiences of Social Learning around the campfire.
My next big event is already planned. In summer 2009 I’m heading off for an internship overseas, whereI will take on a position at one of our companies for four weeks. I’m already curious and excited about thetasks I will face.”
Patrick Yan (above left) while studying and in
Chicago for Independence Day with fellow students
Björn Lewicki (left) during his training and
on the outdoor weekend
Small neighbor – big friendship
Tobias Krüger at his desk and out and about
in ‘s-Hertogenbosch
The MBA program – intensive study
“I have been working for the Würth Group for nine years. I am currently responsible for managing IT projectsat Comgroup Shanghai, a Würth company in China.
I have been in the MBA degree program offered by the University of Louisville and Akademie Würthsince summer 2008. This job-compatible course covers the entire range of issues that are importantfor a company, such as finance, marketing and operations design and analysis. Because the semi-nars are held both in the US and in Germany, I will be flying to the US twice and to Germanythree times in the course of the program. I think it’s great, but don’t think that student life islike vacation. Lessons are intensive due to the large amounts of information to be taken in within a short space of time, and everyone works hard to meet the lecturers’ standards.
By way of compensation, we spent our spare time in the US shopping in malls, and droveto Chicago for Independence Day. In Germany we spent a very amusing evening with entertainment in a historical castle. I made a lot of good friends during this time.”
Training at Würth
Taking opportunities, developing one’s personality, making a career
Room to grow
Freie Schule Anne-Sophie – a learning community
It is true: Würth is the world’s largest trading company of assembly and fastening materials for trade and industry. For us, however, assuming social responsibility is just as important as our core business. That is why our Group sponsorsa large number of projects in the fields of art and culture, research and science as well as education projects and supportsvarious charitable organizations. And they are not all big, well-known projects. Often they are small initiatives which arenot in the limelight. But that doesn’t make them any less important. Here a few examples of our work.
Würth commitment
Aware of our social responsibility
The new campusFive buildings were constructed on a gene-rous plot of more than 40,000 m². The lear-ning community at Freie Schule Anne-Sophieis made up of a central building with canteen,school hall, library and administrative offices,a building for the pre-school and elementaryschool, a building each for the ju-nior high and senior high (uni-versity entrance exam) levels aswell as a complex with swim-ming pool and gymnasium.
Partners for learningThe school has 200 partners forlearning (students) attending thepre-school and elementary schoollevel at Freie Schule Anne-Sophiein the 2008/2009 school year.They are joined by 150 partnersfor learning in the fifth to eighthgrades working towards school-leaving certificates.
The educational conceptFreie Schule Anne-Sophie is a private dayschool for students with all kinds of educa-tional backgrounds. It is based on its owneducational concept to offer a learning envi-ronment designed for individual, indepen-dent and goal-oriented learning. All partnersfor learning are able to reach their goals at apace and in a way that suits them. The lear-ning attendants (teachers) support them ontheir journey. In pursuit of achieving indivi-duality in learning, the school is architec -turally and structurally designed to provide
Doors to the new buildings of Freie Schule Anne-Sophie in Künzelsau opened at the start of the 2008/2009 schoolyear. 350 students moved into their new classrooms after just 14 months of construction. 1,200 guests were invitedto the official opening ceremony.
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INSIGHTAnnual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008
numerous learning opportunities which pro-mote independent learning. Examples in-clude role-play rooms for pre-school and ele-mentary school students. The children takeon roles such as king or villain, princess orwitch to develop their social competencethrough play.
Freie Schule Anne-Sophie is state accreditedand sponsored by the Charitable Würth Trust.It was founded at the start of the 2006/2007school year.
In a symbolic handover, Bettina Würth, Chair-woman of the Advisory Board of the WürthGroup and initiator of the school, and archi-tect Siegfried Müller presented the key to thenew buildings to the school’s directors, Frie-der Münz and Peter Fratton. Bettina Würthwas delighted to announce the “Freie Schuleofficially opened”.
View of the canteen at Freie Schule Anne-Sophie
Since 1991, the Charitable Würth Trust has awarded the Würth Prize ofJeunesses Musicales Germany to outstanding young ensembles or indivi-duals in the music world. Gustavo Dudamel was awarded the EUR 10,000prize in 2008 at a concert in Baden-Baden (Germany). Hailed as the “newstar conductor” by one journal, he conducted the National Youth Orchestraof Venezuela, of which he was once a member himself. The orchestra wasalso winner of the Würth prize many years ago.
Since 1999, Würth AG Switzerland has sup-ported riding therapy at Sonnenhof in Arles-heim, a therapeutic home for people withphysical or mental disabilities. Würth bearsthe costs for the upkeep of Houdini, thehorse used in therapy.
In July 2008, restoration work was completed on the Cappella Palatina in Palermo (Sicily).The project was sponsored by Würth Italy and the Charitable Würth Trust. The palace’s chapel with its world-renowned mosaics is of outstanding significance as a piece of cultu-ral heritage. The 11th century building had been badly damaged by an earthquake in 2001.
100 Würth employees volunteered to help atthe 2008 National Games of Special OlympicsGermany, the largest sporting event in Ger-many for people with intellectual disabilities.The volunteers spent four days on duty at thesports centers in Karlsruhe and were givenleave from the company for this period.
Würth has been a partner of Special OlympicsGermany since the end of 2007. The Würth Group is supporting the construc-
tion of the training facility at the LutheranCommunity Centre iThemba Labantu, a com-munity center in one of the poorest townshipsin Cape Town (South Africa). The Group willalso provide all the standard equipment for thetraining facility, which will be inaugurated atthe start of 2009. It will give young people thechance to complete an automotive appren -ticeship.
Musée Würth France Erstein opensThe Group’s latest associated gallery, MuséeWürth France Erstein in Alsace, opened itsdoors to the public in January 2008. The opening exhibition entitled „Another World. Dia logue between Modern Art and Contem-porary Art in the Würth Collection“ presentedaround 70 works from the Würth Collection.
The company-owned Akademie Würth hasoffered a varied artistic program includingconcerts, readings and special events for morethan 15 years at the company’s offices in Kün-zelsau.
Radio host Matthias Holtmann presentedmusic up close and personal in November2008 at the Akademie’s first music workshop.The sold-out event presented a musical jour-ney through the world of keyboard instru-ments. Renowned soloists gave the audiencean entertaining introduction to the accordion,harpsichord, piano, keyboard and melodica.In addition to classical pieces, the program
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Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008INSIGHT
Wide-ranging involvement in the world of art is a direct result of the practicalapplication of Würth’s corporate culture, seen for example in the establishmentof the Hirschwirtscheuer in Künzelsau as the company’s first permanent ex-hibition space in 1989. In 1991, on the initiative of Prof. Dr. h. c. mult.Reinhold Würth, a museum was integrated into Würth’s office building in Künzelsau that has now become an attraction both foremployees of the company and the public at large. In May 2001, activities in this field were supplemented by the inauguration ofKunsthalle Würth in Schwäbisch Hall. The Würth Group now alsohas ten associated galleries at its other European companies.
Each of these exhibition venues for the Würth Collection reflectsaspects of the Würth company such as modernity, internationaloutlook and quality. The Würth Collection has long laid claimto an important position in the international art world due toits caliber, with about 12,000 items today. The collection of-fers a vast array of highlights, ranging from Wes tern Eu-ropean to American modernism.
Curtain up
Black and white keys at MusikWerkstatt Würth
also included rock and pop, so that it appealedto children and adults alike. “It’s exciting tosee how flexibly the instruments can be used,and how they can take on and reflect a widevariety of different moods,” said one visitor.
The concept behind the series of events issimple: promoting curiosity, interest and en-joyment of music with a combination of en-tertainment and education. “MusikWerkstattis intended to show that music doesn’t ‘bite’if you approach it with an open mind,” saysMichael Kübler, the man responsible at Aka-demie Würth for cultural events.
Art at Würth
An inspiration in day-to-day business
Johanniterhalle in Schwäbisch HallJohanniterhalle, a 12th Century Gothic church,opened to visitors as a museum in November2008 following extensive restoration work byWürth. On show are the key pieces of the Fürst- lich Fürstenberg Collection of Paintings at Donaueschingen acquired by the Würth familyin 2003, as well as recent high-profile acqui -sitions in the fields of painting and sculpture.
Würth collection hosted in IcelandAn exhibition of recent additions to the WürthCollection was opened at the National Galleryof Iceland in Reykjavík in October 2008 in thepresence of the President of Iceland.
Major Baselitz exhibition at Kunsthalle WürthSince September 2008, Kunsthalle Würth hadbeen home to a major exhibition dedicated to the most important innovator in the field of contemporary painting since 1960. The“Georg Baselitz ↑TOP” exhibition in Schwä-bisch Hall, which provides a far-reaching andintimate insight into his intensive, excitingwork, was opened in the presence of the ar-tist and former German chancellor GerhardSchröder.
“Noses smell tulips” at Museum WürthThe exhibition “Noses smell tulips. Art created by special people in the context of the WürthCollection” was dedicated to art by people with intellectual disabilities. It included around140 paintings, sculptures and installations.
Matthias Holtmann (left) with soloist Matthias Matzke
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The Würth Group is accompanying assponsor the 53 European national squads aswell as the Chinese team in the qualifyinground for the FIFA World Cup 2010 inSouth Africa. The global market leader inselling assembly and fastening materialswill be present on the touchline advertisingof stadiums at 187 matches in the periodSeptember 2008 to November 2009.
Würth had already placed touchline adverti-sing at 145 qualifying matches of the EURO2008 soccer championship, reflecting itsincreased commitment to soccer sponso-ring. The Group has been supporting soc-cer at a country level since the early 1990s.
Würth currently sponsors five clubs of theGerman Bundesliga: FC Bayern Munich,
1. FC Köln, Hamburger SV, VfB Stuttgartand Hertha BSC. The company is also pre-sent with touchline advertising in the sta-diums of Karlsruhe SC, VfL Bochum, VfBStuttgart, SV Werder Bremen and EnergieCottbus. Other national companies of theGroup are also active in this area. WürthSpain for instance is the main sponsor ofthe referees in the Spanish soccer league,while Würth Italy is present at several soc-cer stadiums with touchline advertising.
Würth identifies with soccer and its valuessuch as team spirit, performance, endu-rance and a determination to deliver 100percent every time. That is why Würth is onthe ball with enthusiasm.
Würth plays host to winter sport stars
Kitting out DSV athletes
Getting the ball rolling
On the way to South Africa
Well kitted out for the new season: the DSV’s top athletes
On October 15 and 16, 2008, the stars of the German Ski Association (Deutscher Skiverband –DSV) visited Würth – their premium partner. Some 450 athletes and support team members werekitted out with everything they needed to ensure a successful Ski World Cup. Apart from biathlon,ski jumping, cross-country skiing and Nordic combined, Würth will also sponsor the alpine skiingdiscipline in the 2008/2009 season.
Würth Spain: Sponsor of the referees in the first and second Spanish soccer divisions
In the thick of things at the Germany vs. Russia WorldCup qualifier: Würth touchline advertising.
Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008 INSIGHT
Felix Neureuther, Maria Riesch, Tobias Ange-rer, Michael Uhrmann, Eric Frenzel, ClaudiaNystad, Michael Greis, Magdalena Neuner −all of the big names in German skiing met onthe grounds of the Adolf Würth Airport inSchwäbisch Hall. Each year, the DSV athletesvisit one of the main sponsors, where they arekitted out before the official start to the sea-son. This is the second time that Würth hashosted the event since the 2005 season.
While some teams had already received theirskis, boots and poles, so that they could begin
training on snow, the DSV teams used the opportunity to receive clothing items such asthermal suits and functional underwear. Theathletes also received additional equipmentspecific to their respective discipline from ra-cing suits and goggles to helmets and protec-tive gear – equipment that can frequentlymake the split-second difference between win-ning and a close second. In addition, 30 topathletes and head trainers were presented withsponsored cars. “We are now well equipped forthe world cup races,” says Maria Riesch, Ger-many’s fastest skier.
Biathlete Kati Wilhelm
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Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008INSIGHT
Company profile of the Würth Group
Success through dynamic growthand innovative power
Würth office building in Künzelsau-Gaisbach
The companies of the Würth Group operate in various fields of business. The global tradingcompany has its origins in the sale and distribution of assembly and fastening materials. TheWürth Line companies continue to serve this segment in which Würth is world market leader.
In addition, the Würth Group comprises the Allied Companies trading under their own name.Operating in business fields adjacent to our core business or diversified business units, thesecompanies are developed further and successfully expanded.
The Group’s strategy and further development are characterized by shared core competenciesand values. The sales organization in particular, which is geared to customer proximity, theassociated service concept and top quality are some of the features that set the products andservices of the Würth Group apart.
Würth – a family business with globaloperations
The parent company of the Würth Group,Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, was foundedby Adolf Würth in 1945 in the town of Kün-zelsau in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Afterthe sudden death of his father in 1954, Prof.Dr. h. c. mult. Reinhold Würth, today Chair-man of the Supervisory Board of the WürthGroup’s Family Trusts, took over the business.He turned the screw business, which startedout with sales of EUR 80,000, into a group ofcompanies with sales of EUR 8.82 billion inthe fiscal year 2008.
The Würth Group today has over 400 opera-ting companies in 86 countries and about60,000 employees worldwide, of whom around30,000 are permanently employed sales re-presentatives.
Screws and much more
More than three million customers worldwideplace their trust in Würth. The Würth Linerange comprises more than 100,000 productsand offers everything that the trades and in-dustrial companies need: screws, screw acces -sories, dowels, tools, chemical products andprotective clothing.
In addition to this traditional range of pro-ducts, the Allied Companies sell products forDIY and hardware stores, electrical installa-tion materials, electronic components (e.g.printed circuit boards), financial services andsolar modules.
ImprintPublished byWürth Group
Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG74650 Künzelsau, Germany
Würth Management AG9400 Rorschach, Switzerland
Contact detailsPress and Public Relations of the Würth GroupPhone +49 7940 15-1186Fax +49 7940 [email protected]
Content responsibilityRobert Friedmann
Editorial responsibility and coordinationSarah Meckel, Mara Wawer
Graphics design, typesetting and lithographyScanner GmbH Künzelsau
Edited byLorie Burns, Ina Christov
Printed byFirmengruppe APPL, echter druck, Würzburg
© Würth Group, Künzelsau/Rorschach© Georg Baselitz© Anselm Kiefer
Printed in Germany. All rights reserved.May not be reproduced, in part or in whole, without prior consent.
Photo creditsAtelier Fuchsluger (p. 2)Far Systems (p. 5)Pasquale Garreffa (p. 9)Haller Tagblatt (p. 10)Eva Maria Kraiss (p. 10)Sammy Minkoff (p. 11)MSC Cruises (p.5)Ignasi Paredes (p. 11)Oliver Raupach, fotolia.com (p. 6)Scanner GmbH Künzelsau (pp. 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12)Andi Schmid (p.1, 2,9,10)Martin Schmidt (p. 5)Jürgen Stanka (p. 2)Odd Stefan Thorisson (p. 10)Susanne Wüest (p. 9)HAHN + KOLB archives (p. 2)Würth archives (pp. 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11)Würth France archives (p. 10)Würth Solar archives (p. 5)
The editorial team would like to thank all of the specialist departments for their contributions.
“InSight”, the Annual Magazine of the Würth Group 2008, is published in German and English.
Both versions are available on the internet atwww.wuerth.com, together with additional information about the Würth Group.
1GFP-SC-APPL-8’-05/09
Würth stands for quality and customer proximity
For Würth as a trading group with worldwideoperations, product management has takencenter stage for years. Cooperation with an ad-visory board of Würth customers and with in-dependent research institutes and universities,as well as practical ideas developed throughpersonal customer contact, are the basis for active product development. Würth has nu-merous patents, utility models and design pa-tents. Some 40 percent of sales are generatedwith products that are less than five years old.
The visionary approach of management andall employees drives the company to continuallyreach new milestones. Würth’s managementstyle is founded on esteem for our employeesand their contribution, and the resolve to offerunparalleled customer service.
