Nevertheless, the SCHLEGEL Managing Director was not resigned, but called for more optimism — also with regard to his own company. In 2024, the economic downturn in the mechanical engineering sector also hit SCHLEGEL. The result was a significant double-digit drop in turnover. High customer stock levels in 2024 also contributed to customers ordering less. However, the order situation at the manufacturer of electrical engineering components for controlling machines has stabilised somewhat since December. Inventories at customer’s site have been reduced and the economy appears to be recovering somewhat.
The new products that SCHLEGEL presented at the SPS and electronica trade fairs in November also make the Managing Director optimistic. With 2BSecure, the company has developed a system to protect open interfaces in machines, which has aroused a lot of customer interest. And with the Flexitast, a world first was presented. The Flexitast combines a pushbutton with an integrated ZBD display on which texts and symbols can be changed and flexibly displayed. An absolute novelty, “which has triggered a wow effect in the industry,” says Schlegel.
Three design awards
He also noted positively that SCHLEGEL 2024 received three design awards for products, two Red Dot awards and the Focus Open. “This is also a nice track record and confirms our goal of design leadership for control devices.”
After several years of preparation, the website was relaunched in 2024, making it more modern and significantly more user-friendly. And the integrated product configurator, which shows the products as 3D graphics in real time, “is a real highlight and sets us apart from our competitors,” he emphasised.
The fact that SCHLEGEL values good cooperation and a good working atmosphere is reflected in the various activities throughout the year. Summer party, big Christmas party with event programme, cycling and hiking tour and also cooking courses, fitness courses or carnival in the company. Free supplementary company health insurance for employees and other social benefits round off the overall package for employees.
Legacy is incentive and obligation
“The roots of our company were laid more than 100 years ago, when my grandfather Georg Schlegel founded an electrical installation department,” said the Managing Director. 20 years later, this department was entered in the commercial register as a separate company. So in 2025, the company will be celebrating its 80th anniversary. “This legacy is both an incentive and an obligation for us to lead our company into the future with innovation, while remaining value-oriented and down-to-earth,” he said.
