"Always on the Pulse of Time" at the Wirtschaftsforum

"We must always stay on the pulse of time!" Interview with Alfred Pammer in the online edition of Wirtschaftsforum.

Highest competence in all areas of process and manufacturing automation defines cts GmbH – competence for technical solutions. The owner-managed company from Burgkirchen in Upper Bavaria offers its global customers the highest quality, as well as reliable and forward-thinking solutions. More than 1,000 satisfied customers from demanding industries such as the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors are an impressive testament to the company's excellent reputation.

"Due to the wide range of industries we serve, it never gets boring," describes Alfred Pammer, Authorized Signatory of cts GmbH – competence for technical solutions, the exciting work at the innovative company that motivates him every day. "We have a high degree of innovation and must always stay on the pulse of time. Technology changes rapidly, and we always need to react quickly to market changes. Since our foundation, we’ve also worked in the pharmaceutical industry. The cycles are somewhat different there. Especially during the pandemic, we had to react quickly in active ingredient production."

Portfolio Expanded

cts GmbH – competence for technical solutions was founded in 2006. In the first years after its foundation, the focus was primarily on process automation for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Since 2015, however, CEO Hans Gehringer and Robert Schüller have expanded the portfolio. With the introduction of the new manufacturing automation division, robotics was added as another area of expertise—an area that continues to see significant development.

The third division, Advanced Solutions, is entirely digital and focuses on data collection, data analysis, and visualization and optimization. "We’ve been working with Big Data for a long time," explains Alfred Pammer. "We offer our own software and digital products, such as paperless work approvals." Currently, the global raw material shortage is also a major issue for cts. "Microchips are missing everywhere," says the authorized signatory. "This is a challenging situation for the entire industry and also requires strong financial backing."

Twelve Locations

Today, cts GmbH employs more than 350 people and is present with twelve locations in four countries. In Germany, these include the headquarters in Burgkirchen, as well as Abensberg, Penzberg, and Leipzig. In Austria, locations are in Vienna, Schörfling am Attersee, Lenzing, Raaba-Grambach, Linz, and Heiligenkreuz. Additionally, Prague in the Czech Republic and Rogaska Slatina in Slovenia are part of the network. The company also has other representations and partners in Europe, America, and Asia. Alfred Pammer joined cts in 2007 as an engineer, later led the department, and is now responsible for sales and marketing. "Strategically, we focus on the growing industries of electronics and semiconductor technology," says Alfred Pammer. "At the same time, we have expanded beyond traditional pharmaceuticals to include the field of radiopharmaceuticals, where we offer complete production systems."

Intelligent Warehouse

One of the standout features of cts GmbH is its innovation capability. "In the field of electronics manufacturing, we launched an intelligent warehouse in 2020 and have recently expanded it," explains Alfred Pammer. "The Smart Warehouse combines automated transport robots and In-Production Warehouse. Hundreds of magazines can be autonomously delivered by the transport robots to the respective production and assembly lines."

cts also provides a wide range of innovative products for automated production logistics. Another key component in production logistics is the software sloXis, which integrates mobile systems from various manufacturers, offering customers a unified interface for their manufacturing needs. "For semiconductor manufacturing, specifically for microchips, we have developed a highly innovative packaging machine for FOSB," says Alfred Pammer. "It automatically packages the wafer containers. It's an extremely complex machine, and we're very proud of it. It's an amazing product and a huge help for the industry."

A completely new production line for radiopharmaceuticals has also been developed, with several stations completely reinvented.

Open Error Management

In addition to its high level of innovation, cts GmbH is also characterized by several other strengths. Alfred Pammer states, "We still have a very flat hierarchy, short decision-making paths, and a high degree of flexibility. Our management team is very young, with an average age of 40 to 45 years, highly focused, and driven by innovation. Overall, we have a good mix of young and experienced employees in technical engineering, which is key to driving innovations."

An inseparable part of cts GmbH's DNA is its corporate culture. "We practice open error management," explains Alfred Pammer. "Innovation often involves temporary failure. Only by embracing this can we continue to push forward with new ideas. Overall, our employees engage in intensive exchanges with one another. This allows them to learn from each other and gain new perspectives."

In the coming years, cts aims to further establish its position in the electronics, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and radiopharmaceutical industries. Alfred Pammer adds, "This will strengthen our position against market competitors and help us focus on offering our customers comprehensive solutions. It's also very important for us to address interface issues in production."

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