"Once upon a time ..." that is how all good fairy tales and legends begin. In no way a fairy tale, but definitely a legend, is our development director Walter Franz. At the age of thirteen years, he took a company tour, and was firmly convinced: "Yes, I absolutely want to join GAUDLITZ". A short time later he was a young lad in the training workshop and an incomparable career began:
Walter Franz considers his apprenticeship as a toolmaker to have been very intense: "If you screwed up, it had consequences. It was always fair. I had good trainers. The chemistry was just right.”
The feeling of being useful and being an important part of the GAUDLITZ family has always been with him, whether he worked in Coburg as a measurement technician, later as the head of the measurement center, or in Wuxi. To gain practical experience, by tackling tasks and achieving results together, have always been his guiding principles. Mastering new technical challenges and putting new processes into practice, are the moments which stand out for him.
Every employee appreciates his incredible knowledge and experience. You can rely on Walter Franz.
His passion for technical questions, in all their aspects, is clearly evident today: when Walter Franz reads, then he reads mostly literature of a technical nature. He questions premises, and seeks solutions.
He finds relaxation, away from the city, in his barn, which similarly offers "all kinds of technical gadgets". The father of three children and two grandchildren also likes to hike, but prefers "more demanding routes, sometimes combined with geocaching".
For young people who want to achieve something, Walter gives the following advice to keep in mind on the way: "Be curious, be ready to communicate, look at the world! - Then everything is open to you."
Without Walter Franz, GAUDLITZ would not be what it is today: a globally successful company that is growing and growing. Together with him, GAUDLITZ celebrates his "Golden Jubilee": "Thanks, Walter!"
Photo: Martin Rehm