Economics Minister Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut visits Forschner

The Minister of Economics and Member of the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg, Nicole Hoffmeister Kraut, addressed the "Transformation Process Mobility" on 14 August. "This transformation can become a model of success for us if companies succeed in building up the knowledge," Hoffmeister-Kraut said in an interview. Very high quality and precision of the products, also in the field of combustion engines, must be used and transformed, as is the case with Forschner. During her visit to Forschner in Spaichingen, the Minister for Economic Affairs was made aware that even successful small and medium-sized enterprises have come under pressure as a result of the Corona crisis. Forschner was in the middle of the process of adapting to new technologies by investing in research and development when the Corona crisis shut down the production lines at some locations and caused the sales markets to collapse. Forschner has invested 11 million in the area of e-mobility and the high-voltage sector over the past six years, and 13 million in dual catalytic converter technology with Ad Blue. Ms. Hoffmeister-Kraut described the effect of the corona lockdown, which is felt worldwide and especially in China, in the round of talks with the guests, the shareholder Gert Forschner and the leading engineers of the Forschner Group. CEO Peter Decker explained the dilemma regarding development investments: Medium-sized companies would cross-finance these investments through current business. At the same time, companies tend to operate with price discounts when sales slump. "But when the price is down, you can never get it up again. It became clear that investing in new products related to new drive technologies is vital for the survival of SMEs. In essence, Corona has only greatly accelerated the structural change heralded by the 2019 downturn.