Dieses Familienunternehmen zeigt vor, wie ein deutscher Industriebetrieb aus der Krise finden kann
Nach drei schwierigen Geschäftsjahren verzeichnet Trumpf wieder ein Auftragsplus. Die Strategie dahinter könnte anderen Mittelständlern als Vorbild dienen – sofern sie gross genug sind, um auch ausserhalb von Deutschland zu produzieren.
Trumpf, a German machinery and laser specialist, has managed to recover from three difficult business years and now reports a 6.6% increase in orders and a significant rise in profits between July 2025 and June 2026. This turnaround could serve as a model for other German medium-sized companies, especially those large enough to produce outside of Germany.
The company has focused on specialized applications for booming industries, such as tooling for sheet metalworking, which benefits from the construction of new data centers and strong demand for AI infrastructure. Trumpf also develops laser and plasma solutions for semiconductor manufacturing, with a key customer being ASML, a Dutch leader in microchip production machinery.
The company's success, however, varies across regions. While Trumpf saw a 17% increase in sales in the United States, driven by the expansion of data center infrastructure, it experienced a 6.4% decline in Germany, where demand is weakening. The company has responded to declining profitability with a cost-cutting program, resulting in a 7% decrease in employment in Germany compared to the previous year. Now, the majority of Trumpf's workforce is employed outside of Germany, reflecting the company's global growth.
Trumpf's CEO, Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller, expressed optimism about the company's prospects in the coming years, noting that few medium-sized German companies are feeling optimistic. She warns that smaller firms, primarily operating in Germany, continue to face challenging market conditions due to unfavorable business conditions and high labor costs, as well as energy prices.
Leibinger-Kammüller criticizes Germany's political approach, stating that the nation must become more productive to remain competitive, despite previous efforts. She also criticizes the demands for 5% wage increases by unions like IG Metall, deeming them "unrealistic" and instead advocates for more work from Germans. Leibinger-Kammüller believes that Germany should focus on defense spending, as the country has the best conditions to revolutionize factory work with AI, particularly in the context of increased defense spending in Europe.
Written by urgent.news from NZZ Wirtschaft's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
