A successful year despite turbulence

When the pandemic hit society and companies with full force for the first time in spring, there was no time for preparation. Within a very short period of time, the entire team at Braunform also turned its daily life in the company upside down with the most stringent safety measures while maintaining an enormously high quality of work performance. "All of our 375 employees pulled and are pulling together, even though nerves were sometimes on edge," says Pamela Braun, owner and Managing Director.

At Braunform, the economic situation was and is good despite everything. "We can't complain – we really stepped on the gas together as a team. Nevertheless, this year was an enormous effort for all of us," emphasizes Timo Steinebrunner, Head of Sales and authorized representative of the company. Projects and customers were generated, especially in the fields of pharmaceuticals and water technology. "We are also a little proud of the fact that we are making our contribution in the fight against Covid-19 through many orders for Covid-19 tests," says Pamela Braun.

Braunform has always continuously focused on the modernization and expansion of the company. Only the combination of qualified employees and state-of-the-art machinery enables the company to play a leading role in its industry in Germany. And so, in 2020, investments were also made in the renewal of the machinery at the site Bahlingen. Furthermore, a seven-figure sum was invested in an assembly line in the pharmaceutical production at the site Endingen. Currently, family Braun, owner of the company, has approved the investment of € 600,000 in a new photovoltaic system with the potential to generate the electricity of about 150 average 4-person households.

Another step in this exceptional year was the inevitably rapid adaptation of digital media available to employees. In addition to the usual media, "augmented reality (AR)" has also arrived at Braunform, for example. Visits to Braunform were not possible and yet the customer should and wanted to see his production plants in action via AR glasses worn by an employee of Braunform GmbH with computer-generated transmission.

Since its beginnings as a company valuing the German system of apprenticeship more than 250 apprentices have found a qualified job directly after successfully completing their apprenticeship or dual study at Braunform GmbH. And so, on 01 September 2020, 12 new junior employees started their professional careers at Braunform. "My goal is to have motivated employees who contribute their qualifications and ideas. That's what sets us apart and I'm proud of that," says Pamela Braun. 
The medium-sized company also promotes itself with the slogan "we for a secure future", which hides a HR marketing concept on the one hand and a sustainability concept on the other. A sustainability concept because the company from the area of plastics technology is facing its responsibility in the best possible way. Just as it has been the company's philosophy for decades not to enter into any cooperation with companies from the weapons technology sector, it is also the company's goal to manufacture injection molds for products for which - according to the current state of the art - plastic as a raw material has no alternative. Incidentally, Braunform has just been awarded the silver medal by EcoVadis, a platform for sustainability rating of companies.