Stöcklin Logistik AG is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. Urs Grütter took over the company in 1995 and successfully developed it into an international intralogistics system provider with headquarters in Laufen BL. On January 1, 2024, Jürg Frefel took over the operational business as Group CEO and Urs Grütter continues to actively support him as Chairman of the Board of Directors (VRP).
When Urs Grütter joined Stöcklin Logistik AG in January 1995, Stöcklin was largely a mechanical supplier and had a joint venture with a Swiss system provider. Shortly afterwards, the latter took over an equipment and conveyor manufacturer and ended the close cooperation at short notice. Within a few weeks, around 40% of sales were lost and Stöcklin no longer had access to international markets. This was the starting point for Urs Grütter for a systematic reorientation of his company. In order to offer its own control concepts and equipment for the small parts warehouse market, the control department was systematically expanded. By acquiring logistics companies in Germany and the Czech Republic and opening branches in Mexico and Brazil, the company regained its international presence.
Another milestone on the way to becoming an international system provider with its own system software was the purchase of a software system house in Jona (CH). Furthermore, the development of new automated warehouse technologies, such as the BOXer for small parts warehouses, the fully automated pallet storage system MASTer, as well as the small parts warehouse Shuttle FSP, which enabled the successful entry into high-performance shuttle systems. Stöcklin acts as general contractor for major projects such as Competec, Bell AG, Quinn Glas, Lego, Bayer and many more.
In order to continue to make Stöcklin sustainably future-proof and drive forward digitalization, the new Technology Center in Laufen was invested in an innovative infrastructure.
"We are thinking about the generation of tomorrow and saw the move to the innovative, sustainable Technology Center as a clear signal to our employees that we want to continue to grow in the future in line with our vision. We can only grow if we have room for innovation and that also means a different way of working together, e.g. in open-plan offices, as well as bundling all our core competencies under one roof: Sustainable and innovative, including state-of-the-art machinery," says Urs Grütter, describing his arguments for investing in a project on a greenfield site in Laufen.
This is the basis that Jürg Frefel, as the new Group CEO, took over at the beginning of this year to further advance Stöcklin and promote the transition for the new generation. In 2020, he began his activities as a member of the Board of Directors of Stöcklin Logistik AG directly after the move in the first meeting in the new Technology Center and has since then accompanied Stöcklin in his function as a member of the Board of Directors until the end of last year. This three-year experience as a member of the Board of Directors of Stöcklin Logistik AG, as well as his work at Migros (2003-2008 and 2014-2023), Antalis International (2009-2014) and his experience as a member of the Board of Directors of family businesses (Zibatra Logistik, Kuratle Group and Dreier Logistik AG), had awakened in him the desire to develop further as CEO in a family business. "Stöcklin is an exciting company with interested employees, specialists and solution-oriented engineers with whom you can develop intelligent solutions at a high level. In addition, everything is under one roof here at the Technology Center in Laufen: from planning, production and control, including our own software, to our Long Life Services. And all this with end-to-end solutions. That is the key for me: we have the best conditions here to be successful and a high degree of creative freedom. Urs Grütter is also at my side as Chairman of the Board of Directors. I have a great deal of respect for him, both as a person and for what he has achieved both professionally and personally. His commitment and dedication to the company are evident on all fronts. I am grateful to be able to shape the future of Stöcklin together with him and also to learn from him. Because the future always has an origin. The next generation is now ready to take over and the DNA must be handed over in a future-proof manner. We must ensure that new cultural spaces are created for the workforce of tomorrow and that enthusiasm for the company continues to grow. This is the only way we can attract good specialists and build up long-term expertise," says Jürg Frefel, describing his motivation to take off at Stöcklin.
As a scientist, engineer with an MBA, family man and CEO, a responsible handover to the next generation with practiced sustainability is clearly on the agenda for him. Sustainable product development, resource-conserving production, a sustainable building infrastructure and consistent internal sustainability management are intended to achieve a significant reduction in theCO2 footprint.
"It is important that the company continues to develop as well as it has in the past. Stöcklin has grown steadily and I will continue to do so. Specifically, we want to continue to grow sustainably through increased sales and profitability. Our vision is to play in the Champions League of intralogistics. I believe that as an international logistics system provider, with highly complex end-to-end solutions and the intelligence of our solutions, we will achieve this," he says, describing his goals as Group CEO of Stöcklin Logistik AG.