GRUNER - EVERY YOUNG WORKER’S DREAM

In just 13 years, Gruner has, as a company, succeeded in changing the economic situation in the south of Serbia and providing adequate earnings for almost 600 workers and their families through the expanding of production facilities and conquering of new markets and technologies

Gruner’s owners are satisfied with the company’s operaAfter 13 years of operations in Serbia, you now have more than tions in Serbia and with the workers, both those from the 550 employees and 7,000m 2 of production facilities, with around production side and it highly qualified personnel. They 12.5 million euros having been invested. What’s next in your plans? believe that there would be no work, no expansion of pro- We currently have 570 employees, which is less than at the end of duction facilities or new hiring of staff without mutual satisfaction. 2019 and is a consequence of the pandemic that slowed us down and reduced our sales. We hope to recoup everything that’s been You started operations in Serbia from a rented hall with around lost in the period ahead. Fluctuation are very small with us, and a dozen workers and one product for smart meters. How did you interest in work at in our factory in Vlasotince is high, because such conquer the market? a large number of different production processes is the dream of - We produced relays for smart meters, for General Electric and every young engineer who’s eager for knowledge. the U.S. market, producing around 50,000 units at a weekly level. Our plan is to build a new hall of 3,000 square metres for the Our owners recognised the potentials of Serbia and its southern production of plastics and a new tool shop. That should serve region, so already by 2009 they’d built the first production hall of for the maintenance of tools for our production, but also for the 2,000 square metres. We started cooperatproduction of certain tools both for our ing with the automotive industry the very Our plan is to build a new market and foreign ones. next year, initially with Daimler, then later with other manufacturers. Apart from relays, hall of 3,000 square metres Have you started applying your own model during that period we also started working for the production of plastics of dual education with the opening of your on the “start stop system”, according to the wishes and requirements of Daimler, and a new tool shop as soon workshop for training students? How are your impressions? which we still produce today, although in an as possible - We launched the model of dual education improved, generation 4, version. This product back in 2016, in cooperation with GIZ and is our pride, because the entire development and production line the Technical School from Vlasotince, as pioneers in this field. It is designed and realised at our factory in Serbia. initially only covered a course for industrial mechanics, but now we

We built another 2,000-square-metre hall in 2012 and started already have courses for electricians and mechatronics engineers. with new technologies, then already in 2013 the need emerged for a In order for education and industry to develop in parallel, edunew expansion of production capacities. Thus, in 2014 we reached cation needs to listen to the demands of the economy. In that way a total of 7,000 square metres of production facilities and more young people would leave high schools and be capable of starting than 300 employees. work immediately, without additional training. Dual education has

It was during this period that we started with plastic injection, helped us to quickly find professional personnel for our specific and then also with the production of metal parts for our own needs, needs. If the dual education model was transferred to higher educawhich required the procurement of new machines, and that led to tion institutions, emerging from colleges would be young experts the establishment of a small tool shop with the latest technologies. who could perform specific jobs immediately upon graduating.