For the third time, the district economic development agency hosted "Business in Conversation". Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg is a partner of the event series. This time, the guests came together at Leutenecker Farm in Remseck. The focus of the evening was the presentation by Porsche board member Albrecht Reimold. Under the title "Industrial transformation - challenge accepted!", he spoke about the strategic and technological changes - and gave an exclusive insight into how Porsche is actively shaping change in the automotive industry. In particular, he addressed the potential of modern production processes and the role of employees. In his opinion, the local environment and the range of infrastructure, expertise and partners are also very important. "It is important that we think about how we can shape the framework conditions for production in the region. The region has many strengths: motivated people, a high level of training and a lot of experience," summarized Reimold.
Panel discussion on the future of Ludwigsburg as a production location
In the subsequent panel discussion, Reimold and representatives of the SME sector explored the question of how the Ludwigsburg district can secure its position as a production location in times of upheaval. Birgit Werner-Walz, shareholder of the Benseler group of companies with three sites in the district, contributed the perspective of an automotive supplier to the discussion. Dr. Christian Borsche, who took over the bicycle helmet manufacturer KED Ahead GmbH in Freiberg am Neckar in 2023, represented the smaller manufacturing companies in the district. During the discussion, the guests gained practical insights into how differently the companies deal with cost pressure and global competition. It became clear that each of the participating companies is already pursuing concrete strategies that give cause for optimism for the business location. The key factors for the future identified that evening were above all flexibility in production, individuality of products, customer proximity, innovation and the willingness to learn. There was also consensus among all participants on another point: medium-sized industrial companies are prepared to actively shape change - provided that politicians and administrators create reliable framework conditions.
District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier, host of Wirtschaft im Gespräch, was delighted with the high quality of the contributions: "I am very happy that we have once again succeeded in assembling such a high-caliber and expert panel. The lively discussion and the great response from our guests this evening are a clear sign that the future of production in the Ludwigsburg district is of central importance." The main topic of the event is also in line with the future strategy for the business location, which the district's economic development department is currently working on with many stakeholders from business, administration and politics. The question of how the Ludwigsburg district can position itself as a sustainable and attractive business location for companies is also the focus here.
Series of events as a platform for topics relevant to the future
The networking event Wirtschaft im Gespräch has been taking place regularly since 2023 under the direction of the Ludwigsburg district in cooperation with Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg. It promotes exchange between companies and between business and administration and focuses on key topics for the future. Past events in Bietigheim-Bissingen and Benningen have already focused on key topics such as the energy transition and artificial intelligence.
