Mayor Dr. Bieri visits Umicore
As part of his labor market policy initiative “Working.Together,” Mayor Dr. Maximilian Bieri visited Umicore in Hanau. During a tour of the production facilities and in discussions with employees, he learned about the company’s innovative material technologies, its established circular processes, and its training and development opportunities. The visit underscores the importance of qualified professionals for sustainable industrial value creation in Hanau and the close cooperation between business and local politics.
“Securing tomorrow’s skilled workforce is a key goal in implementing our labor market policy strategy ‘Working.Together’—and a visit to your company really makes that clear,” said Mayor Dr. Bieri after touring one of Umicore’s production sites.
During the mayor’s visit, Dr. Bernhard Fuchs, Executive Board Member of Umicore AG & Co. KG, first provided an overview of the company’s activities at the Wolfgang Industrial Park. “With more than 900 employees, we operate in seven business units here, three of which have their headquarters in Hanau. Sustainability has been part of our DNA for decades,” Fuchs explained, convinced that this is an important factor in attracting committed young talent.
Dr. Frank Heringhaus, Business Line Manager Platinum Engineered Materials (PEM), gave deeper insights into the production of platinum-based products. Here, too, it became clear that Umicore truly embraces circular processes. “Our customers primarily come from the chemical and specialty glass industries. At the end of the product life cycle, the products are returned to us, and the precious metals they contain are recycled. Depending on the product and application, nearly 100% of the required metals for new products can be recovered,” Heringhaus reported.
After the theoretical overview, there was a chance to experience platinum up close during the tour of the PEM production. Greeting employees revealed that many have a long tenure with the company. “That speaks volumes for you as an employer—it’s no surprise that Umicore has consistently been certified for family-friendly offerings since 2007,” said the mayor, who was pleased to wish an employee all the best on his last day before retirement after more than 47 years at Umicore.
In conversations with several employees, Bieri noted that some had been with the company since their apprenticeship and had successfully advanced their careers. Their paths impressively demonstrate the value of solid training—both for personal development and for society.
"We place great importance on training and development, individual career planning, and support programs for our employees. Nevertheless, it has become increasingly challenging to attract apprentices in certain fields, such as industrial mechanics,” explained Katharina Brodt, Director Site Services at Umicore. Together with Dr. Bieri, they agreed that new approaches are needed to inform young people about their career opportunities.
“I am very impressed by your innovative products and processes, your circular approach, and your stance as an employer in Hanau. We gladly take up your suggestions regarding Hanau as a training location and look forward to further discussions aimed at enabling young people to receive qualified training and developing the skilled workforce of tomorrow,” concluded the mayor.
