“We have everything we need to win.”

For four decades, Fipa has been synonymous with gripper technology featuring high-quality components and a genuine partnership with customers worldwide. To mark the anniversary, Managing Director Rainer Mehrer spoke about success factors, challenges, plans for the future, and what defines Fipa today and tomorrow. An interview about values, change, and corporate responsibility.

Mr. Mehrer, congratulations on FIPA's 40th anniversary. What do you consider to be the key factors behind your company's success?

Our greatest success factor is our people—our dedicated employees and the partnerships we have built with our customers. FIPA stands for high-quality products you can rely on, but above all for an open corporate culture. As a family-owned company, we attach great importance to mutual respect, diversity in practice, and commitment. Our customers appreciate the quality of our solutions as well as our consistent and rapid response to changing market conditions. All of this creates trust—and trust is the foundation of our success.

Looking back, which developments are you particularly proud of?

The introduction of gripper construction was certainly a significant milestone. Here, we identified a new business opportunity and successfully implemented it. Overall, we see continuous development as essential – both technologically and strategically. I am also particularly proud of our international presence: as a medium-sized company, being able to serve our customers locally around the world is a strong achievement. And last but not least, we have a great team with a healthy mix of experience and innovative spirit.

How do you assess the current market situation – also with regard to economic fluctuations?

After years of growth, we are currently seeing a certain degree of consolidation. We fell well short of our budget targets in 2024, but we are already seeing positive signs for more growth in 2025. The economic conditions in Germany are not ideal at the moment – issues such as high regulation, energy prices, and a shortage of skilled workers are very much on our minds. At the same time, we are seeing positive momentum, particularly from North America. We also expect a turnaround in the DACH region in the medium term, albeit at a moderate pace. The high level of bureaucracy in Europe remains a problem – a real obstacle to growth.

If you had three wishes for politicians, what would you wish for?

We need reliable economic conditions, a sustainable energy policy, and targeted investment in education and training. Work must be worthwhile again. Germany can only compete globally in a strong Europe – and should be prepared to take a leading role in this alliance. The state should support the economy, not replace it. It's not about being the better entrepreneur, but about creating better conditions for businesses. But basically, we have everything we need to win: we have a great brand, we have very authentic, talented people, and we have a great global partner network.

In your opinion, what makes a company successful in the long term?

Satisfied employees, strong management, and consistent customer focus are key success factors for us. Commitment is not demonstrated in words, but in daily actions – through personal responsibility, reliability, and a shared commitment to continuous development. We remain true to our convictions without following every trend, while at the same time continuously analyzing new conditions in order to identify opportunities early on and actively manage risks.

What do you consider to be the hallmarks of a successful customer relationship?

Reliability, honesty, and active partnership. Our customers value our speed, agility, and service orientation. And they know that we are not just a supplier, but a partner and solution provider—someone they can rely on, even when the challenges are complex. Our stance is clear: customer first. Always. Because customer satisfaction is not the goal, but the benchmark.

How do you secure your market position – and how do you intend to continue growing?

Internationalization remains a key growth driver – we have successfully established ourselves in the US and are currently taking our first steps in the UK through our expansion. We are also continuing to expand our global partner network. At the same time, we are focusing even more strongly on our core business and further expanding our service area – with clear concepts for an uncomplicated purchasing experience, both in product selection and project implementation.

How important is the project business compared to your core business with components?

Our main business remains high-quality components, which we offer with strong technical advice and many years of expertise. However, the project business with gripper systems, area grippers, or ergonomic handling solutions is a strategically important addition. It underlines our ability to solve complex tasks – especially when customers lack capacity or require individual solutions.

Are there areas in the product portfolio where you still see potential for development?

Definitely. We are monitoring trends very closely – for example, in collaborative robotics, sustainable and energy-efficient solutions, and in the areas of vision control, condition monitoring, and AI. Our goal is to offer our customers modern, application-oriented solutions at all times – practical and without unnecessary complexity.

What are you personally looking forward to?

In business, I am looking forward to making progress—in the company, with our customers, and with our employees. It is important to me to show that positive change is possible. I have been working for over 40 years, and my family—my children and grandchildren—help me to keep my focus on what is important. That is a good balance.