Another eventful year draws to a close. What did the Thomas team experience in 2022? What were our trade show highlights? And what about company celebrations? Let’s take a quick look back at some of the memorable moments of the year!
People at Thomas
At Thomas, the focus has always been on people. So let’s start with the people who make up our company: among other things, our team members again showed their ambitious side when it came to sport. Above all, the well-established company runs in the region proved particularly popular with employees. At the Siegerland company run, Thomas came second in the „Mixed Team“ category in June. At the Westerwald company run in Betzdorf, which took part at the end of September, Thomas was represented with the largest team at the event. We were rewarded with second and third place among the men and third place within the women’s category. Thomas was also acknowledged for having the most beautifully designed team shirt!
Our vocational trainees and work-study students were just as ambitious as our amateur athletes – and equally successful. At the beginning of 2022, eleven of them completed their training and presented their work to the management and the instructors. In November, three of them – Annika, Lisa, and Felix – were honored for their outstanding performance. They set a perfect example for the eight new vocational trainees who joined the Thomas team in August 2022. Indeed, Thomas will continue to be a key vocational training partner in the region in 2023.
Trade shows
After a lengthy pandemic-induced break, conditions in 2022 were such that we were able to attend trade shows in person again. The joy of meeting up with people beyond the confines of a video conference was felt everywhere. This was also the case at the IZB in Wolfsburg, where the Mobility Solutions unit presented a wide range of innovations covering four strategic areas: ePowertrain, Chassis, Emission Management, and Alternative Fuels. In June, Thomas was also represented at IFK Aachen, showcasing its capabilities as a driving force in the field of fluid technology.
In October, we exhibited at the world’s premier trade show for construction machinery and vehicles, bauma Munich – the perfect platform for us to inspire customers and prospects from all over the world with the help of our pioneering products in mobile hydraulics {link to article}. Embracing the motto „Smart actuation for smart applications,“ Thomas presented products from the application fields of construction, forestry, and agricultural machinery as well as the areas of special vehicles and material handling.
Speaking of construction: in the fall, the joint Bauen 4.0 project initiated by the TU Dresden came to an end. Its aim was to „think ahead“ to the networked, automated construction site of the future. Thomas presented the results of the project together with the other participants at a final event in Hoyerswerda.
Our colleagues abroad also played an active role in a number of key trade shows. Our Thomas subsidiary in the United States, for example, established a number of valuable customer contacts at iVT Expo, an industrial vehicle and off-highway trade show staged in Chicago.
But it wasn’t always just about products. As an employer, Thomas was also committed to meeting up with potential vocational trainees, work-study students, and employees. This included the training and career orientation fair at Kulturwerk in Wissen, the W&I Day at the University of Siegen, and the Family Business Career Day in Klingenberg am Main.
Celebrating at Thomas
Despite the pandemic, compounded by global economic uncertainties and crises, the year again gave cause for celebration at Thomas. In fact, there were two occasions in September: on September 23, around 400 colleagues came together at the Innomotion Park in Herdorf to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the company. With the venue bathed in sunshine, this was the perfect opportunity to take time away from day-to-day business for conversations and joint activities – including the election of the BBQ Master. Click here for pictures of the event.
The company anniversary was also celebrated by the U.S. and Chinese Thomas teams at other times of the day. Just a few days later, our colleagues in Kunshan had another reason to celebrate: on September 27, the new factory near Shanghai went into operation after almost two years of construction. Soon, one million valves a year will be produced at this site. For exciting insights into our joint planning efforts for the factory, including a video, please follow the link:
That only leaves – obviously – a very special company event at the end of the year: the Thomas Christmas Market with various stalls, which spread plenty of festive cheer in the run-up to Christmas – with mulled wine and potato pancakes, waffles or crêpes, sausages or salmon. Thus, the team can go into the Christmas holidays well nourished … and then on into 2023 – a new year with the prospect of many more memorable moments!
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