This year's institute excursion started traditionally at 7 a.m. with the aim of getting to know interesting companies and spending a nice day together at the same time. After a two-hour drive, which most of us used to catch up on lost sleep, we arrived at the ACC company in Fürstenfeld.

Photo of the group in the ACC lecture room

© Christian Zaruba

Photo of the group in the ACC lecture room

We were warmly welcomed and led into the conference room where we heard a lecture.

Photo in the ACC showroom

© Christian Zaruba

Photo in the ACC showroom

It turned out that we were visiting the European market leader for refrigerator compressors.

After the three production series had been explained to us and all our questions had been answered, we went to the production facilities equipped with headphones. We went through the quality assurance department to the different production areas where we marveled at the nimble employees.

Group photo in front of the ACC company

© Christian Zaruba

Group photo in front of the ACC company

After the tour we got a hearty snack, so we could visit the next company Magna Heavy Stamping in Albersdorf near Gleisdorf.

Photo of a colleague at Magna Heavy Stamping

© Christian Zaruba

Photo of a colleague at Magna Heavy Stamping

There we had the opportunity to follow the production steps of body parts, from stamping the metal sheets to their welding. Equipped with safety goggles and divided into a German-speaking and an English-speaking group, the tour started immediately upon arrival.

Photo by a colleague at Magna Heavy Stamping

© Christian Zaruba

Photo by a colleague at Magna Heavy Stamping

Photo taken in the Magna Heavy Stamping production hall

© Christian Zaruba

Photo taken in the Magna Heavy Stamping production hall

Photo of the group in the production hall

© Christian Zaruba

Photo of the group in the production hall

Photo of the group in the production hall

© Christian Zaruba

Photo of the group in the production hall

Most of us loved the robotic arms and especially their precise and fast movements.

Group photo at Magna Heavy Stamping

© Christian Zaruba

Group photo at Magna Heavy Stamping

Exhausted but in a good mood we went home!