Family spirit lays the foundation for success
Schubert UK Ltd, the British sales subsidiary of German packaging machine manufacturer Schubert, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022. Despite being an international market leader, family-owned Gerhard Schubert GmbH has remained well grounded right through to its third generation. And the Schubert team in the UK is especially proud to have taken this family spirit with them to Birmingham – as reflected in a culture of teamwork that greatly benefits customers.
Schubert UK was founded in Birmingham in 2002. Prior to this, innovation driver Schubert was only active on British soil with its modular robot-assisted top-loading machines through commercial agents. Birmingham is the second largest city in the United Kingdom after London and its central location makes it strategically very attractive: An international airport as well as the international railway network and conveniently located motorways ideally connect the region. Cadbury, also based in Birmingham, was Schubert UK’s very first customer.
A customer-oriented team spirit
Schubert UK got its start with a small team of four people. Twenty years later, under the management of Mark Stepney, the team counts fifteen employees who work on innovative packaging solutions for their customers every day and now generate 16.4 million euros in sales. The culture within the company is marked by exceptional mutual trust. “We have an inclusive caring family spirit in our business, much like that of our parent company,” Stepney explains. The employees work together as a well-coordinated team and have far-reaching expertise. In addition to service that is comprehensive and exceptionally reliable, this is exactly what customers appreciate about the British Schubert subsidiary. Schubert UK has a long list of customers who have loyally stood by the company since its launch 20 years ago and have accompanied it on its forward-looking journey.
Sustainability is the name of the game
Mark Stepney is not only extremely proud of his team, but also of the very positive contribution Schubert UK is making to the environment. For example, the entire vehicle fleet in Birmingham is equipped with electric or hybrid drive vehicles. Of course, the company is also committed to the Mission Blue Sustainability Initiative, which Schubert launched in Germany in May 2022. With this initiative, the packaging machine manufacturer is actively pursuing goals such as sustainable corporate management and climate-neutral production. Moreover, Schubert helps its customers achieve more environmentally friendly packaging solutions with durable machines and optimised packaging. As a value-oriented family business that thinks in terms of generations in the long term, Schubert aims to contribute to a healthy environment and a future worth living in.
The future in view
“What will happen in forty years?” Mark Stepney is optimistic, and rightly so. Schubert UK’s growth speaks for itself. The Managing Director hopes that the team will continue to work as well together as they have in the past. As Vice-Chairman of BARA (British Association of Robotics and Automation), Mark Stepney is convinced that automation will also play an important role in the future of the UK. This is why he is also involved in organising the new Automation UK trade fair. “Automation UK will play a key role in highlighting the very real added value of automation and robotics technology to the UK economy. The trade fair is a must in 2023,” highlights the Managing Director of Schubert UK and BARA Vice-Chairman.
Website: www.schubert.group