AZO GmbH + Co. KG in Osterburken celebrates 70years of company anniversary

"70 years of AZO - A company. A family."

AZO GmbH + Co. KG in Osterburken celebrated its 70th anniversary in September this year. The company AZO (Adolf Zimmermann Osterburken) was founded in 1949 by Adolf and Marianne Zimmermann in Osterburken. The visionary mill builder started with a workshop in a sheep shed. This quickly developed into a medium-sized company, which initially mainly produced feeders for bakeries. Today, the global group of companies offers innovative complete solutions for automatic raw material handling in the food, pharmaceutical, chemical and plastics industries. With more than 1,000 employees, the AZO Group generated sales of 182 million euros in 2018. Seven international sales companies and more than 30 representatives ensure a worldwide, intensive customer service.

Despite the internationality, Managing Director Rainer Zimmermann, the son of the company's founder, reaffirms his loyalty to the Osterburken site. AZO is and should remain a family business. With the mission "Raw material automation and logistics are our passion and our skills. In this way, we will create the basis for our customers' quality products" the third generation will continue to run the company.

Under the motto "70 Years of AZO - A Company. A family." the anniversary was duly celebrated with an open day and an evening event for employees. All interested parties were cordially invited to Osterburken for the open day. Around 7,500 visitors came to the company premises, which are almost 70,000 m2 in glorious late summer weather, to get an insight into the company.

During their visit, guests were able to fully experience the skills and passion at AZO. Using the legendary AZO eddy current screening machine, they were able to take a journey through time: from the beginning, with the invention of the first eddy current screening machine made of wood, to the high-end containment screening machine with CIP cleaning made of stainless steel.

The development of the automation of plants showed the department "Automation" with hardware and software highlights from 4 decades. The beginnings of AZO control technology were illuminated in the 1980s up to the complete automation of entire manufacturing processes. Digital tools in the field of complete plant engineering could be tested live using VR and AR technology.

In addition to the in-house laboratory and the test center in the AZO customer center, visitors were able to marvel at the high level of vertical integration in all areas of mechanical and electrotechnical manufacturing. The actions developed by the AZO staff provided both information, as well as games and fun for the whole family. The local clubs provided the food for the guests.

The numerous helpers and employees, as well as the Zimmermann family, were able to look back on a successful day, which gave visitors an insight into the company and the working world at AZO. For them, "raw material automation" is no longer an abstract term, but rather they have realized that in many products of daily life there is a bit of AZO.

For the AZO employees, an evening event with approx. 1,500 guests took place, to which the entire staff as well as the now almost 200 AZO pensioners with partners were invited.

Overall, AZO can look back on an all-round successful anniversary celebration. Even after 70 years of company history and a worldwide presence with innovations around the automation of raw material handling, the Zimmermann family is well aware of its roots and still stands for "A company" with AZO in Osterburken. A family."