OPTIMA Korea celebrates 20th anniversary

More than 80 customers attended the anniversary event in Seoul to celebrate with Korean employees, German and Korean managers, and a representative of the German Embassy in Korea.

Diplomatic relations between Germany and Korea go back 140 years. For the past 20 years, Optima, based in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, has been contributing to the exchange between the two nations through its subsidiary in Korea. This cooperation has been very successful. This was celebrated at a large ceremony in Seoul. More than 100 guests attended, including a representative of the German Embassy in Korea, members of the German management team, Korean employees and over 80 customers.

At the 20th anniversary celebration of Optima's subsidiary in Korea, German managing directors Gerhard Breu and Stefan König congratulated the staff on the good results in the filling, packaging and process solutions business.

Gerhard Breu, Chairman of Optima Pharma, spoke of the good cooperation between the subsidiary and the headquarters: "Through our local experts and our colleagues at headquarters and in the rest of the world, we are the best possible partner for our customers," he said.

Stefan König, who lived in Korea for several years, appreciates the good relations between the two countries. "Germany and Korea are a good match - we complement each other in our skills and behaviour. This also applies to our joint business - we support you with excellent and proven machine technology to enable your competitiveness and success in the pharmaceutical industry".

Sales managers from Germany and Korea, Matthias Poslovski and Peter Kim, as well as two customers of Optima Korea, reported on current developments in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Jörn Beißert, Head of the Economic Development Department at the German Embassy in Korea, highlighted the longstanding relationship between the two countries.

Michael Ahn, manager of Optima Korea, accepted an award from the 3D printer on behalf of the staff: partly in recognition of the past 20 years, and partly as a symbol of the use of new technologies. For Optima Korea, the principle "We care for innovations" from the company's mission statement also applies. It reflects the continuous development of future-proof solutions and breakthrough innovations.

"I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all colleagues who have played an important role in the history of Optima Korea, both those who are with us now and those who have accompanied us along the way," says Michael Ahn, summing up his tribute to his colleagues.

Optima Korea currently employs 15 people, and the number is growing. The organisation is a sales and service centre for all divisions of the Optima Group.

The first equipment for the paper industry was sold to the Korean market in 1983. Machines for the pharmaceutical and consumer goods industries followed in the 1990s. This led to the establishment of Optima Korea in 2003. 

Michael Ahn reports on the economic growth of the Asian country: "South Korea started from scratch after the Korean War in 1950 and achieved considerable economic growth in a very short time. People work very fast and are highly motivated. This can be seen as being too rushed, but at the same time it speeds things up.”

Optima Korea's mission is to be the best partner for the business units in Germany and the customers in Korea. "The aim is to live up to our company name and find the best solution for the customer," says Christoph Müller, Managing Director of Optima's overseas companies. The best solution covers the entire product lifecycle of a wide range of machines and systems in the consumer, life science, pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

Optima has invested heavily in the Korean market in recent years and will continue to do so. Michael Ahn. "We are ready to continue and build on the success until Optima Korea is 100 years old - and more.