Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology visit OPTIMA

Last week, about 80 employees of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) visited Optima, a family-owned company based in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany. As part of the wbk Institute for Production Science located at KIT, the majority of the employees consisted of young doctoral students. The group gained exclusive insights into a medium-sized company that has positioned itself as a technology leader in the packaging industry. The young researchers were able to get to know the company through specialist presentations and tours of the Optima Pharma and Optima Consumer business units.

In addition to the nearly 200 positions currently advertised in a wide range of fields, Optima is also on the lookout for young researchers who will drive its global success as junior staff. Dr. Stefan König, Managing Director, faced the group with honest words during his welcoming speech: "We need a positive mindset in the heads of future professionals towards the sector of medium-sized companies. Because we need you as highly qualified young professionals." In doing so, he classified Optima as a hidden champion that has established itself as a technology leader in a specific industry with its 100-year company history.

Two technical presentations on "Innovation and core technology development using the example of filling technology" and "Requirements and solutions for the pharmaceutical industry" were intended to give the young talents an insight into Optima's exciting projects, current challenges and latest approaches to solutions. Current developments in glove minimization in the pharmaceutical industry, advances in cell and gene therapy or the use of technologies such as digital twins and artificial intelligence were ideal examples of the importance of research and development at Optima. Through close collaboration of these two areas, new findings can be regularly captured and successes achieved here.

In his address, König emphasized the importance of close exchange between practice and theory. It is possible to develop "fireworks of innovations", but only in cooperation between industry and science. Excursions like the one of the wbk Institute for Production Technology are valuable for both sides - not least for expanding one's own network. The head of the institute, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Volker Schulz is satisfied at the end of the day: "With the visit to Optima, we wanted to get to know a hidden champion from the region Hohenlohe. It turned out that this decision was the right one." Excursions like this are part of the young researchers' training program. The idea is to enable them to "put out feelers" and gain practical experience in sectors with which they are less familiar. In the past, former young researchers from the wbk Institute have already found their way to Optima. 

The Hohenlohe region is a strong business location. With around 2,000 of a total of almost 3,000 employees, a large part of the Group operates here. The broad product portfolio in different industries such as pharmaceuticals and biotech, cosmetics and personal care, food, hygiene, diagnostics, medical devices or energy offers interested professionals a wide range of opportunities.