Products
14.09.2023
From Neuhausen to Mexico
In his role as project manager, Andreas Schönle is responsible for setting up the new Balluff production site in Mexico. Fast processes and a lot of responsibility are part of his daily routine. And then there is the Mexican culture— to which he has a very special connection.
"No day is like the other at work — and that's what I like the most about my job," says Andreas Schönle. And you believe him right away. The interview with the 34-year-old takes place on an early Monday afternoon, German time. For Andreas Schönle, on the other hand, the sun has just risen. He was born in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, but has been living in Mexico with his family since last March. More precisely: in Aguascalientes, a city in the center of the country, some 500 kilometers north of Mexico City. In his role as project manager, Schönle is responsible for setting up a new Balluff series production site. The aim of the smart factory is to cover the future growth of the sensor and automation specialist even better, to strengthen the global production network and, of course, to shorten the delivery times to North and South America.
Aguascalientes is now Balluff’s third series production site, and production successfully launched this summer.
Focus on optimizing processes
Aguascalientes is now Balluff's third series production site, and production successfully launched this summer. The fact that the country between the USA and Central America was chosen is no coincidence, but instead the result of intensive research and location analyses.
Andreas Schönle was first introduced to the project in November 2021. At that time, the industrial engineer had already been working at Balluff for five years. As a lean manager, he had led various projects, including the optimization of production lines and logistics processes, and implemented digitalization projects within the supply chain, where he was also responsible for global coordination with the company's locations worldwide. "At that time, the head of my department asked me if I could imagine being the project manager for setting up this new location," Schönle recalls. His first reaction: "I was immediately thrilled."
Fast and successful
Even after the first talks, the enthusiasm for the new challenge remained. And then everything happened very quickly — in the truest sense of the word because the site construction was a so-called fast-track project: processes that usually take place one after the other are carried out side by side. This enables Balluff to meet the strong demand for products in the North American region as quickly as possible and to make the supply chain even more resilient with regard to the three Balluff world regions. In the case of Aguascalientes, this meant: "The search for a location had not yet been finalized when we already started planning the business case, meaning: What do we produce? Which machines do we need? How many employees are required?" The design phase of the new factory, the selection of the local construction company, and the contract negotiations also proceeded at the same time. With great success. The concept was approved internally in September 2022. Shortly thereafter, implementation began. And in January 2023, the official groundbreaking ceremony took place at the Greenfield facility in Mexico.
The site construction was a so-called fast-track project: processes that usually take place one after the other are carried out side by side.
According to Schönle, this sprint was only possible thanks to a very committed and motivated international team. "I am in daily exchange with colleagues from Mexico, but also from Germany and Hungary, for example. This global aspect makes my work varied and exciting."
No day is like the other at work — and that’s what I like the most about my job.
Andreas Schönle, Manager Strategic Projects
From Germany to Mexico
International collaboration has always been important to Andreas Schönle. As early as during his time as a student at the university Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), he expanded his European network in the International Student Network for Industrial Engineers, studied the Spanish language during a semester abroad in Barcelona, made first contacts with Latin American culture, and met his future wife, a Mexican, during his time at university. Today, the two are parents of a young son and look back on numerous trips and visits to the country with its more than 120 million inhabitants, its diverse nature, and its millennia-old culture.
"We felt very comfortable living in Germany. But living in Mexico also appealed to us," says Schönle, who is meanwhile fluent in Spanish himself. So, moving to Aguascalientes this spring wasn't a huge culture shock, he says. "We arrived very well as a family. We love the country and the culture, which is particularly evident, for example, at the annual colorful celebration ‘Día de los Muertos’, the Day of the Dead, at the beginning of November. And we appreciate the great hospitality that is quite normal here." Schönle says he often perceives Mexicans as emotional and very hard-working people. What has been the biggest adjustment for him in his daily interactions? The project manager laughs. "For the people here, it's very important to remain flexible and be open to the unexpected. A plan does not always have to be strictly adhered to but can also be changed at short notice if necessary. Things are often worked on in parallel and Mexicans make a lot of things possible at short notice."
The focus is on the production of sensors, network systems and connection technology, with more than half directly dedicated to the North and South American market.
Three meetings a day with the project team
As far as the plan for the 7,000-square-meter production site in Aguascalientes is concerned, it has certainly worked out: After less than a year of construction, series production started this summer with a first line, the Balluff Network Module BNI. "We have just passed the hot phase of the production ramp-up," says Schönle, who, in addition to general project management and establishing the new location, is also responsible for coordinating on site the ramp-up of future production lines.
The project team met three times a day for updates and exchanges during the production start-up phase. "The project is fast-paced, complex and not infrequently challenging, but this variety and the insight into different areas such as factory planning, the implementation of logistics concepts, or the setup of IT systems also makes it very special," says Schönle.
By the end of 2026, 700 employees are expected to be working at the site; currently, more than 50 people already work for Balluff Manufacturing Aguascalientes. The focus, Schönle emphasizes, is on the production of sensors, industrial network systems and connection technology, with more than half directly dedicated to the North and South American market, and the remaining part for international customers.
Personal development for all
The potential is there. “With our sensor and automation solutions and focus on networking, we at Balluff are at the epicenter of the fast-growing developments around the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), with customers from a wide range of industries,” says Schönle. “This makes us as a company resilient against economic influences and forms the basis for future growth.” What he particularly appreciates about his employer? “As a non-listed family company, Balluff plans for the long term and always focuses on its people. There are many ways in which each and every individual can contribute and develop.”
One thing is clear: For Andreas Schönle, the location in Aguascalientes has long since become project close to his heart. He and his family will stay in Mexico for another two to three years. Whether they will return to Germany after remains to be seen. “Currently, we are not yet thinking about what comes next, but we are enjoying the time, getting to know the country even better and making new memories.” However, the enthusiastic hiker is already looking forward to one thing on his return: “The Alps. It’s definitely much cooler there than in the hot Mexican mountains.”
“Living in Mexico appealed to us," says Schönle. However, the enthusiastic hiker is already looking forward to the Alps again after his return.
