Efficiency as guiding principle

Whether it's hardware, firmware, or software: when it comes to development, Christian Metzger is not easily outdone. He is Head of Firmware Platforms and, with 20 years at the company under his belt, a true Balluff veteran. Metzger started at Balluff when he was still working on his degree at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Stuttgart, Germany. Over the years, he got to know all sides to the development of industrial automation, worked on numerous products and technologies, and was also involved in the development of the industry standard IO-Link.

Today, the university-educated engineer represents Balluff at the IO-Link Consortium and heads an international team of 13 developers. Together, they provide the technical foundation for many Balluff products. The thing that has been in Christian Metzger’s mind from day one? "Definitely efficiency. It affects all our tasks in development. Why should we do things twice or three times when we can establish consistent standards that make sense instead?"

What looks like an ordinary toolbox can, in fact, be filled with the most modern development tools and transported anywhere. Inside, the case offers space for all kinds of setups. Its touch-proof design protects sensitive electronic components from damage and interference. "The case allows our developers to work efficiently in non-laboratory environments without violating safety guidelines," Metzger explains.

Its delivery process is just as efficient as the case itself: After a pre-production run of 15 briefcases was tested, it officially went into production in May 2023 and now comes in three different sizes.

The briefcase is very popular with the whole team: "I often get feedback asking why we haven’t thought of this sooner," says Christian Metzger. One reason for its popularity is the fact that the case does not only solve issues related to the pandemic or efficiency: "Before we had the case, our developers would assemble their setups themselves. That means choosing components, ordering, unpacking, building — and this process makes it easy to get lost in the details." Now, even highly specialized setups are only a few clicks away, since the case can be individually configured and ordered by developers throughout the whole company on the internal Balluff Marketplace.

"We owe it to the teams involved that the case exists as it does today — all employees that were committed to bringing it from idea to execution," Metzger summarizes. "Without all these different creative minds, it would not have been possible to go from defining the requirements and safety checks all the way to material management."

Turbulent start to a new stage of life

Metzger has been managing his Firmware Platforms team since 2018. It comprises 13 developers today, with part of the team based at the company headquarters in Neuhausen, and another part working out of the newly founded development office in Budapest. The team’s main responsibility is to define, design, and implement the firmware for Balluff’s products. They develop code libraries, drivers, and APIs, which in turn help the development teams to integrate specific functionalities and features into the Balluff products’ firmware. In doing so, their focus is always on the specific requirements of Balluff’s customers in terms of the reliability and security of the communication protocols.

The path to his management position was a particular kind of challenge for Christian Metzger. Shortly after his second son was born, he received an unexpected call: "My son had just been born, we were building a house, and I was still working with my youth groups — I was in the thick of it. But then I was asked if I would consider becoming the head of the firmware team. And I knew in my heart the answer was yes!"

The timing, however, could not have been more tumultuous. Just shortly before the offer, Christian Metzger had begun renovating and expanding an old half-timbered house that was to become the family's new home. "I did have my doubts. But I also knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that aligned with my interests and long-term goals." Metzger decided to take on the challenge despite his already high stress level and the work on the house. "So far, I haven't regretted it for a second," he says, adding: "It was a stressful time, of course, but I always had my wife’s full support and my whole family to back me up. When I expressed my initial concerns to Balluff, the team was very understanding, and together, we were able to find a solution. I'm grateful for that to this day."

Metzger has remained loyal to the team since 2018: "Of course, I take on more management tasks today compared to my days as a developer," he says. "But my approach is still the same: I want to streamline as many processes as I can to make us as a team as efficient and productive as possible. I used to manage code, now I manage my team and enable them to do a good job for our customers."

The Firmware Platforms team works closely with other departments such as hardware, software, and product development to ensure that the firmware platforms meet the requirements of Balluff’s customers.

A future with Balluff

Christian Metzger looks to the future with optimism and a zest for action: "There is still a lot to do. My goal for the coming years is to set up our team so that it can function independently. The topics of firmware and standardization will certainly stick with me — I see a lot that can still be done in that area.”

Christian Metzger wants to remain loyal to the industry and to Balluff: "I had the opportunity to change employers several times," he says. "I did consider it, but I never wanted to let go completely. I have always considered Balluff to be a loyal and appreciative employer that has supported me both privately and professionally. And I would like to return that loyalty."