A family history

In 1906, the name of the entrepreneurial family changed. Andreas Bizer sold his business to his son-in-law Wilhelm Kraut, who – together with his son – went on to create a masterpiece: &through the First World War and the economic crisis, they built Bizerba into a successful company with 800 employees by the end of the 1920s.
From Day One, innovation was a key part of the philosophy of Kraut’s company. For example, he built a new type of table-top decimal weighing scales, by converting a platform scale that was normally used for larger loads into a table-top format. Other designers had already had the idea, but had failed to put it into practice. And they manufactured table-top weighing scales that made loose cast weights redundant – they were integrated into the device.
Wilhelm Kraut Senior handed down an anecdote about a photograph. It was an old photo, obviously in black and white, that he always carried with him, usually in an inner pocket of his jacket. The photo showed employees in his father-in-law's workshop, the „Mechanical Workshop A.Bizer“ in Balingen, and it came from the final years of the 19th century. century. Employees were still manufacturing scales completely by hand, without any machinery. Kraut Senior did not carry this photograph with him for sentimental reasons. He often showed it to both himself and others as a reminder of how quickly technological advances moved forward. His young company had itself undergone rapid change early on. It was a modern company that, inspired by the principle of „Fordism“ – the great industrial model from the USA – practised industrial goods production. Rational, efficient – and yet with high quality. A method that is groundbreaking at the time and that laid the foundation for future success.

„If you never feel the fire, you cannot ignite others.“ The fourth generation took over leadership of the company with Günter Kraut: he systematically advanced the globalization of Bizerba and expanded the diversity of the products. Under his leadership, the stage was set for the required change from mechanical to electronic weighing, establishing the basis for networked solutions. Until his premature death, he successfully guided Bizerba through the challenges of a constantly changing market environment. 
Entrepreneurs must possess many talents. They should have business sense, but not prioritize it over their vision. They must be creative, but also organized and disciplined. And in particular, they have the task of being able to lead and support people, because without the full commitment of multiple individuals, a mutual goal cannot be achieved. Entrepreneur Günter Kraut possessed these qualities. Employees spoke euphorically of a time when he was able to ignite a fire in his people, even many years on from his era. He had the gift of getting employees to commit themselves to mutual goals and motivating them to give their best performances. Because he exemplified passion for his company.
The greatest turning point in the last decade of the company’s history was Günter Kraut’s sudden death. The athletic entrepreneur, agile, dynamic and captivating, died in the summer of 1995 while playing tennis. Only three years after the Bizerba workforce had to say goodbye to the company patriarch Wilhelm Kraut Junior, who died at the age of 86, the company suddenly found itself without a leader and role model. His passing sent shockwaves through the company, especially at a time when it was going through a difficult economic phase. Uncertainty spread, rumours made the rounds. Would Bizerba be sold to an international group? Would parts of the company be sold off to competitors? Would the tradition end?
Günter Kraut’s family closed ranks during these difficult weeks and months. It became clear that there was a simpler way out: selling the shares – and with it, the end of the family tradition after 129 years. But the family made the decision together to take the harder way: Frigga Kraut and her three children decided to leave their assets in the company, which represented a significant risk. Other family members were paid off and the capital stock was raised by external investors. Life at Bizerba continued. At this point, Günter and Frigga Kraut’s children were too young to fulfill their destiny at the top; all three were still completing their education. So, third-party managers were hired to assume the leadership tasks for the first time in Bizerba’s history.