Today was one of the most interesting days as we got to make our second company visit to Grob who manufactures machines that create car parts for big car companies like BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen. As we got to the factory, it took us a while to get inside because we were at the wrong building in a huge complex. Luckily, all we had to do was walk across the street.

Once we got into the building, I was blown away by how much bigger and nicer it was than Hoerbiger’s factory which we visited yesterday. As soon as we got up to our floor, they had a few machines out on display that we were able to look at before heading into the conference room for a presentation.

During the presentation, we were given a brief overview of the company and the types of products they make. The man from Grob explained to us how they create these complex machines that they sell to large OEMs and Tier I supplies. The companies they sell to can they use the machines to quickly and easily make different types of car products.

After the presentation, we were finally given a tour of their factory. I was absolutely blow away by the size and complexity of the machines. It was super hard to imagine how the machines are built because of how complicated and big they were. However, the thing that fascinated me the most wasn’t one of their large machines, but instead a metal 3D printer. I got to see it in action and even products that were made using it. It could build things like a hip, car wheels, and even a small jet engine. I found it amazing how many different applications the 3D printer had.

Being that Grob has so many applications to their products, it seems as though they will be able to adapt much easier in the changes of the car industry compared to Hoerbiger. With the shift from ICE to electric, Grob will still be able to produce the same types of machines. However, Hoerbiger only makes one product for ICE cars. For them to make a successful shift, I looks like they will have to totally reinvent what they are doing and in my opinion seems very difficult.

After our amazing tour of Grob, we all headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. A few of us decided that we wanted to go and get Vietnamese food and it was so worth it. I got a peanut chicken bowl and it was absolutely delicious. We’ll definitely be making our way back there one day.

Today was a super fun day and I can’t wait for tomorrow when we have our white sausage breakfast and visit our third company!