Yesterday’s visit to Hoerbiger was an intriguing look into modern manufacturing, offering a visual experience that reminded me of other industrial giants like Continental and MAN. We observed vast production areas where large machinery processed bigger components, necessitating wider pathways for movement and transport. These spaces felt expansive and highly organized, designed for the efficient handling of substantial parts. For example, they make different compression and automotive technology, some requiring larger parts or machines to make, others being much smaller. Conversely, we also toured much smaller rooms, almost laboratory-like in their precision, where highly specialized machines performed intricate “micro jobs.” This duality, from the macro to the micro, highlighted Hoerbiger’s diverse manufacturing capabilities and their expertise across different scales of production. Of all the factories we saw, it felt like Hoerbiger had the least amount of humans required to be working the machines. Entire jobs could be completed start to finish with zero help from humans. They are making parts that require such compression to form and heat, that million dollar machines are able to complete the entire job. It was shocking to me how specific their machines were. I couldn’t believe engineering a machine to make those parts, and can only imagine how hard it is to find a supplier.
After our factory tour, we embarked on a breathtaking journey up into the Alps. The tram ride itself was an exhilarating experience, steadily ascending to reveal increasingly spectacular panoramic views. From the summit, it was incredible to witness how the quaint towns nestled at the base of the mountains shrunk to almost miniature proportions. This particular town, famous for its intricate wood carvings and, perhaps surprisingly given the time of year, an abundance of Christmas-themed merchandise, exuded a charming, small-town atmosphere. Its modest size certainly explained why shops began to close their doors promptly at 6 PM – a delightful reminder of the different pace of life in such picturesque settings
