NewsVIAOPTIC Stories

Our journey towards the CIP (Continuous Improvement Process) level concept was the cover story of the April issue of YOKOTEN. The magazine of the Institute CETPM at Ansbach University, targeted at executives and experts who want to enhance their knowledge in Lean, Agile, and New Work, features a six-page article about our continuous improvement processes at VIAOPTIC.

Continuous improvement processes not only aims to increase efficiency and save resources but, with the right approach, it also stimulates the motivation and creativity of all participants. Since 2015, VIAOPTIC has been consistently following the CIP concept, helping our conmpany to grow while improving quality in all areas day by day.

Read the article now (only available in German).

A big thanks to author Sabine Leikep from the editorial team for the interview!

Die am Leitz-Park Wetzlar ansässigen Unternehmen Leica Camera AG, Leitz-Park GmbH, Leitz-Park Marketing GmbH, Leitz Cine, VIAOPTIC GmbH und Uwe Weller Feinwerktechnik GmbH haben gemeinsam eine Pendler App eingeführt.

Ab sofort können sich Mitarbeitende per App zu Fahrgemeinschaften zusammenschließen. So wollen die Geschäftsführungen der Unternehmen in Zeiten steigender Energiepreise für einen Ausgleich sorgen und einen Beitrag zum Klimaschutz leisten.

Insgesamt rund 1.200 Mitarbeitende beschäftigen die sechs Unternehmen am gemeinsamen Standort im Leitz-Park. Wie die Mehrheit der Deutschen kommen auch sie zum großen Teil mit dem Auto zur Arbeit – viele von ihnen allein. Mit der „Leitz-Park PendlerApp“ setzen sich die Geschäftsführer für ein Klimaschutzprojekt ein, das Autofahrten und den Verkehr, der als großer Verursacher von Kohlenstoffdioxid gilt, reduziert und Pendler entlastet. Die kostenlose App unterstützt dabei, Fahrgemeinschaften zu bilden. Nach einer einfachen Registrierung können sich die Mitarbeitenden als Fahrerin oder Mitfahrerin anmelden und mit Kolleg*innen vernetzten, die einen ähnlichen Arbeitsweg haben. Dank des sogenannten Minimum-Data-Ansatzes werden dafür nur die nötigsten Informationen genutzt und die Privatsphäre jedes einzelnen geschützt.

Eine erste Bilanz der Wirksamkeit des Projekts – und der erfolgten CO₂-Einsparung – wird im Februar 2023 gezogen. Aus den meisten bestätigten Mitfahrten der App werden zu diesem Zeitpunkt die Top 5 Fahrerinnen und Beifahrerinnen ermittelt, die jeweils mit einem kleinen Preis belohnt werden.

Bereits kurz nach dem Startschuss der App registrierte sich eine erfreuliche Anzahl an zukünftigen Mitfahrer*innen. Die Initiatoren des Projekts sowie Mitarbeitende des gesamten Leitz-Parks freuen sich auf geteilte Kosten, gemeinsame Fahrten und einen Beitrag zum Klimaschutz.

Bildhinweis:
Die Geschäftsführungen der Unternehmen im Leitz-Park Wetzlar. / LEICA Camera AG

Sebastian Godderidge has been appointed as the new Sales Manager for VIAOPTIC per 1 January 2023.

Following posts at multinational companies in Austria and Mexico Sebastian Godderidge works for VIAOPTIC since June 2022.

In addition to his current tasks, he assumes leadership responsibility for the sales department to ensure successful growth of VIAOPTIC.

He takes over his new position from CEO Bernhard Willnauer, who wants to focus more on the strategic international orientation of the company.

In the spirit of the motto "donation instead of gifts" VIAOPTIC donated EUR 2,000 to the TAFEL Wetzlar and EUR 2,000 to OneDollarGlasses.

The goal of one dollar glasses is the etablishment of basic optical care for everyone, read more about the concept: https://www.onedollarglasses.org/concept/

There are currently more than 960 TAFEL in Germany. All of them are nonprofit organizations. The TAFEL support more than 2 million people in need of food throughout the country – nearly one third of them are children and youth:
https://www.tafel.de/english-information

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2023!

Team VIAOPTIC

Cooperation pays off: VIAOPTIC and the French coating professionals from POLYRISE are pooling their expertise and producing high-performance, anti-reflective coated plastic lenses as part of a close partnership. These will become part of innnovative lighting systems for a successful premium lighting system supplier of the automotive industry - and thus contribute to the transformation of mobility. The Digital Mirror Devices (DMD) technology used in the headlights enables glare-free high beam. Supporting animations projected onto the road surface enhance not only road safety but also driving comfort.

"The fact that a premium lighting system supplier trusts in our high-performance products makes us very happy," says Bernhard Willnauer, Managing Director of VIAOPTIC. And Fabien Rougé, Managing Director of POLYRISE, is convinced: "Our common understanding with regard to quality and customer orientation is the basis for our long-standing, trusting cooperation. It generates synergy effects from which our customers benefit greatly."

Read the official press release below.

For the 15th time the Optatec – International trade fair for optical technologies, components and systems – will take place in Frankfurt from October 18-20, 2022.

Meet VIAOPTIC in hall 8, booth F106 and get in touch with us!

Learn more about how we accompany the entire product life cycle with our optical know-how, advise you on designs for manufacturing and transfer your ideas into reliable series production. Also find out more about the wide range of applications for our optical assemblies and benefit from our knowledge of the perfect interaction between optics electronics and mechanics.

Enjoy our presentation “Characteristics of optical plastic materials – status and outlook on new developments” on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, and discuss the latest findings with our team.

We are looking forward to your visit!

Further information about the Optatec can be found here.

Many questions, exciting conversations and bright eyes: At the Leitz Park Festival on September 10, 2022, VIAOPTIC also offered a look behind the scenes and impressed visitors.

During a company tour, interested guests had the opportunity to experience us very closely. Whether in our tool shop, our injection molding or optical coating department - our experts provided detailed background information on our services and competencies. And left visitors amazed: "I wouldn't have thought that such impressive technologies were hidden behind these doors," said one of them.

VIAOPTIC also impressed with interesting career opportunities: In conversations with our human resources department, all those interested had the chance to learn more about us as an employer.

In the end, the VIAOPTIC team agreed: "It was great fun to welcome so many guests! The insights into the companies of our neighbors were also great."

The Leitz Park Festival was held for the first time this year. Despite the unsteady weather, countless visitors found their way to Wetzlar and took the opportunity to experience the many highlights at Leica World and the campus.

Photo: © Leitz Park Marketing

Next Saturday is the day!
We are looking forward to the big Leitz Park Festival, a great program and many insights.
VIAOPTIC will also open its doors from 11 am - 4 pm.
We invite you to take a look behind the scenes and get to know our services and competences.

Our neighbors and we look forward to your visit, wish everyone a great event and a wonderful day here on our campus.

For more Information on the program and highlights of the Leitz Park Fest, click here.

In a virtual event at the highest management level, we received the prestigious "Supplier of the Year" award from the technology corporation Continental on July 15, 2022. As experts in polymer optics, we secured the top position in the "Decorative Plastics" category and were honored for particularly outstanding performance.

Engagement, quality, and supply and purchasing conditions were the criteria in the extensive evaluation process that preceded the award. The eleven award winners were selected by the jury from around 7,000 suppliers worldwide as those who impressed with exemplary performance in their category. In his opening speech, Nikolai Setzer, Continental CEO and Chairman of the Automotive Board, honored the company's intensive and synergetic relationship with its suppliers. In the future, he said, Continental would continue to rely on strong cooperation in order to shape technological transformation.

The laudatio for VIAOPTIC highlighted our high product and process competence for optical plastic parts, consistently outstanding quality, continuous growth and commitment to project management. "The award is a great recognition of our work, which we are very happy about," said Bernhard Willnauer, Managing Director of VIAOPTIC GmbH. "The challenge of pushing the limits to what is technically feasible is extremely exciting. The long-standing, trusting cooperation with Continental is proof that together we succeed in this repeatedly."

Willnauer also thanked his staff at the same time: "We owe the award to the entire team and the great work that is done in Wetzlar. The commitment and expertise of our employees are the key to our success." But there is no question of resting on one's laurels: the award is not just an appreciation of what has been achieved so far - rather, it is an motivation to continue to perform at the best of one's ability and to constantly develop further.

Continental presents the "Supplier of the Year" award annually to the best suppliers in various fields. This year's award underlines the importance of VIAOPTIC as a reliable and competent partner and expert for future-oriented polymer optical components.

Read also the official press release from Continental on the "Supplier of the Year 2021" award here.

The latest developments in modern optics manufacturing, innovations and trends - this year, too, the program of the Wetzlar Autumn Meeting on September 27/28, 2022 promises exciting insights and diverse impulses. Be part of it and experience top-class speakers, an accompanying exhibition and a variety of networking opportunities.

In his presentation "Agile method-based process development for precise plastic optics", Bernhard Willnauer, Managing Director of VIAOPTIC, will demonstrate new, modern ways and methods for optimizing processes in the production of polymer optical components.

See you in Wetzlar!

You can find more information, the program of the Wetzlar Autumn Conference and the link to the registration here.