Staufen C-Day 2025
Getting a little better every day
In its third edition, the “C-DAY” hosted by Staufen, part of Accenture, once again offered the industry decision-makers a high-caliber executive platform. From family business owners to DAX board members, the top managers came to Herzogenaurach, Germany, this year – and, in addition to topics such as operational excellence, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, they also delved into the history of sports.
After the Black Forest and Kraichgau region, the C-DAY this time made a stop in Middle Franconia — more precisely, in the former guest house of Adidas founder Adi Dassler. Amidst memorabilia from football history, Staufen CEO Wilhelm Goschy drew a connection between competitive sports and industry: both require a strong foundation, clear leadership, and the will to constantly improve. Matthias Hégelé, Managing Director Supply Chain and Operations Accenture DACH, added: “Only those who combine operational strength with digital agility can survive in global competition.” Both emphasized that Staufen and Accenture together represent precisely this connection.
Janice Köser
Taking responsibility instead of political disenchantment
Wolfgang Bosbach (CDU) followed with humor, passion, and his usual clear words, linking the conversation from football to fiscal policy. He warned against growing political disenchantment and urged a sense of responsibility – in business, society, and politics. Instead of short-term, sentiment-based politics, Germany needs the courage to make difficult decisions. His conclusion: “It is still a blessing to be born in Germany, to be able to live and work here. But we will have to do a lot to ensure that it remains this way in the long term.”
The future is created through courage
Karsten Keil, a member of the Management Board at Schnellecke Logistics, demonstrated how the courage to change opens up new paths. He traced the family business’s transformation from a furniture transporter to a global automotive logistics provider – and its next step toward data-driven logistics. One of his most important goals is to significantly diversify Schnellecke’s portfolio through digital services and expertise in AI and data analytics. His message: The future is created through courage, cooperation, and the willingness to question the old.
Question your own habits
Martin Friedl, VP of Global Operations & Prototyping Excellence at PALFINGER, experienced that change often begins with a wake-up call from the very top. Following the new CEO’s self-critical diagnosis, “We are not the benchmark,” PALFINGER launched a comprehensive transformation. Processes, leadership, and culture were realigned – with clear principles, measurable successes, and a global leadership program. Friedl emphasized: Continuous improvement means questioning habits and making progress visible.
Communication as a key factor
After being present that morning when the trading bell rang for the DAX-listed GEA Group on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, GEA COO Johannes Giloth demonstrated in the afternoon in Herzogenaurach how the mechanical engineering company is transforming into an agile technology group. Clear responsibilities, digitalization, and sustainability are the key drivers of this development. Communication plays a key role: “You have to engage people and repeatedly explain where the company currently stands and where you want to be in the future,” Giloth said.
The entry barriers for automation are falling
Stefan Krug, Head of Digital Consistency at Siemens, demonstrated how practical future technology already is. Using his digitized home as an example, he demonstrated how low the barriers to entry for automation and digitalization have become. Krug explained how Siemens is merging real and virtual production worlds with the Industrial Metaverse – from AI-supported planning to predictive maintenance. The following day, he hosted the visit of the state-of-the-art Siemens Factory F80 in Erlangen, making digitalization tangible.
Cybersecurity doesn’t just affect IT
At the end of the session, Florian Jörgens, Chief Information Security Officer at Vorwerk, created a somber atmosphere – intentionally so. In an interactive crisis exercise, he simulated a hacker attack and guided the audience through the emergency scenario: from the initial alert to system recovery. His appeal: Cybersecurity affects not only IT, but every department in the company. Only those who are prepared, practice regularly, and communicate openly will remain able to act in the event of a crisis.
Conclusion:
The C-DAY 2025 impressively demonstrated how broadly the topic of excellence is conceived today – as the interplay of technology, processes, and leadership.
The day in Herzogenaurach made it clear that sustainability is not a goal, but a continuous process – driven by courage, clarity, and the willingness to improve every day. Just as Adi Dassler once enshrined in his book for top athletes.
