KROPF Solutions - Review spring workshop & zenon workshop 2025

30 years of KROPF Solutions - 30 years of solving problems, simplifying processes and making work easier (or, as the company slogan says: "Thinking in systems"). The KROPF Solutions spring workshop, an information and networking platform for customers and partners from all German states and abroad, was characterised by the company's 30th anniversary this year. The managing directors expressed their thanks for three decades of successful cooperation in the appealing ambience of the Hof theatre; customers and partners offered their congratulations and reported on the family atmosphere, successful projects and great added value. As usual, there was also plenty of professional input.

 

Managing Director Werner Kropf summarised the secret of success over the past 30 years in just one sentence: "The customer wants us to understand their problems." Founded as a one-man operation, KROPF Solutions now has over 100 employees at four locations in Germany, the Czech Republic and Hungary. After just a short time, the first well-known major customers were on board: "BMW became aware of one of my first projects with the Thurn und Taxis brewery. That's how it started - and the avalanche is still rolling today." Some time ago, the centralised system monitoring at the VW plant in Emden was put into operation remotely during production. "Someone has to imitate us first. I'm proud of my team."

Managing Director André Fruh, who has been with KROPF Solutions for 25 years, reported: "Our first major BMW project with a small five-man team at the time was challenging." Over time, the volume of projects grew and the number of customers increased. "We have continued to develop together." Many employees have been with Unterhemen for a long time; KROPF is a popular employer: "People come and stay."

André Fruh reported on the locations in Cheb in the Czech Republic and Győr in Hungary as well as the project office in Braunschweig. At the headquarters in Oberkotzau, a "test laboratory" for virtual commissioning was recently inaugurated and a new administration and customer centre was opened at the beginning of the year.

 

Jürgen Straußberger from BMW recalled the first joint project at the Regensburg site. Numerous projects at other locations followed because, according to Straußberger, there is a decisive difference between KROPF Solutions and its competitors: "Many companies come and tell me what I need. But you ask what I need." Klaus Göttl from AUDI AG, a guest at the spring workshop since the very beginning, agrees: "You are a guarantee of success." Everyone knows that there can be problems and discussions in the context of such large projects: "But you have good and competent people, we have always solved everything positively. Projects with KROPF Solutions are always successful."

 

The presentation "Order management and line visualisation in the food & beverage sector" by Michael Hanausek from NÖM AG, the leading milk processing company in Austria, was also about a successful project. Around 1000 employees there process around one million litres of milk into a wide variety of products on 25 to 30 filling lines every day. "In doing so," explained Hanausek, "we have to be fast, flexible and responsive to customer requests." Because the production data acquisition system was outdated and a wide variety of panels from different suppliers were causing costs and inconvenience, the decision was made to switch to the manufacturer-neutral zenon software platform, which KROPF Solutions also works with. When converting the systems - initially on their own - but since bringing KROPF on board, they have been able to raise the system visualisation to a higher level and continuously develop it further in line with current requirements and new ideas.

Head of IT Adrian Olschowka from KROPF Solutions explained how quickly and easily new features can now be tested on one system and rolled out to all, and how - depending on the customer's needs - a wide variety of reports and analyses can be created.

 

The presentation by Marco Krasser, Managing Director of SSW Wunsiedel GmbH, was dedicated to the topic of "Shaping the future of energy using the example of WUNsiedler Weg Energie". The energy transition can only succeed if we learn to think across sectors and develop new ideas, he said. Krasser reported on how the town of Wunsiedel had already dedicated itself to the topic of renewable energies 20 years ago, initially in a "rather shirt-sleeved" manner, and how it is now constantly expanding it with scientific support. The resulting ZENOB network now includes 27 municipalities from five districts. 

The expert emphasised: "We need to be open to technology in order to drive forward decarbonisation. Every building must become a small power plant." The use of hydrogen, sufficiently large energy storage systems and the expansion of distribution grids are important issues in this regard. "We need a system that is networked across all levels and linked across all sectors." Digital twins and intelligent software such as zenon play a major role here.

 

Christian Schneider from Audi Immobilien Solutions GmbH and Klaus Göttl from AUDI AG presented AUDI AG's experiences with the energy transition in the lecture "ZLT with zenon - The energy concept at the AUDI IN-Campus: Creation of an innovative and sustainable technology park". Together with project manager Thorsten Busch from KROPF Solutions, they reported on how an old oil refinery on an area the size of 100 football pitches was transformed into a green working and living space that combines innovation and ecology. 

The IN-Campus is a lighthouse project for AUDI AG to try out new technologies. This includes, for example, a low-temperature network in a ring structure and the utilisation of both unwanted waste heat and geographical conditions such as the proximity of the Danube. The construction of a multifunctional gravel-water storage facility for heating and cooling is planned for the future, "because an energy transition cannot work without storage." The zenon system is an important component for operating the complex systems and ensuring secure encryption in accordance with AUDI standards.

 

Markus Helbok from Ing. Punzenberger COPA-DATA GmbH and his colleague Verena Glück presented innovations from the Salzburg software company that users can look forward to in the future with the new zenon 15 software version. Helbok appreciates the spring workshop as an opportunity to think outside the box: "We are delighted to be able to experience the added value that our software offers using concrete examples." In addition to various changes and improvements, the experts also presented the Engineering Assistant, an AI-driven chat bot that answers engineering questions and links directly to online help. 

 

"Retrofitting and modernisation in the production environment" was the title of the presentation by SÜDLEDER GmbH from Rehau on the renewal of the leather processing company's hot water control system. Water plays an important role in the operation of the large tannery, which requires around 2000 cubic metres per day and cannot afford a longer production downtime because new hides have to be constantly delivered and processed quickly. The installation of a new hot water control system therefore had to take place during ongoing operations. Because the zenon system from COPA-DATA is listed with BaFa, the company received a subsidy as part of the energy and resource efficiency programme. 

Project and operations engineer Christian Handke reported on the gradual changeover: "We were able to complete three of the five construction phases without interrupting production." The system was finally put into operation at 3 o'clock on a Saturday morning in the presence of the experts from KROPF Solutions. "We are happy that everything went so well." The company now has significantly improved monitoring, analysis and optimisation options and plans to map the cold water system in zenon in the long term.

 

Head of Automation Martin Stark from KROPF Solutions spoke about the service life of systems depending on external influences and explained why it is important to look for replacements in good time. A changeover during ongoing operation is becoming increasingly common, not only to avoid production downtime: "It is often the better approach because it allows better scheduling, you can constantly monitor production and detect faults in good time."

 

Emily Walther and Pavel Fránek from KROPF Solutions presented their "beer software" as part of the lecture "Production planning and control with zenon using the beverage industry as an example". As part of her bachelor's thesis, Emily Walther focussed on the challenges faced by small and medium-sized companies: limited funds and resources, outdated software, inefficiency, lack of transparency, fluctuating demand and strict requirements. The software developed by KROPF Solutions is a market first and is also eligible for funding for SME companies. The concept includes a complete package of software, hardware, planning and staff training as well as support with funding applications. A modular structure is possible, "so that the costs for the company are easier to plan."

Emily Walther promises: seamless traceability, high capacity utilisation, minimal stock levels, on-time delivery - and the ability to react quickly to failures and disruptions. Pavel Fránek reported on the implementation in a Czech brewery "from a paper-based system to a digital command centre". 

 

At the end of the spring workshop, moderator Jasmine la Noutelle summarised: "We laughed a lot, learnt a lot and got to know many new ideas." After a comprehensive look back at 30 years of KROPF Solutions, Managing Director Werner Kropf took a look into the future of the company, which is enjoying full order books and has recently attracted the interest of the pharmaceutical industry thanks to its innovative solutions: "We want to keep our finger on the pulse, continue to set new standards and create new solutions in zenon - for the benefit of our customers."