With the inauguration of a modern training center in Crailsheim, packaging machine manufacturer Schubert is laying the foundation for the expansion and relaunch of its training concept. To this end, the Schubert training team will be working closely with customers to develop new formats and content that are even more closely aligned with customer needs. 

As the packaging industry and packaging machines continue to evolve, so do customer needs when it comes to training and knowledge transfer. Advanced robot technology, multiple format changes, 3D printing in production, digital control systems, data-driven error analysis—the demands placed on production managers, machine operators, and other skilled workers have increased considerably through digitalization and automation. At the same time, there is currently a shortage of skilled personnel and often a high staff turnover in companies. These are the circumstances that Schubert needs to consider in its training courses and services.

Adapting the portfolio to evolving customer needs

Together with its customers, the Schubert training team is closely examining the existing training portfolio and will be fundamentally revising it. Uwe Galm, director of customer services, explains: “We have listened carefully to our customers and taken on board their various needs and wishes. With this input, we will continue to refine our training portfolio.” The move to the new training center at the company’s Crailsheim headquarters is a first obvious milestone. In the former industrial hall, over 1,000 m² of bright, modern premises have been created, with space for a welcoming reception area, four training rooms with packaging machines, a lounge, and additional technical rooms. The training team’s new offices are closely located in an adjacent building.  

New training formats and new content

“We are taking a multi-track approach with our training concept,” highlights Galm. “This includes not only the expansion of our training locations in Germany and the USA, but also new formats, new content and an expanded training team.” In the future, Schubert customers will benefit from both face-to-face and online training. Galm is especially keen on expanding training content and topics: “We cannot think of a customer’s individual machine in limited terms, but rather in terms of system components such as robots or image processing.” 

Thanks to the company’s modular machine concept, training for individual system components can basically be transferred to any Schubert machine, so that customers benefit from training across the board. Training that focuses on troubleshooting will also be modelled on this approach. “In the future, we would like to take an even more vivid, illustrative approach and offer our customers pre-produced videos without any language barriers as support,” reports Galm.

“We are increasing our capacities as we gear up to the new program,” he explains, “not only in Germany, but also in the U.S.” At the Charlotte location, a trainer is now on site full-time for customer training—a major gain in service and customer proximity for the American market. At the same time, Schubert will be making digital training and videos available directly via the Transaction Network customer portal. The portal, which is also home to Schubert’s Digital CARE Services, will gradually be supplemented with further content to expand the central digital service platform. The new training concept, the updated service portfolio, and the link to the customer portal will create a comprehensive package for Schubert customers that will enable them to benefit from services tailored precisely to their needs.