Gerhard Friese has been working at STAUFF for 50 years - a figure that is anything but a matter of course today. At a time when careers often lead over many stations, half a century of service to the company stands for genuine loyalty, deep trust and established relationships.

Gerhard Friese joined STAUFF when he was just 14 years old and has since seen generations of colleagues come and go. He has helped shape careers and witnessed many transformations at STAUFF. Today, he manages production at the Werdohl site and is known for his friendly management style. For him, people have always taken centre stage: he has not only further developed machines and processes, but also formed a team that sticks together and supports each other.

His path impressively demonstrates what is possible when a company focuses on long-term cooperation - and an employee is prepared to take on responsibility and pass on their experience. Gerhard Friese has helped shape the company for over five decades and epitomises STAUFF's values like no other.

To mark his anniversary, we asked Mr Friese in an interview how it all began, what is most important to him and what really defines STAUFF in his eyes. His honest and heartfelt answers can be found here:

Such an extraordinary anniversary deserves special recognition. During a ceremony, the management, HR management and plant management honoured Gerhard Friese for his decades of loyalty and commitment. In addition to personal words of thanks, he received a bouquet of flowers, a gift basket and a travel voucher - small tokens for a very great achievement.

Helmut Ahrens, Managing Director and CEO of STAUFF Germany, emphasised at the ceremony:

"We would like to thank Mr Friese for his decades of loyalty, commitment and humanity. Employees like him are the foundation of our success."

The anniversary is also an opportunity to look at the bigger picture: STAUFF has always seen itself as a reliable employer. As a family-owned company, we continuously invest in our German sites, create modern workplaces and want to remain a secure, attractive employer in the region, especially in times of change.

50 years with the company symbolises precisely this stability. But they also show that anyone who stays here can develop - as a specialist, as a leader and as a person.

Gerhard Friese once said that he would do everything exactly the same again. That is perhaps the greatest compliment a company can receive. His story reminds us that work is more than just a job. It's the people, the togetherness and the opportunities we give each other.

We can all learn from him - whether we've been with him for 30 years or just three weeks: Listen. Stick together. Taking responsibility. And not to lose respect for each other even in difficult times.

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