The anniversary celebrations were officially started on Saturday afternoon by HELLER CEO Klaus Winkler, Chairman of the Supervisory Board Berndt Heller and Chairman of the Works Committee Bernd Haußmann. Christoph Nold, Managing Director of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Esslingen-Nürtingen, gave a welcoming address and, on top of that, awarded the company with a special honour. In addition to the honorary certificate marking the 125th company anniversary, Berndt Heller and Klaus Winkler also received a prize for outstanding services to the local economy.
“125 years of HELLER tell the story of a family that to this day has provided a very large number of people with employment, job opportunities, professional fulfilment and a livelihood,” Klaus Winkler said in his opening speech, thanking the members of the Heller family on behalf of staff. “125 years of HELLER also tell the story of a works community that developed into a very large family. A family that connects the generations and which to this day is the great strength of HELLER,” Winkler continued.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Berndt Heller on behalf of the family warmly thanked the employees for their tireless efforts for the company. His brother Hubert, also a shareholding partner of the company, expressed his immense gratitude in a speech delivered by Klaus Winkler on his behalf. “We are proud of our family business and stand behind you.” The Chairman of the HELLER Works Committee Bernd Haußman emphasised the significance of HELLER as an employer: “To Nürtingen and the surrounding area, working at Heller meant the same as working at Daimler in Stuttgart – once you joined the company, you stayed there until you retired,” Haußmann said.
One of the reasons for that was the fact that HELLER had early on recognised the employees’ significance for the company’s success. Haußmann outlined the development of the various offerings HELLER has provided its staff over many decades, including joint holiday trips and numerous sports events.
A widely varied musical programme for every taste: from ‘Wirtschaftswunder’ through to Helene Fischer
Following the official part of the programme, the HELLER Big Band directed by Helmut Grübel took the stage to entertain with famous swing classics, inviting the audience to tap their toes or click their fingers. Moreover, the band ‘Wirtschaftswunder’ known beyond the region, got the the fans of Schlager music going with golden oldies. Quite a number of visitors took to the dancefloor to the upbeat rock ‘n’ roll sounds of the 50s and 60s. In the evening, the Dutch party band ‘De Coronas’ took over the stage, providing a special kind of entertainment. The members of the audience were able to send their musical requests to the band, using a telephone placed among the audience or a special app. The culinary offerings available matched any street food festival. More than 20 stands and food trucks offered a wide variety of foods from ‘Maultaschen to go’ through to pulled pork. Moreover, numerous walking acts strolled about the grounds all day, entertaining visitors with little stunts or magic tricks. For the youngest guests, the programme offered numerous join-in activities. And when the sky over Nürtingen grew dark, a very successful Anniversary Day ended with an imposing fire show.
