29 April 2021

The long-awaited new building is drawing closer. There is more to it than the fact that the inter-municipal industrial park of Braunsbach and Untermünkheim is currently being developed and that AFS would like to expand there. Last week, the company was also awarded a grant from the ‘Spitze auf dem Land!’ programme of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Rural Areas – as one of only nine companies and one of two manufacturers of filtering units.

For Managing Director Kai Kuppinger, the news comes at a time when the company is almost overwhelmed with orders. AFS has been assembling and installing air filter systems for 25 years – initially mainly for industrial halls, but now also for offices, administrations and schools. Growth was strong even before the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, Kuppinger reports.

In 2004, AFS moved into its current headquarters in Übrigshausen – at that time designed for 15 to 20 employees. In the meantime, the workforce has grown to 35 men and women. “Even before the Corona measures, we had already opted for a home office,” says the managing director. Otherwise, there simply wasn’t enough space in the offices. We urgently need more space for offices, for manufacturing and warehousing in order to be able to continue growing and to further expand our position as a technology leader and innovative company.

The trigger for the strong development is indirectly the shortage of skilled workers, explains Kai Kuppinger, who runs the company together with his brother Jan and his father Heinz: For the coveted employees, working conditions are now also a decisive factor for potential employers. Stuffy, hot air in the workshop is more of a deterrent than a sufficiently air-conditioned and ventilated room. “In the meantime, winter is no longer a big problem for us,” explains Kuppinger. The halls are generally well insulated these days, he says. “There, the heat from the production processes ensures sufficient temperatures.” It becomes more problematic in the summer, when the thermometer can rise up to 35 degrees without filter and air conditioning units. AFS has had great success with its products here – they are sold throughout Germany and into neighboring countries.

The grant money will primarily be used to finance test stands and further development opportunities for the company, says the managing director. The extension in the new industrial park will be connected to the existing complex, and in the future there will be space for up to 50 employees. The new building will be designed to be energy-optimized and sustainable, emphasizes Kai Kuppinger: “All materials used are separable and recyclable.”