Program 2026 *

New times, new opportunities – strategies for the EMS industry in transition

Market consolidation, geopolitical challenges, and societal change demand bright minds and bold decisions. EMS Day 2026 offers practical insights and concrete solutions for reviewing, adapting, and future-proofing corporate strategies. Strong leadership, sustainable customer relationships, and strategic vision form the foundation for continued success, even in uncertain times. Benefit from the experience of successful managers, industry experts, and trainers who will share their expertise and perspectives with you.

September 30 – Evening event in Würzburg

NETWORKING DINNER

from 6:00 pm

Networking event in the machine house at Bürgerbräu Würzburg – take the opportunity to make initial contacts and engage in a relaxed exchange with participants, speakers and exhibitors of the EMS Day.

October 1st – EMS Day at the Vogel Convention Center Würzburg

REGISTRATION & WELCOME AT THE VOGEL CONVENTION CENTER

7:30 - 8:30 am

Check-in & Welcome Coffee

8:30 - 8:40 am

Welcome to the participants

Maria Beyer-Fistrich

Maria Beyer-Fistrich

ELEKTRONIKPRAXIS

Claudia Mallok

Claudia Mallok

Specialist journalist and presenter

Opportunities & Niches

8:40 - 9:20 am

Consolidation creates opportunities for those who take action

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    Mergers, takeovers and strategic realignments are transforming the European EMS sector. Customer relationships are being reassessed, expertise is being pooled and market shares are being redistributed. Carsten Ellermeier analyses current developments from the perspective of an entrepreneur who is actively shaping this change. He highlights the opportunities arising from consolidation and explains how EMS companies can strengthen customer loyalty, tap into new business areas and sustainably expand their competitive position. In doing so, he emphasises the importance of strategy, speed and clear decision-making for future business success. At the same time, he highlights the key factors that determine whether companies will be shapers or victims of change. The central message is that it is not consolidation itself that determines a company’s future, but how it is managed. Those who pursue a clear strategy and react swiftly can harness the dynamics of the market to their advantage and create new opportunities for growth, differentiation and competitiveness.

Carsten Ellermeier

Carsten Ellermeier

DELTEC Group

9:20 - 10:00 am

EMS Germany 2026: What is the industry's true state? - Exclusive market data and results from the latest survey of over 120 EMS companies

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    The German EMS industry is undergoing profound changes. After years marked by material shortages, record orders, and subsequent inventory reductions, many companies are struggling with low capacity utilization, short-notice customer orders, and a lack of planning certainty. At the same time, digitalization, artificial intelligence, geopolitical shifts, a shortage of skilled workers, and increasing market consolidation are driving this transformation.


    What is the actual state of affairs? Which challenges are currently of greatest concern to companies? Where are new opportunities emerging? And how do market participants assess their future prospects?


    Based on a recent survey of more than 120 EMS companies, Matthias Holsten and Michael Künsebeck present exclusive market data, trends, and sentiment analysis from the industry. The results provide unique insight into the economic situation, willingness to invest, capacity utilization, and strategic direction of these companies.


    The data is supplemented by practical examples and insights from numerous consulting projects. Participants will thus gain not only a well-founded overview of the current state of the EMS industry, but also valuable insights into the strategies successful companies use to hold their own in a challenging market environment.

Michael Künsebeck

Michael Künsebeck

Branchenkenner und EMS-Berater | künsebeck e² consulting

Matthias Holsten

Matthias Holsten

Industry experts and EMS consultants | matthias holsten e² consulting

10:00 - 10:30 am

Coffee break and visit to the exhibition

Strategy & Competition

10:30 - 11:15 am

Enterprise value is the deciding factor: How principal banks and investors value small and medium-sized enterprises

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    Whether it’s financing, growth, business succession, or M&A, the same question always comes up in the end: How is my company valued? Or, do I know the value of my company?

    Markus Ziechaus answers this question from the perspective of banks and investors. He explains which factors actually determine a company’s value and why there’s much more to it than just revenue and profit. Using concrete examples, he illustrates the importance of business models, financial planning, cash flow, competitive advantages, and risk management for a company’s valuation.

    Those who understand the valuation criteria used by investors can set the right course early on. The presentation highlights the levers entrepreneurs can pull themselves to improve their financing options, sustainably increase their company’s value, and strategically prepare their business for growth, succession, or future partnerships and transactions.

Markus Ziechaus

Markus Ziechaus

Quest Consulting AG

11:15 am - 12:15 pm

KEYNOTE: From process management to agent-based work: how AI will change the EMS landscape

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    By its very nature, the EMS industry “shovels” data from one stage of the process to the next: Customer data must be captured and understood, and price and availability information for each individual component is compiled in order to ultimately produce a reliable cost estimate. And upon delivery, the customer receives not only an assembly but also more data: compliance data, traceability data, and so on. 

    With the AI agents currently available, it should be possible to manage this process landscape and utilize human resources more efficiently. A brief overview of the current AI landscape and selected examples will demonstrate “what is possible” and how these tools can be leveraged to your advantage.

Dr. Ralf Hasler

Dr. Ralf Hasler

Incap Electronics 

12:15 - 13:15 pm

Lunch break and visit to the exhibition

PARALLEL WORKSHOPS IN THE VCC SEMINAR ROOMS

1:30 - 2:30 pm

Workshop I - Focus: Sales

A Systematic Approach to Acquiring New Customers: Successful Customer Acquisition in EMS Sales Under Changing Market Conditions

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    The workshop with Holger Steitz addresses a key challenge facing the EMS industry: In a market characterized by consolidation, the restructuring of customer relationships, and increasing competitive pressure, actively acquiring new customers is becoming a critical driver of growth.

    Holger Steitz shares proven strategies for modern sales practices—ranging from social selling and structured approaches to new target customers, through effective acquisition processes, to negotiation techniques focused on closing deals. In doing so, he combines a methodical approach with clear implementation logic for everyday sales work.

    Participants receive concrete tools to fine-tune their sales organization, unlock untapped potential within their existing customer base, and systematically develop new customers. The workshop is designed for immediate application, with insights that can be directly translated into operational sales activities.

Holger Steitz

Holger Steitz

Sales Training- & Consulting Holger Steitz

Workshop II - Focus: Marketing

Greater visibility, more customers, more growth: How networking opens up new opportunities for a small EMS company

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    How can an SME in the EMS industry grow in a challenging market environment? Using the example of Berlin-based SRM Mikroelektronik, Jasmin Konnegen demonstrates how strategic networking, digitalization, and collaboration across traditional industry boundaries can open up new business opportunities.

    Together with partners from the ProudlyEngineeredInEurope initiative, SRM has increased its visibility, acquired new customers, refined its processes, and expanded its digital collaboration. The success is measurable: Despite the challenging market conditions, the company was able to increase its revenue by 20 percent.

    The presentation provides insights into the specific measures driving this development and demonstrates how joint market activities, interdisciplinary networks, and collaboration along the value chain can translate into a genuine competitive advantage. It makes it clear that networking is far more than just an exchange of experiences; it is, in fact, an effective tool for growth, innovation, and business success.

    The key message: The future of the European electronics industry will not emerge from silos, but through collaboration within the industry and across the value chain.

Jasmin Konnegen

Jasmin Konnegen

SRM Mikroelektronik

Sandra Paggen-Breu

Sandra Paggen-Breu

Paggen Werkzeugtechnik

2:30 - 3:00 pm

Coffee break and visit to the exhibition

Best Practice

3:00 - 3:30 pm

My Life's Work in New Hands: A Look Back at a Successful Business Succession

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    Succession planning is one of the most far-reaching decisions in an entrepreneur’s life. Roland Mair tackled this task early on. Many years before selling Mair Elektronik, he gave serious thought to the future of his life’s work. With foresight, a clear vision, and professional support, he strategically and carefully prepared for the transition.

    The key question was who would carry on the company’s values, take responsibility for the employees, and ensure the company’s continued success over the long term.

    In his presentation, Roland Mair discusses his motivations, the challenges he faced, and the lessons he learned along the way. He discusses responsibility, trust, and the importance of a long-term perspective. He shares the considerations that guided him in selecting the buyer and demonstrates why a company’s future is often shaped years before the actual handover.

    Looking back, Roland Mair describes it as a perfect match because the values, corporate culture, and visions for the future aligned exceptionally well on both sides.

Roland Mair

Roland Mair

emro Projekt

3:30 - 4:00 pm

Stronger Together? Lessons Learned from Five Years of the EMS Network

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    Cooperation is seen as a possible response to the growing challenges facing the EMS industry. What happens when an idea becomes reality? Which expectations are met, and which are not?

    Five years ago, nine medium-sized EMS companies founded the EMS Network with the goal of becoming stronger together, pooling their expertise, and creating new opportunities for customers and partners. Today, two founding members take stock: Andreas Kraus and Martin Vierling report on the network’s experiences, successes, setbacks, and surprising insights.

    It has become clear that not all of the original assumptions have been confirmed. For example, the hoped-for purchasing advantages largely failed to materialize due to a lack of overlap in components. At the same time, added value emerged in other areas that was hardly foreseeable at the time of the company’s founding. Regular exchanges among the entrepreneurs have evolved into an important platform for sharing experiences, jointly assessing challenges, and learning from one another. Especially in times of profound change—from digitalization and AI to market and structural shifts—members benefit from diverse perspectives, practical experience, and approaches to problem-solving.

    This presentation offers an honest look into the development of an unusual network of independent EMS providers. Participants will learn what factors make collaborations successful, where their limits lie, and what opportunities this presents for the future of medium-sized electronics manufacturers. A practical report on how collaboration among medium-sized companies actually works and what long-term benefits it can bring.

Martin Vierling

Martin Vierling

VIERLING Production

Andreas Kraus

Andreas Kraus

Kraus Hardware 

4:00 - 4:30 pm

ERP for SMEs, Reimagined: A Case Study on How AI Reduces Routine Work and Speeds Up Decision-Making

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    Many small and medium-sized businesses associate ERP systems with complex projects, significant customization efforts, and systems that fail to adequately address the specific challenges of made-to-order manufacturing. At the same time, pressure is mounting to respond more quickly, streamline processes, and free up qualified employees from routine administrative tasks. Korbinian Deiner and Nico Schwemmle use the real-world example of M. Richter to demonstrate how an AI-based ERP system—developed specifically for made-to-order manufacturers—addresses these challenges.

    The system handles the time-consuming preparatory work in purchasing, planning, and customer communication. Based on a customer order, it determines requirements, checks inventory levels, takes packaging units, minimum order quantities, and delivery times into account, and uses this information to generate complete order proposals. It extracts delivery time changes directly from incoming emails, assigns them to the affected orders, and updates the production schedule. At the same time, it identifies affected customers and prepares the necessary schedule changes. This process, which involves numerous individual steps, results in a well-founded recommendation for action that the employee simply reviews and approves.

    The speakers will discuss the system’s implementation, its acceptance within the company, and the results achieved. They will demonstrate how the SME is streamlining processes, reducing sources of error, and freeing qualified employees from time-consuming routine tasks. They will highlight the potential that arises when an organization’s flexibility and speed are supported by a tool developed specifically to meet its needs.

Closing presentation

4:30 - 5:00 pm

Procurement of the future from an OEM's perspective

N.N.

CLOSING MODERATION, SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK 2027

Maria Beyer-Fistrich

Maria Beyer-Fistrich

ELEKTRONIKPRAXIS

Claudia Mallok

Claudia Mallok

Specialist journalist and presenter

* Subject to change