A Milestone in Learning and Excellence, a Space Built for Our People

A Milestone in Learning and Excellence, a Space Built for Our People

On October 3, 2025, ODW-ELEKTRIK Mexico proudly inaugurated its Dojo, a state-of-the-art training and improvement space designed to elevate learning, foster discipline, and strengthen our culture of excellence. This event marks a defining moment in our organizational maturity, reaffirming our long-term commitment to people, quality, and continuous growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the ceremony, leadership and team members emphasized the importance of this milestone:

  • A space designed for employee training and empowerment.
  • A symbol of maturity and organizational growth.
  • A catalyst for excellence and future competitiveness.

 

“The Dojo is not just a space; it is a statement. It reflects our maturity as an organization and our determination to prepare our people for the challenges of tomorrow.” – Thomas Reichart (Plant Manager Mexico)

 

Recognizing the Team Behind the Milestone

The inauguration also highlighted the collective effort of multiple functions whose contributions made this achievement possible. Special recognition was extended to the teams of Continuous Improvement, IT, Production, Maintenance, and Quality, whose expertise and collaboration brought the Dojo to life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Space for Our People

“The Dojo is a symbol of discipline, collaboration, and the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines ODW-ELEKTRIK worldwide.”

The Dojo is not only a facility; it is a commitment to our employees. It is an open invitation for everyone to use the space, to learn, to share knowledge, and to develop the skills that will shape the future of our company.

 

Your security – our promise: ISO 27001 certification at ODW-Elektrik

As your reliable partner, we attach great importance to protecting your data and the security of your business processes. With the successful ISO 27001 certification of our headquarters in Steinau an der Straße and the ongoing expansion to all ODW-Elektrik GmbH locations, we are setting new standards for information security – worldwide and across all locations.

 

What does this mean for you as a customer?

  • Maximum security: Your sensitive information is systematically protected by us in accordance with international standards.
  • Audited processes: Our procedures have been audited by independent experts and meet the highest requirements.
  • Confidentiality, integrity and availability: You benefit from the highest level of protection and reliability – wherever you work with us.
  • Global security: No matter where you contact us, your data is always secure.

With ISO 27001 certification, we make it clear that information security is not an add-on for us, but a central component of our partnership. Trust in ODW-Elektrik – your partner for safe and future-oriented solutions.

The certificates for all ODW locations can be found here https://www.odw-elektrik.com/en/communication/certificates/.

Changes in the management

ODW-ELEKTRIK GmbH, an internationally active supplier for the automotive industry and other important economic sectors with headquarters in Steinau an der Straße, announces strategic changes in management. These steps aim to future-proof the company, promote organic growth, and strengthen its position as a reliable partner for customers and suppliers in the coming years.

The automotive industry faces numerous current and future challenges, which ODW-ELEKTRIK will address, among other things, by appointing an additional managing director. With Holger Harnack as CFO, an experienced industry expert is now responsible for finance, supply chain management, and IT. Together with Martin Ehret, the COO, they form a strong leadership team, reinforced by Alexander Med as authorized signatory (Prokurist). Alexander Med will support the management and central processes at this level. With these strategic changes, ODW-ELEKTRIK is well-prepared to continue meeting the demands of customers and the market as an innovative partner. A new location in Tunisia was established in the middle of this year and will begin production in the coming weeks.

As part of this realignment, managing partner Christian Weiß voluntarily resigned from his position as managing director on July 1, 2024, and left the company on August 31, 2024. As a partner, Christian Weiß will continue to support and closely accompany the family business. Managing partner Andrea Med also announced that she would step down as managing partner at the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The shareholder families will continue to take active responsibility and shape the company’s development.

In the picture from left to right: Alexander Med, Martin Ehret, Holger Harnack.

About ODW-ELEKTRIK: ODW-ELEKTRIK is an international cable assembler specializing in the development and production of high-quality cable systems, mechatronics, and sensor technology. The company stands for innovation, quality, and reliability and is a valued partner of its global customers. 2,850 employees develop and produce products of the highest quality at six locations in Germany, Hungary, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Mexico, and Tunisia.

Al Jazeera Balkans reports about ODW ELEKTRIK in North Macedonia

• Following the recent elections in Macedonia and the change of government, the team of Al Jazeera Balkans has visited ODW ELEKTRIK to sense if the business expects any change in the political course of the country,
especially in the course of EU accession
• Al Jazeera took the opportunity to present also the achievements earned during the 10 years existence of ODW ELEKTRIK in Macedonia

You can watch the outcome in the following video (in Serbo-Croatian language): Investitori očekuju nastavak EU puta S. Makedonije

 

ODW is STIHL’s Supplier of the Year

On June 28, 2023, we were honored by our customer STIHL to receive the “Supplier of the Year 2022” award.

Since 1990, STIHL awards prizes to the best suppliers who score points for outstanding performance in terms of quality, technology, innovation, service and price/performance ratio.
To date, 117 suppliers have been honored. The success of the family-owned company has also been based on reliable partnerships, and together they have managed to keep the impact of the globally disrupted supply chains on production as low as possible and to meet the high demand for the products in the best possible way, despite difficult general conditions. This success was also due to its suppliers.

As a result of our very good work, we have managed to supply the customer STIHL with a very wide range of sophisticated products. STIHL, as our largest customer in the industrial sector, contributes significantly to ODW’s success. In addition to ODW’s appreciation, this award is also motivation for us to continue growing with STIHL.

Thanks to all involved.

International Suppliers Fair IZB 2022, 11th to 13th October 2022

The IZB was first hosted in 2001 as a Volkswagen in-house trade fair with 128 exhibitors from 6 nations, which attracted 13,500 visitors. It has since established itself as a showcase event for the international automotive supplier industry. At this year’s event we were one of around 940 other exhibitors from 37 nations, and with a 40% share of foreign exhibitors and 43,000 guests at its restart as a presence event, Europe’s leading trade fair proved to be bigger and more international than ever before.

Global players, medium-sized and smaller companies showed their innovations and new product developments along the entire automotive value chain. The focus was on the current topics of electrification, autonomous driving, e-mobility, production 4.0 and cyber security.

In addition to many very good discussions with experts in the industry, we maintained contact with our customers and further expanded existing business relationships. Since our current partners still offer some potential in new product areas, we still have very good opportunities for growth. We also made numerous new and promising contacts with the aim of establishing 1 to 2 new customers in the long term.

Milestone has been reached

An important milestone has been reached! The purchase agreement for a 20,000 m² plot of land was signed with representatives of the hungarian municipality of Szederkény. The Group is planing to build a logistic centrum (HUB) in the new industrial park.

On a successful course for 50 years

The success story began 50 years ago in Beerfelden in the Odenwald, Germany, and has been continued from Steinau an der Straße since 1975.

Today, ODW-ELEKTRIK has over 2,500 employees manufacturing mechatronic systems, cabling and solenoids.

Entrepreneurial vision and highest quality standards

With great foresight, the company’s founders, Wolfgang Weiß, Wilhelm Albishausen, Edmund Weckesser and Arthur Gensert, had foreseen that the market for prefabricated electromechanical components would grow strongly, especially in the automotive industry.

Today, products “Made by ODW” can be found in almost every vehicle – for example in fuel pumps, in the supply lines to the airbag, in the seatbelt buckle or in opening systems of the tailgate. These are produced according to the very demanding specifications of the automotive industry at the company’s five locations in Germany, Hungary, Ukraine, Northern Macedonia and Mexico.

Three-dimensional measurements are carried out using the latest computer tomography to ensure that the function and quality of the products are correct. The second generation is now steering the fate of the family business, and the third generation is also taking over responsibility.

High appreciation for employees, customers and partners

In addition to the innovative business idea, the specialisation that has been persistently pursued over the years, and the high demands on product quality, it is above all the employees who make a large contribution to the success of the company. The high levels of loyalty and commitment of the employees are based on the values that have always been practised in the family business.

Appreciation, respect, fairness, reliability and team spirit always occupy the top spots in the regular employee surveys when asked what values the workforce associates with the company. The same applies to our dealings with customers and partners. “We have earned the reputation of being an innovative development partner and supplier of pre-assembled cables and wires, solenoid coils and mechatronic systems,” say the management of Andrea Med, Christian Weiß and Martin Ehret. Numerous awards for the company’s achievements by customers such as Bosch, Autoliv and Brose are emphatic proof of this.

Looking to the future

The Covid pandemic has not spared ODW-ELEKTRIK either, but compared to other companies in the industry, the impact has so far been comparatively light. Here, too, entrepreneurial foresight has once again been the differentiator.

The company has long since established new markets with components for comfort systems such as panel heating systems, thus making themselves less dependent on drive technologies. In addition, there has been the development of product groups such as cable assembly for battery management systems and for the cabling of “non-automotive” applications.

Last but not least, suppliers of alternative drives also use modern electromechanical components. Thus, the growing market around e-mobility still holds a lot of potential for ODW-ELEKTRIK. With this perspective, management and staff can look ahead with great confidence and continue to write the success story.

 

22nd Cooperation Conference Automotive Wire Harness with exhibition

As one of 16 exhibitors, we were at the 22nd Cooperation Conference Automotive Wire Harness in Munich on 31 October. The well-attended event offers practical information on current trends as well as opportunities for new cooperation, and with more than 250 participants we made extensive use of the numerous opportunities for networking and professional exchange.

Autonomous driving changes the wire harness industry and creates new requirements for development and production. The experts from automotive manufacturers and the supply industry discussed current technical approaches for the implementation of automated driving and digitalization in the vehicle wiring system at this year’s event.

Speakers from BMW, Audi, Leoni Bordnetz-Systeme, KOSTAL Kontakt Systeme, DRÄXLMAIER, fleXstructures, Gebauer & Griller Kabelwerke and Schäfer Werkzeug- und Sondermaschinenbau took a close look at topics such as “Safety of power supply systems”, “Cables for high data volume” and “3D-mechanical power supply system design and digital protection”. Innovations for high-voltage systems and the realization of a stable energy supply were also presented.

ODW in Macedonia celebrates its 5th anniversary with the laying of the foundation stone for the second hall

The ODW-ELEKTRIK celebrated on the 6 July 2019 the first five years in Macedonia with over 500 guests and glorious sunshine.

If we think about it from the human life perspective, the first five years is the time in which a person learns most and lays the foundations for further development:
At this age we have growing pains, start to walk alone, fall down, get up again, get to know our environment – positive and important things.
We have to find our place in the family and society and we are trying out to find where our limits are.

ODW Macedonia has lived through all of this very intensively in recent years, learned a lot and validated the trust invested in it.

The successes of the past years, with over 400 employees, a full production hall, and further planned investments show this very clearly.

We wish our Macedonian colleagues a continuing healthy growth and much success in their work!