The prison has various electronic master control, monitoring, fallback and control systems from over ten different manufacturers. In 2007, the company for master control and fallback systems succeeded in combining these different systems here for the very first time to form a uniform building management system. Beforehand, four to six officials sat in front of the prison control monitors. After the installation of the customised, cost-saving system for the prison, only two officials are needed.

"Our development department which was founded in 2006 made this success possible“, reports company founder and Managing Director Jürgen Spicher. After basically installing systems which we had bought for years, we then started to offer solutions which were especially tailored to customer wishes“, says the trained electrician who was able to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his company in spring. In the meantime, major customers from across Germany are calling for the tailored solutions offered by the company from Halle which, according to Spicher, are significantly cheaper than comparable solutions from large companies. By means of example apart from prisons, he refers to Nova Eventis between Halle and Leipzig (photo), one of East Germany's biggest shopping centres, the Potsdamer Platz arcades in Berlin, the ESMT European School of Management and Technology which is based in the former GDR Staatsratsgebäude in Berlin, the city council and the university clinics in Halle, various ministries in Saxony-Anhalt, the Westfalen-Lippe association, the cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris and Reemtsma as well as the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk MDR.

For Jürgen Spicher and his current 43 employees, the financial crisis years 2009 and 2010 were the most profitable time to date. For them the financial crisis proved to be a proverbial chance. Because under the increasing cost pressure, many companies had to make particular cost cutbacks. "We were able to help them here with our solutions in the area of energy, air-conditioning, heating, cooling and safety“, says the 66 year old boss of the family business. This help was gladly accepted. The development department expanded from two to five employees. The turnover grew by 25% to €3.6 million. Spicher also anticipates similar growth again until the end of 2014. Here close cooperations with academics and students should also help. For several years, Spicher has worked closely together with Hochschule Merseburg (FH), the Technische Universität Berlin and the Freie Universität Berlin. Students prepare their bachelor dissertations and internship reports in the company. "Here many ideas emerge which are incorporated into our work“, highlights Spicher. Currently, his team is in the process of developing a completely new electronic energy management system for devices and technical plants. Further ahead of this project is the Wissenschaftliche Kompetenzzentrum für Gebäudetechnik und Energieeffizienz (Scientific Competence Centre for Building Technology and Energy Efficiency) which was put into operation on the company's anniversary at the Hochschule Merseburg. At the centre supported by a Spicher employee and looked after by students, there are direct lines to various companies including Nova Eventis, ESMT and the Ständehaus in Merseburg. Energy consumption is not only continuously documented here but also optimised so that the energy input is reduced and the productive efficiency of the operating processes is nonetheless maintained. It is planned that a current bachelor student will manage the scientific centre after he/she has finished his/her studies. Jürgen Spicher reckons that the energy saving quotas will be 30-35%.

Born in Artern, Spicher started out twenty years ago with three employees in his living room. To make phone calls, they had to use the telephone box in the front of the house. Today he manages the nationwide company from a modern, new administrative building. The company has paved the way for the future. The number of employees should double by 2014 in the commercial sector. At the turn of the year, Jürgen Spicher will pass on the leadership of his company to his daughter, Andrea Ludwig, who is already the second Managing Director today. The sailing enthusiast remains sure of one thing: the medium sized company will stay not only in family hands but also on the road to success.

Caption:
Jürgen Spicher, Managing Director Spicher GmbH
Photo: Spicher GmbH

Contact
Spicher GmbH
Weststraße 29
06126 Halle (Saale)
Jürgen Spicher

Tel. +49 (0) 345 29986 0
E-mail: spicher.juergen@spicher-GmbH.de

www.spicher-gmbh.de