Thoma Metallveredelung celebrates 100 years

Thoma Metallveredelung looks back on a long history: the Allgäu electroplating company was founded in 1924 by Theodor Thoma in the municipality of Heimertingen, north of Memmingen. For the anniversary celebration on June 21, 2024, the company invited numerous guests to the stylish new loading hall, including employees, customers, guests from business, associations and politics as well as the trade press. At the event, which was accompanied by music, the mayor of Heimertingen, Josef Wechsel, paid tribute to the achievements of the long-established company. Initially located in the town center, Thoma moved to the new industrial park in the 1960s, where it is still based today. Wechsel praised the achievements and commitment of the two managing directors Andrea Thoma-Böck and Christine Thoma-Kemser, who also show great dedication outside of their company. Among other things, Wechsel referred to Andrea Thoma-Böck's participation in the talk show Markus Lanz in March 2024, in which she presented the concerns and worries of SMEs on the topic of "Germany as a business location". The District Administrator of the Unterallgäu district, Alex Eder, also emphasized how important entrepreneurs like Thoma-Böck and Thoma-Kemser are for prosperity and how they keep the economy running through their work.

Reinhold Braun, President of IHK Schwaben, agreed with the previous speakers and called entrepreneurial "pearls" such as the Thoma family important for the business location, who keep the "store running" through their entrepreneurship. Braun also presented a certificate to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Thoma Metallveredelung and wished the company every success for the next 100 years. The next prominent guest to speak was Eric Beißwenger, the Bavarian Minister of State for European and International Affairs, who - like the previous speakers - also paid tribute to the achievements of the Thoma family of entrepreneurs. Among other things, Beißwenger said, Thoma is the "top star" of the electroplating industry, for which innovation is the driving force. He also addressed various problems that the economy is currently facing, such as the new supply chain law. Dr. Malte-Matthias Zimmer, President of CETS and ZVO Head of Environmental and Chemicals Policy, recalled Thoma's involvement in the German Surface Technology Association (Zentralverband Oberflächentechnik e.V.) and the European association CETS, as well as the innovative technological processes that Thoma has developed. Last but not least, the two sisters and managing directors Thoma-Böck and Thoma-Kemser reviewed the history of Thoma Metallveredelung: From the founder Theodor Thoma, who actually ran a bakery and discovered his passion for electroplating, through the various milestones such as the new buildings for hard chrome plating and electroless nickel plating, to the latest innovation EHLA (extreme high-speed laser cladding), a non-galvanic coating process. Like the previous speakers, both also pleaded for better economic framework conditions for companies, fewer shackles and less bureaucracy and called for more planning security. The topic of energy was also discussed, as affordable energy prices are essential for an electroplating company, as is security of supply. It was also important for the two managing directors to emphasize the major role that their own employees play for the company, especially when it comes to contract electroplating, where no standardized processes are used. In order to find and retain skilled workers, the work must also be worthwhile, which is why the tax burden must not be too high. At the end of the successful evening, Thoma-Böck and Thoma-Kemser once again expressly thanked their employees and customers.