Employee success stories from our team

In our series “Gottwald success stories”, we would like to put the spotlight on those colleagues who, over many years, have walked a shared path with Gottwald and are a key factor in the company's success. A heartfelt THANK YOU for that!

Franz | Senior electrician

First name: Franz
Started as: Electrician
Current position: Senior electrician
With the company for: 26 years
Highlights of recent years: My highlights at Gottwald include many exciting projects, in particular the Dockner winery, our new company building and the extension of the GBZ 2.0. These projects shaped me professionally and personally, and they stand for many successful years with the company. Over the years I was given ever larger and more demanding projects and was able to keep broadening my experience. I am particularly proud of having accompanied many apprentices on their career path and supported them in their professional development. I especially value the good team spirit and the mutual respect in the team. At the same time, it motivates me to use the latest developments on every project and to deliver innovative solutions for our customers.

“Wögi is an experienced electrical engineer through and through who handles challenges with confidence and reliability. You can count on him at any time – whether with customers, in the team or when things get tight. With his friendly, helpful manner and his patience in training apprentices, he is a

valuable pillar of support.” – Jürgen Gottwald, management.

Bernd | Head of warehouse

First name: Bernd
Started as: Apprentice
Current position: Head of warehouse
With the company for: 26 years
Highlights of recent years: I really enjoy my work. That is down to the good cooperation with my colleagues, the company parties, working with the apprentices and the good relationship with the management. I like the way we treat each other and the friendships that have grown out of it. I always try to have an open ear, and my colleagues know they can always come to me. In addition, the company gives me the chance to serve as a safety representative and on the environmental team. After purchasing and the warehouse were split up, I was given the job of leading the warehouse team – a big challenge that I really enjoy. Training our apprentices is also very close to my heart, and I am glad that I can play my part in it here in the apprentice workshop.

“Essi has been working in the warehouse for many years and, through experience and reliability, has grown into the role of team leader. He is a valued point of contact in working with the installation teams and makes sure everything runs smoothly. His flexible, solution-focused approach makes him an important support for his colleagues.” – Bernd Gottwald, management.

Anna | Head of accounting

First name: Anna
Started as: Accounting
Current position: Head of accounting
With the company for: 16 years
Highlights of recent years: Digitalising individual areas of accounting, most recently introducing digital invoice approval for the whole company. Thanks to the company's entrepreneurial spirit and steady growth, there are always new, exciting challenges and developments. Things never stand still here. Even when it gets stressful and accounting is a demanding field, I still enjoy my work. I like the many different company events – you get talking to your colleagues away from everyday work and have a lot of fun together.

“Anna is a person of trust, a numbers expert, someone who thinks along with you and a steady constant in a growing company. Without any fuss, but with enormous impact, she makes sure everything runs – correctly, on time and reliably. Thank you, Anna, for being part of Gottwald.” – Peter Gottwald, management.

Reinhard | Commercial director & authorised signatory

First name: Reinhard
Started as: Technical draughtsman
Current position: Commercial director & authorised signatory
With the company for: 31 years
Highlights of recent years: The OBI Vienna, ECM Center St. Valentin and WKNOE St. Pölten projects were completed successfully despite high demands, staff working in shifts and sharply fluctuating material prices. Particularly valuable were the constructive talks and solution-focused discussions with the senior boss and the shared success at the opening ceremonies. The many company events – from legendary meetings to company outings and Christmas parties – left their mark just as much as the commercial successes and the development of the company's site from a cramped office in Hürm to the modern company building in Melk. Altogether, Gottwald has developed impressively from 1994 to 2025, with constant change and new demands.

“Reinhard is not just an employee with an impressive career – he is a fixture. A tinkerer, an analyst, a numbers person. Someone who takes responsibility, sees things through and thinks ahead. Someone who has helped shape the company for decades.” – Peter Gottwald, management.

Hans | Workshop manager, distribution board construction

First name: Hans
Started as: Apprentice
Current position: Workshop manager, distribution board construction
With the company for: 27 years
Highlights of recent years: An exciting task for me is helping in the apprentice workshop and supporting the training of our future electricians. Other highlights were large building sites such as the outlet centre in Parndorf, the football stadium in Salzburg and the Millennium Tower in Vienna.

“Reinhard is not just an employee with an impressive career – he is a fixture. A tinkerer, an analyst, a numbers person. Someone who takes responsibility, sees things through and thinks ahead. Someone who has helped shape the company for decades.” – Peter Gottwald, management.

Gabriele | Payroll

First name: Gabriele
Started as: All-rounder
Current position: Payroll & time management
With the company for: 29 years
Highlights of recent years: The sense of togetherness in our team, which goes beyond work – we are more friends than colleagues.

“With her expertise and reliability, Gabi is a firm pillar of payroll. Her loyalty and close family ties – almost her whole family works for the company – underline how much she belongs here. Her accuracy is of particular value in her field.” – Bernd Gottwald, management.

Thomas | Technical director & authorised signatory

First name: Thomas
Started as: Apprentice
Current position: Technical director & authorised signatory
With the company for: 33 years
Highlights of recent years: Being able to accompany Florian Steffek on his way to becoming national runner-up in 2022 at the Austrian Skills 2022. Looking after the Lugner City as project manager, and with it the collaboration with Richard Lugner, was a great experience. Another of my highlights was the 60th birthday party of the senior boss's wife and the retirement of the senior boss, for which we put together our own company band.

“Thomas is part of the furniture. When it comes to difficult technical challenges, he is the right person to ask. Thomas not only finds a solution but also makes sure that everything works smoothly – you can count on him at any time.” – Jürgen Gottwald, management.

Christian | Electrician

First name: Christian
Started as: Apprentice
Current position: Electrician
With the company for: 30 years
Highlights of recent years: The various company events are a welcome change from everyday work, and for me the go-kart race with senior boss Rudolf Gottwald stands out.

“Christian has been an indispensable pillar of our team for 30 years. With his loyalty,

reliability and his great commitment, he has made a decisive contribution to what our company is today – and we are very grateful.” – Bernd Gottwald, management.

Franz | Building systems technician

First name: Franz
Started as: Electrical installer
Current position: Building systems technician
With the company for: 30 years
Highlights of recent years: The KNX Award in Germany; large building sites such as the Salzburg and Klagenfurt stadiums, WU Vienna, ...

“Franz is our Mr KNX! With him, our company was one of the first to get to grips with the European Installation Bus. With Franz, we have the know-how in-house. He does his work so well that, for the WU Vienna project, he received the KNX Award (the Oscar of this industry) at the Frankfurt trade fair as one of three winners. There is no task Franz cannot solve – he even enjoys difficult ones. He is a reliable pillar of our company, and you can always count on Franz.” – Jürgen Gottwald, management.

Manuel | Senior electrician

First name: Manuel
Started as: Apprentice
Current position: Senior electrician
With the company for: 28 years
Highlights of recent years: Building the stadium in Salzburg, a varied site where I experienced everything from house wiring to installing floodlights 40 m up.

“Manuel has been an indispensable pillar of our company for many years. He is 100% reliable, knows every process and leads every large site successfully from start to finish.” – Jürgen Gottwald, management.

Waltraud | Head of payroll

First name: Waltraud
Started as: Technical secretary
Current position: Head of payroll
With the company for: 25 years
Highlights of recent years: Whenever tasks were completed successfully – and the company parties were always a nice change from everyday work.

“Waltraud is a prime example of loyalty, professionalism and team spirit. Her many years of loyalty and her constant commitment make her an outstanding employee of whom we are very proud.” – Bernd Gottwald, management.

Anton | Project manager & installation inspector

First name: Anton
Started as: Electrician
Current position: Project manager & installation inspector
With the company for: 38 years
Highlights of recent years: The wine tavern night in Illmitz in Burgenland, which he still remembers with a smile.

“Anton is an indispensable part of our team. With 38 years of experience at the

company, he brings not only extensive expertise but also real

dedication to his work. His commitment and his reliability are exemplary.”

– Bernd Gottwald, management

Manfred | Technical draughtsman & apprentice trainer

First name: Manfred
Started as: Electrical engineering apprentice
Current position: Technical draughtsman & apprentice trainer
With the company for: more than 20 years
What I particularly like about my job: Working with my colleagues in a good, relaxed way.
Highlights of recent years: All kinds of things – there are always events I like to look back on.

“Manfred is not only a technical draughtsman you can rely on but also an experienced member of staff. He is now passing on these many years of experience to apprentices. Training apprentices is a task that is very close to his heart and in which he really blossoms.

With his loyal, helpful manner, the drawing office would be unthinkable without him.”

– Bernd Gottwald, management

Christoph | Senior electrician

First name: Christoph
Started as: Electrical engineering apprentice
Current position: Senior electrician
With the company for: more than 25 years
What I learned at Gottwald: to deliver reliable, accurate work on site.
In other people's eyes, I: march to the beat of my own drum 😊
Highlights of recent years: The “Outlet Center Parndorf” site

“Christoph is a colleague who has scored for many years with his reliability, his hard work and his precision. With his many years of professional experience he brings valuable expertise to our projects. Besides all these qualities, we particularly value his sense of duty.” – Josef Schubert, team leader

Renate | Housekeeping, garden care & canteen

First name: Renate
Started as: Domestic help
Current position: Housekeeping, garden care & canteen
With the company for: more than 32 years
What sets me apart: it enriches me to do something good for other people.
The most important thing I have learned in my job: assertiveness
Highlights of recent years: Being presented with a golden wooden spoon & a chef's hat on my 30th anniversary

“Renate radiates so much energy – you just know when she is in the room. She is the heart of our Melk site. Whether decoration, cleanliness, plant or garden care – her work makes our employees feel at home. She is also a gifted cook. Her healthy cooking and her generous portions are highly appreciated.” – Bernd Gottwald, management

Christoph | Head of technical drawing

First name: Christoph
Started as: Technical draughtsman
Current position: Head of technical drawing
With the company for: more than 25 years
What sets me apart: the drive for efficiency
The most important thing I have learned in my job: strength lies in calm
Highlights of recent years: Shrove Tuesdays

“With Christoph's knowledge of electrical engineering and his speed at the drawing board, an employer can really count themselves lucky. No wonder our technicians particularly like working with him. We also value his loyalty.” – Bernd Gottwald, management

Martin | Head of fleet management

First name: Martin
Started as: Project manager/technician
Current position: Head of fleet/containers/flats
With the company for: more than 20 years
What sets me apart: determination & honesty
In other people's eyes, I am: a Monk 😊
Highlights of recent years: the many great events

“He knows the ropes & enjoys great respect at our company. He is an employee who stands for the values of reliability, precision and helpfulness. We really appreciate that about him. Martin is a man with a big heart and the necessary drive. He sets a clear structure and so gives employees orientation and security. His prudence means that problem areas others do not notice are uncovered and tackled.” – Bernd Gottwald, management