LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG established two bee colonies on the company premises last year. The first honey production was completed this summer. During an on-site visit, Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO of the world market leader for precise temperature control, and the company's two hobby beekeepers were impressed by the beehives and the quality and taste of the first honey harvested.

“With the bee colonies, we want to make a contribution to local biodiversity and at the same time raise awareness of the importance of bees,” explains Dr. Wobser of the project. “It is a concrete step in our efforts to assume social responsibility.”

The two bee colonies, tended by LAUDA employees Stephen Bauer and Manuel Faulhaber, produced a total of 20 kilograms of honey in their first season. The mixture of rapeseed and late harvest is offered for sale to the company's employees. The proceeds will be used to cover costs and to purchase another colony in 2025.

Hobby beekeeper Stephen Bauer sees remarkable parallels between temperature regulation in the beehive and LAUDA's core business: “Bees keep the temperature in their hive constant between 34 and 35 degrees Celsius. They achieve this through behaviors such as fanning their wings to cool down or muscle tremors to generate heat. This natural precision is impressive, even if it is fundamentally different from our technical solutions.”

Stephen Bauer gave an overview of the challenges to date. In particular, the phenomenon of premature crystallization of honey in the combs has been a major difficulty in the harvesting process. The natural population dynamics of the bee colonies, especially the process of swarming, was also a new and instructive experience.

LAUDA plans to further expand the bee project in the coming years and establish it as an integral part of the company's commitment to the environment and sustainability. If the harvest is successful, the honey will be used as a delicious gift for LAUDA guests.