Kurpfalz News
Kirsten meets… Lukas Zimmermann
Lukas successfully completed his Abitur at the Kurpfalz boarding school in 2014. Today he is a member of the management of the AZO Group and managing director of CustomAIzed GmbH. That he has taken on these tasks is not only a professional step but, above all, part of a special responsibility. Lukas continues a family business with a rich tradition that has been deeply rooted in the region for decades. Shaping the future, carrying values, developing innovation, and simultaneously continuing family history – all of this is interconnected for him.
AZO GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1949 by Lukas’s grandfather in Osterburken. Today, the family-owned company and “hidden champion” with 1,056 employees and 47 locations ensures reliable raw material automation and logistics in the production processes of the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, chemical, and plastics industries.
Lukas’ path to the family business
After graduating from high school, Lukas studied at SRH in Heidelberg, where he completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Early on, he sought to gain insights from practice and acquired valuable experiences. Internships at Daimler and the DHL Group gave him insights into large corporate structures, logistics, processes, and strategies. He took his first professional steps as a consultant at the consulting firm Accentus. There it became clear how well he could analyze complex situations and develop ideas. The move to the family business AZO was a conscious step back to his roots. As a Business Development Manager, he supported growth and innovation. Today, as a member of the management, he is responsible for a company that has been run and shaped by his family for generations. In addition, he serves as managing director of CustomAIzed GmbH, which focuses on artificial intelligence and digital solutions, thereby forming a young, future-oriented corporate branch.
My visit to Osterburken
I, Kirsten Lehmann, had the opportunity to visit Lukas in Osterburken and witness how naturally he connects family, tradition, and modernity. Back then, a self-assured, charming young man stood before me, who sometimes worked a bit at the last minute, knew how to appreciate his freedoms, and from my perspective, was a true boarding school student. Lukas has found friendships here that last to this day, and he has developed step by step. Today I encounter the same person ten years later, matured, responsible, and with a clear understanding of what it means to lead a family business into the future.
It was so beautiful.
The visit to Lukas was warm, heartfelt, and full of moments that resonate. It is touching to see how seriously and at the same time joyfully he carries out his task. He shapes the future without forgetting his roots. He thinks in possibilities without losing sight of the people. And he remains exactly the Lukas I accompanied years ago. Dear Lukas, thank you very much for your time, for your openness, and for the insights into a family business that you are carrying on with heart, courage, and a clear perspective. It makes me proud and grateful to witness your journey. A little like the sparks of ideas that arise with you every day, a sense of emotion still rises when I think of our visit. In short, you are an impressive young man. Hats off.
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