Strong ideas, clear values: Order of Merit for Kurt and Wolfgang Schmalz

Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg to Dr. Kurt Schmalz and graduate engineer Wolfgang Schmalz at the end of March. The brothers have been shaping the economy and society in the northern Black Forest for decades. Kretschmann thanked the honorees: "With their power, their talents and their personality, with their professional ethos and their understanding of their office, they have rendered outstanding services to our community, to Baden-Württemberg."

Together, Kurt and Wolfgang Schmalz developed the family business J. Schmalz GmbH, based in Glatten, into one of the world's leading specialists in vacuum technology. Founded as a razor blade factory by their grandfather, the brothers turned it into a provider of modern automation solutions. Dr. Kurt Schmalz has been Managing Shareholder of the company since 1984, and his son Dr. Johannes Schmalz has also been a member of the management team since 2025. Graduate engineer Wolfgang Schmalz was Managing Shareholder from 1990 to 2017 before retiring from operational responsibility. Today, he is Shareholder and Chairman of the Advisory Board.

The medium-sized company relies on solar energy, wind energy and other renewable energy sources. At Schmalz, sustainability means the interplay of economy, ecology and social responsibility. The brothers combine entrepreneurial success with a clear focus on long-term and responsible business practices. "This award is a great honor and makes us very proud. As a family business, Schmalz is our life's work. We are happy to have been passionate about it for decades and are delighted to have this work recognized," emphasize Kurt and Wolfgang Schmalz.

Beyond the company, Kurt and Wolfgang Schmalz use their expertise specifically for education, politics and social interaction. Dr Kurt Schmalz is co-initiator of Campus Schwarzwald in Freudenstadt, a center that provides expertise in digitalization, leadership and responsible business. He has also been involved as Vice President of the Northern Black Forest Chamber of Industry and Commerce for almost two decades and is active at a national level in the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce. He also actively supports social projects such as the work of Diakonie Dornstetten-Glatten-Schopfloch.

Wolfgang Schmalz put his experience to good use for many years on the state government's advisory board for sustainable development. He was also involved in the "Dialogue on the Future of Germany" project under former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and in the Sustainability Business Initiative. Together with his wife Esther, he founded the Schmalz Foundation. This supports projects worldwide, including a photovoltaic plant in Namibia. In this way, he provides sustainable support for education, environmental protection and infrastructure.