Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Erwin Huber, accepted an invitation from the CSU Kreistagsfraktion (district assembly faction) to visit the premises of ZEITLAUF^® antriebstechnik to answer questions put by regional representatives from the worlds of business and politics. Whilst touring the site, Thomas Horz explained to his guest how ZEITLAUF^® antriebstechnik’s high-end products came into being, how they work and just how diverse is the range of uses to which they can be put. Erwin Huber was visibly impressed by the power of home-grown innovation, describing ZEITLAUF^® antriebstechnik as a model company with a future, pointing the way ahead for Germany as a manufacturing base. At the end of the tour, he presented Thomas Horz with a plate bearing a personal dedication plus the Bavarian coat of arms, saying: “Very few companies are honoured in this way, but ZEITLAUF^® antriebstechnik has earned it”.

During the subsequent open discussion between the individual representatives, Hr Huber answered questions from the chairmen of the IHK committees of the towns of Lauf, Hersbruck and Altdorf, as well as from the politicians present, i.e. Kurt Eckstein MdL (Member of the State Assembly), District Administrator candidate Norbert Dünkel and Marlene Mortler, MdB (Member of the Federal Diet), as well as from Burgomaster Rüdiger Pompl. Thomas Horz, Chairman of the Lauf IHK Committee, and his colleagues Norbert Fackelmann (from Hersbruck) and Hans-Jürgen Lorenz (from Altdorf) mainly raised questions concerning the subject of “dismantling bureaucracy” as well as concerning the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) and the Shop Closing Hours Act.