Leaders in Electronics "The joy of success": How Dr Ralf Hasler is leading Lacon through growth, defence and digitalization

From EMS service provider to technology partner for industry, medical technology and defence: under the leadership of Dr Ralf Hasler, Lacon focuses on digitalization, ESG and a strong corporate culture. His principle: "The joy of success" - and leadership with attitude in a changing industry.

Dr. Hasler took over Lacon 20 years ago as part of a management buy-in. Back then it was a classic EMS service provider, today it is a broad-based electronics partner with a turnover of 80 million euros and ambitions in the defense sector. During the interview, it becomes clear that Hasler is not just managing a company, he is steering it through a changing industry. He relies on technology, responsibility and a culture of maturity.

From mechanical engineer to company manager

When Dr. Hasler joined Lacon in 2004, he was a mechanical engineer with a minor in philosophy - a combination that would later prove to be unusual but crucial. "I still can't read a circuit diagram properly to this day," he says with a laugh. "But I can read people and organizations." A sentence that is emblematic of his way of leading: technology is important, but organization and culture are crucial to success.

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Back then, Lacon was a medium-sized EMS service provider with 200 employees and a turnover of around 20 million euros. Today, two decades later, the company employs 700 people, generates a turnover of almost 80 million euros and, in addition to classic industrial electronics, also serves sectors such as railroad technology, medical technology and defense.

However, the path there was anything but linear. "2009 was complicated, then came Covid - and yet we grew," says Hasler. Strategic decisions were crucial:

• Founding of the Romanian site: "We realized early on that we had to outsource parts of production and data processes in order to remain internationally competitive."
• Introduction of a modern ERP system: Hasler describes the old IT landscape as "a better Excel". The new system was a prerequisite for scaling.
• Early digitalization of quotation processes: With tools such as Luminovo, Lacon was able to drastically reduce response times to customer inquiries.
• These 20 years have also personally shaped Hasler's management style. "I have learned that crises come and go, but that if you make the right decisions, you will emerge stronger in the long term."

Defense: From taboo to growth driver

"I never thought I would one day support the German arms industry," says Hasler. In his youth, he was out and about at peace demonstrations. Today, Lacon supplies assemblies for military vehicles - and does so confidently.

The entry came via railroad technology: assemblies for brake control systems and control systems in trains are technologically close to military applications. "When a buyer from a defense company visited us five years ago, he said: 'This is exactly what we need. Since then, our exposure in the defense sector has been growing strongly."

The industry itself has changed. "In the past, defense was the dirty corner. Today, companies communicate much more openly and look for platforms where they can showcase their technologies. We do that now too."

High-Mix-Low-Volume: Lacon's DNA

Lacon is not a mass manufacturer - nor does it want to be. "We specialize in small quantities and high complexity," explains Dr Hasler. The business model: high-mix-low-volume, short decision-making processes and top quality.

This focus is not new: Lacon already relied on highly complex assemblies for safety-critical applications in railroad technology. "This fits perfectly with the requirements in medical technology or the defense sector," says Hasler. "While automotive works with six-figure quantities, we supply customized electronics for applications where every assembly counts and has to be certified."

This is a real advantage, especially in the defense sector. "Demand is growing, but it remains manageable in terms of quantities. This is exactly our terrain."

Technological breadth and digitalization

Today, Lacon covers the entire spectrum of electronics production: PCB assembly, cable assembly and box build, i.e. complete device construction, including supplier management and quality assurance.

QUEROM, an engineering company for DC/DC converter platforms, is particularly important. "This is our only area in which we develop technology ourselves," says Hasler. "And we see enormous potential here - from battery management systems and electricity storage to applications in the hydrogen economy."

Lacon is also consistently pushing ahead with digitalization. The company automated its quotation processes early on with the Munich-based SaaS startup Luminovo. "We were one of the first EMS companies in Germany to work with Luminovo," says Hasler. "The tool networks supply chains, reduces manual work and dramatically speeds up costing."

The effects are noticeable: shorter quotation throughput times, more direct links to suppliers and higher customer expectations. "Today, quotations often have to be available in hours, not days," says Hasler. "This would not be possible without digitalization."

Leadership culture: the joy of success

Dr. Hasler speaks remarkably often about people, culture and leadership - even more than about technology. He calls his principle "the joy of success". For him, success means that employees can work effectively, are allowed to make decisions and do not get stuck in rigid processes.

"We can't prescribe everything centrally when the world around us is becoming increasingly uncertain," he explains. "People need to be able to make decisions locally - and for that they need the right information and an open culture of error."

For Hasler, this includes absolute transparency. Lacon introduced a company wiki 15 years ago to make knowledge accessible to everyone. "That used to be unusual, but today it's a matter of course. But for us it was a key to enabling people to work responsibly."

Lacon also focuses on personal responsibility when it comes to promoting young talent: the company's own training workshop is equipped with soldering irons, oscilloscopes, 3D printers and laser cutters - a room where trainees are allowed to experiment. "We deliberately designed it so that they don't just work with their heads, but also with their hands. That makes people happy and builds their self-confidence."

ESG and sustainability

For Dr. Hasler, sustainability is not a buzzword, but part of a long-term corporate strategy. Lacon has been working with Ecovadis - one of the leading providers of ESG assessments worldwide - for 15 years. "We were one of the first EMSs to take an ESG certifier on board," says Hasler. Today, Lacon has achieved silver status there, with an extensive catalog of criteria comprising over 50 individual pages.

"For us, this is not just a certificate on the wall," Hasler emphasizes. "It's a tool to continuously improve our processes and make our ESG compliance measurable."

This is put into practice, for example, by a photovoltaic system at the Romanian site, strictly regulated production processes in accordance with RoHS and REACH standards and an integrated management system for quality, the environment, energy and occupational safety. "Incidentally, the highest electricity consumer is our air conditioning system," says Hasler with a grin. "That shows how energy-efficient our production is anyway."

Future prospects: Growth with attitude

Despite a shrinking German EMS market, Dr. Hasler is looking ahead. In 2024, the market slumped by more than 15 percent, he says, and he expects a further decline of between three and five percent in 2025. "This is not a cyclical downturn, but a structural issue," he emphasizes. "This makes it all the more important to tap into new markets and niches that enable growth."

The focus is particularly on defense and medical technology. In medical technology, Lacon is currently developing several MDR-compliant lighthouse projects whose products will soon be certified and go into series production. Demand in the defense sector has skyrocketed anyway - partly because many established suppliers are unable to expand their capacities quickly enough. "We see enormous potential for the coming years," says Hasler.

M&A activities are also conceivable: "We are doing well in this area. There could well be exciting developments in the near future," he reveals. At the same time, customer expectations are rising: Quotations should now be available in hours instead of days, design cycles are becoming shorter and supply chains must remain stable. "This is only possible with digitalization, automation and an organization that can react agilely to new requirements."

Despite all the challenges, it remains clear to Hasler that growth and corporate culture must not be mutually exclusive. "We want to continue to serve demanding markets, remain at the forefront of technology - and at the same time create a culture in which people enjoy working," he says. "The joy of success - that remains our principle."(mbf)