GIRA – THE COMPANY

The name Gira represents systematic modern building technology that makes home living more convenient, secure and energy efficient. For this purpose, Gira offers intelligent functions and user-friendly devices for the easy and convenient control of lighting, heating, and blinds, as well as door communication, multimedia, and security systems. Award-winning design lines provide the right framework for integrating diverse solutions. With its Plastics Technology business segment, Gira also develops and produces special solutions for the medical and pharmaceutical industry.


INTERESTING TOPICS

Gira production facility in Radevormwald


COMPANY PROFILE

About Gira

Gira Giersiepen GmbH & Co. KG is one of the leading full-range suppliers of intelligent system solutions for electrical and networked digital building control. The family-owned company, which was founded in 1905 and has its headquarters in the German town of Radevormwald, has helped to shape the world of electrical systems and building management for the last 114 years. Right from the start, Gira's many innovations – such as the Gira HomeServer – have made it one of the most influential players in the development of networked smart building systems and in the digitalisation of buildings.

Gira products and solutions stand for German engineering expertise, reliable 'Made in Germany' quality, sustainable production processes, environmentally friendly and resource-efficient operations and perfection in form and function. But, most importantly, they make people's lives a little more easy, convenient and secure.

It is no coincidence that Gira switches and control, communication and safety systems are now used in more than 40 countries, including in the central railway station in Berlin, the Olympic stadium in Kiev, the Messner Mountain Museum: Corones on the Kronplatz mountain in South Tyrol and the Banyan Tree Hotel in Shanghai. Thanks to its extensive expertise in plastics technology, Gira now also manufactures complex plastic system products for the medical technology sector. The Gira group also includes its subsidiary Stettler Kunststofftechnik in Untersteinach, near Bamberg, and shareholdings in Insta Elektro in Lüdenscheid and the software firm ISE in Oldenburg. Together, around 1,700 employees generate an annual turnover of more than €330 million.

Several years ago, Gira separated plastics technology from building technology and established it as a business segment in its own right. Since then, other companies, including those in the medical technology field, also have Gira manufacture their products.
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CORPORATE KEY FIGURES

114

years of existence of the fourth-generation family-run company


149

engineers are currently working at Gira


721

skilled workers are currently employed at Gira


700+

More than 700 patents have been filed by Gira



SALES DEVELOPMENT


EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT

50
million euros turnover in 1990

257
million euros turnover in 2015

713
employees in 1990

1,248
employees in 2015




GIRA SUBSIDIARIES

Following a joint path to make better progress

Gira has three subsidiaries – Insta Elektro, Stettler Kunststofftechnik, and ise – which brilliantly complement Gira's own portfolio. The subsidiaries enhance Gira's range of products with the following forward-thinking areas of competence: building system technology, LED products and intelligent controllers for sophisticated architectural lighting, increased production capacity for high-quality plastics technology products, and custom software developments.


Insta Elektro GmbH,
Lüdenscheid

Insta Elektro GmbH has acted as Gira's electronics technology centre and subsidiary for more than 42 years,. Today, the company develops and manufactures a high-performance product range for building system technology, as well as LED lights and intelligent controllers for sophisticated architectural lighting at its Lüdenscheid location.

www.insta.de


570 employees

 


Stettler Kunststofftechnik,
Burgwindheim

With its acquisition of Stettler Kunststofftechnik GmbH & Co. KG in January 2007, Gira focused its competences in two locations. The production capacities in Burgwindheim for sophisticated products for the automotive industry, the electronics industry, and mechanical engineering are being upgraded.

www.stettler.de



120 employees

 


ise Individuelle Software und Elektronik,
Oldenburg

Gira has been a majority shareholder in ise Individuelle Software and Entwicklung GmbH, Oldenburg, since April 2011. With this investment, Gira has secured its access to specialist know-how and additional development capacities in the area of IP-based and software-driven building automation.

www.ise.de


110 employees


Senic GmbH,
Berlin

The Berlin-based start-up Senic was founded in 2013. With the support of a founder forum and the financial backing of crowdfunding, Senic has since brought a simple digital controller to market maturity, which can be used to intuitively control smart home-compatible applications, such as music and light. A light equipped with voice control is set to follow in 2018. The young company has been part of the Gira Group since 2018.

www.senic.com


20 employees


THE GIRA WORLD

Internationally active in more than 40 markets

Western Europe

Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Germany
Finland
Greece
Iceland
Italy
Ireland
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Sweden
Spain
United Kingdom

Eastern Europe

Latvia
Poland
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Ukraine
Hungary
Belarus

Asia

Azerbaijan
Hong Kong + Macao
Iran
Kazakhstan
Lebanon
People’s Republic of China
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
United Arab Emirates
Vietnam

Africa

South Africa
Seychelles

 

Oceania

Australia
New Zealand



CORPORATE CULTURE

Guiding principles of the corporate culture

In our management system, the phrase "We take responsibility for the future" has become a central concept
that describes the principles of our corporate culture. This refers, in particular, to
responsible behaviour by each individual and fair and reliable cooperation with
each other.

Responsibility


Every employee must take responsibility for what he/she does and says, but also for what he/she has not done or said. Conflicts must be solved first of all where they occur.

Commitment


Commitment is another major requirement for effective action. To achieve this, it is important to make concrete agreements and to honour them. Those involved in a decision-making process should always present their arguments.

Open to change


Our corporate culture depends on each individual being open to change. Employees should actively support changes and face problems with a willingness to solve them.

Respect


Positive, appreciative cooperation within a team is based on respect. This includes the principle: I will be critical of facts, but not of people.



GIRA AND SUSTAINABILITY

We take responsibility for the future

Shaping the future means assuming responsibility today. The key to this lies in practising sustainability. This is a matter that is very close to our heart and expresses our inner attitude – for the company as a whole and for each and every employee. Creating and upholding a balance of economic, environmental and social responsibility is a challenge we embrace as a continuous process, to which we dedicate constant efforts with the aim of inspiring our fellow human beings. Every day and on all corporate levels. In the future, we want to commit ourselves even more clearly to this cause. Through fairness and respect, the preservation of environmental resources and economic efficiency, we can set the course for a successful future. We therefore jointly accept this responsibility with initiative, competence, and pride.

To the Sustainability Report

 

Environment


Fresh air, green meadows and clean water – the idyllic landscape of the Bergisches Land is not the only thing we wish to preserve for future generations. As a manufacturing company, we are going even further to take special account of the needs of the environment as a whole. We are firmly committed to further reducing the consumption of resources and harmful emissions and avoiding environmental pollution to the greatest extent possible. The use of renewable energies and solutions that save resources is another core concern for Gira. With an ever-growing number of intelligent products, we offer people the opportunity to make a personal contribution to climate protection.

People


Our employees are our strength. As a family-run company, we are deeply aware of this and treat all of our staff with respect and appreciation. Social responsibility is an inherent part of Gira's corporate philosophy and not just an empty concept. It is a core value that is practised and embraced every single day. Equality, freedom and support for individual development, work/family life balance, healthy working conditions, the promotion of positive cooperation and fair remuneration – we don't just assume responsibility for our staff on paper. People are also at the heart of our product development: Gira stands for intelligent building technology with a functional design and tangible added value that makes life safer and more convenient. Despite our international perspective, we remain true to our roots. This is why social and cultural commitment to our region is a matter of course for Gira.

Business


Quality, the pursuit of innovative leadership, and sophisticated design are the cornerstones of Gira's consistent growth. As a family-run company, we have been proving since 1905 that "Made in Germany" is a success story with a future. In order to continue that tradition, we continually invest in development and production, in addition to education and advanced training. We are convinced that lasting success can only be the result of using resources intelligently, protecting the environment, and assuming social responsibility.


INTELLIGENT BUILDING TECHNOLOGY FROM GIRA

Future-oriented technology, flexible solutions, combined with high-quality design

Gira represents systematic modern building technology that makes home living more convenient, secure and energy efficient. To achieve this, Gira offers intelligent functions and user-friendly devices for the easy and convenient control of lighting, heating, and blinds, as well as door communication, multimedia, and security systems. Award-winning design lines provide the right framework for integrating diverse solutions.

Find out more



COMPANY HISTORY

More than 100 years of company history

Gira was founded in 1905 in Wuppertal and initially started with the utilisation of a toggle switch patent. In 1910, Gira relocated to Radevormwald. During the 1930s, the company established itself as a switch supplier of premium-quality products with the well-known lever-bolt rotary switch and has been successfully expanding its product range with new and modern products and solutions ever since.

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GIRA MILESTONES

Innovation points the way to the future

As early as 1903, Richard Giersiepen designed a further development of the tumbler switch and had it patented. This invention was also the spur for him to start a company with his brother Gustav Giersiepen.

GIRA MILESTONES

Gira is founded in Wuppertal

As early as 1903, Richard Giersiepen designed a further development of the tumbler switch and had it patented. On 1 August 1905, he and his brother Gustav Giersiepen founded the company "Gebrüder Giersiepen, Fabrik von Apparaten für elektrische Beleuchtung"

GIRA MILESTONES

Gira relocates

The young technology start-up had grown out of its rented rooms in Wuppertal. In search of space for expansion, the Giersiepen brothers found the perfect spot in Radevormwald.

GIRA MILESTONES

The lever-bolt switch ushers in success

The double locking switch (10 amperes) for right and left switching was brought to the market towards the end of the year. Industrial property rights for the product are applied for, and granted on 1 June. As long as installation switches have to be suitable for both direct and alternating current (until the 1950s), the double locking switch is considered the leading switch in terms of quality.


EMPLOYER AWARDS

Outstanding Achievement in Vocational Training

Gira once again received the German award for "Outstanding Achievement in Vocational Training" in 2019. This award demonstrates Gira's strong corporate commitment to vocational training, the high level of satisfaction of the trainees in the company and their positive assessment of the training situation. Training. The initiative is aimed at helping companies to make optimum use of staff and customer potential.

2015 TOP National Employer

In 2015 Gira was once again awarded the seal for "TOP National Employer", which the news magazine Focus awards every year in conjunction with the career network Xing and the employer ranking platform Kununu. Gira took first place in the Top 5 of Germany's Best Employers in the "Electronics and Electrical engineering" sector.

Germany's Best Employers 2015

Once again, Gira was named one of the top 100 employers in Germany by the Great Place to Work institute as part of its nationwide corporate competition "Germany's Best Employers 2015". Every year, the institute awards this accolade to companies demonstrating outstanding dedication to creating an employee-oriented workplace culture.

Active demography
2014

Gira is one of the first twelve companies from North Rhine-Westphalia to be awarded the "Active demography" seal. This was awarded for the age-appropriate working conditions in the company. The new award is given by the Ministry of Labour for North Rhine-Westphalia, the trade unions and employers.


Further information