Prof. Klaus Fischer has been at the head of the fischer group of companies for 50 years. Under his leadership, the medium-sized company, which was still heavily focused on Germany and plastic anchors, developed into a globally active company. In the field of fastening technology, fischer has grown to become the European market leader and the world market leader in anchors – with a constantly growing product range. With the takeover of the most important competitor in Germany, Upat GmbH & Co. (Emmendingen), and ROCCA Bauchemie GmbH + Co. (Denzlingen) a strong competence in chemical fasteners and steel anchors. Consistently, Prof. Klaus Fischer also promoted internationalisation by founding and acquiring companies and setting up further production sites in Europe, Asia and America. With the addition of the new divisions fischer Consulting (process consulting) and fischer Electronic Solutions (electronic systems), he broadened the economic basis of the group of companies.
In 1987, Prof. Klaus Fischer introduced the fischer mission statement, which defines the company goal and the binding values for all employees in the company: innovative, independent, serious. Early on, he recognised the need for new organisational structures and management methods. Following the ideas of the Japanese Kaizen (continuous improvement), he developed his own philosophy to improve all company processes and to avoid waste (fischer ProzessSystem). For his outstanding commitment to in-house and non-in-house training and further education, Prof. Klaus Fischer was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class in 2007.
50 years ago, at the age of 25, Prof. Klaus Fischer joined the company as a graduate engineer (FH) and took over the test field. At that time, the company had around 1,000 employees and generated sales of 102 million German marks (approximately 51 million euros). Today, 4,700 people worldwide are part of the family-owned company with an annual turnover of over 1.11 billion euros in 2024.
Prof. Fischer soon became part of the management team. In 1980, he took over overall responsibility and developed his own vision. He took into account social changes, growing global competition and internal complexity while customer proximity, spirit of innovation and sustainable service have always played a central role.
New products are now being developed worldwide. Research and development are also becoming increasingly international. ‘Acting entrepreneurially, focusing on the customers and leading the company strategically into the future together with our employees – that was and is my goal,’ explains Prof. Fischer.
Prof. Fischer continuously expanded the fixing systems division. In 1993, the acquisition of Upat GmbH & Co. KG in Emmendingen (then Germany's second-largest plug manufacturer) secured his market leadership. In addition to plastic plugs, heavy-duty metal fastenings gained in importance. The integration of ROCCA Bauchemie GmbH & Co. KG (foams and silicones) in 1997 created today's successful chemical division in Denzlingen. Further expansion of the chemical division is imminent. This will further strengthen the fischer fastening technology in the long term whilst becoming aligned with the future of construction.
Prof. Klaus Fischer's commitment extends far beyond the company: in 2015, he established the Klaus Fischer Foundation for Children and Youth Education. Numerous institutions – kindergartens, schools, associations – benefit from his donations, as do international projects.
Prof. Klaus Fischer has a clear vision for the future of his company. ‘It is very important to me that we focus on tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and prepare our company for the future,’ he says. Artificial intelligence, digitalisation and robotics have long been part of the fischer Group of Companies. The best example of this is the fischer BauBot construction robot. Already since 2020, the fischer InnovationCampus, located in the immediate vicinity of the company’s Tumlingen site, has been opening up new avenues for research, technology and collaboration. The family-owned company has 50 operating companies worldwide and exports to over 120 countries.
Prof. Klaus Fischer's understanding of progress is holistic. It was already in 1987 that he introduced a company mission statement. The values ‘innovative’, ‘reliable’ and ‘accountable’ were developed together with the employees and still apply to everyone in the company today. The group works worldwide in a results-oriented manner for the benefit of its customers. This is also achieved by avoiding waste and increasing added value. The fischer ProcessSystem was developed from the mission statement and the Japanese philosophy of KAIZEN, which stands for continuous change for the better.
Born on 17 August 1950 in Freudenstadt, married, two children
Studied at Konstanz University of Applied Sciences to become a graduate engineer Dipl.-Ing. (FH)
Joined fischerwerke
Appointed Technical Manager
Appointment General Manager
Business Medal of the State of Baden-Württemberg
Honorary senator of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Honorary Senator of the University of Stuttgart
Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Medal of honour of the village of Altheim
Citizen’s medal of the municipality of Waldachtal
Honorary professor at Tongji University, Shanghai
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1st class
Seal of the city of Padua, the highest award of the university city
Award of Excellence from CLUB 55 – European Community of Experts in Marketing and Sales
Competence Award for Innovation and Quality Baden-Württemberg
Honorary citizenship of the municipality of Waldachtal
Induction into the Hall of Fame of Family Businesses
DIY Lifetime Award
Grashof Commemorative Medal of the Association of German Engineers, VDI
Global DIY Lifetime Award
Lifetime Award from CLUB 55, European Community of Experts in Marketing and Sales
Prof. Klaus Fischer receives the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg
Prof. Klaus Fischer is honoured as ‘Host of the Year’ by Food & Health (2020). Furthermore, the Gastro Initiative named the company restaurant at the headquarters ‘Best Canteen in Germany’ six times in a row
Awarded Dottore Magistrale ad honorem by the University of Padua in Engineering for Safety in Construction and Industry
Appointed honorary citizen of the city of Jagodina in Serbia
Awarded Dr.-Ing. E. h. by the University of Stuttgart
Prof. Klaus Fischer is awarded honorary citizenship of the Czech town of Ivanovice na Hané. He is the first foreigner to receive this honour
On 17 August 2025, Prof. Klaus Fischer celebrates his 75th birthday. This year also marks his 50th service anniversary as well as his 45th anniversary as General Manager
