Munich-based high-tech family firm Rohde & Schwarz announced last week a 4.9 billion dollar contract to upgrade US airports' digital communications. In his first major interview, CEO Christian Leicher highlighted the company's body scanners and Bundeswehr projects. He called for improved communication ahead of future deals.
Rohde & Schwarz, a global high-tech firm with 16,000 employees, has its headquarters in Munich's bustling Werksviertel near Ostbahnhof. Many of its services, such as setting up mobile networks, stay hidden from consumers, as most contracts come from security agencies or the military and are subject to secrecy.
Last week, the company announced one of the largest orders in its history: a 4.9 billion dollar deal to convert US airports to digital communications. "And if you go through a body scanner at the airport – in many cases, it's from Rohde & Schwarz," said Christian Leicher, who leads the family business in its third generation.
The Bundeswehr's D-LBO project has so far failed to supply troops with sufficient digital radios. The digital jammer tank "Maus" project was halted by the Bundestag's budget committee, as Rohde & Schwarz's offer suffices. Leicher aims to improve in both areas.
"One lesson from this is that we need to communicate more strongly and better beforehand," the CEO stressed. Technical solutions alone are not enough, as he explained in the interview.
