From Germany to… Greenville! Kirchner has been in business for over 25 years and has been an automotive innovator right in the heart of Downtown Greenville since 2015. We recently got the chance to explore their U.S. Headquarters (25 E. Court Street) and meet one of their project managers, Kyle Stroud. Kyle gave us the inside scoop on why Kirchner chose to expand to the Upstate, his role with the company and more. Now let’s meet and formally introduce you to Kyle Stroud of Kirchner Design!
360: Tell us a little bit about Kirchner Design. Give us the elevator pitch!
Kyle: Kirchner Design set up its U.S. Headquarters right here in downtown Greenville back in 2015. Essentially, Kirchner Design is able to assist anyone that needs help with a manufacturing process or would like their product to go to market faster. Although we primarily develop automated assembly lines in the automotive industry, we never shy away from other industries that use robotics or automation either.
Kirchner pitch continued…
Kyle: Whether it’s a large automotive OEM or a small manufacturing shop, we can accommodate our clients with custom automated tooling and process planning to increase production efficiency.
360: What’s your role at Kirchner Design?
Kyle: I’m one of the project managers here at Kirchner. I manage our engineers and mechanical designers to ensure we are designing a quality solution that can be easily integrated into a manufacturing line or production floor. Basically, I will keep track of the project from start to finish and make sure that our customers are satisfied with our engineering services.
360: What do you love about your job?
Kyle: Working with an incredible team. When you work with great people, everything falls together much easier. We’re extremely flexible when it comes to working with our customers. Our design team and programmers make that possible by keeping up with the latest industry technology and knowing multiple design and programming software.
360: Greenville is home to your Head Office — why is Greenville the perfect fit?
Kyle: When Kirchner decided to have a U.S. headquarters, Greenville was a no-brainer. Geographically, we’re within driving distance of many big car brands like BMW and Mercedes in the Southeast that we were already work close with. But Greenville as a city is full of young, innovative professionals that has allowed Greenville to grow as it has – which I believe embodies our team here at Kirchner perfectly. It’s such a vibrant area where engineering and manufacturing are giving the Upstate national and international recognition.
What’s coming soon in 2018 for Kirchner?
Kyle: Our main focus in 2018 is to build new relationships in the Upstate with companies that need assistance with manufacturing efficiency and automation. We’re also developing innovative planning and simulation through virtual and augmented reality. Although we are a multi-national company, our US Headquarters are here for a reason: to help companies in the area keep up with production and grow just as fast as the area is growing!
2018 continued…
Kyle: We also plan to expand our great robotic programming team to add additional assistance for our customers with on-site support, which is always a need in this industry.
360: Thanks for the inside scoop on Kirchner! Quick question. Now can we try the Virtual Reality simulator?!
To explore the world of Kirchner Design even more you can visit them at their website here. And of course, follow them along on social media via Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Until next time!
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