Plant & Mechanical Engineering
Plants and machines produce our future. Leaders who shape the future develop technologies that drive our world.
Challenges in Plant and Mechanical Engineering
Increasing raw material and energy costs, material bottlenecks, aggressive global competition, IT and OT security risks and competence shortages – these challenges are putting the plant and machinery industry under massive pressure.
More about the challenges in plant and mechanical engineering
International collaboration, competition and supply chains: The global engineering industry is highly interconnected. Geopolitical ambitions, regulatory intervention and rising costs are shifting production and sales markets and reshaping competition. Securing supply chains in the face of geopolitical protectionism, localization in the face of increasing data protectionism, and more difficult access to raw materials place high demands on strategic alignment and the redesign of dependencies and opportunities.
Sustainability: Sustainability is being demanded and promoted by investors, governments and customers, and is also driving plant and mechanical engineering. Companies are increasingly investing in energy-efficient and low-emission technologies. Sustainable solutions are required both in the development of new technologies and in the retrofitting of existing plant and machinery.
Customization: Customers are increasingly demanding customized solutions. Mechanical and plant engineering must be able to develop complex systems and integrate them in terms of data technology. Close cooperation with customers is necessary to understand their needs and develop innovative solutions. At the same time, increasing cost pressure requires the highest possible standardization of solutions.
Digitalization: Automation technologies, data analytics and networked systems are changing production efficiency, quality management and the service portfolio.
Business models: New dependencies, data sovereignty, cybersecurity, individuality and access need to be considered when designing service models.
Competence shortages: The industry faces the challenge of attracting and retaining qualified workers. Demographic change is leading to an increasing demand for a well-educated workforce. Companies need to invest more in education and training and offer attractive working conditions to address the competence shortage.
Need for Action for Leaders
To successfully address these trends and challenges, business leaders need to act on many levels. In addition to strategically aligning their competitive position, they need to develop innovative approaches by investing in research and development, including in close collaboration with other companies, research institutions and stakeholders.
More on the need for action by leaders
At the same time, the dynamic environment requires speed and flexibility, both in engineering and construction and in the development of innovative after-sales services. In the competition for qualified workers, it is important to position oneself attractively alongside new competitors. These complexities have changed the demands on leaders. The ability to manage change and transformations in a dynamic environment, is of particular importance. This includes classic leadership competences such as problem-solving and initiative, but also, and with new emphasis, assertiveness and strategic creativity.
Searchery provides support in Executive and Professional Search in plant and mechanical engineering, both in general management functions and in engineering and construction functions, and in administrative functions. With selected, scientifically based diagnostic applications, experienced psychologists provide aptitude diagnostics in individual assessments or in more comprehensive management audits.
The Searchery FutureProof Leadership Design Competence Framework is used as a reference for competence assessment. Company-specific competence models can also be integrated.
Searchery also advises on strategic personnel planning and development. This may include the introduction of future-shaping leadership competences. Due to the low proportion of women, companies in the plant and mechanical engineering industry face greater challenges than other sectors in building a gender-diverse corporate culture. Searchery has a strong track record in filling management positions with women and in developing holistic gender diversity programmes.
Contact us
Philine Cremer
Partner, Düsseldorf
Nina Maywald
Partner, München
Henrike Simon
Associate Partner, München
Our Functions
About us
Searchery is a young Executive Search Consultancy with mandates and projects at both listed and medium-sized companies as well as international start-ups and scale-ups.
Our focus is on executives who shape change in today’s changed corporate and leadership context with future-oriented competence profiles.