Christian Schädler – how Track & Trace finds its way to pharmaceutical manufacturers

Christian, what exactly do you do as Team Leader Operations Digital Solutions? What are your points of contact with Track & Trace?

Christian Schädler: I currently lead three teams that implement software projects for our customers. Two of them focus on Track & Trace, because that is currently the biggest challenge facing our customers. We are a pretty dynamic, international team. We’re currently made up of 17 people - and the number is growing. My teams are often out on the road and spend up to a third of their working time on-site at pharmaceutical companies all over the world. There, we support customers in everything to do with our products: from consulting and design clarification to installation, implementation and support for our service colleagues. As software experts, we are driving digitization forward - often in combination with a "Track & Trace" project.

What do you find most interesting about your work?

Christian Schädler: From a technical point of view, I find it exciting that we are able to move things forward and take advantage of the great potential out there. By that I mean that we don't just sell what already exists. We have our own development team, a broad customer base and a leading market position. This allows us to quickly pick up on new requirements or trends in the market, offer an innovative solution at short notice, and integrate this newly-developed component into our portfolio. This dynamism spurs us on and we are always proud when we can inspire our customers with an innovation.

And what motivates you personally?

Christian Schädler: I really like the fact that I have a lot of contact with people, both with my employees and other colleagues at Uhlmann and with our customers. It's simply fun to lead a team and make a difference together. The great teamwork, the challenging topics and the variety make my work a real stroke of luck!

Christian, you've been with Uhlmann for almost 20 years now. What major changes have there been in your career?

Christian Schädler: Have I been here that long? Doesn't seem like it! But it's true, I joined VisioTec in 2004 as an application engineer. One big change for me was the move from VisioTec to Uhlmann Pac-Systeme in 2009, and then the founding of the Digital Solutions business unit in 2019! Before that, we did everything together, from development to service. Today, I focus on customer projects and work more from the office - and that's a good thing. But I still travel, just shorter distances now, because it's very important for me to be on-site from time to time. It gives me a sense of grounding and understanding for the problems of our customers. That said, never leaving the office is something that would not be an option for me.

Technically, the introduction of our Pexcite software platform was a major change. We now have a mature, forward-looking platform and more and more customers are switching their Track & Trace to Pexcite or using the system to collect, aggregate and evaluate data. This is going extremely well and we already have numerous lines out in the field. We are currently working on a major project, the conversion of 50 lines to Pexcite, including Track & Trace. It is extremely demanding to install such a large number of active lines and then get them back into production. An immense amount of coordination in the project teams is ensured by an exemplary partnership with the customer.

What is your biggest challenge at the moment?

Christian Schädler: Filling the vacancies in my team - but I'm not alone in that respect in the software sector. It helps me that Uhlmann has a very good reputation as an employer. We are able convince the many people who get to know our team. I think you can just feel that we also get along well in our private lives and that we work together very independently and on an equal footing. Uhlmann already has a large software division, which we are currently expanding. This area with our machine and process knowledge enables future products that are becoming increasingly important. And that opens up opportunities for everyone: for our customers, for my employees, for applicants and for Uhlmann.