Well-known companies in Germany are for the most part global, and while the real entreprenarial power actually comes from small to midsize ones, it’s with the big names like MTU Aero Engines or Siemens that the ÉTS has industrial links with.
It was indeed in this uncommon context that the team got in touch with Contura Modellbau, a 5-person agency located in Downtown Berlin and specialized in hardware prototyping. Pierre Burdy, a former Ergonomics & Mechanical Design student of UTBM, France greeted us in their workspace in the Schöneberg neighborhood.
The visit started with a quick tour of their very diverse machinery—actually rich when thinking about the office size, which included many 3D printers, laser cutting machines, a CNC machine, and some others. Their clients include some big names like Nike or BMW, and the corresponding industries are hence very diverse. Following the client requests, the company is specialized in building models or prototypes, ranging from human hearts and surgery tools for a biotech company to showcase, to small printed parts made of ceramic.
It smoothly evolved into a discussion/Q&A session. Topics involved his own path, starting as a foreign intern at the company to end up as a partner, monetization of the work they do, relationships with clients, and Berlin. Pierre gave the local perspective after living for 5 years in the city, which rapidly evolved from the poverty following the heavy 20th century to the booming European metropole it is today. It has yet to face the exploding gentrification with the rents skyrocketing, pushing away artists groups and foreigners, which once made the unique blend that the city of Berlin stands for.
