Walk and Talk in Obermichelbach: How Businesses Strengthen the Economic Location

In Obermichelbach, the "Walk and Talk" format did not focus on self-promotion, but rather on direct exchange between businesses. From the perspective of the regional and economic development agency of the Fürth district and the Obermichelbach business association, it is precisely this uncomplicated networking that is a location factor: Those who know their neighbors in the business park find contacts more quickly, can initiate cooperations, and make local performance visible.

The regional and economic development agency of the Fürth district and the Obermichelbach business association had invited participants to a tour of the South business park. According to the district, numerous entrepreneurs from the region took part, as well as District Administrator Bernd Obst, Mayor Bernd Zimmermann, and representatives of the business association.

Direct Company Visits Instead of Long Lectures

The "Walk and Talk" approach is deliberately practical: businesses open their doors, show processes during ongoing operations, and engage in conversation without a conference framework. The benefit lies less in individual announcements and more in what is often missing in everyday life: short distances between decision-makers, immediate insights, and a realistic picture of what competencies are available "next door."

The tour began at the Obermichelbach building yard. According to the district, Mayor Bernd Zimmermann explained there why the new location was deliberately established in the business park. The goal was to organize processes more efficiently and at the same time relieve the town center. Behind this is a classic location issue: When municipal infrastructure is bundled in easily accessible places, logistics, delivery, and traffic flows can be managed more functionally – with noticeable effects for businesses and residents.

Shared Topics Range from Efficiency to Sustainability

The tour then led to several companies from different industries. At Nico Kunststoffe and FRAKU Kunststoffe, modern plastic solutions were the focus. Sustainability issues and challenges currently facing the industry were also discussed. In practice, this means that many businesses have to consider material usage, product requirements, and economic efficiency together – for example, when customers expect robust yet more resource-efficient solutions that can be reliably produced in existing processes.

Bassalig Catering demonstrated the scale that community catering can reach when meals are prepared daily for schools and kindergartens. In addition to quantity, the discussions also focused on quality and the careful handling of food. Especially when supplying institutions, stable processes are crucial: planning, hygiene, logistics, and reliability must function even when there are short-term fluctuations – a topic familiar to many businesses regardless of their industry.

Metallbau Belzer presented the work of a craft-oriented company that mainly implements individual custom-made products. The Rohringer car dealership emphasized the importance of personal support and regional partnerships. The wood manufactory SMP Humidore presented itself as a young company focused on individual furniture making and custom productions.

Across the stations, recurring topics emerged: economic conditions, quality, sustainability, expertise, and regional cooperation. Behind the term "framework conditions" are very concrete questions from a business perspective that quickly come together in conversation: sufficient space, functioning accessibility and infrastructure, available skilled workers, as well as bureaucratic and organizational requirements that noticeably influence day-to-day operations. The fact that such points come up across industries during a tour shows how similar the challenges in the SME sector often are – even if the products and services are very different.

Michael Bauer from Rosa Kuh also reported, according to the district, on the difficult situation in the food sector. Especially there, creative ideas and new marketing channels are particularly important.

The Format Mainly Serves Local Networking

The economic core of "Walk and Talk" lies in local connectivity: businesses get to know each other in their immediate neighborhood, discover possible interfaces, and lower the barrier for future cooperation. Such contacts can be crucial in everyday life – for example, when a reliable service provider is needed at short notice, when regional partners are sought for projects, or when exchanging experiences helps solve similar problems more quickly.

District Administrator Bernd Obst emphasized the importance of direct contact after the tour. "During today's walk, you could feel how important personal exchange is for our companies," he explained, according to the district. Sascha Übler, chairman of the Obermichelbach business association, said: "Personal exchange is crucial for local businesses. When you know who does what in the region, contacts are made and that strengthens the economic location."

At the end, participants gathered at the Kalypso restaurant of Nikos Ovanesian. According to the district, the format is to be continued. The event in Obermichelbach was the second edition of "Walk and Talk," after the premiere took place in 2025 in the business park in Veitsbronn.