A Conversation with Josef M. Frings, CEO of Fringsgruppe

Mr. Frings, you took over the foundation of the Fringsgruppe from your father in 1998, developed it, and have led it ever since. What brought you to the decision to bring in a new shareholder now?

Every entrepreneur must eventually decide how their life’s work is carried forward. I wanted to make that decision from a position of strength. The company is in excellent shape, and now is the right moment to initiate a generational transition and lay the foundation for the next phase of growth.

Why did you choose Vidia as your partner?

Vidia has a proven track record in exactly these situations – family businesses going through long-term ownership transitions. What stood out was their experience in scaling mid-sized companies operationally, and specifically their ability to drive digitalization in organizations like ours. That combination was decisive.

What are the key growth ambitions you are pursuing together?

Organically, we will grow through new sites, expand our service offering, and broaden our regional footprint. In parallel, the building electrification and automation sector remains highly fragmented, and we see real opportunities for targeted add-on acquisitions.

What is your message to your employees?

Frings stays Frings! The Fringsgruppe remains what it has always been: A strong Mittelstand partner, built on quality, reliability, and the people who deliver it every day. We will continue to work the way our clients expect us to: fast, pragmatic, and always putting our clients first. What changes are the opportunities: additional areas for expansion, new career paths, and a partner with investment capacity and innovative influences to build on our group-wide strengths.

fringsgruppe.de