While others are still enjoying their first coffee of the day, some apprentices, students and school interns at Krones have already been active. Together with trainer Friedrich Eberwein, morning exercise has become an integral part of their routine.

Before most employees even reach their workplace, a group of young people at Krones starts the working day with some exercise once or twice a week. Whether it is a leisurely walk, a few simple exercises or other activities in the fresh air or in one of the seminar rooms, this active start to the morning provides renewed energy and a mindful beginning to the working day. The concept’s longevity and the strong turnout of participants demonstrate just how popular it is.

From Asia to Krones Neutraubling

The idea originated many years ago and was inspired by practices in Asia. In countries such as China and Japan, group exercise sessions before the start of work are part of everyday life in many companies. Krones’ vocational training programme adopted this concept as well, with great success. What began as a health-promoting initiative by Friedrich Eberwein and a few of his colleagues has evolved into a firmly established tradition over the years. At one point, as many as 65 young people took part in the morning exercise sessions. The programme’s popularity is also reflected in the many enquiries and positive comments Friedrich Eberwein receives: “I am very often approached in the corridor by young Krones employees who enjoy the programme and would love to have a morning exercise session every day.”

Early start, strong team spirit

However, the initiative is about far more than just exercise. The time spent together in the morning brings together people who might otherwise never meet during their working day. Between stretching exercises, short workouts and informal conversations, new connections are formed and a sense of community develops that extends well beyond sport. As Friedrich Eberwein puts it: “You do not have to be a competitive athlete to take part. It is all about being together.” The morning exercise sessions therefore not only provide an active start to the day but also strengthen the sense of unity among the young people at Krones, making them a genuine team-building activity. And it is precisely this combination of exercise, motivation and community spirit that has made the programme such a success to this day.

At Krones, mental health is a top priority. This commitment has now also been recognized by FOCUS-Business: At the Mental Health Award 2026, Krones received the award in the Large Companies category.

The award honors companies that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to the mental well-being of their employees. As part of the selection process, the submitted concepts were analyzed by the research institute FactField, with Krones being one of twelve companies invited to present its approach to an expert jury.

Krones impressed the jury by viewing mental health not as a collection of individual initiatives, but as a measurable and holistic system. Starting with the analysis conducted as part of the psychosocial risk assessment, needs are identified at an early stage, appropriate measures are developed jointly with employees and managers, embedded into everyday work routines, and their effectiveness is continuously evaluated. This creates a learning system that reaches both office and production employees while sustainably strengthening organizational resilience.

“Winning the jury award is a significant achievement for Krones, as it not only recognizes our many years of commitment to mental health, but also reinforces that we are already on a very strong path with our best-practice approach,” says Florian Hirsch, Head of Health Management. However, he also sees the award as motivation for the future: “Mental health is a topic of growing importance. We therefore aim to further expand our mental health initiatives in the years ahead so that we can continue to serve as a best-practice example in the workplace.”

Photos: © Philipp Ledényi