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The project
World market leader in transition – with internal communication that can't keep up
The ebm‑papst Group has grown since 1963 to become the world's leading manufacturer of fans and motors. Today, the company is facing a strategic realignment – and needs an internal infrastructure that can keep pace.
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13,000 employees at 29 locations worldwide
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Strategic change driven by shifting market conditions, fast innovation cycles, and new customer expectations
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A legacy intranet – not mobile‑ready, editorially demanding, and highly centralised
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Production left behind – large parts of the workforce cut off from internal communication
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KPIs
82% of employees registered
93% activation among registered users
50% interactive participation rate
900+ qualitative feedback contributions supporting the transformation
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Projekt Zeitraum
July 2023 – Ongoing
The goal
From passive recipients to active participants
The goal was not just to replace the intranet, but to create a platform that:
- Reaches all employees, including production
- Works mobile-first
- Strengthens leadership communication
- Enables participation and dialogue
- Provides clear strategic orientation
In short: a platform that supports everyday work and turns employees from passive recipients into active participants.
Our approach
People first, technology second
Before a single technical decision was made, one fundamental question took centre stage: What do employees actually need from their internal communication in their day‑to‑day work? The answer became the guiding principle of the entire platform – and gave it its name: FANS.
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User‑centric approach: All content and functions were consistently developed from the employees' perspective – not from the viewpoint of the editorial team or management.
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Cross‑functional collaboration: Corporate communications, IT, HR, and the works council shaped the launch together – right from the start.
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Visible leadership commitment: The CEO actively supported FANS through personal contributions and public presence.
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Rollout straight to the plants: A roadshow through the production sites brought FANS directly to employees – with on‑site support, explainer videos, QR codes, AI‑based podcasts, and gamification elements.
The solution
A platform for everyone – from production to management
FANS launched in March 2025 as a mobile‑first intranet built for real people, not perfection. The team listened to employee feedback, tracked how the platform was used, and made continuous improvements — leading to a major update in February 2026.
- Mobile‑first design – Built for smartphones so everyone can access it, no matter where they work
- Six simple sections – Homepage, News, For Me, My Work, About Us, and Social — organised around what employees actually need
- Relevant for all roles – Works just as well for production staff as it does for office teams and leaders
- Leadership communication built in – Monthly CEO Talks, Global Townhalls twice a year, quick summaries, sales updates, and leadership briefings with ready‑to‑use slides
Results & Impact
From intranet to lived platform
FANS reaches employees the former intranet never could—and is actively used:
- 82% of employees registered
- 93% activation rate
- ~50% interactive participation
- 900+ qualitative feedback contributions
Most notably, production employees are now active contributors: posting, commenting, and building communities.
Beyond the metrics, FANS has evolved from a communication channel into a driver of cultural change:
Cross-site, cross-functional dialogue is now possible at scale across the entire organization
Feedback from employees flows directly into communication work
Open communication on challenging topics strengthens trust and credibility
A shared strategic narrative is clearly visible
Matthias Ulshoefer Team Lead Communications & Global Affairs
We are finally reaching everyone—including those we couldn't involve before.
FANS has fundamentally transformed our internal communication. The platform reaches employees we previously couldn't engage and turns one-way communication into a genuine dialogue. The active participation from the production team, in particular, demonstrates the effectiveness of a user-centric, smartphone-optimized approach.
About the customer
The ebm‑papst Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of fans and motors. Founded in 1963, the owner-managed family business stands for technological leadership, sustainable innovation, and engineering excellence. With around 13,000 employees at 29 locations worldwide, ebm‑papst develops solutions used in heat pumps, air-conditioning systems, data centers, and many other applications—often invisible, yet essential wherever reliable air movement is required.
