Grinder of the Year: Young Talent Shines at Grinding Hub

Grinding Hub 2026 The Grinder of the Year competition honors up-and-coming young talent

2026-05-25 Source: VDW 5 min Reading Time

The “Grinder of the Year” competition at Grinding Hub put young talent in grinding technology in the spotlight. Fabio Schoppet won the two-day live contest in Stuttgart, where the finalists demonstrated not only technical skill but also the role of modern tool grinding in securing the next generation of skilled workers.

Fabio Schoppet, an apprentice at K.H. Müller Präzisionswerkzeuge, in an interview with Tobias Witton. (Source: KS Komm) — Fabio Schoppet, an apprentice at K.H. Müller Präzisionswerkzeuge, in an interview with Tobias Witton.
(Source: KS Komm)

Fabio Schoppet was the delighted winner of the two-day live “Grinder of the Year” (Goty) competition held on May 6 and 7 at the Grinding Hub in Stuttgart. The 28-year-old apprentice from K.H. Müller Präzisionswerkzeuge won against Max Bergner (2nd place), Laurin Mink (3rd place) and Arman Hamidi (4th place). All finalists received training vouchers worth between 3000 and 500 euros.

“The live competition at the trade fair is a real highlight,” said a delighted Barbara Hannappel, Managing Director of KS Komm who organized the “Grinder of the Year” competition. “People are given a pretty clear idea of just how interesting and challenging modern tool grinding can be”, she continued. The aim is not only to put on an attractive event, but also to promote young talent and to try and counteract the shortage of skilled workers in the field of grinding technology.

Gallery

Dr. Christoph Müller-Mederer, CEO of Walter Maschinenbau, main sponsor of the event, sees “Grinder of the Year” as the ideal platform for the promotion of modern grinding technology. (Source: Walter Maschinenbau)

Application engineer Wolfgang Rauhut took the finalists – Laurin Mink, Max Bergner, Arman Hamidi, and Fabio Schoppet – under his wing during the intensive training course at Walter Maschinenbau in Tübingen. (Source: KS Komm)

The finalists are delighted with their education vouchers after the awards ceremony (from left to right: Arman Hamidi, Laurin Mink, Max Bergner, Fabio Schoppet, Tobias Witton) (Source: KS Komm)

Barbara Hannappel, CEO of KS Komm, considers “Goty” a real highlight of GrindingHub. Visitors to the trade show have the chance to experience firsthand just how interesting and challenging modern tool grinding can be. (Source: KS Komm)

Gallery with 5 images

“The competition was a challenge,” says Fabio Schoppet, “but it was really fun and a really cool experience. I made a lot of great contacts and had some enjoyable conversations. When I realized that I was the winner, I was pretty overwhelmed. It was an absolute highlight.”

Having tried his hand at a few different jobs, he explained, he struggled to find the right one for him. “Then I took an interest in metalworking”, he says, and came across K.H. Müller Präzisionswerkzeuge in Sien, Germany. The company’s good reputation in the region and the friendly, relaxed atmosphere it promoted influenced his decision to take up an apprenticeship as a precision tool mechanic. “I find the job exciting and varied,” said the winner. When he received information about the Goty competition from the vocational school, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to take part and “gain as much experience as possible”.

The three other finalists also confirmed that they were able to gain a wide range of experience. When Arman Hamidi (28) watched the Goty competition at Grinding Hub two years ago, he was thrilled. “I really enjoyed it“, recalls the aspiring precision tool mechanic from GDS Präzisionszerspanungs in Ofterdingen. “The challenge itself and everything that comes with it — it’s just great”. It is something he views as a great opportunity to take his professional skills to the next level. This view is shared by two of the youngest competitors, Max Bergner (18) and Laurin Mink (21) from Kopp Schleiftechnik in Winterkasten.

Intensive training program with the main sponsor

Some of the most important experiences of the event come from interacting with everyone who participates in, supports, or is sponsoring the competition. The highlight for the finalists will likely be the two-day intensive training session with the main sponsor Walter Maschinenbau in Tübingen. “The Grinder of the Year competition provides the ideal platform for showcasing the latest grinding technology and demonstrating in a practical way what an end-to-end manufacturing process looks like,” explained the CEO, Dr. Christoph Müller-Mederer, regarding his motivation for supporting the Goty competition. The intensive training program is designed to create a level playing field for all finalists, “so that they can fully realize their potential in the competition”, said Dr. Müller-Mederer.

The first day of intensive training at Walter began with an introduction to the company’s proprietary software, which provides the essential tools for productive and cost-effective grinding. The Helitronic Tool Studio software can be used to create drawings and 3D models for each tool. This data can then be later accessed and displayed via the machine tool’s CNC control system. There, the operator is presented with a complete 3D simulation of the machine and grinding process, including all axis movements. This allows the grinding process, including wheel changes, to be checked and verified in advance.

Day two saw the competitors receive a comprehensive briefing on the machine they would be using during the Grinding Hub competition in Hall 9. The Helitronic Mini Plus with C.O.R.E. technology was developed for the flexible production and inspection of small to medium-sized tool diameters. The associated intelligent operating system C.O.R.E. with Umati interface, which facilitates the exchange of data between machines, comes from the United Grinding Group, to which Walter Maschinenbau belongs. This operating system makes the machines network-compatible, allowing them to communicate seamlessly with other machines and be integrated into digital factories.

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.

High-tech industries require highly skilled workers

The finalists had to meet the requirements expected in grinding technology for future-proof manufacturing. For the German Machine Tool Builders' Association (VDW), organizer of Grinding Hub, the promotion and recruitment of young talent in the machine and plant engineering sector is a top priority. According to the VDW, local companies need highly qualified professionals in order to be able to compete on the international stage. This is one of the reasons the Nachwuchsstiftung Maschinenbau was founded in 2009 and has since focused on promoting the transfer of knowledge between industry, schools, and universities in order to continuously improve training standards and increase trainee and student numbers in mechanical engineering.

In any case, after two days of intensive training, the competitors were well prepared for the live final at Grinding Hub. Encouraged by their teachers and instructors, while also drawn by the unique appeal of the competition, they applied to take part and were now just days away from their big performance before the industry experts in Stuttgart. A huge step, but one that will also throw open the door to further professional development. They have already gained not only valuable experience, but also training vouchers that can be used to attend seminars, conferences, training courses or a subsequent master craftsman course. The finalists were pretty adamant about one thing: once they finish their training, they want more.

For Fabio Schoppet, one thing is certain: After completing his apprenticeship, he wants to use his 3000 euro voucher to finance a course at an engineering school. Arman Hamidi’s primary focus is on the innovative fields of automation and robotics. The Iranian-born apprentice, who only moved to Germany two and a half years ago, says he can definitely see himself pursuing further training in this field.

(ID:50854248)