80 years of corporate responsibility, four generations, and a consistent willingness to break new ground: The Peiker family looks back on eight decades of entrepreneurship and, at the same time, is focusing the group’s efforts on its future growth areas: critical infrastructure, aviation, new mobility concepts, defense, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The history of the Peiker family is marked by change—from the economic and social upheavals of the postwar era, through new technologies and markets, to digitalization and artificial intelligence. New companies and business models, as well as several generational transitions, have also shaped its development. The ability to embrace change and turn it into new opportunities has always been an integral part of the company’s entrepreneurial identity.
Generation. Responsibility. Future.
The anniversary year (October 1, 2026) kicked off with the business talk “Generation. Responsibility. Future.” last Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Invited guests included customers, business partners, long-time associates, and representatives of the corporate group. The focus was on how family businesses can shape their future across generations. The keynote address, “Generational Transition as a Project for the Future,” was delivered by Prof. Dr. Birgit Felden, a professor, author, management consultant, and expert on family businesses, corporate governance, and strategy. As an experienced advisor on succession planning, she combined academic perspectives with practical experience and demonstrated why a generational transition is far more than just a handover of responsibility: it is a project for the future that must be planned well in advance. In the subsequent panel discussion, “Family Businesses Between Tradition and Innovation,” the executive leadership—Carina Peiker, Andreas Peiker, Christoph Schillo, Benjamin Asmus, and Prof. Dr. Birgit Felden—discussed responsibility, change, and the future of the corporate group. An open Q&A session also involved the guests in the discussion. Reinhard Kromer-von Baerle, also a managing director, moderated the session, and many attendees took advantage of the opportunity to ask their questions.
In particular, there was great interest in the perspective of Carina Peiker, who succeeded her father, Andreas Peiker, and has taken her place at peiker Holding as managing director. She made it clear that, for her, the group’s continued development does not mean breaking with the past: “From the very beginning, it was important to me to show that I didn’t come here to turn everything upside down. On the contrary: I have great respect for the knowledge, experience, and achievements of the people who have been with the company for a long time, and I am very grateful to them for what they have accomplished together.”
Innovation as a Constant
A look at a few technological milestones illustrates just how strongly a willingness to embrace change has shaped the Peiker family’s companies. Among the early innovations was the Intercept microphone, developed by the founders, Heinrich Peiker and his father-in-law, Paul Beerwald. It prevents fine iron dust generated by rail traffic from accumulating in dynamic microphones. The system remains part of pei tel Communications GmbH’s product portfolio to this day. The development of in-vehicle communication also shaped the company’s history for many years. Analog and digital signal processing, as well as the development, design, validation, and production of hardware and software for in-vehicle connectivity, were among the company’s core competencies. By integrating a SIM card directly into a vehicle’s telephone handset, the company provided a significant impetus right at the beginning of the mobile communications era. Andreas Peiker, third-generation owner, reflects on this period: “The key has always been the willingness to recognize developments early on and turn them into new opportunities.” One example of this is the decision to sell the automotive business PEIKER acustic in 2015—in response to the looming, far-reaching transformation of the automotive industry—and to realign the corporate group.
Future Growth Areas: Security, Communication, and Mobility
Today, the corporate group brings together various companies with different areas of expertise and focuses. The focus is increasingly on markets where technological, societal, and security-related changes are emerging. pei tel Communications GmbH is expanding its focus to include critical infrastructure and is also turning its attention to defense solutions. peicom GmbH focuses on strategically relevant future fields such as communication and security solutions for the increasingly complex demands of the retail sector. At the same time, new opportunities are emerging in aviation and mobility. With aviation, new mobility concepts, and unmanned aerial vehicles, FTI Engineering Network GmbH is further developing its expertise in areas where secure communication, networking, and innovative system solutions have always played a central role.
This anniversary year embodies a philosophy that has endured for decades and beyond: Experience is the foundation—the future remains a challenge. Eighty years of company history are more than just a number. They represent entrepreneurial courage, a willingness to embrace change, and the responsibility not only to lead a company but also to develop it further for the next generation. What began in 1946 with the entrepreneurial commitment of the Peiker family has evolved over four generations into a diversified group of companies with various business areas and locations. The company’s future now lies in the hands of the fourth generation.