The CHIRON Group is not only one of the most innovative and technologically leading manufacturers of vertical machining centers. The company also has the best-trained young talent: At the WorldSkills Germany vocational competitions in CNC milling, two young talents from the company stood on the winner's podium with gold and silver.
From July 7 to 18, 2025, the CHIRON Group hosted the grand finale of the German Championship in CNC milling at its headquarters in Tuttlingen. Twelve young talents from across the country had previously qualified in two challenging preliminary rounds. In the end, two trainees from the CHIRON Group stood at the top of the podium: Nico Bosch, an industrial mechanic in his third year of training, won gold and secured the German championship title.
Niklas Steinhauser, also in his third year of training and an aspiring cutting machine operator at the CHIRON Group, won silver. Two bronze medals were awarded to Lukas Poggel from Mematek GmbH and Fabio Kessler from Paul Horn GmbH.
Intensive preparation – top performance in the final
The preparation for the competition began in spring with targeted training in CAD/CAM and on the machines. New this year: For the first time, the competition was opened to additional CAD/CAM systems. In addition to Mastercam, which is used in international competitions, participants could also use other systems such as SolidCAM. Two intensive qualification rounds followed in May and June – the twelve best qualified for the final in July.
The final task was quite challenging: a complex assembly consisting of a base plate, a semicircular holder, and three claws had to be not only programmed and milled but also precisely assembled. Special tools and a support device – the use of which was not known in advance – additionally tested the participants. "These are high-precision parts that must first be manufactured with this level of accuracy – and that under significant time pressure."
"This demonstrates the high level of WorldSkills," emphasized Steffen Sigrist, skills expert and trainer at the CHIRON Group.
Proud of strong training and young talents
Great joy at the official awards ceremony on July 18 – especially for training manager Herbert Mattes and CTO Dr. Claus Eppler: "All participants have achieved extraordinary results. My respect goes to everyone who took on this challenging competition. And especially to our two winners, who represented the CHIRON Group excellently. The result underscores the high quality of our training and shows that we are well positioned for the future with such dedicated professionals."
The two winners also drew a positive conclusion: "The competition showed me how crucial clean and precise work is – both in programming and milling," explains 19-year-old Nico Bosch, German champion in CNC milling. "Dealing with stress was also a real challenge. I learned to trust myself and to be confident in what I do – that's the only way to stay focused and ultimately work without crashes."
Niklas Steinhauser (20), who won silver, adds: "What I have definitely learned is to stay calm and focused under time pressure – while still working quickly and accurately. It was an intense but incredibly educational time. I have learned that with the right support and personal ambition, you can achieve a lot."
International exchange at the highest level
For the best competitors, it's now time for the next round: They will be inducted into the national team for CNC milling. After further joint training sessions for the upcoming international vocational competitions, it will be decided who will represent Germany at WorldSkills 2026 in Shanghai and EuroSkills 2027 in Düsseldorf.
Parallel to the final, an international comparison competition took place in Tuttlingen – as preparation for EuroSkills 2025 in Herning, Denmark. Participants from Germany, Liechtenstein, and the Czech Republic also faced the final tasks as well as a special "challenge," where a workpiece had to be programmed and manufactured in just 4.5 hours without any specifications.
Sustainable commitment for the future
As a founding member of WorldSkills Germany e.V. and a long-time host of the CNC milling competition, the CHIRON Group is consistently committed to promoting young talents. In addition to modern infrastructure and technical expertise, personal commitment is also part of this: Steffen Sigrist will now accompany the German participation at the international level together with Herbert Mattes as a subject expert. An investment in the future – for the CHIRON Group, for the industry's young talent, and for the industrial location of Germany.
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