Ergonomics with impact: How LIPA and Treston are building truly inclusive production workstations

A business that is breaking new ground

Founded in 2018 in Dornburg, LIPA Lichtpartner GmbH develops and delivers energy-efficient lighting solutions. In manufacturing, precision and reliability are essential — every movement and every step in the process must be right. Like many manufacturing factories, LIPA also feels the pressure of a growing shortage of skilled workers.

Rather than relying solely on the traditional labor market, Managing Director Christian Kegler chose a different approach: deliberately creating opportunities for employees with a wide range of physical capabilities. Not as a compromise, but as a strategic decision. The Integration Office of the Landeswohlfahrtsverband (LWV) Hessen supported the initiative with guidance and targeted funding.

When LIPA built its new facility in 2021, it was the ideal time to build that vision into the workspace from the start rather than add it later as a retrofit.

"For us, the decision was clear: we didn’t just want to tackle the skills shortage. We wanted to give people a real, long-term perspective at work,” says Christian Kegler, Managing Director of LIPA Lichtpartner.
 

Workstations that adapt to people—not the other way round

The requirements for the new workstations were clear: support high-precision manufacturing, adjust easily to a wide range of physical needs, and maintain safe, stable production over the long term. Ergonomics could not come at the expense of productivity, which made the choice of partner especially important.

What LIPA needed was a robust modular solution. One that could adjust for different individual requirements and scale at any point as requirements evolve.

"Our goal was to create a solution that meets both ergonomic needs and supports production processes, while offering flexibility to grow with the company over the long term,” says Martin Wetzler, Project Lead at Treston Germany, who implemented the project with LIPA.
 

Modular Treston workstations, tailored to individual needs

Working with Treston, LIPA created a workstation set-up that combines flexibility and function. At the heart of the solution is the electrically height-adjustable Treston Concept workbench, which allows each station to be set precisely for the individual in seconds, whether the employee is seated or standing, and whether or not they have physical limitations.

Each workbench is paired with a carefully selected set of accessories that support functionality, safety, and organized work.

• Concept workbench with electric height adjustment
• Workstation-integrated power rails
• ESD mats for electrostatic protection
• Drawer units for ergonomic storage of tools and materials
• Ergonomic work chairs

The result is a well-unified system that not only meets ergonomic requirements but also satisfies the high quality and precision standards in lighting manufacturing. Each workstation can be configured independently of the others, creating individual solutions within a unified framework. Here, ergonomics and efficiency don’t compete; they complement each other.

We received consultation on workstations that adapt to employees’ health needs and that was exactly aligned with our requirements. From the very beginning, working with Mr Wetzler was collaborative and solution-oriented. Katharina Burbach, LIPA Lichtpartner.

Stable production, satisfied employees — A model others can follow

At LIPA, these modular, tailored workstations deliver exactly what they were designed to do: enable people with different physical capabilities to take a meaningful, long-term role in production. Low-strain workflows, safe working conditions, and the ability to reconfigure each station whenever needed create an environment where people can perform well over time and feel good doing it.

Production output remains consistent, whichi is essential for a company that depends on maximum precision. Ergonomics and efficiency do not contradict each other here,  they strengthen one another.

The project also underlines a key point: commercial success and social responsibility can go hand in hand. When workstations are designed around the people who use them, the benefits show up across the board, as higher employee satisfaction, consistent quality of production and an attractive employer brand.

Conclusion

LIPA’s story highlights the value of taking ergonomics seriously. With Treston’s modular work systems, it is possible to meet operational demands while responding to individual needs, strengthening not only processes, but people too.