2021-11-24
Five years have already passed since the Filtration Group took over the MAHLE Industrial Filtration division at the Öhringen/Baden-Württemberg location. Read the exclusive anniversary interview with members of our management team.
“Being in the same boat doesn’t automatically mean that everyone is rowing in the same direction. I would like us to maintain our team spirit and build on it even further. For the future, it is important to continue to think in a solution-oriented way and to ask ourselves the question: “What do I have to do to achieve this goal?” and not “What are the reasons against it?” Our workforce can be very proud of itself in terms of what has been achieved and what still lies ahead.
Markus Beer, President FG Industrial
Markus Beer, President FG Industrial
Wolfram Zuck, Managing Director / COO FG Industrial
Manfred Kiekenbeck, Vice President Human Resources FG Europe
Gerhard Steiner, Vice President Filter Systems FG Industrial
Markus Beer:
I have been working with our American parent company Filtration Group for many years. As the then Managing Director of IBS Filtran, also a long-standing Filtration Group company, I came to the Öhringen site in 2016 to take the uncertainty away from the workforce and answer questions. The biggest challenge was and continues to be the speed of business processes exemplified by the ultra-dynamic Filtration Group company. Today, as one of the TOP companies within the group, we can proudly say that we have mastered this challenge.
Wolfram Zuck:
In addition to the change in culture, the challenge lay in designing our own finance and IT areas, which had previously been managed centrally by the MAHLE Group. We became more independent and all felt an uncertainty within us as to what the future would look like with our new parent company, the Filtration Group.
Manfred Kiekenbeck:
The biggest challenge from a traditional, large German corporation like MAHLE to an American company lies in the cultural change. Individual responsibility and short decision-making paths are on the agenda. Today, after five years, we have largely completed this journey, are more successful and stable than ever before, and have a high level of qualitative competence as a basis with our workforce.
Gerhard Steiner:
The process of separating our company from the Mahle Group naturally involved many practical challenges. In the past, MAHLE was not only our parent company, but also one of our most important suppliers. This strong supplier relationship now no longer existed. The entire supply chain team did a great job.
Markus Beer:
I come from the Cologne corner and always notice the different culture in contrast to Baden-Württemberg. Baden-Württemberg is characterized by large industries and large customers, and there are all kinds of different characters. That’s why it makes me very proud that we as a management team tackle problems together and think in a solution-oriented way. The team has an enormously positive attitude and that is the basis. The management is not only shown in the organizational chart, but also lends a hand itself.
Wolfram Zuck:
We are special. Our mission to make the world safer, healthier and more productive is not just said, but really implemented in our products. We stand for high quality and are seen as a reliable and technically savvy partner. I am proud to say that we have come through the Corona pandemic well so far and are reporting record sales, despite the tight supply chain situation.
Manfred Kiekenbeck:
I am proud that we have mastered the culture change together with the workforce in a cooperative style. With a stable workforce, we have managed to position ourselves as one of the flagship companies within the Filtration Group. We will continue to grow.
Gerhard Steiner:
I have been working here at the Öhringen site for 21 years now, and before that I studied process and environmental engineering. Our mission “Together we are making the world safer, healthier and more productive” is not just a slogan for me, but much more a passion. We can all look back with pride on the outstanding achievements of our work in recent years.
Markus Beer:
A team that is motivated and willing to solve problems together is the basic building block for a successful company. I’m impressed that we can say that about ourselves, because not many companies can do that.
Wolfram Zuck:
I have already been here in Öhringen for 14 years, have been able to witness many wonderful developments and am very attached to the company. This includes the major conversion of production, called the “Factory of the Future”. Even for the employees of the MAHLE automotive plant across the street, the “Factory of the Future” was a term for them. We were recently able to launch our Logistics Center, which represents a future-proof change for us as a company. It is great to grow together with the people and the plant.
Manfred Kiekenbeck:
The attachment to this location is characterized above all by the team spirit. I am proud that we can rely on the workforce.
Gerhard Steiner:
Very connected. My intention is to keep our finger on the pulse of the times with new products so that we can continue to successfully drive this location forward in 20 years’ time. It is important to me that we do everything we can to secure jobs in the long term and to further expand our know-how at the site. In this context, it is particularly important to me to inspire young talents for our company.
Markus Beer:
Two major projects come to mind that were not that long ago. One is the development of our SilentCare room air filter in record time. We are proud of this achievement, and that is important. The fact that speed plays an important role is also demonstrated by our new logistics center. We used to transport goods from warehouses scattered across the country to our site here in Öhringen, but now we have a central unit.
Wolfram Zuck:
I can still remember when Alex Joseph flew all the way to Germany to participate with us as a company in the city run in Öhringen. He was our coordinator at that time from the Filtration Group to help us with the company change.
Manfred Kiekenbeck:
What impressed me was the SilentCare project, which stands for speed, results orientation and entrepreneurial thinking. Something like this would not have been possible in the old constellation at MAHLE. Together with his team, Gerhard Steiner has done a great job here.
Gerhard Steiner:
A highlight for me was the construction of the new L20 production line in 2017/18. After long discussions, the investment was approved at the end of the year. The conversion started between Christmas and New Year. In 2018, we were only able to meet the high market demand at all thanks to this newly converted line.
Markus Beer:
The market and competition do not wait, we will drive innovations in order to continue to be one of the TOP companies in the Filtration Group. Growth through performance is the decisive point here.
Wolfram Zuck:
The goals for the next few years have been defined. Next year, we will start expanding our production area and increasing our vertical range of manufacture. Our foreign locations such as Romania and China are also performing well. In Romania, we have increased the number of employees from 130 to 230 in the last five years and rented additional production space. With our new FGI Online-Shop, we have arrived in the eCommerce age and are also offering solutions here for future generations.
Manfred Kiekenbeck:
One important word is focus. This process has already begun and must become part of our company’s DNA.
Gerhard Steiner:
Successful. With the Logistics Center as one of the most important building blocks, we are further expanding our speed and lean processes. A clear focus helps us to master the new challenges of the markets.
The complete interview with all questions will appear in our newsletter in mid-December.
