WALDNER Brief - Nr. 172.pdf - Waldner Firmengruppe

From the Allgaeu region out into the world
by birgit.burger@waldner.de
WALDNER Laboreinrichtungen continues to focus on international markets. We increasingly now want to tap
the massive potential for laboratory furniture outside of Germany and Europe and, to do so, we need a good
team, vision, clever ideas and a clever mind to bring it all together and manage it. Steffen Springer has the clever
mind we need. Up to now he has been responsible for Waldner's subsidiary, Waldner Ltd., in Great Britain
and Ireland but he will now be responsible for expanding the export side of WALDNER Laboreinrichtungen. He
discusses his ideas and future projects with the WALDNER Brief editorial team.
WALDNER Brief: Mr. Springer, you are really a veritable
"Waldner trouper" aren't you? When did you join WALDNER
Laboreinrichtungen and what challenges have you faced during
your time with Waldner?
Steffen Springer: I am now coming up to my 10th anniversary,
as I joined Waldner in 2003. During this time, Waldner
Limited has become established as the acknowledged market
leader for laboratory furniture in Great Britain and Ireland.
Our biggest challenges have undoubtedly been of economic
nature: firstly we had to cope with a 25% devaluation of
sterling over a period of two years and, secondly, we have
been operating in a difficult market since the start of the
financial crisis and recession. Nevertheless, we have managed
to increase our turnover and profit during the business
year just finished, something that would not have been possible
without a market-leading product and international
project implementation expertise, including a solid crossregional
supply chain.
WALDNER Brief: What excited you about the position of "Head
of Global Markets"? What opportunities do you see here for
yourself and for WALDNER Laboreinrichtungen?
WALDNER Brief: What export projects are in the pipeline
in the near future?
Steffen Springer: Apart from systematically expanding the
growth markets, we are also working on opening up regions
that are currently unknown to us, like South America. In
our established markets, like South-east and North-east
Europe or India, it is all about expanding our position in
the market by increasing our local presence, improving our
flexibility and on site service. We aim to establish the Waldner
brand as an acknowledged local system partner for our
customers.
WALDNER Brief: What is happening to Waldner Ltd.?
Who will take over the management of this company?
Steffen Springer: Waldner Ltd will become a business unit
of Global Markets and I will continue to look after the company
as Managing Director. There is a new Sales Director,
Roland Triance, and a new Technical Director, Ingmar Paul,
to look after day-to-day operations. I am confident that this
new organisational structure will enable us to continue the
success we have enjoyed up to now.
Steffen Springer: What is particularly attractive to me is the
combination of growing the business within an international
context together with P/L. Up to now I have only spent a
small part of my professional career in Germany and I am
now looking forward to utilising this experience to develop
our business in more remote markets.
These markets offer us an opportunity to be part of macroeconomic
trends and to develop the potential for future
growth. The major investments in research and development
are currently being made in the Middle East, in Russia and
in China. It is in these regions, in particular, that I view our
best opportunities for short to medium-term development
and growth.
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