3030 Auditorium 01/04 - DEKRA Certification

INTERVIEW
“Moving closer together!”
Dr. Bernd Steisslinger has been the
Managing Director in charge of operations
in the environment company
DEKRA Umwelt since 1 January 2004.
In an interview with AUDITORIUM, the
former head of the DEKRA Environmental
Laboratory takes stock of his new
position and identifies his main goals.
AUDITORIUM: Dr.Steisslinger, DEKRA
Umwelt GmbH has been operating as an
independent environmental expert organisation
for a decade now. It became part
of DEKRA’s Industrial business unit a year
ago. Where do you see the company today?
Dr. Bernd Steisslinger: Ten years ago
our company attracted engineers and
scientists from a wide range of specialist
areas, and there was always the danger
of them all “reinventing the wheel” simultaneously
at different locations. Today,
though, DEKRA Umwelt is an efficiently
run expert and advisory organisation
which addresses customers’ issues in the
field of environment, work and health
protection with 200 highly qualified
staff members based at 16 locations in
Germany.
AUDITORIUM: Where do you see the
major challenges now?
Dr. Bernd Steisslinger: As environmental
experts we are directly confronted
with economy-related problems. Our customers
are delaying investment decisions
and this has an effect on many of our
services – even legally required measurements.
Getting a grip on these changing
requirements and being available to our
customers at very short notice, these are
our greatest challenges. And that takes
flexibility, innovative force and, above
all, efficient order processing.
AUDITORIUM: What effect has being
incorporated in the Industrial business
unit had on the existing DEKRA Umwelt
locations?
Dr. Bernd Steisslinger: Quite simple:
it means we’re moving closer together!
The four companies in the unit work
together in a targeted and coordinated
manner, meaning that we can offer our
customers the full range of measurement,
testing, consulting and certification
services through a single contact, saving
them time and money. By working together
with their colleagues within the
Industrial business unit, the staff at our
different locations have now suddenly
been given the opportunity to tap into
new customer potential which would
not otherwise be possible.
AUDITORIUM: DEKRA Umwelt, with
its eight different business areas and
thousands of clients from all branches
of industry, is a genuine all-rounder.
Will it be possible to maintain this wide
variety in the long run?
Dr. Bernd Steisslinger: You’re right,
within the Industrial business unit
DEKRA Umwelt covers a broad area
with its environment, work and health
protection departments. Our staff have
a very wide knowledge base and very
close links to the customers, meaning that
they can spot any developments which
would require us to adapt our range of
services at an early stage. We are constantly
scrutinising our own services to
gauge their acceptance by the market.
AUDITORIUM: Up to now the DEKRA
Environmental Laboratory was your
responsibility; what role will it play in
the future?
Dr. Bernd Steisslinger: Our laboratories
in Stuttgart and Halle are and
remain important in several regards: As
preconditions for accreditation they
represent the basis of our work in the
measurement and dangerous waste
sector. Yet we are also having more and
more success in the field of product
analysis and labelling which means we
are creating a second bow to our fiddle
alongside environment analysis.
AUDITORIUM: Which personal targets
have you set yourself in this, the first
year in your new job?
Dr. Bernd Steisslinger: 2003 saw a great
deal of upheaval for us, so this year my
declared aim is to take DEKRA Umwelt
into slightly calmer waters. But that
doesn’t mean we’re looking to rest on our
laurels, rather we want to carry on
optimising our internal structures and
processes, collaborate even more closely
within the business unit and – in line
with our mission statement – enjoy
business success based on highly motivated
staff.