sportFACHHANDEL 02_2018 Leseprobe

2.2018 Report
Report | WINTER | 63
mechatronics engineer”, Leodolter explains:”
It’s about electronics, pneumatics, about highly
technical, highly complex machines. So the job
encompasses way more than what a conventional
knitter does.”
Löffler was awarded with the INEO award for the
high commitment in training the apprentices, the
responsible support in vocational development
and the high training quality in November 2016.
Recruitment problems aren’t known to them: ”We
are known as a brand and as a good employer in the
region”, Leodolter goes on. “Of course it is easier for
us due to that, too. But one also has to be active:
For example we present ourselves at apprentice
exhibitions, we offer trial days, are present in the
media and many more.”
Additionally the flexibility within the apprenticeship
ensures attractive work places: ”We try to
shape the apprenticeship in a way that allows
the employee to work in many different stations.
That’s good for the future but is also within our
interests since we don’t continuously produce the
same products either after all. We have winter and
summer materials. In that case we need different
techniques, different machines, different work
processes …”
By this, special talents can be detected and nurtured
early as well. The newest example: Durina Lezi was
already very interested in the important CAD area
during her apprenticeship, a key section in every
textile processing company since this is where the
basis is built for cutting the fabrics as efficiently as
possible. Meanwhile she has been working in this
responsible position for five years.
An outsouring to the Far East was never a serious
topic at Löffler: “Even as many companies migrated
in the late 80s and early 90s our business manager at
that time always had the mindset that one could also
survive well in a location as Ried”, Reinhard Hetzeneder
remembers. The only decision made then
was to create further capacities in Eastern Europe
which were dearly needed due to the bike boom at
the time. “It was our philosophy to keep the location
in Ried and to also continuously invest in buildings,
machines and so on there but to stem the growth in
production with wage partners in Hungary first, later
Bulgaria – well-knowing we wouldn’t be able to reach
countless margins that way.”
Meanwhile Löffler has taken over the production in
Bulgaria itself in order to hold sway over the capacities
and production conditions itself. The number
of employees has already been increased from 40
to 80 and a new building is in the process of being
planned. “In this case it is about the topics of safety,
quality, timeliness but also about the employees
on-site”, says Hetzeneder. “Bulgaria is a member of
the EU”, Otto Leodolter adds. “Of course we can only
keep the employees there, too, when we pay them
reasonably and also provide appropriate security.”
But one thing remains clear to the traditional
business: Ried remains the main location! That is
where quite literally all the threads come together.
This is where the fabrics are produced, the pattern
is prepared and partly made-to-measure work is
done. The product development exclusively takes
place in Ried in order to always be able to cover the
product groups vital to Löffler with best possible
quality. And in order to guarantee a quickest
possible re-order: ”We have stored so much fabric
that we could deliver four to five thousand textile
products within a week without problems,” Hetzeneder
proudly says.
“Furthermore patterns are also an important topic.
We possess a special pattern system that has been
developed for decades. The European customer
is definitely in our main focus. We don’t need a
worldwide unisex pattern which ultimately doesn’t
fit anyone anymore. A pair of trousers has to fit –
especially in sports!”
„Of course it is expensive to produce in Austria“,
Otto Leodolter summarises. “But our proprietors
and we ourselves are satisfied with a slightly smaller
margin on our products.” And the CEO is also
convinced that the customer honours that and is
therefore prepared to pay a higher price for it. “We
keep discussing prices in the textile branch which
bear no relation to the worth they should actually
have any more. Most don’t think about the price
at the petrol station either when they fill up their
tank. But when it comes to a jacket they haggle over
every Euro! We are trying to bring the worth back
into awareness with our “Made for Better” campaign
for example. And we invite customers. We show
them how many hand movements are needed in order
to produce a proper fabric. Then many retailers
also understand the worth – and the price.”