Dedication behind - e.wurth-logistics.com - Würth Logistics

www.wurth-logistics.com Edition 1/2011Martin Fuchser (58) originally trainedas a metal worker and then worked as atechnical draughtsman. In 1988, he movedto the Swiss office of Miebach Consultingwhere he designed conveyorsand thereby developed a fascination forlogistics and project management: “Thisis my world!” Intralogistics became thefocus of his career. During his 14 yearsat Miebach, Fuchser also kept cominginto contact with Würth; the corporateculture of the global business group appealedto him. When he was offered a jobhere, the passionate motorcyclist movedhis place of work to Aspermontstrasse inChur. Fuchser is married and the fatherof three grown-up children.His intralogistics colleague MichaelWild had an early taste of logistics evenbefore he took it up as a career. In fact,the 45-year-old from Rhineland Pfalzworked in a materials depot during hisnational service. Wild concentrated onconveying technology early on in his engineeringstudies. Afterwards, he workedfor a couple of years in distribution formanufacturing companies. “There I wasquickly given responsibility and managedprojects from the initial brief to handover.It was just my thing.” After a shorttime he moved … to Miebach Consultingin Frankfurt. “I was hungry for really bigprojects with 50 million capital expenditureand plenty of complexity.”Experience of 100 projectsIn 2006, he came into contact with Würthand Martin Fuchser who was in the processof looking for an experienced intralogisticsexpert. “I knew Martin by sight,and we hit it off right away. It is hardlysurprising; after all we have lived for along time in the same consultancy culture.That makes all sorts of things simpler.”So Wild followed the call of Switzerlandand the possibilities offered bya major employer and went to work inChur. His wife and three sons continue tolive in the Pfalz. “That works quite well inmy job. I have always travelled around alot.”Both logistics consultants initiallyworked under the Würth Phönix banner;later, it said ITensis on their businesscards. Fuchser: “There, we were regardedas having a rather exotic speciality.But now we are part of the team at WürthLogistics, we are in our element. We enjoythe exchange with like-minded colleagues.”Engrossed in the detailed plans of large storage facilities: Martin Fuchser and MichaelWild are in their element.In the past few years, the pair have takena good 100 projects through to completion,the majority for companies withinthe Würth Group and about one tenth forexternal clients. These include a 20-million-eurodistribution centre in France,a retrofit project for production logisticsat a Swiss manufacturer of technicalcomponents and a five-day audit of awarehouse in Brisbane.Many contracts come from regular clients.The intralogisticians often stumbleon interesting projects via the logisticsnetwork within the Group. And they alsoget work from external contacts throughword of mouth. Wild: “With the changeto Würth Logistics, we would like to placegreater emphasis on the free market.”Spectrum of services:from a quick fix ...Some customers use the intralogisticsteam from Würth Logistics selectively:for monitoring projects, checking plans,interface management or designing logisticsIT. Clients often engage Fuchser andWild to carry out an audit. This involvesthem analysing in the space of a few daysall processes that take place in and betweenincoming goods, the warehouse,picking stations, production islands andoutgoing goods. This results in clear andeasily implemented suggestions for improvement.“New clients in particularvalue this service. With one very transparentinvestment, they can see quicklyin black and white where the potentiallies within their company. And how theycan exploit it.” If this results in a project,the consultants from Chur are availableto carry out the operational project management.“Logistics projects in companiesare often given to one manager.In addition to their standard duties, ofFrom two years of project management ona 30-million-euro distribution centre to afive-day logistics audit: the range of servicesprovided by the Würth Logistics intralogisticsconsultants is very wide.