Bonding - More than materials | Herrmann Ultraschall

STEFFEN BAUCHERT TOO YOUNG TO HAVE BEEN AT THE COMPANY FOR 30 YEARS Looking at Steffen Bauchert, it is barely imaginable that he has been at the company for as long as he has. In September 1990, at the age of 16, he began his apprenticeship as an Energy Systems Electronics Engineer. When the third business unit, NONWOVENS, was founded in 1994, he quickly saw the potential of ultrasonic technology for applications with nonwovens. In the new business unit, he assumed many service assignments worldwide and grew into a management role, until he discovered his passion for sales and key account management. “Selling capital goods that require a bit more explaining to close the deal needs to be learned and understood,” he says. “I grew into my role, developing more and more expertise as I went.” Finally, he assumed responsibility for Asia and has been Regional Sales Director NONWOVENS since 2010. Traveling and the Asian mentality suit him – he “I HAVE GROWN INTO MY ROLE.” Steffen Bauchert KOKU SEWOA FOLI NEW OPPORTUNITIES Koku Sewoa Foli arrived in Germany in 2015. He lacked prospects for the future in his homeland of Togo. While searching for an apprenticeship position, he found Herrmann on the Internet – with the help of his German teacher Ursula Hub. She and her husband Hermann be- came important persons of reference for Koku Foli. “Mrs. Hub helped me a great deal in all the bureaucratic matters and other matters related to my residence permit – I will be forever grateful to her,” he says with tears in his eyes. After a 6-month internship, Herrmann Ultraschall offered Koku Sewoa Foli an apprenticeship as an Industrial Elec- tronics Engineer. He accepted and has never regretted this decision. He is grateful for his boss Niels Geiler and the friendly colleagues. He is also impressed by the struc- ture and organization of a German company. The German punctuality also impresses him and is very much according to his taste – this is a bit less important in his homeland. He will definitely not forget working with the now retired Willi Weissenburger, who not only supported him as a colleague, but also always inquired of his personal wellbeing. “Despite the dialect, I understood him well and will never forget his sincere interest in me as a person.” What he does not like so much are the German winters and the bureaucracy – but it is what it is and he gladly accepts it. His social engagement is at the food bank in Ettlingen, where he helps out as a volunteer. He would also like to help orphans from Togo, who often do not get regular meals and have no access to education. Thinking about home is not always easy, as he misses his family – he has not yet even had the chance to hold his youngest child. has a lot of respect for the technical and economic achievements of these countries. He always brings back something for his family – such as a real bonsai tree from Japan. “Unfortu- nately, it did not survive!” he laughs; “my green thumb is not as good as my ability to sell ultrasonics.” He has found the last few years very exciting, with the changes in the company following the generational handover and Thomas Herrmann assuming his role as CEO. The huge transformation and the growth at the company are also key to his personal development and motivation: “A small SME has become an international, modern, and very successful com- pany.” What he finds especially great is the culture journey, the cultural transformation in the company started in 2016. Socially, the topic of “crowd- funding” is important to him. It allows ideas and people to obtain funding even if they don’t start out with inves- tors or sufficient resources. FRANK WEBER YOU ALWAYS MEET TWICE – PART 1 After his apprenticeship as an Energy Systems Electronics Engineer from 1995 to 1999 at Herrmann Ultraschall, Frank Weber left the company, did his civil service, obtained his university of ULF RIEHM YOU ALWAYS MEET TWICE – PART 2 As an engineer for process technology, Ulf Riehm loves implementing technical blueprints in such a way that, in the end, an economical product is made. In his first job after completing his degree, he was responsible for manufactur- ing engineering at an automotive supplier. In 2008, he started to work at Herrmann Ultraschall and was head of Applications Engineering PLASTICS, i.e. the ultrasonic laboratory, in which the customer inquiries for bonding plastic parts are implemented. In 2012, his first employer offered him the chance to build up and strengthen the intra-group mechanical engineering department, an offer he accepted. With the changes in the automotive industry, he was open to new challenges, and he became curious when former colleagues told him about the culture journey at Herrmann. The first telephone calls after eight years felt as if they had parted only yesterday. Soon followed talks and discussions about returning as head of mechanical and electrical de- sign. “The revenue of a company is irrelevant to me,” says Ulf Riehm. “What matters to me is the vision for the future; that is exactly where Herrmann has its focus. However, I still see the company in a transformation from a work- bench to a factory that can manufacture series items in large number.” He wants to make his contribution to this exciting transformation. What changed the second time? The company has left behind it many antiquated, rigid hierarchical structures. applied sciences entrance qualifica- tion, and then did a degree in sales engineering and product management at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sci- ences, which he completed in 2005. It was actually “Herrmann veteran” Jürgen Pfrommer, of all people, who saw Frank again at the gym and recruited him. Frank Weber is amazed at the transformation Herrmann Ultraschall has undergone. “During my apprenticeship, Herrmann was a handicraft business with a rough tone and fewer than 100 employees. There was still a beer vending machine in the production department!”, he remem- bers. He shaped the growth in the new NONWOVENS business unit together with his colleagues, ultimately opted for the sales route, and first became team leader, then sales director, and finally business unit director. What changed the second time? “As a young man, I merely “functioned” There is a comprehensive strategy in place and the company is working hard on a cultural transfor- mation that promotes value-based cooperation and a new management style. “Now, many really talented and dedicated people are working here who know how to put their own ego aside,” laughs Riehm. However, not everything is perfect yet and there is still a lot to do. He wants to con- tinue to do his bit. Func- tioning tools of the trade are the precondition for efficiency: working processes, well-mastered work equipment, and a disciplined meeting culture. After work, Ulf Riehm is engaged in social causes. For one, environmental protection is important to him, especially re- forestation, as forest depletion is forcing people to migrate. Additionally, he supports projects for refugees. “With these environmental and social projects, I simply want to make an impact!” and went to work because I had to. I was often like a robot, did a lot of overtime, and sometimes even drove to the company parking lot by mistake on Sundays – I was in such a rut,” he laughs. “Now, my way of thinking and my everyday working routine have completely changed: It is important to solve the application so that the customer is happy – it is just as im- portant to sometimes laugh with your colleagues and to deal with conflicts in a healthy way.” “It is a privilege to be able to make my contribution here!” Socially, there is a specific work project that is im- portant to him. He supports inventor and industrial partner Christoph Schmitz, who has developed a simple but effective adhesive-free adult dia- per. It is soon to be manufactured in sheltered workshops with a Herrmann machine and delivered to old persons’ homes. That would be a win-win situation for everyone. 109 108