Employee Small Talk

Dennis Eirmbter has been Project Manager AutoStore at HÖRMANN Intralogistics since December 2022 and manages the completion of ambitious AutoStore systems.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): What "winding" paths led you to Hörmann Intralogistics and what three things motivate you to start the day in the morning?

Transparent paths led me to Hörmann Intralogistics. After studying mechanical engineering, I wanted to become a design engineer in the field of vehicle or agricultural machinery technology. After 4 years at a municipal machinery manufacturer, I was headhunted by a special machinery manufacturer as a design manager. A brief intermezzo as a project engineer at a conveyor technology manufacturer followed, until a headhunter brought me to Hörmann.

Three things motivate me in the morning: the team spirit in the AutoStore team, the fascination for the AutoStore product and the collaboration with customers. The shared commitment in the team, the enthusiasm for the product and the partnership-based customer service make up the overall package at Hörmann.

HI: The automation of small parts picking is playing an increasingly important role due to the high demand from food delivery services.
How are you contributing to this trend through your role as AutoStore Project Manager?

As AutoStore Project Manager at Hörmann Intralogistics, I and my team have successfully implemented a pilot project for our customer Flaschenpost. There are two AutoStore systems right next to each other: a standard system for products at room temperature and a refrigerated system for temperature-sensitive goods. We are using the experience gained to further improve the concept. We will be implementing more and more of these systems in the future and hope that other food delivery services will be inspired by our pilot project. The clear benefits of AutoStore speak for themselves and we look forward to receiving further inquiries and requirements from potential customers.

HI: You travel a lot due to the project work on HIL's changing construction sites. What tips would you give to applicants who are also interested in a career as a traveling engineer?

I personally don't travel very much, which is perfect for me. Although I've sometimes had the desire to travel more for work, I've found that I get homesick when I'm away for long periods of time. This has changed my perspective and I would advise applicants to think honestly about how much time away from home they really want and can handle. This should also be communicated in the interview to avoid misunderstandings. Everyone is different and it is important to know and communicate your own needs and limits.

Nicole Hahn heads of our IT department. She has been with HÖRMANN Intralogistics for 30 years now and is therefore an integral part of our team.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): Dear Ms. Hahn, thank you very much for your time. What particularly inspires you about your work?

Nicole Hahn (NH): It is very varied. There are constantly new challenges, because we also stand for a certain intralogistic standard. Of course, none of this happens by itself. We design software strategies at the very highest level.

HI: You've been with us for a long time. In your opinion, what makes HÖRMANN Logistik special?

NH: We have an extremely high technical level. We don't sell anything off the shelf, but exactly what the customer needs. We solve every challenge, but really every challenge. This requires a lot of passion for logistics and sometimes also the ability to suffer. In addition, we have everything from a single source: customer service from the draft to the   to after-sales service by more or less the same people- little fluctuation creates this.

HI: What words would you use to convince new customers to choose HL?

NH: 33 years of experience in the realization of sometimes very complex projects and with the most demanding customers. Add to that the latest technical standards, single point of contact throughout the project and afterwards. In addition, our employees are also authentic and highly competent in what they do. All projects have been successfully completed in 33 years of the company's history. No comments needed.

HI: How would you inspire the new employees to join HI?

NH: Where should I start? We have spoken about the varied tasks. In addition, there is a customized induction and training, a young team with a high level of social competence. "No one left alone/behind" is what they say there today. The department management is always reachable for everything. There are bonuses, pension plan, HÖRMANN Benefit, the HÖRMANN training academy. And there is no secrecy here. We are transparent and open in our dealings with each other. You can see that, for example, at the Weißwurst breakfast we have together.

HI: Thank you very much, Ms. Hahn.

Matthis König has been "the right hand" of the management since 2017 in the planning and monitoring of the company's figures.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): Dear Mr. König, thank you very much for your time. What excites you most about your work?

Matthis König (MK):First of all, I am motivated by the good development opportunities and the daily challenges in a changing environment.

HI: In your opinion, what is the main feature of HÖRMANN Intralogistics ? What distinguishes HÖRMANN Intralogistics from its competitors?

MK: I think that with our team we have the right mix of young and experienced employees to convince in an agile and at the same time professional way on the market and to present our customers with the best possible results.    

HI: What arguments would you use to convince new customers for HÖRMANN Intralogistics ?

MK: With the financially strong supporter the HÖRMANN holding company, we can offer the necessary security to every partner who decides to cooperate with us.

HI: How would you inspire new employees for HÖRMANN Intralogistics ?

MK: We have a wonderfully open corporate culture and new employees become very quickly part of our team. Every employee can further develop his or her specific knowledge with us in depth and at the same time the flat hierarchy offers a good insight and transparency into the processes of the various functions of the company. 

HI: Thank you! all the best!

Robert Heinz has been our Autostore department manager since 2016 and in our interview he talks about his job at HÖRMANN Intralogistics, future projects and his enthusiasm for his work.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): Dear Mr. Heinz, thank you for your time and we start with out traditional first question: what excites you about your work?

Robert Heinz (RH): What excites me is the variety offered by ever-changing industries, the challenging projects, clear evaluation systems, and tangible goals within the company.

Before joining HI, I worked for many years as an independent management consultant and sales manager. Above all, I learned to act on my own responsibility, and that is what I and my entire HI Autostore® team practice.

HI: In your opinion, what is the main feature of HL that convinces customers?

RH: First and foremost, our motivated team with an unconditional drive to succeed. Thanks to short response times in customer communication and the competence of our employees, HI is a reliable partner and has been for more than 35 years.

HI: What makes the Autostore® solution so successful?

RH: AutoStore® is an innovative system for automatic storage and picking of small parts in plastic containers. Tailored precisely to the customer, it is above all time-saving, in that the employee is deployed efficiently, space-efficient, because no travel routes are required, and highly available, because attention is paid to redundancy in the system design.

And let's not forget that the system is also ecological. When containers are lowered or braked, energy is generated, which is fed to the batteries.

HI: How would you inspire new employees to join HI ?

RH: We can inspire new employees through our strong team spirit. Successes are achieved together at HI and new colleagues are welcomed openly and warmly.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics is intensifying its AutoStore® activities in Eastern Europe with the establishment of HÖRMANN Intralogistics Polska. Paweł Łusiak, Sales Manager in Gdansk, tell us how you came to HÖRMANN Intralogistics and what motivates you to conquer the new market.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): Pawel, thank you very much for your time. You have many years of industry experience in automation technology, how did you get into the logistics industry and now also to HL?

Paweł Łusiak (PL): Thank you for asking, I remember my childhood, when all the other children dreamed of becoming a firefighter or pilot, I knew that I wanted to become an engineer. I've always been interested in civil engineering and architecture until I found out what control engineering is all about. So I worked hard to get to a good university, graduate from it and get my first job. I have been working for a company for over 8 years where I have learned a lot. First as an engineer, then as a team leader, and finally as a project manager. My dream came true, I worked for the biggest players in the automotive industry right from the start. When I decided to change my job 2 years ago, I switched to BDZ-Automation, where I was able to gather my first experiences in sales. In BDZ I realized that not only automotive industry has a lot to offer on the market but there is also a big market of intralogistics companies. As a sales manager, I discovered AutoStore and I wanted to market it. 

HI: What do you particularly like about your work?

PL: In addition to traveling, I enjoy attracting new customers and understanding their needs. Every single customer is different and has his own ideas. It is a great feeling to sit down to the challenges and to meet the high demands. In this regard we agree with the HÖRMANN Intralogistics. It is an honour for us to be one of HÖRMANN Intralogistics´first partners on the Eastern European market.

HI: In your opinion, what makes HÖRMANN Intralogistics so important and how do you see the future of HÖRMANN Intralogistics Polska?

PL: My first impression is that the Hoermann Intralogistics team consists of passionate and experienced employees and a large number of projects and references speak for themselves. I am looking forward to working with a helpful and open team, as I get to know HÖRMANN Intralogistics. The Polish market is a growing market with a lot of potential for intralogistics solutions. Foreign companies invest in Poland due to its strategic location, well-trained managers and hard-working people. I am sure that we have the potential to inspire and overwhelm Polish customers for the future of automatic warehouses.

HI: What arguments would you use to attract new customers in Poland?

PL: We are a team of experienced employees and we know how to attract customers. In our daily task, we are more solution-oriented than problem-focused. We not only sell products, but with the support of HÖRMANN Intralogistics and BDZ-Automation we are able to support Polish customers.

HI: In which industries do you see potential in Poland?

PL: I would put e-commerce first. The Polish e-commerce market is still quite young and in many cases not as automated as in Germany. Intralogistics reports clearly show that Poland is one of the fastest growing markets in Europe. Every year we have new companies on the market as well as existing ones looking for modern solutions for their storage systems. E-commerce is rapidly replacing traditional shopping, which is also leading to a growing new sector in Poland based on fulfillment centers. For the reasons already mentioned, Poland is also interesting for companies if they want to start their business in Europe or be more cost-effective.

HI: Thank you very much and good luck!

Since December 2021, Tom Walther has been supporting the HÖRMANN Intralogistics team in the New Technologies / Robotics department and is responsible for current topics in the intralogistics industry, with a focus on the development of robot-supported material flow systems.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): Hello Mr. Walther, how do you experience the development of intralogistics in recent years?

Tom Walther (TW): Intralogistics has become much more important in recent years. Many logistics services are currently experiencing strong growth. Due to this increase and the associated demand for employees, the labor market is currently very tight, meaning that companies are finding it very difficult to find new employees. As a result, they are forced to retain existing employees on the one hand and, on the other, to optimize the deployment of employees for expansions and to question "simple / standardized" work processes and automate them if necessary.

HI: Where do you see the current topics and trends on the market?

TW: I personally see that topics such as fast delivery of goods (same-day/tomorrow), high availability of goods and innovative user guidance in online retail (IT and user experience) have become much more important!

HI: What solutions and innovations are you driving forward? What do you particularly recommend to customers?

TW: Innovation through automation that is adapted to customer needs is an important part of our offering. We are not a manufacturer, but a partner and expert for the needs of our customers. We offer innovative automation solutions from small warehouses to highly complex high-bay racking systems.

In addition to selecting the right technology and optimum material flow, our core expertise also lies in our innovative in-house software "HiLIS", which can be customized to meet individual customer requirements.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics has significant references in various areas / industries and very important partnerships with market leaders in their field, including: AutoStore®, Strongpoint, Robominds, Safelog, Actindo. This gives us strong partners with whom I would like to create the best micro-fulfilment concept in order to achieve significant optimization for our customers.

HI: Whatis your take on sustainability in the intralogistics industry?

TW: Sustainability is very important to the entire HÖRMANN Group. The first sustainability report is published annually together with the annual report. Our systems are also planned to be efficient and energy-efficient, e.g. AutoStore®. Ten robots here consume as much electricity as a conventional vacuum cleaner.

HI: In your opinion, what are the USPS of HI?

TW: HÖRMANN has been a partner to our customers for 35 years and is an expert in the field of intralogistics automation. We have customers from a wide range of industries and therefore have a very broad expertise and understanding of our customers' needs. The most important thing for me is our unique combination of partnerships and the innovative drive in all areas to be close to innovations, but not to leave out proven experience from functioning systems.

HI: What are your plans for the future?

TW: The expansion of our market position in the European eGrocery market - but we are generally open to projects everywhere. The further development of our AGV and multi-solutions solutions with our partners and customers is also an important long-term goal!

Janina Fricke has been working for HÖRMANN Intralogistics since 2019 and in various roles. In our interview she reveals how she combines her job with being a mom, manages her numerous tasks and keeps everything under control.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HL): Dear Ms. Fricke, nice of you to come to our interview. What excites you most about your work at HL?

JANINA FRICKE (JF): I think it's great that HÖRMANN Intralogistics is not only responsive to its customers, but also to its employees and their individual needs. If you have the confidence to do something, are open-minded and contribute, then you can create your own job, that's unique!

When I started at HL in 2019, I was hired as a full-time employee in the office. I drove almost an hour sometimes longer to and from work every day. At the time, I didn't mind. A good job and living in the country were worth it! Then I got pregnant and didn't want to stop working. Long commutes or dropping off the newborn at daycare- was unthinkable for me. My superiors agreed with the proposal to work part-time in the home office. Thus, despite having a baby, it is possible for me to continue to pursue my profession and thus combine work and family well. Since I've been working at home, I've noticed how much of my life I've wasted through long commutes. HL has made it possible for me to do my work, training, and education online, and has given me time to do it. I can now spend this time raising my child and I don't have to miss out on work. I really enjoy my work and working in a home office is exactly what I like. Many people distract me. I get a lot more done now than I did then! HL has been responsive to my needs, which has resulted in a highly motivated employee! I am very grateful for that!

HL: What do you think is the main feature of HL?

JF: I can only speak for myself and that from the point of view of an office employee: HL has a well-coordinated team and the sovereign management style, that you can get involved so much, I think is great. The employees help each other out, even though they sometimes don't know each other personally. You can rely on each other. And you can see that in the results. Reliance is important to move forward and have motivated employees.

HL: What would customers say about HL?

JF: We are honest and always give our best!

HL: How would you convince new employees to work for HL?

JF: You are immediately accepted into the team and feel part of it. Your needs are taken care of, and you can make your life more livable and combine work with family! We make useful products and have well-known customers - this is confirmed by our numerous projects!

Stefan Obermüller joined HÖRMANN Intralogistics as a bachelor's student in project management and was promoted to Junior Project Manager after completing his studies. In this interview, he tells us why he applied to HÖRMANN Intralogistics and what his future at the company looks like.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): Dear Mr. Obermüller, thank you for making yourself available to us for an interview today. As a bachelor's student, you had to juggle your studies and career. What did you study and how did you end up at HÖRMANN Intralogistics?

Stefan Obermüller (SO): In addition to my work here at HL, I studied industrial engineering with a focus on logistics management - the connection to HÖRMANN Intralogistics, which implements innovative warehouse logistics solutions, is therefore easy to understand. I came across the company while looking for an internship and also decided to write my bachelor's thesis here.

HI: Why did you apply to HL?

SO: The job advertisement for the internship was very interesting and sounded extremely promising, as the position offered the opportunity to gain a broad insight into the company. This proved to be the case. As an intern in Controlling, I had many interfaces with other departments and colleagues - be it the monthly project progress reviews with project managers or the company-wide introduction of a new ERP system.

HI: Your studies are now behind you, congratulations on graduating! What happened next for you?

After my bachelor's thesis, which I completed in the realization department at HI, I went straight into a junior project manager role. I am now responsible for the turnkey realization of complex plants, such as the expansion at Greenbay in the USA. I am very grateful for this opportunity and the development possibilities at Hörmann!

HI: Would you still recommend HI for an internship, student traineeship or thesis? And why?

SO: Definitely! I have met many experienced employees here who are keen to pass on their knowledge to the younger workforce. This creates space for innovative ideas, which are also implemented thanks to an open corporate culture. The experience I gained also had a major impact on my professional and personal development. I've already told you about the great opportunities to get into the "proper working world".

Tim Klühspies is an expert in automation and the warehouse logistics of the future. He joined our team in April 2019.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics: Dear Mr. Klühspies, I'm glad we got to talk. What particularly excites you about your work?

Tim Klühspies (TK): First of all, it's the variety. Our customers come from very different industries, and it's exciting to see what kind of requirements each field has. Of course, it's always a challenge to tailor the right solution to the individual case. But we have a lot of experience. Ultimately, we make everything possible. We also have a great team that you can always rely on.

HI: What motivates you every day?

TK: There's a quote: "The price of success is dedication, hard work and ceaseless commitment to what you want to achieve." That may sound a bit pompous, but it's just true.

HI: What do you think is the most important thing at HÖRMANN Intralogistics? What makes us special?

TK: We offer our customers innovative intralogistics concepts and thus contribute to their growth. We always think first about what is best for the customer's well-being and how we can best relieve the burden. Everything we take care of is ultimately one less worry on the other side. To do that, we're happy to go a few extra feet than is expected.

HI: What do your customers say about us?

TK: We often get positive feedback... I think what stands out most is that we work in a very solution-oriented way with the customer in mind. Projects are handled with the utmost care, and that includes always keeping the customer's interests in focus. Ultimately, their success is always our success. Then everyone is satisfied.

HI: What would you tell a new colleague, who starts to work at HÖRMANN Intralogistics?

TK: First of all, this is a great working environment. I really mean it. The whole team, exciting projects that you grow with, and the varied projects and customers - all of this gives me the feeling that I enjoy what I do. And that's simply important if the result is to be right in the end.

Peter Gierlich is our Head of IT Sales and expert for topics related to WMS HiLIS. He has been with HÖRMANN Intralogistics since 2014.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): How long have you been employed at HI and what is your daily task?

Peter Gierlich (PG): After several years in project implementation as an IT project manager, my focus has shifted to sales and systems engineering in recent years. Together with colleagues from our sales and service department, I develop concepts and offers for new systems in the high-bay warehouse and AutoStore area. The focus of my work is on process definition and system integration. At the end of the day, we provide solutions for the optimal mapping of our customers' intralogistics processes through our warehouse management system HiLIS, among other things.

In addition, I am actively involved in product development and marketing, hold webinars and participate in our trade fairs. Another exciting area of responsibility is new (digital) business models that need to be found and worked out.

HI: What excites you about your work?

PG: The product of my work is customized software solutions in the form of our HiLIS Warehouse Management System. That makes for satisfied customers. Satisfied, enthusiastic customers are a driver of the joy in my own work.

In addition, the variety of tasks and customer systems I come into contact with on a daily basis is appealing. Interdisciplinary thinking, looking beyond one's own nose, is required in my work and is a key to success.

HI: In your opinion, what is the main characteristic of HI? What distinguishes HI from its competitors?

PG: HÖRMANN Intralogistics´customers receive customized intralogistics solutions that precisely meet individual customer requirements. Our solutions are scalable, and offer the flexibility to grow with our customers over time. We stand by our customers and deliver long-term investment security for our systems. This has been our hallmark since 1987.

HI: Why should new employees join HI?

PG: Because we make it easy for new colleagues who are starting their careers or do not yet have industry experience in intralogistics to join the team through mentoring and coaching.

Personal responsibility and the freedom to take your own initiatives are practiced and encouraged.

Mark Schulz has been working in sales at HÖRMANN Intralogistics since September 1998 and, thanks to his long-term experience, he is our expert in the corrugated board industry.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): What are your tasks at HI?
Mark Schulz (MS):
My responsibilities are:

• Contact person for the customer
• Plant design and preparation of quotations
• Contract negotiations
• Internal support during the implementation phase

HI: What excites you most about your work at HI?
MS: The varied warehouse designs with complex technologies and material flows always provide me with fun and enthusiasm for my work. Of course, our powerful team with flat hierarchies and short decision-making paths is another reason why I like it so much at HI.

HI: What do you think is the main characteristic of HI?
MS: We are a general contractor of complex logistics systems with sophisticated material flows and warehouse management systems.
We also distinguish ourselves by using a wide variety of special mechanical components depending on customer requirements (example: robots on distribution carts).

HI: What arguments would you use to convince new customers (also with regard to the upcoming trade fair) for HI?
MS: We offer broad reference systems with customized logistics solutions for the corrugated industry.
Our 24h/7 days a week service always ensures high customer satisfaction. Customers therefore often realize several logistics projects with HI.
With our references in the field of plant modernization of existing high-bay warehouses with new system control and warehouse management, we also offer great technical expertise.

HI: How would you inspire new employees for HI?
MS: At HÖRMANN Intralogistics, new employees can expect a good working atmosphere, good teamwork with short decision-making paths, and independent work with many degrees of freedom.

Christian Otterbeck has been leading our customer service department for over 20 years. Together with his team, he writes the company's success story every day. In today's interview, he tells us about his work at HÖRMANN Intralogistics and the daily tasks of his employees.

HÖRMANN Intralogistics (HI): What do your customers look for when buying products or services?

Christian Otterbeck (CO): The key criteria for our customers are prices and short delivery times.

HI: What are the main needs of customers?

CO: Most customers want a central contact for all after-sales service issues.

HI: How important are the after-sales services?

CO: The after-sales services are requested/assessed by the customer for all projects even before the order is placed (for the main project) (we provide an individual service concept for each quotation) and are very often a decisive factor for the order.

HI: What after-sales services do you offer and what kind of support do you provide to your customers?

CO: We offer: Hotline (24/7), troubleshooting, maintenance, condition monitoring, spare parts management.  Also: optimization, expansion and retrofit of existing plants.

HI: How do you promote your after-sales services?

CO: Already during the project duration (main projects) and also afterwards, regular exchange and contact with customers is important to us.

HI: Tell us about spare parts distribution (if any) or other after-sales products.

CO: We offer a spare parts package with all relevant parts for each project, which is usually purchased and stocked by the customer.  Stocking this spare parts package ensures high plant availability. After that, it is essentially a matter of re-procuring parts that have been taken from the spare parts package.

HI: What influence does product innovation have on your customers?

CO: For the customer, it is important to have a methodology that is as simple and quick as possible to obtain information in the event of a malfunction or for spare parts procurement. Innovations in this area are very much in demand

HI: Which industries do you think will grow in 2022?

CO: Energy and environment, logistics and e-commerce will see strong growth in 2022, in my view.

HI: What solutions do you bring to these industries?

CO: Our solutions are cross-industry and therefore cover the various sectors.