I have to admit, when our Managing Partner Detlef Lohmann announced his latest vision, I was a bit sceptical. "We will produce fewer products in the future, repair a lot instead, and thus save more resources."

But well, I love challenges and so I was open to this new and unusual idea for a production company. However, one question should still occupy me for the next few months: How do we implement the new business model so that it is attractive and practicable for our customers? After all, the best idea is of no use if it is complicated, exhausting or expensive to implement.

Why pay more?

To make a load-securing bar, for example, my colleagues need between one and four minutes. The repair took about the same amount of time. The only difference was that the condition of each bar had to be assessed by employees before it was repaired. Then a quotation was written to the customer. Our extra workload and the additional transport costs drove up the price of our service. As you can imagine, it made no sense to convince our customers: why should they pay more for repaired goods than for new ones?

But because we were convinced that there had to be a way to save resources and at the same time develop an attractive offer, we kept tinkering. We streamlined our internal processes, built a flat rate and trained our staff to be able to repair poles from all kinds of manufacturers. This makes it easier for our customers: they can now send any pole - whether from allsafe or not - to us for repair.

Repairing works!

And despite this progress, there were also some dampers: the workers at one customer's site, for example, did not pack the bars carefully and threw them carelessly onto a pallet. Then a few times the forklift hit the ends that were overhanging the pallet. What condition do you think the poles arrived in?

Let me put it this way: the colleague in the goods receiving department needed a lot of loving attention afterwards.

But because giving up is not an option, we invented a box in which the bars fit perfectly. This not only made our colleagues in the goods receiving department smile, but our customers were also happy to accept the uncomplicated handling.

In the meantime, we see every day how well it has worked to turn the initial vision into reality. That makes me very happy! We have grown together as a team - each and every one of us is now making their own personal contribution to saving valuable resources.

And the problem with the long delivery routes? We already have an idea about that ...