mfl: About Interroll's products: You presented the HPCS high-performance sorter in March. How has the market reacted? Are there already references?
Strüwing: The market has reacted very positively, we have signed several orders, some sorters are already in operation, for example Inditex, a reference project that we realized together with Knapp.

mfl: I heard that you also want to launch something in the basic sorter segment. Would you like to give our readers some details?
Strüwing: We are already underway in the performance segment, in the mid-range too, and we also want to present an attractive entry-level solution in the spring. We also want to optimize our proven sorter technology in the mid-range segment in 2021.
to the market.

mfl: In what competitive environment do you see Interroll here?
Strüwing: We will continue to strengthen our position in the mid-range segment with state-of-the-art features. We are convinced that with the advantages for which we are known in the sorter sector, we will also offer customers real added value in the basic segment.

mfl: What are these principles?
Strüwing: Quality, speed, and ease. Speed refers to the introduction of new products and the delivery times that we can realize worldwide. Quality means that we only use proven technologies, i.e. we carry out our own extensive tests so that our customers don't experience any surprises. Ease of use means that our solutions are easy to plan, install, operate and maintain. This will also be one of the unique selling points of the new Sorter.

mfl: What does the production concept look like?
Strüwing: We have a global network of 16 plants, at least one of which can manufacture a product group on every continent. A global competence center also plays a central role in the sorters; this is located in Sinsheim and serves the European market. There are also regional competence centers on the continents that produce sorters of the same high quality. This enables us to launch new products on the global market at the same time.

mfl: How is the construction of your new plant in Mosbach progressing? Are you satisfied?
Strüwing: We are right on schedule for the move in mid-2021.
mfl: Interroll has broken new ground with the MPP modular pallet conveyor platform and its own SRM. Are there any initial applications now?
Strüwing: The MPP has proven itself in a new market for us. We were initially successful with smaller projects, but now larger orders are coming in. We are satisfied with the unique selling points of the MPP - it is highly energy efficient and covers 70% of the pallet types used worldwide.

mfl: You are not only responsible for products at Interroll, but also for innovation. How do you organize innovation?
Strüwing: Over the past two years, system innovation has been one of my main tasks. We have now founded Interroll System Innovation GmbH with 30 employees in Baal. There, we use basic development to closely monitor how far other industries have progressed in certain areas and how we can use this for intralogistics. In addition to the continuous further development of existing products, we test all innovations under real conditions in our laboratory. Baal also manages innovation projects that arise from our knowledge of the market: for example, we interview customers to understand their problems. We look for the right solutions to challenges to which they have no answers. Our patent attorney also protects our developments and monitors our competitors.

mfl: Mr. Strüwing, you moved from Mahle to Interroll two years ago. What is your conclusion? Can you compare automotive and intralogistics?
Strüwing: When it comes to production, it is always said that automotive companies are so innovative. That's why I was surprised at how far Interroll had already come. A digital factory is already in operation in Wermelskirchen, where production is paperless. In the area of innovation, we have pushed ahead with fundamental development. I was pleasantly surprised that the development department has its own laboratory. I was able to contribute my experience here, and my understanding of product development processes from my time in the automotive industry paid off.

mfl: And what else would you like to achieve in the next two years?
Strüwing: Our clear objective: we want to grow faster than the market with innovations. We see ourselves as an independent developer and producer of material flow solutions, also in the future. We are now taking a close look at some of the blank spots on the Interroll world map. We have also examined the topic of outsourcing in detail - including in a study reported on by the Handelsblatt newspaper. For us as reliable production experts with outstanding quality and fast delivery times, there is still a lot of potential to create the freedom for customers to focus on their core competencies.

mfl: Thank you for the interview!

The interview appeared in materialfluss 11-12/20.