materialfluss: Mr. Steinkrüger, you have been at the helm of Interroll for just over half a year - how have the first 200 days been?
Ingo Steinkrüger: Very exciting. We work in a very dynamic industry that offers attractive prospects for the future - for all competent companies along the value chain, by the way. I have found a team at Interroll that really knows its job very well. We have exchanged many interesting ideas in the first 200 days, with the international managers and also on site in our factories. There are a lot of new things that we will now gradually put into practice. In short: it is and remains exciting!

mfl: What didn't you find so exciting in the first few days?
Steinkrüger: The coronavirus issue, of course, and also the global market situation. Having to deal with a shortage of materials right after the start wasn't very pleasant.

mfl: The shortage of materials is indeed a major issue in the industry. How dramatic is the situation in your company?
Steinkrüger: I wouldn't call it dramatic, but rather a highly tense situation. The challenge affects some of our material groups and it is a masterstroke by our team to be able to meet customer demand.

mfl: Is Interroll big enough to compete for resources?
Steinkrüger: Size is not the decisive issue here. We offer technologies that our customers want to use very quickly and that are important to them.

mfl: You came from the field of systems engineering - how far or close was the path to intralogistics?
Steinkrüger: As far as production logistics is concerned, there is a close connection to my previous job. But the automotive industry as a whole is of course set up differently to intralogistics. However, this also offers the opportunity to contribute experience and expertise to the intralogistics sector.

mfl: How long will it take you to get to grips with the new set-up?
Steinkrüger: As we all know, you never stop learning. It's important for me to understand the market and the customers in detail. That's why, despite corona, I have built up intensive contact with our customers and my team in a short space of time. Before the current corona wave, I was also able to visit many customers in person.

mfl: A word about your predecessor, who was very well known in the industry thanks to his more than 20 years working for Interroll - what good advice did Mr. Zumbühl give you when you started at Interroll?
Steinkrüger: The positive thing about our collaboration is that we share our ideas and experiences intensively. We therefore learn a lot from each other. We complement each other very well, which is a lot of fun.

mfl: Have you ever met in business before?
Steinkrüger: No.

mfl: How do you deal with the big shoes you've stepped into? Have you felt any reservations about "the new"? How is the situation now, after 200 days?
Steinkrüger: I'm dealing with it very well, as I've already gained a lot of experience here in my professional life. In such cases, there are usually two attitudes in the companies: One side is rather uncertain and asks questions about what change might mean - the other is curious and looks forward to new things. With this in mind, we have managed to make a smooth transition and keep the team well aligned under the new CEO.

mfl: Let's look at the Group Management level - your team of six is very international with two Germans, one Chinese, one Italian, one American and one Swiss. Which official language have you chosen?
Steinkrüger: Chinese(laughs). No, we speak English and occasionally slip into German. I'm also currently learning a little Italian. When we all get together, English is spoken consistently.

mfl: What can you agree on? Is there a common hobby?
Steinkrüger: We can all agree on common leadership values. As well as food(smiles).

mfl: In your opinion, what are the advantages of being international?
Steinkrüger: It is our credo. Companies are able to adapt to changing conditions when they incorporate different perspectives and approaches into their decision-making processes. This is also one reason why our managers come from the region or country for which they are responsible.

mfl: Where is the shoe pinching for your customers? What impressions have you gained during your travels?
Steinkrüger: Apart from the current pandemic situation, there are three main things that drive our customers in their normal everyday lives: Firstly, it's about speed. Our customers, i.e. system integrators and plant manufacturers, need quickly deployable solutions so that their own customers can work with them as quickly as possible. It's not just about delivery time, but also about reaction time when a new task arises. The second issue is customer service. Where does the material come from? Where does the technician who solves my problem have to come from? And the third issue for customers is to have an information base with which they can work and make decisions quickly and reliably - for example when designing their solutions. In structural terms, these three aspects came up again and again. Our self-image reflects these requirements very well: Interroll is committed to quality, speed and simplicity - we have always aligned our strategy with these guiding principles.

mfl: In this country, Interroll was on the road with a truck roadshow - how did this rather unusual idea for the intralogistics industry come about?
Steinkrüger: The idea was born before the pandemic, but it helped us a lot during the pandemic. Video conferencing can replace a lot, but meeting in person has a different quality. We wanted to travel to our customers. There were more and more stops on the European tour during the planning phase, as our customers and partners were enthusiastic about the project. Real communities of interest were formed on site, consisting of system integrators and their customers, for example. The exchange was very fruitful and we were also able to acquire new customers.

mfl: Is there a sequel?
Steinkrüger: Yes, definitely. We will be seeking direct contact with our customers again in 2022 via our truck roadshow.

mfl: Can a roadshow replace a traditional trade fair?
Steinkrüger: It is still too early to make a fundamental assessment of this question. In 2022, we will be operating on two tracks and also exhibiting at LogiMAT, for example. Of course, this is also a financial question; we have to see how we can use our budget as efficiently as possible.

mfl: Managers usually invest in stones and legs - you have some major construction sites ahead of you and behind you with Mosbach, the expansion of Baal and the new plant in Suzhou. How are things progressing, what is the current status?
Steinkrüger: In Suzhou, we are in the final spurt and will be able to move to the new site in 2022 and use the much larger areas. Mosbach has been running since mid-2021, where we have been manufacturing the product portfolio for our modular platforms for container and pallet conveying, the belt curves and the latest product, the Smart Pallet Mover. The ramp-up of the individual products is now underway. The relocation has freed up space in the existing Sinsheim plant, which we are using entirely for our sorter range. Our site in Baal is also being expanded. The background to this is an expansion of our product portfolio for the food industry. We will be significantly broadening our product range for this sector.

mfl: When will you tell us more?
Steinkrüger: You should know more around the middle of the year.

mfl: Why in the food sector?
Steinkrüger: We try not to come up with "me-too" solutions, but to identify specific challenges in certain sectors. In the food industry, there are a few things that we transform into solutions with a unique selling point.

mfl: An expansion here, a new building there - the outlook is clearly looking up for your company ...
Steinkrüger: I would describe it like this: The demand for Interroll products continues to be very good.

mfl: How high is the capacity utilization?

Steinkrüger: This varies depending on the product groups and regions, but we are very satisfied with the current situation(smiles).

mfl: Do you still have enough employees for incoming orders?

Steinkrüger: It is very important to us to invest in our employees' own qualifications and further training, so we currently have no difficulty in finding enough suitable staff.

mfl: What values and culture does Interroll want to represent?
Steinkrüger: Our values are very long-term oriented. What has always characterized Interroll is business excellence, i.e. creating an environment that enables top performance. In all areas - from budget meetings to product development and current efforts to improve the delivery situation. The second characteristic is openness: we listen and want to understand. Then there is internationality: we want to be local and not just operate from Europe.

mfl: How do you communicate such approaches internally?
Steinkrüger: The best method is to set an example. Preaching water and drinking wine will never work. I have learned that employees generally look to two managers for guidance: their direct superior and the CEO or chairman of the board. If managers set an example of what they demand, they can also put it into practice. So it's all about inner conviction, stringency and discipline.

mfl: How satisfied are you with the launch of the Smart Pallet Mover?
Steinkrüger: Very. The market is curious and the product has attracted a lot of attention. The first products have already been sold. However, because it is a completely new business area that we are now working in and we are not operating in the AMR or AGV solution area with this solution, the market's understanding of the uniqueness of the solution still needs to grow.

mfl: AGV and AMR are currently getting a lot of attention ...
Steinkrüger: Yes. That suits us well. Because we are convinced that we are well positioned with our product portfolio and our technologies in the field of material flow. We can clearly see that the technologies complement each other.

mfl: Interroll is also currently stepping on the gas in the Software & Controls division. How are things progressing?
Steinkrüger: At the beginning of 2021, we founded a new Center of Excellence Software & Electronics with the acquisition of MITMacher GmbH. The center has picked up speed. One example: We can now offer our own control system for our own sorters, which makes work easier for our business partners.

mfl: Also in the area of software?
Steinkrüger: Especially in the area of software, yes. But I would like to add a little something here: I would like to make one thing clear at this point. Interroll is always quickly confronted with the question of whether we are not developing into a system integrator. I have a clear answer here: No, we are not. We are a technology company that wants to supply products that optimally support integrators and OEMs with their solutions. We want to offer a comprehensive portfolio ranging from individual rollers to complete conveyors and sorters. Our expertise lies in products and technologies, not in system integration. These are completely different capabilities in the value chain. We are and will remain neutral. Our aim is to play a key role in shaping technological progress.

mfl: So there won't be a "preferred partner" either?
Steinkrüger: Here too, a clear and unequivocal no. Our self-image is very Swiss, which means we remain neutral(smiles).

mfl: That would be a nice closing in itself, but I still want to ask one more question: How do you think the economy will develop in the coming year? And how will Interroll?
Steinkrüger: We remain cautiously optimistic.

mfl: Thank you for the interview!

Martin Schrüfer conducted the interview with Ingo Steinkrüger at the end of November 2021 - once again via video call rather than live and in color due to the pandemic. Hope remains for the time "after Corona".

The article appeared in materialfluss 1-2/22.