With a focus on operational efficiency and safety performance, Wuppermann Staal has grown continuously and sustainably over the past few years as many European companies are still struggling to recover from the GFC.
As the largest and most modern production site in the Flat Products Business Unit for the Wuppermann Group, Wuppermann Staal is developing innovative new ways to operate and interact with its employees.
The CEO Magazine sat down with Dr Peter Jongenburger, Managing Director of Wuppermann Staal and a member of the Board of Management of the Wuppermann Group, about the companys strategic survival during the recession and its ambitious program of continuous improvement.
When I arrived I think a couple of things were already very good. The concept of the plant was very good. It had the potential to be a very low-cost operation but a couple of things werent very well organised. The turnover of personnel was high and I firmly believe that if you want to build you have to have a stable organisation.
One of the first things we did was to ensure that the turnover of personnel was reduced. At that time, we had around 2025 per cent of staff leaving us every year, which we had to replace with new people, and thats not a firm basis for growth.