Offenburg. For more than 91 years, the Offenburg-based machine builder Meiko has been on course to growing globally. Company figures in terms of employees, sales, formation of new companies and site extensions have been on the rise for many years. This also applies to the German market, which has witnessed particularly strong growth in recent years as one of the company's core markets. The Managing Director of the Meiko Group, Dr.-Ing. Stefan Scheringer, now favours restructuring the German market. In mid-2019, the 10 German subsidiaries of the Meiko Group will merge to form Meiko Deutschland GmbH.
Why is the company breaking up a structure that has worked so successfully up to now? Dr. Scheringer was clear on this point: "Our customers prefer what we offer – our machines and our servicesystem – to the competition. And they feel that they are in good hands with us. That is the basis of our success. And that won't change. We are now adapting our structures in such a way that we can further improve the service we offer to our customers." The special service system will continue to include cooperation with authorized retailers and service partners - nothing will change that. Meiko continues to strive for no direct sales with end customers.
The markets that Meiko serves have undergone particularly strong structural changes in recent decades. Trends, purchasing behaviour, logistics and, in particular, digitalisation are reshaping the industry landscape. Scheringer added: "We have many more large customers today who use our products at several locations throughout Germany. Consider the large hospitals or leading supermarket chains. Is it really best to serve these customers by means of 10 individual companies? Customers of this size want one contact partner, uniform terms and conditions and consistent service. This also benefits our medium-sized customers."
The new Meiko Deutschland GmbH will be headed by three Managing Directors: Michael Mayer (previously Head of Sales Germany Meiko Maschinenbau GmbH & Co.KG), Klaus-Peter Karnstedt (Managing Director Meiko Subsidiary Berlin) and Lars Urban (previously Managing Director Meiko Subsidiary Rheinland, Rhein-Main and Südwest). All three highly experienced managing directors have a crystal-clear objective: to create a Germany without borders, to increase the service quality offered to all existing and future customers through greater proximity and additional personnel.
Scheringer noted: "This move marks our response to structural change. This is what our customers expect from us! But that also includes our commitment not only to preserve, but also to cultivate, the special culture of Meiko, which our customers greatly appreciate. We will therefore remain a value-oriented company for all. One whose partnership everyone can rely on."