The end of the year is just around the corner and another pandemic year is drawing to a close.
Time for a very personal look back at the last 365 days and a look ahead to the coming business year, because we have already cooked up quite a bit that you can look forward to. Julien Lorch and Niki Küch, the managing directors of BlaueErdbeere Krefeld & Aachen, in an interview.
Fabienne: “What were your blue highlights of the past year?”
“Corona cast its shadow this year too, hit many companies hard and, unfortunately, often shook the usual planning certainty in private as well as professional life, we are all the more grateful for our successful 2021 financial year. Without major cuts we were able to act reliably for our customers and shape great large-scale projects”, emphasises Julien Lorch.
“Many advertising budgets were cut significantly, and we still managed to win major orders involving a Germany-wide rebranding of more than 140 branches. For me and our staff, BlaueErdbeere has been a constant, reliable anchor in these turbulent times”, stresses Niki Küch.
Fabienne: “And privately: the management scores with two new arrivals at once. Two little BlaueErdbeeren came into the world this year.”
“Yes, but BlaueErdbeere is glad of new people too. We have managed to fill important positions.”
Fabienne: “Which skills were we able to gain?” For BlaueErdbeere Aachen alone we were able to win three new staff straight away. Pia, as a trained signage technician, takes on inside sales and project management, and Tobias, as a signage master, is our all-rounder when it comes to successful project control and implementation – we were also able to strengthen our line-up in graphic design with Britta, a working student”, affirms Niki Küch.
"BlaueErdbeere Krefeld is also glad of hands-on support from Dennis as a sign and illuminated-advertising manufacturer, Pascal as a production staff member, signage technician and installer, and Leon as a painter for advertising installations," adds Julien Lorch.
Fabienne: "What has BlaueErdbeere achieved from your point of view, and what stayed under the radar? What sets BlaueErdbeere apart from other sign makers?"
“This year we managed to register hardly any short-time work. Because of the order situation we were able to carry on without major cuts,” says Niki Küch.
“It is our wide variety of sectors that works in our favour here. In the pandemic we were also able, for example, to offer cities fast help, whether vaccination or test centres or laboratories. BlaueErdbeere proved in the pandemic that we are able to provide support and deliver very, very quickly,” adds Julien Lorch.
"Well, and another difference from other signage makers comes to mind. This year we were glad to welcome a visit from Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek (CDU). She commended our lively start-up culture and how flexible our training is. She called our company exemplary for Germany. Despite Covid we continue to train people and give young people a start in working life; that, as managing director, is especially close to my heart, so Erik and Jakob were able to begin their apprenticeship as sign and illuminated-advertising makers with us. At the same time three apprentices successfully completed their training, so that we were able to take on Josy for print production, Julia for sales and Anne for the graphics department full-time", says Julien Lorch.
“And in Aachen too we are already planning to start the first apprenticeships next year”, adds Niki Küch.
Fabienne: “Honest self-criticism belongs in a year in review too. So, among the football fans among us: where did we drop a point, what could have been better?”
“The pandemic presents us with new challenges not only on the demand side; delivery times, delivery costs and availability have become very unstable too. This fact is not always easy for us to manage either. Going forward we hope that familiar planning certainty will bring more calm back into day-to-day business”, affirms Julien Lorch.
Fabienne: “What should be worked on more? Which products and services should be expanded?"
"Getting into the digital signage business was one of the goals for this financial year. Thanks to many small projects, but also one major customer project, BlaueErdbeere was able to prove that, as a digital signage integrator, we offer our customers not only the hardware and the software, but also the content concepts, programming along with individualised interfaces. We are very satisfied with a six-figure turnover and are glad about the successful start", says Julien Lorch.
“In classic signage too, we want to set ourselves up more holistically and deliver comprehensive store design to our customers, from concept, graphics and production through to installation and regular maintenance”, emphasises Niki Küch.
Fabienne: “What exciting visions can we look forward to in the coming year?”
“We have a lot planned for 2022 too. BlaueErdbeere Aachen is in the starting blocks to rent a new production site with over 300 m2 of usable floor space”, announces Niki Küch.
"Furthermore, the purchase of a new vacuum-forming machine is planned; a new flatbed printer will enable even faster direct printing and larger print dimensions for us. These investments are important for us, so that we also take a step towards sustainability. The printer is significantly more economical and therefore more efficient. In addition, we are planning a larger conversion of the company building. Bathrooms are to be renovated, the showroom completely redesigned and the office walls partly replaced by glass walls. Another sustainability topic occurs to me. We already have our Dibond waste collected by Thyssen Krupp for reprocessing; in future, Plexiglas waste is then also to go for recycling", says Julien Lorch.
Fabienne: “What would your BE mission for 2022 be! Where is the journey headed?”
"Mission BE in one word: full throttle! We want to keep giving our all so we can serve our customers in an uncomplicated, flexible and fast way. I personally hope to be able to celebrate the achievements ahead together with the whole team; that often wasn't possible in the coronavirus period. And finally, we want to thank our customers and creative characters unconditionally: you were great! We are endlessly glad to catapult ourselves into 2022 with this great team", stresses Julien Lorch.
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