Celebrating 55 years of success, company owners Dieter and Reiner Klauß have been proactive in the future plans of Sikla. As a result of significant international growth in recent years, the Sikla Holding Board will be reorganising itself and its subsidiaries starting in 2023.
Read what Dieter and Reiner Klauß, sons of our founder Sighart Klauß, main responsibilities will be during the next stage of redistributing internal responsibilities. In this interview you will also discover:
- Plans for the expansion of our headquarters in Villingen-Schwenningen
- Necessary future planning
- New products
- Sustainability
Sikla owners Dieter Klauß (left) and Reiner Klauß (right), sons of founder Sighart Klauß
Reiner, you will be responsible for the management of all global sales organisations and the group’s new Finance and Investments division. What do you see as your most important tasks for the future?
R. Klauß: We have always been a company selling directly and we want to continue along this path in the future. We follow the “one face to the customer” principle, which means to us being close to our customers, understanding their requirements and meeting these in the best possible way. When Sikla’s name is on the product, then Sikla’s spirit is in the product. We have always been successful with this claim and want to export this idea to many other countries. This is why we will synergise all sales activities and focus more intensely on international cooperation and on customer orientation.
Dieter, from 2023, you will dedicate all your activities to setting up the extended headquarters. Which divisions will be moved there and what is the objective behind this new structure?
D.Klauß: The Group’s international orientation requires more centralised service structures. This will include the divisions of R+D, Intellectual Property, Quality Management, Procurement, parts of our Controlling, Marketing, HR and IT. We will also have an in-house Logistics Competence Centre. We will provide tools to assist our international branches in developing their markets successfully. None of this happens behind closed doors but in close cooperation with those responsible on the ground. In this way, we create a more effective and cohesive corporate culture.
The Sikla Group has grown significantly in recent years. In April 2022, the new office and warehouse building in Poland was handed over. Are there any further projects in the pipeline?
R. Klauß: In some countries, our existing premises reach their capacity limits. In 2023, we will kick off construction of the new Sikla Austria building in Wels. This is a state-of-the-art logistics centre, to be built on a greenfield, and is currently in the planning stage. In Schwenningen, Germany, we are planning another new office building with construction starting in 2023. We are actively looking for suitable plots of land in the UK, Spain and Portugal. Such investments will ensure the most efficient supply of goods and services to our customers in the future, as well as high delivery capacity.
Opened in April 2022, Sikla Polska's new office and warehouse in Jelenia Góra
Sikla’s pioneer image as an innovator of support systems and services is an integral part of the company’s history. Can you give us an outlook on some innovations that may shape the future?
D.Klauß: That’s an exciting question. Of course, I don’t want to reveal everything yet, but this much can be said already: We have adapted the idea of a simple three-dimensional support system to the load range of standard strut channels. Our customers can look forward to seeing what we will present in 2023.
We also believe that the digitalisation of buildings will see more progress. Our motivation is to simplify planning systems in a way that BIM modelling can gradually be applied to medium-sized buildings. Standardised processes will make an enormous difference and go far beyond digital planning as we know it.
Sikla’s corporate culture has always been characterised by mutual respect. What other values are particularly important to you in your day-to-day work?
R.Klauß: We cultivate a management style that leaves plenty of room for new ideas. This is to unleash the creativity of our employees in the best possible way. With flat hierarchies and a focus on results, we create opportunities for independent and motivating working practices. We exchange ideas regularly and communicate openly with all employees and business partners. This transparent style of communication is of utmost importance to us. Actually, I think it differentiates us from many other companies.
We also aim for profitability to maintain our independence and autonomy. Investment in modern workplaces, above-average payment packages and fair and sustainable production of our products are key. We also feel socially responsible, contribute to supporting relevant social projects and help people in need.
The ecological transformation of our global economy has begun. How important is sustainability within the company’s future orientation?
D.Klauß: The sustainable use of resources has been anchored in our corporate mission since 2009. Many product developments we saw in recent years have this in their DNA already. We have completely repositioned sustainability as part of our Group strategy. Our targets are both comprehensible and measurable. By 2030, we aim to achieve carbon neutrality across all scopes based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (CHGP). Individual projects and milestones, as are the necessary certifications, are in the planning. However, we keep reviewing the term sustainability. This involves us focusing on working conditions and taking responsibility for what happens in our supply chain.
Last but not least, a curious question. What do you do outside the Sikla world when you need to relax?
R.Klauß: My family is of course at the centre of everything. We actively plan our time together; we do enjoy travelling and spend a lot of time outside in nature. It is often the simple things that make life worth living and these don’t have to be far away, or cost a lot. Cycling and running are my favourites and I can do this anywhere in the world.
D.Klauß: The family means a lot to me too. I always look forward to seeing our grandchildren and try to spend as much time as possible with them. We travel a lot and like immersing ourselves in foreign cultures. For unwinding, I ride my racing bike as well as my mountain bike and in winter it’s ski touring or cross-country skiing. Otherwise, I do like cooking and enjoy social gatherings.
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