Company in East Thuringia: After their father’s death, brothers Ronny and Denny Karl suddenly found themselves running a family business with 70 employees three years ago.
Pasta from Riesa, as well as muesli, frozen foods and salads on Aldi shelves, come in packaging from Rüdersdorf (district of Greiz). Even the outer packaging for the noisy vuvuzelas—eight million units in total—rolled off the line here for the 2010 Football World Cup. On the outskirts of the tranquil community that belongs to Kraftsdorf, Karl Verpackungen produces for well-known companies across the continent. At 45%, the food sector accounts for the largest share of production volume. A sensitive field: strict hygiene standards to protect food from substances in the packaging material play a decisive role. To date, the GmbH has been able to keep pace with its HACCP certification. Since April, the next level up—the international BRC standard—has been passed with top marks. “This means we can join the big players in the industry,” says Managing Director Ronny Karl, already setting his sights on a new target group in Austria and Switzerland: “Clients for coffee packaging.” The family business also identified a second important customer group in good time: online mail order. Industry leaders such as Amazon and Zalando rely on shipping bags from Karl, which leave Rüdersdorf bearing the label “Kavepa.” Initially, this made-up word was intended only as a catchy brand name. In the meantime, it has developed into a company philosophy. Kavepa stands for customer focus, affinity with the product, trust, commitment, product diversity, adaptability. The family business and its 70 employees want to stand behind all of these values. Managing Director Ronny Karl also has a personal guiding principle: “Offer the customer more than they expect.” Competition is becoming tougher at home and abroad. That means being faster and more flexible than the competition. With 17 converting machines, two printing presses, two cutting systems and a laminating system, the technology is powerful and modern. This year, a new converting machine is to be purchased for just under €350,000. Half a million euros is also planned for 2015. These investments will not create additional jobs. But they will make the existing ones more secure. The aim is to generate higher sales with a constant number of employees, says the boss. At the same time, jobs should be attractive today and in the future. Karl hopes to achieve this with many small measures—from birthday gestures for employees and working-time accounts through to guaranteed promotion opportunities. The company pays for qualifications and master craftsman courses, says Karl. After all, nobody benefits if colleagues are frustrated after ten years because they cannot progress within the company. Enabling careers is crucial, especially in view of the need for skilled workers. Karl assures: “Anyone who continues their education has the chance to become something and earn more money.” Problems finding young talent? It should not come to that in the first place. From September, the company will train two process mechanics for plastics and rubber technology as well as two print and media technologists. At the moment, two prospective administrative clerks are also learning their profession. Managing Director Ronny Karl (34) is a plastics technician by training. His brother Denny (38) holds qualifications as an industrial clerk and IT technical assistant. He is responsible for production at the company, which both have been part of for 12 years. They have witnessed the company’s rise since childhood. Their father Jürgen Karl took the step into self-employment in 1990 with the “Packaging Materials Service Rüdersdorf.” At the time, it was purely a trading company offering snack-bar supplies, flower packaging and vacuum bags. Production started in a niche area in 1991. Jürgen Karl did not want to manufacture standard carrier bags, but high-quality packaging. His plan worked: just four years later, he inaugurated a new production facility in the presence of nine employees. From then on, the company expanded at breakneck speed: an extension in 2002, a new production hall in 2005, the next expansion in 2006, an additional production line in 2010. That was when the world’s first 12-colour flexographic printing press—developed in Italy—came to Rüdersdorf.
Then came the blow of fate in 2011: a few days before Christmas, the company founder dies of cancer. His sons have to take over completely—and prove themselves exceptionally well prepared. Ronny Karl becomes Managing Director and principal shareholder. His brother Denny and bookkeeper Simona Sindermann also hold shares. Despite the tragic turning point, there is no sign of stagnation. Within 24 months, turnover rose by eight percent to €12.8 million last year. The brothers see themselves as a positive example of how the younger generation can successfully continue a company built by their parents. This was only possible because the family stands behind it, decisions can be made quickly and consistently, and because the workforce pulls together, as Karl emphasises. His claim: “As an entrepreneur, you have to have passion. And if you can pass 50% of that on to your employees, then you can already call yourself successful.”
Machine operator Max Petzold at the laminating system. Here, two raw films are bonded into a duplex or triplex laminate. At the moment the photo was taken, muesli packaging that you can find at Aldi is being produced.
Photo: Beikirch/ Text: Steffen Beikirch – 2014-05-26 OTZ – Z0R0001539015
