ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY – BETWEEN TRADITION AND THE FUTURE
After 71 years of company history, SENNEBOGEN is very well positioned, the transition to the 3rd generation is well underway. We talk to Anton and Sebastian Sennebogen about current challenges and their strategy for the future.
You have both been with the company for several years now. What are the advantages of the “family business” system and how do you plan to continue the success story in the next generation?
Anton Sennebogen:
Of course, the family business has always shaped us, and it will continue to do so in the future: both the short decision-making paths and the depth of detail to which the shareholders are involved. We want to continue these aspects. Because that’s a key reason why we are always able to act quickly compared to others. And we think in generations – this is also a huge difference between family businesses and stock corporations that we want to retain.
Sebastian Sennebogen:
It is safe to say that the broad vision of the 1st and 2nd generations gave us experience with the company at an early stage, starting with school internships, holiday work, etc. Each of us has gained an insight into many different areas: from production and spare parts warehouses, to IT and marketing. Not only did we have chance to see what the departments do and how the processes work, we were also able to make important contacts. This has fueled the desire to get involved, including to ensure that the company retains its family character. We have many employees who have been with us for a long time, so we have good personal relationships
After all the time spent shaping your impressions: Are there specific characteristics or approaches that you would like to adopt from the 2nd generation? What do you want to do differently?
Sebastian Sennebogen:
We definitely do things differently than our parents' generation, and that's also important. A company is always changing and we want to help shape it. Everyone also has different views and attitudes. It would even be detrimental for us to continue in exactly the same way, because times and strategies are changing. Every generation brings a change in culture.
Anton Sennebogen:
At the end of the day, everyone also has their individual strengths that they bring to their areas of responsibility. The company is also getting bigger all the time. You have to constantly adapt structures, strategies and processes. But one thing we definitely want to retain is the family character. This is also our view of a family business. It should still be possible for customers, dealers, suppliers or employees to talk to Mr. Sennebogen. Another key point is agility. So that the company can adapt to changing conditions. We want to remain agile.
Sebastian Sennebogen:
Equally important is the holistic overview with a certain level of detail. It's a real asset that you don't have to rely on a 100-page presentation to understand the processes, but that everyone has a very good understanding of the basic company processes and products.
Speaking of areas: Anton Sennebogen, you are currently primarily responsible for Finance, Controlling and HR, and you, Sebastian Sennebogen, are more likely to be found in production and technology.
What do you see as the most important challenges and trends in your units and how do you plan to address them?
Anton Sennebogen:
For me, the main challenge is the shortage of skilled workers. We have been extremely active in this area for some time and still have many measures to implement. After all, it is not only important to retain our employees, but we also have to continue to build up numbers due to growth. So the focus is on recruiting and retaining employees. These are the two big tasks of HR and there are many components here. Digitization is also a huge issue through the entire administration, also in light of the shortage of skilled workers. The company is growing, but we cannot hire endless people because they no longer exist. That alone is a reason why we need digitalization. There is a lot going on in this field at the moment, there are many ideas.
Sebastian Sennebogen:
In connection with technology, we have to mention the different drive types: Diesel, hydrogen, fuel cell, battery, electric cable, etc. This is tough, because the regulations are constantly changing, which brings us back to the topic of agility. A company must be extremely fast in development in order to be able to respond to new requirements. However, some customers don’t know yet what they will need in five years, for example. This also applies when it comes to automation and assistance functions. A lot will happen with regard to sensors, software and electronics in the coming years. Complex functions will become standard: potentially automatic emptying of ships with port machinery. It is not only what is going on in Europe that counts, we also need to look globally. What is happening in South America, Asia, North America?
In terms of production and quality, we are focusing heavily on process reliability. The better you document and describe, the more precise the specifications during development, the better the production processes will be. This is also about scalability. If everything is well documented and a new employee needs less time to train, you can produce faster. This also results in quality improvements. With the parts list, a good description of the production process, well-trained employees and high quality components, nothing stands in the way of very good machine quality.
Let’s look to the future. How do you aim to lead SENNEBOGEN sustainably into the future?
Anton Sennebogen:
The basis for sustainability is financial stability. Without this, it is also not possible to invest in sustainable projects. We have this stability today and it must be a clear aim to maintain it. To secure the future of the family business even more strongly, we have also established an advisory board. It consists of members from outside the company, all of whom have a great deal of experience and some come from completely different areas. The goal is for them to be idea generators and to support us as sparring partners in strategic and heavily discussed topics.
Sebastian Sennebogen:
Then, of course, another aspect of sustainability is about making the locations more and more energy self-sufficient – and to remove dependence on energy suppliers and their prices. That’s why we are investing heavily in photovoltaics, wood chip heating, etc. Instead of the diesel generator, we now have a 500 kWh battery storage unit for Straubing and Wackersdorf, for example, which we use for testing the electric machines. These are filled as far as possible with the PV.
Anton Sennebogen:
But fair treatment of employees is also sustainable for the future. It is becoming increasingly important that employees see the purpose behind their work. Resilience must also be strengthened, precisely because everything is so agile. You have to be robust, safeguard processes on multiple levels with qualification matrices, train employees further and with a broader focus.
Sebastian Sennebogen:
We will also expand the product range. There will always be customers who need diesel, and there are countries that have very strict regulations, such as Switzerland or Norway. The regulations won't get any less strict. That is why we have established our own department for prototype construction and the new product development campus. To make us agile and forward-looking, we have centralized development, testing and prototype construction there.
On a personal level: Being a family business is more than a full-time job. How do you manage to switch off every now and then?
Sebastian Sennebogen:
I believe that as an entrepreneur, everyone has to find their own balance so that they can stay healthy and keep enjoying their work in the long-term. To outperform competitors over decades, you have to stay in top shape. That’s why it’s important to listen to your body and mind and to take care of yourself. It’s different for everyone. For example, I like to do a lot of sports, whether bouldering, tennis, mountain biking or running. And for the mind, of course, it’s important to do something with family and friends, barbecue in the evening or play cards. I don't like the expression “work-life balance”, because work is part of life. For me, it’s simply “life balance” and this covers all the components.
Anton Sennebogen:
I am a family person and enjoy spending time with my family. This is at least as important for a family business as it is for other families. If you don’t spend time together in your private life, you can’t work with each other. Of course, discussions often focus on the company, but that can’t be avoided. If you only see each other at work, a lot gets lost. Otherwise, I also play sports, especially ball sports, and gardening, which helps me to clear my head.
