Growth strategy: Excelling with innovative products

The new management of Hubtex has been in office for one year and is now stimulating the growth rate of the company with a revised corporate strategy. An initial success achieved by the new management team, comprising Jürgen Keller (48), Marco Goldbach (44), and Hans-Joachim Finger (46), is the order book, which increased to € 80.4 million last year. To expand the production capacity to meet the demand, Hubtex began building a new production hall at the end of 2015 and enlarging its office spaces and social rooms at its head office in Fulda. In the interview Hans-Joachim Finger, Managing Director, Sales and Procurement at Hubtex, explains what plans the company has for the future and what benefits customers will derive from them.

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Editor: Mr Finger, Hubtex has been on a growth path for years. How do you intend to absorb this growth in the company?

Hans-Joachim Finger: During the restructuring of the management two years ago the entire divisional management wondered what vision, and deriving from it what mission, Hubtex would follow in the next few years. We then examined the strategic direction of the company, redefined and implemented corporate and divisional objectives. The result is a strategy broken down into product groups, market segments and individual markets with the vision: “We move!” Our desire to preserve value and our claim that we are dedicated to partnership are anchored in our vision. We have seen a steady increase in turnover over the past two years. In 2014 turnover amounted to € 52 million, in 2015 it was just under € 58 million, and for this year we are expecting a similar growth of up to ten per cent. As part of this process we are continuing to develop our product strategy. In 2016 we shall be presenting a range of new products, and at CeMAT we will be introducing the first vehicle from the multidirectional sideloader segment at the end of May.

In the course of the year further products will follow. Another focus is on potential markets. Hubtex already enjoys an export share of approx. 70 per cent, but we could still increase our market share substantially in North America, for example, in the automotive industry. Our objective in the next few years is to use hitherto unused potential and penetrate new markets more deeply.

Editor: What role is your core electric multidirection sideloader division playing in the implementation of the strategy?

Hans-Joachim Finger: It is still playing an important role. Besides the development of our core segments – the lumber, plastic and metal industries – we are also focusing on specific industries such as the aeronautical, automotive, glass or disposal industries. Both our core product, the electric multidirectional sideloader, and various special and heavy load vehicles are used in these segments, and it is here we want to excel in the market, particularly with innovative products. Since we are gradually approaching our capacity limits due to a very good order intake, we began extending our production and assembly hall, as well as our office space and social rooms, at the end of last year. The production of the special and heavy load vehicles is housed in the new building at our corporate head office in Fulda so that more space has been freed up in the new building for the production of the electric multidirectional sideloaders. This will enable us to achieve even greater process efficiency which will in turn have a positive influence on our customers.

Editor: What benefits do your customers enjoy apart from the increased process efficiency derived from the growth strategy?

Hans-Joachim Finger: As a result of the extension and new building we will in the future have optimum capacities to continue responding quickly to demand. In addition our customers profit from the interdisciplinary problems which we solve on a daily basis and customer-specifically for different industries and sectors. This knowledge and know-how transfer will benefit all product groups and ultimately also our customers – technically, but also scientifically.

We are also focusing this year on the expansion of servicing. Hubtex is already collaborating closely with service partners around the globe who are able to offer customers on-site service when required according to Hubtex standards.
To make further improvements we are, for example, in the process of introducing a remote maintenance system for our sideloaders, enabling us to access the vehicle data in real time. According to our “We move!” vision Hubtex, as a competent partner, supports its customers in meeting all requirements regarding the transport of long, heavy, bulky loads.

Editor: Mr Finger, thank you very much for the interesting discussion.