For the past year, Stefan Spreitzer as Technical Managing Director and Christoph Götzendorfer as Commercial Managing Director have jointly steered HARTJES through the present and into the right future. A review and outlook.
What has changed for you with the new role and the associated new areas of responsibility? What was the most challenging thing?
Christoph Götzendorfer: Since we took over the management together, our responsibilities have expanded significantly. In addition to strategic decisions, we are also much more closely involved in operational processes. Of course, this also means that we have more influence on the long-term direction of the company and can work directly on the further development of the HARTJES brand. That was new for me, Stefan was already familiar with it.
Stefan Spreitzer: The transition from sales to technical management changed everything for me, as I first had to grasp the individual processes and tasks of my new employees and learn to understand the interrelationships. However, everyone’s support significantly shortened the process and I was able to rely on the expertise of long-standing and competent people. At the same time, it was important to radiate security and calm for our employees one year after Corona, when the effects were still very much in evidence.
Christoph Götzendorfer: For me, one of the biggest challenges was certainly the balance between continuing proven processes and implementing new ideas. Close collaboration with different departments and clear communication were also important learning processes to ensure that everyone was moving forward on the same path.
What were you able to build on during this time of change?
Stefan Spreitzer: Fairness, cooperation and humanity. This is where HARTJES is strong.
Christoph Götzendorfer: The values and traditions of HARTJES remain the basis of all our decisions. Our focus on quality, sustainability and roots in the region are constants that we want to continue and strengthen. These are the cornerstones of HARTJES’ success and consistency, and they are very important to us personally.
What was the most pleasing thing about the past year?
Stefan Spreitzer: It is clear that the measures we have taken together with everyone can be seen and are bearing fruit.
Christoph Götzendorfer: Exactly, it’s nice to see how individual “gears” mesh together. And for me, it’s clearly also a success: that we have clearly established ourselves on the market in a difficult environment and have been able to grow.
What have you recently learned to appreciate even more about HARTJES?
Christoph Götzendorfer: The consistency and loyalty of our employees. Their commitment and identification with the company are exceptional. In addition, the strong connection to the region and the appreciation of our customers is another aspect that we have particularly felt this year. The trust placed in us is a great motivation.
Stefan Spreitzer: Cohesion at all levels – I think that sums it up.
Where do you still see potential that you would like to exploit more in the future?
Stefan Spreitzer: I think we still have a lot of potential in our core markets. It is important to consolidate our market position and continue to develop.
Christoph Götzendorfer: We also see opportunities to make production processes more efficient in the area of digitalization and automation. A lot is already in the test phase here. And although we are already successfully represented in some markets (e.g. the USA), there are still opportunities for growth in terms of the internationalization of the brand.
How do you perceive the shared responsibility?
Stefan Spreitzer: The division is a big part of our success. We complement each other because we both have strengths that support the other. However, it is also very important to respect the boundaries of each other’s areas of responsibility and to rely solely on each other’s skills when necessary.
Christoph Götzendorfer: We have the opportunity to look at decisions from different perspectives. This leads to more informed decision-making and gives us the opportunity to support each other, which is particularly valuable in challenging phases.
What do you appreciate about the other managing director?
Stefan Spreitzer: Christoph is one of the most intelligent people I know. He acts in a very level-headed and structured way. I’m also lucky enough to get on well with him in my private life. We are both very social and the people around us are very important to us.
Christoph Götzendorfer: We both originally come from a sales background – that’s probably why we’re not so dissimilar in many respects, especially when it comes to customer orientation. Stefan has a hands-on mentality, whereas I often take a more theoretical approach to things. I think I’m also more objective, which is why I’m glad that Stefan often brings his emotional strength to the table.
What are you looking forward to when you think about the future together with HARTJES? What plans would you like to realize in the short, medium and long term?
Stefan Spreitzer: We want to consolidate our market position, continuously develop our company and continue to be as successful with HARTJES as we already are.
Christoph Götzendorfer: In the short term, we want to continue working on optimizing our internal processes. In the medium and long term, we see great potential in expanding into new markets. We are looking forward to further developing HARTJES as a strong, future-oriented brand while preserving the company’s tradition and values.