Millions invested to the benefit of Ohligs location

Business is tough. Any SME hoping to be commissioned by the big automotive manufacturers has to be innovative. "Otherwise you don't have a chance as a supplier", explains Werner Schirmer. Those multinational enterprises dictate their conditions uncompromisingly. Hardly any find it possible to reject compromises. Schirmer: "Last year, a customer wanted to cut prices by 6.5 per cent." After tough negotiations, the two sides came to an agreement that both sides could live with. Schirmer is one of the two Managing Directors of Dr. Haubitz GmbH & Co. KG. In 2003, the business on Scheffelstrasse in Solingen made the lion's share of its 24 m euros turnover with Daimler Chrysler. But other large-scale manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Audi and Opel and a number of system suppliers have also had their plastic injection moulded parts made in this factory for years: amongst other items arm rests, seat squabs, water filler necks, plenum chambers and manifolds. "Our strengths are flexibility, speed of response and individual problem solving", continues Schirmer. The company's own developers pore over the options in close agreement with the car manufacturers until the components are ready for series production. The Managing Director proudly points out the arm rest for the Mercedes Benz Vaneo for which all the stages were completed within nine months. "Under these circumstances, it's possible we have to ignore public holidays." Commitment and performance of that kind is rewarded in the OEM supplier field. Dr. Haubitz was awarded the order for the new A-Class. However, before that could happen, the company had to dig deep into its budget. The order could not have been dealt with without expanding the production and warehouse facilities, adding new raw materials storage and installing two new additional injection moulding machines. The enterprise invested 1.8 m euros on its 14,000 square metre premises. The ground-breaking ceremony took place in February, but soon they will be stocking the high-rise shelving. Production for the 130 different parts for the A-Class will earn the company five million euros a year, according to Mr. Schirmer. And this will run through to 2011, which is the full production lifetime of this model. In total, the machines turn out around 50,000 parts a day. There are 36 machines working round the clock. Since Schirmer took over management of the company in 1986 - 30 years after it was founded - the number of employees has tripled to 150. Sixty-one-year-old Schirmer is not worrying about a successor. His daughter has been working in the company for about ten years and the 35-year-old is already Deputy Managing Director. Notwithstanding the positive development of the enterprise, Ilona Schirmer is concerned that Germany as a production location faces difficult times. High wages and ancillary costs coupled with rigid labour law have even caused the Management to weigh up the idea of investing in Germany at all. However, as long as it is possible, Dr. Haubitz GmbH & Co. KG intends to remain true to its Solingen roots. Ilona Schirmer: "We have social responsibility towards our employees. Not every company can uproot and move to some low-cost country." Photo: Uli Preuss Thomas Kraft