Innovative, multi-award-winning and continuing on its path to growth: Günzburger Steigtechnik has come through the 2020 financial year successfully in spite of all the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic and once again looks back on a year of strength. The company achieved sales of over €50 million and consolidated its reputation as an innovation and technology leader for access solutions with a whole raft of new products. One winning aspect of this is the fact that the quality manufacturer produces its products exclusively in its home district of Günzburg, meeting the requirements of the certified "Made in Germany" proof of manufacture head-on. This meant that Günzburger Steigtechnik was able to remain in control of the supply of its range of products throughout the year, enabling it to meet its sales budget.
"We offer our customers safety that is Made in Germany. This promise has been particularly kept in 2020 as, despite all the adversity caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we were able to deliver as planned throughout the year, supplying our dealers and customers with our innovative solutions as usual. I am extremely proud that we have been able to get through this difficult year together, and to have done so well. We managed to avoid short-time working or redundancies, were able to offer our employees secure jobs and even create new ones", says Ferdinand Munk, Managing Director of Günzburger Steigtechnik GmbH.
In 2020, the company was once again successful across all its business units - with its standard range as well as rescue equipment, special constructions and the Export and Service divisions. Innovations, such as the single-person FlexxTower scaffolding and step straight ladder, were real success stories, but the new FlexxLift small lift platform is already doing extremely well on the market. Günzburger Steigtechnik also responded quickly to the coronavirus pandemic. It developed mobile and stationary partitions for infection protection as well as hygienic mobile containers, which are designed as mobile washing and disinfection stations.
In its Rescue Equipment division, the quality manufacturer from Bavaria also published its Rescue Equipment Guidebook No. 8 which, at 196 pages, is more extensive than ever before. The compendium also showcases innovations, such as mobile containers for the efficient separation of clean/contaminated items, the first electrically driven mobile container (eRC) and the company's toolboxes. They are available for the first time fully equipped - with premium-quality toolsets.
Top feedback from live presentations
Günzburger Steigtechnik consolidated its reputation as an innovation and technology leader for access solutions through its new products but also thanks to its extended digital services and its creative response to cancelled trade fairs. It expanded the functions on its website,www.steigtechnik.de, for example, and provided a live demonstration of its single-person FlexxTower scaffolding to specialist dealers and users at a roadshow that travelled the whole of Germany.
"In the past financial year in particular, it was more important than ever to respond quickly to new requirements. This is what we did, and we are now able to celebrate overwhelmingly positive feedback about our first-class services, such as the product configurator on our website, and also the roadshow. We are therefore going to expand our live demonstrations even further in future and present additional product innovations, such as the new FlexxLift, at our customers' premises - providing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic permits this and, of course, while complying with all relevant hygiene and safety regulations," continues Munk.
Grand Prix of Small and Medium Business: Plaque of Honour
The quality manufacturer from Bavaria once again won several awards in 2020 for its successful business strategy. Among other awards, Günzburger Steigtechnik won the Plaque of Honour in the Grand Prix of Small and Medium Business awarded by the Oskar Patzelt Foundation. The special prize honours the three most impressive German small and medium enterprises. Günzburger Steigtechnik has already been among the winners of the Grand Prix of Small and Medium Business Award in 2009, 2015 and 2017. The company was also awarded "Partner to the Specialist Trade" status, taking first place in the Business Equipment category as voted for by the Production Liaison Trade (PVH). This is the 18th time that the company has been in the Top 3.
The fact that sustainable trading is a matter of course for the company has also been confirmed by the auditors at Ecovadis. As part of an evaluation programme, they looked at Günzburger Steigtechnik's responsible business activities (Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR) and awarded the company the Silver CSR rating for no less than the third time. This award confirms that Günzburger Steigtechnik ranks within the top 25 per cent of the companies evaluated by Ecovadis. "Sustainability has always been a sacrosanct element of our corporate philosophy. So it goes without saying that in future we will continue to attach the greatest importance to conserving resources, preserving the quality and service life of our products and treating each other with respect," confirms Ferdinand Munk.
Business premises are being expanded
The Managing Director and his team have taken on quite a lot for 2021. They have already charted the course for the future and began 2020 with the construction of new production, warehousing and sales premises, as well as outdoor facilities in the district of Günzburg. Günzburger Steigtechnik is investing around €15 million here, creating sufficient space for its growing business units.
The company is determined not to be held back by the coronavirus pandemic: quite the opposite, in fact. "So far, we have overcome the challenges very well and we are in a strong position for the coming years. We are able to continue our path to growth and build on the company's future. I believe we owe this to Günzburger Steigtechnik, its employees and their future," explains Munk. With this in mind, the quality manufacturer will also be presenting a range of its innovative ideas to its customers to mark the start of 2021. These ideas will offer users real added value in terms of workplace safety and handling. A summary of Günzburger Steigtechnik's new products can be found in a practical video, available atwww.steigtechnik.de/neuheiten.
