From insolvency to global player
From the Bergwinkel to 43 countries around the world:
Immergut from Schlüchtern, which was run by the Ziegler family until 1990, is now a global big player in the bottling industry. The development from a family-run dairy to a leading co-packing company has been a journey of ups and downs, including one insolvency. Immergut, whose international path is outlined by Managing Director Dirk Denhard and authorized signatory Harald Pohl in the interview, is particularly proud of the international business relationship with China that has existed for many years.
The starting signal for the international career came in 1990 with the decision to sell the dairy to Nutricia. “Harald Ziegler did this to secure the future. But he also got the international business rolling,” explains Dirk Denhard, who has worked at Immergut for 33 years and has been plant manager for 21 years. Back then, Immergut produced chocolate milk for the Netherlands, for example, and later also other beverages for parts of Europe. However, the good start was followed by difficult years, first Immergut was sold to Berghof in 2001 and then a few more times. Insolvency in 2004 and 2005 marked the low point, but not the end. While the insolvency administrator only gave the company a few more days, those responsible found shares worth half a million euros in the safe. This gave Immergut a boost and led to a realization that still shapes the company's self-image today: “We are good in the small niches of co-packing, or rather in long-life specialty products such as enteral nutrition. For example, we can also produce long-life yoghurt that is not subject to a cold chain and is therefore suitable for long-distance transportation,” says Harald Pohl, who has been lending his energy to the dairy from the Bergwinkel region for 18 years, summarizing the basic philosophy.
According to Pohl and Denhard, a network of reliable suppliers and partners in the respective export countries as well as a good Internet presence - and the long-standing cooperation with Tetra Pak - also play a role. Until 2007, the international contract filling business was limited to Western Europe and Scandinavia. This changed when the Bauer Group joined the company. “We then focused on certain growth areas - such as medical, dietary and high-protein nutrition. Then we really got going,” says Harald Pohl. Incidentally, the long-life yogurt mentioned above is produced in Bergwinkel for the Asian market. Immergut has had a constant presence on the market there, especially in China and Hong Kong, for around ten years. An aspect that the two managing directors are particularly proud of. “The Chinese market is one of the most difficult, also in political terms. The fact that we have been successful there for ten years is quite an achievement. We can rely on good local partners, which of course also applies to other countries such as England or Scandinavia,” says Harald Pohl. With regard to China, the framework conditions have changed during this time, as the “Made in Germany” label has lost a lot of its image and is no longer a can opener, as Harald Pohl says: “Today, it is no longer an advantage to come from Germany.” Instead, Immergut sees itself confronted with international competition from countries such as Australia and New Zealand, where there are fewer customs regulations than in Germany.
Added to this are requirements from the European Union and rising energy and quality costs in Germany, which makes competition more difficult from a German perspective. If the market to be supplied is outside the EU, such as China, then there are completely different laws and requirements that cause headaches for the managing directors. The registration for a cat milk product for China alone took five to six years. This is precisely where Pohl and Denhard would like support from the German authorities. The managing directors lack direct contacts who can provide expert support on the long export route. “There is hardly any support, you have to find out everything yourself,” says Harald Pohl, citing the interpretation of Chinese laws as an example where he would like to see clarity from an authority. However, the reality is different; the laws are often a matter of interpretation, which makes work more difficult for the Schlüchtern-based company. “You often bump up against fronts,” is Harald Pohl's experience. The interpretation is then the responsibility of other intermediaries, such as veterinarians. “We Germans always interpret laws extremely,” the Managing Director has noticed. Immergut is nevertheless successful on the international market because, according to Harald Pohl, the company lives by the following formula: “You have to position yourself as a company, make a name for yourself and then deliver.” The fact that Germany as a location can score points with high quality standards certainly helps.
And so the Schlüchterner dairy can now look back on 130 years of company history. International business partners from China, England and the Netherlands joined in the celebrations. Incidentally, the two managing directors report that the international guests are always impressed by the Bergwinkel. The forests and the greenery are always met with admiration.
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