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German Business Awards 2017 Auditors of the Year 2017 JC Kling is a medium-sized law firm of accountants, lawyers and tax consultants with offices in Kaiserslautern and Frankfurt. We invited Dr. Jan-Christopher Kling to tell us more about the firm and the range of services it offers.
Also in This Issue... Best Bitless Horse Riding Lessons Provider - East England
Editor’s Note
, Welcome to the 2017 German Business Awards. Being the top economic power in Europe and the fourth globally, Germany has long established itself as a reliable and productive place for businesses to run and thrive in what currently seems to be a turbulent economic environment. German employment gains have continued its incredible run since the financial crisis, where job numbers have grown every year from 2010. In addition, the German government budget surplus ensures there is flexibility to further increase public spending to integrate newcomers into the workforce. With an 1.7% growth expectation, the German economy has managed to ensure both business owners and consumers that it is the best destination to invest in Europe. Hannah Stevenson, Editor Phone: +44 (0) 203 725 6842 Email: h.stevenson@aiglobalmedialtd.com Website: www.business-news.eu AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.
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4. DERMALOG: DERMALOG Identification Systems GmbH Best Biometrics Company 2017 & Most Advanced Identification Software: DERMALOG ABIS 6. The Destination Office: Best Full-Service Destination Marketing Agency 2017 8. infill healthcare communication GmbH: Best Healthcare Communications Agency 2017 10. JC Kling: Auditors of the Year 2017 12. Katjes International GmbH & Co. KG: Best Sustainable Food Production Group 2017 14. Tosoh Bioscience Gmbh: Best Global Chromatographic Solutions Supplier 2017 16. Wenko Wenselaar Gmbh & Co Kg: Best Kitchen & Bath Accessory Provider 2017 & Award for Excellence in Household Product Designs 2017
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Best Biometrics Company 2017 & Most Advanced Identification Software: DERMALOG ABIS DERMALOG Identification Systems GmbH, based in Hamburg, is the largest German biometrics manufacturer and is known as biometrics innovation leader. We profile the firm to find out more about the range of services it offers. As a pioneer in the development of biometric products and solutions, DERMALOG has shaped the world of security for over 20 years. To ensure continued excellence for the firm, a team of scientists is constantly working on “Automated Biometric Identification Systems” (ABIS and AFIS) including the latest fingerprint live scanners as well as biometric border control systems and biometric ID cards and other documents. “FingerLogin”, “FingerPayment” and “FingerBanking” are also DERMALOG products, as well as automated Face Identification and Iris Identification. Alongside Germany and Europe, DERMALOG’s main markets are in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Middle East. The company has now delivered its technologies and solutions to more than 200 government agencies in 80 countries. DERMALOG also provides biometric solutions for banks and ATM manufacturers. The world´s largest biometrics bank project (50 Million USD) has been implemented by DERMALOG: An ABIS for the 23 Banks and for the Central Bank in Nigeria ensures single identities of bank customers and guarantees best
possible KYC. Numerous ATMs worldwide have been equipped with DERMALOG´s fingerprint technology replacing insecure PINs. On a mission to offer biometric innovations to the world in order to make it a safer place, DERMALOG technology is designed to achieve fast and reliable results. As such, the firm’s developers put the highest priority on its continuous improvement. This has led to state-of-theart algorithms in large-scale databases without compromising accuracy rates. What truly sets the firm apart is that, in its role as manufacturer, supplier and system integrator, the company is able to implement solutions very quick, even into existing projects. This allows the team to respond flexibly and quickly to customer requests and provide them with truly exceptional service. The German corporate landscape offers the company many advantages which also help to mark it out as an ideal supplier for its customers. Being located in the largest economy in Europe is a competitive advantage, not only in recruitment, but also in customer acquisition, it has easy access to neighbouring countries. DERMALOG also benefits from
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the internationality and numerous universities at its headquarters in Hamburg. Operating in such a fast paced, constantly evolving market means that any firm that wants to succeed has to adapt quickly and offer unique solutions that meet its clients’ needs. One of most important trends in the market currently is multi-biometrics. Fingerprint recognition, face recognition and iris recognition combined in one solution provide a crucial contribution against identity fraud. With ABIS, DERMALOG offers a fully customizable software package for multi-biometrics. It provides the ability to match, store or process the captured characteristics, so-called biometric templates. As a multibiometrics provider, DERMALOG is able to link for example fingerprint recognition to face recognition. Looking ahead, there are a number of exciting developments for the firm, as mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are becoming more important in the daily work of its customers. Therefore, DERMALOG is currently working on simplifying the integration of such devices into its solutions to ensure the firm’s continued success.
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Contact Details Company: DERMALOG Identification Systems GmbH Contact: Lorena Rivas Garcia Contact Email: Lorena.RivasGarcia@dermalog.com Address: Mittelweg 120, Hamburg, 20148, Germany Phone: 0049-40-4132270 Website: https://www.dermalog.com/
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Best Full-Service Destination Marketing Agency 2017 The Destination Office is a boutique-size destination marketing agency representing Destination Canada, Visit Finland, Visit Estonia and Tourism Toronto. Barbara Ackermann gives us an insight into the workings of the company and the services it offers.
The Destination Office employs a diverse range of employees, leading to a very varied team, consisting of tourism experts, media and PR-pros, as well as digital natives. PR and content marketing are something all staff specialise in and where the company feels comfortable. Content amplification is their passion, and under one roof the firm develops a variety of products and solutions; starting with content in text, photo, audio and video, as well as PR and social media strategies. Barbara explains how it feels for the agency to have earned this award, and acknowledges that the clients of the company play a big part in its success.
“Here at The Destination Office, we are simply thrilled, and deeply honoured. Thank you so much for this fantastic award. We are lucky to have clients who are very progressive, open-minded and at the same time trusting. All of our successes we really owe to our clients as well as all the passionate on-, and offline media we work with.” Operating within the marketing and PR industry, The Destination Office team encounter many exciting opportunities and events
that increase the business of the firm and naturally, its success. Barbara recognizes the importance of high-profile clients that the team has worked with, as well noting its experience and knowledge.
“Due to the Olympics, FIFA and other world cups, and the visit of William and Kate, we have had the great pleasure to work with a huge variety of media and influencers covering a wide variety of topics, which go well beyond travel. For Canada, we have been awarded as the only long-distance destination for the best PR-services for the past seven years, as voted by media. We were also very early with influencer marketing and combining influencers with brands. That helped us to differentiate ourselves from the rest.” Being a small team is something Barbara sees as positive for the company, particularly in relation to communication. She notes that communication is easier, and the size of the company enables each member of staff to learn from each other.
“Positively, we are a small team which makes the lines of communication easy. Additionally, we complement each other, so we continuously need to talk and
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learn from each other all the time. Curiosity, innovation, learning and sharing are the best words to describe our culture.” Germany is a curious and exciting place. Barbara comments on what the main benefits are of being based in the country, citing the fact that Germans are always keen to travel. However, in this day and age it really does not matter where the agency is based, as Barbara alludes to the fact that the team meet clients wherever they want, whether it be in Berlin, Hamburg or Munich.
“Basically, integral to the success of our agency, the Germans compete with the Chinese as the world’s travel champions. The desire to travel continues unabated for most Germans. Although drawn to exotic countries, holidaymakers in Germany have also been won over by destinations closer to home. However, there is also a market potential of 15.4M longhaul pleasure travellers aged 18 or more. Besides being an attractive market, the benefit of an agency in Germany is that it can cater to all German-speaking markets. Overall, Germany is a very decentralised country. We are based close to Düsseldorf and Essen, home of Germany’s biggest publishing house, Funke
Mediengruppe, but we will travel to most places in order to work with our clients.” In her concluding comments, Barbara lists what developments she foresees within the marketing sector inside Germany, and how The Destination Office will adapt around this. Barbara signs off by talking about the huge impact that social media has across Germany and in the media sector.
“Moving forward, for Germany, credibility, fake news and independency are currently regarded as the biggest media challenges, robot journalism is the latest item on the list. Social topics rank the highest. Media have to produce more, faster, and in different versions: e.g. for mobile, shareable content for social media etc. They have to work stronger from a visual perspective and have to write shorter texts. Journalistic content therefore, needs to be produced so that it is shareable. It is particularly interesting that a press release which was doomed to die out as per latest research is again showing a high appreciation among German media. Social media continues to be mostly a research tool. German media rank Facebook first and Twitter second, even for research in Germany.”
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Contact Details Company: The Destination Office Contact: Barbara Ackermann Contact Email: barbara@destination-office.de Address: Lindener StraĂ&#x;e 128, Bochum, 44879, Germany Phone: +49 234-32498074 Website: www.destination-office.com
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Best Healthcare Communications Agency 2017 infill is an international, innovative, healthcare agency, specialising in medical education and digital communication. We caught up with CEO, Ingo Barmsen and Medical Director, Dr. Emma Raderschadt, to learn more and explore the secrets behind the firm’s success. Since being established in 1986 in Koenigswinter, Germany, infill now has several branches (Frankfurt, Basel, Colorado and Oxford), and works with many clients, including top pharmaceutical companies and medical societies. infill’s comprehensive range of services include healthcare communication strategy and consulting, medical education and digital solutions. Ingo outlines the firm’s service offering in more detail and highlights the aims which all staff aim towards. “At infill, our expert multidisciplinary consulting team assesses clients’ visions and potential challenges in healthcare communication, in order to develop optimal solutions and maximise their user engagement. Highly specialised in delivering tailored medical education to different target groups, infill creates innovative, interactive and user-friendly content specifically targeting user needs – from patients to professors, as well as internal medical-medical and marketing assets.
“To support both marketing and medical education needs, infill’s digital strategy experts create award-winning concepts that they are then able to fully implement, keeping everything under one roof and simplifying the entire process from the client’s perspective. These concepts are often strengthened by multichannel innovation to ensure that the end-user has access to the resources in the format that they prefer most. It is important to be flexible and adapt content strategy depending on market needs by monitoring metrics based on KPI’s. Ongoing collaboration with target users to identify needs and preferences ensures we select suitable, innovative platforms and channels to maximise effective communication and improve performance. “Additionally, infill identifies synergies within pharmaceutical companies to improve brand communication while optimising resources. We have a proven track record of providing top quality services to clients, confirmed by a multitude of satisfied client testimonials and user
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feedback. From virtual advisory boards to workshops, symposia and booths, to engagement with faculty and academia, we provide superior strategic concepts and delivers reliable scientific content in multichannel formats.” Ensuring excellence for clients requires a dedicated workforce, all of whom are committed to common goals, as Emma emphasises, “To ensure that our clients’ needs are always met, infill comprises an international team of experts in science, medicine, IT, marketing and graphic design. We all work in close collaboration to deliver excellent content in healthcare communication and medical education. Low staff turnover and direct client contact, together with efficient project management and tracking, ensure optimal project flow. infill’s partnerships with international medical societies has established strong connections with many key experts. Our multichannel strategies for medical education together with innovative multimedia tools, have gained several awards,
and established our reputation as a small, highly successful, healthcare communication agency.” Operating in such as fast paced and constantly changing market, infill has to work hard to stay at the forefront of emerging developments, as Ingo is keen to highlight. “With healthcare education trends being driven by societal changes and shifts in demography, there is a growing need to deliver assets in innovative, engaging and cost-effective formats across the globe. Patient-centric care, promotion of wellness and a holistic outlook toward health are the new mantras. These new ideas are most likely to drive the markets and usher an era of greater precision in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
“Over recent years, the landscape in healthcare communication agencies within Germany, as well as internationally, has primarily encompassed three key trends: consolidation of separate units to create a bigger composite unit; insourcing; and integration
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of automation and new technologies. We address these by continuously honing our product and services range to offer specialised cutting-edge services whilst maintaining strategic alliances with third parties.” In her concluding comments, Emma outlines what the future holds for infill and how the company will continue to grow and develop alongside the changes it foresees in the industry, so that it can continue to meet its clients ever evolving needs. “Fundamentally, infill is always open to new and exciting need for global healthcare communication. In particular, we have expanded our congress report programme, and now use a multichannel approach to facilitate access to the latest scientific and clinical data. This can easily be adapted (to different language versions and/or local regulatory requirements) to align clinical practice among healthcare professionals worldwide.
“Another exciting area is the promotion of health rather than disease, and infill is currently working on an innovative multimedia concept to promote health and disease awareness, as well as a multichannel smoking cessation programme. All of these developments will provide us with many great opportunities for further growth which we look forward to sharing with our clients.”
Contact Details Company: infill healthcare communication GmbH Contact: Bettina Boßmann Contact Email: bossmann@infill.com Address: Boserother Straße 37, Königswinter, 53639, Germany Phone: 4922448784841 Website: www.infill.com
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Auditors of the Year 2017 JC Kling is a medium-sized law firm of accountants, lawyers and tax consultants with offices in Kaiserslautern and Frankfurt. We invited Dr. Jan-Christopher Kling to tell us more about the firm and the range of services it offers. Drawing on its vast industry experience, JC Kling offers a wide range of services to a vast array of clients, as Jan-Christopher highlights in his opening comments.
advice internationally globally operating stock-exchange listed companies. Moreover, we are also active in the area of the public sector, particularly in the areas of non-profit organizations and research institutions.
“JC Kling is a society comprising charted accountants, lawyers and tax consultants, which covers all the areas of consultation in legal, tax-related and economic environments. Besides the classical sectors we also offer asset management, consulting, mediation and coaching, and can thus assist with consultation for the entire scope of business management. The major areas of activity of our company are tax configuration consultation, also with tax expertise, the accompaniment of tax audits and representation in fiscal court proceedings, the complete support of companies, from foundation, purchase and sale, configuration and succession advice. In this context, we of course also carry out due diligence checks.
“To ensure these clients receive the very highest standard of service, our approach is to have an overall observation of the type of consultation required. It is not only the legal solution or consequence of a case that is presented, but rather a consideration of the overall economy. We in particular check the possibility of gaining advantages from the resulting problems and finding a solution without large legal disputes, which leads to the business basis remaining in place, and the clients and their opposing party can continue with their business relationships, which mostly have been in existence for many years.”
“As we are able to offer a large and varied service offering we have an equally large and varied client base. Most of our clients are managed by their owners and particularly appreciate the individual assistance of consultants, who accompany them over many years. We also
In his concluding comments Jan-Christopher is eager to emphasise what sets JC Kling apart from its competitors and marks it out as the best possible option for its clients.
“Ultimately, at JC Kling we differ from our competitors while in our understanding having the same broad specialist knowledge, but we can act at lower cost
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and shorter processing times because of our structure. In particular medium sized companies value this ability, that we are not focussed on providing the maximum number of consultation hours, but focus on the goal in order to manage the mandate on the long term and in the best case be a companion and contact person for all legal, financial and tax matters for decades. For this purpose, we have a matrix structure in the company which enables the client to get an appropriate contact partner and additional employees in the team who can accordingly act for them, and moving forward this client focused approach will remain as we seek to build upon our current success.”
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Contact Details Company: JC Kling Contact: Dr. Jan-Christopher Kling Contact Email: kling@jckling.de Address: FischerstraĂ&#x;e 11, Kaiserslautern, 67655, Germany Phone: 49631362390 Website: jckling.de
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Best Sustainable Food Production Group 2017 Katjes International is an innovative firm offering a range of brands aimed at consumers across Western Europe’s confectionary market. We profile the firm to find out more. Established in 2011, Katjes International is part of the Katjes Group together with its legally independent sister companies Katjes Fassin GmbH & Co. KG (Katjes Germany) and Katjesgreenfood. The firm’s long-term “Buy-andHold” approach is geared towards sustainable value appreciation. The strategy allows participations to remain legally and organizationally independent after the takeover. Katjes International has already established a track record in transnational M&A transactions within the Western European confectionery market. Established brands including Lutti, Piasten, Dallmann, Festivaldi, Sperlari and Manner all are investments of Katjes International, supporting the continued success across Europe. With sugar confectionery producer Lutti, Katjes International owns the number two sugar confectionery producer in France and the number one in Belgium. Nationally and internationally Lutti has established a reputation over its 120-year history for its sour fruit gums for example Surffizz and Bubblizz. With a market share of more than 40 percent, Lutti is also the market leader in the segment of sour fruit gums in France. At its production site Bondues, France, Lutti has
an annual production capacity of around 50,000 tonnes of confectionery. In Belgium, Katjes International has acquired the independent confectionery distribution company Continental Sweets Belgium. With its successful distribution strategy, the company played a key role in establishing Lutti as the number one brand in Belgium. In 2010 as well as 2014, the company was awarded as the best sales team in the Belgian confectionery market. In addition to its well-rounded portfolio of distribution brands, the company also sells the brand Vicks cough drops in Belgium and the Netherlands since the end of 2015. The German company Dallmann complements the Katjes International portfolio of strong brands with its traditional products in the sage cough drop segment. Dallmann’s famous drop is the number one cough drop in German pharmacies (by number of sold packages). Furthermore, Dallmann distributes its cough drops, sage and thyme sweets among drugstores and recently supermarkets in the D-A-CH region. In October 2014, the Katjes Group became a 100% shareholder of Piasten, the largest producer of sugar-coated sweets in Germany. The confectionery manufacturer produces
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over 30,000 tonnes of confectionery every year. In fiscal year 2015, Piasten achieved net sales of around EUR 100 million. The company is based in Forchheim (near Nuremberg), Germany, and has more than 90 years of history. The company generates more than half of its sales through its sugar-coated products, including its brands Big Ben and Schokolinsen. Last year, Katjes International acquired the remaining 50% of Festivaldi B.V. Since then Katjes International is now the sole shareholder of the Dutch liquorice producer. The Harlekijntjes brand is the topselling liquorice product by volume in the Dutch market. More than 30,000 tons of the product is consumed each year in the Netherlands. The latest participation is the Italian confectionery product manufacturer Sperlari s.r.l. Katjes International acquired 100 per cent of the No. 2 player in Italy with popular brands like Sperlari, Saila, Dietorelle and Dietor, mostly positioned as No. 1 in their respected segments. The profitable enterprise with approx. 400 persons achieved a gross net revenue of about 100 million Euros and has achieved a strong position in the Italian confectionary market. In June 2017, Katjes International announced its acquisition of a c. 6%
stake in the Austrian-based biscuit firm Josef Manner, the largest Austrian producer of confectionery products. The Manner group combines products such as the Neapolitaner wafers. Katjes International is supportive of the company’s strategy. Looking ahead, the group is keen to continue acquiring companies with a focus on strong brands within the Western European confectionary market. As the second largest confectionery company in WesternEurope, Katjes International is a strong player and continuously observes the markets closely in order to identify suitable target companies, to achieve a leading position in the most attractive confectionery markets.
“Additionally, the firm’s sustainable investment strategy stands for continuously observation of the market and the customer demand. Katjes International takes a longterm perspective to find today the trends from tomorrow. Sustainability means changes and innovations to stay in the sweet spot in the international confectionery market and will remain the firm’s ongoing focus as it looks towards a bright and exciting future.”
Best Sustainable Food Production Group 2017 Katjes-International.de
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Our Management Team & Our Brand Family
> Contact Details Company: Katjes International GmbH & Co. KG Contact: Volker Weinlein (CMO) Contact Email: info@katjes-international.de Address: Dechant-Sprünken-Str. 53-57, 46446 Emmerich, Germany Phone: +49 (0)2822 601-700 Website: http://katjes-international.de/
Management Team; BASTIAN FASSIN; TOBIAS BACHMÜLLER; STEPHAN MILDE - Katjes-International.de
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Best Global Chromatographic Solutions Supplier 2017 Tosoh Bioscience GmbH, member of the Tosoh group, markets and supports liquid chromatography solutions for research, drug discovery, clinical chemistry, environmental analysis, manufacturing, and other industrial applications. Dr. Romain Dabre provides us with a breakdown of the services that the company offers. Tosoh Bioscience’s product portfolio encompasses a wide range of media and prepacked HPLC columns for all modes of liquid chromatography and GPC instruments. The firm also offers method development support, chromatographic workshops, and on-site training and services. Romain starts off by telling us the main benefits of being based in Germany in his opinion, and what benefits there are specific to the Rhine-Main area.
“Germany is one of the main hubs for biopharmaceutical companies, not only big pharma but also start-ups or academic sites. Moreover, due to the central position within Europe, being located in Germany facilitates communication with our customers throughout our territories. The Rhine-Main area offers convenient commuting solutions, especially via the Frankfurt airport. This provides direct connections to our customers not only in Europe but also in Middle-East and Africa.” Placing a firm emphasis on the customer, Romain discusses Tosoh Bioscience’s mission and the steps that the firm takes to achieve this. He talks about how important it is for the company to
adapt to the developments within the industry.
“Here at Tosoh Bioscience, our mission is to give customers an all-in-one consumable solution for their chromatography projects. The teams within Tosoh Bioscience work in synergy to offer timely and sound answers to enquiries. We tend to be more technical advisers than product sellers to customers. It is also important for us to be dynamic to adapt to the continuous changes in the biotech community and market, as shown by our new sales structure to better serve our customers.” What makes Tosoh Bioscience stand out from its competitors is its unique supplies and solutions. Romain explains how the inimitable service provided by the firm helps it to mark it out as the best possible option for clients.
“Tosoh Bioscience is the only supplier of chromatography solutions to the biopharmaceutical market offering expertise for all scales of liquid chromatography solutions: from early stage discovery through clinical trials to largescale production. These solutions cover not only analytical (U) HPLC columns and process resins, but the long history of
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Tosoh Bioscience in this field accounts for sound scientific and technical support to customers.” Part of providing excellence for clients is good customer service. In order to deliver good customer service, Romain details what the internal culture is within Tosoh Bioscience, explaining how the team ensures that all staff are equipped to provide the best possible service.
“First of all, we are working according to a frequently audited and ISO certified quality system, which also includes regular training of staff on and off the job. Continuous direct communication between colleagues in different teams ensures not only technical knowledge exchange but also customer needs are supported throughout the organization. This allows for even better and faster service. Improving permeability of our team structure is one of the key driving forces for our success.” Being based in Germany, there are many trends that are constantly developing within the industry, and Romain acknowledges that the company must work hard to monitor these trends, and how the firm’s innovation has reaped rewards within Germany.
“Major trends are driven by customer requirements, such as cost reduction, higher product safety, and shorter time-tomarket. These needs prompt the development of reliable products that support faster and more productive methods. Our recently developed products aim to meet these goals. “Another major emerging trend in the biotech industry is globalization of operations or projects. Projects developed locally for years can be internationally outsourced downstream in the project chain. We are structured to support the local development process. But also as a global group under the Tosoh Corporation umbrella, we seamlessly adapt to project globalization, offering the same quality of service to customers, wherever their operations evolve.” Looking ahead, there is a lot of positivity running through the firm. Tosoh Bioscience is the sole sponsor of the International Conference on Hydrophobic Interaction and Downstream Processing (HIC/DSP), and there is an event scheduled to take place on February 18-21, in 2019, located in Interlaken, Switzerland.
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Contact Details Company: Tosoh Bioscience Gmbh Contact: Dr. Romain Dabre Contact Email: sales-marketing.tbg@tosoh.com Address: Im Leuschnerpark 4, Griesheim, 64347, Germany Phone: +4961557043700 Website: www.tosohbioscience.de
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Best Kitchen & Bath Accessory Provider 2017 & Award for Excellence in Household Product Designs 2017 WENKO is a German family-owned company which operates all over the globe. We spoke to Niklas Köllner, one of WENKO’s CEOs, as we aim to find out more about the company and its products. A diverse range of about 6,000 products complements WENKO’s portfolio in the segments bath, kitchen, laundry and living. The company conducts its own research and introduces new innovations to the market continuously, subsequently launching approximately 400 to 500 new products every year. The products are distributed via the B2B business streams stationary retail business (basically DIY stores, but also alimentary stores etc.), mail-order business and e-commerce. WENKO offers a full-service package to its partners including, among others, the full range, planning of storage racks, assistance at the POS by an own field service and sales agencies, provision of advertising material to boost retail sales, individual support required by the trade, to name a few. Outlining the firm’s overall mission, Niklas alludes to WENKO’s philosophy and the WENKO-team’s commitment to the quest for “the better idea”, leading to the company being one of the most innovative in the industry. This philosophy is a key part of the company’s success.
“Here at WENKO, we aim to maintain and further the company’s success, and as such the company follows its philosophy: ‘All product developments arise with the aim to be innovative, practical and intelligent for the consumer and to make life every day a bit more pleasant and comfortable.’
By following this principal, we legally protected more than 1,000 products and innovations during the last years.” Being based in Germany, Niklas is keen to highlight that the country is highly developed when it comes to logistics and is in the heart of Europe, meaning its delivery opportunities are shorter and easier than those in other areas, something of the utmost benefit to the company.
“Germany is highly developed when it comes to logistics, therefore being in the heart of Europe, delivery ways are shorter, than from other areas. At the same time, we understand ourselves not as a German company, but more as a European company with German roots. Most of our employees are speaking several languages and we do actually support that. Think global, act local is somehow what we want to stand for, being able to give the customer base what they deserve.”
this leads to a further source of ideas and enables us to take their demands additionally into account. The development process is carried out by our own product management team and designers. Furthermore, our clients are supported by our merchandising and category management team which helps to implement our specially developed shop systems. Due to the close cooperation between our partners and us, in particular our key account managers and field stuff, a steady, beneficial interchange of ideas and information takes places which is part of our successful liaison.” Looking ahead, WENKO has just opened a new warehouse with the idea in mind of becoming even quicker and more efficient with its supplies. Niklas notes that along with innovation, logistics is also one of the core competences of the company. He signs off in his concluding comments, by
describing what developments he foresees within the German corporate landscape and how the firm will adapt around these.
“Ultimately, with regard to the corporate landscape within Germany, Amazon and its disruptive sales models are changing the entire European landscape in many ways. Chinese factories now find a way to access the European market by managing their businesses from home. The full effect of globalisation is shown in this situation. This brings us to the point that in our business the same rules have to apply to everybody, which is not the case right now. Quality levels often vary, and are not testable by the end-consumer anymore. That´s why building and investing in our brand WENKO becomes more and more important. That the end-consumers understand and get to know that WENKO is a brand they can rely on.”
Offering clients a highly diverse and full product range enables the company to establish itself as one of the leaders within the household industry. It is both the innovation and internal development of products which helps WENKO to stand out within the industry.
“While internally developing products we incorporate our own research data and innovations, as well as recent trends. The close contact to our partners and the lively exchange resulting from
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WENKOs CEOs from left to right: Philip C. Köllner, H.-J. Köllner, Niklas Köllner
Best Kitchen & Bath Accessory Provider 2017 & Award for Excellence in Household Product Designs 2017
Contact Details Company: WENKO-WENSELAAR GmbH & Co. KG Contact Email: wenko@wenko.de Address: Im Hülsenfeld 10, Hilden, D-40721, Germany Phone: +49 2103 573-0 Website: www.wenko.de
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