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ePaper created 2013-11-28, 10:31:20 | version 1.26.00
Roto Inside | 11.2013 2 | Roto Inside: Anyone visiting Roto sales and production companies based outside Germany will see many things in a different light. In Poland, for example a new trademark is now doing the rounds – “German made” is printed on all our brochures and business cards… Dr. Keill: Yes, this year Poland is one of the countries where Roto is presenting itself in a campaign as customers see us – as an organisation with “typically German” characteristics. I spend a lot of time on the road and during discussions with customers outside Germany, they often express the feeling that Roto quite clearly comes across as a German company. So the systematic implementation of German values in terms of quality standards and norms is something that generates trust amongst our part- ners and customers. Roto Inside: How is it possible – in such a large company as the Roto Group – to ensure that the same values are actually implemented all over the world? Dr. Keill: By motivating the people that work at Roto to become fully involved with and committed to the culture of the corporate group. And in fact, that’s not too difficult: after all, our employees are well aware that our values are part of an identity that has made Roto a service leader and nothing motivates like success. Roto Inside: Which values does “German made” stand for? Dr. Keill: The Roto system of values is based on three pillars: firstly, we have continuity, consistency and reliability; secondly, experience, ambition to succeed and vision, and thirdly, it’s about in-depth knowledge, skills and German engineering. Roto Inside: The message behind “Made in Germany” dates back to the end of the 19th century, where it was devised by the British as a kind of seal of quality. So why not simply use this old, familiar phrase? Dr. Keill: Well, because it doesn’t always apply in full to Roto. Our products are not all “Made in Germany” and that is a really good thing because Roto produces close to market – we are running no less than thirteen plants around the world. Having said that, these plants all operate according to quality specifica- tions and a production system that was developed in Germany, where it has been successfully implemented, and now has been exported as it were. Our products and services are German to the core, but not necessarily made in Germany. This is well- known from the motor-vehicle industry: some AUDI cars are built in Belgium, some in Hungary, Slovakia, China or India, yet the car is never anything but an AUDI. This applies to many brands that are successful on the international stage. Roto Inside: But there are some countries where excessive German national pride might come in for criticism, don’t you think? Dr. Keill: Of course, but “German made” has nothing to do with national pride. The term really describes the specific characteris- tics associated with a company and its products. While “German made” certainly applies to Roto, being “close to the custom- er” still remains even more important. That is what we aim to demonstrate and put into practice each and every day. In the hot seat An interview with the Chairman of the Roto Frank AG, Dr. Eckhard Keill Congratulations to the winners Roto photo competition has twelve winners ■■ Event The finest architecture requires the best windows. This briefly sums up the results of this year’s “Shop Window” pho- to competition, held for the first time by Roto in the Central European sales area. On the 30th October 2013 the twelve winners – and the reference projects they submitted – were presented with their awards at an official ceremony held in Leinfelden. A panel of experts had picked the winners beforehand from numerous submissions from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The 3-man strong panel had anything but an easy task. Architect Martin Haas, Burkhard Fröhlich, architect and editor-in-chief of well- known architecture magazines in the Gütersloh-based construction publisher “Bauverlag”, and Roto Economic Regional Manager Volker Fitschen, met in Leinfelden to inspect the reference projects from numerous manufacturers. The quantity and quality, creativity and variety of the submissions ensured a wide range of topics for discussion. Expert panel at work: architect and editor-in-chief Burkhard Fröhlich, Roto Sales Area Manager Volker Fitschen and architect Martin Haas (left to right) chose twelve winners from the top-class entries in the “Shop Window” photo competition, held by the Roto Central European sales area. “And the winners are ...“ – On the 30th October 2013, the twelve window manufacturing companies were presented with their awards for their success- ful work by Volker Fitschen, Roto Central European Region Manager. Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Reference Object Alte Post Hamburg Hotel Ramada Innsbruck Tivoli Beach house “Auf der Freiheit” Passive high-rise building Detached house/holiday home “Zillertal City Mansion” Stadtvilla Art-nouveau style villa near Hamburg Elite School of Sports Klingenthal Nature & Health Resort Tannerhof – Die Hüttentürme Metropolenhaus Metropolenhaus University Children’s Hospital of the Basel area Dresdner Zwinger – Mathematical-Physical Salon Fabricators Tischlerei Pötschke GmbH, Löbau (DE) FARKALUX Fenster- und Elementbau GmbH, Kematen (AT) Schmidt-Fenster GmbH, Visbek (DE) Kneer GmbH Fenster + Türen, Westerheim (DE) Rieder GmbH & Co. KG, Ried im Zillertal (AT) Achenbach Fensterbau GmbH, Zell (DE) rekord-fenster+türen GmbH & Co. KG, Dägeling (DE) Wertbau GmbH & Co. KG, Langenwetzendorf (DE) Josef Vogl GmbH & Co. KG, Holzkirchen (DE) Mrowiec Fenster-Türen-Wintergärten GmbH, Fresenbrügge (DE) Gerber-Vogt AG, Allschwil (CH) Nickel Fenster GmbH & Co. KG, Weißwasser (DE) However, Stefanie Kopp, Head of Marketing for Central Europe, was thoroughly pleased with the final decision taken by the panel of experts. “I certainly didn’t envy the three gentlemen their job. We intend to exhibit the projects in an architectural calendar for 2014 and all I can say is that it’s a pity there are only twelve months in the year, because we can only display the work of 12 winners. Actually, all of the entrants more than deserved the ‘finest in window manufacturing rating’,” she explained, adding: “As far as we were concerned the submissions demonstrated once again just how much greater appreciation the technical masterpieces produced by our industry deserve from the general public.”