Bernd Haase

The vision of the future is founded upon today’s actions

Bernd Haase, owner of the conductor and rope manufacturing business that was founded in 1859 and has been owned by five generations of the family since then, talks about his visions as well as the background of his successful family business and proudly refers to his staff, on which the company’s customers can rely anytime.

» HAASE Gesellschaft m.b.H. was founded in 1859 and since then has developed into a worldwide leading rope manufacturer. What are your primary objectives and visions for the coming years? 
The key objective is to keep and safeguard the production location in Graz despite the many constraints imposed on us.

» This clear commitment is all the more surprising with most of the Western European production companies expecting a high cost advantage in the nearer and farther east.
We have a flexible organisation and export 80 per cent of our products. The customers buy from us, because our prices are good, we deliver top quality, are highly responsive and fast. We can do and be all of this only because we train our own people.

» Does that mean that Graz is also the place where you train your staff? 
Certainly. Our company’s training and competence centre is exclusively located in Graz. It would be inconceivable to outsource our company’s most valuable good: our expertise. For this reason, we are continuously looking for people with technical understanding, sensitiveness and, above all, interest.

» The global market is subject to continuous changes and fluctuations. Is this a problem especially for a production company in the heart of Europe, and – if yes – how do you deal with it? 
In the course of our company’s long history we have learned to deal with changes. It has become clear, which course to follow: we push traditional values and confidently live our visions.

» How important do you rate communication in HAASE Gesellschaft m.b.H.? 
An open, company-internal communication and the continuous motivation of our employees are two of our key objectives: because the work places high demands on our staff and only long-time employment with the company can ensure that employees can gather experience and continuously improve their performance. The reason why this is important is that the permanent development of technical expertise is one of the absolute strengths of our company that offers an invaluable advantage to our customers.

» Customer retention “made in Austria”? 
For generations, HAASE Gesellschaft m.b.H. has been relying on a strong and competent team. The company and management philosophy is firmly anchored in the heart and mind of the service providers on all levels. People need confidence and security in everything they do. Therefore, we make long-term plans with our employees, integrate them into the development of our products and involve them in the challenges our company faces – this gives purpose to the work of every single employeemedical-.

. Thus, every employee of HAASEGesellschaft m.b.H. is responsible for the overall product. This team work is our vision for a successful future. It has always been one of my objectives to work with such a highly qualified team with a sense of ownership.

» Process standardisation is currently an important topic. How does HAASE Gesellschaft m.b.H. deal with this aspect?
I am a process fanatic. We need key figures, analyses, data and facts. Without these we could not exist. They are indispensable for the definition of our objectives and the basis for continuous improvement. With good and open communication, we seek to push the boundaries of our capacities in process management. We need to do this, as the material we process has physical limits that can only be optimised with our painstakingly calculated indicators.

» How do you envisage the future of HAASE Gesellschaft m.b.H.?
My excellent staff’s and my own daily work is focused on shaping our future. Together we work hard every single day to ensure a good future for us and our customers.