Concrete to Order
Interview with Stephan Radtke, Commercial Managing Director of DUHA Precast Concrete GmbH
Concrete is versatile, moldable, stable, durable, compressive, and economically viable in the long run. At the same time, its production is energy-intensive and causes significant amounts of CO2 emissions. DUHA Precast Concrete GmbH from Haselünne in Emsland is aware of the advantages and disadvantages and places great value on sustainable solutions.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Radtke, since October 1, 2024, you have been the commercial managing director of DUHA. What experiences have you had with the company so far, and what is the current state of the market?
Stephan Radtke: Before I joined DUHA, I worked for many years at an international corporation in the window industry and traveled extensively. As early as 2023, we commissioned three market research firms to forecast the development of the construction industry. At that time, two of the firms were convinced that the market would recover by mid-2025, while one firm thought it realistic only by 2026. At the current time, it can be noted that the industry only expects an upswing over the course of 2026. Looking at the results for the first half of the year, I can only confirm this assessment. At the beginning of the year, customers canceled orders, which affects us six to eight months later. At the end of the year, we are witnessing a resurgence in terms of order fulfillment. Unfortunately, it seems difficult for the state to act as a catalyst to positively influence market development – and that, even though we have a housing shortage in Germany.
Wirtschaftsforum: What would you wish for in light of this development?
Stephan Radtke: Builders or investors should be given more positive signals so that construction becomes attractive again, for example through tax reductions or products that facilitate financing. Other incentives should also be provided on the issue of CO2 reduction. As manufacturers of concrete parts, we are often criticized for having a large CO2 footprint, without taking into account the half-life of our products. Our concrete components are designed to last well over 25 years and still impress with their exceptional quality. However, we have to compare ourselves with other materials like wood over 25 years – these wood products often require chemical treatment after a certain time, need to be replaced or modified. When these factors are also considered, the picture changes. CO2 reduction is definitely a serious issue in the industry.
Wirtschaftsforum: How does DUHA handle the issue of sustainability? Are there specific plans or measures to reduce the ecological footprint?
Stephan Radtke: Sustainability is relevant for us on various levels and starts with technical customer consultations. For example, we advise customers to use less material if it is technically feasible. Another lever for greater sustainability is formulation. Concrete consists of cement and aggregates like sand or gravel. From an ecological perspective, cement is critical; therefore, we are dealing with more environmentally friendly types of cement and working on reducing the total amount of cement. Economic factors always play a role in these considerations. The willingness to pay more for more environmentally friendly products is not always present. There are also new approaches in manufacturing processes, for example, through the use of ultrasound. As for the transport of our products, we rely on the road. The length and shape of the products make environmentally friendly transport by rail organizationally challenging and economically almost impossible.
Wirtschaftsforum: How can clients and products of DUHA be described more closely?
Stephan Radtke: Our client base is diverse and dependent on the respective products. When it comes to classic ceilings and walls, we work for construction companies that act as general contractors or have a direct contract from the client. A major advantage is that our elements are already dry and can be processed directly at the construction site. Larger construction companies represent another target group. Here, for example, it is about columns and trusses for logistics halls – in this area, by the way, the demand has not decreased. We can produce truss sizes of over 40 m; this is an important unique selling point. Our products are always individually tailored to the customer, but they are similar in principle.
Wirtschaftsforum: We have talked about customers and products; how many employees does DUHA employ and what is the annual turnover?
Stephan Radtke: We have 93 permanent employees, supported by 15 to 25 external staff depending on the workload. More than 60 employees are in production, the remaining 30 are in the commercial area. The annual turnover was 18 million EUR in 2024. This year it was supposed to increase to 20 million EUR, but at the moment I am expecting at best a steady result. Despite cloudy economic forecasts, we have made investments this year to expand our competitiveness. An automatic concrete distributor is supposed to bring more stability to the production. Moreover, investments have been made in digitalization. In some areas of our facilities, there are now motivational displays, which can enhance transparency at work and boost motivation: for example, employees can see how many parts still need to be produced and potentially finish their work earlier. Also, today we are using large touchscreens where technical drawings can be enlarged. The employees are responding very well to these new tools.
Wirtschaftsforum: Where do you see DUHA in the coming years?
Stephan Radtke: We continue to see potential for growth. For this, we need competent skilled workers, who are currently hard to find. Our aim is to solve individual customer requirements and provide qualified advice.