Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Barwart, what do you think sets Griesser AST apart from the competition? What makes your products so special?

Martin Barwart: I believe that we will be able to offer significantly shorter delivery times than our competitors in the future. And not just because we have all the process steps in-house. In my opinion, we are already the fastest in our industry today. Compared to smaller producers, we also have the advantage of being a complete supplier. We are not just the standard provider for individual products; we offer the complete range. Nevertheless, we are still flexible enough to offer our customers individual solutions, which is often in demand in the project business. This allows architects to better profile themselves as well. Last but not least, our technical competence - from internal and external services to production - speaks for us. Moreover, we are always very close to our customers.

Wirtschaftsforum: Let's talk about the product range from Griesser AST. What products can you offer your clients?

Martin Barwart: Here at the site in Nenzing, we offer the classic shutters, which are especially popular in France, in various designs: with fixed and movable slats, with sheet metal fillings, and in insulated versions. These are our main products, which we manufacture in the largest quantities. Another segment includes single and multi-track sliding shutters. Here, in addition to the classic sliding shutters, there are two more product groups: folding sliding shutters and folding scissor shutters. All of our products allow for various combinations of materials. The shutters are usually made of powder-coated aluminum, while the sliding shutters range over combinations of aluminum frames with facade panels and wood slats up to fabric coverings and expanded metals.

Wirtschaftsforum: Who are your customers?

Martin Barwart: We exclusively supply commercial customers. These include specialized partners as well as general contractors, window manufacturers, and providers of sun protection systems. In addition, project business is an important factor.

Wirtschaftsforum: Please tell us something about the history of Griesser AST.

Martin Barwart: In 1996, the then-independent company Alu System Technik, or AST, was founded in Nenzing. In 2012, the then-owner Josef Waltle sold the company to the Griesser Group due to retirement reasons, and AST was integrated as a producer of shutters. The Griesser Group is known across Europe as a manufacturer of high-quality sun protection systems and has additional production sites in Switzerland and France besides Nenzing.

Wirtschaftsforum: How has Griesser AST developed after the integration into the group?

Martin Barwart: After the acquisition, a new building was realized in 2013 with sufficient space for sales, training, final assembly, and logistics. The powder coating, which had been mostly external up to that point, is currently being brought 100% in-house. This way, we are no longer dependent on the seasonal fluctuations of an external service provider and can guarantee our customers even more binding delivery dates.

Wirtschaftsforum: How far does your geographic catchment area extend, and how is your sales organized?

Martin Barwart: From Nenzing, we distribute not only our shutters but also other products of the Griesser Group. In addition to the DACH region, our markets are in Central Europe, for example, France and the Benelux countries. But also export markets such as Slovakia, Israel, and many more. Italy and Spain are managed through Griesser's own subsidiaries. With an export quota of 85 to 90%, our export rate is relatively high. Our sales structure is traditional with field service representatives.

Wirtschaftsforum: Is marketing a topic for the company?

Martin Barwart: Most certainly. For all areas, we have independent teams within the group. And here in Nenzing, we also have our own marketing staff. Moreover, we present ourselves at the ARCHITECT@WORK trade fair in Munich and support our professional partners with materials and training.

Wirtschaftsforum: How far are you with the topics of digitalization and sustainability?

Martin Barwart: Many internal processes within the group are already digitalized, partly orders, and invoicing. Since we perform many custom fittings, production in some areas is still manually oriented, however, access to our small parts storage is done via pick-up solutions. In terms of sustainability, our new powder coating is setting standards. It is one of the first of its kind in Europe, powered largely by energy from photovoltaic sources, and the complete waste heat is fed back into the system. This is complemented by numerous other measures across the entire group.

Wirtschaftsforum: And where is the journey heading in the coming years?

Martin Barwart: We want to integrate the business expansion and take the next steps towards growth.