"The more specific and complex, the better!"
Interview with Alexander Lanfer, Managing Director of HARMSEN KOMTEC GMBH
Those who look around in commercial areas today will notice a greater architectural diversity than a few decades ago. Especially in the design of façades, there has been a shift from uniform trapezoidal sheet claddings to multifunctional building envelopes. With modern systems such as rear-ventilated curtain façades (VHF), HARMSEN KOMTEC GMBH from Wilsum in Lower Saxony contributes to this change.
"The more specialized and complex, the better!" This is the credo and the demand of HARMSEN KOMTECH GMBH. This statement applies to facades, roofs, facade installations, and steel constructions as well as to the renovation and maintenance of existing buildings. "We stand for quality, adherence to deadlines, and the highest standards of occupational safety for our employees," assures Alexander Lanfer, who leads the company as Managing Director together with Arno Harmsen. "What further distinguishes us is our comprehensive consulting, which also extends to peripheral trades. Moreover, we are known as a good employer."
Complete Solutions
The origins of HARMSEN KOMTEC go back to the company Harmsen & Klein, founded in 1997, which was renamed to the current company in 2005, with KOMTEC standing for 'Construction and Metal Construction Technology'. In the field of metal and facade construction, the company was already working for major clients like BASF early on and was able to win further contracts from the petrochemical industry due to its high standards of work safety. The strong focus on work safety was due to the great commitment of the company's founder, Arno Harmsen, in relevant professional committees and in the development of today's standards. "What also sets us apart from the crowd is our specialization in critical infrastructures," explains the managing director. "We have already realized complex and demanding projects for the police and military, as well as for data centers. Our work is not limited to the facade, but includes everything needed to represent the complete building envelope." This includes gates, doors, and windows as well as roofing systems - both metal roofs and warm roofs with film or bituminous sealing. This is complemented by structural frameworks in steel, but also in wood.
Compact Team
The HARMSEN KOMTEC team consists of 30 employees who work in administration, engineering, project management, and construction supervision. "We plan the projects in-house, our project managers look after ongoing orders, and our construction managers supervise the work on-site at the client's," explains Alexander Lanfer. "For assembly, we keep only a small team as a 'Task Force'. This team handles peak periods or directs subcontractors. On average, about 100 fitters from all trades work for us daily."
Design Possibilities
From its initial industrial lightweight construction with a building envelope made of trapezoidal sheet profiles, HARMSEN KOMTECT has evolved - also due to the trend of the manufacturers - towards sandwich facades. For about 15 years, ventilated rainscreen cladding (VHF) has become an essential product. "This system offers a wide range of design possibilities," emphasizes the managing director, who besides the founder has also been a co-owner of the company since the beginning of 2024. "For the cladding, we can work with high-pressure laminates, fibre cement panels, and ceramics. We have also just completed a project with a building-integrated photovoltaic system. Today in Germany, in industrial construction, we are much bolder than we were 20 to 25 years ago, so these design possibilities are increasingly being utilized."
Main Market Germany
In addition to the petrochemical industry and operators of critical infrastructures, orders also come from the public sector. Thanks to the capabilities of VHF, requirements for burglary resistance of RC 4 and higher can also be met. The portfolio also includes glazing with bullet resistance and eavesdropping-proof solutions. The geographical catchment area extends throughout Germany, with a small portion of revenue generated in the Netherlands and Belgium. "We live off recommendations," describes Alexander Lanfer the acquisition of orders. Moreover, the Wilsumer company participates in tenders.
Otherwise, HARMSEN KOMTEC naturally presents itself with a website as well as on social media such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Xing – here, however, primarily to recruit new employees. As an innovative and forward-looking company, HARMSEN KOMTEC also utilizes the advantages of digital technologies. "All project-relevant data on our servers can be accessed mobilely," says the CEO. "We are also currently implementing a new system that covers processes more comprehensively: from digital time recording of employees to construction with the capability to integrate planning-capable 3-D software." Regarding sustainability, VHF in particular offers a lot of potential since the materials used can be dismantled in pure categories. Integrated photovoltaics and green facades are also current topics.
Additional Business Areas
"We do a lot for our employees," the CEO explains the company atmosphere. "Thus, we offer them training, joint breakfasts, outings, and other activities as well as home office opportunities." The coming years are also expected to be characterized by healthy growth. "We also want to explore additional business areas as well as attract and develop new skilled workers," outlines Alexander Lanfer the path into the future.