"We are making Germany safer"
Interview with Kai Gutzke, Managing Director of OBK Ortung & Bergung von Kampfmitteln GmbH
Explosive ordnance disposal is often understood as the recovery of unexploded bombs from World War II, but there are many more military legacies buried in the ground in Germany. The clearance of these is the business of highly specialized companies like OBK Ortung & Bergung von Kampfmitteln GmbH, based in Pasewalk and Angermünde. Managing Director Kai Gutzke discusses the requirements for working with ordnance and the demands it places on his employees.
"To start with us, initially no special professional qualifications are required," says Kai Gutzke. "You just need to be eager to work outdoors, even in wind and weather, because we don't work in an office. And, very importantly, you must be ready to travel on assignment, as we operate nationwide." All newly hired employees first undergo an introductory course where they acquire the necessary theoretical basics and learn what needs to be considered in explosive ordnance disposal, the dangers involved, or how to handle a probe. Further professional knowledge and skills are acquired on the job under the guidance of technical supervisory staff at the site. However, the CEO also makes no secret that explosive ordnance disposal can indeed be dangerous and one should be aware of this: "To work in this profession, caution and respect are prerequisites. However, anyone who goes to work every day with fear really isn't cut out for this job," says Kai Gutzke clearly. "There's a world of difference between theory and practice, and in the end, we need proactive and motivated practitioners."
Success Through Performance
OBK offers a complete range of services for the detection and recovery of unexploded ordnance. It includes clearing military legacies in former World War conflict zones on German soil and on military training grounds, surface probing with hand probes and mine detectors, computer-aided area probing, borehole probing for the detection of unexploded bombs, construction-accompanying ordnance clearance, and volume clearance, up to the recovery of unexploded bombs. As an additional service, OBK also offers project surveying to mark and document ordnance clearance services. The clients are mostly from the public sector. "On the other hand, there are also private clients, such as builders, who need an unexploded ordnance clearance certificate for house construction," explains the managing director.
Focus on Employees
Currently, 75 employees work for OBK; the annual turnover ranges between 6 and 8 million EUR. However, the 44-year-old does not want to settle for that: "In the medium term, I would like to reach the 10 million EUR mark. To achieve this goal, we are focusing on the expansion of our borehole probing division and on the recruitment of additional staff. Our long-term goal is 150, twice as many as we are now." In this context, Kai Gutzke, who joined OBK as a project manager in 2017 and has been managing director since January 1, 2024, also places great importance on a good corporate culture, as this distinguishes OBK from the competition, as many returnees also affirm. "We listen to our employees and respond to their needs. It's important to me to create a team where everyone pulls together," emphasizes Kai Gutzke. The company can also score points in recruiting new employees: "We presented ourselves for the first time at the INKONTAKT trade fair in Schwedt and immediately received applications. This is a great result because we want to continue making Germany safer!"