Local Strength, Global Vision
Interview with Maria Wünsch-Guaraldi, CEO, and Alfred Wagner, Finance Director of Sanden International (Europe) GmbH
The Japanese air conditioning specialist Sanden navigates through turbulent times in Europe with 1,650 employees and a turnover of 450 to 500 million EUR. As the automotive industry fluctuates between electromobility, regulatory uncertainties, and Chinese competition, the company relies on local leadership and European expertise. CEO Maria Wünsch-Guaraldi and Finance Director Alfred Wagner explain why they see the crisis as an opportunity.
It was a paradigm shift with notice. When Maria Wünsch-Guaraldi took over the management of the European Sanden operations in 2019, the company broke with a decades-long tradition: For the first time, a non-Japanese was leading the European operations of the air conditioning specialist founded in 1943. "Traditionally, we always had Japanese bosses," explains Maria Wünsch-Guaraldi, who was born in Sweden, is half Italian and half Spanish by descent and joined the company in 2000. "But I believe that when you run a company, you need to have a connection to the location." The decision proved to be far-sighted. Just a few months later, Brexit occurred, and Sanden moved its European headquarters from Great Britain to
Bad Nauheim. From there, Maria Wünsch-Guaraldi is currently managing a network with production sites in France and Poland, as well as sales activities across Europe. The company supplies all major automobile manufacturers with air conditioning compressors – such as Volkswagen, Stellantis, and BMW.
Between Regulation and Reality
However, the industry is currently experiencing the biggest upheaval in its history. "Politics have driven the automotive industry into a tunnel," criticizes Maria Wünsch-Guaraldi. Regulatory measures for CO2 reduction force the industry to invest billions in electromobility. Additionally, new regulations for refrigerants make planning future automotive platforms more difficult. The problem: "No one asked whether the market is ready for so many electric cars." The consequences are dramatic. Models are postponed or completely canceled, projects are put on hold. Even industry giants like Stellantis report billion-dollar losses due to project cancellations. Finance Director Alfred Wagner confirms the uncertainty: "OEMs are unsure of which way the wind is blowing." The demanded transparency in sustainability metrics and EU taxonomy further exacerbates the situation. "When the KPIs are questioned, all the consultants in the world have no answer."
Never give up
Despite the challenges, the Sanden team remains combative. "The indirect motto of Sanden Europe is: Never give up," emphasizes Maria Wünsch-Guaraldi. This attitude is evident in dealing with customers, during price negotiations, or in the development of new technologies. She also views the arrival of Chinese competitors with equanimity: "If a Chinese company comes here and wants to build cars, then I at least want to be one of those offering their services." The corporate culture at Sanden is distinctly different from typical corporate structures. Despite having 1,650 employees, there is a direct communication style. "For us, the employees are the most important," explains the managing director. Many of them have been with the company for over 20 years, while at the same time deliberately bringing in external expertise.
into it. "We have a healthy mix of people who, like me, have been with the company for a very long time, and younger ones with experience from other industries."
System Supplier Instead of Component Manufacturer
For the future, Sanden is focusing on transformation. "I see us as a system supplier," explains Maria Wünsch-Guaraldi. With its expertise in climate compressors and thermal management solutions, Sanden aims to deliver not just components, but to position itself as a system provider – especially for electromobility. With around 100 engineers in European research, the company wants to be able to act more independently from the Japanese headquarters. The executive sees the crisis as an opportunity for strategic realignment.