Tradition Meets Modern Leadership
Interview with Thorsten Flasch, Managing Director of Stender Brennschneidtechnik GmbH
With over 50 years of experience and a comprehensive range of cutting processes, Stender Brennschneidtechnik GmbH has made a name for itself. Since 2022, Thorsten Flasch has been at the helm of the company. With his more than 30 years of experience in the steel trade, he brings fresh air and new perspectives to the traditional company. In an interview with Wirtschaftsforum, Thorsten Flasch talks about the unique strengths of Stender and the strategic goals for the future.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Flasch, how did you come to join Stender Brennschneidtechnik GmbH?
Thorsten Flasch: I have over 30 years of experience in the steel sector. For the last 15 years, I have been in a management position at Willi Krohn GmbH, which specializes in steel for the construction industry and where I am also the managing director and shareholder. I was already familiar with Stender from our cooperation, so I was pleased when the opportunity to expand our corporate group through Stender arose in 2021 as part of a succession plan.
Wirtschaftsforum: What synergies exist between the two companies?
Thorsten Flasch: Both companies operate independently because they are active in different sectors, however, both are mostly owned by the same investment holding company, Caristo Management in Hamburg, and complement each other in their activities. Through diversification, for example, we can balance out economic fluctuations and use common development perspectives. This is something we would like to enhance in the future by adding more partners.
Wirtschaftsforum: What distinguishes Stender from other market participants?
Thorsten Flasch: Stender has more than 50 years of experience in thermal cutting technology and offers full-scale production from a single source across all four cutting processes. In addition to traditional oxy-fuel cutting, we also have laser, plasma, and water jet cutting capabilities, allowing us to offer the most suitable method for the customer. Furthermore, we are the only ones in the region who can process components up to 8 m in length. We are also known for our high level of quality and service. Thanks to our own technical department, we can also create the necessary product drawings and the related programs ourselves. Moreover, we are authorized to re-stamp and can provide certifications or single supplier declarations, a complete service 'all from one hand'.
Wirtschaftsforum: What strategy are you pursuing?
Thorsten Flasch: We aim to constantly develop Stender. Whether through new machines, services, or customers. Even in the first quarter of this year, we grew counter-cyclically. This growth is thanks to our great young sales team. The development of the past years has encouraged us to invest in a second water jet cutting machine, with which we can halve the throughput times. Currently, we are very well utilized in a two-shift operation.
Wirtschaftsforum: What are your goals for the future?
Thorsten Flasch: We would like to progressively develop the corporate group. In 2022, we additionally acquired APS Brennschneidtechnik GmbH in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania from the Spaeter Group, which specializes in oxy-fuel and plasma cutting processes and allows us regional rounding out. This acquisition also provides us with additional capacities to handle production peaks. We will continue to invest in digital tools and new software not only to optimize our internal processes but also to pursue our sustainability goals, among other things, a large PV system is currently starting up, and to continuously improve our service for our customers.