“Germans Shouldn’t Work More – They Should Rethink More”

Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Schönhardt, how did you come to join IMONTEC Elektrotechnik?

Karsten Schönhardt: My professional career began as an electrical technician in the lignite mining industry. After German reunification, I studied electrical engineering and then spent around 20 years working for energy utilities, eventually taking on responsibilities at RWE Group level. At some point, I started asking myself what I wanted to do next. When the opportunity arose to take over the succession at IMONTEC, I decided to seize it. I joined as Managing Director in 2015, and in 2017 we acquired the company.

Wirtschaftsforum: What attracted you to IMONTEC?

Karsten Schönhardt: I already knew the company from my previous work. IMONTEC had been successfully established in the market since 2001 and offered a solid portfolio of services. At the same time, we saw significant development potential. After many years in a corporate environment, we wanted to take advantage of the short decision-making paths that a medium-sized company can offer and implement ideas more quickly.

Wirtschaftsforum: The start was not entirely smooth, though.

Karsten Schönhardt: That’s true. In 2017, many energy providers were going through restructuring processes. There were fewer projects available and pricing pressure was extremely high. Those were challenging times for us. Looking back, however, the situation forced us to rethink our processes and become much more efficient.

Wirtschaftsforum: What were the most important milestones?

Karsten Schönhardt: Without a doubt, digitalization. We made an early decision that work does not necessarily have to take place in an office. Our project managers work where they are needed most – often directly on site. At the same time, we implemented an integrated software platform that combines everything from quotation preparation to invoicing. That was probably the single most important step behind our success today.

Wirtschaftsforum: What exactly does IMONTEC focus on today?

Karsten Schönhardt: A core area remains the construction and modernization of electrical infrastructure for the energy sector. In addition, we have significantly expanded our expertise in control and automation technology. This is a market with enormous demand. Many systems that were modernized after reunification are now reaching the end of their life cycle. They need to be replaced, and this is precisely where our experience and expertise come into play.

Wirtschaftsforum: What sets IMONTEC apart from its competitors?

Karsten Schönhardt: Our particular strength lies in control technology and engineering services. Larger competitors often have the resources to handle huge infrastructure projects. We, on the other hand, excel in areas where specialized expertise is required. In fact, we sometimes work on behalf of competitors because they rely on our know-how in these specific fields.

Wirtschaftsforum: How important is corporate culture to you?

Karsten Schönhardt: It is one of the most important factors. People need to share a common mindset and work together toward the same goals. Conflicts cannot simply be ignored because they slow an organization down. At the same time, we give our employees a high degree of freedom. Today, we operate almost entirely on a remote-work basis. What matters is not where people work, but the results they deliver. That approach works very well for us.

Wirtschaftsforum: Where do you see the future of energy supply?

Karsten Schönhardt: I am convinced that decentralized energy systems will play an increasingly important role. We are investing vast sums in transporting electricity over long distances, while local storage solutions and decentralized structures could make supply systems more resilient and secure. There will never be a single solution, but decentralization is certainly an important part of the answer.

Wirtschaftsforum: What drives you personally?

Karsten Schönhardt: Curiosity and the search for better solutions. I believe that in Germany we should spend less time discussing how to work more and more time thinking about how to work differently. Innovation comes from discussion, from challenging established approaches and from bringing together different perspectives. That is exactly what we strive to do at IMONTEC every day.