New conductor for the Steinbeis Orchestra

06.09.2022 - Steinbeis Papier is in the middle of a transformation phase. New products and a large-scale investment project that is to be realised as early as 2023. Andreas Rauscher, who joined the recycled paper manufacturer in Glückstadt six months ago as Technical Managing Director, is also driving all of these projects forward. In this interview, the 56-year-old father of two reveals, among other things, why teamwork is a decisive success criterion for him and what sustainability agenda he is pursuing not only for Steinbeis Papier, but also personally.

You have now been at Steinbeis Papier for six months. What impressions have you gained at the company so far?

It's always the people who make the difference in a company. Here at Steinbeis Papier, I meet motivated and committed people with a high level of expertise. And this is understood beyond the factory premises. Steinbeis Papier is a company with a high regional and national profile that enjoys a good reputation. This reputation stems from the fact that high-quality graphic papers have been produced here for more than five decades using waste paper as a raw material. And the quality of the products we produce is clearly something special. What I also experience here is a strong focus on costs and a high level of efficiency awareness, especially among employees. That is not something that can be taken for granted.

You were previously employed in Austria. What made you decide to move to Steinbeis Papier in the far north?

It's really a stone's throw away. It's just 1000 kilometres from my home country. I've already worked in Finland, where it was over 3000 kilometres. My real motivation is the reputation and the character of a medium-sized company. In the Steinbeis Group, Steinbeis Papier is a very important and significant company. And in medium-sized companies, you typically have a wide range of opportunities to shape things. In larger industrial companies, you find structures where product policy is often made in a completely different place - far away from production. Here at Steinbeis Papier, we have everything in one place. Here I can get involved, here I have opportunities to shape things, here I can make a difference with people.

How is Steinbeis Papier different from other paper manufacturers?

I've been in the industry for more than three decades. A unique selling point of Steinbeis Papier is the motivation of the people. It starts with the owner families. They show great interest in this company and its further development. The young successor generation is already getting involved and completing internships, among other things, to get to know the company, the people here and the philosophy even better. That is really impressive. And, of course, it's the employees who put their heart and soul into the company and stand up for it. They bring with them a high level of expertise, which is at the heart of Steinbeis Papier's success.

What is the division of labour with the long-standing Steinbeis Paper Managing Director Ulrich Feuersinger?

Mr Feuersinger takes care of commercial matters and I am responsible for all technical matters. I have to say that a company can only be successful if the management goes hand in hand. First of all, every company is about creating added value for customers. We achieve this with a high-quality product and reliable service. And that can only be achieved as a team. I want to and will do my bit to ensure that this continues to work in the future. Mr Feuersinger and I quickly realised that the chemistry was right. If necessary, one of us can make a decision for the other. And the other supports it. You couldn't wish for more. This harmony is what makes it work.

What does your working day look like?

My day starts at eight o'clock - I'm not a notorious early riser - and ends at around 7 pm. During this time, daily meetings, weekly meetings and consultations take place in close succession. There are also operational and spontaneous tasks. And then there's the part where I get to think, reflect and try to develop my own strategies. I believe that it is always a challenge for every manager to give themselves enough time to think.

What other challenges are there in the position of managing director?

A managing director - whether technical or commercial - is responsible for ensuring that the company is commercially successful. The challenge is to keep an eye on the big, long-term issues without losing sight of the operational issues. I always like to use the conductor as a metaphor for a managing director. The orchestra line-up and formation must be right. The beat and tempo must be perfect. As a conductor, you have to be able to bring the musicians and their instruments into an optimal overall sound so that the result pleases the audience. And the orchestra always gets a little better from performance to performance. At no time or at no point does a conductor master the instrument better than the respective musician. But they should be able to recognise and develop the potential of each individual.

Have you developed an agenda for your orchestra, i.e. for Steinbeis Papier?

Things are changing. We have started to make certain adjustments and think about how we can improve business processes and internal procedures. For me, better means working with less effort, less hassle, being able to work faster and achieving better results. We are currently in the process of setting up a new process. To this end, we are developing scenarios of where Steinbeis Papier could be in five or ten years' time, given the constantly changing framework conditions.

What's next for Steinbeis Papier?

We are a mill for recycled graphic paper. And despite declining demand, we give our customers the certainty that we stand by our products. Paper will not disappear, but demand has changed. Naturally, we want to continue to develop and grow. We achieve this with new products such as our label paper made from 100 per cent recycled paper. However, we don't see these innovations as a replacement, but at best as an alternative and a further pillar alongside our graphic papers. On the one hand, we have the innovative ability of our employees, who provide new food for thought and ideas with courage, commitment and expertise. On the other hand, the infrastructure at Steinbeis Papier with its facilities enables us to realise these ideas.

To what extent does Steinbeis Papier still need to transform itself further?

We are setting a benchmark in terms of sustainability and the circular economy. We are currently working on an investment project: with a special grade line, we want to use new types of paper that were previously not accessible to the recycling processes at Steinbeis Papier. This will go into operation as early as 2023. This project is so innovative that it is also being subsidised by the Federal Ministry for the Environment. Not least triggered by geopolitical developments, energy availability and costs are other issues that are occupying us intensively. We are already in a position today to operate without natural gas in an emergency. Standing still is a step backwards. We must continue to develop in order to satisfy our customers. They are also evolving and are constantly placing new demands on our products.