Preserving tradition, daring to try something new
23.04.2024 - Marc Gebauer takes the stage as the new Managing Director of Steinbeis Papier. His first steps in Glückstadt, the new centre of his professional journey, are characterised by a deep understanding of the strategic challenges facing Europe's market leader in recycled paper. With a clear view of the past and an ambitious goal to lead Steinbeis Papier into a future of growth and sustainability, Marc Gebauer is faced with the task of preserving the legacy of his predecessor while setting new trends.
What is your first impression of Glückstadt as your new place of work?
My life in Glückstadt currently takes place mainly on our factory premises and in the offices. And the few hours I've spent outside our factory premises in Glückstadt have either been at business lunches in the local pubs, in the supermarket or at the gym. In other words, most of the kilometres I walked in Glückstadt were probably on the treadmill at the gym. My encounters with the people of Glückstadt are therefore mainly limited to our employees, who welcomed me with very open arms from day one. And I am very impressed by their friendliness and high level of identification with the company, which made me feel at home from day one.
Did you have to change your place of residence for the new job?
Yes, I actually moved into my predecessor Ulrich Feuersinger's little house, which he had previously rented. It feels a bit like I've not only taken over his job and his office, but also his home. But the time of taking is now over and the time of giving has begun, so to speak, meaning it's time for me to pay back in the form of new impetus, ideas and positive results. I'm really looking forward to that. At the weekend, however, I usually commute back home to Steinhuder Meer in Lower Saxony. I have a house there with my wife right on the lake, where my grown-up children often return at the weekend.
What are your first impressions of the company?
I have known Steinbeis Papier from different perspectives since the beginning of my professional career, first from a competitive perspective and later for many years during my time at Lyreco from the perspective of a customer. And three things particularly struck me about Steinbeis and the employees with whom I had contact: the high level of professionalism and passion in communication and in dealing with each other and with partners, as well as a high degree of identification with the company and its products. And this impression, which I already had from the outside, was not only confirmed on the inside, but reinforced. I was surprised by the complexity of the production processes and the influence of political decisions, particularly in the areas of energy and waste disposal. However, I gained the impression that Steinbeis Papier is very well positioned in these areas.
What makes Steinbeis Papier so special?
The long - and I say that deliberately - family tradition. What counts is not the quick euro and short-term profit maximisation, but on the contrary, it's about sustainable business development - in both senses of the word. The Steinbeis family has been continuing its entrepreneurial heritage for five generations and always sees the group of companies as a contribution to society. Steinbeis also invests consistently in the long term in order to maintain its cost leadership. Early involvement in strategic areas such as sustainability demonstrates the company's special profile. Steinbeis is also a common anchor point for the shareholders, a common unifying theme. This means that the annual shareholder meetings are always also family reunions. That really impressed me and makes Steinbeis something very special.
Paper helps me to condense my thoughts and focus.
What made you accept the position of Managing Director at Steinbeis Papier?
In addition to the high level of value orientation and the pioneering spirit, which is reflected in the guiding principle of THINKING NEW FOR THE FUTURE, it was the long-term nature of the role at Steinbeis Papier that tipped the scales in my favour. My ambitions and strengths lie in making a lasting impression on companies, their culture and their employees, which is only possible if you work in a company for the long term. I managed to do this in particular during my 20 years at Lyreco. The following station, Amazon, was simply too big to achieve this. At Steinbeis Papier, I once again see the opportunity to make a long-term and sustainable impact. I also find the paper product extremely attractive. Paper has always been more than just a working tool for me. Paper helps me to condense my thoughts and focus. It provides clarity and helps me to collect myself. Paper is probably the product I have interacted with the most throughout my life, which is why it suits me so well.
How do you see your role as Managing Director and the tasks associated with it?
At the moment, I'm trying to do the balancing act of learning, understanding and internalising the complex aspects of the business as quickly as possible, while at the same time trying to keep a fresh perspective from the outside. My aim is to shake up the paper industry a little and respond to the changes in our market. One example of this is product diversification, which we are already dealing with. We also need to establish a new balance between a cost-driven approach and a simultaneous focus on product benefits in order to achieve higher revenues. Another key factor is to establish a new, even bolder corporate culture. We want to create an environment in which employees can take responsibility and view mistakes as part of the learning process. This requires an open error culture and managers who can deal with it. We are also operating in a market that is shrinking. The challenge now is to identify and utilise growth potential. The issue of securing raw materials, i.e. waste paper in the required quantity and quality, is also of crucial importance, as is maintaining our cost leadership.
Where do you see a need for action here?
Our strategic challenges in cost management can be divided into three key areas. Firstly, we are striving to consistently optimise costs and increase efficiency by investing in cost-saving initiatives and technologies. Another focus is on raising awareness and increasing cost transparency among our employees in order to promote a continuous search for savings opportunities. Finally, we are committed to responsible price management and investing in projects to secure high-quality raw material sources, particularly recovered paper. We are determined to tackle these challenges and provide strategic impetus in order to maintain and further expand our competitiveness.
You can only transform what you honour.
To what extent are you continuing in Ulrich Feuersinger's footsteps?
Admittedly, Ulrich Feuersinger's footsteps are very big. He successfully navigated the company through difficult times and built up a strong strategic direction that forms a strong and solid foundation. His focus on developing a strong brand core and the high level of branding in the office paper sector have created a very good basis on which we must continue to build. Nevertheless, I am not simply a Feuersinger 2.0, but have my own style and my own strengths, which I want to utilise specifically for Steinbeis Papier. However, it is important to set the right pace. I don't want to turn Steinbeis from left to right within two years. Rather, I want to transfer the more than 100 years of tradition into the future, because this is the core of our DNA. The systemic laws that play a major role in my life help me to do this. One of them says: you can only transform what you honour. I would like to use this principle to honour the legacy of Ulrich Feuersinger and his predecessors and at the same time successfully lead Steinbeis into the future.
Where do you want to set your own priorities?
At the moment, sustainability is still the means of transport for selling our paper. I think that will change: Paper will be one of various means of transport to sell sustainability in the future. However, paper will also be the most important and most significant for us in the long term. In this context, we need to think and sell the topic of the circular economy in an even more holistic way. If we succeed in bundling the power of the individual sister companies of Steinbeis-Holding even more and taking it to the streets together, this will give us an additional boost. In my new role at Steinbeis Papier, I also see two other areas in which I would like to make my mark. Firstly, there is the digital transformation, which requires us to adapt our business model. We need to open up new sales channels, expand digital services and position our products in an increasingly digitalised world. This also includes reducing our dependence on traditional paper applications and tapping into new markets. Secondly, I aim to diversify Steinbeis Papier's product range and develop new products, particularly in the uncoated and labelling segments. By expanding our product range, we can better meet the needs of our customers and at the same time tap into new sales potential. While we pursue these new approaches, it is important for me to emphasise that we will not neglect our core business as papermakers. Steinbeis Papier has a long tradition of producing high-quality recycled paper, and this is an essential part of our DNA that must be preserved. We will continue to focus on sustainability and strengthen our position as a reliable supplier of environmentally friendly paper products.
What does your sustainability strategy look like?
Our sustainability strategy currently includes an intensive examination of the environmental assessment of the company and our products. We use assessment methods such as Carbmee to improve our own sustainability efforts and make them more transparent. As a pioneer in the paper industry, we strive to be a leader in sustainability and environmental protection, especially in terms of transparency. We not only want to minimise our environmental impact, but also encourage other companies to be more responsible with resources and environmental issues.
And what about sustainability efforts in the work culture?
This is of central importance to us, especially in view of the shortage of skilled labour and the need to retain young talent in the long term. We want to ensure that our corporate culture remains authentic and reflects our values. Flexibility is important, but we also want our employees to enjoy coming to the office to live and experience the shared corporate culture. We are committed to reducing distances and creating proximity in order to promote team spirit and transparency. Much of this is already reflected in our principles of leadership and cooperation: WE ALL ARE AND LIVE STEINBEIS. It is important to uphold this and bring it to life every day. We also have an above-average training rate and invest in the development of our specialists in order to offer long-term prospects and promote the managers of tomorrow.
Where do you see Steinbeis Papier and yourself in ten years' time?
Steinbeis has always stood for reliability and continuity, also and above all in management. In this respect, I would like to shape the next decade, just as my predecessors Franz Winterer, Michael Söffge and most recently Ulrich Feuersinger have successfully done. As CEO of Steinbeis Papier, I therefore see my task as maintaining this reliability and continuity of the company while at the same time leading it safely into the future and developing it further. Our focus is on several key areas. Firstly, we are striving for an additional digital pillar in order to expand our portfolio and further increase our brand awareness. This is not just about paper, but also about promoting the circular economy and sustainability. We want to position our products and brands in such a way that they become more important to our customers than price. This requires courage and investment in product quality and benefits, especially in an increasingly digitalised world.
What is your personal sustainability agenda?
My personal sustainability agenda is primarily focussed on building and expanding sustainable relationships and partnerships - both in my business and private life. For me personally, sustainability always has something to do with long-term commitment to a cause or a company. However, I still have deficits when it comes to sustainable nutrition: while I am surrounded exclusively by vegetarians in my family circle, I use my time alone in Glückstadt to secretly consume the odd piece of sausage or meat. But I promise I'll do better.
Cover picture: Steinbeis Papier
