Ulf Quadflieg is Business Area Manager EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) at Suzuki Garphyttan. From his office in Düsseldorf, Germany, he looks back on a year characterized by external changes, particularly in the automotive industry where electrification is redrawing the map. This has affected production conditions at Suzuki Garphyttan. At the same time, he is pleased that the company has managed to grow in new segments, product areas and applications outside the automotive industry. This has mitigated the effect of the decline in the core business.
Thinking innovatively
He credits a new mindset for this progress. Daring to leave the comfort zone and getting to know new customers even better is essential.
“For more than a century, Suzuki Garphyttan has been synonymous with stability and premium quality, which is crucial to our success in the automotive industry. Now we are building on that foundation and adding flexibility and customization to meet each customer’s unique needs,” says Ulf.
Close customer dialog
Behind every production decision lies an internal collaboration in an innovative team with employees from Research & Development (R&D), marketing and production. Here, solutions are tailored to best match the challenges of the market, always in close dialog with the customer. Identifying the right technical specification can open doors to new segments, such as textile, medical, and agriculture.
“By adapting, we can offer the right product, based on the customer’s priorities. Today, we are open and responsive to what is really important, whether it’s performance, surface, or sustainability. We are constantly striving to grow even smarter,” says Ulf.
Towards new heights
With experience and lessons learned from new product areas, the journey towards a more customer-oriented and flexible approach continues. The aim is to continue diversifying into new markets.
“We will continue to broaden our scope and are, for example, preparing to enter the aerospace industry, a segment with extremely high demands on the traceability and testing of every component. We also see great opportunities in high temperature applications and in specialized applications for the textile industry,” says Ulf.
