Walter Winkler and Helmut Prieschenk

WITRON founder Walter Winkler comments on the economic situation in Germany in a series of Echo interviews. Photo: Jürgen Herda

 

Germany’s economy is struggling. The mood in the country is bad. But there are also exceptions. What sets WITRON apart from other companies? Walter Winkler and Managing Director Helmut Prieschenk explain how WITRON was able to develop from a one-person company to a global market leader with 1.3 billion EUR sales and 7,500 employees in more than 5 decades.
 

Things have recently grown a bit more silent around the WITRON founder. “I no longer have to make great speeches”, says Walter Winkler in a preliminary talk for an interview. The patriarch wants to define topics on which he would like to comment. Also to awaken the chronically pessimistic Germans from the perspective of his personal experience.

“In all these years”, says the 86-year-old entrepreneur, “there have always been times of upswing - but also times of national and international crisis”, and it has always turned out: “There’s no point getting upset about things you can’t influence - it’s a waste of time.”

Instead, you always have to focus on what you can really achieve. “Rather than complaining, it has always been my motivation to get things moving and get them done - for my company, for my customers, and, above all, for my employees.” He always wanted to deliver  the best solutions. He had succeeded in doing so. “Then, you will also be rewarded!”

Keeping promises and looking for solutions 

Next to Mr. Winkler is the Managing Director Helmut Prieschenk who is more involved in the operational business. He outlines the secret of the Upper Palatinate family company’s success, even in turbulent times: “If you want to change, you have to stay true to yourself”, he says, modifying one of Mr. Winkler’s principles. “Our customers also demand change, but not at the price of giving up our values.” What does that specifically mean? “We will certainly not give up our down-to-earth attitude”, explains the Managing Director. 

The Upper Palatinate down-to-earth mentality is mainly based on two core principles: “If you make a promise, you have to keep it”, says Mr. Winkler. “It means that we are credible when it comes to timelines, budgets, and quality.” And secondly: “If difficulties arise, we will always solve the problem first and only then discuss how it can be avoided the next time.” This corporate philosophy has made Witron the undisputed global market leader in innovative logistics solutions for food retailers.


“People always eat”

Not by chance: “People always eat”, says Mr. Winkler with a sly smile. “It was a deliberate decision for a necessary specialization because it is not possible to please everyone.” And it worked out very successfully: “We started to develop solutions for the automotive industry”, he recalls gratefully, reflecting on the first major order from BMW in Dingolfing, Germany. 

“That was an important impetus for our development and, compared to the triple-digit million amounts that WITRON generates with today’s end-to-end solutions for large food companies such as the US giant Walmart, the beginning of decades of growth.” Given the difficulties facing the automotive industry, this was also a very far-sighted decision.

The apprentices on their first day at work. Who wants to be in the picture soon? Photo: WITRON

 

Practiced values rather than lecture

The key to this success, however, is the set of values that WITRON exemplifies on a daily basis. “We don’t bring in managers from outside”, says Walter Winkler, “we develop them at WITRON” and this is how they internalize the corporate culture from day one. “And we don’t always need consultants trying to explain to us how our business works.” This self-confident and down-to-earth culture is the basis for the internal team spirit of WITRON.

“What our customers always admiringly ask”, says Helmut Prieschenk, “is how we have managed to transfer a corporate culture from the Upper Palatinate to 7,500 employees from 80 nations worldwide.” This cannot be achieved through a lecture or a notice on the notice board. “That’s only possible because we practice it and pass it on in our daily collaboration.” Due to the company’s success, WITRON is always looking for new, skilled workers. “Cultural diversity and open borders also benefit our business.”

Strict focus on customer needs

Change is a necessary adaption to new parameters rather than a correction of the core principles. “We supply 100 million food market customers around the world every day through our distribution centers”, says Helmut Prieschenk. Success is always achieved by focusing on customer needs. 

And because WITRON supplies fully automated warehouses to perfection, the customers of the Parkstein-based company were able to make deliveries without restrictions even during the pandemic. But since WITRON's customers even in the USA have to plan in confined spaces, the company is constantly striving to optimize its systems.

Building project for employees: The 3D model of the apartment complex promises a high-quality project in Hammerles (Parkstein community). Image: WITRON

Sustainability rather than greenwashing

“Distribution centers are usually built in metropolitan areas”, explains the Managing Director. “And land is always scarce and expensive in these areas.” So, the goal is: “Compact building and less land sealing”, says Helmut Prieschenk. “We build thirty meters high, reduce cold storage to a cube, which requires less cooling, and stack the goods in a compact and stable manner so that the space required can be minimized even when using PET bottles or yogurt trays. 

The result: “Fewer pallets mean less truck traffic, less CO₂ emission, and fewer damaged products and pallets for the customers, thus reducing food waste.” This topic is also very present in North America, although in a different dimension. “The American people are also facing rising fuel prices, seeing the impact of human activity, and consumers are demanding that food companies do business in a truly sustainable way - not just greenwashing.”


Among foundation partners

Walter Winkler’s business model therefore inspires even the mangers of the world’s largest corporations: “They want to know whether they can count on us in the long-term”, says Walter Winkler. The question is: Whether this Upper Palatinate unicorn can be sold? Walter Winkler just gives rise to a quiet smile. “There have always been specific requests, but that was never an option for me.” 

Instead, the company founder has long since made things clear: “With the establishment of a foundation, the independence of the company is secured in the long-term - for the benefit of our employees.” And because the idea of foundations is also firmly anchored at Walmart - keyword Walmart Foundation - the chemistry between the Upper Palatinates and the Arkansas-based retail giant with its 2.1 million employees worldwide and annual sales of 611 billion Dollars is just right.

WITRON Managing Director Helmut Prieschenk explains how the company manages to remain true to itself despite change. Image: Jürgen Herda

Source: Walter Winkler und Helmut Prieschenk: Witron bleibt sich im Wandel treu | OberpfalzECHO