STILL History ENG

STILL History ENG_2018

A cORpORATE HISTORY wITH A fuTuRE We present the STILL history, to shed a light on the development Transparency and efficiency are becoming the essential success lines of our company. These lines of development have guided STILL factors. This also applies to the way our company presents itself to from its foundation to being the leading group of companies providing others. Only companies that offer visible opportunities for development intralogistics solutions worldwide. Without a core of consistent and career, nationally and internationally, will remain successful in values and firm beliefs, carried by employees, suppliers and customers the competition for future talents. for more than ninety years, the company could impossibly be in the position it is in today. Based on these values, we look into the future. The future belongs to those who remain true to themselves – yet at the same time flexible enough to be able to react to new developments The STILL corporate philosophy underlines the common effort as our on the markets. STILL belongs to this kind of company making use of special strength. Understanding ourselves as partners, is the basis of its sound core of internal values and convictions, re-inventing itself our customer-oriented behaviour and coins our internal cooperation. again and again, yet remaining an unmistakable and dependable partner for its customers. This is why we are looking forward to a More than ever, we are asked to develop services and products for common future with you! our customers and their regional requirements. The network of the KION Group provides us with a sound basis for this. The future STILL Management Board belongs to suppliers of holistic solutions. This is why we combine excellent trucks with services and software solutions. Our customers can integrate seamlessly into their own value adding chain and into their logistic processes.

HAnS STIll – fOundER And vISIOnARY “Nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come.“ Victor Hugo Europe 1920. The continent is slowly recovering from the sufferings of the First World War. It is a time of economic ups and downs causing substantial social turbulences. In Germany the plants of Krupp deliver the first steam train engine of their own design and development – it is a heavy freight train engine. All across Europe transport capacities are geared up and freight traffic is continually growing. Mobility and acceleration coin the spirit of daily life. In Hamburg the subway trains are electrified. Electrification in Mobility and acceleration coin the spirit of daily life. general is becoming a synonym for the increasing mobility and dynamics of the developing industrial nation of Germany. The leisure activities of the German people are picking up speed as well: in Berlin the first Jazz record is published, a version of the “Tiger Rag”. Jazz and the popular “Shimmy” dance electrify the people in these years. The face of the City of Hamburg is fundamentally changed during the twenties of the past century: The architect Fritz Schumacher builds his urban visions and his brick buildings become a brand label of the city. His contemporary architect Fritz Höger builds the Chilehaus with a facade resembling the hull of a massive ship; a building that soon becomes a prominent symbol for the commercial spirit of the times. In the second half of the twenties the most important The flow of material and information drives innovation 5

commercial area of the city, the port of Hamburg, can return to the successes it had achieved at the turn of the century. In 1923, HAPAG puts its new 20 000 GRT flagship “Albert Ballin” to service. The motto of the company that can look In the second half of the twenties the most important back over a long tradition is: commercial area of the city, the port of “My field is the world”. It is the Hamburg, can return to the successes it had starting point of a strategic ex- achieved at the turn of the century. pansion making overseas shipping a motor of economic growth. The rapid mechanisation of production and transport and the ever complex flux of goods accelerate economics and making logistics a success factor for the first time in history. Mobility, speed, depend- ability and service-orientation become the competitive advantages in a seemingly ever prospering global economy. independent power generation systems. STILL delivers them to all corners of the world. In this way the young company can grow with the increasing demand of its customers for mobile projects and services. The dynamic develop- ment of his company in the first years after its foundations is also reflected by the number of people it employs: In 1924, it already employed 20 staff, ten years later 500, and another decade after that there are already 1 000 “STILLians”. One of the reasons for the sales successes is that Hans Speed counts and “time is money”. For example in repairing the growing Still had soon realised the importance of advertising, an aspect we number of electric devices that move all the goods to where they nowadays refer to as product and corporate communication. While were needed. This is what an expert in electrics recognises at the young the first ads still bear the slogan “Fast help – repair of electric motors” age of 22. Consequently he starts his own business by opening a his first success-product, the light generator “Matador”, already repair workshop for electric motors. With only two employees Hans attracts the customers’ attention by its fashionable “Art Déco” style Still starts his company in the Spaldingstraße in Hamburg. Right from design. Also in direct communication with large customers and pur- the start he has a keen sense for the demands of the companies of chasers of industrial companies Hans Still spares neither costs nor his time, predominantly medium-sized companies. Only a year after effort. Already in 1924, Hans Still celebrates his debut with his products establishing his company he starts at the trade show in Leipzig. This appearance had only been made With only two employees Hans Still starts his company to develop his own products based possible by great efforts made by the young entrepreneur and his in the Spaldingstraße in Hamburg. on the insights he gained from the extraordinary organisational strength. However, success proved him demands and requirements of his right. From now on he pursued every chance to increase his prominence customers only a year after establishing his company. He recognises and to anchor the core competencies of his still young company in the the increasing demand in mobile electricity supply and hits the nail public mind. This has made Hans Still one of the few inventors who on the head with his light generator “Lichtstation Matador”. Later on successfully developed their own advertising strategies themselves. small, portable generators that produce electricity wherever it is needed are to follow. The power grids of the time were wide-meshed A glance at the background of founders and inventors of his times and unreliable; in Germany as well as on the international markets. discovers the values and strategies that were the key factors for Hans So, for example, remote plantations in tropical countries needed Still: He was able to merge the two predominant phenomena of the 6 The flow of material and information drives innovation The flow of material and information drives innovation 7

mObIlITY And ElEcTRIfIcATIOn “Larger, faster, higher” – dynamisation is all around at the time. On 19th of January 1932 the German railway “Deutsche Reichsbahn” runs a test journey of a new, a new, fast “railcar: The flying” railcar “Fliegende Hamburger” travels the 286 kilometres from Lehrte station in Berlin to the main station in Hamburg in only 142 minutes! It will take 65 years until an ICE train of the Deutschen Bundesbahn is to travel the same route in the same time again. The railcar is a blueprint for later streamliners. Its new diesel-electric drive propels the vehicle at a speed of 160 kilometres per hour. Two years after that Dornier will take off the Dornier Do X, the largest aeroplane of its time, for its virgin flight – marking the beginning of modern air freight transport logistics. It is the background of such milestones in transport of goods and materials against which Hans Still works to Initially, Hans Still continues to concentrate on expand his company. Initially he elaborating his range of mobile power generators, by then continues to concentrate on available with capacities ofup to 10kW. elaborating his range of mobile available with capacities of up to 10kW, in order to quench the growing power generators, by the time time “electrification” and “mobility”. He achieved this in a visionary thirst for energy of production and transport systems. From 1935 way by developing compact, user-friendly, highly mobile products that on, these mobile systems became a fixed part of the product range. made electric energy instantly available wherever it was needed. The success of the light generator “Matador” turns into a symbol for Already in 1924, Hans Still celebrates his debut with demand for energy, just as the Besides these technical innovations for his product range, the founder his products at the trade show in Leipzig. electric carts did in the years of the company starts around 1935 to attend aspects of the corporate an economic upturn with a growing vIvId cORpORATE pHIlOSOpHY to come. They were electric culture and the benefits of his rapidly growing workforce. What we vehicles with an independent power supply suitable for very different call “psycho-social network” of a brand today, met a Zeitgeist unifying applications. Until today, nearly all of the hospitals in Hamburg fall the positive and negative aspects of this kind of approach at the time. back on emergency power generators made by STILL. In all these 1934 sees the first institutionalised company outings and a few years developments Hans Still assigns quality and endurance of his later the first company sports teams emerge – which are still around products top priority. “It may well happen that someone else is at STILL today, by the way. Already one year later a suggestion scheme cheaper or delivers something cheaper, but it must never happen that is established in the young company. A medical service and a works someone else delivers anything better,” was his credo. doctor had already become a STILL standard while many comparable 8 The flow of material and information drives innovation The flow of material and information drives innovation 9

companies still were a long way from such social achievements. In had made STILL an important actor in military and war economy. 1940, the founder of the company established a corporate aid orga- The capacities are constantly expanded and this way the production nisation for “STILLians” in need: the “Nothilfe Hans Still e.V.”; a corporate output was tripled since the beginning of the forties. unit which also still exists today. The works library, inaugurated a year later, aims to improve training and information of his employees. By 1942, more and more companies were threatened by a massive lack The first affordable company flats were let to their residents in 1943. of workforce – besides the bomb attacks. Virtually all men fit for Admittedly, with these and other military service were drafted by the army and the German war economics In 1940, the founder of the company established a initiatives, Hans Still was in line had to draw back on forced labourers who had been deported from corporate aid organisation for “STILLians” in need: with the tradition of paternalistic abroad. By the end of 1944, approximately 7.5 million people were forced the “Nothilfe Hans Still e.V.”; a corporate unit which entrepreneurs of the 19th century, to work in German production facilities – corresponding to nearly also still exists today. but he also sees the competitive 20 % of all employees. Despite the advantage innate in employees By the end of 1944, approximately 7.5 million people little documentation still available, loyal to the strongly expanding company. However, Hans Still’s thinking were forced to work in German production facilities. a research conducted by Linde AG and doing is also neighboured by the flux of the time which is soon In 2004, had found that up to 30 to fundamentally re-coin the image of Germany in the world with a forced labourers have temporarily worked at STILL. They came from long lasting impact. EnTREpREnEuRS In EcOnOmIcS Of wAR In the early forties the entrepreneurial dynamics of Hans Still had developed in the context of tendencies that started to reinterpret values such as “community spirit” or “solidarity” in the sense of a nationalistic philosophy preparing the ground for the upcoming National Socialism. Belgium, France, Greece, Holland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Latvia, Czechoslovakia and Ukraine. On the initiative of the Chair of the Board Reitzle, Linde AG made compensation payments, also on behalf of STILL, to the German Federal Fund for Nazi Victims. dYnAmIc dEvElOpmEnT Of lOgISTIcS duRIng THE “wIRTScHAfTwundER” Viewed from this perspective, his initiatives of company sports teams, The break down of Germany at the end of World War II marked the “zero work outings and a company aid organisation also were messages of hour” for a great number of companies including STILL. About half of political powers moving in completely different directions. While this the production facilities in Hamburg had been destroyed during the as such does not make the initiatives suspicious, the entrepreneur war. The staff now reduced to a total of only 500 employees began with Hans Still was, however, also influenced by the uprising National the reconstruction. Initially the company restarted its operation by Socialism. This was augmented by the fact that STILL was increasingly returning to its roots and repaired electric motors and transformers. developing military products. Amongst other, the company produced However, neither the experience nor the knowledge of the innovations search lights for anti-aircraft guns and was therefore categorised as and the products had been lost. And, the development of electric devices vital for the war. Hans Still became a member of the NS organisation was further fed by the ever-present lack of fuel. and later on took office as leader of defence economy. Early 1945, the staff of STILL had grown to nearly 1,500 employees. This 10 The flow of material and information drives innovation The flow of material and information drives innovation 11

This is how the combination of electro-technical know-how and a clear vision for the current demands of the market led to the first success product in the years after the war: Early 1946, a development team founded by Hans Still presented About half of the production facilities in Hamburg had the electric cart EK 2000, an been destroyed during the war. electrically powered transporter with a load capacity of 2 tons. Resilient, agile and independent from expensive fossil fuels this truck became a turning point in the strategic alignment of the company after the war. From now on STILL focussed on mobility aiming at “industrial trucks”. The production of pure power generators faded into the background and was phased out completely in 1969. Developing the electric cart had been the first incident for STILL to combine its skills in electric drives, mobility and transport. This lay the cornerstone of the success that exists right into present times. More and more new technical ideas characterised the electric platform and STAff ORIEnTATIOn other industrial trucks of the times. For example, the new independent For Hans Still his employees play an active role in designing the future wheel suspension and stick steering. Both of these innovations of his company. Right from the beginning he continuously discussed were registered for patent – another eminent characteristic of STILL and tested solutions in dialogue with his colleagues in order to until today. Currently, STILL holds approximately 2,000 patents for develop ideas and visions for innovative products. These teams are technical developments. The fact that STILL correctly assessed and the start of a long row of employees, whose talent and inventor spirit had met the demand of potential had not only been recognised early by Still, but whose own initiative Currently, STILL holds approximately 2 000 patents large customers is reflected by he consistently promoted. A part of this tradition, which remains in place for technical developments. an order placed by the Deutsche Bundesbahn: in 1947, the German at STILL until today was also Dr. Friedrich Jungheinrich who was at first director of work preparation railway ordered a large number of the EK 2000 electric platform trucks. Right from the beginning Hans Still continuously developing the tools for the pro- Until today the successors of this classic platform truck characterise discussed solutions in dialogue with his colleagues in duction. In 1941, he took the post the transport of goods on German and European railway platforms. order to develop ideas for innovative products. of director of fixture construction From here it is only a small step to the next success product; A three- was to provide important impulses as product developer for the wheel tractor, the “Muli Mobil” which is soon to coin the image of company. The fact that he became a co-founder of one of the most industrial operations and warehouses in the young Federal Republic. important competitors later on is received by Hans Still in the interest of progress: “Competition is good for the business”. Later on, other and standardisation. Later on he 12 The flow of material and information drives innovation The flow of material and information drives innovation 13

development directors played similarly important roles – far beyond continuous dialogue via the cooperation platform “PartnerShip”, the era of the founder. this is not only due to a sales concept that is evermore oriented towards ever faster changing customer demands. Much rather, the The most important delivery of this development team is the first “PartnerShip” principal shows how the holistic view, the harmonisation forklift truck made by STILL in 1949. The EGS 1000 marks the beginning of product quality, consultation competencies and service together of the core competence from STILL until today: The art of engineering have been coining the STILL brand until today. This still holds true developing user-friendly products to exactly match the logistics until to date for the appearance of the service team which is in line demands of the market. SERvIcE TEAm with the appearance of the brand as such; also if the forklift truck model on the roof of the service vans, which had virtually become a cult symbol in the eighties, has recently been removed to pay respect to the aerodynamics and the fuel consumption of the service vans. The Innovative, mobile products are one side of the coin. The other side is importance of the service technicians being indispensible ambassadors a dependable and fast customer service, and both together create of the brand remains to be one of the strongest pillars in the communi- long term customer loyalty. Knowing this interplay between the two, cation of the brand. Hans Still complemented his trucks with a tailored service offer tailored to the needs of his customers. Using the catchword “Instant Help” he signaled to his customers already in the advertisements that he is not glObAl InnOvATIOn dYnAmIcS going to let them down in case problems arise. Beyond this, he would Independent of the product types, one of the maxims of STILL is and advise his customers with respect to logistics, telling them how to will be to keep track of the future requirements of companies with integrate his products best into the organisation of their operation. Hans global activities. This means to align the perspective of the product Still knew right from the start that service staff cover a lot of mileage development with long-term, global demands and development trends. on the road and that the service technicians are ideal mobile am- The close link between transport and logistics tasks paralleled by a bassadors of the STILL brand. Already at the end of the 1940s, he took global flow of information reflects the general development of civilisation. the initiative to use Volkswagen Companies wanting to stay at eye-level with their customers must Already at the end of the 1940ies, Hans Still takes the transporters “micro vans” bearing consider these phenomena and trends in their product development. initiative to use Volkswagen transporters “micro vans” a STILL design to serve this Knowing the global challenges for logistics in the future as exactly bearing a STILL design to serve this purpose. purpose. The uniform clothing of as possible is a condition for future entrepreneurial successes. the service technicians in the colours of the company ensures the necessary recognition value. The The changes that international transport is undergoing become particulary service reports which the technicians prepare after their visits generate evident in Hamburg – directly in front to the works gates of STILL: Namely important impulses for the development of new products and services. in the development of the port of Hamburg over the past forty years. After all, who would know more about what the customers wanted In 1958, the American ship owner Malcolm McLean is the first to use than the service technicians who saw virtually all the processes at containers as load carriers – initially only on the east coast of the USA. the customer’s? If today the sales and service teams at STILL are in However, since that time this innovation allowed to standardise 14 The flow of material and information drives innovation The flow of material and information drives innovation 15

international transport. A development that is soon to affect European the world” moving to wherever the production costs are lowest. ports as well: In the sixties the damages caused during the war had Related to STILL, this means that the future winners will be those just been repaired in the port of Hamburg to allow frictionless turnover companies offering products and services that provide intelligent solutions and warehousing in the port again. Now, at the beginning of the sixties to the ever more complex logistic requirements of globally active the whole port had to be reorganised and rebuilt to fit the new customers against the background of increasing energy costs and requirements. Container traffic rolled across Europe and the traditional consumption of resources. There is a growing trend toward technologies quayside systems were no longer suitable to cope with the new techno- that find a balance between economics and ecology. This is an issue logies. Huge investments were necessary to develop the high-performing that is becoming more and more relevant in terms of competition. container port that we know Especially in the upcoming economies of the formerly developing The close link between transport and logistics tasks Hamburg of today. State-of-the- countries the speed for the demand for products and services that offer paralleled by a global flow of information reflects the art transport technology – also an “additional” ecologic value is rapidly increasing. general development of civilisation. provided by STILL – keeps this complex entity moving; 24 hours The much quoted maxim “think global – act local” is the guideline STILL every day. When the “World Wide Web”, initially intended to link follows when it comes to the global alignment of future core compe- American universities at the end of the seventies, started to spread tencies. Because, together with the global scope of the offer, the around the world in the eighties, it became possible to link the flow number of smaller, local markets is growing as well; and the demands of materials in real time with the related flow of information. On-line of these markets considerably deviates from the global “mainstream”, access and control of all data relevant for a company and its partners for example, with respect to “sustainability” and “ecologic responsibility” connected with the related movements of materials, as it is common of the products and services offered. Experience has shown: if countries place to us , is soon perceived as a challenge by STILL. And so the or their economies initially pay little attention to the ecologic relevance company can set our early to create powerful instruments to connect of logistics products, then this issue realises an important competitive Huge investments were necessary to develop materials and information – and the high-performing container port that we know to make this connection trans- the two levels – transport of Hamburg of today. parent in real time. Today, STILL offers a platform-independent material flow management system with an independent infrastructure. This is a system that meets the increasing demand for transparency in all internal logistics movements making the data available at all times. All forecasts point out that we are globally at the transition to becoming “post industrial society”. Development and production are often established far apart in different regions on the globe. A “knowledge society” is opposed to countries and regions that are the “workshops of 16 The flow of material and information drives innovation

edge in the second step of a developing economy. Sustainability and The R 70 was the predecessor of today’s RX 70 Hybrid which is now eco-friendliness will be essential in the future. A “Green Economy” as produced in series and helps maintain the ecologic balance in the an attempt to build a strong bridge between ecology and economy will container port of Hamburg. However, the development is continuing: be the most prominent future subject. STILL is taking this into account The fuel cell as a propulsion module for the future will open the next by developing energy saving technologies such as “Blue-Q”, the page of the book of this success story. intelligent auto pilot for economy and ecologic responsibility. Pressing a button activates the efficiency mode of a truck which then saves energy wherever it does not jeopardise the current work in progress. fuTuRE pROducTS Learning from innovations built into prototypes and step-by-step transfer In this area STILL can look back upon a long history of experience with of technological details from these innovations to new STILL trucks electric drives and the respective eco-friendly propulsion technologies. has been the pivoting point of the innovation strategy at STILL right On this basis STILL has the capability to become an innovation driver. from the beginning of the company. By this method the competency In this sense the serial hybrid drive of the RX 70 presented in 2011 in electric generators (“Matador”) is the top of the wave of developments focussing on energy efficient The serial hybrid drive of the RX 70 presented in was combined with developments drive technologies. In addition this product is development based on generic 2011 is the top of the wave of developments focussing in propulsion technology used STILL products. With its diesel-electric forklift trucks STILL had already on energy efficient drive technologies. in electric carts (EK 2000): a pro- met all the important conditions to develop the future-oriented hybrid duct which was in turn combined drive in the fifties. To develop the hybrid drive, the only missing with hydraulic elements to lead to the development of the first counter- link was a buffer to store the energy flowing between the two drive balance truck (EGS 1000 ). The strategy of step-by-step combination systems. STILL presented the first truck with hybrid technology: of technological aspects in product development is also reflected in the realm of world innovations and innovations of the industry. Many of which had initially been integrated in prototypes or reference products and that have later become standards for the complete industry. This applies to the electronic diagnostic system launched in 1970 and that is used by STILL service technicians, the free-view mast launched in 1977, the lateral battery change as well as the first hybrid truck worldwide built by STILL in 1983, or the “Joystick” which was introduced by STILL in 1999 and that has become a standard for the industry by now. Against this background it was only consistent to present a concept vehicle, the RXX, in 1998. The egg-shaped design of the truck as well as its internal values in terms of technological features caused a great stir in the public. The strategic decision to invest the considerable sum of money into such a concept vehicle does not only pay off when individual features are taken over into subsequent product innovations The flow of material and information drives innovation 19

based on them. It would also be difficult to obtain the public perception tradition of STILL we have seen many incidents of this way of “linked of STILL as a premium supplier with a claim to technological leadership thinking”. Another example of the solution-oriented development without the RXX. The latest development in this respect is the design policy at STILL is the constant work on the question how energy study cubeXX intending no less than the fusion of a counterbalance can be efficiently stored in mobile machines with an economically truck, a low lift and high lift pallet truck, an order picker and a double and ecologically reasonable effort. This applies to propulsion deck pallet truck in one single technologies just as well as to the question of how electric motors It was only consistent to present a concept vehicle, vehicle. It is a merger of inde- can be supplied with power from lighter but at the same time more the RXX, in 1998. The egg-shaped design of the truck pendent machines each of which powerful batteries. In the past batteries were heavy enough to serve as well as its internal values in terms of technological have until now existed in its as counterweights in the trucks, their major setback, however, were features caused a great stir in the public. own universe with independent the long charging cycles. The new product and brand histories. The This is why the future does not belong to products crea- types of lithium-ion batteries vision of this central idea “6 in 1” is to develop an intelligent cube ting an independent segment for themselves, but to are not only much lighter than floating noiselessly in the warehouses, as an entity executing as many those products that reach beyond the limits of their box. con-ventional energy storage functions as possible in a controlling network. This design study is devices; they will also not driven by the strategy to take future scenarios and forecasts as a basis discharge while not in use. STILL is consistently developing ways to to infer the requirements of every day work and value adding chains in deploy these efficient energy storage types, which unfold all their the future and to develop flexible machines and services fit to meet great potential the more challenging the task is. these demands. Put in the shell of a nut one could say: “To learn from the future for the future.” SOluTIOn dESIgn However, STILL is taking another step towards the goal of independent energy supply to its trucks. By installing a fuel cell in the trucks, the machines equipped this way take their own power plant on board. The requirements with respect to sustainability and environmental The electric energy for driving, hydraulic functions and attachments is compatibility for industrial and logistics companies are increasing. More generated by a reaction of hydrogen and oxygen from the air. The and more customers ask their suppliers for eco-balanced products “exhaust” emissions are pure water and services. This is how this issue is becoming an essential competitive By installing a fuel cell in the trucks, the machines in the form of vapour. In all of this factor. The task for the future is therefore to bear these demands for equipped this way take their own power plant on board. the space required for all the sustainability in mind when developing products and performances, components of the fuel cell is no integrating these products into ecologic visions and fitting them into larger than the space required for a conventional battery. So once again, the framework conditions that result from urbanisation and the trucks from STILL with fuel cells are another instance to underline the development of the population. Customers and suppliers alike are credo of the company: to work solution-oriented and to show its subject to these unstoppable developments. This is why the future customers efficient, future-oriented ways to achieve their corporate goals. does not belong to products or services creating an independent segment for themselves, but to those products and services that think outside of the box integrating adjacent areas. Looking at the 20 The flow of material and information drives innovation The flow of material and information drives innovation 21

ElEcTRO-mAgnETIc dRIvE SYSTEmS – A cORnERSTOnE fOR STIll “The electro-magnetic principle invented by Siemens and the internal combustion engines from Otto and Diesel have had more impact on the world than the theories by Marx and Lenin.” Eberhard von Kuenheim, former Chair of the Board of BMW Asking operators at our customers’ or service technicians about the most prominent benefits of electric drives the answer usually is the same: Compared to internal combustion engines, electric motors consist of much fewer parts and are therefore less costly and easier to maintain. An additional benefit is that they do not emit any exhaust fumes in operation Compared to internal combustion engines, electric which makes them ver y motors consist of much fewer parts and are therefore environmentally friendly. (Ever less costly and easier to maintain. more so if powered by “green” electricity.) The high efficiency of electric drives is colloquially referred to as “powerful”, and the low noise levels are a great benefit when operating indoors. It was therefore not in vain that the beginnings, from where the company developed to what we know of STILL today, was a repair shop for electric motors which subsequently had produced generators. Electric motors – be they powered by direct or alternating current – transform electric energy into mechanic energy by means of a rotational movement. They are the exact counterpart of generators. Hans Still knew both sides of this “generator – motor” principal. And therefore equipping the first transport vehicles with electric motors paved the entrance to a development leading directly to the techno- 26 Success factor propulsion technology

logically sophisticated STILL products with electrically powered drives Eugen Clark had started to build platform trucks with internal combustion available at present. Electric motors operate without couplings and engines in 1917. On this basis he had developed a lift truck which he gearboxes which is a fact that provides excellent driving comfort. had called “Truclift” in 1922. This truck in turn became the basis to Compared to internal combustion engines they are also characterised build the first proper forklift truck in 1924. The company Clark has by low operation costs. Energy costs are lower as well as maintenance been making forklift trucks until today. costs and their service life is longer. From his discussions with service customers Hans Still knew the weaknesses of the existing machines Against this background the company STILL soon perceives a growing in every day work. The compact demand for transport machines that do not only tow but that also From his discussions with service customers Hans and resilient design of the initial lift loads. In 1949 this triggers the development of the EGS 1000, the Still knew the weaknesses of the existing machines in product developments by STILL first forklift truck. Although this every day work. were the result of experiences Against this background the company STILL soon gives STILL a crucial head start, the company. Asked about decision criteria for purchasing warehouse that do not only tow but that can also lift loads. In new market place. Also the trucks, industrial customers still name a compact, resilient design as 1949 this triggers the development of the EGS 1000, Maschinenfabrik Esslingen – a customers had had at the start of perceives a growing demand for transport machines the company is not alone in the most important. the first forklift truck. company that will play a major role for STILL in the future and dEvElOpmEnT lInES Of ElEcTRIc TRuckS AT STIll Steinbock start to position themselves on the market. The competitor from Hamburg, Jungheinrich, whose junior founder received important The electric cart “EK 2000”, a resilient electrically powered transporter impulses at Hans Still’s company, as we have seen, sets out to the with a load capacity of 2 tons and the subsequent three-wheel tractor new market concentrating on niche products such as high bay stackers “Muli Mobil” mark the change of STILL to become a maker of “industrial or tiller operated industrial vehicles, later to become known under the trucks”. In the warehouses of the port of Hamburg the Muli Mobil brand name “Ameise”. is soon to become an indispensible helper for the dockworkers at the time. The agile electric truck can tow up to ten trailers and exactly With the EDS 1000 and its succeeding models, STILL decides to pursue this feature makes it an early predecessor of STILL’s tugger train of a different philosophy. By concentrating on electric trucks the company today. focusses on products that provide a universal profile by combining different functions on a single platform instead of developing an inde- The development step from a three-wheel tractor to the first forklift pendent model for each application. STILL’s position as a market truck them seems small at first sight. However, forklift trucks were leader for electric trucks in Germany and Europe since the end of virtually unheard of in Europe of the mid-fifties – at least if they were the sixties remains and importantly, shows that this was a successful to come from domestic production. The forklift truck market in Europe strategy. was initiated in 1946. At the time, the American occupying forces started selling forklift trucks from army stocks to German companies. Most of these models were made by Clark. The American screw-maker This long term success is based on a consistent innovation strategy that 28 Success factor propulsion technology Success factor propulsion technology 29

STILL pursues to accompany changing customer demands. For example, In 2011, STILL funnels its experience in electric drives and differentiated since the beginning of the sixties the customers can choose from user applications reaching right back into the fifties into the new RX 50. different types of tyres besides to the solid rubber tyres which were The design elements of the body originate from the RXX and the the standard of the time. In the same year STILL launches the EGS 2000, ergonomic improvements underline the growing importance of work- the first truck with a side shift function. The economic development in spaces that contribute to the well-being of the operators – particularly Europe and in the Federal Republic of Germany gives rise to a higher against the background of extended work lifetime the operators face demand for comfort and flexibility of the machines. Consequently nowadays. This shows how major changes in society, such as the the trucks with the serial designation “R” which is in use until today demographic change, are consistently implemented into the STILL are step-by-step equipped with ever new features such as the 5-step products. Features like enlarged leg room and an innovative overhead acceleration control, the pivot plate axle, the 3-level adjustment of guard that provides optimum visibility and fits through doorways that the steering column and the shifting front axle. With the lateral battery are only two metres high, combine change, first used in the STILL R 9 counterbalance truck in the sixties, In 2003 STILL funnels its experience in electric drives functionality and comfort leading the company sets a standard for the industry still valid today. and differentiated user applications reaching right back to higher efficiency in the In 1977 STILL again bundles all the innovations achieved by this point into the fifties into the new RX 50. application of the trucks. This clearly lays the tracks for the in time to build and launch a new series of electric counterbalance future course of the premium brand STILL. The award of the much trucks, the R 50. These trucks turn to play the role of the Volkswagen sought after IF Product Award to the STILL RX 50 once more underpins “Golf” in the industry. The series becomes the most sold series of and honours these efforts. three-wheel trucks of its class worldwide. The consistently growing number of functions provided by the trucks is paralled by a rise in requirements for the service team. This is why STILL starts during the mid-sixties to hold regular trainings for the service technicians. These trainings do not only strengthen the team spirit but also provide development and sales departments with important insights from the application side of the trucks. This is a fact assigned with high importance until today. An electronic diagnostic system launched in the beginning of the seventies similar to the development in the automotive industry forms the starting point of the central control instruments for complete fleets available from STILL today. With network solutions such as the STILL Fleetmanager and the on-line based software tool STILLProActive STILL can serve its customers with tools enabeling them to handle their global flow of material and information. These tools, needed at the beginning of the 21st century, root in this early diagnostic system. Success factor propulsion technology 31

ElEcTRO mObIlITY AS A fuTuRE fOR STIll the base of a Fiat by a company located in Hamburg. This car, first Today, electro mobility is one of the major trends in modern society. introduced to the public in 2011, is the first car to achieve costs levels Especially the highly industrialised countries require emission-free of comparable small cars. The electric motor of the Karabag New 500 vehicle concepts to reduce the effect of traffic on health and environment. closely resembles the drive motors This is a development offering all those companies a chance that The 800 service points distributed all across deployed in STILL counterbalance can look back on a broad experience in the developing electric drives. Germany do not only provide fast, but also trucks. And this is exactly where This trend is further fuelled by the fact that from 2012 on, generally competent help in case problems with the drive the STILL competency in service binding limits for CO2 emissions will become effective. Initially applying only to the automotive sector, the need to reduce emissions and electronic on-board systems arise. sets in. The 800 service points distributed all across Germany is already moving into the central focus of customers deciding to do not only provide fast, but also competent help in case problems purchase vehicles for internal logistics. Expanding electric mobility with the drive and electronic onboard systems arise. A profitable market: will therefore not only affect Germany’s roads but also the aisles in The statistics of the German motorists association (ADAC) show that logistics centres and production facilities. This opens new problems with the electric system are the lead cause for roadside problems. opportunities for companies with a high competency in electric propulsion systems – for example with respect to service. Today This is a vision that shows how the fields of competency “electricity” STILL operates a tight service and “mobility” have repeatedly proven their potential for the future – Expanding electric mobility will therefore not only affect network of 800 service points all right since the first mobile generators and transport vehicles were Germany’s roads but also the aisles in logistics centres across Germany. In the future the developed by Hans Still over 90 years ago. Only companies that continue and production facilities. service vans of STILL, all of them equipped with GPS, might not only to reinvent themselves, based on their core competency, will remain fit for the future. This is not about starting a competition with the provide fast help to the drivers of industrial trucks but also to electric automotive industry in the long run. STILL has always used the trans- cars. Electric vehicles only have 10 % of the moving parts vehicles with fer of technology and the insights internal combustion engines have and are therefore less prone to Only companies that continue to reinvent themselves, gained from looking into practical wear. However, the requirements in terms of knowledge and experience will remain fit for the future. needed for inspection and maintenance of electric vehicles are over- applications to further improve its electro-mechanic drives and proportionally higher. This is exactly what the staff in the STILL service warehouse trucks in the interest of its own customers – and to anchor team is prepared for – at least better than many of the traditional STILL as a broad brand in the mind of the public. Whether this is to car repair workshops. One of the main issues in this respect is the develop into a new field of business revolving around electric drive ability to handle high-voltage systems, because in electric vehicles systems, remains for the future to be seen. voltages of up to 400 volts may occur. Right outside of the factory gates of STILL in the city of Hamburg is becoming a metropolis of electric mobility. For example with the electric Karabag New 500 E – an electric car which was developed on 32 Success factor propulsion technology Success factor propulsion technology 33

InTERnAl cOmbuSTIOn dRIvE SYSTEmS fROm STIll “Economical and powerful: the IC engined trucks from STILL. From compact right up to powerful, the diesel and LP Gas trucks provide precisely the right machine for any application!” – These, quite self-confident, introduce the reader to the IC truck section on the STILL homepage. The attribute “powerful” traditionally is one of the foremost characteristics mentioned when customers and makers talk about so called “IC trucks”. This is because diesel trucks are mainly used outdoors to move heavy loads. Although by far most of the soot particles that are produced by burning the diesel fuel are collected by modern filter systems nowadays, the operation of these trucks indoors is usually prohibited. LPG trucks, driven by gas, on the opposite are used when the application scopes indoor and outdoor operation alike. In addition, the fuel for LPG trucks consists of a mixture of propane and butane. Both of these substances used to be waste products from dEvElOpmEnT Of InTERnAl cOmbuSTIOn TEcHnOlOgY AT STIll petro-chemical industry and were simply flared off without any benefit After electric drives had been the “senior” range of drive technologies in the past. Both truck versions offer the advantage that they can be in the trucks of the STILL family for quite some time, the first member operated “around the clock” in multi-shift operation. Only sporadic of this family with “fuel in its veins” was introduced to the industry of stops for re-fuelling will interrupt the work process of these vehicles. transports and logistics at the beginning of the fifties. The somewhat Energy efficiency and emissions are therefore the two crucial factors wordy type denominations “DEGS” Diesel Electric Forklift Trucks and fot IC trucks. 34 Success factor propulsion technology “BEGS” Petrol Electric Forklift Trucks stand for the two twins that entered the market in 1952. Both of these trucks are the remote ancestors of the series of “Muli trucks” (Muli-Geräte), introduced in 1960, which are to make the diesel driven STILL three-wheel and four-wheel trucks world famous later on. Seen from today’s perspective, the diesel-electric drive system of these trucks may have consumed a lot of fuel. However, in the times of the Wirtschaftswunder after the war this was no argument to impair the sales figures of these trucks. At the time, the wide spread opinion of inexhaustible fossil fuels greatly predominated the public view on fuel consumption. At the turn of the year 1964/1965 STILL changed its philosophy with respect to the IC trucks. With the legendary “R 40” series STILL intro- duces a pure diesel truck to the world market for the first time. Success factor propulsion technology 35

Success models such as the resilient R 43 are to characterise the With the fall of the “Iron Curtain” and the opening of the markets in range of IC trucks from STILL for most of the following two decades. the east, STILL was to enter markets that initially did not focus on “added value” but on the pure transport function of the trucks. In It was not until the early eighties that STILL again started to focus on these circumstances the techno- its competency in electric drives again and returned to the production With the opening of the markets in the east, STILL is logically outstanding diesel-electric of diesel-electric trucks. The technological progress that had taken to enter markets that initially do not focus on “added trucks from STILL had to face place meanwhile had not only made these trucks more fuel efficient value” but on the pure transport function of the trucks. the upcoming economies in but most of all made them substantially more dependable. This was Central and Eastern Europe that, the fact that had led to high in the segment of IC trucks, mainly focused on Japanese trucks with With the legendary “R 40” series STILL for the first time acceptance of theses trucks with torque converter technology. Such trucks are inexpensive to make, introduces a pure diesel truck to the world market. the customers. Also, the changed because they are made of fewer components than the trucks from economic conditions worldwide STILL. The former success of these trucks is therefore not surprising: caused a change of paradigms to take place: In the years of economic The market in such economies asks for resilient, enduing trucks at boom during the eighties these trucks, although available at higher attractive prices. Only if the continuous economic development in purchase costs, were excellent in terms of efficiency and handling. such countries leads to more sophisticated business processes, the And, they were available to a market on which customers were happy demand for more complex tucks will rise. Especially in areas where to pay for this “extra” in terms of comfort and performance which we industrial development is not to take place at the cost of nature, the refer to as “added value” today. Over a time of more than twenty chances for suppliers of trucks with “green” drive systems will rise years, these trucks had been continuously improved. And the associated success of the series R70 15 to R70 80 shows that STILL had chosen A similar picture can be seen when looking at countries that are just the right product strategy for these markets in a positive economic initiating this development today and that will be highly developed environment, not price-sensitive during these years of boom. industrial nations in a few years time. Examples for this are Brazil, India or China. Here the demand for resilient “all-round” trucks without any extra functions currently predominates. In order to build a sound base for future developments with customers loyal to the brand, it is important to make attractive offers now, at the beginning of the economic development. This is an entrance for STILL to become a long-term partner for all aspects of internal logistics and to anchor this perception in the mind of the public. Part of this strategy is the reanimated torque converter used in the RC 40 which was introduced to the product range by mid-2010. This type of truck with torque converter drive systems still dominates the global market with a share of over 80 percent. Success factor propulsion technology 37

The demand for eco-friendly drive systems in the developed industrial a long term loyalty with the brand in the regional markets; be those nations increases proportionally to CO2 emissions being limited by legal regulations. Since the seventies STILL has been meeting the economic developments dynamic upturns in developing countries or moderate growth in countries essential technologic conditions to build low-emission drive systems, In this respect the RX 70 Hybrid from series pro- with a high level of technology such as hybrid systems, in series enabling the company to cover this duction presented in 2011 is the consistent result that are moving towards more segment. Already in 1983, STILL presented a counterbalance truck of a development strategy focussing on energy- technological differentiation. This with hybrid technology. In this kind of truck at least two energy con- efficient drive systems. verters and two energy storage systems are used to propel the truck. is the background of the strategy followed by STILL do Brasil on The benefit: A hybrid truck will recuperate the energy released during the South American market: The aim is to provide a truck exactly braking and can use it again to accelerate. This energy cycle will save “localised” to the demands of that specific market: The STILL CLX IC the truck which already is very fuel efficient, another 15 % of energy. truck. The declared goal is to catch up with the market leaders in South The low energy consumption of the truck also means that CO2 emi- ssions are cut – a clear plus for environmental sustainability. In this America within a period of three years. respect the RX 70 Hybrid from series production presented in 2011 is In this sense the broad “premium” STILL brand provides a wide portfolio the consistent result of a development strategy focussing on energy- of interlinked solutions and drive technologies based on individual efficient drive systems. It is another example of a development by models each focussed on the local demands of their respective market. STILL basing on a generic develop- And with the ever-present question “Which customer will need which In this respect the RX 70 Hybrid from series produc- ment from STILL’s own product kind of offer now and in five years time?” will keep STILL apace with tion presented in 2011 is the consistent result of a portfolio. Today the serial hybrid current and future demands of the market at the same time. development strategy focussing on energy-efficient truck RX 70 Hybrid is especially drive systems. favoured by customers who attach an importance to the positive ecological balance of their operation – for example, the HHLA at the container port of Hamburg, the recycling company ALBA Group or the logistics company Kuehne + Nagel. And the development is to continue: As an “on-board power plant”, the fuel cell can be used as a drive system in future and will stand at the beginning of the next chapter of the success story. Whether a company is fit for the future will more than ever depend on the fact whether it is able to make its customers offers that match their individual situation in the different phases of their overall economic development. Economic developments always have to be the frame for consistency in brand politics with the goal to establish 38 Success factor propulsion technology Success factor propulsion technology 39

THE InTEgRATIOn Of STROng bRAndS “National champions are becoming obsolete.” Neelie Kroos, EC Competition Commissioner The transition of STILL from a manufacturer in Hamburg to a global partner for networks of materials and information flow would be un-thinkable without the integration of strong brands with all their competencies and their markets into the company. This part of the corporate history is closely linked The transition of STILL from a manufacturer in Hamburg to the brands Saxby, Wagner, to a global partner for networks of materials and Stocka and OM. All four of these information flow would be unthinkable without the formerly sovereign brands, each integration of strong brands with all their competencies of them prominent and important and their markets into the company. on their home markets can look back on a history of their own. The individual traditions and development lines of these companies are still traceable today as all of them act together unified under the brand name STILL. However, each of these brands renders its contribution in a different way. Let us look back into the year 1989. For the company it is not only the first year for the sales revenues to pass the billion mark (at the time in Deutsche Mark). It is also the year in which the cooperation and later integration of regional European brands under the corporate roof of STILL begins. From a manufacturer to a global service provider 43

SAxbY from Reutlingen is relocated to Montataire. However, it is only in 2002 A leap back in time to London in 1863. The 42-year old technician that Saxby is renamed to STILL and the name Saxby, rich in tradition as John Saxby has become professionally experienced working at railway it was, is discontinued. In 2004, the STILL plant in Montataire is modi- manufacturers and has specialised on improving signalling systems. fied to become a pure assembly plant, the fleet of production machinery In the course of his activities, the expert invented a new type of traffic is downsized and the welding department is closed. With the foundation light that was to become known as the traffic light we know our roads of the KION Group, Montataire is integrated into the international today. With this knowledge, he establishes the company Saxby & Farmer network of production facilities owned by the new group. At the beginning in the suburbs of London concentrating on the production of signalling of 2010 the production capacities of virtually every production site belong- systems for railways. In 1878, the ing to the KION Group are assessed for subsequent reorganisation. After these takeovers, the company from Wiesbaden entrepreneur dares the crossing One of the goals is to relocate the production of smaller sites to the splits its industrial truck division into two company of the Channel and builds his first larger ones. In the scope of this project the production of electric groups: The Linde WGA-Group on one hand and the factory on the continent in Creil, platform trucks and tractors from Basingstoke in England is relocated STILL group including Saxby on the other. France. Until the middle of the to the plant in Aschaffenburg and the production of heavy tractors is 20th century, Saxby works as a transferred to the plant in Hamburg. The integration of OM into the supplier for different industries from this location. Only in 1950, the STILL group is accompanied by another consolidation of the plants. company starts to produce industrial trucks and presents the first The production, originally spread out over the five plants in Reutlin- forklift truck of its own production in 1954. In 1964, Saxby relocates gen, Montataire, Bari and Luzzara, is to be concentrated in three plants the production to Montataire. After the American elevator manufac- now. It is planned to transfer the production from Montataire to Luzzara turer OTIS had initially taken over the majority of the company in 1970, Saxby is taken over by the English forklift truck maker Lansing in 1985. Lansing is number three in Europe at the time and the new company now firms as Saxby-Lansing. In February 1989, Linde AG, at the time number two worldwide in the segment of industrial trucks, takes over the British company Lansing. Parallel to this Linde is able to take over the largest French forklift truck maker at the time, Fenwick Manutention advancing to be the world market leader. After these take-overs, the company from Wiesbaden splits its industrial truck division into two company groups: The Linde WGA-Group on one hand and the STILL Group including Saxby on the other. From then on, STILL produces all tiller operated trucks and the electric order pickers at the site in Montataire. 1995 marks a turning point in the history of the plant in Montataire, because at this point a large part of the production of the manufacturer Wagner 44 From a manufacturer to a global service provider

with the attitudes predominant at the headquarters in Hamburg in order to attune the whole company to a common corporate culture. With the foundation of the KION Group in 2006 and the merger of all industrial trucks and warehouse equipment divisions of Linde AG, the site in Reutlingen undergoes far-reaching changes. STILL Wagner is strongly affected by the fundamental reorganisation of the production structures throughout the group. The production of reach trucks, which has had a long These changes lay the tracks for the future of STILL tradition in Reutlingen, is moved Wagner as a part of the KION Warehouse Systems to the plant in Hamburg. The (KWS). relocation of the production capacities causes the number of employees to drop from 450 to 250 at the site in Reutlingen. This entails a strong cut for the region causing local political protests. and (the production of counter balance trucks) from Bari to Hamburg. However, the remaining part of the plant is upgraded to become the KION This transfer is planned to be completed in 2012. wAgnER centre of competency for VNA trucks. KION invests 10 million Euro into the restructuring and by this into the competitive edge of the site. The investment includes building a new, modern 60-meter long paint shop and the replacement of the high bay rack to provide efficient Over a period starting in 1986 and ending in 1991 Linde AG takes over replenishment of raw materials from the warehouse to production. These the department of conveyor technology of Ernst Wagner KG located changes lay the tracks for the future of STILL Wagner as a part of the in Reutlingen in Baden-Wuerttemberg. The company is amongst the KION Warehouse Systems (KWS). Although the renowned company leading suppliers of warehouse equipment and driverless transport name Wagner is discontinued, the future of the site in Reutlingen now systems in Germany. Under the product name “Schildkröte” the bases on a sound foundation. The company KWS develops and produces company develops and produces computer-controlled lift trucks, system trucks for high bay racks as an internal service provider to the tractors, combined conveyors,ex-proof lift trucks and fore-most VNA brands of the KION Group Linde, STILL, Fenwick and OM STILL. Besides (very narrow aisle) trucks. The integration of the company grants this, the company is specialised on warehouse trucks for the VNA STILL a crucial headway in the warehouse equipment segment segment. The trucks developed and produced at the site in Reutlingen from 1995 on. This happened just at the right moment, because offer a well-respected, high standard of technology. This way KWS offers the trend to “just in time” production supply amplifies the sales the brands of the KION Group trucks precisely designed to each opportunities for software-controlled warehouse systems considerably. specific customer need sourcing from a modular kit without being Although the product portfolio of Wagner perfectly complements the limited to fixed type categorisations. This is an important competitive STILL offer, the main task in the years to come is to level the different factor in a market characterised by evermore differentiated customer mentalities prevailing in the south German location of Reutlingen demands. 46 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 47

STOckA deliver high-quality Scancab driver cabins for one of the flagships The history of the Swedish company and with this the history of the of STILL at the time, the electric R 60 counterbalance truck. In the brand “Stocka” reaches right back into the 17th century. Initially eighties, this truck is known as the “Mercedes amongst the forklift the company started by offering simple wooden push carts. Since trucks of the world”. 1918, Stocka has developed to be the synonym for high-quality and ergonomic warehouse equipment and industrial trucks right across On 1 October 2004, STILL takes over 100 % of the Swedish Stocka Scandinavia intially starting off by providing first simple, manually Industries AB. With this step, the company taken over becomes the operated lift trucks. Since the foundation of Stocka Industries in 1906, new Swedish branch of STILL. Although the company remains to be the company has been producing and dealing with several brands at located in Stocka-möllan, north of Malmö in the south of Sweden, the same time. In 1950, Stocka expands its range of production and the appearance of the company evolves into the appearance of the commercial goods toinclude forklift trucks. At the point of the takeover STILL brand. The foundation of by STILL, Stocka produces and sells a broad range of high quality It is only on 1 October 2004, that STILL takes over its own branch in Sweden is an products to handle goods and materials. A world-spanning net of 100 % of the Swedish Stocka Industries AB. With important step for STILL in order dealers sells especially the hand pallet trucks and stackers this step, the company taken over becomes the new to strengthen and expand its By purchasing parts of Stocka in 1989, a gradual around the world. Other areas produced for export everywhere Swedish branch of STILL. position in the Scandinavian region. This way STILL is able to integration of the company into STILL starts to take its of focus are the used and rental integrate the customers of Stocka including globally active company course. Besides the utilisation of synergies in the truck business,sale of spare groups such as Volvo Truck, Ford and Saab Automotive, Tetra Pak, production, this integration aims at increasing the parts and service. By purchasing IKEA and Stora Enso into its own customer portfolio. presence of STILL in the Scandinavian export markets. parts of Stocka in 1989, a gradual integration of the company into STILL starts to take its course. Besides the utilisation of synergies Om in the production, this integration aims at increasing the presence OM stands for “Officine Meccaniche” – a name rather referring to of STILL in the Scandinavian export markets of Stocka. automobiles than to industrial trucks. Nevertheless, there is a background to this company name because from 1917 on, the company, In 1997, Stocka started to work as a dealer of STILL products and one established in 1899 in Milan, concentrated on producing sports year later the company can supply the complete range of STILL cars for several decades. The OM touring cars at the “Mille Miglia”, products and services to Scandinavia. At the beginning of the millennium, first hosted in 1827, finished for the first three places. In 1933, OM the business relations between both partners are once more tightened becomes a part of the FIAT group but still acts independently on the by STILL’s acquisition of a twenty-five percent minority share of Stocka. market. Four years after that, the production facilities in Milan and Since the beginning of the new millennium until today, the business Brescia are reorganised. The product portfolio, which by now had grown volume with STILL trucks has doubled to approximately 50 million to include busses, HGVs, sea vessel turbines and cooling systems is Swedish Crowns. At production level the cooperation between STILL split up into three large fields of business. In 1951 OM present their and Stock is initiated by supplying parts. The Swedish, for example, first forklift truck with an internal combustion engine and it takes only 48 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 49

a few years for a sales organisation to grow and sell considerable In 2003, Linde takes over the residual 25 % of shares from FIAT (IVECO) numbers of these industrial trucks. In the seventies OM becomes a and the brand returns to its traditional name OM Carrelli Elevatori. In part of IVECO, the lorry section of FIAT. In the course of this takeover, accordance with the multi-brand strategy at Linde, the company the plant in Bari is established initially enjoys the same independent status in the Linde Group as STILL From 1917 on, the company, established in 1899 in and repeatedly expanded. In does. At the end of the nineties Linde changes its corporate policy Milan, concentrated on producing sports cars for 1975, OM is renamed to FIAT towards OM. Now the Italian maker is to renounce the production of several decades. The OM touring cars at the “Mille Carelli Elevatore and takes over small series and niche products and replace these by products from Miglia”, first hosted in 1827, finished for the first the warehouse truck maker the group’s range of products. With the foundation of the KION Group, three places. Pimespo located in Luzzara, Italy in the early eighties. This OM becomes part of a new company group family. In order to strengthen synergies in production and sales – foremost on the Italian market – makes the company the largest Italian full range supplier of warehouse STILL and OM agree on a close cooperation early 2010. Already in equipment and industrial trucks. I.e. this is a development quite the beginning of June 2010, the first STILL RC 40 forklift trucks with comparable to the inte-gration of the warehouse equipment segment torque converters are produced by the plant in Bari. With the help of from Wagner into the STILL product portfolio. this product line, STILL aims to even better cover the demand for products with basic functions in combination with excellent quality – In 1992, Linde acquires a 51 % participation of FIAT OM in Milan. At especially in Eastern Europe and in the developing countries. this point the company sells approximately 14 ,000 OM Pimespo truck s each year to the markets in Europe, North Africa and the Near East. In the following years, Linde systematically expands its ownership of the company, which moves from Milan to Lainate during this period. THE InTEgRATIOn Of Om InTO THE STIll gROup fORmS AnOTHER STEp TOwARdS THE ImplEmEnTATIOn Of THE mulTI-bRAnd STRATEgY wITHIn THE kIOn gROup. The OM brand is to broaden its position on its home market Italy. This is why the sales and service organisation of the OM brand are exclusively aligned to the Italian market. In the years 2008 and 2009, the OM plant in Bari suffers extraordinarily under the global recession and the subsequent discontinuation of the production contract with Komatsu. In the context of the consolidation of production facilities within the STILL Group, the production of the trucks with internal combustion engines is relocated from Bari to Hamburg. THE InTERnATIOnAl STIll bRAncHES The international presence of STILL reaches far back into the past. Already in 1924 – only a few years after the foundation of the company – From a manufacturer to a global service provider 51

STILL was present at the export trade show in Leipzig. A characteristic STIll bElgIum headline in the local press of 1951 commenting STILL’s participation It is the most recent step in rounding off the market position in the at the Copenhagen Industrial Trade Show was “STILL around the world”. Benelux countries: on 1 January 2011, STILL Belgique opens a presence Within a few years STILL was able to win the national railway companies in the Grand-Duchy of Luxem- in eight countries, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Holland, Sweden and Today STILL is present on the world markets with 17 bourg. Two technicians and an Japan as its regular customers. The humanitarian engagement of the international branches, subsidiaries, over 2,000 service advisor are ready to attend the company had become international as well: in 1962, for example, points and 141 dealers. the company delivered a free power generator to the jungle hospital customers there. Which are the milestones in setting up and directed by the Nobel peace price winner Dr. Albert Schweitzer in developing such a strong presence of STILL in the Benelux countries? Gabun. The hand-written thanking letter from Albert Schweizer is one Hugo De Meyer, from 1988 to 2006 director of the Belgium branch of the highlights in the company’s archives today. sketches the history of STILL Belgium in his interview. The growing international business also makes a substantial contribution to the positive development of the company. In 1984, the international sales add up to more than half of the total sales revenues. After domestic successes in Germany, it is therefore only consistent to cross the country’s borders. This way, international business has become a vivid part of the corporate tradition. Today STILL is present on the world markets with 17 international branches, subsidiaries, over 2,000 service points and 141 dealers. Two of these international branches representing STILL around the world today shall be portrayed here – by people who have themselves made major contributions to the success of STILL in their respective home countries. 52 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 53

STIll bElgIum Hugo De Meyer, Managing Director STILL Belgium from 1988 until 2006 Hugo De Meyer was Managing Director of the Belgian branch from 1988 until 2006. Before taking this post, he had gained sales experience with the authorised Belgian dealer Egemin in Antwer- pen. When the STILL branch was founded in 1979, 45 employees of Egemin joined STILL. For Hugo De Meyer this provided several opportunities. He could have joined the rack producer Schäfer, he could have hoined STILL or he could have stayed with Egemin which is what he initially did. When a new Managing Director was needed for the STILL branch in 1987, Jan van Weyck, at the time Managing Director of the Dutch STILL branch and interim Director of STILL Belgium, said to Hugo de Meyer “muet je doen, jong!”. So Hugo de Meyer called Ingo Schröder in Hamburg, to indicate his interest. “Finally”, was the only reaction he got. Monsieur De Meyer, your time as director of the Belgium STILL branch was coined by the successive merging of the European market. A markets that had started as the European Trade Union to become what we know as the EU today. What were the milestones in this development from the perspective of STILL? Hugo De Meyer: “Thanks to the cooperation between STILL and the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen, we were able to sell improved diesel trucks in Belgium for the first time in 1969. At the time, I was still working for a dealer, because there was no STILL branch in Belgium yet. Another important step was the availability of the warehouse equipment range provided by the takeover of Wagner. We also profited from the takeovers of Fenwick, OM and Pimespo by Linde, because each of these takeovers extended our product range.” From a manufacturer to a global service provider 55

Did the launch of the Euro play a role for your branch? 40%), the cost-benefit calculation plays the major role. Because at given rental conditions the purchasers can fix their budget down to the last Hugo De Meyer: “Hardly, because for the sale of STILL products the list cent. And the service is already included in the rental agreement. In all prices and the allowed discount were fixed.“ of this, the maturities of the contracts are becoming shorter and shorter. In the past, contracts expired after 5 years on average – today we are What role did regional mentalities of logistics companies play during looking at an average of 3 years. your active work? Do you see any significantly different regional preferences significantly differing today from preferences in the past An important trend is that customers follow more and more ecologic considerations in their decision making. How much emissions, how high Hugo De Meyer: “In the past, regional preferences were much more is the fuel consumption – these will be the criteria for the future. dominant. Nowadays, quality, service and an acceptable price count. The Special prices for low-emission trucks will be an important sales tool.“ customers know that the high quality of the trucks will pay off for them in the long run. Belgium is a small country – people know each other and Currently the major issue is “globalisation”. Does the common EU entertaining these contacts in the sense of “people business” makes market still play a crucial role against this background? the difference in the end. This is why global purchase does – at present – not play a major role. The continuous removal of trade barriers facilitates Hugo De Meyer: “During the Linde era, the European common market access for global suppliers and purchasers.“ How was the relationship to the competitor Linde in Belgium? was much more important for STILL than it is today. Compared to the markets in overseas, quality and service still play the main role on the markets in Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Hugo De Meyer: “With the takeover of STILL by Linde, the employees Does a feature like “made in Germany” or “German engineering” still play a role for of the Linde dealer Motrac thought that STILL belonged to them. On the the differentiation of STLL products in the light of brands becoming global brands? small Belgium market, Linde was the largest competitor. There was a downright “cup competition” for the highest unit numbers. The “monthly Hugo De Meyer: “Yes, absolutely! The service life still is a decisive trophy” always went to the next winner. The STILL team managed to win factor and this is still closely associated to “made in Germany”. After the trophy three times in four years.” all, three out of the four most important companies in the industry have their headquarters in Germany: Linde, Jungheinrich and STILL.” Do you think that in the Benelux countries long term trust in a brand plays the major role or is it short-term cost-benefit calculation? How do you see the multi-brand strategy of the KION Group from Hugo De Meyer: “I think that in the past, the trust in a brand played a more significant role. Trust in high service quality was “extremely” important in this. Today trust in service quality is “still” important. Why? Against the background of a growing rental business (share of approximately 56 From a manufacturer to a global service provider your perspective of an international STILL branch? Do the custom- ers understand the differentiation of the individual brands and do they compare the brands to their individual application profile? From a manufacturer to a global service provider 57

Hugo De Meyer: “I think the number of the common parts for machines Belgium army. The call from Hamburg in which Mr. Schröder announced from the KION Group must be carefully limited. The customer must know his displease came immediately.“ that basically he is buying a STILL truck. In the long run, honesty and reliability count with key customers. As Managing Director I always In your opinion, what has changed over the years, especially in Belgium, attended key customers myself. This is important. These customers must but also within the whole STLL Group with respect to leading the be assured that one does what had been discussed before.” international branches by the parent company in Hamburg? One aspect of your task was to motivate and lead the Belgium staff. In retro-perspective, do you see the STILL corporate culture as part of every day life in the international STILL branch as well or did regional characteristics predominate? Hugo De Meyer: “First of all: STILL no longer is the “second-most loved child” in the KION group as it had been in the Linde Group. In the KION group today, cash flow always is an issue as well – not only EBITA, i.e. a mere profit consideration as had been the case before during the Linde era. Compared to past times, the dealings with headquarters in Hamburg Hugo De Meyer: “The STILL corporate philosophy helps to entertain the are an open dialogue. brand image in day-to-day business and to ensure a uniform appearance worldwide. As a leader you have to clearly say “yes” or “no”. This also In the past, nearly everything that was to be decided had to be presented applies to the relationship with the parent company in Hamburg. If there in Hamburg; the complete plan from A to Z. This surely is different today. is a “no”, it must be comprehensibly reasoned. In the end, the parent Under Linde, one had to present the planning as well. All the plans of the company can, of course, dictate how to proceed.” different associate companies were then summed up and, if necessary, the quotas were raised and passed on to the international branches. For How would you describe the cooperation with the headquarters in Hamburg? 11 months unit figures were important and all of a sudden in month 12, Did you see yourself as a company inside a company or rather as a solicitor of it was the result (EBITA). That is of course late if the new business year the interests of the parent in Hamburg? Hugo De Meyer: “Looking back, I have to say that I was both. I was a kind of executive manager for tasks assigned by Hamburg and I was an entrepreneur inside the company when it came to the practical imple- mentation of the sales policy in daily business. On one hand there were many rules given by Hamburg, and the financial planning had to be pre- sented there, on the other hand we were fully responsible for the annual results by ourselves. For me that did have advantages: If staff wanted things, it was easier to say that Hamburg had denied them than having to argue myself. However, I always took hiring decisions myself. Criticism was always fast. The market in Belgium is very small and 40 to 50 trucks represent a lot. One time, the OM dealer had won a tender of the 58 From a manufacturer to a global service provider starts on 1 January.” As tennis player that always stimulated my sporting spirit: If I can win 6:0, I won’t go for 6:2.” From a manufacturer to a global service provider 59

IT industry. Russia owns vast quantities of raw materials, mining of which in rough regions requires resilient logistics. China in turn still is the “world’s workbench” and with more than a billion inhabitants it is able to generate an enoumous demand. Fulfilling this demand will require enormous investments Although three of them are so called developing in logistics and intralogistics in countries, i.e. virtually undeveloped countries, the years to come. These countries all four nations are currently experiencing growth rates are already a home to corporate between 5 and 10 %. groups that are comparable to companies from western industrial countries in every respect. Examples are the Russian company Gazprom and the Indian steel group Arcelor Mittal to name only two. STIll In THE dYnAmIc mARkETS Of THE bRIc STATES STILL is showing its presence on these future markets – for example The term “BRIC states” has been in use for some years in the economic in Brazil. Right up to the inevitable collapse caused by the financial sections of the media when reporting on the future markets – especially crisis in 2009 / 2010, the country was experiencing a powerful upturn. in the intralogistics industry. The term does not refer to a contractually The prospering development is organised group of nations as one may think. Much rather it is a STILL is showing its presence on these future not only the result of the economic number of countries joined by analysts and commentators abbreviating markets – for example in Brazil. the names of four nations that are showing quite similar economic union “Mercosur” established in 1991. This is a union in which developments and respective importance. The abbreviation “BRIC” several South American countries, one of them Brazil, have joined for stands for the initial letters of the four countries Brazil, Russia, India a cooperation following the model of the early European Union This and China. Although three of them are so called developing countries, created a vast domestic market with over 400 million inhabitants today. all four nations are currently experiencing growth rates between 5 and 10 percent. This is why many reports forecast that by 2050 these The developments in South America bear a number of opportunities countries will have outscored the currently economically leading G8 for STILL. Foremost, the migration of traditional production to countries states, amongst them Germany and the USA. Adding to this with low wage rates will cause an increasing demand for logistics and is the fact that the BRIC countries represent 40 % of the global intralogistics products in the medium and long term in these countries. population or – in economical terms – nearly half of the potential Predominantly products characterised by resilience, endurance and consumers worldwide. long service intervals are in demand. Especially STILL products such as the RC 40 and the ECU will profit from these market developments. Each of the individual BRIC countries has a very different profile. India, This is also the reason why the CLX forklift truck, produced by STILL for example profits from the global lack of English-speaking computer do Brazil and fully dedicated to the demands of the local markets, is experts and is becoming the “global think tank” with its rapidly expanding of such a great importance for the complete South American market. 60 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 61

In this sense, the development is quite comparable to the situation From 2012 on this plant is to produce trucks especially designed to during the Wirtschaftswunder in Germany – the years when Hans Still the needs of the South American market. Today KION provides work celebrated his first successes with his resilient diesel trucks. However, for approximately 300 employees. Sales offices represent the brands today new trends such as on-line order picking and automating develop STILL and Linde in the region of Sao Paulo. In the segments of much quicker and the demand for products offering the respective warehouse equipment and electric trucks, STILL is the market leader additional value, will arise much in South America. The total share of STILL in Brazil in the segment Predominantly products characterised by resilience, earlier. Manufacturers who manage of electric trucks and warehouse equipment is over 26 percent. endurance and long service intervals are in demand. to become reliable partners for Especially STILL products such as the RC 40 and their customers already during the ECU will profit from these market developments. the years of strong economic Frank Bender (45), Director of STILL do Brazil and KION South America their premium products later on. Reason enough to pay special He will report his experience in Brazil in the following interview: growth will also be able to distribute has been active for STILL in various functions over the past 13 years. attention to these markets when designing the future product and sales policy. THE SuccESS STORY Of kIOn SOuTH AmERIcA The success story of KION South America takes its beginnings in 2001 with an office and two employees at Ferrostaal. Taking over the production facility “Ameise” in Rio de Janeiro allows the company to build on a solid fundament of production knowledge. At the time, there are no strong domestic suppliers for warehouse equipment and industrial trucks in South America. Nevertheless, companies from all over the world are present with their products. The relevant competitors of STILL are Nacco The cornerstone for a new plant is laid in Sao Paulo and Toyota. After the initial years early 2011. From 2012 on this plant is to produce of unhindered growth, the eco- trucks especially designed to the needs of the South nomic crisis of 2009 also left American market. its effects in Brazil. However, the market already started to recover during the second half of 2010 and has since proven surprisingly resilient. Therefore the production of the brands STILL and Linde in the KION plant in Rio de Janeiro is geared up again. The cornerstone for a new plant is laid in Sao Paulo early 2011. 62 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 63

STIll In THE dYnAmIc mARkETS Of THE bRIc STATES Frank Bender, Managing Director KION South America Mr. Bender, as Director of the Brazilian STILL branch you are working in one of the most dynamic economic regions worldwide. In the so-called “BRIC” countries of which Brazil is a part, two digit figures for economic growth are quite common place on these markets. Does that also apply for STILL do Brasil? Frank Bender: “Amongst the BRIC countries, Brazil has the lowest growth figures, however still in the range of high single digits. Especially in the past years, the Brazilian economy has stabilised and has become more independent from economic volatilities. The market for industrial trucks is growing quite considerably and STILL is growing faster than that market – especially thanks to the local production.“ In Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo STILL do Brasil operates its own production facilities that are being strongly invested into. Are the high Brazilian import taxes the main reason for that or does the high profitability of the operations play the dominant role? Frank Bender: “Although Brazil still has quite high import taxes to protect its domestic industry, imports are becoming affordable, especially since the Brazilian Real has been appreciated. This is why local production is not just an advantage from an economic perspective but much more From a manufacturer to a global service provider 65

from a psychological point of view. It shows that a supplier feels dedicated Is STILL perceived in South America as a “global brand” by the customers or does to Brazil and its customers. In addition, local suppliers have advantages the fact that there is a local production and that STILL do Brasil is also a “local brand” in terms of flexibility, they allow their customers access to public funding play the predominant role? schemes and can ensure After Sales service.“ What are the important decision criteria for customers in South America when customers that only act locally local production is important, and this is deciding for a brand? “Resilience” or rather “premium” or “added value” respectively? the large majority.“ Frank Bender: “Both; global customers prefer global suppliers. For Frank Bender: “The South American markets are very heterogeneous. Some globally active companies concentrate less on technical This becomes visible, amongst other, in the fact that there is a different details and focus more strongly on the confidence in the brand market leader in each market and in each market segment. In Brazil, itself. They sell the same devices everywhere around the world with for example, the value segment is quite small (below 20 %, three of four success. From your own view, could this be a role model trucks sold in Argentina are value trucks. For the reasons just mentioned, for the future strategy of STILL? the Brazilian market clearly prefers locally produced trucks. In general, the customers ask for technically simple and dependable trucks, because Frank Bender: “A brand name is of course a support. However, it only many customer do the service themselves; also because of the long is a part of the complete package. Crucial for the success in South distances from the next service point. Besides the known European models – America – and especially here in Brazil – is the presence of a production STILL offers trucks that are especially adapted to the Brazilian market facility and in particular trucks that are technically adapted to the local and that are not available anywhere else. To the largest part, these requirements.“ originate from Brazilian production but also from the portfolio of the KION Group.“ You live and work here in Brazil with local workers. Does motivation and leadership work differently here from the way they do in Which role do issues like “sustainability” and “eco-friendliness” play Germany? on the South American markets? Frank Bender: “In this respect, South America surely has a backlog- difficult to answer. But it is apparent that in Germany the technology and demand. This is well comprehensible understanding that first of all the product are in the foreground and here it is the need and the well the basic needs of the population need to be satisfied. However, one being of the customer. Here everything is a little more emotional and not has to bear in mind that in the past years a growing number of large quite as rational. In Germany activities are planned at great length in companies has turned to paying attention in keeping their eco-balance detail long before due and then implemented in accordance with the plan, positive and use this as a sales argument. In our sector, these issues are activities here are more often started with a less detailed general plan present but until now, they have had very little effect on purchase decisions.“ and problems are dealt with as they appear. Dealing with employees here Frank Bender: “I am Brazilian myself – therefore this question is somewhat is a bit more like it is in America. This surely has to do with the fact that job security as we know it in Germany is not the same here. 66 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 67

Which role to the promotion of young employees and the attractiveness What are the characteristics that you value most when selecting new staff? of STILL as an “employer brand” play in the competition for young talents? Frank Bender: “As I have said, technical knowledge is not the most important point. New employees have to match our “family”. I am looking Frank Bender: “The continuous economic growth has generated a higher for honest people who talk about the company with sparkling eyes, demand for well-trained employees. The competition for employees people who do not only work for the money. We belong together and want has tightened considerably over the past two, three years. Difficult is the to achieve something together. As I said, it is important that the candi- area of service technicians. STILL is virtually the only company that trains date fit into the team.” the service technician itself. Therefore, it is quite natural that competitors but also customers try to recruit these employees. In other areas, the How do you manage to be and feel part of the STILL family despite of competition is also increasing. This reflects in the development of wages being 10 000 km away from the headquarters in Hamburg? and salaries. Here the competition is not so strong within our own industry but more with the large automobile companies and makers of Frank Bender: “I have always felt to be a part of the family – although I yellow goods. We are trying to make young talents loyal to us as soon as am far away.The distance never was a problem for me. I could talk to the possible with trainee programs at our three Brazilian sites – with some- headquarters in Hamburg at any time. The colleagues in Hamburg are what mixed results. Maybe this is the real problem of generation “Y” – always open to understand the problems of other countries. To my not having enough patience for a sound development.” What role does the STILL corporate philosophy play in your daily work in Brazil? experience this is something not given for granted in all German companies and their relationship with their foreign subsidiaries. STILL is very open. You can act locally and talk about it openly, discussing what one should do to be successful. I receive this strong support from STILL.” Frank Bender: “It may sound surprising but it plays a major role. This Within the KION Group you are the only person leading a STILL Division and a Linde surely has to do with the (still) reasonably small size of our unit. Already Division under one roof – and with success. In your opinion, which are the differences when selecting new employees, we place a great value on the inter-personal in the corporate cultures between the units Linde and STILL? level – besides the technical expertise. It is important that new employees go with the same beat as we do. We do not necessarily select the technically best person but much rather the candidate who better fits STILL as a whole. Customer orientation is at the top of our list. In addition, we train our new employees not only technically, but also with respect to their soft skills anchored in the corporate philosophy. We think that the corporate philosophy is globally applicable. It is general and yet very specific.” Frank Bender: “In the beginning, I had made a mistake. I was completely attuned with STILL and I wanted the Linde staff to become like this as well. I soon noticed that this does not work that way. Both companies are completely different and yet both are successful. Their basic attitude is similar: both think and act by keeping an eye on the needs of their customers.” Mr. Bender, we thank you for the interview. 68 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 69

THE STIll bRAncHES AS nuclEuS fOR EnTREpREnEuRIAl SuccESSES Asking successful entrepreneurs for their recipe to successful expansions, the answer will always be the same: “delegation of responsibility”. The decentralised principle, i.e. to allow the foreman, the department manager or the director of a branch to act as if he were an entrepreneur in the company does not only prevent managers to get lost in the details of rapidly growing companies. Many company leaders are afraid to delegate tasks, be it due to wrong ambitiousness or because they do not trust their staff enough. Yet, the benefits of delegations are obvious to see. Managers win more time for the most important tasks and this reduces stress. The employees in turn are promoted and feel motivated when entrusted with new tasks and responsibilities. Decen- tralised work organisation is one of the principal reasons for the success of STILL. It gives room for flexibility, responsibility, efficiency and entrepreneurial work of the employees in the different departments to operate. By these openings, the company moved through the transition of the company. The independent organisation applies especially to from a producer to a trans-regional service provider. STILL decided the branches in Europe. The Branch Mangers acting as “companies inside very early to attend and advise its regional customers with its own staff. the company” direct them. They enjoy far reaching independence This, by no means was – and still is – a matter of course as becomes with respect to the performance of their branch. Practically this means clear by looking at the strategies of the competitors. The company that they are largely responsible themselves for turnover and result. Linde MH, for example, entertains a very elaborate culture of dealership. This also includes the res- Hans Still and the succeeding leaders of the company focused on the Decentralised work organisation is one of the ponsibility for the selection of company’s own strengths in this respect. This strategy, which is aligned principal reasons for the success of STILL. staff. In all of this, the branch to decentralised and local demands does not only ensure the company the interest of their branch. Much more, they are also bound to the which has gained a considerable importantce of its own in the past managers do not only act in a strong position in sales but is also the basis for the uniform service, interests of STILL as a whole company. The company-wide use of decades. an SAP-based invoicing system and a scheme of Score Cards set the dialogue between the company headquarters and the currently sixteen Visible expression of the localised sales organisation is that STILL can STILL branches on a sound basis. look back on extraordinary high growth in turnover since the beginning of the seventies. While the turnover in 1971 amounts to 200 m. DM, The roots of the decentralised organisation of leadership at STILL reach it had nearly tripled by the mid-eighties and past the billion-mark in back to the year 1953 with the foundation of the branches in Stuttgart 1989. Parallel with this dynamic development at the company’s and Frankfurt a.M. A year later, the branch “North” in Hamburg started headquarters, STILL invests in projects to better attend its customers. 70 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 71

In the course of this development, the company opens new, modern Parallel to the establishment and strengthening of the branches in branches in Bremen in 1983 and a year later in Munich in order to the new German states, STILL also starts to develop its presence improve the respective regional service. Also during the “upturn east” in the Eastern European countries after the fall of the iron curtain: that set in after the fall of the iron curtain, STILL pursues the principle of its in Hungary (1992), Czech Republic (1993), Poland (1995) as well as own branches in the new states. The cornerstone for this development in Russia. The regional presence and the related knowledge of is the opening of a sales office the specific demands of these “awakening markets” is a condition This is why STILL organises conventions of experts in Leipzig in 1990. However, for the successful sale of services and products greatly sought all around the issue of internal logistics taking place branches alone are not enough after in the early phases of everywhere in the new states. to make the brand name STILL Also during the “upturn east” set in after the fall of a developing economy. In known in the public. This is why the iron curtain, STILL pursues the principle of its own the beginning of the nineties STILL organises conventions of experts all around the issue of internal branches in the new states. logistics taking place everywhere in the new states, some of them production capacities are built in Eastern Europe and STILL is in very prominent venues such as the “Hygienemuseum Dresden”. With able to profit from them as well. In 1993, Linde starts to build the the help of this “direct communication”, the brand STILL with its field Juli Motorenwerk (electric motors) in Brünn, Czech Republic together of competence is soon able to achieve a high presence and brand with Jungheinrich AG. It only takes a year to start the production awareness on the territory of the former German Democratic Republic. of electric motors at this site. Three years later the opportunity to Often the organising team at the headquarters in Hamburg is utterly purchase parts of gearboxes for forklift trucks from a respective overwhelmed by the interest of the public. Quite frequently, the plant opens up for STILL by the acquisition of the Lipo Works conventions have to be repeated at the same location to satisfy the in Cesky Krumlov, South Bohemia by Linde. In the frame of the demand for information, which is large after forty years of socialist global KION strategy, this site undertakes to make all drive and planned economy. Soon after, branches open in Rostock, Erfurt and steering axles for the company group. These examples show how Magdeburg. Initially, a tight network of authorised workshops in Cottbus, intensively the pan-European and worldwide linkage of sales and Bergen/Rügen, Golzow and Weinböla, for example support these production facilities of STILL will be driven forward in the future. new branches. STILL manages its very own “reconstruction East“, not only very quickly and efficiently but also with a great sense for unconventional ways to solutions. Although a kind of gold rush drives STIll pARTnERSHIp many western companies and suppliers, some of them exploiting the However, only a handful of companies derive substantial consequences inexperience of the new customers at times, the Director of Sales at from this insight. Customers expect from their partners a cooperation STILL at the time, Ingo Schröder insists on correct handling. Each that reaches far beyond the purchase of the trucks. Only companies STILL customer receives the common discounts – also without that are able to develop from mere suppliers, to become advising asking for them. A fair way of doing business, something that is not a partners for their customers will be able to make efficient use of the matter of course for every competitor. Today 14 STILL branches, potential that lies in service. When looking at the overall life cycle of additional service points and rental points attend the customers in a truck it becomes clear that the largest part of revenues is generated the whole of Germany. after the initial purchase. In after sales the service effort required will 72 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 73

increase with the age of the truck. After all, it is in the interest of the customer care in the uniform appearance of the service team. Today, supplier to obtain this part of the value adding chain for himself against the background of saturated markets in which crowding out rather than leaving it to free mechanics. In addition, when purchasing a competitors is the only way to truck, more and more customers take into consideration the so-called After sales service has a long tradition at STILL as an gain market shares, an excellent “Total Cost of Ownership”, i.e. all costs arising throughout the life important field of business. cycle of the machine. This includes all future payments due to after sales performance is an indispensible means of differen- necessary repairs, spares and services. Therefore, only producers offering tiation from the competitors. This is why in 2007 over 150 members a comprehensive identification of STILL from different countries developed a uniform process It is virtually commonplace knowledge that sales sell with the logistic requirements of considering all their local experiences to establish a partnership dialogue the first truck and service sells all the subsequent ones. the individual customer providing between Sales and Service. the respective service solutions will obtain long-term customer loyalty. The resultant cooperation model “PartnerShip” harmonises all areas The benefits of effective after sales do not only lie in the resulting of activities of service technicians and sales staff by defining the differentiation from the competition caused by service excellence processes needed for a continuous exchange of experience and and the related additional customer loyalty. In addition, the flow of information between both areas. This breaks up the traditional orientation information from the user back to the development department towards individual fields of business units. The different divisions Used responsible for the product greatly helps to improve individual and Rental, After Sales and Sales and Service can act together as a features of the product. This is a benefit that cannot be over-esteemed. team. A single database now stores and evaluates all customer data After sales service has a long tradition at STILL as an important field service technicians to service managers with management functions of business. Already Hans STILL saw an important factor for sustainable are of course adhered to and still encouraged. An essential success in a single unit. Proven STILL traditions such as the development of factor in the area of After Sales is an efficient supply with spare parts. Ideally, this will fulfil the demand by the magic triangle – high availability and demand-oriented quality at best possible customer efficiency. And, despite the branches attending their customers individually and decentralised, the basic principle applies: The process described in the “PartnerShip” from a customer enquiry, including internal service milestones right to success monitoring at the customer is a binding process for the whole STILL group. Yet “PartnerShip” is much more than a dialogue platform for customer data: interpersonal relationships play an essential role as well. An intensive training program that brings staff from service and back office from different countries together at the headquarters in Hamburg From a manufacturer to a global service provider 75

over a series of days promotes mutual understanding and personal important industrial dynasties, in the fifties as well as today, is the relationships between the employees. The result is a notable Quandt group. Starting with a small trade company in the textile harmonisation of the activities in Sales and Service as well as a industry in Pritzwalk Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Günther better understanding of the pursued strategies. Quandt had started to build a vast company group with participations in the Kali Group Wintershall, In accordance with the international of STILL, the strategy inherent in After the death of Hans Still, Herbert Quandt takes the predecessor of Varta the term “PartnerShip” is systematically rolled out internationally. over the majority of STILL directly and as a trustee for Accumulatoren-Fabrik in Hagen For example in France there are customer advisors, referred to as the Schweizer Bankverein. “Responsable Service Client” (RSC) who know and analyse their and the Berlin-Karlsruher Industriewerke AG. His sons customer’s demands and requirements in a holistic way. Based on Herbert and Harald Quandt, Harald died in a plane crash in 1967, their personal customer analysis they develop solutions tailored to the consistently developed the company group, worth billions at the time, individual customer. to become an inter-industrial conglomerate. Amongst other, the group owns shares of Varta, Mauser Industriewerke, Milupa and BMW. After The additional revenues achieved by “PartnerShip” in after sales as the death of Hans Still, Herbert Quandt takes over the majority of well as in the new truck sales confirm the selected course as well STILL directly and as a trustee for the Schweizer Bankverein. For Quandt chosen. Since its launch, this has not been a completed project but this takeover makes good sense, because the electric truck segment is much more a continuous process. of STILL depends on batteries, which Quandt produces with his battery The additional revenues achieved by “PartnerShip” The fundamental idea behind producer Afa. In a certain sense, this move wins Quandt a customer for in After Sales as well as in the New Truck Sales “PartnerShip” is continuously his batteries by this move. Also the connection between STILL and the confirm the selected course as well chosen. optimised and perceived as an Maschinenfabrik Esslingen is relevant for the participation strategy nies such as OM that adapt it to their local requirements. Networking build a railway system in Wurttemberg which was an independent between Service and Sales at STILL is a successful example for the kingdom at the time, the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen develops to become initiative by autonomous compa- of Herbert Quandt. Originally founded at the end of the 19th century to dynamics of an organisation that learns from its customers. STIll In dIffEREnT cOmpAnY gROupS QuAndT gROup And mAScHInEnfAbRIk ESSlIngEn the most important producer of railcars for passenger, industrial and mining pit railway trains as well as industrial trucks in the 20th century. In 1965, Daimler-Benz purchases 71 % of the company in order to use the production capacities of the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen for the production of automobiles. Until the sale to Kuwait in 1974, 15 % of After the death of Hans Still in 1952, the company STILL moves into Daimler-Benz belonged to the Quandt company group as well. In the focus of renowned investors from the heavy industries sector in 1968, the industrial truck division of the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen Germany. Apparently, Hans Still had already initiated various talks is sold to STILL. The section of Maschinenfabrik Esslingen that made with different investors shortly before his death to make sure his industrial trucks had concentrated on heavy counterbalance trucks with company had a sound basis for its future. It did not seem suitable to capacities up to 45 tons. However, the takeover negotiations showed him to look for a successor within his own family. Amongst the most to be very difficult, as each side strongly wanted to promote its 76 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 77

own interests. This largely applied to the name of the company after drive technology allows stepless shifting of gears driving forwards as the merger. The managing director in Esslingen finally prevails and the well as backwards and is viewed an innovation at the time. In 1971 Linde future name of the company is going to be “SE Fahrzeugwerke Esslingen”. presented their first electric truck. The takeover of SE Fahrzeugwerke The signature “STILL” with the “S” resembling an electric flash in 1971 marks the beginning of a series of company acquisitions for vanishes from the products. Linde. This includes taking over of companies such as Baker in the USA in 1977 or Lansing in England in 1989. With the takeover of In order to free production capacities in Esslingen for the automobile shares of the Italian maker OM in the early nineties, Linde cements production of Daimler-Benz, all the means of production and the its position as a world market leader for warehouse equipment and spare parts stock are moved to Hamburg virtually “overnight”. In this industrial trucks. activity, many of the shipping containers are labelled incorrectly or they are not labelled at all so that many parts cannot be identified at By the mid-eighties, the industrial truck division represents the the destination in Hamburg. This causes great economic difficulties largest division within the Linde AG. In the frame of a clear two-brand to the newly formed company strategy, the company from Hamburg is renamed STILL to continue From 1968 until 1971, the name of the company is SE Fahrzeugwerke Esslingen, working under its original name. Initially, the head office in Wiesbaden “SE Fahrzeugwerke Esslingen”. because delivery times extend up to one year. In the consequence, allows the company to act largely autonomously. However, with the rise of Hans Meinhard to the post of Chief Executive Officer at Linde, many disappointed customers turn to the competitors. From 1968 until the influence of the central office in Wiesbaden grows to envelope 1971, the name of the company is “SE Fahrzeugwerke Esslingen”. In strategic targets for the individual parts of the company group. This the early seventies, the Quandt group faces an increased need for repeatedly initiated sometimes tough negotiations between the responsible liquid funds and searches for a purchaser interested in buying the managing directors at the different daughter companies. Yet, in SE Fahrzeugwerke. An interested prospect is soon found in general the subsidiaries are still left to take their own entrepreneurial Wiesbaden: the Linde AG. decisions. Primarily, the leading team at SE Fahrzeugwerke viewed lIndE Ag By the mid-eighties, the industrial truck division repre- release. Within the Quandt group, sents the largest division within the Linde AG. STILL had been led very closely the takeover by Linde AG as a “Lindes Eismaschinen AG”, founded in 1897 by a group of engineers and surprising decisions, such as around Carl von Linde, was a company that had initially started off the mentioned relocation of all means of production from Stuttgart, or by producing cooling systems. Amongst its first customers were Esslingen, had caused avoidable turbulences and deep disturbances large breweries such as Paulaner and Guinness. With the Güldener in the production process. Further noteworthy acquisitions made later Motorenwerke, founded by Carl von Linde and other investors later on, on, such as those of Saxby, Wagner Schildkröte, Ameise do Brasil, drive technologies were introduced to the company and soon formed Stocka and OM would not have been possible without the financial an independent division. In 1956, the first hydrostatically propelled power of Linde AG. STILL benefits from each of these takeovers and transport vehicles are built and two years later, the first forklift truck is able to develop to a global service provider step-by-step due to with a hydrostatic drive is introduced to the public. This innovative these takeovers. This was also the context to form a “yellow group” 78 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 79

within the Linde organisation scoping STILL Komatsu and OM – an industrial truck division and by this he had raised the result. In 2006 intention that was given up some time later. Amongst other reasons, the Linde Group sells KION Group for approximately 4 bn Euro to the this strategy failed because it was not possible to obtain a majority of American financial investment firms Kolberg, Kravis, Roberts (KKR) Komatsu and because the promised synergies from transfer of and the investment bank Goldman Sachs. The investors accept the technology unilaterally flew towards Komatsu. The joint project of a agreements safeguarding the sites of the brands Linde MH and STILL truck with an “intelligent torque converter”, intended to replace the which had the worker’s representatives of the forklift truck divisions in diesel-electric drive from STILL, never matured to serial production Germany. The most important issue of these agreements, applicable due to a lack of energy efficiency. Viewed from this perspective, until 2011, is that no German plants are to be relocated to Eastern STILL’s position as a premium supplier within the KION Group is also Europe. In return, the employees agreed to more flexible working a result of its affiliation with Linde AG in the years 1973 until 2006. hours and to cuts in additional pay and extra-tariff compensation. kIOn gROup Today the KION Group comprises the brands STILL, OM, Linde Material Handling, Linde Hydraulics, Fenwick, Baoli and Voltas. The multi- In 2002 Prof. Wolfgang Reitzle joined the Board at Linde and only brand strategy is an elementary component of the KION group six months later, he takes Chair of the Board. At the same time, in strategy. The declared goal is to maintain market leadership in Europe. 2003, Hans Meinhard leaves the Board. Right from the beginning, Each brand has its own strengths and profits from the common KION Wolfgang Reitzles intends to concentrate the company on industrial distribution channels on its individual markets. The offer reaches gas. Under his leadership, Linde AG is able to take over the British far beyond the mere new truck business. On the contrary, the KION industrial gas producer BOC in 2006. With this takeover, Linde Group covers all the demand customers have for solutions and advances to be one of the world market leaders in the gas sector. services for the internal flow of material. The KION Group is present In 2007, the head office of the group is relocated from Wiesbaden in all growth regions worldwide. to Munich. Beneath the roof of the KION Group, STILL has found It operates production plants a home as an independent brand and profits in many in Brazil as well as in China and In order to refinance the BOC participation and to make Linde a pure ways from the strong network it is part of. maintains an elaborate sales and manufacturer of technical gasses, Wolfgang Reitzle joins the three service network in all the growing brands STILL, Linde Material Handling and OM Pimespo to form a markets worldwide. Its centralised purchase organisation offers all holding. Its name: KION Group. The word “Kion” originates from the brands of the group cost advantages. The foundation of KION Massai. For this East-African tribe of warriors and nomads, “Kion(gozi)” Warehouse Systems GmbH (KWS) follows exactly this philosophy. refers to the concept of “Taking leadership”. The subsidiary develops and produces system trucks for high bay rack systems for the group brands Linde, STILL, Fenwick and OM and At this point, the KION Group achieves a turnover of 3.2 bn Euro functions as a specialist for warehouse equipment trucks at its worldwide and a market share of 19 %; figures that place the group a close second to Toyota who have meanwhile become. Wolfgang Reitzle had already imposed savings measures on the location in Reutlingen. As an internal service provider for the group, KWS supports the brands of the KION Group in project planning and order handling. KWS also offers technical support for cold 80 From a manufacturer to a global service provider From a manufacturer to a global service provider 81

cORpORATE culTuRE AS A SuccESS fAcTOR “A company that only lives to make profit is like a person only living to breathe.“ Hermann Josef Abs, Former spokesman of the board of Deutsche Bank AG How does the corporate philosophy, so often referred to in the past years, reflect in the everyday life of employees, suppliers and customers and why is it so important? Some examples from daily life clearly show what this is about. It is corporate culture if a salesperson attends a customer after he has purchased, in the same attentive manner as before. Or, if the employees notably work together to achieve a common goal and support each These examples show that corporate culture has other in every thinkable way. This economic effects – positive and negative as well. also includes that every employee Customers will, whenever they have a choice prefer has a clear picture of what his suppliers that are professional, cooperative and friendly. senior, his colleagues and his internal customers expect of him. And it is corporate philosophy if a solution is found for all problems arising; not someone to blame. These examples show that corporate culture has economic effects – positive and negative as well. Customers will, whenever they have a choice prefer suppliers that are professional, cooperative and friendly. Highly qualified employees will work in companies with a constructive culture in which performance pays off – otherwise they will leave. A good corporate culture is therefore a competitive advantage – and one that is not easy to copy. The way people in the company interact and how they present themselves externally has a lot to do with the history of the company. The experiences of staff made in a company forms a type of “collective Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 87

memory”. This memory often surfaces at key turning points of the and customs in a critical way from time to time. This is the only way company, for example, during a crisis or other major challenges. The it can make sure that it will remain competitive on the long run. On German management consultant Michael Löhner describes corporate the other hand it will also make no sense to fundamentally change culture as the “sum of the habits of an organisation”. Corporate culture a corporate culture which has a tradition reaching back several decades. is therefore not a fixed condition but something that incessantly That would mean to eradicate all think patterns and behavioural habits. develops, as the company makes new experiences every day. Processes The company would lose its “inner point of rest” and fall apart. This is that have led to success in the past are filed as nostrums and are why in the year 2000, STILL defined its essential values and traditions remembered in critical situations. But after all there is no security in a corporate philosophy. It defines all the fundamental values that guaranteeing that the “historic” are to be adhered to in long term – despite all economic ups and downs On the other hand it will also make no sense to success recipes will again lead to or any other changes. fundamentally change a corporate culture which has success some time later as well. a tradition reaching back several decades. That For example, structural changes would mean to eradicate all think patterns and on a global level will require behavioural habits. deviations from “we have always done it this way here”. If companies are confronted with surprising developments, for instance, loosing market shares, it is initially not clear whether such a development represents an exceptional situation or a fundamental change of trends. This is exactly why a company needs to carefully look at its habits Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 89

cORpORATE pHIlOSOpHY AT STIll OUR STRENGTH IS OUR COMMUNAL EFFORT. THE BASIS FOR As a basis for successful work, the daily interaction and the diligent THIS IS THE EXPERTISE AND COMMITMENT OF ALL EMPLOYEES. attendance to customers, ideas and resources the employees of STILL Our concept of ourselves as part of a partnership, which is the basis for have agreed on the six basic principles below: WE ARE AT OUR CUSTOMERS’ DISPOSAL. THEY DETERMINE OUR WAY OF THINKING AND ACTING. In us, customers have a reliable partner. We see our task as collaborating our customer-oriented behaviour, also makes its mark on the collaboration within the company. For us, partnership means jointly taking responsibility for defined goals and in this orienting ourselves to the capabilities of the particular partner. constructively in the success of our customers. This is the only way in This form of working together is possible by having confidence in our which we can secure our own long-term success. Customer satisfaction dealings with each other. This creates an atmosphere of mutual co- is therefore always the focal point of our working practice operation in which the commitment to the community is regarded equally as highly as the individual personal performance. In this respect we This is why the needs and wishes of our customers are the guiding regard the fostering of creativity, expertise and willingness to work in principle for our work – they are both a task and an incentive alike for our employees as strengthening the community. every employee. We want to earn the trust of our customers afresh every day. WHILST USING TECHNICAL PROGRESS, WE STILL PAY ATTENTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENT. WE OFFER PROGRESSIVE, COMPLETE, TOP QUALITY The environment is the basis of life for us and future generations. Realising SOLUTIONS AND ASSIST OUR CUSTOMERS IN INCREASING this makes it obvious that we have to deal responsibly with the resources THEIR OWN COMPETITIVENESS. of nature. This expresses itself in the use of recyclable materials, in We use our expertise and innovative power to develop new products non-harmful manufacturing processes, energy-saving products and and services, from which our customers will profit. To enable us to environmentally friendly work places. offer highly economical solutions in the future, we shall continue to develop ourselves. We aim for technological market leadership. Where we have already achieved this, we intend to safeguard it by further expanding it. In Where technical progress can contribute to maintaining the environment and reducing pollution, we shall use it and participate in its development this, quality, long service life and operating convenience are at the WHEREVER WE OPERATE IN THE WORLD WE SHALL forefront. 90 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership RESPECT THE COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL STANDARDS. As a company which operates globally, we are a guest in many countries. Our relationship with our hosts is marked by respect for the local manners and customs, standards and laws, religions and faiths. Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 91

We promote understanding of each other by encouraging our domestic vIvId cOmmunITY AT STIll and foreign employees to get together in mutual exchanges of experience It is the people or, to be more exact, their values that drive the people’s of other cultures. WE WANT EVERYONE WHO IS ASSOCIATED WITH US TO GAIN FROM THIS. strategic planning and activities, their creativity and their inventor spirit, that ensure continuity and consistent entrepreneurial develop- ment keeping traditional brands such as STILL alive and fit for the future. In the past ninety years the brand STILL could not have proven as successful as it was, had it only depended on the result of excellent In our relations with others we behave as self-confident partners. We engineering. What has made STILL distinctive over these many decades use our strengths and capabilities constructively, co-operatively and is the healthy combination of leading edge technology and vivid geared towards solutions. company values in the style of a “STILL family”. This is why these lines of development in the history of innovation and corporate culture that We are convinced that reliability and partnership relationships pay off – form a “brand with a soul” are to be traced here. The pioneer spirit of the for our customers, employees, suppliers and shareholders. founder and his successors, the strive for perfection but also the partnership amongst the employees, suppliers and most of all customers – all these, and other value-based What has made STILL distinctive over these nine characteristics form an inheritance decades is the healthy combination of leading applicable until today – despite edge technology and vivid company values in the all historic turning points in the style of a “STILL family”. development of the country. These values that had originally been defined by the founder of the company are in effect until today – although and because the challenges of today greatly differ from those in the initial years of the company STILL. Two long-standing employees will share their personal views of the corporate culture at STILL. 92 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 93

cOnTInuITY And dEvElOpmEnT In THE SuccESSIOn Of HAnS STIll Ingo Schröder, STILL Managing Director from 1971 until 1997 Mr. Schröder, I would like to open our conversation by shedding a light on your career steps in the company STILL. When did you join STILL and in which function. When did you assume the post of Managing Director? Until when did you have this function? Ingo Schröder: “In 1950, I began a three-and-a-half-year apprenticeship at STILL and after that I took additional training in administration. I was active for STILL for 53 years, 26 of them, from 1971 until 1997, as Managing Director. After that I was member of the Supervisory Board for another 5 years.” Could you describe in a few words, the character of Hans Still and the values that were important for him as an entrepreneur? Ingo Schröder: “He was a very humane boss. An example: in the difficult post-war years STILL deliveries were often paid in kind – for example with food. Hans Still, knew of the need of his employees and shared this food with his staff. Much earlier he had already founded the “Nothilfe Hans Still e.V.”. hip I received DM 50 every month from the Nothilfe as well. The wage of DM 20 in the first year of apprenticeship were simply not enough. My parents had died during the first year of my apprenticeship.” Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 95

The foundation of the STILL branches in Stuttgart and Frankfurt a.M. in 1953 marked the beginning of a development one could describe by saying “the branch manager is an entrepreneur inside the company”. From your perspective of a long-standing managing director at the headquarters, in how far was – and still is – this decentralised management model one of the supporting pillars of the success story of STILL? Ingo Schröder: “During the first exploratory talks we encountered Mr. Rosenkranz at Saxby. He was the nephew of Dr. Jungheirich and had been Managing Director of Jungheinrich in Hamburg for many years. Later, he left Jungheinrich and joined the Lansing daughter Saxby as Managing Director. He was my point of contact and I met him there again in 1988. At the time Saxby belonged to Lansing. For us, it was important to create an atmosphere of trust. I had invited the complete management team of Saxby to Hamburg and built up trust by hosting “STILL evenings”. Also, Ingo Schröder: “The branch manager is an “entrepreneur inside the when replacing leadership functions in France, we made sure to choose company”. This is a very important principle. The man out there in the staff who were not 100 % STILL.” branch is an entrepreneur! A sales organisation must be independent to a high degree to really function well.” Following the principal “think global – act local” STILL, in 1990, operated branches in Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, In 1968, STILL (including SE) achieved a turnover of DM 71 m. Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland as well as in Spain, 1989 STILL passed the billion mark (in DM) for the first time. An the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. How can a management impressive development. However, a company is more than its harmonise regional requirements on one hand with central figures. Which were, in your opinion, the major milestones from the management demands on the other? sixties to the nineties – beyond the figures? Ingo Schröder: “My topmost guidelines and most important values have Ingo Schröder: “The three most important milestones were in 1968 the always been fairness, punctuality and reliability. This especially applies to takeover of the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen, the takeover of Saxby and the selection of staff, most of all sales staff. I talked to each and every Wagner as well as the German unification. There had already been a German salesperson before agreeing to their hiring. No result without cooperation with Wagner before the takeover by Linde. Mr. Winter, sole market shares. One cannot see everything from the cost perspective. If owner of Wagner in Reutlingen then sold to STILL. His son became head you want to destroy a company, put a controller in charge.” of the warehouse equipment division. Only in 1994, the organisations of STILL and Wagner were merged. The differences in the mentalities, In 1973, Linde AG took over 100 % of the shares of SE Fahrzeugwerke however, could be clearly felt.” GmbH, i.e. of STILL. What was your experience to be part of a large group also owning another competitor in the industrial truck How was it possible to maintain the specific leadership and segment – Linde? corporate culture of STILL during the integration of these companies and what was your strategy in the takeover of Saxby? 96 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 97

Ingo Schröder: “Altogether STILL benefitted from belonging to the Linde Group. The competition of two brands in the group worked well for us, because a dealer organisation (Linde) was encountered by a branch organisation (STILL). Of course there were irritations at times because of statements that were not always true. We had to stick to the truth because we had a revision department that could check us – in contrast to the independent dealers who didn’t.” my whole development in the company from electrician to managing director I was always “one of them”. In this manner, I directly addressed the absences due to illness - for example the higher quota of foreign staff. This was reasoned by changed eating habits. That was an explanation I could not agree to and I told the colleagues this in personal talks. Still these employees brought me Turkish Honey from their home countries as a present.“ How was the relationship to the competitor from STILL used the fall of the iron curtain and the German Reunification Hamburg, Jungheinrich? to expand. On the organisational side this was done by founding new branches. On the communicative side, expert conventions Ingo Schröder: “Dr. Friedrich Jungheinrich had worked for Hans Still made this expansion a success. How did you manage in this rapid when he was young. Maybe this was the reason why Jungheinrich always growth and in the “gold rush” not to loose the unmistakable STILL was a “friendly competitor” for STILL. It was always possible for branch values as guiding principles? managers of both companies to share experiences. In the USA there were even initiatives to find dealers who would sell both: STILL and Jungheinrich Ingo Schröder: “I was in the USA when I first heard of the fall of the Wall. trucks. After the takeover of Steinbock, Jungheinrich followed the strategy My first thought was that STILL must cancel the exclusive contract with to make trucks on one assembly line differing only in colour. I do not think our dealer Möllendorf in Berlin. The second was that, at all means, I that it is possible to make everything in a single plant. The development wanted to build up a service organisation with “locals” in order to avoid departments of two brands must remain independent. Otherwise real any impression of a “conquistador mentality”. This reflected the experience competition will not flourish. In addition, a sales person calling the with SE. With the experts conventions in all of the new states, we managed technical department to inform them about problems in daily application to become very well known. They were an important instrument for of the trucks will experience difficulties if his point of contact does not communication and surely contributed to our undisputed leadership in belong to “his brand”.” the market. The principle of “Fairness and Equality” was very important to us. All of the service technicians in the new states received the same STILL introduced flexible working hours already in 1972 – an wages as in the western states, because we also charged our customers innovative model at the time. What was your experience and the same hourly fees as in the old states. Discounts were granted to the principles in cooperation with workers representatives and with customers from the new states without exceptions – also if they did not the workforce in general? Ingo Schröder: “Altogether the cooperation was very positive, characterised by mutual respect. At works meetings I have always made my opinion public clearly and frankly. I was “entitled” to do that, because throughout 98 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership ask for them due to a lack of knowledge. In the end none of us had imagined how long it would take to see the new states “flourish”. This is why we decided not to turn the sales office in Chemnitz into a branch but to close it later on.“ Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 99

The history of the company STILL has been characterised by an inventor spirit and power of innovation always oriented towards and sometimes even anticipating the requirements of the markets. This requires excellent employees working in positions exactly matching their profile. How did you find, promote and lead these talents in such a way that the development pipeline of STILL is constantly filled with innovations? shares for a long time. This created a high level of suffering, because STILL had developed diesel-electric drive systems already in the 50ies. On one occasion we tried to illustrate the economy of these trucks at the trade show in Hannover. We used oil barrels and the singer Volker Lechtenbrink to try and bring the message across. In the end we did not find a satisfying solution to increase the share of IC truck sustainably. STILL’s great strength always was with the electric trucks. However, for a global player to be successful STILL must be competitive in this segment Ingo Schröder: “It has always been a personal matter of my heart to to prevail on the long run.” select the sales staff myself. I did not let myself be influenced by any guidelines from the company group in this respect. My management Mr. Schröder, we thank you for this interview. principle has always been “rather do something, than ask too many questions”. If one starts by asking questions, one is also expected to ask for feedback before taking decisions some time down the line. Still, I always was in close contact with my leadership team exchanging opinions. And I never hired a job applicant against the will of their future senior. Apart from this, the foremost principle is: “we live from our customers”. This is why so many people in the company had the impression of an organisation that was largely driven by the sales team. I always prefer a pragmatic approach. It is like a large cooker with many pots on. One always has to watch out that none of the pots over-boil. Our branches set out their targets together with me in the annual budget meeting. I did not put them under pressure by constant monitoring. That is something that only limits people. They put enough pressure on themselves by looking at the planned figures. It the goals were not delivered, we looked for the reasons. If we thought the manager was the reason, we would replace him. But this only happened very rarely.” How do you see the development of the diesel truck segment at STILL? Ingo Schröder: “Wherever STILL was new on the market, diesel trucks sold well – for example in the Czech Republic after the fall of the Iron Curtain. But we always experienced difficulties to hold the market 100 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 101

THE EmplOYER bRAnd STIll In glObAl cOmpETITIOn fOR TAlEnTS people in the developing countries like India or China mobility will be the key to a better life. The logistics industry, and with it In the future, confidence in a strong brand will not only be relevant intralogistics companies, will profit from this – in terms of their for success in dialogue with customers and partners. In an ever products and services as wellas in terms of being attractive more global competition for talents and skilled employees only those employers in the future. companies that place themselves on the market as attractive employers, signalling and communicating innovative power. This aspect of the Talents may also start their own company and develop to become appearance of a “corporate brand” is paid little attention to in many renowned competitors. A look into the history of STILL shows this companies – despite a notable shortage of skilled workers. Future very clearly: Dr. Friedrich Jungheinrich had worked for several years talents do not only seek a transparent and tolerant corporate culture as a development engineer for STILL before he joined the company of in which cultural differences within the teams are viewed at and his father in 1953 and started to build up today’s Jungheinrich AG. appreciated as benefits and assets. Most young talents look for But the example also shows that ideas are often stronger than any opportunities to freely develop their potential in the service for the effort to keep them exclusive to a single company. company. “Making employees co-employers” could be the best motto to describe the challenges companies face if they want to drive innovations in the future. In fact this means: The future challenge of an innovative economy is to enable its people to fully develop and use their skills. This includes that each company establishes a “pool” in which potentials are especially encouraged and demanded to show their talent to take over future leadership and management tasks. STILL, for example, pursues this strategy with its “Young Professionals Program” (YPP). This training programme trains young talents from all over the world for the next steps in their career at STILL. “Making employees co-employers” could be the best A look at the statistics of companies motto to describe the challenges companies face if that are most attractive to young, they want to drive innovations in the future. trained talents and that are viewed with most appreciation will show that it is those companies offering well aimed training and the respective freedom of development. The consistent exchange of employees and workforce across countries and continental borders is just one of the many aspects of globalisation.In the years to come this development will grow evermore encompassing. In particular for 102 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 103

STAff ORIEnTATIOn AS pART Of cORpORATE culTuRE Werner Dubberke, Mechanic and Replenisher at STILL since 1966 Mr. Dubberke, to open our conversation I want to ask you for a brief summary of your professional life with the company STILL. When did you join the company and in which function? Which are the functions you had during your career at STILL? Werner Dubberke: “I joined STILL on 1 April 1966 beginning my professional training as a mechanic and I completed my training on 30 March 1969. Following that I worked for three months in the mast assembly department before I was called to join the army. On 1 January I returned to STILL – now to work in the assembly lines for the R 17, 18, 19 trucks. This included assembly of the driver cabins, the adjustment of each truck – all of this is work that is done on the line today as well. For a short time I have also worked in the production of cylinders in the Linde plant Aschaffenburg. Since 1971, I have regularly attended the trade shows in Hanover, Leipzig and, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, I participated in the “Brandenburg-Tour”. Here I worked for the STILL experts conventions. Finally I was a “Provider” responsible for the flow of materials at the assembly lines. I am going to spend the last 2 years of my professional life until 31 May 2013 in part-time retirement. After all I will have worked 47 years full time and 2 years part-time retirement at STILL.“ Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 105

At the beginning of your work life, the image of the typical “industrial worker” coined daily work in the production. Today these professions require technically sophisticated training. Has this development affected the personal relationships of the people working in the production? Werner Dubberke: “Seniors need to be example role models – for example, when adhering to safety standards. Also when taking a dele- gation of visitors through the plant, it is necessary to wear safety boots. After all a worker will be warned orally if they do not adhere to the standards. Especially in group work, as it is very common nowadays, it is important to cooperate well and to take work off the foreman. For this, the interpersonal relations are crucial. The weekly feedback sessions are a great help to keep everyone aligned. If we have disciplinary problems with young trainees we ask them to complete an official evaluation form. It is always a great help to enable young people to look into the mirror themselves. The increasing number of staff with a foreign background on the other hand has hardly caused any problems.” The relationship between production staff and management pursue common goals, but often there are different opinions about how to arrive at these goals. How would you characterise the relationship between staff and management at STILL? Werner Dubberke: “As part of the production staff, one is rarely in direct contact with the management – the department manager is the immediate senior. There have often been incidents where we thought “not with us”. One could always get an appointment with Ingo Schröder at the time, and I made use of that. I have always had the impression that our concerns were taken seriously. The fact that Mr. Schröder himself had started his career as an apprentice at STILL had surely contributed to that. My father was his foreman; he was “one of our kind”. Today the works council plays a more essential role than ever when it comes to protect the interests of the employees. After all, nearly 80 % of the staff are organised in the union. I myself never was a candidate. In my daily work in the workshop I have enough “mediation work” to do.” During the crisis 2008/2009 the management acted very far sighted. One of the specialities at STILL was – and is – the long period of The short-time payment in Hamburg greatly contributed to job security.” employments at STILL and the fact that many of the employees are working here in the second and third generation. It this principle Did the takeover by Linde AG and the later incorporation of the of the “STILL family” and the “human factor” one of the crucial STILL brand into the KION Group have any notable effect on your success factors still today? work in the production? Werner Dubberke: “I have always perceived STILL as a “family company”. Werner Dubberke: “Apart from details such as the cylinder production You could make a lot of change with your work, because you always knew for the Linde plant in Aschaffenburg, the takeover by Linde did not have the people you worked with well. This type of comradeship has ceased a great effect on us in production. With the integration into the KION in the present. The respect towards workers with long years of experience Group, parts of the production were relocated from Reutlingen and later is less prominent nowadays. But still there are many families that have from Basingstoke and Bari. These relocations were always challenging remained true to the company in the second and third generation. My for the plant in Hamburg. In this I have to say that the cooperation with father has worked as a foreman for Hans Still; my daughter learnt her the colleagues from STILL Wagner in Reutlingen was very collegial, profession as an industrial clerk at STILL.” despite the fact that there were redundancies in Reutlingen.” 106 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 107

The training of young talents is traditionally highly esteemed at STILL. Nearly all the apprentices are taken over into a fixed job when their training is complete. Do you think STILL is well prepared for the future against the background of a shortage of skilled workers? Werner Dubberke: “In any case STILL is well prepared in this respect. Altogether one must say that training at STILL is and always was first class and also the interpersonal development of the young talents is greatly encouraged. You can also see this in the fact that professionals who have learnt their profession at STILL are happily accepted elsewhere.“ Especially characteristics such as “inventor spirit” and the recog- nition of potentials for improvement by staff make a company strong. Do you see STILL on a good way into the future in this respect? Werner Dubberke: “The improvement suggestions for the STILL idea management are an important contribution to secure the future of the company. This encourages the identification of each individual with the company and by this contributes to the idea of the “STILL family”.“ Mr. Dubberke, we thank you for the interview. 108 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 109

STIll EmplOYEES ARE “bRAnd mAkERS” as a brand but these contents must also be accepted in a personal “Like” – or do not like. The growing importance of social networks such commitment and applied personal behaviour at the workplace “corporate as “Facebook” makes employees the most important ambassadors behaviour” and, if necessary, defended – of course in a peaceful of the company brands they work for every day. The comments way and with a smile. of staff, completely unfiltered by communication and PR departments, quickly give customers, journalists and job applicants an authentic “InTERnAl bRAndIng” AT STIll picture – and sometimes unveil a bitter truth. Paul Watzlawick’s One thing that is often underestimated is the impact on the public statement “you cannot not communicate” shows the relevance and perception of the brand which is not only affected by the current points at the rising necessity of what is referred to as “internal employees of a company but also by its former employees who have branding”. What is this term about and what does STILL think about it? retired. These employees also What we call “brand commitment” today, refers to what people in the entertain an ongoing, long-term dialogue with their staff. a brand. Due to the extensive past left behind in the factory when they put their work overall internal knowledge they have into their lockers: the identification with the brand they worked for about the company they worked for, these former employees enjoy every day. Today this identification is lived out on social and high credibility by whomever they talk to. STILL integrates this private platforms. With their internal branding, companies undertake important target group in various ways including the employee With their internal branding, companies undertake to contribute to the reputation of to entertain an ongoing, long-term dialogue with their staff. This dialogue may take years to bring substantial fruit. At STILL, the departments for Marketing and Internal Communication are commonly responsible for the strategic and operative tasks internally communicating the characteristics of the STILL brand. However, for the Human Resource department at STILL, internal branding is a challenge as well. It is simply not possible to “buy” employees with a “brand personality”. The company has to develop them by its own efforts. The best is to compare the characteristics of the brand to the characteristics of the applicant in the job interview. Strategically, internal branding at STILL is planned and implemented in five steps: The future brand ambassadors have to know, understand, accept, apply and defend the STILL brand identity. This means that the people responsible for this have to impart the knowledge about the brand in an interesting and sustainable way. It is not enough to only understand all the relevant contents of STILL 110 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership

magazine “aufgegabelt” and invitations to the annual “STILL Family THE STIll mEdIA ScEnERY Day”. Already the founder of the company, Hans Still, was convinced Around the employees magazine “aufgegabelt”, first initiated by Hans that his company had an unmistakable personality due to certain Still, STILL today entertains a broadly varied media scenery. It includes defined characteristics. “Innovation – Brand – People”: this “triad” the STILL intranet with its own publishing unit, the “Boarding-Days” puts thecredo of Hans Still to the point. for new employees and apprentices as well as employer campaigns with real STILL employees in the ads. Brand rallies, story telling and interactive The task today is to revitalise this “spirit” every day anew and to experiences from the company history enable employees at major anchor the brand image of STILL deeply in the public mind: The events to explore the STILL brand. transition from a maker of forklift trucks to a supplier of complete For STILL, internal branding is more than a All of these are activities that solutions. For example, with the support of the STILL brand musical communication task in the frame of caring for the brand. frame the field of a vivid corporate in which STILL staff can prove their show talent and make the trade culture supporting the internal show presentations of STILL and unmistakable infotainment branding at STILL. For STILL, internal branding is more than a experience. Apprentices and staff are invited as guests to watch the communication task in the frame of caring for the brand. It is an attitude rehearsals in the factory. Also in the production facilities, it is not in line with the brand, asking a uniform commitment and continuous enough anymore to do the job one has been trained for. It has become dialogue from everyone in the company – the CEO just as well as plant much more important to keep an eye on the overall picture. Instead security. of saying, “I make wheel bearings”, the employee who is attuned to the brand will say, “I build a truck with the best emission values worldwide – from STILL”. A survey conducted back in 2009 showed a high level of brand commitment at STILL in general. There is a bundle of initiatives and activities with which STILL implements its internal branding. STIll mAnAgEmEnT Of IdEAS And STIll pARTnERSHIp A crucial part of successful brand behaviour at STILL is the internal idea management system. It is the well-informed and motivated staff bringing forward new ideas on their own behalf who fill the innovation pipeline. STILL encourages this by publically appreciating promising ideas and temporarily provides a MINI with the STILL branding to the person who has made the suggestion. Another initiative to care for the brand internally is the “STILL PartnerShip” described above. 112 Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership Corporate culture and value-oriented leadership 113

fuTuRE SuccESS fAcTORS fOR STIll “If we first knew where we are and where we are drifting, we would better know what to do and how to do it.” Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United Sates of America (1861-1865) More than ever before, the added value of a company will have to be viewed from the perspective of the customer. But how can we know today, what our customers will need in the future? And, which criteria will prevail in decision making during the purchase process? Will it be tangible cost advantages or rather the “soft” factors such as eco-friendliness? Trend More than ever before, the added value of a company researchers and futurologists will have to be viewed from the perspective of the are able to provide predictions customer. and indications for future development trends of internal logistics processes. Believing in these future and trend forecasts means to believe in irreversible that determine the future of our markets. EnvIROnmEnTAl SuSTAInAbIlITY AS A cOmpETITIvE fAcTOR fOR STIll The global initiatives aiming to reduce the emission of CO2 on a worldwide level and the fading availability of natural resources definitely belong to the megatrends relevant for STILL in the future. Especially in the highly energy-consuming industries such as logistics, energy technologies will grow more and more important. Besides work and financial means, the environment will be regarded a productive factor in the future as well. The CO2 balance of products and services will therefore be a crucial decision criterion for customers and by this a 116 Trust in the brand STILL

competitive factor that is to be taken seriously. The efficiency mode for the background of modern ways of distributing work loads in internal trucks, STILL Blue-Q, an intelligent auto-pilot for economy and logistics. Nowadays, contract logistics service providers offer a broad ecologic responsibility, shows that STILL has put this future-issue range of services along the value adding chain of their industrial “green economy” on its agenda very early. The core message “Blue-Q = customers. The services of a contract logistics service provider reach IQ” puts it: trucks fitted with the system can save up to twenty percent far beyond the traditional logistics tasks such as transport, turnaround of energy during operation, depending on the application profile, and warehousing. End-customers reduce the complexity of their own driving style and truck equipment. Added to this, are cost savings business and win the dependability of a flexible partner who keeps due to less wear, a longer life-cycle of the battery and improved their expert knowledge continuously up-to-date. For companies like utilisation per battery charge for the electric trucks. The benefit is STILL this development requires to know future developments and comparable to a motorist saving fuel in city traffic by anticipating trends in intralogistics earlier than before and this knowledge must be upcoming traffic situations and adjusting the driving style accordingly. fed into the development of new products and services. Blue-Q adjusts the truck to different application profiles. This significantly reduced CO2 emissions, produced by the internal-combustion engine or by generating the electric energy for the battery. Blue-Q actively THE AgIng SOcIETY AS A cHAllEngE fOR STIll involves the driver in the concept: The driver can decide to press the Another megatrend relevant for STILL is the “demographic change”, Blue-Q button on the dashboard, consciously opting to achieve the i.e. the fact that we all are becoming older, having to work longer in task using as little resources as possible and by this work as our lives. Especially aged workers are more dependent on ergonomic environmentally sustainable as possible. TRAnSpAREnT cOSTS THROugHOuT THE lIfE-cYclE workspaces – in particular on warehouse trucks. This is why STILL will focus on such features in the future as well, emphasising on optimising the ergonomics of the workspace for the driver. An example is the ‘hydraulically dampened driver-space with the proportional seat-footplate The ecologic costs caused by the use of free resources, such as air or adjustment available in the FM-X reach truck. While, on one hand water for the production of goods have largely been neglected in most there will be more and more older workers having to work longer, there economic feasibility assessments. But, in areas where environmental will also be fewer, and sometimes insufficiently trained, young people factors become economically relevant, a holistic view of all costs leaving schools to start professional training on the other hand. This occurring during the complete life-cycle of the truck become more will make higher investments in internal education and training important. This is why STILL offers the instrument of “Total Cost of inevitable and will also require greater efforts to strengthen STILL as Ownership” (TCO) which makes an employer brand. The target must be to make STILL attractive for TCO tells companies today what they are going to the costs of the product transparent future talents and to make employees loyal to the company by internal save tomorrow. covering all the phases of the product-cycle: the purchase phase, the operation phase and disposal. TCO tells companies today what they are going to save tomorrow. Beyond the increasing importance of ecologic cost factors, TCO is also becoming more important against 118 Trust in the brand STILL training and education. Trust in the brand STILL 119

nEw mARkETS fOR STIll: dEvElOpIng cuSTOmER-SpEcIfIc SOfTwARE AS A SuccESS fAcTOR cOunTRIES ARE bEcOmIng InduSTRIAl nATIOnS. Following the trend of global e-business in an “on demand world”, The challenges STILL is confronted with by the more frequently the demand for customer-specific services and products which can necessary adjustment of development and production capacities are be administered by company-compatible customer software is to clear to see: It is necessary to make systematic use of the synergies rise. In addition, much of the data acquired this way will be subject generated by the cooperation between all KION companies in areas to data protection restrictions – an aspect that will require close such as development, production and sales on an international level attention. Linking every logistic manoeuvre in a company with a digital without diluting the core of the brand STILL. Strategic terms such as “footprint” generates confidential company data and will increase the “networking innovative products with innovative software”, “customer- safety requirements for the software in the trucks. Developing customer- specific service solutions” and “solution-oriented advising” are reliable specific software-solutions for individual flows of material is an important guidelines for consistent navigation to pursue this goal. In keeping field of profit for STILL. In combination with a special software the on track, against the background of multiple changes, is more STILL Fleetmanager allows to acquire, compute and make all truck than ever important for STILL to clearly shape its profile as a supplier and driver data available on-line today already. Different kinds of of customer-specific internal logistic solutions in the awareness access permissions are securely controlled by access media such as of global markets. In combination with a special software the STILL Together with STILLReport and chips, a chip card or a PIN code. A gOOd fuTuRE undER THE ROOf Of THE kIOn gROup Fleetmanager allows to acquire, compute and STILL ProActive, Fleetmanager From the level of developing countries, some countries become make all truck and driver data available on-line today 4.x is one of the software dynamic industrial nations within just a few years. During this process, already. technologically sophisticated and networked products and services products that are joined up under the term “STILL Fleet replace the robust trucks such countries sought after before. Coming Data Services” providing a high profit potential in the future markets. from low wage levels, new competitors arise in these countries, Product and service offers with an additional value transparent for especially in the Asiatic region. At the same time the European markets the customer, such as the STILL Partnerplan and the Fleet Data are slowing down and additional growth is only possible by crowding Manager will not only lead to higher customer loyalty; they also charge competitors out. Globalisation is therefore not only a trend strongly the brand STILL with additional advisory competence. Innovations like affecting the former separation between regions of production and the cubeXX underpin the STILL claim to be “first in intralogistics”, regions of use for the products. Globalisation is also shifting the especially by the flexibility and multi-functionality future customers balance of worldwide markets. This is intensified by declining will ask for to meet the demands of their ever more volatile markets. customer loyalty, leading to more volatile markets – despite all efforts made in terms of service. This development leads to fluctuations in production and by this to a need for faster adjustment of productions capacities. 120 Trust in the brand STILL Trust in the brand STILL 121

STIll – A bRAnd Of TRuST In all of the said above, there is one all-deciding factor. It is a factor that often remains unconsidered as it is difficult to measure: The trust in the brand of the company. In this sense trust means more than “customer satisfaction”. Only if it is possible to become a “brand of trust” in all concerns of the flow of material and information in the perception of the customer and only if STILL is integrated in the corporate planning of the future by the customer and in this process STILL will allow its customers to identify their own future fields of profits, this will secure the future of the brand itself. Concrete this means that customers and partners automatically associate STILL with its promise so that there is only one answer to any present and future question concerning the respective field of competency: STILL. If products become become more relevant for purchase decisions, emotional motives will become more important in purchase decisions. The management consultant Reinhard Sprenger put it this way: “Com- panies do not sell products, they sell trust”. The products and services of a company can be as innovative and efficient as may be – as long as the corporate brand does not generate a sound basis of trust in the perception of the customer, the risk that the competitors will prevail in the purchase decision is very high. Strong brands function like a compass the customers use to navigate. The link of trustworthy brand leadership, customer-oriented innovations and the employers being consciousness ambassadors for the STILL brand will decide whether STILL will remain “first in intralogistics”. Or, to quote Hans Still: “Our task is to solve individual transport requirements. When developing new transport technologies it is our goal to meet future developments already today.” More than ninety years after the foundation of the company STILL, the tracks leading to this goal are laid. SOuRcES: Menschliche Kommunikation Formen, Störungen, Paradoxien Paul Watzlawick, Janet H. Beavin, Don D. Johnson Huber Verlag, 12th issue 2011 Führung neu denken Michael Löhner, Carsten Hennig, Anne Jacoby, Gerhard Kebbel Campus Verlag 2005 Die Linde AG Hans-Liudger Dienel C.H. Beck 2004 Vertrauen führt Reinhard K. Sprenger Campus Verlag, 3rd issue, 2007 Business report Linde AG 2009 Wiesbaden 2009 ImpRInT Publisher: Editors: Concept: Layout: Photos interviews: Stock photography: Editorial office: Translation: Edition: STILL GmbH, Unternehmenskommunikation, Berzeliusstraße 10, 22113 Hamburg Matthias Klug, Jan-Christoph Sachse, Christian Themann, Andreas Bauer Author and interviews: Markus Stoll, Hamburg TEAMS DESIGN Hamburg GmbH, Ulrich Schweig TEAMS DESIGN Hamburg GmbH, Meike Koldorf Photos editorial: STILL GmbH Hinrich Franck, Hamburg istockphoto, Ilya Terentyev and xyno PPKS, Susann Dettmann Linguagem, Matthias Heine First edition 2012, 3,500 copies Languages: German, English, French, Italian Print: Druckerei Weidmann GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg 122 Trust in the brand STILL