MBE-CMT News Update: Global Teams - Cologne
WHAT’S NEXT?
MBE Coal & Minerals in Cologne went through various difficult and sensitive situations in the last couple of years. Spin off from KHD Mother Company into an own legal entity; moves from the old hometown territory to Cologne-Holweide; moves back to Cologne-Kalk; and the latest and biggest change was the change of ownership. Seriously, these were a lot of changes. Yet the entire CMT Cologne team handled it extremely well.
A number of transformations were to be managed since October 2009. A huge number of new processes and functions had to be set up, new people joined, unfortunately some people passed away and some people left Coal & Minerals. But, CMT Cologne is still CMT Cologne. But, is it still the same? No, it isn’t. It has changed.
At present, we have plenty of new CMT functions and team members in Cologne. Besides the existing functions we now have our own HR, Finance, Procurement, Logistics and SAP. We didn’t have them before. Of course, at the beginning it was sometimes difficult. But now it seems as if it had never been any other way.
But what’s next?
Of course the changes will go on.
We have just implemented a new organisational structure in Cologne in August. The change was a logic step to cope with the next phase of global and local requirements. The sales team in Cologne is now concentrated in the hands of Jürgen Winckler with clearly defined sales areas. Ralf Werker, Head of the Cologne Operations Department, is now reporting to the CFO. Country managing directors will report to Jochen Schwerdtfeger. As a result, new processes and communication flows are already in place. Additional ones will have to be developed and implemented until we are satisfied. Our shareholder appreciated doing this next step for more efficient local and global market coverage.
In addition, the number and size of joint projects and transactions across CMT companies will increase. CMT group has globally expended into various regions and countries. We are already witnessing the first positive results in Cologne. On the one hand, this means additional changes and headaches. This will have an effect on all people in sales, operations and finance. On the other hand, this means that we will learn more about the strength of our CMT group.
Of course, the new SAP will change our Cologne business life. Our APS system will fade out and disappear, although not immediately. Some additional and helpful IT application may come.
We are busy getting our own R&D Centre up and running. We know what to do with our machines but we can do even better. And this is what we would like to prove and achieve.
New people will join to support where CMT Cologne is heading. Some people may leave.
Everybody has his own view on changes and challenges. I see very interesting and exciting times ahead for CMT Cologne. And one never really knows what comes next.
OLAF ZIMMLINGHAUS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
MBE Coal & minerals Technology GmbH, Cologne, Germany