In 2022, the signs continue to point to growth for the Munk Group with headquarters in Günzburg and Leipheim. Thanks to efficient supply chains and the outstanding performance of its approximately 400 employees, the innovation and technology leader for access and rescue technology has mastered all economic challenges of the past 2021 financial year and successfully implemented its new brand and industry image. In September, the former Günzburger Steigtechnik GmbH reorganised itself under the umbrella of the Munk Group and clearly structured itself for the future with the Climbing Technology, Rescue Technology and Service divisions. Plant expansions amounting to 20 million euros also serve to secure the future.
"Our balance sheet is consistently positive: we have always been able to deliver, we have achieved our sales targets, we have once again increased our staff and, what is particularly important to me: we did not have to put anyone on short-time work or even lay them off in the 2021 financial year. The realignment with the new company structure and the clear commitment to our family name was of course the lighthouse project of the year. When you consider that we opened a new location for the Munk Rescue Technology division in Leipheim in the summer at a cost of ten million euros and are currently also investing ten million euros in the company headquarters in Günzburg, then you can see what a family business and its team are capable of. It is precisely these strengths that we will be counting on more than ever in the future. As the very good feedback shows, we have taken the right path," explains Ferdinand Munk, managing director and owner of the Munk Group.
Defying the supply bottlenecks
In the 2021 financial year, the shortage of materials across all industries inevitably led to an increase in the cost of raw materials, which was felt across all industries. In many places, there were also drastic supply bottlenecks, but not at the Munk Group. "We benefit from long-standing relationships with our suppliers based on partnership and have also introduced strategic measures early on, such as increasing storage capacities. Our own high vertical range of manufacture, thanks to Made in Germany production, has helped us just as much as efficiently designed supply chains. This made it possible for us to maintain our delivery capacity at the usual high level. Despite the crisis, 98% of our series range was available from stock and we were able to serve the trade and our customers reliably. By the way, this continues to be the case; we set the course early on," says Ferdinand Munk.
With innovative access technology through the pandemic
The latest product innovations in the series range played a special role in the success of the 2021 business year: In particular, the FlexxTower one-person scaffold, the FlexxLift mini-lift platform and the new multi-purpose stepladder have become bestsellers in the series range. These top innovations from Munk Günzburger Steigtechnik were also the highlights at the numerous roadshow demonstrations in Germany and Austria. "It's great that we have now established a successful concept here that we can also fall back on in 2022. This way, we can - with a special hygiene and protection concept and in compliance with all current rules - continue to present the innovations to our customers on site. This personal exchange is very important," says Munk. For this year, too, interested parties can simply make a live appointment on site at www.steigtechnik.de/en/roadshow or via the e-mail address roadshow@steigtechnik.de, whereby individual requests for the visit will also be gladly taken into account by the access technology professionals.
Munk Günzburger Steigtechnik will also be presenting the next innovations for increased work safety at the road show. All information is available at www.steigtechnik.de/neuheiten and in the new access technology catalogue, which will be published in March.
Multiple award-winning access technology
The fact that the Munk Group continues to live up to its claim as a leader in technology and innovation is proven by the numerous awards that the family-owned company was able to enjoy in 2021. For example, Ferdinand Munk and his team were named TOP 100 Innovator for the fifth time. The Munk Group received the GIT Safety Award 2022 in the category "Fire protection, explosion protection and occupational safety" for the three-part stepladder. The Desk Surfer developed by Munk Günzburger Steigtechnik together with the multi-technology service provider SPIE attracted a lot of attention at the German Occupational Safety Award.
"We attach great importance to bringing the great benefits through prevention in the workplace into the public eye. Really everyone involved benefits from occupational safety measures - the employees, but also the companies: Because, as studies have shown, every euro invested flows back in the amount of 2.2 euros. It's great that our innovations are recognised by experts. The awards show that we are going in the right direction. This is an enormous incentive for our team. After all, we stand for 'Safety. Made in Germany'. And of course that also applies to the year 2022," says Ferdinand Munk.
The Munk Group offers good prospects not only to its customers, but also to its employees. The magazines Focus and Focus Money recommend the company as a top employer; they recently listed the Munk Group as "Top Career Opportunities 2021" in the Germany test.
