Interview with Volker Klehr, Head of Product Development

What are the responsibilities of the construction department at Vivatec?

We have different areas in which we operate. Among other new product developments and special designs also product revisions. In other words, we adapt our products to the state of the art or to the needs of the market and improve our products, also with regard to the cost structure. Product certification and testing are also part of our responsibilities for quality assurance.

In addition to that, the application technology belongs to our responsibility in which we support the sales department in the preparation of offers. Likewise, the assembly instructions, on-site product trainings and briefings are part of our service to our customers.

 

What about the task distribution?

Of course, the entire range of tasks of our department is divided over several shoulders. Every employee can work independently and is required to complete projects on their own responsibility.

 

How important is communication?

Our everyday work is very much shaped by communication, both internally and externally. Internally, when something needs to be discussed with the production or the purchase department and externally when we clarify something with subcontractors.

Of course, we also have to keep in touch with the customer at all times. They have to agree to our models so we can take the next step and build prototypes. You can plan, but we have to maintain a huge amount of flexibility, so we can fully exploit our strengths.

 

What about the future? Where do you see the company in five years?

Our goal is to demand the maximum in order to achieve the possible. In five years I see Vivatec as a leader in collective safety on construction sites. We want to present more innovative ideas to the market, set new production standards and simply make working on the site a bit safer every day. We have a great team and lots of exciting ideas, I’m looking forward to the next years.

 

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