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Vitamin kick – One of the many benefits at SPECK

Fruits are real power packets – just like our staff.

Every Tuesday since 12 July 2022, we have been providing a selection of different fresh fruits such as bananas, apples, pears, nectarines, grapes and much more for our employees.
The fruit is supplied by the local fruit and vegetable supplier Deuerlein in Lauf. The quickly emptying fruit baskets reflect the great success of this campaign. In addition to this new offer, there are already many different benefits at SPECK because people are always at the centre of everything we do. Therefore, values, professional and personal development, work-life balance and the compatibility of family and career play a major role when it comes to the satisfaction of our employees.
The good health of all colleagues is a top priority and is ensured by our company health scheme as well as the possibility of leasing a bicycle through Jobrad. Every year, various staff events, celebrations and team events are organised to ensure a positive mood and good team spirit, and on hot summer days, ice cream is delivered to cool everyone down. Flexitime and home office offer flexibility for everyday life. Special financial benefits in the form of a company pension scheme, payment for public transport tickets, corporate benefits as well as holiday and Christmas bonuses enable stable planning for the future and for all those who want to think outside the box, we offer a wide range of further training measures.

Apprentices taken on

Developing skilled workers for tomorrow at an early stage and integrating them into the company – that is the goal of the apprenticeship at SPECK Pumpen. In addition, we want to bind young people with all their accumulated know-how to our company. We are pleased that we were able to take on Alisa Rebmann and Alexander Pflaum, two of our apprentices who have completed their training as industrial administrators. The positions that were vacant at the end of their apprenticeships enabled both of them to find a place in their desired departments. Alisa was taken on in the export department and Alexander in the industrial technology sales department. We wanted to look back on the time since they were hired on 01.09.2019 and asked Alisa and Alexander a few questions about their training and the time that followed …

Alisa Rebmann (23)

Alisa first became aware of SPECK Pumpen at an apprenticeship fair. “After talking to Stefan Dörr, I knew that I wanted to do my apprenticeship in this company.” During her apprenticeship, she enjoyed going through the different departments the most and has now found her place in the export department. “I fit in well with the team and so my wish came true. Here I can contribute my ideas and develop professionally.” Part of her job is to write orders and prepare customs documents and supplier declarations. Alisa has already successfully completed a customs training course at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

 

 

 

Alexander Pflaum (25)

“I’ve known SPECK for a long time because the company is near my parents’ house and I used to drive past it every day on my way to school”. He decided to train as an industrial administrator because he is good with numbers and was already interested in business studies at school. Regarding his training period at the company, Alexander says: “All in all, the training was varied and diverse. I think it’s good that SPECK takes on a lot of the apprentices and challenges them with responsible tasks.” Alexander is now employed in the industrial technology sales department and felt integrated right from the start. He is also responsible for customer service, clarifying technical questions and preparing offers. He particularly likes the direct contact with customers. He takes part in individual sales training sessions and sees himself in a responsible position in the company in the future.

SPECK Pumpen is committed to successfully contributing to the training of young people and to integrating them into the company in the long term. We wish our new colleagues all the best for their new tasks and challenges!

The Land of Smiles

After sound analysis, SPECK Pumpen classified China as one of the prioritised growth markets and in 2017 decided to expand its sales activities there. Swimming pool technology still leads a niche existence in China – but political decisions are expected to lead to enormous growth. We have already seen the first signs of this. In the aquaculture sector, the Land of Smiles will also continue to develop significantly in the coming years.

China – the fourth largest country in the world with around 1.4 billion inhabitants – has become the focus of our sales strategy in recent years. Initial contacts were difficult to establish. With Yuan He, who is rooted in both nations, as our sales representative we then managed to gain a foothold surprisingly quickly. A first trade fair appearance last May confirmed our hopes. Interest in our products was very high and “Made in Germany” is very popular in the People’s Republic.

We are currently working with wholesalers and experienced swimming pool builders and offer our partners regular product training sessions. Even if developments have not been as good as we had hoped, due to corona, we are still recording a steady, stable turnover. With reference projects such as swimming pools, hotel pools and pool villas, we have been able to record our first successes.

Swimming pool technology in China is still in its infancy. However, the condition of the outdated public swimming pools in need of renovation and the demand for water sports facilities among the population are causing this market to grow rapidly. Since the introduction of compulsory swimming lessons, the Chinese Ministry of Education plans to build 300 new swimming pools each year until 2025, a political decision that is expected to increase the market volume to 600 billion euros within five years. By then, 700 km² of water sports areas will have been newly built. This would mean a total of 2 m² of water surface for every inhabitant.

With a north-south extension of 4,500 km, China has very different climatic conditions. From the tropical climate on the south coast to the wintery cold coniferous forest climate on the border to Russia. The living habits and thus the demand for private pools are correspondingly different. In general, however, one can speak of increasing demand.

Last but not least, the aquaculture sector has great potential: overfished seas and rising food demand are giving aqua farms an enormous boost. It is no wonder then that the People’s Republic, by far the largest fishing nation, is at the forefront of fish farming.

Five reasons why …

We are all rightly concerned about the impact Corona will have on our health, our lives and our economic wellbeing. Small companies in particular, which are highly prevalent in the pool and wellness industry, are very concerned about the economic fallout from this unique crisis.

Over the last few days, haus+wellness* and BT Verlag have been working with marketing experts to develop ideas to help swimming pool and sauna builders and all the companies in the supply chain to face the next weeks and months with renewed confidence. Perhaps, much like the virus itself, the answer to whatever comes your way as a business person in the next few weeks will also come from China. In Chinese, the word for crisis is composed of two characters, one meaning “danger” and the other “opportunity”.

Therefore, SPECK would like to share the  five arguments identified which represent “opportunity” and that should provide encouragement for businesses in these difficult times.

 

REASON 1:
The new attachment to home

In the next few weeks, more people than ever will be spending time at home. For many, this will change how they see their own four walls. This is a good starting point for discussions with potential pool and sauna customers. It is a chance for you to help your customers make the safest place in the world more beautiful with a pool, a jacuzzi or a sauna. Of course, most people will have other problems on their minds for the next few weeks, but in the mid term this is a good argument for the wellness industry.

Don’t just sell pools or saunas, sell a comforting cocooning effect for home.


 

REASON 2:
Investing in your property

Corona has sent stock markets tumbling and decent interest rates are long gone. People feel increasingly unsettled about their economic future. What could be better than investing in the only asset that does not depend on stock markets, bankers or cash: your own property. Homes with pool and wellness facilities often see their market value increase by more than the actual costs.

Don’t just sell pools or saunas, sell a property upgrade.


 

REASON 3:
Suddenly travel can no longer be taken for granted

Of course, the current state of affairs will not last forever. Still, for the first time in their lives, many people are facing the fact that travel, holidays and freedom of travel are no longer irrevocable rights. Before Corona, the next holiday was as certain as the sun rising in the east. After Corona, many people will choose to relax and recuperate in the only place where no travel ban will ever apply: their own home.

Don’t just sell pools or saunas, sell holidays at the most beautiful place in the world, their own home.


 

REASON 4:
Health is more important than ever

The best defense against the effects of viruses is a good immune system. Healthy, physically fit people have a better chance of getting through this and any future epidemics without complications. Saunas are proven to be the very best natural way to strengthen the immune system. Studies are literally overflowing with evidence of the benefits of saunas. And swimming is certainly the best sport to promote all-round health.

Don’t just sell pools or saunas, sell a healthier and longer life.


 

REASON 5:
A new perspective on hygiene

Let’s face it, there have never been so many people thinking about all the things floating around in the air, on doorknobs and in public places. As a wellness company you have a special responsibility and a great opportunity. Companies that communicate with their customers about hygiene, cleanliness and the positive effects of water treatment and water and air filtration will be seen as competent and position themselves as important bulwarks against viruses and germs.

Don’t just sell pools or saunas, sell cleanliness and exemplary hygiene standards.

Customer information . Coronavirus

Dear customers and partners,
Dear Sir or Madam,

The current situation is more challenging than ever before and it is difficult to find our way around the unknown. However as we now know, it is vital that we all work together to slow this virus down.

Therefore, we at SPECK have decided to take some measures to protect our teams and their families. As of today, the majority of the commercial departments are working from home. We will also be making adjustments to production capacities.

In short: the smoothest possible operation is guaranteed. Nevertheless, there may be delays in delivery and restrictions in availability in the next few days and weeks. If you should not be able to reach your usual contact person by phone, please contact us by e-mail, Facebook or Twitter. We will take care of your concerns.

We ask for your understanding for these measures, which in our view are unavoidable.

Finally, we have one more request to make to you: It is important that we act in solidarity and with caution, think of your fellow human beings in our society. At the moment, it is easier to avoid damage to health than economic cutbacks, which we will all face to a certain extent.

Stay safe!
Your team at SPECK

From the idea to the start of production

Impulses for the new and further development of our products reach us in various ways, but nobody can avoid the technology department. This is where individual customer enquiries, feedback from practice, from the sales and production teams, and new standards and regulations flow together with our demands for quality, energy efficiency and innovative strength. Here we design, test, measure, evaluate and optimise until an innovative idea turns into a product ready for production.

In the 12-person team led by Sebastian Watolla, each colleague has found his speciality. During most projects they work in teams, which are always reassembled according to the individual task. External competences are also involved in some new developments, such as the minimisation of the sound pressure level of the BADU Delta Eco VS in cooperation with the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg.

Sebastian Watolla describes his team as a “healthy mixture of young and experienced”. Some colleagues, like himself, have been with SPECK Pumpen for almost 20 years and longer. Above all, they stand for the experience that they share with  their  younger  colleagues  on a daily basis. These, in turn, bring new technical know-how from schools and universities to the development department. The long-standing colleagues are Jörg Dornbusch, who has specialised in electronics and control systems; Thomas Kraus, who in addition to CAD design is also responsible for transferring data to the SPECK SELECT pump selection programme; and Norbert Ziegler, who has developed many pump types and counter swim units, such as the latest BADUJET Turbo Pro. Norbert will retire in spring 2020. To ensure a smooth transition Thomas Moosburger has already been taken on as his successor. Both are currently sampling and testing the BADUJET Turbo Pro hand in hand.

At the beginning of every development project, the target has to be defined. This is the basis for the entire procedure. If the product adaption concerns, for example, a special pumped medium, a modular system can be used for all components that come into contact with the medium. Of course, experience with a wide variety of materials is also required.

For the new and further development of pumps, the hydraulic design by means of flow simulation is the focus. The flow qualities defined in the target is theoretically played through in a wide variety of constellations. This results in characteristic curves and values for efficiency and energy consumption, which are then evaluated and compared with each other. On this basis, the optimal technical solution can be found with regard to many different criteria.

The new construction of the components, as well as the adaptation of already existing ones, is carried out by means of a CAD program. The parts are then printed using a 3D printer. The motor is either selected from the range or newly developed in cooperation with a motor manufacturer. The resulting prototype of a new pump now has to undergo numerous tests in the test laboratory: Pressure tests, cycle tests, mould tests, electrical voltage tests and noise measurements.

From the determined values, conclusions can be drawn for the fine adjustment of the components until the results agree with those theoretically defined.

Once the prototype has successfully passed the test phase, the injection moulds for new components are ordered. This is followed by the sampling phase, in which the first sample parts are measured to the specified tolerances and subjected to a functional check. Only then is the approval for series production granted by the technology department.

However, a project is then not yet complete. Jörg Dornbusch coordinates and accompanies all necessary tests, e.g. for the GS sign. At the same time, the technical input for operating manuals and parts lists has to be prepared and entered into the merchandise management  system.  2D drawings and characteristics are issued for catalogues and brochures and the data for all pump types within a  series  are  entered  into  the SPECK SELECT pump selection programme. Meanwhile, the main designer accompanies the initial phase of production intensively.

The Technical Manager Sebastian Watolla is then able to present the new product to sales teams and representatives at home and abroad and to present it at trade fairs. In his role he also acts as an interface to communicate the innovations from the technology department to the outside world and to provide new input. As a member of the DIN committee, he most recently helped develop the standards for private swimming pool technology and is now concerned with the impact of private swimming pool technology on the environment. This means that neither he nor his team will run out of ideas for further new and further developments of SPECK pumps in the foreseeable future …

Work in progress

BADU pump production

SPECK Pumpen has been manufacturing plastic swimming pool pumps since 1968. During the last 40 years this production has undergone permanent change. Steadily rising sales figures, new developments or revised pump types and, most recently, the use of energy efficient motors made constant adjustments necessary. In the recent past, completely new factors have been added: a significant change in market behavior, the increasing desire for individualisation and, of course, the expectation of price stability. Amidst this phase of radical change, the BADU pump production is also in the middle of a generation change. 

When the long-serving head of department retired two years ago, a gradual change began. Günther Baumer, the former deputy, took over responsibility for the department on a temporary basis. Since the conversion of the merchandise management programme had a major impact on business processes and thus also restructured areas of responsibility, Christian Penkwitz was placed directly alongside him. From October 2018 Christian Penkwitz took over the responsibility and is growing further with the support of Günther Baumer.

“We didn‘t want to carry on as we were – and we couldn‘t have,“ says the new head of department. The requirements have changed rapidly so it was the right moment for a generation change and the right moment to divide the responsibility. In order to meet increasing demands and challenges in the future, the work preparation team in the BADU pump production relies on four areas: production planning, led by Christian Penkwitz; quality assurance, led by Günther Baumer with his successor Claudius Szilagyi; lean manufacturing, led by Ömer Karabasoglu; and REFA time studies.

The new management team established itself quickly, partly due to the conversion of the merchandise management programme, and has created mutual and resilient substitute solutions. Nevertheless, there is still a lot to do. Over the next five years, some of the department‘s long-standing employees will be retiring and new colleagues will have to be trained extensively in the meantime. Almost 30 technicians aged between 21 and 62 years are currently employed in the BADU pump production. They work flexible hours on 14 production lines to produce up to 11,000 pumps per month and the figures are constantly rising.

The technicians assemble 2,800 different pump designs. Standard pumps are still in stock. However, both just-in-time production and customer-specific individual production are continuing to rise proportionately. In the last years, five production lines have been built in lean manufacturing. The remaining nine will be converted gradually. This process for the efficient design of the value-added chain enables the department to react flexibly and unproblematically to special requests. The aim is for every technician in every line to be able to produce every pump independently.

Production planning is carried out in cooperation with lean manufacturing. The rough weekly plan is divided into detailed daily plans. In the morning, each technician learns which line he will be working on and which BADU pumps he will be manufacturing. In some lines, a single pump type is manufactured all day long, while in the next line, 30 pump types may be manufactured individually.

As soon as the order is logged into the line, a logistics specialist delivers the necessary components in sufficient quantity to the production location. In one-piece flow production, an employee accompanies the pump from the very beginning, goes through the 100 % inspection with it and hands over a completely packaged pump to the logistics department. The assignment of individual employees to specific work steps is thus a thing of the past. The merchandise management system now shows all employees involved throughout the company that the pump is ready for delivery.

With REFA time studies, documented production times reveal the potential for optimisation. The optimisation process itself takes place in a team. The adaptation possibilities are discussed mutually and then implemented accordingly. Many incentives come directly from the technicians. They see this as a real opportunity to help shape their own workplace in a positive way.

The main task of the quality assurance team is the inspection of all incoming components for the BADU pumps. However, they also maintain all production-relevant components – such as tools and test benches – so that the usual SPECK quality of the pumps is guaranteed. In case of any adjustments or changes in the production, however, it is also their job to inspect the product. If discrepancies occur, the team will work closely with the developers and designers to find the problem.

Thus, the BADU pump production will continue to reliably meet the requirements of our customers with regard to flexibility, delivery times and quantities. And one thing will not change in the future – both the young and the old agree – the BADU quality will always be measured against the highest standards!

Take a look behind the scenes. This video shows how a BADU Delta Eco VS is built.

Supplies

SPECK’s professional shoppers

Organising supplies does not simply mean “shopping“ for the purchasing employees. There is much more at stake here: keeping production and administration running, weighing up the capital commitment through stock keeping, keeping an eye on the value for money and, above all, the effects of purchases on the selling prices of one‘s own products. Knowledge of many business processes, good negotiating skills, knowledge of the seasonal market fluctuations and human contact with key suppliers are required in order to optimally manage these complex links.

Bianka Reinhardt, Fatih Afat, Alexander Wirth and an apprentice who rotates departments every three months are SPECK Pumpen Verkaufsgesellschaft‘s purchasers. They provide everything that our company needs to be able to work. This includes simple everyday items such as office supplies and protective clothing, as well as products that we do not manufacture ourselves and the essential components for our production: motors, injection moulded plastic parts and injection moulds, tools, cardboard boxes, pallets, mechanical seals, etc.

This list could be continued almost indefinitely. Around 15,000 orders to approx. 1,000 different suppliers leave the department each year. In order to maintain an overview, an appropriate division is necessary. The assignment of different article groups to individual employees enables colleagues to acquire background knowledge and experience for their articles and to establish personal contact with suppliers.

Bianka Reinhardt is the purchaser for pumps from the SPECK factories in Roth, Geretsried and Bielefeld as well as all accessories. In 2019 she will celebrate her 40th anniversary with the company. She is not only familiar with the large number of pump types and their components, but also has a very good feeling for the production and delivery times from the other factories. Every year she is assigned the responsible task of organising the inventory. Then, everything that concerns the most different articles really comes together with her.

Fatih Afat has been at SPECK for almost ten years. He is responsible for merchandise and packaging materials. The monitoring and controlling of the kanban system is also his responsibility.

Alexander Wirth has worked for our company for over 13 years and has been Head of Purchasing since 2014. He works closely with the development department purchasing components for the company‘s own production. Motors, pump plastic parts and the corresponding injection moulds are his speciality. In addition, there is the global import procedure.

None of the operating processes may come to a standstill because a required article is not in house. On the other hand, unnecessarily large stocks should also be avoided. This costs space and ties up capital. The purchasers are well organised in order to keep the balance and never lose sight of the big picture. If the stock level of any article approaches the individually stored minimum quantity, the merchandise management programme sends a demand message to the responsible material planner. This colleague, who uses the article in question directly, checks the requirements on the basis of the actual workload and passes the order on to the purchasing department accordingly. Parameters such as minimum order quantities, delivery times and seasonal fluctuations in demand are taken into account. If necessary, different offers are obtained and then an order is placed. The agreed delivery date is confirmed to the material planner via the merchandise management programme. In this way, he knows when the articles will be available.

The supplier‘s order confirmation is checked in detail in purchasing. “For orders with very high order values, of course we prefer to look at it five times before releasing the order,“ says Alexander Wirth. New tools for the production of plastic parts can easily enter the six-figure range. If a mistake in the order were overlooked here, the financial and temporal consequences would be huge.

Regular price controls with various suppliers on the market as well as annual price negotiations with fixed suppliers are part of the job. The conditions agreed by the purchasing department have a one-to-one impact on the selling prices and competitiveness of our products. However, the product quality and supllier‘s delivery conditions also have great influence.

Partnerships, some of which have lasted decades, have developed primarily with production-relevant suppliers. In exceptional cases, familiar personal contact and the willingness to approach one another make many things possible that anonymous trade relations do not offer. “Where you would most likely hear a decided “impossible“ from external suppliers, a real partner ensures that the goods required are on the doorstep the next morning“, the department head knows the benefits of having regular suppliers. “When the going gets tough, we can rely on our suppliers and we show them that
this is not a matter of course for us, even after many years!“

In purchasing, the price is very decisive but it doesn‘t have the final say. If you want to sell high quality, you have to ensure that you buy high quality! This is what Alexander Wirth, Bianka Reinhardt and Fatih Afat stand for when organising supplies for the sales company …

Brexit is also a hot topic for SPECK

Since the referendum in the United Kingdom on 23 June 2016, Brexit is also a hot topic in Germany. Newspapers report daily about immigration, economy and trade negotiations. Head of export, Marina Plan, recently attended a seminar in order to learn more about the implications for SPECK Pumpen.

Around 3 % of our turnover is generated in the United Kingdom, which is why the seminar “Brexit und Zoll” (Brexit and customs), a range of events organised by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce at the initiative of the trade associations and with the Federal Ministry of Finance, was an interesting and necessary event for Marina Plan. Although many questions concerning Brexit remain unanswered, she was able to gain some information regarding the future customs procedures.

According to the British government, the departure will become final at 2300 hours on 29 March 2019. As it stands, the United Kingdom will then be a third country in the eyes of the EU. For the export department at SPECK Pumpen this means that from this point onwards, every shipment from a value of 1,000 € an export declaration will have to be issued. Customs controls and formalities will also apply.

With an export share of around 40 %, our export department, as authorised exporters, are certainly very familiar with customs procedures and will not be faced with any major problems. However, we have to ask ourselves how long it will take the United Kingdom to process the huge amount of customs declarations? Should we expect delays at harbours and for hauliers?

We hope that the process will be up and running quickly and smoothly so that we can continue to supply our customers on the island to their full satisfaction.

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