From One Generation to the Next
The year 2000 marks both the start of a new millennium and the year in which Martin Becker takes over the helm of the KNF Group as general manager – a symbolic year indeed. And just as the new year heralds a fresh beginning for the world, the change of generations marks a new chapter for KNF. The actual handover from Erich Becker to his eldest son takes place as part of a careful and well-planned process over several years. But following the turn of the millennium, Martin Becker finds himself confronted with a rapidly changing world. Faced with challenges like globalization, the financial crisis, digitalization and global upheaval, he is determined to focus on the opportunities offered by these changes. By strengthening KNF’s international network and searching strategically for new markets for its diaphragm pumps, this is exactly what he does. The stage is first set for this new chapter in KNF’s history back in the 1990s.
Freiburg-Munzingen, 1994. A small revolution is taking place at KNF. Instead of continuing to launch one pump after another, the company decides to change tack – general manager Erich Becker, head of sales for Germany at the time Martin Becker and head of design Erwin Hauser begin working on a brand-new series of different pump types. The resulting LABOPORT system is tailored specifically to laboratory requirements and even features a completely new design. This idea and its rapid implementation transform KNF into a leading one-stop supplier of laboratory pumps.
“Usually, there is only one chance to capture a market,” said Martin Becker years later. “If a technology is developed too late, it is likely that others will muscle their way in and present a completely different solution.” With this in mind, identifying and seizing opportunities is the motto for modern times adopted by Martin Becker when he becomes CEO in Munzingen in 1994 at the age of 35 and subsequently CEO of the entire KNF Group in 2000.
Erich Becker, the visionary behind KNF as a diaphragm pump manufacturer and the KNF Group, hands over a well-positioned company. Besides KNF’s strong financial position, Martin Becker is convinced that its corporate values – which had always been of immense importance to his father and includes factors like trust, respect and personal responsibility –also underpin the company’s future success. These values are laid down in writing in the KNF Leitbild in 2004. “Martin essentially runs the company in the same way as I did,” comments Erich Becker. “He’s kept all the positive things in place and the changes he introduces are well-founded.” There are nevertheless plenty of new challenges in the 2000s.
Like many other companies, KNF can not escape the immediate repercussions of the financial crisis. Order volumes decline in 2009, followed by an expanded pressure on prices and increased defaults due to customers no longer being able to settle their invoices. By joining all its forces and following a long-term plan centered on stability rather than risk, KNF successfully overcomes the crisis. In fact, by 2010 KNF has even managed to meet the company objectives initially set for 2012.
This gives rise to the idea for the KNF 2025 strategy for the future. The aim of the strategy is to consolidate KNF’s position as a technology leader and to tap into new markets. This is being achieved by increasing cooperation within the international KNF Group while retaining the successful policy of establishing small, independent centers of expertise. It is the most long-term strategy in the company’s history and it does not take long for its positive impact to be felt. One such example is the establishment of KNF Micro AG after micro gas pumps are identified as a growing line of business. The strategy also initiates organizational developments in the group’s structure. For instance, in 2013, Martin Becker hands over control of KNF Munzingen to his younger brother Paul Becker. This allows him to focus his efforts on managing the international KNF Group, with the support of the newly formed Group Board.
Digitalization represents another challenge which is sweeping across all areas of business, from the workplace environment to the internal sharing of information worldwide. DAC, the Digital Acceleration Center, is established in 2018 to support and expedite KNF’s digital transformation.
The new millennium marks the start of a new world. By seizing this opportunity and helping to shape the change, KNF develops into a modern, international and intercultural family-run company led by a strong executive team. With its innovative products and unwavering customer focus, KNF prevails in a competitive market and still has huge potential for future growth.
Martin Becker is certain that the KNF Group owes its success to the company culture initially fostered by Erich Becker. To ensure that this culture continues to be handed down from generation to generation, the Becker family has created a family charter. “From the very beginning, my father’s objective was to pass the company on to the next generation,” says the CEO of the KNF Group. “When the time comes, my objective is also to hand the company over to the generation after me.”
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