In previous times, KNF used to follow a more pragmatic approach to finding specialist personnel.
People

Writing History Together

Training and recruitment at KNF

Everything began with Erich Becker and his business idea of capturing the market with technically improved diaphragm pumps. His idea struck a chord with many people who were eager to develop and implement it, eventually giving rise to today’s international more than 850-member company family. It would be impossible to talk about the history of KNF without mentioning the people who contribute every day to the company’s advancement. The dedicated and qualified employees are and always have been the ones writing the KNF success story. But their path to finding the diaphragm pump manufacturer has changed drastically over the years.

Freiburg-Munzingen, early 1970s. KNF is still young, but the company is growing, continuously seeking new employees. Interviews are often conducted on Saturdays and do not take particularly long. Plant manager Heinz Riedlinger combs through the applications and is typically able to make an immediate decision. “When can you start?” is the question many candidates hear within mere minutes. Apprenticeship certificates? Résumé? These are all superfluous at KNF at that time. Heinz Riedlinger just wants to see what people can really do.

As the company grows, recruitment requirements begin to change. Meanwhile, KNF has developed its own international employer brand. The policy it contains helps the human resources managers find motivated people around the world to fill positions at the individual companies and to integrate them into the company group. As always, people remain the focal point at KNF. More than just members of staff, they are members of the corporate family.

Today, future employees often connect with KNF over social media.
Today, future employees often connect with KNF over social media.

KNF offers various technical and business training courses, and students can even earn their Dual Studies degree at the company, a course of studies increasingly popular in Germany, involving training and education equally received at an university and in the company. In areas where outdated conceptions of gender roles used to prevail, KNF now seeks to break down these stereotypes by recruiting young, talented individuals regardless of gender, be it at training fairs or via internship programs for school- and college-aged students. Sometimes, students are even led to KNF by way of their bachelor’s or master’s thesis – and some of them even stay on afterwards. KNF’s doors are always open to young, interested individuals. Our experts in the various specialist fields are happy to provide insight into their daily work and take time to answer any questions. No matter how our staff members find their way to KNF, many of them stick around. Some employees who started at KNF in the 1970s and 1980s have ended up staying with the growing company and passing on their knowledge to the younger generations for many decades before retiring. This continuity represents a great strength of the family-owned company and lays the foundation for future success. After all, the diaphragm pump manufacturer still has plenty of ideas and plans to tap into new markets. The younger generation of today will write KNF’s history of tomorrow.

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