A Giant Joint Task
In December 2019, the first cases of an unknown respiratory disease are reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declares the rapid spread to be a pandemic. Just 11 days later, nationwide lockdowns restrict public life around the globe. People begin working from home, stores close, children no longer go to school.
While the streets empty and supermarket shelves are cleared by panic-buyers, production at KNF locations is in full swing. Diaphragm pumps are key components of ventilators, which are vital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Leading ventilator manufacturers list KNF as a tier-1 supplier, placing a heavy responsibility on the family-owned company. It is the start of a real roller-coaster ride.
According to Martin Becker, “The greatest challenge was to maintain our supply chains.” Deliveries of engine components from Northern Italy, one of the regions hit worst by the pandemic at that time, are faltering. The supply of other components is also at risk. To avoid bottle necks, KNF locations are categorized as essential in some countries. Employees work several shifts, the production of some types of pumps is increased tenfold.
And then the situation changes almost overnight. Customers withdraw contracts due to the unstable economic situation and ventilator manufacturers reduce their previously high order numbers. After working overtime, night shifts and on the weekends, KNF employees are suddenly placed on short-time work. “That was something not so easy to explain to our employees,” recalls Martin Becker. The production staff in particular experiences the ups and downs of the order situation firsthand. In record time, KNF implements safety measures, expands shift operation, screens off work stations and introduces new rules for health and safety. Despite it all, the fear of catching the virus persists, but this does not stop employees from continuing to work with unfaltering commitment. For a certain period, the introduction of strict border checks turns the short routes of cross-border workers between homes and sites in the Germany, France and Switzerland triangle into unpredictable journeys. But KNF’s employees remain undeterred.
At the time of writing, at the beginning of 2021, one thing is clear: COVID-19 has changed the world. And the pandemic has also had a lasting effect on KNF. For once, certain medical applications such as diagnostics have grown. And the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation. Video conferences with Product Centers, Sales Centers and customers for solving complex technical issues and keeping product development going are the new normal. And we have learned from it all. While in-person meetings are great, they are not always indispensable. The pandemic has made business trips impossible, but the digital tools we have begun using have proven successful at enabling close collaboration. And what’s more, they save time and reduce CO2 emissions. Back in 2019, Martin Becker would never have imagined not being able to fly for a year. “I now believe that in the future, we will travel 30 % less frequently than before the pandemic,” says the CEO.
At first sight, the KNF Group’s annual balance sheet for 2020 is not negatively affected by the pandemic. As a matter of fact, the annual result is slightly above the previous year’s. But here is something that cannot be deducted from the figures: KNF has grown together and emerged from the crisis stronger than ever. “It was an enormous challenge,” Martin Becker reflects. “We owe it to our staff that we were able to meet all of our obligations and fulfill our social responsibility, because they all really pulled together.”
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