GLOBAL – Dortmund-based supplier of filling and packaging systems, KHS has launched its KHS2025 strategy program, intensifying its customer relations.
The chief objective of the KHS 2025 strategy program is to get even closer to the customer by expanding the company’s global footprint.
The most important requirement here is that KHS is permanently perceived as a reliable supplier and partner across the globe.
With production sites, service hubs and sales companies installed around the globe, in this respect, the Dortmund systems supplier is already very well positioned.
The next key aim is to now strengthen this local presence worldwide by increasing production capacities and gradually further qualifying the KHS network – for example by setting up training centers that help to intensify customer relations in the after-sales business.
Parallel to this, the company’s global organization is also being adjusted, with structures being consistently standardized, responsibility for results decentralized and more personnel hired.
Recruit and retain new employees
KHS has established a process to ensure the transfer of knowledge. It also attaches the greatest importance to providing fair, attractive working conditions and an open environment defined by mutual respect and appreciation.
In this context, KHS is optimistic that it’s well prepared to meet the coming demographic challenges and is able to recruit and retain new employees for KHS in the future.
For this purpose, capacities are being extended well in advance in Service, Line Engineering, Project Management, Production, Commissioning and Sales especially.
The need is particularly great in North, Central and South America, where KHS operates no fewer than three production sites.
At the same time, the number of personnel is being increased, infrastructure invested in and standard digital solutions introduced in all other regions, too, to exploit global growth potential.
Besides ensuring proximity to the customer, the issue of sustainability also plays a key role for KHS: with its local-to-local approach KHS’ production and after-sales units worldwide are to be developed so that they are increasingly able to carry out their work if possible without help from Germany.
This does away with the need for costly shipping operations. Together with its use of digital solutions, this makes for considerable savings in both CO2 and time which KHS intends to capitalize on as best as possible in the interests of its customers.
Investments across the globe
The start of KHS’ investment in its various locations was marked by the new factory opened at the end of 2021 in Kunshan in China. In moving to the new address in the Greater Shanghai region, the production area grew to four times its previous size.
Meanwhile, in November 2022 KHS’ US facility was considerably enlarged. At its Waukesha site just a few kilometers from the beer town of Milwaukee, almost 2,200 square meters of space were added to the assembly hall.
In addition, the company expanded in East Africa, building a regional headquarters office in Nairobi.
The decision to expand, reached back in 2019, was followed by a long search for a suitable plot of land. “We finally found a suitable and pleasant location in Nairobi’s green belt,” says Denise Schneider-Walimohamed, who runs the site as its managing director.
With a view to boosting customer proximity, further site investments have been made or are currently being planned throughout the world, such as those in Columbia and Chile, in Nigeria and Dubai or in India.
The main goal is to ensure that KHS is perceived in the same way by all customers across the globe, despite the decentralization of certain functions and strengthening of specific regions.
To this end, common standards need to be complied with within the organization so that communication is smooth and no information is lost in the process.
Customer portal with added value
The KHS Connect customer portal promises to be of considerable benefit. Beverage producers can not only find all they need in the shop, whether this be spare or wear parts; future conversions can also be proactively offered that can reduce energy, media and material consumption or lengthen a machine’s service life.
“In order to make all of this even more readily accessible, we’re currently developing the KHS ConnectApp that shows customers how their systems are running, when they next need a service engineer or which spare parts are required,” explains Swientek, head of Sales and Service Business Development at KHS.
“With this, we’re creating a global KHS digital experience worldwide. The tools we provide are not merely an end in themselves but enablers that help us to be at our customers’ side as a partner they can depend on.”
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