INTERVIEW

An interview with Mr Roland Auer, member of the board of schattdecor sp. z o.o., conducted by Mariola Zdancewicz

With the advent of the new year schattdecor has witnessed many changes. One of them is your entering the board. How will it influence the company, in other words, what is your novel contribution going to be like?

There will not be any major changes in terms of organisation. I have been closely linked with the company in Poland for two years. As it has been the case until now, we shall keep on working on the development of the market in Poland and its expansion to the East. One of my tasks is to act as a link between the mother company in Germany and the Polish plant.

In January the decorative printing house in Thansau received an economic Oscar, the Milestones award, in the field of human resource management. Are there any differences in this respect between the plant in Germany and that one in Tarnowo Podgórne?

No, there are none. Our company pursues the same employment policy both in Thansau and in any new plant abroad. All the employees undergo training, learn foreign languages and participate in the programme of foreign exchange on equal basis.

You have been working for schattdecor for many years. How do you evaluate the development of the plant in Tarnowo Podgórne? What is its present share in the Polish market?

Our company has been developing very well, a fact which is substantiated by an over 60% share in the Polish market.

I have an impression that last year the market turned out to be more difficult for your business. I am thinking among others about the situation in the furniture industry, which is of great importance for you. Am I right?

Yes, you are right. The ongoing crisis in the furniture industry affecting also the producers of wood-like materials reached its climax in late 1998 and in mid 1999. We were faced with a very serious crisis in the trade and it was just at the very moment of opening our new investment in Tarnowo Podgórne. Nobody foresaw such a situation. This crisis resulted primarily from a critical economic situation in Russia connected with a plummeting exchange rate of the rouble, which in turn led to the insolvency in the imports of furniture and semi-finished products for the furniture manufacturing. In this very field Russia was one of the main trading partners for Polish producers. Many minor furniture producers went broke, whereas large companies saw a 30 - 40 % decline in turnovers.

In the meantime Polish furniture producers took advantage of the "market cleaning" phase to conduct some overhaul. The range of products was updated and adapted to western trends, production processes were streamlined and costs were drastically reduced. Moreover, Polish producers did not miss the chance to find new exports markets and to become independent in the realm of sales from regional economic crises on local markets. All these factors have jointly contributed to the success. At present the furniture industry in Poland and a group of deliverers connected with it can face the future optimistically.

From your promotion materials one can learn that a modern Studio Repro of the schattdecor company was opened in Mönchengladbach last January. Are you planning to launch any design hits as a result of this new development?

I believe that we have always been launching design hits. A new studio guarantees an independence from designers. At present we create our designs from the very beginning to the very end. We are able now to offer a greater number of novelties. Our own studio gives us a greater flexibility thanks to which we can react to new market trends in an easier and faster way.

In my understanding design of this kind is subject to some contradictions. In accordance with their nature the design, production and sales have to be addressed to many people, whereas today's fashion favours individuality. How do you cope with that?

On the one hand, twice a year we propose a large selection of mass designs to chipboard producers. On the other hand, we contact directly major furniture producers in the country trying to work out together new designs for the most demanding clients, following the changing trends. Our proposals, however, have to take into account to a large extent market requirements.

What could we wish you?

Best of luck, success in my work, further fruitful co-operation with my Polish colleagues and good health.