AHP Merkle GmbH
Nägelseestr. 39
79288 Gottenheim
Germany
phone: +49 7665 4208-0
fax: +49 7665 4208-88
He is not interested in retirement
Company founder Gerhard Merkle celebrates 70th birthday
40 years ago Gerhard Merkle founded AHP Merkle, a company that specialises in manufacturing high-quality hydraulic cylinders. Today, the company that started out in a double garage employs 130 staff at its headquarters in Gottenheim. 15 foreign representations around the world take care of international customers on a local basis. When asked about his success in business the entrepreneur is eager to point to his employees and family.
The company's founder celebrated his 70th birthday on 26 July 2011. Anyone thinking of retirement and a quiet life could not be more mistaken. Gerhard Merkle still comes to his office in Gottenheim on a daily basis. He and his son, Christen Merkle, have jointly managed the family-owned company since 1998. Father and son each appreciate the expert qualities of the other. The company relies on the experience and know-how of technical expert Gerhard Merkle when it comes to developing new products. As a graduated economist, son Christen keeps a watchful eye on the company's development and figures. "My son does a good job. I am pleased to see so many youngsters in positions of responsibility", says the company founder. Gerhard Merkle also maintains contact with long-standing customers and takes care of new clients. Exhibitions and trade shows are also his domain. In addition to his involvement in the concept and design of trade show stands, Gerhard Merkle is always on location at every exhibition – from the first day to the last. The company’s helmsman is even at hand to help dismantle the trade show stand when the exhibition is over. Engaging in personal exchange with his employees is a matter of equal importance to Gerhard Merkle. Making the rounds through the workshop is a fixed item in his daily work routine. Despite his 70 years the industrious entrepreneur is still a long way away from even considering his retirement. In fact, the amateur bee-keeper seems to take inspiration from his industrious bee colony and drives to his office in Gottenheim every day. Not because he has to but because he wants to.
Corporate development of AHP Merkle
– The lifework of Gerhard Merkle
A double garage in Gundelfingen is the corporate headquarters of freshly founded company AHP Merkle back in 1973. Gerhard Merkle lays the foundations of the successful company together with his wife Renate. The entrepreneur never fails to emphasise how much of the company's success is thanks to his wife. "My wife came from a baker's family and never wanted to marry a self-employed man. But things turned out differently and Renate was always willing to play second fiddle to the company with regard to my presence at home. Many things would never have been possible without her understanding and pragmatic nature", says Gerhard Merkle. During the start-up phase, whilst he travels many thousands of kilometres each week to visit customers and new clients throughout Germany, Renate Merkle stays at the home office writing bids and order confirmations and taking care of sales by telephone. A home-made sand cake baked by his wife is always on board on the car journeys through Germany. Evenings and weekends are spent designing the hydraulic cylinders.
The interest in the products is pronounced, and the company employs its first member of staff in 1975. The premises soon become too small and AHP Merkle moves to new headquarters in Hugstetten in 1981. Contrary to all previous plans Christen Merkle joins the family company in 1988 directly after completing his commercial apprenticeship. This step was made necessary as the financially difficult times called for more support. Christen Merkle later completed a study course in economics in parallel to his work commitments. Having expanded a number of times to what was now three production halls the company moved away from "hut village", as Gerhard Merkle jokingly referred to the company's premises with its various buildings, and relocated to its current headquarters in Gottenheim. The family-owned company meanwhile employs 130 staff on an area of some 6,000 square metres.
Gerhard Merkle – a responsible captain even in stormy weather
Throughout the course of the company's 40-year history Gerhard Merkle has always been driven by the vision of producing high-quality products, of being a reliable business partner towards his customers and a responsible employer towards his staff. The road to entrepreneurial success was not always smooth, and some hard times had to be overcome. A gloomy painting of a ship in stormy weather hanging above the founder's desk reminds him of the most difficult corporate crisis during the mid-1990s. Good personal contacts, reliable employees and the proverbial ounce of good luck enabled the company to survive the difficult times.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the new corporate headquarters held in February of the crisis year 2009 is another profound moment in the company's history, according to Gerhard Merkle. Although he had told his employees at the Christmas Party 2008 that the company would not really notice the pending crisis all too much, the industrious entrepreneur was well aware of the overall economic development. "Dressed for the occasion of the ground-breaking ceremony, I felt cold both outside and inside, as I knew that 2009 would be a difficult economic year - and we had planned our investment in the new building for just that year. There was no going back. Construction could no longer be stopped." In consideration of its employees the family company's management decided not to introduce short-time work in 2009 but rather to produce for warehouse storage. This decision led to a brief period during which AHP Merkle held 500,000 euro in warehouse stock.
The family business enjoys an excellent reputation as an employer in the South Baden region. Many employees have been with the company for many years. With the company's support and guidance they have progressed along their chosen career paths and grown along the way. Gerhard Merkle has always found it important not only to recognise employee potential but to actively cultivate it. The second generation of the Merkle family has found its place within the family company. Two of his three children have worked for the company since completing their professional training. Christen Merkle has grown successively into the role of managing director. Other family members employed by the company include a daughter, a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law.
