Yacht building: How Hanjo Runde wants to make Hanseyachts even more successful
The new captain of Germany's largest series boatyard has been quiet for a long time. Hanjo Runde, previously responsible for the kitchen manufacturer Siematic, has been at the helm of the Greifswald-based company since 1 October. Now the new Hanseyachts CEO has spoken to YACHT for the first time about his goals and strategies.
The interview in the Hamburg editorial office lasted a total of two hours. It will be published in full in YACHT 7/2022 (available to subscribers from 18 March and at newsagents from 23 March). In it, the sales expert and experienced industry manager provides insights into the process that will shape and change the shipyard from now on.
The reason why Runde did not go public sooner is that he first conducted a comprehensive review of the current situation and wanted to develop a new mission statement for the company and its 2,000 employees. Implementation is now beginning, which should make Hanseyachts even more efficient, improve the quality of its products and increase turnover by well over 50 per cent in the medium term - from 120 to 200 million euros.
With a current order volume of just under 315 million euros, the sales target does not appear to be too far away. However, there are also challenges for the new management team, which includes Runde and another newcomer, Stefan Zimmermann.
Read extracts from the exclusive interview here:
Mr Runde, you have been managing the world's second-largest shipyard in terms of unit sales for six months now. What was your first impression of the company and its employees?
Hanseyachts grew up thanks to Michael Schmidt. You can still feel the influence of the founder. Everyone is very entrepreneurial and pragmatic. The people working here are extremely honest, friendly and open. There is very little politics in the company and a lot of passion, from the production line to the management. I spent my first eight years at Airbus. When I first came into the hangars and looked at the hulls, I thought: now you're back home!
What do you see as your most important task?
The most important thing is to shape the corporate culture. We will only be successful if our corporate culture is strong. This then leads to high quality and sustainable, profitable growth.
So not everything was in order in Greifswald?
Our culture is based on constructive cooperation and great openness - just like a crew on board. That's a great starting point. When you join a company for the first time, you naturally see where you want to go. And you are always a little way away from this target image. For me, it's important to prioritise performance as a team and always try to get close to this ideal. This starts with the topic of people-orientation, because creating value begins with appreciation. One of the biggest tasks in management is to win people over.
That sounds abstract. Do you reach the entire workforce with it?
I believe that everyone is happy when others are interested in them. Being seen also determines how we perceive ourselves. We have organised workshops at all our locations with every single employee. This resulted in a lot of recognition and also a constructive exchange on potential for improvement. If I want to ensure the highest quality, then the employees have to love their product. It has to be clear to everyone: We don't build boats, we fulfil the dreams of our customers. For a family man who wants to go on a cruise with his family, it doesn't matter whether I set the screw too hard or too loose, especially in safety-relevant areas.
Hanseyachts is broadly positioned: Sailing yachts, catamarans and motorboats. Will it stay that way?
We have very well-established, internationally recognised model lines. A multi-brand strategy makes sense from many perspectives, as does a broad range. Let me put it this way: the core of our strategy is innovation. The success of Hanseyachts AG will depend on how quickly we can drive innovation in the individual segments. We will continue to invest here. Should the market cool down, this will become even more important. Incidentally, this is also a kind of risk management for us.
Do you still see potential for other brands?
There are some exciting things that can be done, segments that are growing strongly, where we are not yet. But before you ask what exactly, I don't want to tell you yet.
Should Hanse move more into the premium segment in terms of quality?
I think we already are. The Hanse 460 sets standards, you can already see the new face of the brand. It is not without reason that it is Europe's yacht of the year in its class.
Can this also be transferred to smaller models?
We will not make the mistake of compromising on the following models, especially not on the smaller ones.
How important is the sailing sector for Hanseyachts?
Sailing boats are our core business, we have grown up with them. We are currently number two worldwide in terms of unit sales. A long way behind the number one, but we want to shorten the gap.
How much more rational do you want to and can you become?
The yacht industry is still quite young compared to the automotive and aviation industries. There is certainly still a lot to optimise. But if I start thinking too much in terms of identical parts and looking too much for savings, that would be wrong. We are focussing on innovation.
We have talked a lot about opportunities. What challenges do you see?
From a dealer's point of view, it is the lack of berths. This is already making itself felt and could slow down growth somewhat. As a shipyard, we are currently being challenged by the disrupted supply chains, but also by the search for qualified employees. From a social perspective, the issue of sustainability will certainly keep us busy. Our approach is called: Green Factory, a more climate-neutral production. We want to optimise our sites; we have already started in Greifswald.
It was rumoured before you took over that you were to prepare the sale of the shipyard. Is that true?
I am here to develop Hanse further, and this has also been discussed with our main owner Aurelius. Our goal is a turnover of 200 million euros. That's not going to happen just like that. I would be the wrong person to optimise earnings in the short term.
Then you have come to stay?
Yes, of course! You see: I was at Airbus for eight years, I was at Hilti for over ten years. Hanse is an absolute dream job.
