Phase 2: Kitchen Equipment.

In 1993, I switched form GE Plastics to Gutmann, a subsidiary of ATAG Holding. This niche player in tailor-made Kitchen Evaporators was 4 years after acquisition still in a financially bad shape. Within 6 months, the program changed to a modular design portfolio, enabling kitchen designers to create their unique design from modules whilst the production became very efficient. Unfortunately, by the end of 1993 the factory was fully flooded, which created a financial and commercial challenge. In this phase of crisis management I was able to convince the state to organize loans and the customers to support us by orders. With 90 employees, the turnover was about € 14 million. The southern Germany based niche player developed into the German market-leader in design evaporators and tripled its turnover in 3 years. The successful turnaround initiated the promotion as Managing Director of the parent company ATAG Keukentechniek.

At ATAG Keukentechniek, Dutch market leader in exclusive kitchen equipment and related services, the main target was to re-position the brand both in the Netherlands and internationally. Managing 560 employees, I consolidated the € 140 million turnover whilst growing the margin. This development was achieved by changing the culture from being product focussed to market driven. As board member of ATAG GROUP, I wrote an efficiency improvement plan which initiated a major restructuring program, reducing 25% of the staff. This was the moment where I decided to explore my future as an interim / turnaround-manager. Less than one year later, ATAG sold of the heating and bicycle divisions and a competitor bought the 2 main kitchen equipment brands ATAG and Pelgrim.