Hartmut Jenner: Kärcher-Chef: „Wir sind dreifach getroffen vom Iran-Krieg“
Der Exportanteil von Kärcher ist so hoch wie der kaum eines anderen Mittelständlers. Im Interview erklärt der langjährige Unternehmenschef, wie er ihn in unsicheren Zeiten sichert.
Hartmut Jenner, CEO of Kärcher, has stated that the company has been "threefold hit" by the Iran war. The company, a manufacturer of cleaning equipment, implemented several controversial measures in recent months to respond to the uncertainty. Jenner, who has been leading Kärcher for over 25 years, acknowledges that the current level of uncertainty is unprecedented.
While he had previously mentioned ten difficult years, he did not foresee a war in Ukraine or Iran or the Hormuz Strait congestion when he spoke in May 2020. Kärcher, which generates 86% of its revenue from foreign markets, faces challenges from rising plastic prices due to increased costs of raw materials such as sulfur, helium, and light naphtha, which are crucial for plastic production.
The Iran war has also affected the company's supply chain, as 50% of global sulfur supply, 40% of helium, and 70% of light naphtha come from the region. To counteract these challenges, Kärcher has begun increasing prices and seeking local suppliers. However, finding alternatives can be expensive, sometimes ten times more costly.
The CEO emphasizes that the company's resilience depends on its ability to maintain a robust business model amidst the geopolitical challenges in the current global environment.
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