"If you don't invest today, you'll be gone tomorrow" - an interview with Yuri Hering, owner and Managing Director of Hering Industriedienstleistungen.
Galvanotechnik: As a consultant and plant manufacturer, you visit companies almost every day. How is the electroplating industry doing?
Yuri Hering: Unfortunately not well. We estimate that there are currently around 1800 electroplating plants left in Germany. In the next five years, around 20% will have disappeared. Incidentally, I share this opinion with leading figures in the industry and relevant associations.
What are the reasons? Structural change? Corona? Or both?
The first nail in the coffin was REACh. In this context, around 50% of the companies that still use hexavalent chromium plating today will soon disappear. This already started at the beginning of 2019. The switch from chromium(VI) to chromium(III) requires a lot of development work and, above all, huge investments in completely new plant technology. Sales are currently at rock bottom due to the coronavirus crisis. The TA Luft has just been amended. This amendment will result in a blatant tightening of a number of environmental regulations, which in turn will entail large investments.
And you will then dismantle all the electroplating plants that close and sell on the used equipment - e.g. to start-ups.
First of all: Yes, there are also some positive signs in the form of promising start-ups. The electroplating industry will always exist, it will just look different. But you can't just reduce my company to buying and selling used equipment. Among other things, we also renovate entire company sites.
How can I imagine that?
Whenever the person responsible for an abandoned electroplating plant can no longer be identified - and there is imminent danger - the regional council responsible commissions a specialist company like ours.
This also applies to insolvencies, plant closures or other situations. We then dismantle all systems, clean them, remove all chemicals and hand them over professionally to our partner disposal company. If necessary, we also clean up the soil and dismantle all production halls. Finally, we hand over the property to the rightful owner, swept clean and with all the documents and approvals required by law.
That sounds expensive...
... and it is. In such cases, we are paid by the regional council, among others, which means that in many cases the taxpayer is left with the costs.
Of course, it depends on the scope and, above all, the task of dismantling. But even small electroplating plants can quickly exceed 50,000 euros.
What do electroplating companies need to do to prevent a plant closure in the first place?
Position themselves broadly. Always stay at the cutting edge of technology. I know that's easy to say, but unfortunately it's the reality. If you don't invest today, you'll be gone tomorrow.
The interview was conducted by Heinz Käsinge
