When quick action pays off
By modifying its products, one company in Merseburg has scored a bullseye
The printing works and advertising agency MERCO MTW has made a virtue out of necessity by opening up new business areas in difficult times. On the back of the start of the pandemic and the introduction of lockdowns, the Merseburg-based company expanded its portfolio to include mobile and stationary protective screens that guard against infection, as well as other products. The medium-sized company has experience in producing trade fair stands and was one of the first suppliers that delivered impressive results for customers across Germany in this way. It is a glowing example of how Saxony-Anhalt can quickly reposition itself in response to the market using digital working methods.
The big day had been planned far in advance. MERCO MTW was due to celebrate its 25th anniversary in June to mark its founding and gradual expansion over the years. Business was booming in the printing works and the advertising agency. In January, owner Horst Naumann was out and about in the cathedral and university town of Merseburg in southern Saxony-Anhalt, visiting trade fairs, establishing contacts and bringing in orders, some of which were for trade fair venues. Then the Covid situation turned serious. The pandemic had hit and brought with it many social and economic consequences. Events, trade fairs and orders were all canceled. “We were suddenly faced with an almost 100% drop in sales in some areas,” explains Naumann. “The majority of our staff unfortunately had to be put on short-time work benefit.” The graphic design office, the printing works and almost all other departments were completely closed down.
New ideas for existing trade fair products
“After the initial shock, I came to the conclusion that it couldn’t continue like this,” says Naumann, for whom the pandemic also has consequences on a personal level. He has an underlying medical condition which means he belongs to the high-risk group. He therefore has to be more careful than others to protect his health. “During this phase, which was characterized by existential fears and extreme precaution, the remaining team demonstrated real fighting spirit and innovative thinking.” The advertising technology department got the ball rolling and came up with a creative solution. They suggested modifying the company’s existing trade fair products into protective screens and stationary enclosures to guard against infection. The company had sufficient experience, designs and Plexiglas thanks to its foresighted planning. “Everyone from companies and surgeries to public bodies was suddenly trying to source protective screens or protective enclosures,” Naumann explains. He brought the majority of his staff back to full-time employment and they developed new ideas for their existing products. He slept little, made lots of telephone calls and managed everything from home.
“We quickly got things up and running.”
The company set up a small call center where its staff made telephone calls all day long, offering what it had quickly made available. It received its first orders from industrial customers and then later libraries, canteens, shops, businesses, employment agencies and local administrations. “Word quickly got around that we weren’t just throwing something together with a hammer and nail, but were offering well-conceived solutions that allowed our customers to follow hygiene guidelines to protect against infection,” says Naumann. He emphasizes that he and his team manufacture high-end, customized, flexible products that can be assembled and fitted by the customers themselves. They started out offering mobile and stationary protective screens and later visiting booths for care homes, information points with hand sanitizer dispensers and key equipment such as face masks and face shields. Naumann says: “We simply reacted quickly and got things up and running while many others were still thinking about what needed to be done.” This paid off for MERCO MTW: they have repositioned themselves, deliver to all destinations, sometimes immediately after receiving an order, they produce everything in house and are making the most of their trade fair products and the digital foundations they laid years ago. “We made the necessary adjustments to our website so that we were also up and running online,” he continues. The company integrated a coronavirus section on its website, developed a marketing strategy with the slogan “Lars is here to help you fight Sars (CoV-2)” and created videos featuring loveable Lars which clearly explain the complex specifics for use on social media and in online marketing, presentations and internal company communications. Naumann admits that the “intense, urgent race” has since died down, but adds that “we have opened up new business areas, won new customers and know what we are capable of achieving even in times of crisis.” The company wants to enable others to share in their experiences, to support businesses and to work more with networks; that’s why it is taking part in schemes such as the digital BarCamps on offer in the region. Naumann says: “In times like these, it’s always good to work with others to help get things going.”
Author: Manuela Bock/IMG Saxony-Anhalt
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