ETSA News

Interview with Otto Burger (Kannegiesser) as he joins the ETSA Board

As part of the regular rotation of companies on the ETSA Board, Otto Burger representing Kannegiesser joined the ETSA Board beginning in 2023. ETSA is excited to have Mr Burger and his perspective represented, so we reached out to him personally, with the questions below.

Question: How do you feel your time at Kannegiesser has shaped and enriched you personally?

I have been working in the laundry supply industry for more than 24 years, the never-ending challenges within our industry, high variation of requirements and the opportunity to cooperate with many inspiring people has enlighten me to where I am today. I have been closely involved with Kannegiesser and the family since the beginning of my working career. I have had the opportunity to work in different positions within the business and in different countries around the world. This international experience helped me understand and see many themes under a different perspective.

Question: What do you see that Kannegiesser specifically brings to the board of ETSA? Do you have any specific goals or priorities you would like ETSA and ETSA board to focus on in 2023?

I am very grateful to be elected as new permanent representative on the ETSA board. Our experts are working in the laundry industry for decades and we have a huge expertise, which we are happy to share and support ETSA. New legislation and regulations always bring some challenges but also opportunities. We would be delighted to share our expert knowledge and comprehensively deal with these topics - in other words, we are looking forward to shaping the future of the industry together and support the realization of the ETSA goals.

We understand the need to help and bring in our expertise to the following:

• • New eco design for textiles under the eco design for sustainable products regulations
  • Product environment footprint
  • Corporate Sustainability Reporting device
  • PFAS ban
  • Skills / Digitalization

Question: ETSA is a platform for knowledge exchange and the exchange of best practices. Is there something you feel that Kannegiesser does especially well? As in something that other textile service companies can learn from Kannegiesser? 

Kannegiesser is a worldwide organization and, as such, we have gained a lot of international knowledge, knowhow and experience throughout the last decades, which we will be able to share with ETSA. We believe the future trends are in automation and integration of logistic solutions as well as the use of robotics. Furthermore, the lack of staff leads to the need for operator work positions to be employee friendly. Overall without being productive no company can survive and our planet cannot survive if sustainability is not the focus in all that we do.All this shows that the development towards a comprehensive view of the processes in the laundry has grown within the last 20 years. Today, we look at the circumstances and the influencing factors, and then develop adequate solutions, incorporating innovative technologies. This is our daily business at Kannegiesser and we are the consultants for our customers worldwide.

Question: What are you looking forward to most, in joining ETSA Board?

I'm really looking forward to work with internationally well recognized ETSA members who individually and collectively have achieved a lot. The exchange and discussion of key topics will definitely make a change to the future trends of the industry.

 Question: The last 4 years have been tumultuous for the industry to say the least, first with the pandemic, then an increased focus on sustainability and a prioritization on reaching green objectives and now the energy crisis. How has the team at Kannegiesser dealt with these changes?

It has been and still is a great challenge for all of us, but one that has also brought our team closer together. Rising energy costs will place an additional burden in 2023 but we are looking ahead with confidence. The focus on sustainability in general does underline our concepts because sustainable machines have always been on the top of our development list. Our team has shown over the years what we are made of. Neither the pandemic, nor the shortage of material nor digitalization, inflation nor uncertainties along the supply chain has got us down. As a family business, people always come first for us. This close bond to our employees is key to our success. Together as a team, we are active and successful worldwide. Respect and appreciation, as well as open and trusting communication with a flat management structure within the organization and short decision paths characterize our cooperation. We support our employees in their professional and personal development. In this way, we motivate them to actively help shape Kannegiesser's success. The key is to approach complex issues together with experts having different perspectives and make an impact on relating topics. Kannegiesser as an innovator and system provider optimizes the combination of new technologies, economic efficiency and sustainability of customer processes.

Question: What will the team at Kannegiesser prioritize for 2023?

Our five priorities for 2023 are:

• • Automation and Logistics - optimize processes and output
  • Robotics - be innovative and find ways to reduce difficult or repetitive work positions
  • Employee Satisfaction - find ways to make workplaces more attractive
  • Productivity - help to optimize output
  • Sustainability - save our planet

Laundries have a continuous goal to be more cost efficient. Labor costs are one of the most important cost factors. For a long time, automation was seen as replacing human beings with machines. But times have changed. This is because companies are having major problems recruiting workers. There are two possibilities to solve this issue:

1. Automation and the use of robotics as a method for maintaining processes that would otherwise no longer be possible

2. Ergonomic and operator-friendly work positions.

Optimizing automation and logistics as well as the use of robotic solutions lead to higher productivity which is essential for every business. Our technologies protect textiles and enable long-term use. In this way, we create the basis for a textile circular economy. Our fragile planet deals with major environmental problems and the focus on sustainability is an inseparable aspect of our Mission Statement.  All in all, we as an innovator and system provider optimize the combination of new technologies, economic efficiency and sustainability of customer processes. Not only do we guide our customers every step of the way, but we also pursue our own actions by keeping an eye on the balance of these three aspects because we face the same challenges as our customers do.