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ePaper created 2012-06-20, 16:30:05 | version 1.23.6
The Hestal brand stands for trailer superstructure and fastening systems supplied by BPW subsidiary Hesterberg & Söhne. trailer world interview with Managing Director Dirk Miesen.
18 Issue One 2009 trailer world: Hestal’s prod- ucts are mainly in superstructure technology and fastening systems. These components often lead a ‘hidden existence’, hidden away behind the tarpaulin of commer- cial vehicles. This may make you, on first glance, easily interchange- able for many buyers. How do you assert yourself on the tough, inter- national supplier market? Dirk Miesen: We try to find out what our customer needs are and then use these to create solu- tions which are right for the mar- ket – and this is quicker than our competitors. We have, for exam- ple, developed a special “building block” system with the Variosys- tem which gives commercial ve- hicle manufacturers a high degree of flexibility and us a competitive edge on the market. Can you describe the Variosys- tem? This covers all needs with re- gards to fastening and hinges in curtainsider, drop side and box van superstructures – it is a well co-ordinated complete system. The main advantage, though, lies in its variability, as the name already implies. In today‘s busi- ness environment superstructure manufacturers need to respond quickly and flexibly to customer changes, even in during serial pro- duction. This means that it is only decided in the last minute which superstructures will, for example, be placed on an already completed vehicle frame. Here we accommo- date industry. As a result we have developed identical assembly con- nections for our different pillar systems. Different solutions can, therefore, be used at short notice on the same frame without any extra assembly changes for our customer. Are your customers mainly super- structure manufacturers? Yes, they are, indeed, mainly European superstructure manu- facturers but end customers, such as freight forwarders and leasing firms, are also very important for us. They can, after all, have an in- »Faster than the competition« It is often the small and unassuming things which really increase the user value of a trailer. trailer world spoke to Dirk Miesen, managing director of fastening and superstructure technolo- gy manufacturer, Hester- berg & Söhne in Ennep- etal, (Hestal, for short) about the importance of small parts and his com- pany’s strategy in what is a real niche market. Interview