Marco, Head of Procurement at HAHN Group, is already celebrating his 20th anniversary with the company. As a long-time employee, he shares with Karina from the People & Culture Team about the journey from a start-up to a medium-sized company. Some milestones have stayed with him to this day.
Karina: You have been a loyal employee for many years. What exactly do you associate with the company?
Marco: Well, what comes to mind immediately is growth, cohesion, camaraderie, and acceptance. Friendships formed with colleagues. Some events outside of our daily work routine, like summer parties, Christmas celebrations, and shared trips, which we used to take with the management team in the early days. Over the years, I've had many great experiences that have stayed with me.
Karina: What event stands out to you the most over the years?
Marco: I don't really have to think about that for long. One milestone that really stuck with me was the first million-dollar contract back in the HÄHN Engineering days. I even remember the order number for that customer. When the order confirmation came, I recall Thomas, one of the founders and our CEO at the time, running through the building cheering that we had our first million-dollar contract. That really stuck with me. HAHN has always been associated with growth, and that was the first significant leap forward that I still vividly remember. As far as I remember, that was also one of our first international clients. Another thing that stuck with me is, of course, the big step from HAHN Automation into RSBG.
Karina: What has changed over the twenty years, and what has remained the same?
Marco: There have been several changes since we joined RSBG. Quite simply, the number of colleagues has increased. When I started, I think I was employee number 35. Today, we are 1600 – it's truly incredible. I used to know every employee by name. Unfortunately, that's no longer possible today. The distances have gotten longer, which is understandable. What I find cool is that the "Du" culture (using informal "you") has remained. It existed back then and was already very important. In my opinion, it has been and still is a major factor in the company's success. It just brings everyone closer. What has always been remarkable to me is that the structures were always adapted in time and the groundwork was laid for the next big step.
Karina: Nowadays, it's common to change jobs every three to five years. Why has that not been an option for you so far?
Marco: I've really grown with the company, and you develop friendships. My employer is right here in the region, practically at my doorstep. Plus, I honestly never really delved into this topic because it has always been exciting for me and I've always enjoyed it. I've made my career steps internally. Back then, there was a job opening in procurement. I saw the ad in the local newspaper and applied. Unfortunately, the position was already filled. But they were still looking for a sales assistant. Frank, one of the founders, along with a colleague from the finance department, convinced me to join HÄHN. So, I started on September 15, 2001 – four days after 9/11 – as a sales assistant. At that time, I quickly realized that it wasn't for me in the long run. After a few weeks, the procurement position became available, which I enthusiastically took on. From that point on, I built up the procurement department and have been responsible for strategic procurement at HAHN Group since 2017. So, over the years, the question of changing jobs never really arose for me. I'm deeply committed, and I just enjoy being here at HAHN.
Karina: There's a lot to celebrate in this anniversary year. What is your personal wish for the future?
Marco: I wish that we continue the path we've taken together in the past into the future. I want to continue contributing to the company's growth and help achieve the set goals.
Karina: Is there anything else you'd like to add in conclusion?
Marco: It's important to me that the company culture continues to be lived and that we try to maintain the HAHN spirit.
