In dialogue with Wanzl

Bundestag member Dr Georg Nüßlein came to see the extensive protective measures Wanzl has put in place to reduce the risk of infection with COVID-19 in his home town for himself. Gottfried Wanzl, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Wanzl group of companies and Klaus Meier-Kortwig, CEO of Wanzl, explained to the Deputy Chair of the Bundestag Faction of the CDU/CSU the hygiene concept as well as the current situation at Wanzl.

Gottfried Wanzl and Klaus Meier-Kortwig welcomed Dr Georg Nüßlein at Wanzl’s Plant IV in Leipheim. “I’m impressed by the amount of initiative, know-how and speed with which Wanzl has developed and implemented a concept to protect its employees. You can see that the company takes its duty of caring for its employees very seriously,” Dr Georg Nüßlein praises Wanzl. The company presented its guest with protective solutions not only for its own staff, but also for employees and customers in the retail sector. Klaus Meier-Kortwig says: “At the beginning of the crisis, solutions that could be implemented quickly, and which were often mere workarounds, had to suffice. We now have a better appreciation of the situation and are able to react appropriately. We are currently looking at which measures will become standard.“Besides physical, mechanical products, such as devices protecting against saliva and sneezing, Wanzl has developed an effective digital solution with the 3D People Counter. The 3D People Counter is a simple way of controlling the number of customers in a store at one time and thereby reducing the risk of infection. The completely anonymous customer count provides precise data and ensures transparency. A screen at the entrance area informs customers about the number of persons in the store and whether access is currently possible.

Dr Georg Nüßlein was visibly impressed with the creativity and energy with which Wanzl is tackling the crisis. In intensive discussions with Klaus Meier-Kortwig and Gottfried Wanzl, he heard about the company's economic situation and informed himself about significant developments in the retail sector, for example the purported competition between online and offline channels. “We had a very interesting discussion. I was delighted to hear that the company is doing well at this time thanks to a successful start to the year. Medium-sized businesses like Wanzl are the backbone of our economy. Of course, government resources are limited and we must proceed with prudence. However, it is essential that we not only speak with the lobbyists of large companies but also actively listen to small and medium-sized business and take their concerns into account,” says Georg Nüßlein and Gottfried Wanzl wholeheartedly agrees: “It is important for politics and business to stand together – during normal times and especially in emergency situations such as the current one. They can only be overcome together. For this reason, I would like to personally thank Dr Nüßlein for having taken the time to visit us personally.“