“I feel very closely connected to our product.”

In summary, it seems to be a range of tasks that not only require expertise but also passion for the product. What does it mean to you personally to take on the challenge of making Pfeifer CLT market-ready, starting from scratch?

Bernd Gusinde: Let me put it like this: I grew up with CLT. I have been dealing with it my entire career – ever since I started my first job in 2000. I was able to closely accompany and get to know its development from all sides as an engineer, a sales person, a designer, builder and user. And yes, this experience resulted in a strong passion – almost love – towards this product. The challenge of establishing Pfeifer CLT as a new player on the market together with my dedicated team is both pleasant and extremely exciting. I want to throw in my past experiences as best as I can and hopefully, do a few things better than the competition.

What makes Pfeifer CLT stand out?
How is Pfeifer positioning itself on the CLT market now and in the future?

Bernd Gusinde: We won’t reinvent CLT, but we definitely want to lift the product onto a new level in terms of production, processing, quality and reliability. Pfeifer CLT is supposed to reflect the traditional Pfeifer values such as efficient and cost-optimised production using state-of-the-art production systems as well as a quality that more than meets the demands towards load-bearing timber elements and covers most of the market’s / customers’ requirements. Using IT supported processes we want to streamline processing to the largest extent possible while providing top product service. Not least we want to score points with one of our core competences – logistics – to guarantee swift and on-schedule delivery. In summary we aim to set an as-of-yet non-existent standard for CLT or at least, to strongly impact it.

In spirit, you thus follow a mass customisation approach?

Bernd Gusinde: Yes. To achieve this, however, we will have to continue optimising our processes and procedures and implement innovative information processes that will help us achieve this goal (admittedly not an easy one) and defend it in the future.

Contrary to the rest of the Pfeifer product portfolio, CLT presents entirely new challenges for the Pfeifer Group. What are those?

Gusinde: The biggest difference to the Pfeifer Group’s other products is the fact that CLT is looked at much more in terms of the individual project, which strongly influences the entire offer and order process. Every project has different requirements which must be taken into account when it comes to consultation and offer calculation. Another new aspect for Pfeifer is the – mainly order-specific – made-to-order production of CLT elements and – apart from the actual production – further refinement in the form of individual cutting and joining. This requires much more extensive work preparation and production efforts. On top of that we will usually deliver directly to construction sites in a just-in-time manner which also requires individual organisation and coordination of the logistics process between the plant and the customer. In summary, one of our main challenges will be to ensure maximally cost and time efficient order processing at high levels of individuality.

Could you briefly outline the sales structure for Pfeifer CLT?

Gusinde: Naturally we first want to utilise our existing network and sales structures, especially in the field of constructive timber construction products such as glulam, solid timber boards and also start selling CLT through those. In terms of consultation and customer care on the market, we will have to hire additional personnel. CLT is a product that requires a lot of explaining. It’s all about statics, building physics and installation and we as a producer have to provide certain levels of consultation on these aspects. To this end, we are currently reinforcing our field sales team with employees that received special CLT training. In addition we are currently establishing our Technical Office at the Schlitz location. This team will provide technical advice, pre-measurements and construction suggestions, offer processing information and clarify technical possibilities with our Production Department.

This new Technical Office at the Schlitz location is also highly significant in terms of project-related order processing. What are this department’s tasks?

Gusinde: After all, we also want to optimise the projects internally to be able to produce with maximum efficiency. In order to receive order information and design documents from our customers we need CAD know-how in Work Preparation. On the basis of this we have to create loading plans, provide customers with release plans in the form of individual part drawings and program our joining system. We will try to get as much information on this from our customers in a well-prepared way. Yet, in practice – and especially with small orders – it is common to generate these services in-house to a certain extent. When it comes to larger projects and complex designs, however, we will refer customers to a network of specialised partner offices that will prepare the documents for them.

Raw material supply – in other words the fact that the Schlitz plant is supplied with sawn timber by the neighbouring Pfeifer sawmill in Lauterbach, must be a significant competitive advantage. What benefits does this production-related and organisational axis yield within the corporation?

Gusinde: The operation of a CLT production system relies on secure and high-quality raw material supply. Together with our Lauterbach-based sawmill we have a created perfect synergy which yields massive benefits in terms of efficiency and material utilisation. Furthermore, this allows us to guarantee seamless quality assurance. The Lauterbach plant cuts regional wood at the quality and quantity we require, pre-sorts it and delivers it by means of exceedingly short routes. The raw material from Lauterbach is mostly dried in Schlitz.