“The family personifies stability and long-term thinking”

As members of the Endress family, what comes to mind when you hear the name Endress+Hauser?

Steven Endress: I would boil it down to three things: passion, performance and pride.

Klaus Endress: A great company where people like to work and one that others like to work with. At least that’s what I hear from outside the company (laughs).

Sandra Genge: First and foremost I’m proud to be a member of the family that in two generations managed to build this terrific company. Whoever you speak with, young apprentices or people in the management team, the sense of commitment can be felt everywhere. This is unique and something that both fascinates and motivates me.

Sandra Genge and Steven Endress, you represent the family on the Supervisory Board now that Klaus Endress is retiring. Do you see your mission as carrying the Endress+ Hauser culture out into the world?

Steven Endress: Absolutely. This is already happening on a daily basis. We talk about the Endress+Hauser culture and brand with the aim of instilling our values in employees around the world.

Sandra Genge: We want to exemplify the culture, not only as members of the Endress family in our interactions with employees and customers, but also within our own family, with a view towards our own children and future generations, just like we experienced from our own parents.

Klaus Endress: Whether exemplifying our culture within the family or towards employees and customers, it only works if we have credibility. I have to be personally convinced that I’m doing the right thing, then I can stand up for it credibly. We not only talk about these guiding principles but also live by them. This is how I can inspire the people around me with our values, our culture. And they in turn they do the same for the people around them. This is how an understanding of our culture spreads everywhere in the company.

Is this cultural foundation sufficiently anchored to carry us into the future?

Sandra Genge: I believe we have created a solid basis: from the company’s side with the Spirit, which puts the culture into words, and the ‘Loyalty and Responsibility’ sculpture, which visualizes it. In 2006 we created the Family Charter, which commits us as a family to common goals and values. It will be important for us to continue promoting and cultivating this foundation into the future. I’m firmly convinced that our corporate values and culture are what have made Endress+Hauser so unique and enduringly successful.

Mr Endress, do you share the impression that the culture created and cultivated by you and your father is on fertile ground with the new generation?

Klaus Endress: Yes – and I’m very proud of that. We put a lot of effort into ensuring that the Spirit continues to thrive in the minds of the family. And that should continue into the future. Solidarity in the family, in the company too, is the most important thing. That’s something you have to work hard at, every day, and never stop. When I spend time at the company today and talk with people, I can sense and experience an incredible feeling of ‘we’.

Steven Endress: While technology is the company’s DNA, the way that everything plays together is based on emotions, strong dedication and the passion of the people who keep the company running.

Sandra Genge: The strong corporate culture at Endress+Hauser indisputably contributed to the company’s past success. That’s not something that comes out of the blue. This culture was planted by the first generation and continues to be developed and cultivated by the second generation. And so it will continue into the third. This is one of our primary responsibilities as family members.

Endress+Hauser is a family company. Is this perceived as special out in the world?

Steven Endress: For me, being a family company is about stability and long-¬term thinking. Other companies tend to act over-hastily in certain situations and forget what matters most: people. When we say that people are the most important element in the company, we mean it. This is the most powerful thing we can achieve as a family company. The way we dealt with Covid, for example, was quite different compared to many publicly listed companies. 

Sandra Genge: A family company can think in generations and not from quarter to quarter as often happens. That gives us a lot of entrepreneurial freedom.

Klaus Endress: I’m convinced that family companies – the good ones at least – are more successful than those that are traded on the exchanges. Because the family has a permanent stake in its success, it has an interest in further developing the company over the long term. We take our responsibility seriously and stay confident even in bad times. The employees know they have good, secure jobs. And if the job is enjoyable, then you will do it well.
 

What do you see as your future responsibilities on the Supervisory Board?

Sandra Genge: In a nutshell, our job is to represent the interests of the family and ensure that Endress+Hauser remains a successful family company. We bring the family’s perspective and represent the culture and values.

Klaus Endress: What’s important is making sure that decisions are made in the best interests of the company. That’s what I always did. I was never a lobbyist for the family. If we make the wrong decisions, it impacts not just the company, but us as well.

What is your assessment of the current business environment for Endress+Hauser?
 

Klaus Endress: A lot of things in the world are not okay. At the same time there are lots of new technologies emerging – just think about AI. People are fearful and want some assurance of continuity. Fear is a bad adviser. It makes you think about everything except the work you need to take care of. That brings us back to the culture. Cultivating the interaction between customers, employees and shareholders is what makes the difference. If we look out for each other, we can make it through any situation – of that I’m convinced.

Steven Endress: I think one of our chief strengths is diversification: in our product portfolio, as well as services and solutions. This puts us in an extremely strong position. A glance at history shows us that Endress+Hauser’s true growth comes from difficult times. We don’t let people go, which translates into continuity. We follow our compass and conduct ourselves consistently, regardless of how bad the climate is.

Sandra Genge: The company has demonstrated this resilience several times already. It is based on various factors, including diversity and the culture. Although we live in challenging times, I see an abundance of opportunities for the company, not least with respect to sustainability. I see tremendous potential in a future where many things are being measured and where resources are used with care.

One last question, Mr Endress. Do you have any advice for Sandra Genge and Steven Endress?

Klaus Endress: No, not really. But if they ask me at a later point, I will gladly offer both of them my support and advice.

Sandra Genge, Steven Endress, what have you learned from Klaus Endress?

Steven Endress: The biggest lesson is responsibility. We were recently at a family event and I commented about how nice it is to have such gatherings. His response was, “Yes, but someone has to make sure it actually happens.” A lot of work is involved. Klaus lives by doing and he sets a good example. If we use this as a role model and take the responsibility for getting things done, we will stay successful.

Sandra Genge: I have tremendous respect for what my uncle has done, and continues to do, for the company and the family. He keeps the big picture in mind and never acts self-servingly. I’ve always admired that and it inspires my own involvement.