09.03.2021 - Press
The WEPA Group, a leading supplier of innovative and sustainable hygiene paper products, joined the shared innovation ecosystem Maschinenraum. Maschinenraum is an alliance of more than 20 German Mittelstand companies and family businesses to work together on the opportunities and challenges of change processes such as digital transformation.
As the European market leader in the production of hygiene paper from recycled fibre, the company demonstrates foresight: sustainability is at the heart of any action – across generations. The appointment of Andreas Krengel, representative of the third generation of the entrepreneurial family, to the WEPA board at the beginning of the year is a signal for the future.
A union out of conviction
Since 2019, the WEPA Group has been in the process of implementing its “Perform & Transform” strategy programme – a process that involves more than 4,000 employees at 13 locations in Europe. The goal is to perform under changing market conditions and to transform the company at the same time. This is how the company intends to successfully position itself for the future. In terms of digitalisation, the WEPA Group has had initial successes with the establishment of a digital unit and collaborations for digitalisation in the production area, for example, as well as with the establishment of WEPA Ventures, through which capital and know-how are invested in young start-ups. The WEPA Group is now taking the next step by joining Maschinenraum, a shared innovation ecosystem by the Mittelstand for the Mittelstand: in cooperation with other businesses, experiences are exchanged and new solutions are developed across companies and sectors.
“We are convinced that we can achieve more together. This is also reflected in our WEPA Group purpose – “Together for a better life”. We have joined Maschinenraum to share our own experiences, to benefit from the experiences of others as well as to initiate cooperative efforts to boldly shape the future,” stated Andreas Krengel, member of the board of the WEPA Group.
“The WEPA Group is setting an example in terms of the transformation of the family business. At the same time, the company is aware that many challenges can be better overcome through cooperation with other Mittelstand companies and institutions. These are ideal conditions for unlocking further potential as part of Maschinenraum, for example in terms of new work and recruiting. It is a place where people of conviction meet like-minded people,” stated Tobias Rappers, Managing Director of Maschinenraum.
About Maschinenraum:
Maschinenraum, a shared innovation ecosystem by the Mittelstand for the Mittelstand, unites German Mittelstand companies and family businesses to boldly shape the future. More than 20 family-owned companies – including Viessmann, Fiege Logistik, Dussmann Service and Paracelsus Kliniken – have already joined Maschinenraum to jointly drive the digital transformation of the Mittelstand.