Interview with CEO Matthias Kählig

Behind the scenes / overview of individual drive technology

You have been CEO since 2003. How have you experienced the development of KAG since then?

"For me, it's still an adventure. We started with a relatively small group and have since almost doubled the number of employees, having a lot of fun along the way."

What was your biggest challenge?

"I think there were two. The first was meeting the expectations placed on me. When I started here, I was unknown to most people, so the expectations towards me as a newcomer were very high. The second was the only crisis we've had so far. Back then, during the economic downturn (2008/2009), finding ways to navigate through it without major setbacks."

What was your greatest success story?

"I think it ties into the previous question: our greatest success story was successfully navigating through the economic downturn without letting anyone go and emerging even stronger afterwards."

What is the most innovative product that KAG has worked on or is currently working on?

"Particularly innovative is the approach of providing control electronics for our DC motors, and we are currently pushing the boundaries with the further development of our in-house smart motors. We will be unveiling this towards the end of the year."

What values and principles form the foundation of your company?

"I think I have only one highly pronounced value that I always pursue, and that is the concept of fairness. I want to fundamentally treat everyone fairly. Whether it's an employee, a supplier, a customer, or anyone else, fairness is always my priority."

How do you lead a diverse team and promote inclusion in your company?

"Inclusion is a matter of course for me, so I don't differentiate in the way I lead. For me, everyone is just right as they are and, of course, welcome."

What do you like about being self-employed, and what do you dislike?

“ ’Self-employed and always busy’ - that's the famous saying you always hear when complaining about being self-employed and having too much to do. But what I particularly like is that I love my job. I love what I do, and that's why it's enjoyable for me. It doesn't matter how long it takes or how exhausting it is. It's just fulfilling."

Is there anything else you'd like to share in conclusion?

"As we come to a close, there are always wishes I'd like to express. There are two or three wishes from me here in the company that I really hope come true. Firstly, improving our collaboration even further and finding colleagues we've been searching for a long time. So, we have a few open positions; just take a look at our website."

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Individual drive technology: solutions made to measure

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