Sandra and Andreas Irmer convert camping vehicles with their company autarker.de.
It is the continuation of her private passion.
Dorfen
- Five years ago, Andreas Irmer turned his
hobby into a job
.
Since then, the mechanical engineer and passionate RV owner has been equipping camper vans
with technology
- for example with solar systems, internet connections and permanently installed gas tank bottles.
Dorfen: Erdinger are turning their hobby into a profession - business is booming despite Corona
The
business
is booming, so the company moved autarker.de in January from Erding to Esterndorf and enlarged here the premises to threefold, including shop, meeting rooms and a large workshop.
And business is now experiencing a further boost due to the
corona pandemic
.
Motorhome tours are the last remaining option for a short vacation.
Irmer and his wife Sandra have lived in Erding since 2005, because of their job they moved there from Herscheid in the Sauerland.
Since then, the new
home has been the
starting point for her
trips
with her own
mobile home
.
The most interesting vacation, they both agree, was the six week long trip through the USA in 1998, from San Francisco to Arizona.
In the meantime, they also live their shared passion professionally.
Dorfen: Erdinger become self-employed - and equip camping buses with technology
"If I have an idea and don't dare to do it, I will be annoyed not to have done it," he had this idea before he founded autarker.de, says Andreas Irmer.
So the 50-year-old and his wife took the risk in 2015.
The company name refers to the feeling of
independence when camping
.
The couple already enjoyed this on their first motorhome tour together.
The trip went to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the island of Rügen - shortly after the border opened 30 years ago.
“All camping sites were occupied, we had to stand free and look after ourselves in the mobile home.” Since then, the couple have not let go of the subject of self-sufficiency, according to the business administration graduate.
For a comfortable
holiday
on four wheels, the camper needs electricity, gas and water.
Campsites are not always the first choice, especially for mobile home owners.
Now, since
Corona has
raged, the desire for retrofittable accessories pays off twice: "It is possible to take a vacation even in these times - to keep your distance and remain independent," says Sandra Irmer.
Motorhome trips are the trend in Corona holidays
The market has been booming for a long time: “
Traveling with a mobile home
is the trend,” reports Andreas Irmer, who has worked for a car manufacturer for many years.
The attraction of motorhome tours?
“
Flexibility,
” says the mechanical engineer.
Round trips are possible, one is not dependent on a hotel.
If the camper doesn't like a place, he drives on.
“That is not possible with package tours.” The camper always has his bed with him.
The
travel destinations
are individual - as is the
clientele
who turn to the Irmers to have their mobile homes equipped "self-sufficiently".
Young families are drawn to the classic holiday destinations of Italy, France and Austria.
Seniors want to go to Norway for the summer solstice or are planning long trips, touring the USA for a year.
Still others rely on city tours and weekend trips.
The customers come from
all over Germany
, Switzerland and Austria.
"Many motorhome drivers make a stopover in the region to upgrade their vehicle," says Andreas Irmer.
Dorfen: Motorhome customers come to the Erdingers from all over Germany
He claims to be honest about
individual needs
.
“Anyone touring Norway in winter would be badly advised to use a solar system.
And if you have to charge your e-bike or laptop, you need more electricity.
I know what I'm talking about, ”says Andreas Irmer.
“I used to look for consulting services myself, but only found salespeople.
I worked out all the topics myself. "
The small
company
, which started five years ago as a “one-man show”,
now has
eight employees
, including a carpenter and a master car mechanic, all of whom are motorhome owners themselves.
Online trading at autarker.de was also expanded.
In the Esterndorfer
sales room
, Sandra Irmer points to glasses in the display that can be attached to tables or in the cupboard with magnetic strips.
"Even when it comes to tableware, buyers are now relying on sustainability and ordering glass and porcelain instead of plastic."
The vaccine stop due to delivery bottlenecks means a logistical challenge for the BRK vaccination center in Erding.
All appointments for the next few days or even weeks must be rebooked.
And the Burschengemeinschaft Pastetten wants to donate an incredible 15,000 euros to the Children's Cancer Aid and the staff at the Erding Clinic.
Nobody would have expected the amount to be so high.
(By Michaele Heske)