This is how war slows down a company
Created: 05/11/2022 10:03 am
By: Tobias Gehre
Michael Huber runs the disposal company of the same name in Gernlinden.
The company is currently struggling primarily with delivery bottlenecks for vehicles and containers.
© Weber
The war in Ukraine and global delivery bottlenecks are causing problems for many companies in the district.
One of them is the disposal company Huber from Gernlinden.
Trucks and containers are becoming scarce there.
The waiting times for new equipment are enormous.
Gernlinden – The waste and recyclables business is tough.
This not only applies to margins, sales and competition.
The material also has to withstand a lot.
The garbage trucks are on the move in constant stop-and-go, containers are maltreated with all kinds of materials.
The wear and tear is high, the companies depend on a constant supply of vehicles and containers.
But it is precisely at this point that there is a tremendous crunch at the moment.
"We have major problems with procurement," explains Managing Director Michael Huber.
He recently ordered a new truck.
The dealer's response was sobering.
He had to wait about a year for the new vehicle.
"It's never happened before," says Huber.
(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular FFB newsletter.)
The same applies to the containers that are set down on construction sites, for example.
The company owns around 600 of these.
It is often not handled with particular care when metal or stones are tipped into it.
The result: wear and tear is high – as is the need for replenishment.
"The containers are also a flagship for our company," says Huber.
Therefore, they should always be in good condition.
But with this principle, the head of the company has to make some compromises.
If there are no supplies, you just have to rely on repairs.
This also applies to the company's six dump trucks, five garbage trucks and three roll-off vehicles.
Trucks that should actually be discarded now have to drive longer.
One of the reasons is about cable harnesses that were produced in Ukraine.
That is why repairs are now being carried out that previously simply did not pay off.
High prices
In addition to the poor delivery situation, there are also high prices.
So far, a container truck has cost around 150,000 euros and a garbage truck around 220,000 euros.
At the moment you have to add at least five percent.
Huber emphasizes that no one needs to worry that the rubbish will suddenly no longer be picked up.
You know about the systemic relevance of the industry.
Garbage collection will continue to be reliable in the future.
Looking back on the past years and decades, Huber says: "We were spoiled and have gotten used to the fact that everything is always available." That's over for now.
The company boss also emphasizes that he doesn't want to whine.
In view of the unimaginable suffering of the people in Ukraine, the problems faced by companies in this country are actually insignificant.
You can find more current news from the district of Fürstenfeldbruck at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.