Thomas Middrup

 You started as the Head of Sales at the JOEST Group in March. What was it about this role and company that attracted you? 

Several aspects of the Head of Sales role at JOEST group particularlyattractive to me. First, I’m very impressed by the company’s commitment to quality and its technological leadership in the industry. JOEST is renowned for its high-quality products and tailored solutions, which makes it an exciting challenge for me as Head of Sales to communicate these values to our clients and realize them in joint projects.

Furthermore, I value the family-owned culture at JOEST, which is based on collaboration, mutual trust, respect, and appreciation across the entire value chain.

Another key factor is the local connection. Born and raised in Münster, I feel a strong connection to the region and am glad to work in a company that is deeply rooted here. Having the opportunity to apply my professional skills within my home region while contributing to the company’s economic growth and development is particularly meaningful to me.

 How have your first months at JOEST been, and what were your main priorities during this time?

My first months with the JOEST group have been extremely exciting and challenging. I was warmly welcomed by the team, which helped me quickly familiarized myself with the company culture and workflows. I was especially impressed by the open communication and the willingness of all my colleagues to support each other and place the success of the company at the center.

One of my primary focuses during this initial period was to get a deep understanding of the company, my colleagues, and the various teams. I spent considerable time familiarizing myself with different departments and their work methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of JOEST.These insights were crucial for me to better understand internal processes and structures, and to get a good feeling for JOEST’s success factors.Overall, my first months at JOEST have been very positive, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the company’s success.

 What new approaches or changes do you want to introduce in sales at JOEST Group to further strengthen its market position? 

The sales team and its development are my primary focus. The discipline of sales is not an “individual sport” but a “team sport.” At JOEST, everyone can see themselves as part of the sales team, as the focus is always on the interests of our customers. Maintaining an open ear for everyone and evaluating and considering their improvement suggestions is and will remain my central objective.

Of course, growth in the individual business areas of the JOEST Group should be mentioned in the same breath. This growth, together with our international sales partners, is another primary focus. Building, maintaining, and, of course, challenging this network to drive continuous growth is and will remain a collaborative and demanding objective in thecoming years.

The implementation of CRM systems and automation tools to streamline sales processes and optimize customer relationships will be an additional success factor.

And, last but not least, within the context of Industry 4.0, we will increasingly use smart technologies to monitor the condition of JOEST machines in real-time, plan maintenance proactively, and increase our machine availability. These topics will become even more important in our customer dialogs in the future.