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Jens and Gotthard Werner
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The server that stores work at HRD
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Laser cutter
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Editor’s Note: IRgA Managing Director Ed Avis visited Germany for the German reprographics association’s annual meeting October 27-28 in Frankfurt. Then he visited HRD Reprodienst in Hannover and Image Access in Wuppertal. Here is his report from HRD.
Reprographics firms in Germany have a lot in common with reprographics firms in America. For example, the companies that invest in equipment and move quickly to adopt new technologies usually win the market. That’s the case with HRD Reprodienst.
During the association event in Frankfurt, several repro shop owners mentioned to me that business is down this year. They said that’s due to the Ukraine War, which has raised fuel prices, and inflation overall. And there’s a general feeling of dismay due to the Israeli/Palestinian situation. But Jens Werner, one of the leaders of HRD, told me business has held steady at his firm. Diversity of services clearly plays a role in their ability to keep the cash register ringing even as construction dips.
The company was one of the first in Germany to invest in large-format color technology, according to Gotthard Werner, the company’s founder and Jens’ father. He told me he always has believed in investing profits back into the company in the form of new technology and new equipment, and that has helped the firm weather the storms.
You can see the range of equipment investments they have made over the past five decades by viewing the photo gallery above. The list includes the latest color printers, sophisticated cutting equipment from Zund, wide-format scanners, plan folders, mailing equipment, high-end small format printing equipment, finishing equipment of all types, and much more.
For example, they have a laser cutter from a company called Exklusiv Laser that has opened up markets for precisely cut Plexiglas logos and letters, ideal for corporate clients. The machine also allows them to cut other rigid media with very smooth edges.
Among their color printing equipment is a Mimaki JF-1631 flatbed printer and numerous roll-fed inkjet printers from Canon, HP and Mimaki. And they keep a fleet of HP PageWides working hard for plan printing (Germans print more color plans than Americans typically do).
Interestingly, they use their own in-house server to store all the projects, rather than putting them in the cloud. Jens explained to me that they feel that provides better security and less downtime.
Their client list includes many AEC firms who started as clients in the diazo days and now bring them signage and other corporate work. One interesting client is a paper manufacturer – HRD prints fine art images onto samples of the manufacturer’s paper, which are then used as sales samples. They also print a wide range of relatively short-run small-format color projects such as programs for events, booklets, and invitations.
Finding good employees is a challenge for HRD, just like it is for many American repro firms. Jens explained that sometimes they’ll hire a good employee, train them, and one day discover that a larger corporation has hired them away. A large insurance company in Hannover has poached three good employees in recent years, he said! On the other hand, among their 50 employees are several who have been with them more than two decades.
The success of HRD is evident when one walks through the stately building the company owns. Investing wisely in new technology and consistently pursuing new markets has allowed the company to remain steady despite the challenges facing Europe’s overall economy today.