Statement: Rolf Kuropka, CEO, Krahn Chemie Group
CHEManager asked executives and industry experts from a broad range of chemical distributors to share their views on how their companies are dealing with this changing economic environment and the resulting opportunities and challenges.
I believe that challenges and opportunities are two sides of the same coin. It is up to us to turn it to the favorable side. Good examples are the overwhelming European legislation, where we can act as a consultant and facilitator for our customers, and restrictions regarding the use of raw materials, where we could lead the way in finding sustainable alternatives.
I’m fully convinced that every investment which helps to make our planet a better place for future generations is worthwhile. As a distributor, we can play a crucial role in driving sustainability: acting as a consultant for our typically smaller customers, inspiring our suppliers, and serving as an “detective” discovering interesting new sources. Absolutely, through a perfect cooperative approach with our suppliers and customers: this can involve finding innovative raw material sources from our customers’ waste streams, unleashing synergies from the combination of raw materials from our various suppliers in our application laboratories and developing unique testing procedures to support our suppliers and customers in their product development.
“As a distributor, we can play a crucial role in driving sustainability: acting as a consultant for our typically smaller customers and inspiring our suppliers”
