Markus Interview 16 August 2010

[qwertySFC]

Copied straight from transcript , Interview followed MALI take over of Wifag

 

 

Transmissions for tractors instead of printing presses

 

, Based in Freiburg Mali Group acquires real estate, machinery and 50 employees and 72 apprentices from the Berne Wifag. Mali-owner Markus Liebherr has in the sport and industry big plans.

 

Printing presses are not produced anymore in future, Bern, for gearboxes, engines and commercial vehicles: the Mali Group, based in Fribourg, Switzerland buys the production building of Wifag in Bern Wyler quarters. It also covers 50 people and machines. "We want to quickly start production," says company founder Mark Liebherr. The 63-year-old knows from his early youth with machines: It is one of five children of Hans Liebherr, the founder of the Liebherr Group Construction Machinery in Bulle.

 

Markus Liebherr studied mechanical engineering. According to his confession, he was interested in was already very special for agricultural vehicles. Over the years, he sold his share in the Liebherr Group to the family and established his own company. Mali whose name dates back to the first letter of Markus Liebherr.

 

The headquarters of the Mali Group is located in Freiburg. She works as a pure holding company. Has been produced in Beringen SH, in Wettingen, AG, and Germany. Now comes Bern added as a new location. The group is controlled in the future from here: The management board will establish themselves in the Wifag buildings.

 

Revenue more than doubled

 

The expansion will not go in Bern at the expense of the other sites, insured Liebherr. The Mali-group was on a rapid growth rate. Today it employs around 110 employees. Now, would add 50 employees in Bern and later still expected more. Accordingly, the sales expectations of the owner: In the current year he expects a sales volume of 5-7 million Swiss francs - in 2011 it will already be 20 million. A Mali-transmissions for agricultural and other specialized vehicles costs 25000-35000 €.

 

When it comes to his gear, Liebherr goes into raptures: "Our products are ahead of the competition. The speed can be changed when switching without energy loss. This saves fuel, "he says. Last fall he introduced also the Mali Trac ago - a multi-purpose tractor, especially for community businesses. Mali has since, according to the business magazine "Bilanz" a Swiss of two tractor manufacturers. The other is the central Swiss Sepp Knüsel. Another specialty of the Mali Group injection systems for engines and all engines.

 

Liebherr's goal is to continue the industrial traditions in Bern. In the Wifag-rooms, new products developed, manufactured parts as well as gearboxes, engines and specialist vehicles mounted. For the 50 employees who are covered by the Wifag, is workshop employees. The actual printing specialists need the Wifag in the coming months to complete the current orders, says Wifag President Ulrich Zimmerli.

 

The Wifag-employees are qualified and highly motivated, Liebherr said. That was one of the reasons why Mali took up residence in Bern. To ensure the high qualification, lead Mali continue the vocational training center of the Wifag with 72 apprentices, he said. The preservation of the apprenticeship was one of the main concerns of the staff associations and unions.

 

In addition to the factory and the workers also played an important role in large parking: special vehicles for snow removal, lawn mowing and rescue operations must have the appropriate parking areas.

 

"If you einberechnet all, Switzerland is" for the industrial production is not too expensive, says Liebherr. The Bern operation will also relate some parts from other locations. This leads to a mixed bill.

 

Football and industry combine

 

On financial background lacking Liebherr not: He is listed in the media as a billionaire. Last year he bought the English football club Southampton. Until five years ago played the traditional club still in the Premier League, the top league on the island. But since then it went downhill financially and athletic. A year ago, the club ended up in the League One - this is only the third highest league. would be "Without me there to Southampton at all anymore," says Liebherr. With his money, he prevented the destruction. "I've no regrets minutes," he says. In the future he wants to combine sport and industry. "We will perform in the stadium of Southampton seminars and product presentations. The events we are "connected with the visit of a football game, he says. He himself used to play hockey. "From football, I know that there are two square doors and the ball must be in there," he jokes. A noted athlete has it in the family: showjumper Christina Liebherr is his niece.

 

A man with ambition

 

But athletic ambition Markus Liebherr already. Actually, would be the penultimate Southampton again in the league. But he had to start with ten penalty points in the past season because the previous owner had applied for bankruptcy late. They had the club nicknamed The Saints (The Saints) did not honor. are rising, "we end this season," Liebherr forecast. But an increase is necessary: A week ago, FC Thun won in a friendly against Southampton with 4 goals to 2.

 

Even at the new Mali-Location Bern efforts are still great need to ensure that the ambitious goals can be achieved.

[qwertySFC]

http://www.derbund.ch/bern/WifagRetter-Markus-Liebherr-verstorben/organisation/wifag/s.html

 

Dated as 16.08/2010 in German newspaper

[Made in Southampton]

All I can think about when I read that is 'What could have been'.

 

No matter what the future holds for us with people trying to meet ML ambitions we will never achieve them without the man himself at the helm.

 

In the space of 3 weeks our clubs future has altered drastically 1st ML passing away then 2nd AP sacked. You couldn't make this stuff up.

[Deppo]

Wifag

 

Who is AG?

[sotonist]

Hockey? Booooo!

[Deppo]

Hockey? Booooo!

 

Interesting isn't it. I wonder if all those that used hockey as (hockey) stick to beat Lowe with will be doing the same for Markus?

[buctootim]

Interesting isn't it. I wonder if all those that used hockey as (hockey) stick to beat Lowe with will be doing the same for Markus?

 

Just as the investment banking background is /was used to beat both Lowe and Cortese.

[aintforever]

The obit in the Independant was an interesting read....

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/markus-liebherr-entrepreneur-who-saved-southampton-fc-2063201.html

 

Apparently some in Switzerland were put out that he invested in a foreign team but he saw Saints as a "once-in-a-lifetime deal" and had to act quick.

[Amazingstoke Saint]

AG is the German language equivalent to plc or ltd.

[Deppo]

Just as the investment banking background is /was used to beat both Lowe and Cortese.

 

It just doesn't fit in with the agendas.

[sotonist]

AG is the German language equivalent to plc or ltd.

 

but in the case of Wettingen, AG it seems hat it stands for Aargau

[Deppo]

AG is the German language equivalent to plc or ltd.

 

So he's saying Win It For the PLC? I didn't think we were a PLC? Things get murkier and murkier.

[VectisSaint]

Hockey? Booooo!

I wonder if he played hockey or whether it means ice hockey. I realise field hockey is big in Germany, but so is ice hockey. Have to say ML looked more like an ice hockey man, but who knows.

[Scudamore]

Have to say ML looked more like an ice hockey man, but who knows.

 

Que?