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ahp.magazine: Why inspired? That requires some expla- ahp.magazine: That’s understandable, isn’t it?
nation. CME: Of course, that’s understandable, and Generation Y and Z
CME:: To see the development of what could actually be achieved are very busy trying to find a sensible balance between job and
from nothing with a lot of discipline, commitment, confidence, free time/family. And yes, I also think that’s important and right.
courage. My father was not a rich man, he had not inherited a But I think that in the meantime the “leisure/family” part is too
fortune. He simply had an idea that he wanted to realize. First to- much in the foreground. And because this is the case, it is no
gether with my mother and after 15 hard initial years I joined. Out longer possible to move as much as might be possible. With all
of necessity. Because it was very difficult at that time. the consequences...

ahp.magazine: A dream-team at work there? ahp.magazine: Which are...?
CME: In a way, for sure. With all the ups and downs and all CME: If you drive with the handbrake on, you’ll get there. Just
the differences such as businessman and technician, older/young- slower. And if you accept the consequences of that, then that’s
er generation, father and boss/son/mother, boss, too and much perfectly fine. But if you demand a salary increase every year and,
more... But I think we always managed in the end to put our ideally, inflation compensation at the same time, then this calcu-
personal animosities behind the big picture, behind AHP Merkle. lation no longer works. I’m sorry to say that.
And that, although it was often anything but easy.
ahp.magazine: Tighten your belt after all?
ahp.magazine: Sounds like a lot of “common sense”. Is that CME: Helps in any case and makes sense. But I don’t want to
deceptive? “preach” that. But I would be happy if we would remember again
CME: No, that’s not deceptive. If you think about it, over the - by the way, I would also like to see this in politics (at the federal,
years, “common sense has often had to prevail.” As the proverb state, and local level) - that we have to earn money by producing
says. And we’ve always been aware that it’s far from just about us, products and delivering services and that we cannot spend more
but that we bear responsibility for our employees, for their fam- than we earn.
ilies, and for our customers and suppliers. And that’s not some-
thing you risk lightly. ahp.magazine: The classic Swabian housewife?
CME: I think we’ll take the Badische (laughs). Household money
ahp.magazine: This sense of responsibility is not necessari- is out, and so is keeping a budget book. But it helped to get by
ly fashionable nowadays? with the money that was there (whether a lot or a little). And you
CME: No, unfortunately not. The concept of “responsibility” didn’t live beyond your means.
suffers. Everything is designed for the short term; you want to
have great success quickly and then also want to do so little for it. ahp.magazine: A lesson learned from 35 years of entrepre-
That’s why influencers are more interesting today and are much neurship?
more suitable as role models than classic entrepreneurs who work CME: Absolutely. Knowing what you can afford and when the
hard every day and aren’t on vacation every school vacation. They money should rather work in the company.
don’t live a glossy life.
ahp.magazine: Back to the past year. Did AHP Merkle
ahp.magazine: Already at the age of wanting to talk about manage well?
“the old days” or the “good old days”? CME: Indeed, we have managed well in the last two years. Thanks
CME: (laughs) No, the good old days don’t exist. In 10 years, to our changed situation through the sale of the property in 2021
2022 will already be the “good old days. It’s all relative. But, a lot and the decision to “invest” the entire sale price completely at
has changed in recent years. And as an entrepreneur who takes AHP Merkle, we were able to significantly reduce our bank liabili-
his responsibility seriously, you often feel very alone. ties. And thus create a solid basis for the future.

ahp.magazine: How is that to be understood? ahp.magazine: Once again “common sense” before “heart”?
CME: If you want to make a difference, if you have visions that CME: For the sake of the whole and to safeguard jobs, common
you want to realize, then you need support. People who want sense was absolutely the right thing to do at this point. Even if the
to participate. Who are committed to the same goal and, to a sale is difficult. And “you don’t sell real estate”. But because of
certain extent, subordinate to it. Because you must put personal this “Reibach”, which I was sometimes accused of, we were able
demands behind you if you want to be successful. That requires to use so that AHP Merkle has a future. That is what counts. No
sacrifices. More and more people are finding it difficult to make matter how that is commented.
these sacrifices.

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