The company - Traditional companies are optimistic about the future
Salzwedeler Baumkuchen, Bodeta Süßwaren from Oschersleben and FAM from Magdeburg: things have picked up again this year for a number of traditional companies in Saxony-Anhalt after insolvencies or the difficult search for a successor almost caused the long-standing companies to disappear from the market. "It was the right decision to get involved here," says Frank Ostendorf, the new owner of Salzwedeler Baumkuchen GmbH. The entrepreneur from northern Germany, who had previously managed various bakery factories, took over the Baumkuchen factory in the summer.
The former managing director had announced that she would no longer be able to continue running the company for reasons of age. A successor had been difficult to find for many years. Of the former 100 employees, only 17 were still working in the summer. In the meantime, the number of employees has doubled again, says Ostendorf. He has been able to win back many long-serving employees. This was also important in order to retain the knowledge in the company. "I can only compliment the team," says Ostendorf. At times, the team worked seven days in a row. The total amount of Baumkuchen sold has increased by 20 percent. One reason for this was a short, twelve-second video that went viral on Tiktok. It only showed how to cut a Baumkuchen correctly, but has now had almost ten million views on the social network.
The first technical enhancements have already been ordered for the coming year, explains the new owner. In addition to existing recipes, there will also be new varieties. He is also investing heavily in advertising to make Salzwedeler Baumkuchen a year-round product, not just one for the Christmas season.
One of the largest confectionery manufacturers in Saxony-Anhalt, Bodeta in Oschersleben, ended last year in insolvency. Then, at the beginning of the year, came the news that a new investor had been found in the form of chewing gum manufacturer Ascom from Baden-Württemberg. Shortly afterwards, the company announced a new turnover record in its more than 100-year history.
The past few years have also been turbulent for plant manufacturer FAM from Magdeburg. The company filed for insolvency in 2022 and was later taken over by mechanical engineering company Beumer, based in North Rhine-Westphalia. FAM builds conveyor systems worldwide, including for ports and mining. A major challenge here is the focus on energy efficiency, Latin America Managing Director Sergio Zamorano told Global Business Report. The industry is 20 years behind here because the mentality of the entire sector was different.
While news of job cuts at FAM has repeatedly made the rounds in recent years, this year there was also good news to report. The IG Metall trade union and the company agreed on a step-by-step approach to the collective wage agreement for the metal and electrical industry. The company has also advertised a number of vacancies again.
IG Metall on FAM Bodeta Company profile FAM Company profile Global Business Reports Chile Mining Salzwedeler Baumkuchen
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- Despite facing insolvency in the past, many traditional confectionery companies in northern Germany, like Salzwedeler Baumkuchen in Saxony-Anhalt and FAM in Magdeburg, are looking optimistically towards the future.
- Bodeta Süßwaren, another prominent confectionery company in Oschersleben, Saxony-Anhalt, faced insolvency last year but managed to bounce back with a new investor from Northern Baden-Württemberg.
- The future of the confectionery industry in Saxony-Anhalt seems promising, with companies like Bodeta reporting record sales and new varieties in the pipeline.
- In the face of turbulent times, companies in Northern Germany, such as Saxony-Anhalt's Salzwedeler Baumkuchen and Magdeburg's FAM, have not only survived but also adapted and expanded their product offerings to cater to the changing consumer preferences, indicating a bright future for the traditional confectionery companies in the region.
Source: www.stern.de
