Mrs Forster-Weis, did the appointment as Managing Director of NTC Nano Tech Coatings GmbH come as a surprise to you or were you expecting the new position?
I have had the privilege of being part of the company for a long time and also experienced the difficult early years. During these years, however, a very close partnership has developed with Dr Wagner. From the beginning, I took a lot of pressure off him in the administrative area. Dr Wagner assigned me more and more important tasks and I was able to contribute significantly to the success of the company, something I am very proud of. I became an authorised signatory in 2016 and have been able to contribute to determining the course of the company since then. I was delighted to be appointed Managing Director at the beginning of July this year.
Normally, Dr Georg Wagner, who is the founder and main shareholder, represents the company in public. Will we also see you more at official appointments now?
As in the past, during my time as an authorised signatory, I was able to relieve pressure on Dr Wagner, so to speak, so that he can manage the important research and development tasks in our company and do his work on the committees on which he and the company are represented. He also remains focused on cultivating international client contacts and attending and appearing at conferences worldwide. I take over the daily business, so to speak, i.e. I take care of the operational and administrative part of the business.
What do you yourself find fascinating about the company, and where do you see NTC’s strengths?
I see many young, dedicated people in the company who focus on innovative and sustainable surface systems. The reason we have been so successful up to now is that we have outperformed larger, traditional competitors with creative ideas and the decisive scientific know-how. I would like to continue this trend and contribute to environmental protection worldwide with our coatings.
Does the switch to green solutions play a key role in your company, as it does in all modern companies?
Through the use of our functional surface coatings, we have already been able to demonstrate energy savings in a number of areas. In general, we are researching every day for ever better and more environmentally friendly solutions for the processing and manufacture of our products. We also continue to work in other areas, such as the automotive industry, on new individual and functional surface coatings that are as effective as possible while conserving resources.
Are you also responsible for the management of the entire staff?
Yes, we have a great team with dedicated employees. Stability is not just important in the field of surface coating, but also for companies.
I would like to give the employees the opportunity, as far as practicable, to develop personally in their field of work through training and more, and thus to contribute a great deal to our success. It is also our aim to train further employees and include them in the team in order to continue to grow. For the future, I would like to continue contributing significantly to the success of the company and to develop and produce innovative and highly functional surface coatings together with motivated and committed employees.
Many thanks for this interview!