Podcast „Alles neu Aus dem Maschinenraum“ | Folge #34: Pia und Günter Albers von ELA Container

No, but fundamentally we have a very structured approach where everyone must justify why they want to hire someone or need a budget. For us, the question doesn't even arise, because if you listen to Reinold Würz, he says IT is the future. Companies where IT is not a priority are lost. We've doubled our IT staff in 1.5 years, as we have to manage major transformation projects. Budgets are not a problem for anyone in this position; management sets the focus areas.

Yes, exactly. Previously, our production was assembling components as per customer wishes. But due to the high volume of containers we need, we increased depth. We acquired a new hall—280 meters long, 90 meters wide, on a 180,000-square-meter site near Haren—and are building a fully automated production line that turns out a frame every 18 minutes. We also bought a company to make our own windows. Behind this lies the question of vulnerability. It's a capital-intensive business, so market entry is not easy. We initially sold containers to generate cash before moving into rentals.

Our location is Haren an der Ems. Everyone knows the Meyer Werft shipyard where cruise ships are built, and probably Schloss Dankern, the largest indoor amusement park in Germany. And of course, SV Meppen played in the second Bundesliga.

We recognized 10 years ago that we had to build a brand. We underwent a complete rebranding, which was a tough family discussion but ultimately approved. That made us attractive to global companies like Tesla. We also focus on local initiatives: a company restaurant, flexible work models like remote work, and a health institute. Our relaxed corporate culture—everyone uses 'du', we have health days, and we care for employees' well-being—is a key attraction. As a growing, financially strong family business, we offer future prospects, which is important for young talent.

I studied to be a ship merchant and initially didn't want to join the company because my two siblings were already there. But my father asked, and they said yes, so I joined and have enjoyed it ever since.

The main explanation is from the names Elisabeth Albas. My mother and wife are both named Elisabeth. Coincidentally, the district changed from Meppen to Emsland, and the license plate prefix became EL, so we added an A to get ELA. That's the second explanation.

I would recommend a book by Ortwin Goldback that connects to the Maschinenraum. Another is Reinold Würz's first book, because the most cited person is Dita Krämer, who has been my sparring partner for 23 years.

I can take over. We say: you learn until all fingers are the same length. Nothing is more constant than change; we have to reinvent ourselves daily. If ten screws are loose, you try to tighten all ten. That's my credo.

I agree completely. I'm a bit older. My siblings and I have been in the company for decades. We grew from a regional provider to a global one, built the offshore business where we are market leader. Our story is internationalization. Now we have a plan for 2030. We are doing our homework—this year we focused on internal processes—and after one or two years we will really get going.