Extraordinary fabric for a takeover story - BATEX understands special textiles for professional use
It is well known that the police, regulatory agencies and judicial institutions have the task of ensuring public safety. But who is responsible for the safety of these members of the profession, who often risk their own health for the public good? An answer to this question can be found in Großröhrsdorf near Bautzen in East Saxony. This is where BATEX Technische Textile GmbH designs and produces tailor-made protective clothing for people and animals. From bulletproof vests for emergency services and their service dogs to flame-resistant full body suits for industry, the company offers a wide range of workwear that protects the body from external forces and other hazards. An anniversary was just around the corner: BATEX has been supplying high-quality special textiles for a wide range of applications for 30 years now. Nothing will change if the previous owner is now retiring. With Uwe Kunath and Sven Nicolaus he has found two committed successors to whom he was able to hand over his business this year. The two new entrepreneurs could in turn count on the joint support of the Kreissparkasse Bautzen and the BBS, which made the purchase price affordable.
In order to have the takeover financing secured by a guarantee, the Kreissparkasse Bautzen had brought BBS to the meeting table early on. "The personal, constructive exchange confirmed us in our business plan and at the same time allowed us to sharpen our financing structure again," recalls Uwe Kunath. An open culture of discussion was also cultivated with the former owner Horst Bräuer: "Right from the start, we communicated our payment capacity transparently to Mr. Bräuer and always informed him and his right-hand man, Ms. Susanne Hemmer, about the latest financing status." That created trust. After all, a handover is usually associated with a lot of emotions for the seller - especially if he built up the company himself, as in the case of BATEX. Today, Sven Nicolaus sums it up: “The handover process was characterized at all times by mutual respect. We are building on the achievements of our predecessor with a sense of responsibility and a proven team of 20 people. In the future, the focus will remain on the quality of our products.” Great care is taken in the selection and processing of materials to ensure that the textile products are particularly hard-wearing and durable. The high-tech fabrics are welded using ultrasound technology, for example, to avoid water-permeable seams, and are fitted with puncture-resistant inserts and flame-retardant buttons.
When the company handover was sealed, the former BATEX owner had been looking for a successor for several years. Negotiations with previous candidates had failed for various reasons. But what lasts a long time is not only good, according to the proverb, as Kerstin Förster, responsible customer advisor at Kreissparkasse Bautzen, states: "In Uwe Kunath and Sven Nicolaus, the former owner has now found company successors who, with their personality, their commercial competence and intensive preparation for the Independence convinced.” For the entrepreneurship project, the former colleagues left their jobs in a regional bank institute, through which they knew of the BATEX owner's intentions to hand over the business. When they received the news one day that another candidate had dropped out, they seized the opportunity and set about turning their desire for professional self-determination into reality. Her successor plans met with approval from Kerstin Förster: "The entire corporate concept of Messrs. Kunath and Nicolaus was clear, comprehensible and, in our opinion, corresponded to the realistically realizable growth and development potential. The special industry offers excellent opportunities to successfully continue and further develop the company that is established on the market.”
You won't find off-the-rack clothing at BATEX. "We determine the specific needs together with our customers and manufacture the products specifically according to their requirements," emphasizes Uwe Kunath. "If there is still a need for improvement during field tests, we optimize the products until the customers are completely satisfied". A multi-part protective corset for dogs was developed together with the Görlitz police department, and a special painted overall was designed with the chemical company BASF. In addition to protective clothing, BATEX also manufactures useful textile items such as filters or laundry bags. In order to be able to guarantee maximum quality and delivery reliability, production takes place exclusively at the company headquarters in Saxony and in other European countries. Although this causes higher prices than with Asian manufacturers, Sven Nicolaus explains: "We don't want to make quick profits, we want to build long-term relationships with our customers. Our employees make a decisive contribution to this with their know-how, which is why they should also participate in the economic success of BATEX.” When he and his co-managing director talk about their customers and employees, the words “transparency” and “communication” are used again and again. They are the key to a trusting, successful cooperation - the new BATEX owners have understood that, as they have already proven with their empathetic takeover.
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