How we work and what is important for us.
Over 100 employees work every day so that kids, artists and creatives could realize their colour ideas with KREUL. That extends from a small 20ml glass to a large 750ml bottle, from sparkling silky paint to creamy finger paint. Because not all colours are alike. Depending on application, technique and field of use, special shades and formulas are necessary. To produce this, special care and experience are needed. All this is combined in KREUL within one location.
Every step and every grip is performed in Hallerndorf. Employees and departments tightly work together. People know each other, and decision-making routes are short and direct.
Planning and managing
Each of our products is planned, managed and controlled by the central department of product management. This starts from product development that deals with situational analysis and users. Is the idea suitable for the market? How could produce, pack and present this idea sustainably? How would the colours be applied? What should the colour be capable of? What is a must and what is optional?
As a link between all departments, the product manager also takes care of the optimization of products because he is responsible for every product and the whole product lifecycle. He gives it the right name and makes sure that new applications and trends could be realized with that product.
Researching and developing
The tasks in our own laboratory are subdivided into product development and product care. The knowledge and experience from already established products contributes to the new developments. Which pigments could we use? Which binding agent is worth considering? And how should we conserve the paint so that one could sustainably use it for painting?
On the one hand, it is necessary to keep a close eye on the legal requirements and on the other hand, clarify all possible backgrounds and fields of use. It is necessary to develop high quality colour - responsibly and sustainably. Where are the pigments from? Is it possible to use raw materials of sustainable origin instead of the traditional ones?
Developing new products and trying ideas always creates new challenges for us. But product care is also fundamental. All formulas must be controlled whenever legal regulations change or suppliers modify their raw materials. Substitutes are chosen, and in such a way so that the user could still rely on the well-known quality in future.
Purchasing and controlling
Glass or plastic? Printed on both sides or not? 1000 or 10.000 items? Our purchasing agents are responsible for procurement of materials and goods that we need in house. Containers and raw materials are negotiated in the same way as delivery and processing of the requested goods. They maintain close relations with service providers and suppliers of primary materials - often over the years. Especially when working on the concept of new packaging, they work together tightly with selected partners to find the optimal solution for us. The choice of suppliers is carried out based not only on economic but also sustainability criteria: At best, the producer is located in the neighbouring village. When this is difficult, then we search throughout Germany, and then Europe.
Mixing and stirring
Big mixers stir the powdery and watery raw materials which wonderfully merge into a colour. What has once been developed as an attempt in just one glass, is produced here in large volume. One gets litres from millilitres, pails from cups. It is being stirred again and again and again.
The colours are produced with a lot of sense of colour and experience because pigments and binders react absolutely differently depending on temperature and humidity, preparation or quantity. To ensure that both dealers and consumers could rely on the sustainable quality, our quality management comes into play. Every batch that has been produced by us, is examined and retraceably released. Thus, we know when, by whom and in what quantities which colour was produced. Also, years after it was sold in the shop.
Filling and packaging
We annually fill more than 5.000.000 containers. Glasses, bottles, doses or pens are filled with the many litres of produced paints and are thus prepared for sale and use. With the help of our machines, they obtain their container, the passing cap, label and the colour points. It is only then that they are ready for sale and get all the relevant information.
Finally, our paints are packed into carton to protect them from dirt and damage while transporting or storing.
Along with individual colours, the sets are being packaged and stored in blue boxes in the neighbouring building. One can find the blue boxes in the entire building which are used as a returnable transport system again and again. So, there are no cartons for one use only and which cause much litter, but folding boxes that can also be chosen by dealers as transport packaging.
Storing and dispatching
To ensure that our dealers get their ordered goods in time, our logistics department takes care of the smooth progress of work. Thereby, our merchandise management system sets the tone. Packed safely and as efficiently as possible, our goods are prepared for dispatch. Finally, parcels and pallets are dispatched through various transport companies or picked up by customers themselves. So, short and efficient transport routes are important for us. It is not only environmentally more sustainable, but also more careful to our paints.
Attracting and selling
As a manufacturer, we see ourselves as a reliable partner for the dealers. Together with our clients, we develop concepts to see how our paints would work best on the shelf. Big images, tempting texts and exciting presentations come upon price negotiations, volume planning and tough negotiations. The marketing and sales departments work together on solutions to optimally support dealers white staging our colours.
Training and organising
Apart from all specialists in our house, the accounting, HR, IT and operating technology departments ensure that all our processes and procedures function smoothly. All of them are important elements and belong to the departments that get to know our apprentices during their training.
100 employees, various talents and skills trade under one company to allow kids, artists and creatives to realize their colour ideas with KREUL.
