If a company is committed to sustainability and communicates this to the outside world, there is always suspicion of a certain amount of greenwashing. This is not entirely without reason, as the big players, in particular, repeatedly come in for justified criticism in this regard.
This makes it all the more important, especially as a medium-sized company, to be credible when sustainability is discussed. MEYLE, a manufacturer of automotive parts for the aftermarket and located in the northeast of Hamburg, Germany, believes it is important not to be one of the phrase-mongers. Sustainability is indeed part of the inherent business model of the business: the Hamburg-based company develops complex components for car brands that are designed to last a little longer than the original parts. Recently, a TV report aired about MEYLE improving the quality of the control arm of a brand new Tesla. In one model of Elon Musk's brand, the north German company found a small weak spot, which it fixed with a part developed in-house. Alongside precision fit, workmanship and material, durability is a key quality feature of its products.
The development of such components is ultimately also derived from the sustainability triangle developed by MEYLE of ‘People, Planet, Profit.’ This involves measures relating to employees, the goal of a holistic, sustainable value chain and, finally, profitability in the form of more sustainable solutions for car repairs and maintenance on behalf of car-driving customers.
The backstory of MEYLE can be traced back to South America at the end of the 1950s. Wulf Gaertner, a trained export merchant and enthusiastic hobby racer, was staying there at that time and noticed a great demand for the wear parts of German car brands. After his return to Germany, he founded an export company, specializing in the export of original spare parts to South America. This was followed relatively quickly by a geographical expansion of the business, with offices being established all over the globe. In the mid-nineties, Wulf Gaertner GmbH took over the MEYLE spare parts brand – from then on, the company was not only an exporter, but also a manufacturer. During the same period, the nephew of the company founder Wulf Gaertner, Dr. Karl J. Gaertner took over the management. Now, the latter is appealing to other companies with a view to sustainability and the possibilities of social change: “We look forward to exchanging thoughts and ideas” he states, “we are convinced that only together can we master the great challenges of environmental and climate protection”.
If you walk across the MEYLE factory premises in the north of Hamburg, you will at some point encounter the buzzing of bees. A short distance from the warehouse, the company has set up beehives with which it produces its own honey. This is not only intended as a fun gimmick for gift baskets, but is also meant to be a small symbol of the company's connection with nature and the environment – especially as a responsible player in the automotive sector.
