There surely aren’t that many CEOs of billion-dollar companies who take the time to provide a stand tour personally, but at Bauma Munich that’s exactly what Robert Hauser, CEO of Doka, did. He was knowledgeable, personable and clearly enthusiastic about the new products and innovations as he showed me around the company’s gigantic stand. Hauser, who became CEO of Doka in 2021 having first joined the company in 2018, was slightly more guarded when we sat down for the interview but the first subject we touched on wasn’t exactly a light topic – how the industry is shaping up against the challenges of supply chain issues, inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the energy crisis.
He comments that the company was forced, “in a very short period to find alternative supply sources, which we managed well. We found alternative sources and we were able to guarantee to our clients our ability to supply them.” He adds that, “Doka has implemented a lot of measures so that we are independent from gas, but we also have to look at our raw supplies and when it comes to steel, many steel companies are still dependent on gas.” The energy crisis leads to uncertainly, which is bad for any market. However, construction has been remarkably resilient, and, despite the residential sector cooling, infrastructure is looking very strong. “In infrastructure, there’s still a very bullish sentiment in the market around the world. In general, when you look forward, our sales outlook is positive on a global level, with the exception of some European countries,” says Hauser.