Based in Hamburg – the centre of Germany’s maritime industry – Lubmarine’s German team have formed a cohesive unit to support their customers no matter where their ships are in the world.
In this article we’ll hear from:
Simon Gerken - International Marine Key Account Manager and Head of German Office
Miriam Kaul - Junior International Marine Key Account Manager
Andrea Broniecki - Customer Operations and Services Officer
Leif Gebhardt - Marine Lubrication Engineer
Louis Thuleau - VIE Marine Lubrication Engineer
Our team members explain how their close working relationships, combined with Lubmarine’s wider global network, enable them to deliver a seamless, customer-focussed service driven by operational excellence.
Can you provide us with an overview of the German team and the work you do collectively?
Simon: “From our offices here in Hamburg we provide our customers with a full range of products and services to meet their vessel’s lubrication needs. Every day we engage in supporting Lubmarine customers in whatever challenge they may face: commercial, technical or logistical. Our goal is to always bring our collective expertise together to enable customers to access the best possible experience.
“We are a close team, and this approach works well in terms of customer proximity. We understand that our customers require reliable and efficient handling across all aspects from the physical supply of lubricants to the onboard use of the products, supported by a tailored range of digital onboard services. We work closely to meet customer expectations in terms of quality, expertise, knowledge, price and logistics. All these elements have to work together.
“What we recognize is that trust is at the heart of what we do - and we earn it through consistency, shared values and a desire to support our clients by fully understanding their needs.
“I have been involved in marine lubricants all my working life and it’s a sector I am passionate about. Every day I am driven to offer my knowledge and expertise to our customers.”
Miriam: “Together with Simon we work directly with all our customers, maintaining our contracts with ship owners and managers. This involves daily customer interaction, developing and strengthening customer relationships, progressing sales enquiries and managing the full sales process. Part of my role is also to support the activities of the wider Northern European sales team.”
Andrea: “I’ve had more than 25 years of experience in marine lubricants logistics. From our office here in Germany I am responsible for the orders we receive and oversee the logistical side of our business unit, working directly with purchasers, such as communicating critical information around the planning and delivery of the products they need.”
Leif: “I work with and support the technical teams ashore as well as guide and support the crews on our customers’ vessels. My responsibilities include vessel visits, customer meetings and calls in addition to the review and interpretation of technical reports to help our customers make the right decisions. I spent my early childhood growing up on a sailing ship and have worked in shipping all my life, including sailing as a ship mechanic and working as a field engineer for Wärtsilä before joining Lubmarine. Louis supports me from a technical aspect of the business.”
Louis: “I’m the youngest member of the team. I participate in the French program “VIE” which allows graduate students to gain their first international work experience. I graduated with a Master of Mechanical Engineering and have joined the team for a period of two years.”
How do the individual roles everyone has come together in practice?
Simon: “By having every function under one roof we support our customers comprehensively – from inquiries to sales, order placement, technical support, logistics and supply solutions in challenging locations. We have the right people and expertise to meet our customers’ needs globally.”
What does the close relationship of the team mean for customers?
Simon: “Our close working relationship make us very responsive, benefiting our customers. Our shared values to deliver a safe, skilled and professional approach in all aspects of marine lubricants and services makes a real difference. Consequently, we create value for our customers as a team and within the individual aspects of what we do.”
How do you feel Lubmarine and yourselves as the German team make a difference to customers?
Leif: “As we’ve said, customer proximity is a key differentiator. We are dealing with vessels. These vessels need to run efficiently and are constantly moving around the world, so the job of our customers can be a complex one. Lubmarine offers access to a global network of more than 1,000 ports. Our logistics ensure that we are exactly where our customers need us to be. So, no matter where the ships sail, we can safely deliver the right marine lubricant and provide the technical support need. Clear and frequent communication is key here.”
Simon: “It’s all about the quality of the relationships we have with our customers – we recognize they have commercial and operational targets, needs and challenges, and we are here to support them. Developing and maintaining good working relationships is critical for a flawless collaboration.”
What are some of the challenges that your customers are facing today?
Leif: “Since IMO 2020 we have seen our customers having to take on a completely new environment. The understanding of lubricants and fuels has been reshuffled. Everything has had to be re-thought around the relationships between fuels, engines and lubricants.
“New fuels, new engines, new lubricants, and new ways of monitoring how engine lubricants perform require new expertise to find the right solutions. Our customers are dealing with multi-factor environments, and we are helping them to be more efficient by developing tailored solutions that meet the individual needs of their business and their fleets – whatever their size.
Simon: “As a result, we are having deep exchanges with our customers’ technical and commercial teams, adapting our offer and are advising on the best lubrication strategies matching their technical and commercial expectations.”