Marek Dierks: Unconventional paths. Calculated risk.

Marek Dierks, Körber site: Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany

When I moved to Malaysia in 2007, the mission was clear:
Build up procurement and controlling.
Establish direct supply relationships with Europe.
Safeguard quality. Keep processes stable.

All of it made sense.
All of it was reasonable.

And yet, early on, another question began to form:
What if we think beyond that?

Because once I was there, it became obvious:
Malaysia was not just an extended workbench.
It was an industrial ecosystem.
With experience. With structure. With ambition.

So I I listened.
I observed.
I learned.

I traveled across the country, visited suppliers, walked factory floors, had countless conversations.
And the more I understood, the clearer it became:

There is potential here that we need to unlock.

The path forward was not a leap into the unknown.
It was a calculated risk.

We started small.
With simple parts.
With components that had no impact on machine performance.

That allowed us to learn without putting our customers’ trust at risk.
To gain confidence without risking disruption.
Not only technically.
But culturally as well.

Because trust is not built through concepts.
It is built through joint experience.

Of course, not everything went smoothly.

We made decisions we later had to revise.
For example, the attempt to outsource complex electrical subassemblies.
Logical on paper.
Not effective in practice.

So we changed course.
That, too, is part of how we understand responsibility.

When colleagues from Germany came to Malaysia themselves for the first time,
perspectives began to shift.
Doubts became quieter.
Trust grew.

Today, the site in Malaysia is a strategic pillar of our global manufacturing network.
Built up through a gradual process of development.
With an open mind.
And the willingness to step back when necessary.

To me, that is typical of Körber:
getting started, even if you do not know everything yet.
Not risking everything.
But daring something.

Unconventional when it makes sense.
And always with a plan in our pocket.