In constant flux

Processes keep on changing at an ever faster pace as a result of greater market convergence, new research approaches and the use of digital solutions. The objective in these changeable times is to identify future trends today and focus on the right topics.

Our worldwide breeding stations provide our plant breeders with services to help them develop new varieties. They are also in constant flux. In this interview, Stefan Eggestein from Global Station Management (GSM) explains the current challenges facing our breeding stations and what GSM must pay attention to now if we want to maintain the high standard of our breeding service in the next 20 years and beyond.

Mr. Eggestein, you’re regarded as an expert on the subject of change. Why is that?

That’s probably because I’ve held many different functions at KWS and as part of that was posted to many places at KWS in three countries, such as at what was then the Foreign Processing department (INS-AA) in Einbeck, which focused on Eastern Europe. My journey began there. That was followed by Russia, where I was station manager – although the station still had to be built first. And finally I moved to KWS in Monselice, Italy. The local conditions, expectations, objectives and structures couldn’t have been more different in these countries. I’m currently in Wohlde and in charge of the cereal breeding stations. We at GSM are increasingly focused on rolling out a multicrop regional concept. So I suppose you could say I do indeed have a bit of experience in the subject of change.

Please briefly explain the work of our breeding stations.

Our breeding stations are defined as service providers and close partners to our breeding teams, and see themselves as the executive arm for delivering all the resources required for breeding tasks. We always endeavor to provide our services to the breeders, as well as to other units such as Marketing, in a sustainable and efficient way, yet with due care and diligence and on time. A breeding station must have enough special machines, sufficient cultivation area and motivated personnel to perform its work.

Why are the breeding stations undergoing change?

KWS is growing – as we often emphasize – and that’s also a good thing. We can see that specifically from the growing number of trials and activities we perform every year, as well as from the requirements placed on the quality of trials and their documentation. That growth can be tackled by new hires or additional machinery up to a certain point, but we’re now well past that point. We therefore have to find new ways to ensure that we can continue working, while not losing sight of our KWS values and the principle of sustainability.

What approaches are you taking?

There’s a bundle of measures: We aim to give our colleagues the chance to keep on developing their professional expertise. To enable that, we put together internal training measures in cooperation with the breeding departments and HR. Another example is how we leverage synergy effects through cross-crop collaboration and use existing resources in our global station network. We laid the foundation for that at the first of many Multicrop Station Manager Meetings in February, which the spring issue of insideKWS reported on. One main driver for us continues to be new technologies that allow us to use our resources more efficiently and sustainably.

That certainly sounds like a lot of upheaval. How does GSM aim to support that change?

We are in close dialogue with each other all the time. That’s the most vital factor in making sure we grow efficiently. The multicrop approach also boosts our ability to leverage synergies better, redistribute resources if necessary and respond faster to changing conditions.

One further major step was the hiring of a Lead of Multicrop Experts New Technologies effective October 1, 2020. This new function’s goal is to enable the strategic orientation and coordination of all new technologies. As a result, we’ll ensure that technological innovations, probably the most important element in the process of change, are pooled and controlled in a cross-unit manner. |