Ulm-based lubricant specialist LIQUI MOLY has taken the right course in the crisis. Ernst Prost, managing director of LIQUI MOLY, proves that the countercyclical strategy is right for two record months in a row. November sales were already 26 percent higher than November 2019. December is now 38 percent above the same month last year.
The company says it has made huge investments to combat the global crisis. The marketing budget has more than doubled, there has been no short-time work, and no state aid has been claimed. Quite the opposite: LIQUI MOLY also showed itself to be a company with great social responsibility during the pandemic, giving its entire workforce an employment guarantee and € 1500 coronavirus allowance on top of their typical pay. The co-entrepreneurs, as the employees at LIQUI MOLY are called, were committed to a challenging time.
“We work day and night. The crisis is our opportunity to get ahead of our competitors,” said Prost, describing his approach as a maritime maneuver: “All men on deck and full speed ahead!” The company places particular importance on being there for its customers all over the world. “Now the wheat is separated from the chaff. We are a reliable partner. We don’t have an answering machine and none of our customers receive an automatically generated response to an e-mail. Personal, committed service – that’s all that counts,” he said.
This only works with a highly motivated team that pulls together. The said he knows that it is a tough time for his company and for all business partners. “I can rely 100 percent on my 1,000 men and women. For this, they have my heartfelt gratitude! I would also like to thank our customers and partners for their special loyalty! We were only able to achieve these record sales together. This is a team effort.”
The company from Ulm, Swabia, has attracted particular attention this year with its aggressive strategy. With massive investments in marketing measures, the lubricant producer is even more in the public perception than in all the years before. The company is present in radio, TV, magazines, online and at numerous sporting events, such as Formula 1 or in winter sports. “We stand out. And that’s the way it should be. Not only we, but above all the workshops and retailers who generate sales with our products, benefit from our enormous campaign. We provide supporting fire, so to speak. We have always built up reserves to be able to act in difficult times. And that’s exactly what we are doing now,” Prost explained.
This strategy obviously worked. The company has hired more than 100 people during the crisis. In addition, in Germany alone, some 5.6 million euro in products were donated to rescue services, first-aid organizations, nursing services, “meals on wheels” and many other non-profit institutions. “It’s crystal-clear: in a crisis like this, we need to stick together. Our company is doing well despite the crisis and we consider it our responsibility to contribute to the functioning of society. Every emergency vehicle stands still without motor oil. Our products give the organizations financial breathing room elsewhere. In this way, we have been able to do our part,” he added.
The second record month in a row comes as no surprise to the Managing Director. “It is the logical consequence for our spirited approach, the reward for hard work and our solidarity. But the crisis has not yet been overcome. We must not rest on our laurels at the 26% increase in November and 38% in December. We will continue to fight together in 2021.” The company leader said he is confident that he will be able to celebrate further successes and create new jobs in the coming year.
