Clearview National November 2018 - Issue 204 | Page 18

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Heinrich
Laumann
» » THE FOUNDING FATHER OF
VEKA AG, Heinrich Laumann, passed away in
early September this year, aged 89. And, with
his death, the window industry lost one of its
most distinguished entrepreneurs of the last
50 years. Described as a ‘pioneer and family
man’, Heinrich’s business vision shaped the
industry on an international level, and his
core values - putting people first - will be his
lasting legacy at VEKA subsidiaries across the
globe.
Here, VEKA Group MD Dave Jones
reflects on Heinrich’s life in fenestration and
how he planted the first seed in the VEKA
‘family tree’ which is still in bloom half a
century later…
I was moved to hear of the passing of our
founder Heinrich Laumann; a real gentleman
and a true pioneer of our industry.
He was 40 years old in 1969 when he took
the reins at VEKAPLAST in the German city
of Sendenhorst. When he started out with
a team of just eight people, nobody would
have imagined that over the next 49 years
– with his guidance - this company would
become a global leader in PVC-U. From
humble beginnings evolved an internationally
renowned business that now employs around
5600 people in 35 countries across the
globe.
Heinrich’s official obituary described him
as a person whose “vision, courage and
passion” grew VEKA AG to where it is today.
“Together with his employees, he led the
company to extraordinary domestic and
international success and growth. Throughout
his life, he was highly respected for his deep
sense of responsibility, his entrepreneurial
vision and sense of what is possible. Heinrich
Laumann was not only able to motivate
people but he was able to win them over
with his ideas. He influenced an entire
industry with his farsighted decisions and
innovations.”
I couldn’t agree more. I had the pleasure of
working with Heinrich early in my career and
I found him to be an inspirational man, with
an impressive level of technical expertise.
While he wasn’t always the loudest person
in the room, his vision when it came to
fenestration, and the future of his company
18 » N OV 2018 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
‘he was highly respected for his deep
sense of responsibility, his entrepreneurial
vision and sense of what is possible’
was impossible to ignore. His drive and quiet
determination was wonderful to witness, and
a privilege to be party to at the start of my
VEKA career.
Heinrich was cited as one of the ‘pioneers
of PVC-U’ as a window and door material,
when his company first started extruding this
material. And in 1993, when he helped set up
the first closed-loop PVC-U recycling plant
of its kind, he paved the way for how we not
only produce this material, but also reprocess
it responsibly.
‘Heinrich’s official obituary
described him as a person
whose “vision, courage
and passion” grew VEKA
AG to where it is today’
His keen sense of social responsibility,
which was a key driving force in the
day-to-day running of the business, was
also demonstrated by his involvement in
charitable causes. Together with his wife Rita,
in 2008, he established the “Heinrich and Rita
Laumann Foundation” committed to helping
the elderly and infirm in their region.
Heinrich was made an honorary citizen of
the town Sendenhorst and was a recipient
of the German Federal Service Cross of
Merit Award. He received this honour for his
entrepreneurial and business achievements in
Sendenhorst as well as “for his outstanding
personal contribution to society and personal
engagement for people and nature.”
Heinrich’s German obituary read: “his
friendly and always down-to-earth, natural
way of dealing with people, his ability to act
successfully, and at the same time remain
focused, made him into the outstanding
entrepreneurial personality that he was.” I
believe that’s something that we can all learn
from, no matter our line of business.
Heinrich never failed to consider everyone
in his company, whether there were eight in
the team or, more recently, over 5,000. And,
as VEKA heads towards its 50th Anniversary
next year, it is these family values that will be
his lasting legacy, just as much as the way he
shaped the fenestration industry we know
today.