“Could you please describe your career in a few sentences so that readers can gain some idea of who you are?”

“After I went to Munich for professional reasons in 2006, I returned to the Vogtland region with my wife five years ago. My wife opened a lawyer’s practice and I joined the family business in order to continue it. It was necessary to settle the succession issue in my father’s firm. It was a question of either staying away for an even longer period or continuing to manage what my parents had built up.”

“Did you have any thoughts about continuing your parents’ business in Munich?”

“Relocation simply wouldn’t have been possible. Firstly, we depend on our skilled workers – our employees are our capital; our company cannot function without our employees and their experience. Secondly, we need a lot of space, which would not be easy to obtain in Munich. We’re well cared for in the Vogtland area by the town of Oelsnitz and the Vogtland Rural District’s business support programme. These links are based on long-term cooperation founded on trust. That’s why we’re happy to commit ourselves to the Vogtland region.”

“What other benefits does the company site in Oelsnitz in the Vogtland area have for you?”

“The “Neue Welt” industrial park is ideally situated for us in logistical terms. Our cranes are relatively large and bulky. We can reach the motorway without any problems with parts that may be up to 50 metres long from our business site on the Neue Welt business park. That’s pretty unique. There are also good skilled workers in the Vogtland region. Electricians, metalworkers, welders etc. are all trades that are very important for our company. Good skilled workers, good transport connections and good support from the Vogtland Rural District provide the ideal combination.” 

“Have you sensed any shortage of specialist workers in your sector?”

“We notice it with the trainees. There are fewer trainees in our sector. But we spend a lot of time and effort looking after our young workers. We try to involve schoolchildren at an early stage through holiday work and training fairs and inform them about the trainee positions. We also pay trainee wages that are a little above the normal average for the sector or even exceed the negotiated wage rate. You have to make an effort to look after people and point them in the right career direction in a sensible way. Then things work out well. We cannot complain about any general shortage of specialist workers – although everybody wants to move to big cities at the moment. Our region needs to do more advertising – including for issues related to culture and living. The “welcome culture” is a major area of discussion at the moment. We need to strengthen this even more in the Vogtland region too.”

“You just touched on the issue of quality of life. How do you find this as a private person living in the Vogtland region?”

“It’s perfect here for your family and children. The nurseries are very good; there are well-known schools – e.g. the music grammar school in Markneukirchen, the Erzgebirge/Vogtland nature park with its leisure activities and I don’t face any traffic jams when I drive to work. It’s hard to imagine anything better.”

“Would you have returned to the Vogtland region if the family business hadn’t been based here?”

“We probably would have come back anyway. Partly because I always wanted to live in my own house. I’ve been able to fulfil this wish here. It was good to live in Munich for a particular time to gain impressions and experience, which are very useful. But we had basically planned our return, because both my wife’s family and mine are based here in the Vogtland region. The Bangs settled here as early as the 18th century.” 

“How do you see the future for your company here in the Vogtland region?”

“We view the future in a very positive light. We want to maintain the company and we feel very happy here. My brother and I are just preparing the company succession with our father. Our father will be there to help us for some years to come – so the company succession will be a gradual transition process. If the economic situation remains stable, we’ll also be able to grow a little in small stages. We’ll try to retain our employees, maintain our market share and expand a little. If things continue as they are, we’ll be happy.” 

“What would you like to see the rural district or the town do for your company in terms of support?”

“We basically receive excellent support already; however, the average age in the region gives us food for thought at times. We need national marketing for our region in order to attract specialist workers and particularly young people – or get them to return. Migrants from abroad would enrich the Vogtland region too. The area is attractive, but too few people know that this is a low-cost living region with good schools, well-developed transport links and good cultural activities.”

“Thank you very much for the interview.”

Personal details Christoph Bang

Christoph Bang passed his school-leaving examinations in Markneukirchen. After completing his non-military and military service, he studied engineering in Chemnitz and Dresden before going to England to write his degree dissertation. Bang moved to Munich in 2006.

Christoph Bang returned to the Vogtland area in 2009. He now manages BANG Kransysteme GmbH & Co. KG with his father and brother.

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