Company portrait SKS: A visit to the plastics expert for bicycle accessories
Timo Dillenberger
· 16.08.2024
In the bicycle sector, orange does not stand for the Netherlands, but for the self-proclaimed problem solvers from Sundern in the Sauerland region. Recently turned 100 years young, the cradle of the traditional German company SKS Germany is not in the bicycle industry at all. Company founder Karl Scheffer-Klute did not initially build pumps from metal tubes, but rather curtain rods, before these found their way onto the world-famous racing compressor, among other things, following a company takeover. Making the simple particularly good seems to be the motto here.
Compared to an indexed shifter with an integrated hydraulic master cylinder for the brakes, a mudguard is technically more of a Stone Age product, you might think, and anyone who thinks that can barely keep their mouth shut for a minute during the official tour of the SKS factory! Quite apart from the sheer size of the site, the halls, the machines and, above all, the warehouse and the new dispatch hall, the sheer number of units and the almost insane number of variants of the classic, permanently mounted mudguards alone is enough to make you feel humble. Incidentally, the word mudguard is now only used in the trade - due to the switch from metal to plastic, the correct term in the industry is "mudguard".
SKS: Expertise in bicycle accessories from Germany
In fact, all customers from the 52 countries are supplied with bike accessories from the Sauerland. In addition to Europe, business is particularly strong in Scandinavia and the USA, but no one in the SKS team of analysts knows why the rain-plagued English of all people love the pump power from Germany, but the mudguards are much less in demand.
Premium location Sauerland
What is certain, however, is that Sundern remains the epicentre of the small mobility helpers, otherwise the last free square metres of the company premises in the middle of Sundern would not be built on or modernised. The highlight for us is the ultra-modern warehouse, i.e. the modern high-bay warehouse, whatever that may be! Anyone who has so many different parts in stock, both as an OEM supplier and for the aftersales sector, inevitably has to automate.
However, the clean building is one of the few areas in the huge complex where you feel a little lonely. The automatic testing machine for ensuring that pump heads are one hundred per cent leak-proof also relieves people of simple tasks. Except where automation is absolutely necessary, people are obviously used rather than machines. There are a total of 625 employees in the group of companies, including around 30 trainees. And there are still a number of jobs advertised on the website.
We see ourselves as problem solvers. Under the motto "protection and assistance", our products ensure greater comfort and safety for all aspects of cycling. - Linda Geuecke, Marketing at SKS Germany
Everything revolves around the wheel
A real question mark for us, as SKS Metaplast has been recognised several times as an employer for its commitment and fair conditions. The Sauerland-based company even works on this with meticulousness and team spirit. In Sundern, the employees are driven by deafening "noise" until they fall off their seats completely sweaty and tired. However, this scenario does not take place in the production halls, but in the company's own spinning studio with music and a professional coach, right next to the equipment training room. Yes, the bike is omnipresent here, not just for sport, but also as the second fastest way to communicate with colleagues on the 36,000 square metre site, right after the pneumatic tube.
And it is the inspiration for everything new. Davor Kisker from Product Development reveals: "Most ideas for new or further developments come from cyclists, both external, i.e. customers, and company employees. His colleague Sven Kordes describes the further development process as follows: "The greatest difficulty in developing complex assemblies is to reconcile the following three points: Product safety, design and the economic and high-quality manufacturability of all components."
SKS: "extremely German"
Incidentally, we didn't see the most interesting bikes on the site - at least not officially. One of the original wings houses the test equipment and the prototyping department. Here, new mudguards, sorry, mudguards, first have to show on a number of wheel, tyre and water level configurations that they really do what they are supposed to do, create a so-called spray pattern that is as gentle as possible on the rider and clothing, without clogging, rattling, wobbling, breaking, snagging, etc.
By the way: Did you know that the safety cut-off points on the SKS protector carriers are not mandatory? You've just got used to it because the SKS design is found on so many bikes. During the tour, Christoph Kronen, product manager for the bicycle division, generally regrets that there are not more standards and regulations regarding safety. This is probably to thin out cheap imitations on the market and also to prevent the variety of product configurations in the ever-growing range of bikes from getting out of hand.
Although sales have increased in recent years, the company is barely keeping up with developments. In the past, a few models of different types were offered to the market, today wheel manufacturers order profiles, mountings and colours, and SKS has to consider whether the respective quantity is worthwhile. In principle, it is even possible to order one piece at a time, says Linda Geuecke. However, tool production, testing and logistics make the price unprofitable for the customer.
Made in Sundern
The fast-paced market is another reason to keep production and development at one location. With the short distances to major customers, the company is much more flexible here than if parts constantly had to be sent back and forth between China and Sundern. Quality, flexibility and innovation are the company's guiding principles. According to Bosen, it is only possible to combine these with the major goal of environmental compatibility as "Made in Germany" or "Made in Sundern".
The wood for the handles of the SKS article par excellence, the racing compressor, comes from the neighbouring town, the aluminium does not come from Canada either, but is also of Sauerland origin, and as much shredded old raw material is added to the plastic parts as the respective part can still tolerate without loss. However, perhaps the most environmentally friendly aspect is not to be found in the raw materials or the CO2 balance, but in the quality standards.
The company's own small showroom - or museum - at Orange World contains, among other things, the "racing compressor" from racing legend Gregor Braun. Apart from the odd new rubber seal, it is still doing its job even after more than 45 years, so waste is avoided through durability. The spare parts stores are also important here. On our tour, we even found components for models that have not been on the market in their original form for a long time. Long life cycles through product quality and repairing instead of throwing away is probably the most effective concept for sustainability!
The most sustainable product is the one that you only buy once and that lasts a lifetime or can be easily repaired. - Nikolas Bosen, SKS Product Management
Bicycle accessories with principles in orange/black
In the development department, which we only saw half of, by the way, there are parts twisting and turning on the monitors that you can immediately recognise as familiar bicycle accessories, but also some that will open relatively new doors in orange and black towards 2025, let's say. The importance of networking with other Made-in-Germany companies is demonstrated by the new Schwalbe valve recently unveiled at Eurobike.
SKS can already supply the appropriate pump head - including a floor pump, of course. If the system catches on as expected, this would be another milestone on its triumphal march. Despite all the new developments and product maintenance, SKS will not be leaving its niche as a "problem solver" in the bike sector for the time being, according to the management, so we can't expect a crankset or wheels. "Ride on" is one of the slogans.
We are super German! - Christoph Kohnen, SKS Product Manager Bicycle
This means that you should simply be able to ride on despite adverse circumstances such as rain, dirt or a flat tyre. These are certainly not quantum leaps in cycling, but the hard work, creativity and the aforementioned obsession with detail and the "typical German" in SKS simply make everyday cycling better in many small ways.
What use are the smoothest-running wheels and tyres if the valve mechanism on the pump doesn't close properly after a puncture? This could be applied to any of the simple parts from the Sauerland region. Somehow it's reassuring that someone puts so much thought into the little things on the bike so that you don't have to worry about them yourself. Thank you!
SKS Metaplast Scheffer-Klute GmbH - Facts and figures
- Foundation: 1921
- Headquarters: Sundern in the Sauerland
- Number of employees: 400 (625 incl. Blomus and Schött)
- Articles produced in 2023: 8.000.000
- Floor space: 36,000 square metres (Sundern)
- annual turnover: 63 million euros (113 million for the entire group of companies)
