Interview with Alfred Siefer
A conversation with Alfred Siefer
Born and raised in Alsace, France, Alfred Siefer studied refrigeration, air conditioning, and environmental process engineering at the IUT Belfort-Montbéliard. In parallel with his primary studies, he went to Karlsruhe, Germany, for three years to obtain an engineering degree with a major in mechanical engineering. His initial experience in the aviation industry was with Eurocopter in Ottobrunn, now Airbus Helicopters, and at Dornier in Friedrichshafen, both Germany. Following his studies he served in the military with the French Air Force in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. Mr. Siefer knows the GSE business from the ground up. With the French military, he used axle-jacks and tripod-jacks every day. During this time and the following years, he developed a passion for the land and culture of Africa. His first job as a test engineer for engine test stands was with the Automobil Prüftechnik company in Landau, Germany. In this function, he was responsible for performing endurance and functional tests on engine test stands for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. In 1999 Siefer was made head test engineer at the company's site in Wolfsburg, Germany, where he led a team of 10 engineers. His desire to move into the sales side with his in-depth technical knowledge brought him to HYDRO in 2001. As Key Account Manager, he was based at the headquarters in Biberach and responsible for France and North Africa. Between 2005 and 2014, he also serviced the Middle East. In 2014 he had the opportunity to move to the HYDRO location in France, newly founded in 2012. He took advantage of this opportunity to move to the Toulouse area with his family. Today he services France and all of Africa.
Alfred Siefer is 48 years old, has two daughters aged 10 and 12, and lives in Fonsorbes, a small town near Toulouse, France.
For what regions are you responsible as Area Sales Manager?
My territory as Area Sales Manager covers France and all of Africa. This especially relates to the more advanced region of North Africa, where, except for Egypt, French is spoken predominantly, and to South Africa. Over the years we have been able to greatly expand our presence on the African continent and gain new countries and customers.
What is unique about the French market? What are the differences?
French customers do not buy products off the rack. Not even such straightforward products as axle-jacks. This means that sales is never simple, but that is exactly what makes it so interesting to me. French customers have individual requirements. That doesn't mean that it is hard to work with them, or that they don't know what is possible. Quite the contrary – they know it very well. If you can serve them as a supplier, this will quickly grow into a long-term partnership and customer loyalty.
What do customer-specific changes mean in practice?
For Air France, for example, it is important that the manometer for pressure adjustments is blocked on axle-jacks, and cannot be altered. Our axle-jacks are innately designed so that the customer can change the pressure depending on the application. Our flexible solution is that we proposed an optional conversion kit for Air France to lock out the pressure adjustment. Air France is now one of our largest customers for axle-jacks. The airline has over 150 of them in use around the world.
„French customers do not buy products off the rack. But if you can serve them as a supplier, this will quickly grow into a long-term partnership and customer loyalty.“
Area Sales Manager
Airbus produces various models in Toulouse. Does this matter to HYDRO?
We at HYDRO, of course, decided to locate our French site in the Toulouse area in order to be able to optimally serve one of our largest customers. Our physical proximity is essential for Airbus. We now have products on nearly all of the Airbus final assembly lines around the world, including the A320 Final Assembly Lines in Mobile, USA, Hamburg, Germany, Tianjin, China, Toulouse, France, as well as the FALs for the A220, A330, A350, or A380. Here in Toulouse our Ground Support Equipment and Airframe Tools are in use at numerous points. They are always adapted to the local Airbus requirements when it comes to space requirements, health and safety, and ergonomics.
The "Fast Customized Production" service is specially designed for the French market. What is behind this?
With "Fast Customized Production" we serve a small but growing market local to France. What do we offer? With our short-run production facility in Toulouse we produce machines, tools, and applications for customers based on sketches or drawings, and apply our many years of expertise. We also create the drawings ourselves when needed. It is a classical "make-to-print business”, if you will, but it is designed to service the local market. What does that mean? Our French customers appreciate physical proximity and fast response times above all. Customers such as Latécoère, Satys, Airbus Toulouse and Saint Nazaire, Rolls-Royce Toulouse, and Derichebourg have long appreciated "Fast Customized Production".
„Many customers come back to us after trying low-priced products, because they simply trust our quality. Ultimately you have to take a long-term perspective. It is not a rarity that products made by HYDRO are still being used decades later. “
Area Sales Manager
Where are customer trends headed? What changes do you see?
In our experience, we have found that the price of a product is not everything. Many customers come back to us after trying low-priced products, because they simply trust our quality. Ultimately you have to take a long-term perspective. It is not a rarity that products made by HYDRO are still being used decades later. Over the entire service life, an investment in a high-quality product makes more sense. This conclusion is being accepted more and more.
I also see that the requirements of African customers are continuing to increase. The EASA now applies the same standards to African airlines, in terms of quality audits, as for European countries. This means that evidence of regular maintenance intervals on Ground Support Equipment must be kept here, just as it is in more developed countries of the world. In the past, this was quite different.
Does the cancellation of the A380 have any consequences for HYDRO?
It was surely no easy decision for Airbus to cancel the A380. It will still be produced through 2021, though, until the last units are shipped to Emirates and ANA Airways. Then support will not stop, as the machines will still be in use at airlines around the world.
Of course we are expecting to see a drop in demand for A380 Ground Support Equipment and Airframe Tools in the medium to long term. But the numbers are clear on growth in the aviation industry: they are climbing steeply. Therefore we are just seeing a shift in demand to more A350 and A330neo or B777 and B787 models. And there we have the same scope of products, if not an even wider selection.
How do you see the growth in aviation on the continent of Africa?
Africa is currently following exactly the same trend as the middle class in Europe about 30 years ago. Prosperity is increasing and, in parallel, so is the demand for travel. Therefore I see great growth ahead for the aviation industry in Africa in upcoming years. The quality and luxury offered by African airlines is no different than the other airlines in the world. Egyptair, for example, will launch the A220 and B787, followed by the A320neo in 2020. By the end of 2021, Egyptair will have updated its entire fleet. Ethiopian Airlines also has big plans with its "Vision 2025" program. Air Mauritius, Rwandair, and Air Senegal are introducing the new A330neo this year.
Tunisia will recover from the consequences of the Arab Spring in the near term. When tourism returns, this will have a direct influence on our business.
We have been on the scene for decades and serve the market in Africa. This pays dividends in terms of customer loyalty. But not only that, we have also learned to understand the market better.
CLOSE-UP WITH ALFRED SIEFER
A good day at work starts with…
A cup of coffee
I earned my first money…
At age 14 on a tobacco plantation in Alsace.
If I could chose my seat neighbor on an aircraft…
My wife. But if I had the choice: no one, in order to have more space (to stretch out my legs), to relax, to be able to work, read a book, or just do nothing.
I lose track of time…
When I play with my kids, or work in my garage workshop.
The so far most expensive purchase in my life…
My house.
I have always…
Wanted to combine my personal passion for aviation with my career.
I have never…
Been on a safari tour in Kenya or Tanzania, and have made it a goal to do so.
Those aiming for a career at HYDRO…
You need to be a passionate aviation fan, curious, and ready to tackle new challenges.
When I was 18, I wanted to…
be a pilot.
Home for me means…
At my house with my family.