To house their new company, the Hager family purchase the premises of another business that has closed down. The site covers an area of 12,000 m² and is located in Ensheim, in Saarland. They pay off the property in instalments, and Peter Hager and his sons restore the buildings with the help of a small team. Years later, Hermann Hager will say, “I still remember crouching on the roof, laying asbestos cement panels!” Soon afterwards, the small company begins to manufacture its products.
The Hagers’ most important customer at this time is Remington, an electric shaver manufacturer based in Saarbrücken. At first, Hager only supplies single precision-turned components, but later it supplies almost the whole shaver from a single source. The company then expands its manufacturing portfolio by adding a new technology, producing parts made of injected plastic.
How can a company respond specifically to customers’ needs? One approach is to listen to them very carefully. An even better way is to work closely with them. From 1966 onwards, the Hagers invite electrical installers to attend training sessions. It allows the technicians to become familiar with Hager products and the Hagers to work out how they can improve their products even more. This customer-focused approach becomes one of the main ingredients for Hager Group’s success.
