Interview with Philipp Steinberger in WirtschaftsWoche's "Unternehmergeist"

To master the digital and green transformation, creativity and entrepreneurial courage are needed. Now it is important to combine fresh ideas with economic experience in order to develop innovative technologies, services and products. In WirtschaftsWoche's special publication "Unternehmergeist", CEO Philipp Steinberger shows how sustainability and innovation are practised at Wöhner. 


Mr Steinberger, Wöhner has been setting standards in technologies for the distribution and control of electrical energy for almost 100 years. What does innovation mean to you?
Innovation is the most important factor for our actions. As a medium-sized company and market leader for energy distribution systems, we have to be creative and fast in order to hold our own. Therefore, we usually bring new ideas to market within 12 to 18 months. Innovation is also reflected in our design. The distinctive look of our products with the transparent blue panels makes the Wöhner brand visible. All this requires courage, the will to act fast, to go unusual ways – and real entrepreneurial spirit also in the staff.

Wöhner sees itself as an "enabler of sustainability" – what does that mean?
The market segment of renewable energies plays a major role for us. At the same time, our core segment is the distribution of electrical energy – in this area we create efficiency and save energy. We optimise production and supply chains for the smallest possible CO2 footprint. In product development, we pay attention to recyclable materials. Our products are designed for durability and efficiency as well as minimal power loss. This means we use our innovations to make products sustainable.

Could you give us an example?
Our MOTUS®C14. It combines sustainability and innovation, which is what characterises Wöhner. It is a motor starter that has received a lot of awards and also serves as an electronic short-circuit monitor, detecting short circuits before they occur, so to speak. It is very energy-efficient, constructed as far as possible from bioplastics, particularly user-friendly and intuitively configurable!