Introducing: Our main site in Leibstadt (Part 1)

A regional partner, a global player: Leibstadt is at the heart of the Kuratle Group’s comprehensive timber solutions. No other site is home to as many companies and departments as this one. Most recently, changes to the office layout – which have led to improved workflows and faster order processing – have enabled us to better meet our customers’ needs.

It wasn’t just the canteen that was newly set up in Building A. Meier Logistik also required additional office space, which is why some departments moved within the building.

The internal sales team moved into new premises in the spring of 2025. Almost at the same time, Cosimo Spycher took over as head of the internal sales team. He leads a small team, but the age range is wide: three staff members are over 50, and three are under 30. “We’re a great example of cross-generational collaboration,” says Cosimo, praising his team.
In the office, Cosimo works alongside six staff members and one apprentice. The field sales team is led by Erich Joho, supported by Remo Gspandl, who manages the national key account portfolio.

The doors department is also part of the Leibstadt sales site. Patrick Gorski brings valuable experience from Füllinsdorf. Mirko Purgati, meanwhile, has been with the site for over 30 years – an impressive wealth of experience.

Unlike at the other sites, customers come from all over Switzerland. Whether from Ticino, Eastern Switzerland or the Mittelland – the requirements are diverse, and large-scale projects are not uncommon. The Leibstadt site also serves the customer district of the sales organisation Topwood Trading GmbH, which is based in Germany.

The current focus is on improving networking even further. Collaboration between Leibstadt, Füllinsdorf and Basel is being continuously strengthened. Expertise is shared across sites, and projects are driven forward jointly. Management of the online shop is also increasingly being organised centrally.

In day-to-day operations, the physical proximity has a positive impact. Anyone with a question can usually find the answer just a few steps away – whether it’s in logistics, marketing or finance – or right next door in Philipp Studerus’s office. “Proximity to the Kuratle Group’s CSO really pays off, particularly when it comes to project decisions,” says Cosimo, whose usual point of contact is Managing Director Andreas Glück.

Every Friday lunchtime, the team heads to a restaurant together. As well as team events, they enjoy the traditional New Year’s fondue dinner with Andreas Glück.

Category management and supply chain management (material master data) also play a key role at the site; these functions have moved from the ground floor to the upper floor.

Which products will be added to the range? Which suppliers will become long-term partners? How will the product range evolve? The Category Management team, covering the timber construction (Daniel Hönicke), interior fit-out and flooring (Dominik Müller) and doors (Christian Tütsch) ranges, monitors markets, visits manufacturers and keeps an eye out for innovations.

The current driving force behind the industry? “Timber construction,” says Daniel Hönicke. The number of products in the system is also impressive. The “Mat Stamm” – as the Material Master Data team, led by Oktay Cetin, is known internally – has already entered 50,000 items into the system. “We analyse product ranges, evaluate sales figures and ensure that products are correctly maintained and available,” says Oktay. New EU regulatory requirements are also factored into the work. “The online shop is currently undergoing a paradigm shift,” adds Dominik Müller, Head of Category Management, describing the remit. User numbers are rising – and the more items we put online, the more attractive the online shop becomes.

Key tasks such as pricing, product information and the maintenance of the Product Information Management (PIM) system are the responsibility of Category Management. This results in numerous points of contact with Marketing, which prepares data and specialist knowledge for communication materials such as price lists or leaflets.

It is no coincidence that the warehouses at our sites are well-stocked. Thanks to Category Management, the right products are available in the right quantities at the right time and in the right place.

Team spirit is part and parcel of the team. Here, where the groundwork for customer-focused sales is laid, we also regularly fire up the barbecue.

The Kuratle Group’s quality management department has also relocated within Leibstadt. Department heads Michael Zwez and Werner Lesch are based right next to the Kuratle & Jaecker sales department. They ensure that processes, certifications and legal requirements are adhered to across the entire group.

What does this mean in practice? Michael, for example, deals with ISO matters and health and safety. Werner is responsible for issues such as FSC®, PEFC and product compliance.

The development of the quality management system reflects the history of the group. “In 2010, SAP was introduced as our new ERP solution and processes were redefined,” explains Werner. Michael adds: “This was followed in 2011 by recertification to ISO 9001 and the establishment of our quality management system (QMS) as we know it today.” Further changes came in 2015 with the merger with Hiag Handel AG – another milestone.

The focus is on the future. Digital solutions are set to simplify risk management and make processes even more efficient. Apps for risk assessments and safety inspections are in the pipeline.
The QMS is constantly evolving. The two quality managers travel extensively and visit every site at least once a year. New staff are trained, audits are carried out and certification processes are supported. In doing so, Michael and Werner translate the ‘technical jargon’ of external auditors into terms that are relevant to our staff’s day-to-day operations. This is paying off.

‘The concept of quality management has really taken root,’ says Michael. He has noticed that quality is increasingly giving way to excellence. Staff are actively contributing ideas to processes and suggesting improvements of their own accord.

There’s a lot going on in Leibstadt. The Corporate Communications and Marketing departments, for example, which used to be in Building A, have moved to Building C. But we’ll be taking a closer look at these departments (and the others) in future issues.

Thanks to our locations, we are always close to our customers. This enables us to capitalise on the synergies between our companies at a local level, offer short journey times with direct links to major transport routes, and ensure large storage capacities with rapid availability. We’ll be showcasing our locations on a tour of the regions.