INTERVIEW

Is there a history to the founding of the company?
Mayk Handro (MH): We have been independent craftsmen in Forst for over 100 years. My father’s workshop was taken over by my brother, where I worked at the beginning. At the end of the 90s we decided to open our own independent workshop. We opened the first location on 1st April 1998 in the Frankfurter Straße.

What were the challenges in founding it?
Romy Handro (RH): Unfortunately, we were only able to stay at the old location for two years and then had to look for another property. We found it in the Rüdigerstraße, but it had to be rebuilt. Within 6 months we then built a new workshop, interior work, garage door, paving the yard – anything you can think of. But here too we were only tenants and in 2008 the search began all over again. So again, we drove around the town and looked at what properties are available.

MH: We finally found the old ARAL petrol station in Cottbuser Straße. The buildings were ideal for us, high and ample space. We then rebuilt a few things and today it is exactly the way we want it to be. We’re really happy to have dared it again.

RH: Negotiating the purchase agreement was very complicated, as we had constantly changing contact persons in this large entreprise. It takes nerve. In the end, everything worked out very well, everything was done to our satisfaction. We haven’t regretted even one day of having dared yet another try.

What do you like most about the job?
RH: We’re a great bunch here, a little team. Our mechanic has been with us for 10 years. It’s like family. So work is really fun.
Another advantage is the freedom we have; professionally, but that also plays into the personal. We can decide for ourselves whether to close early on a Friday in order to recharge our batteries at Lake Bärwalde or Lake Senftenberg or another beautiful place.

MH: There is a really good cooperation with many companies in Forst. That’s a good thing, cooperation is important, especially in one’s own place.

RH: And of course what’s really good is we have a major customer, which is the taxi company 2020. We are more than grateful to him. He’s got 30 cars now. That’s all right, and he knows that when he comes to the workshop, even at Christmas, we make everything possible.

What’s the most difficult?
RH: The paperwork that keeps piling up.

Do you have any plans for the future?
RH: Plenty. Especially my husband has new ideas all the time.

MH: We want to stay healthy so we can do our job for a long time. Besides, I always say stagnation is regression. And if I just do the same thing over and over, I don’t evolve. As a result, we are now Truma’s authorized dealer for caravans and motorhomes incl. service. This is also our biggest hobby: to travel by camper.

What role does Forst play for you?
MH: Forst is our hometown. Here’s our family and friends. We can’t get what we’ve built here anywhere else.

RH: We like to be in Forst. Forst is very beautiful, has beautiful old houses, an incredible amount of greenery. We also have many friends from other regions who always like to come to Forst. Everything or almost everything we need is here.