In this interview, Thomas Hehnle (Chief Sales Officer of the Noerpel Group and L&S's Managing Director) and Albrecht Birzele (Division Manager) reflect on the early years, major milestones, and the key factors behind L&S's success.

 

How did the idea of founding a personnel services company within a logistics business come about?

Albrecht Birzele: The idea emerged directly from day-to-day operations. For many years, Noerpel had been using temporary workers at its headquarters in Ulm. At the same time, more and more customers were approaching us, asking whether we could provide forklift drivers or warehouse employees on a flexible basis.

 

Thomas Hehnle: One of our logistics customers was actually the driving force behind the concept. Due to seasonal business fluctuations, they required a large workforce during the first half of the year, but significantly fewer employees during the second.

 

Albrecht Birzele: That was our opportunity. We recognised the potential and seized the moment by founding our own temporary employment company.

 

Albrecht, you were involved from the outset. What appealed to you about this challenge?

Albrecht Birzele: The temporary employment sector can be a demanding environment. The opportunity to establish a personnel services company based on my own values doesn't arise very often. I therefore did not have to think twice before accepting the challenge

 

Thomas Hehnle: You have certainly done an outstanding job. The figures speak for themselves: our employees stay with us for much longer than the industry average for temporary employment in Germany.

 

How would you describe your early years here?

Albrecht Birzele: I started from scratch. There were only five files, no software and no CRM system. I began with pen and paper and Excel spreadsheets for sales activities. For more than a year, I handled everything myself, from sales and recruitment to payroll. During that time, I introduced new software solutions and established structures as the first internal employees joined the company.

 

Thomas Hehnle: Then, in 2008 and 2009, the economic situation became more challenging …

 

Albrecht Birzele: Absolutely. We operate in a highly dynamic market and must constantly adapt to economic conditions. Whether it was the financial crisis, the pandemic or the conflict in Ukraine, flexibility has always been essential.

 

Thomas Hehnle: Challenges are part of business. We were never discouraged. Instead, we made sound decisions and remained focused on the future.

 

So, what is the secret behind L&S’s success?

Albrecht Birzele: After Ulm, we opened additional sites in Ravensburg, Teningen, Kempten and Villingen-Schwenningen. Today, L&S has a presence at 13 locations. We have grown continuously alongside the Noerpel Group. Many of our colleagues from the early days are still with us, which creates exceptional stability and continuity across our locations.

 

Thomas Hehnle: L&S has always been closely connected to operational logistics and freight forwarding activities. This proximity is a key success factor. As an integral part of the Group, L&S offers reliability, strong links to the core business, and long-term career prospects.

 

Albrecht Birzele: Exactly. We often employ temporary workers within our logistics and forwarding operations between external assignments. We also invest heavily in training, offering everything from forklift and crane licences to a wide range of specialist qualifications. These services are also available to our customers and their employees.

 

20 years of L&S – which milestones stand out?

Albrecht Birzele: Over the years, we have won a number of onsite projects. This is the most intensive form of cooperation in our industry, reflecting the high level of trust that our customers place in us.

 

Thomas Hehnle: Our onsite projects certainly set us apart. Another major milestone was reached in 2021, when we assigned more than 1,000 temporary employees for the first time.

 

Wie eng ist die Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Bereich Spedition , Logistik und der L&S? 

Thomas Hehnle: We collaborate closely across all areas. Today, L&S is responsible for placing every temporary employee within the Noerpel Group.

 

Albrecht Birzele: In addition, we can offer customers a complete, one-stop solution combining freight forwarding, logistics services and qualified personnel. That's a great perk!

 

What are your ambitions for the future?

Albrecht Birzele: Naturally, we would like to open additional locations.

 

Thomas Hehnle: We also see opportunities to provide qualified personnel in other specialist areas. Much will depend on the wider economic environment. We have consistently outperformed market trends because we do things differently. The past 20 years have shown that we can successfully navigate changing economic conditions while continuing to grow. Our aim is to continue that growth story over the next 20 years as well.

 

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