In June 2022 TFL completed the acquisition of LANXESS Organic Leather Chemicals business

Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | June 2022

One Year of Integration

A lot has happened since the 1st June 2021 and the new TFL is still in the process of finding itself and to grow together as a new, successful team. This is completely natural and normal when experiencing a change – the merger of two successful companies in the leather industry - like we did last year, as change doesn’t happen within a day, it is process that can be supported by many factors.

"They must often change, who would be in constant happiness or wisdom” (Confucius)

That’s easier said than done and that’s why the time period following a change sets the course for the future. For the first months of 2021 the employees of TFL and LANXESS OLC have been excitingly waiting for what’s to expect them as of 1st June 2021. Uncertainty, yet also joyful anticipation filled the corridors, labs and production sites.

A lot has happened since the 1st June 2021 and the new TFL is still in the process of finding itself and to grow together as a new, successful team. This is completely natural and normal when experiencing a change – the merger of two successful companies in the leather industry - like we did last year, as change doesn’t happen within a day, it is a process that can be supported by many factors. Unfortunately, we have been limited in organising meet-and-greet-events due to COVID-19. Thus, we haven’t been able in the beginning to meet many of the colleagues face-to-face but had to use digital media for that purpose. We had already internalised and learnt this in the months before, nevertheless it would have been more effective and pleasing to have met in person. However, we haven’t been passive during those months and have, thus, mainly within Europe, organised first workshops for experts of both companies to meet, talk about their specific portfolio and get to know the corresponding products. For example, we have had workshops in Beamhouse, Wet-end, Waterproof, Fatliquors, Automotive Finishing, Shoe & Leather Goods and Dyestuffs. Besides getting to know the products and exchanging experience, the focus was on getting to know each other personally. Nowadays, it can be said that especially in the technical field the teams have grown together very fast and very tightly. The knowledge acquired wasn’t meant to be restricted to Europe, therefore the corresponding teams subsequently organised webinars for the colleagues in other regions. There was much interest and strong participation.

In other sectors, unfortunately, integration as of day 1 had to take place almost entirely online. This however, hasn’t hindered colleagues to find the interest and willpower to jointly work on solutions, to overcome system-related challenges of the first weeks/months, to offer our customers the best service possible. In the past year, our colleagues in Sales and Supply Chain had to take on a lot , which they can be proud of today. Their commitment and action have made it possible that we were able to deliver to our customers – initially with some delays – and that we always had a sympathetic ear for them. At this point, we would like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding in those first months.

What else has happened?

Even before day 1 a team has formed dealing with corporate culture. The Executive Board as well as the employees have realised at an early stage, that a new common culture will be vital for the success of the new TFL. During the first year, different workshops have taken place during which a European team has planned the corner stones of the new culture and presented their findings to the Executive Board. After a global roll-out beginning of this year, these guiding principles and values have been heard in all countries and it is now up to each individual supervisor and employee to bring them to life within the teams and oneself. Especially pleasant was a first personal meeting of the German speaking team members in Leverkusen in May – personal exchange gives you so much more than purely virtual workshops and events.

How fortunate, that we currently have the possibility to encourage personal exchange. Let’s seize this opportunity as long as possible to further work on creating the new TFL.

Christiane, Germany

Product Marketing Manager at TFL
#traveltheworld #teamplayer #fckoeln #colognecarnival
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