More than surviving: PWM sees Covid19 as a challenge for the future

PWM StayHome

German electronic display manufacturer PWM is a family business: Family owned, family run and working together like family. Responsibility for all the people working for or with the company is part of the corporate philosophy – and the current Corona crisis is no exception.

No interruptions in production and absolutely no compromise in quality of products and services is important for PWM’s customers all around the globe. This high standard was maintained while keeping all employees safe at all times.

But there is another element to the sudden change of circumstances: Innovation. The fuel station industry has never been a stranger to change, and Covid19 might have been a faster than usual development, but it only emphasizes changes about to come anyway.

Digitalisation for the new decade

Life moved online at high speed when lockdown struck most of the world. Many businesses nobody expected to thrive on the web suddenly do, and from one moment to the other everybody knows Zoom. This isn’t really a surprise – the technology exists for quite a while. The current crisis simply accelerates the migration to online services.

But in an exciting counter-development, more and more people become painfully aware of how important face-to-face interaction is, how much they rely on travel and individual mobility to socialize, communicate and get things done. When Covid19 loses its grip on the population, two things are bound to happen:

Travel will pick up, especially individual travel, reviving the fuel station industry and
people on the road will rely on augmented services on mobile devices even more than now, because this is what they are doing right now while on lockdown.

At the point of sales, fuel stations will face the challenge to bring the attention of potential customers back to the real world and its offers beyond fuel. Modern display concepts will help to do that, and PWM is up to that task.

Over the last fourty years, PWM has moved the focus of its products away from technology only, towards solutions to make a perfect impact for customers. The price display pylon became a business card for travellers passing by, later a lighthouse showing the way to an oasis of services, groceries and food.

Many PWM employees have been working from home, to keep their colleagues safe. | © PWM GmbH & Co. KG

PWM employees in the production were separated in two shifts and held the position on site. — Many PWM employees have been working from home, to keep their colleagues safe. | © PWM GmbH & Co. KG

High-tech for the fuel stations

In the next decade, the displays will become more intelligent and more connected. PWM already introduced cloud based interfaces that make existing displays more flexible, much faster to respond and feature a back channel that also simplifies maintenance. Even more revolutionary: With ever improving technology for the price signs, PWM went further and introduced LED-boards that can bring Times Square feeling to the fuel station. Advertising, news, information, full-colour pictures or movies can be presented, indoor as well as outdoor.

These new solutions are backed up by a sound foundation of tech made in Germany. Zero fault quality, long life expectancy, featuring easy maintenance and high endurance to climate and weather. All PWM LEDs are water proof, heat resistant and thoroughly tested. High visibility and low power-consumption are also standard.

And this is just the beginning. PWM has a proud tradition of innovation, as long lasting family businesses usually have. Looking back on centuries of history, the company is still small enough to be absolutely flexible and highly innovative, trendsetter rather than follower.

Production and service

#WirProduzierenWeiter was the clear message from the PWM headquarters when Covid19 hit Germany. The German message translates to #WeKeepManufacturing – and this is what happened. In a matter of days the whole production was adapted to the new circumstances: Social distancing in the factories, work in shifts to avoid close contact, security measures in engineering tasks. Communication switched to online media, administration, marketing and sales work from home. To ensure the supply chain without interruptions, the purchase department was willing to put in overtime.

From a costumer perspective, nothing changed. Delivery, installation, production, maintenance and service are hardly affected by Covid19. But besides the quality of work, one thing counts: To look after each other. The PWM family got a bit closer together, although physically further apart, to make things work.