KLINGER Gebetsroither has made a successful start in Germany, where the focus is on growth in the district heating sector as a viable alternative to oil and gas – and to drive the energy transition.
The famous “first million” spurs on the entrepreneurial spirit – even if obstacles lie in the way. In expanding its hot water and heating systems business into Germany, KLINGER Gebetsroither had to also contend with a pandemic. All the more remarkable, then, that Zvonko Godina has managed to break into a new sales territory, with the turnover in 2022 barreling beyond the million mark in the space of just three years.
Leveraging competitor bottlenecks
A remarkable achievement, given that this is a foray into a wholly new environment.
“Unlike in Austria KLINGER is not as familiar a brand name for hot water and heating applications in Germany. Rather than starting our sales activities on a home market, we entered completely new territory,”
Zvonko Godina achieved the “famous first million” in sales for KLINGER Gebetsroither in Germany.
Not an easy undertaking in times of COVID-19, when travel restrictions often hampered Zvonko’s attempts to visit customers. Luck was on his side, though: As competitors were struggling with delivery bottlenecks, KLINGER took advantage of these short windows of opportunity. But it wasn’t all down to luck: Zvonko also made good use of his extensive knowledge of the German hot water and heating technology market, gained in previous phases of his career.
KLINGER Gebetsroither wants to stir up this market with its household transfer units for district heating. These transfer heat from the district heating network to the household’s heating and hot water applications. Produced in Gumpoldskirchen and available since 2009, they are among the newer additions to the KLINGER product family. The idea of offering these units on the German market was first mooted as early as 2016 – an ambitious project, as around 20 suppliers are already competing there. And these, with their sometimes snazzy brand names, are of course better known to the dealers than the KLINGER products. “With our indoor heat transfer units and district heating boilers, we offer an innovative replacement for gas boilers. We expect them to be very popular, as Germany also wants to shake off its dependence on gas,” says Gerhard Praxmarer, Sales Manager at KLINGER Gebetsroither. He expects to see a boom in the district heating sector within the next seven to ten years.
Contacts mentioned in the article:
Zvonko Godina, Sales Manager Hot Water and Heating Systems at KLINGER Gebetsroither in Germany
Germany is gearing up for the energy transition. In Schönefeld, Brandenburg’s fastest-growing municipality, newly built residential complexes are being equipped with KLINGER household transfer units.
Copyright: BUWOG Bauträger GmbH
Growth in hot water and heating systems
The figures confirm the trend: Hot water and heating systems already account for more than a quarter of total sales at KLINGER Gebetsroither. Recent years have seen enormous growth, with rates in the range of ten to 15 percent. Strong growth is also being pursued in the German market. From Hanover and Berlin, Zvonko travels up and down the country together with his colleague Vinzenz Pöhland. About his customer visits throughout Germany, Zvonko says: “We always have a demonstrator of the KLINGER household transfer unit with us.” Despite its hefty weight of 28 kilos, he doesn’t travel anywhere without it. After all, prospective customers need to get an idea of what this product looks and feels like before making a buying decision. “It’s not something you can convey in a Zoom call,” says Zvonko.
Fact Box
Major project in Berlin-Schönefeld, Germany
In 2023, as many as 400 KLINGER indoor heat transfer units were installed in a large construction project in Berlin. KLINGER Gebetsroither also supplied distribution boxes, which are also made at its Austrian headquarters in Gumpoldskirchen. The transfer units were delivered fully assembled. The customers – in this case the installation contractors – only had to make the required connections.
Fact box
Did you know ...
… that KLINGER household transfer units and district heating boilers can also be used in conjunction with heat sources such as pellet heating, gas boilers and heat pumps?
… that the highly efficient use of energy from district heating conserves resources and the environment in equal measure?
… that the domestic transfer units can provide room heating and hot water for households using heat exchangers?
… that KLINGER Gebetsroither offers products in Germany via a three-stage distribution channel? The products are distributed through a widespread dealership network.
… that especially in the social housing sector, many newbuilds and renovations rely on renewables and therefore make use of KLINGER hot water and heating systems?
… that KLINGER Gebetsroither can leverage many years’ experience in the hot water sector and has been known as a producer of district heating water boilers in Austria for 30 years?
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What are the advantages of KLINGER ECOm household transfer units?
KLINGER ECOm transfer units are state of the art. Their modular design allows them to be used in a wide range of situations, and they are available in numerous variants and with various accessories.
How does a district heating boiler work?
District heating boilers serve as a transition between the public district heating network and the hot water and heating installation in a home. They transfer the energy from the district heating network to the domestic heating circuit via a plate heat exchanger.
What are district heating boilers used for?
District heating boilers are ideal as a replacement for gas boilers because they can be connected to a home’s existing hot water and heating circuits without major alterations. They can also be used in conjunction with pellet heating or heat pumps. District heating customers don’t need their own heat source, fuel storage space or flue and no maintenance contract or visits from a flue gas inspector.
Which products for hot water and heating systems does KLINGER Gebetsroither offer?
For district heating, KLINGER Gebetsroither offers district heating boilers, district heating instantaneous water heaters and household transfer units. All of these have been developed and are manufactured entirely by KLINGER. The product portfolio also includes a wide range of accessories and equipment variants.
