Young, dynamic, determined

Young, dynamic, determined

In Steyr, Daniel Feichtl has to contend with great competition. MAN, BMW, SKF – to name just a few large corporations that are looking for employees in the city. “Skilled workers there can earn really good money through shift work,” says Feichtl. But he doesn't say it bitterly or angrily, but neutrally, almost respectfully. No wonder, because Daniel Feichtl is now 34 years old, dad, boss of 16 employees and proud owner of a lavish workshop, plumbing and paint shop for all brands. In 2012, the automotive technician started his own business. He started with an apprentice, a secretary and his former boss. The ex-boss soon had to leave again: "It just didn't work anymore. Before I was his apprentice, then suddenly I was the boss. It didn't work," says Feichtl. Today he has rented three large halls, stored almost 400 tire sets, has almost a dozen stages in operation and even has a used car dealership. It seems as if the young entrepreneur only knows one direction: upwards.

QUALITY MUST BE RIGHT His recipe for success? “I’m often asked that, but to be honest: I don’t know.”, Feichtl waves off.

The mood in the company has to be right; certain freedoms and responsibilities are needed. Maybe his secret is much simpler: “I still do the screwdriving myself.” When asked why he has now bought a new Blowtherm paint booth (8 × 4 × 3.35 meters) with a preparation area and a lavish four-motor unit (4 × 7.5 kW), the answer is short and precise: "It's about the quality. When I hand over a car to the customer, I want to know that everything fits, and if something doesn't fit, that it's our fault and no one else's. I just want to offer everything from a single source." He used to outsource painting work. Not always to his satisfaction. “Time and time again, the colors weren’t right or the work wasn’t done the way I expected.” Feichtl then completed his master's examination as a plumber and painter and soon expanded his team to include professional painters. He doesn't stand in the paint booth himself, but is an advocate of professional tools. "So far, I've been able to constantly invest in the business. It's important to me that we have the right special tools, proper testers and now also a top workplace for the plumbers and painters."

CLICK, DON'T CLUB

In order to accommodate the new Blowtherm paint booth with heat recovery and frequency converter in the hall, a lot of preparatory work had to be done. "We had to tear out the entire floor because we have stamping platforms. Our bad luck was that we had two floor panels," smiles Feichtl. The paint and mixing room next to the painting booth is approximately half a meter below ground level so that the equipment room can be placed there. Kastner sales manager Christian Weidinger: "The order was placed in December 2018. The booth was ready for its first spray pass in May 2019. This project was a real challenge because space was limited and our planning specialists had to really tinker with it to accommodate all the technology. But the result is more than impressive." Weidinger is full of praise for his customer. "Daniel has settled into a bees' nest here. There are some well-known, experienced painters all around, but Daniel's courage has paid off. The success proves him right." Why did Feichtl build the cabin and preparation area so large? "The advantage of such a powerful cabin is that you don't need any additional drying equipment. This speeds up work processes," explains Weidinger. Overall, both parties are more than satisfied.

“The advice was great, as was the support, and now we can really step up our game when it comes to painting,” says Feichtl. And anyone who has seen Daniel Feichtl live knows that the young entrepreneur can't take his foot off the gas. Good news for its customers, perhaps not so good for competitors.