From Apprentice to Area Manager
Kim Acke has been part of the LUTZ team since 2010. After working as a fitter for building and ship elevators and as a sales representative, he now manages the Hanover and Bremen service area with six employees.
When did you join LUTZ Elevators and how did you get started?I did an internship in manufacturing in 2010. That convinced me and so I completed an apprenticeship as a construction mechanic from 2011 to 2014. The start was made very easy for me by Oliver Roemer, the apprenticeship and production manager at the time. I was part of the team right from the start, where there was a family atmosphere at that time as well. When I started my apprenticeship, there were only about 160 employees. Today there are around 300, so the number of employees has doubled in just over ten years. Even though the work processes have become more professional, thanks in part to the possibilities offered by digitization, the family atmosphere has remained.
What has your career path been like at LUTZ in recent years?
After completing my apprenticeship, I worked as an installer in the modernization and new construction of building elevators. I then switched to the construction of new ship elevators. My main area of work was Bremen - here I installed elevators in yachts. These projects have remained in my memory as particularly exciting: I was able to accompany ships from the shell to the first journey.
In 2018, I then switched to sales and implemented modernizations for our customers on their elevator systems. This was an exciting new field for me. I was given a mentor at my side and was quickly able to implement projects independently. In August 2022, the next step in my career followed: I became Area Manager for the Hanover and Bremen area and am now responsible for the service business in this region together with the technicians in my team. Promoting young talent is particularly important to me: It is important to me to bring apprentices into the areas so that they can get to know the day-to-day business at an early stage with the prospect of being responsible for their own area after completing their apprenticeship.
What motivates you to get up and go to work every day?
First and foremost, I am motivated by a meaningful activity that adds value to society. And that's exactly what I find at LUTZ Elevators. Because every day, my colleagues and I ensure with our work that stairs and thus obstacles are overcome for many people in our society. I'm thinking of elevators at subway stations that make parents with baby carriages mobile, or elevators in apartment buildings that enable seniors to stay in their own homes.
The working atmosphere is also crucial for my motivation. At LUTZ, we work in a family environment with short lines of communication. We make decisions together and have the opportunity to contribute and implement good ideas.
Which benefits do you benefit from most at LUTZ?
For me, company events are the most important. The summer parties and Christmas celebrations at LUTZ offer the opportunity to network and get to know colleagues across departments. These festivities create a good atmosphere and strengthen cohesion among employees. And that is crucial for the success of a company.