Innovation. Over the past 30 years, NorCom has had to overcome many difficult situations. But every time, founder Viggo Nordbakk succeeded in reinventing his company. Now he wants to shake up the automobile market with Big Data software.
Revolution. Within a few years, two Italians turned an idea into a company worth billions. And could thus solve one of the most urgent problems of the present.
Future risks. The dissatisfaction of considerable sections of the population gave a boost to populist currents in the Western world. The Lerbach Round discusses what consequences this could have for the long-term growth path of the economy, the European Union and ultimately also for the capital markets. And is considering how wealthy private investors should adjust their investment strategy.
Record player. Jochen Räke sells a product that should no longer exist in the digital world. But because his record players are among the best and most beautiful in the world - and serve the growing desire for concentration and deceleration - his company Transrotor is growing. It also offers the son Dirk a brilliant perspective.
On 8 March 1979, Philips, the electronics giant, presented its Compact Disc prototype to selected trade journalists. Only three years earlier Jochen Räke had introduced his first turntable, the Transrotor AC, a sculptural device made of acrylic glass, airy, light and transparent. Although Räke and his small team were hardly able to meet the demand at the time, the silver-coloured digital disc made him angry: "A few more years and then it was for us.
Bicycles. Canyon Bicycles GmbH from Koblenz is the most successful direct seller of high-quality bicycles - not only in Germany, but throughout Europe. Now company founder Roman Arnold wants to conquer the US market with his special business model.
No matter what the future holds: Roman Arnold will probably remember the years 2015 and 2016 even when he retires. At first, things didn't run smoothly in the new production hall, which cost 20 million euros. The bikes arrived at the customers too late. Massive protests followed. Arnold apologized in a public letter printed in trade journals. When in 2016 the company finally returned to peace and quiet and the entrepreneur wanted to deal with the topic of US expansion, the next blow came: prostate cancer - the company boss had to take a break.
In the meantime Arnold has recovered from the illness, even if he still has to step back a little. But he has time to talk about the turbulent years of growth, which made him the boss and majority shareholder of a very special company with a turnover of 185 million euros (2016);