REINTJES Expands Global Service Strategy
Germany-based gearbox manufacturer REINTJES is expanding its global after-sales capabilities with the establishment of a dedicated spare parts warehouse at its headquarters in Hameln, Germany, a move aimed at strengthening service support for its international customer base.
The long-established company, known for supplying high-performance marine and industrial gearboxes, designs and manufactures its products in Hameln before shipping them to shipowners, operators and industrial clients around the world. As its installed base has grown globally, the company says service responsiveness has become increasingly critical.
“Shipowners, shipping companies and charterers who buy our products expect us to maintain, overhaul and, if necessary, repair them,” said Thomas Haferkorn, Director Service at REINTJES. “That’s why service is extremely important to us.”
REINTJES supports its global fleet of gearboxes through a network of subsidiaries and service partners located close to major maritime markets. In addition, the company maintains dedicated service technicians in Hameln who deploy internationally to support urgent maintenance or repair needs.
According to Oliver Schmidt, Product Support Manager, the company’s service teams are structured to respond quickly when a customer reports a maintenance requirement or operational issue.
“Ideally, the customer contacts us or their REINTJES service partner with a scheduled maintenance request or a gearbox problem,” Schmidt said. “We coordinate the work so a technician can be on site within 24 hours.”
Schmidt, who spent a decade traveling globally as a service technician before moving into management, now oversees eight technicians based at the Hameln headquarters. These specialists act as the company’s rapid-response team, often traveling 120 to 180 days per year to support vessels worldwide.
The new spare parts warehouse is a key element of a broader strategy to transition the company’s service organization toward a more proactive after-sales model.
The facility stocks frequently requested consumables and critical spare parts, allowing REINTJES technicians and service partners across the global network to quickly source components through an internal web-based ordering system. Similar regional warehouses are planned for subsidiaries where such facilities do not already exist.
The company is also enhancing its digital service records. Each REINTJES gearbox already has a detailed file documenting its history from the time of delivery. The company is now working to expand these records to include recommended service intervals and additional lifecycle data.
According to Haferkorn, these changes will help shift the company from a reactive service model to a more predictive, lifecycle-oriented support strategy.
“We are always close to our customers,” he said. “But we want to support them even more actively.”
