PMF gets the latest on MAHA’s progression over the course of the past year and how the company has tackled the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit.
As the UK subsidiary of a German manufacturer, one could be forgiven for assuming that the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit have brought significant but different challenges to testing and workshop specialist MAHA. However, the company’s Managing Director Neil Ebbs has revealed that business remains buoyant, and that the company has adapted to the current environment.
Despite some businesses being forced to lock their doors in-line with lockdown rules and restriction guidelines, MAHA remained open. Whilst admitting that the early stages of the pandemic caused moments of uncertainty, Neil said trading figures had “exceeded expectations”.
“When the first lockdown was announced,” he said, “as a business, we needed to take time to understand the rules and regulations, what we could and couldn’t do, and while that contributed to a tough opening month, we adapted, and business soon increased.
“The majority of our business comes from the commercial vehicle sector, which has remained upbeat over the last 12 months. Essential services and key businesses, such as supermarkets, have continued to serve the public – in fact, the reliance on those vehicles has grown exponentially, so our equipment has been vital in ensuring those vehicles are well serviced and maintained.”
Pressure and responsibility at the top
Weekly discussions were held amongst the different MAHA teams based around the world. These were designed to share and understand how each country was assessing and controlling their respective market landscape, utilising the support or Government incentives that were on offer.
Part of Neil’s role as Managing Director was to play a significant part in these conversations and represent members of staff, which brought with it added pressure. He commented, “For those that were working from home, we needed to ensure those individuals were geared for that environment; possessing the right office equipment and being able to stay connected within the working network. Engineers were still travelling up and down the country, coming into contact with different people every day, so we had to protect them with the appropriate PPE and Government advice.”
For the very few members of staff placed on furlough between March and July, this was a situation that needed particularly close and personal attention.
Neil added, “We’re a close-knit team, so it was paramount that furloughed members of staff were supported with regular contact and updates. They were given information about how the company was operating and planning ahead, providing as much feedback as possible.
“We were listening to what the Government was telling us, then reassessing our own position to make sure that we were following the guidelines correctly and installing new protocols if we had to. For instance, every member of staff that is working within the UK office has a desk that has had a protective shield attached to it, and they must wear a face covering when walking around the building, particularly in the communal areas.”
Impact of Brexit
As the UK left the European Union (EU), so did MAHA’s UK subsidiary. As a German company, with the reported teething issues that might have arisen from EU nations importing and exporting to the UK, there were many discussions to safeguard that process and keep things as smooth as possible. Nevertheless, provisions were put in place in case of friction at the border.
Neil said, “Prior to the UK leaving the EU, we did increase stock of certain pieces of equipment in case there was a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, but, obviously that didn’t materialise. It was sensible business management; if there wasn’t a deal in place then imports from Germany would likely have been subject to additional tariffs, and there would’ve been uncertainty about how quickly equipment could reach us.
“The exchange rate was also precarious, but, once again, a deal was agreed and, as a result, there was very little change. Currently, we’re in a strong position to service all our orders and obligations.”
What does the future hold for MAHA?
A year after the COVID-19 pandemic began, and with the UK having left the EU at the end of 2020, MAHA can look back at the previous 12 months knowing that it emerged unscathed and can be confident that as calls of economic recovery grow louder, the business can continue to grow. Neil gave an overview of what the next few months might look like: “I’m optimistic that business will increase, both in terms of turnover and customer base. It’s important that our customer service runs parallel with the quality of our equipment. We’re proud of our manufacturing heritage, so we need to ensure the support mirrors that, to ensure we offer a complete package.
“To accommodate increased demand, we may need to bring in more staff, but they have to be the right fit. We’re protective of our brand and reputation, so anyone that wants to work at MAHA needs to be committed to the cause.”
