Ralph Brinkhaus (Mdb) is enthusiastic about KATMA's sustainability
Rietberg, September 13, 2022 - KATMA CleanControl today presented its patented fully automatic system for cleaning truck holds to Ralph Brinkhaus, Member of the Bundestag for the Gütersloh district and former Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. The young company from East Westphalia is thus raising cleanliness standards in transport logistics to a new level. The innovative system not only speeds up the currently still manual cleaning process after each tour by more than 60% through full automation, but also conserves important resources such as water, energy and chemicals. In addition, it guarantees a higher and repeatable cleaning quality with a digital certificate and is designed according to HACCP.
Ralph Brinkhaus has long been an advocate for a strong business location in the Gütersloh district. As a member of the German Bundestag's parliamentary advisory council for sustainability, he was amazed at the high savings in resources. It is all the more enriching for him to see locally that his work is bearing fruit and that up-and-coming young companies like KATMA CleanControl are putting down their innovative roots precisely in OWL. "Close exchange with the local economy and companies in the district has always been important to me," said Ralph Brinkhaus during his visit. "Because that's the only way I can find out firsthand how the start-up culture in the Gütersloh district can be even better supported by the Bundestag in the future." The two company founders Felix and Patrick Kathöfer were very pleased about the 'high' visitor and the profound conversations in the cleaned truck hold: "Who would have thought that our innovation would one day attract the attention of the Sustainability Advisory Council of the German Bundestag. Since we were still screwing in a former chicken coop two years ago, this is a true milestone for us."
Sustainable truck bed cleaning standards
The foundation for the business idea was laid in 2019. "At that time, we observed time and again that truck holds were being cleaned manually and realized that there was still no automated solution for the time-consuming, inefficient and unpleasant cleaning of truck trailers or sea containers," reports Felix Kathöfer. In addition, there was the realization that, particularly in food logistics, certified, meticulous cleaning of cargo holds is required due to strict guidelines and record keeping. With our pay-per-wash model, the operator can offer the cleaning publicly and earn money with it; KATMA proactively takes over the service and the chemical delivery.
In a former chicken coop, they developed an initial prototype without further ado - a robot that cleans truck holds fully automatically. With the help of a sophisticated feedback system, the cleaning process is constantly made more efficient. Thanks to the patented, reliable robot, disinfecting cleaning agents are used optimally and resources are sustainably conserved, among other things by recycling valuable drinking water, expensive energy and chemicals. In addition, the application guarantees a digitally certified, increased quality standard compared to manual cleaning with a high-pressure cleaner. Another advantage of the new solution is the time and cost savings, which average over 60 percent compared to conventional cleaning. Brinkhaus is particularly enthusiastic about the huge savings in resources: 75% less water, 90% less chemicals and even 60% less energy is required for the KATMA compared to manual cleaning.
In the meantime, KATMA CleanControl has not only secured the "Exist-Gründerstipendium" funding program from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK), but has also commissioned a new production site in Rietberg. In addition, the KATMA team has built up a network of regional partners and sponsors alongside support from garage33, the start-up center at the University of Paderborn, and the Founders Foundation from Bielefeld. For example, KATMA works together with ProWirtschaft GT to support young STEM talent and apply for funding. Support has also recently come from the end of the Silk Road - from the Duisburg ports, from the Startport incubator. The number of employees is growing continuously and is now in double digits. They manage to do this through flexible working hours and hybrid home offices. As early as next year, the young entrepreneurs will offer their own apprenticeships.
The young team thanked Ralph Brinkhaus for the visit and bid him farewell with the words: "We are continuing on our path of advancing OWL through inventiveness for answers to the questions of our time, and for safety and sustainability." The politician will continue to follow the path of the young company in the future and is already eager to see how the fully automated solution will be accepted by the market.
