How long have you been in the solar business?
Katharina David: For 20 years K2 Systems builds up a close partnership with the installers. 20 years of connecting strength. 20 years that our customers are quite satisfied with the products we deliver. We call ist connecting strength, this connection between the ones who are using our products, the installers, and us learning from them to bring them new products for their needs.
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K2 Systems are one of the pioneers in digitalization of all the processes. What can you offer to save money, time, and hands?
We try to look at all the steps around installation that we help them to really gain some time, because gaining time is gaining money as well, and being able to scale up more. On the product side we really try to make it as simple as possible because the ease of installation helps as well on site. On the other hand, we have with K2 Base a super product to plan not only the mounting system, but the Inverters, too.
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Is it possible to order with the help of the K2 Base?
It is connected with our web shop and with the web shops of our PV distribution partners or electrical wholesalers. There they can really transfer what they are doing directly to the web shop. That helps tremendously. We get really good feedback. And that's also part of connecting strength, working in these networks. When we try to avoid in between steps, that makes life far easier.
More about new mounting systems
A new field are solar facades. Wat do you think about this part of the market?
The optical challenges are much more more complex than on the rooftop. I am sure that facades coming up to become a new business. That‘s why we offer special mounting systems for vertical installations. Of course, the rooftop market is at least four, five times bigger. It's still dominating. But the solar facades will come.
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What is your strategy in this new field?
Our approach is to standardize as much as possible. If we deliver a standardized solution the installer is able to do it on a regular basis. Every day again. We are more on the standardized way so that we really can use not only the rooftop, but also the façade of C&I buildings to generate energy.
How do you help your customers to apply the systems? How do you get in contact to make them ready for digital processes, make them ready for visualization?
We have something like an academy. We start with our resource center on the website. There you get all information you need. Then on the other hand, we have the frequently webinairs every week. In these webinairs we have frequency rate as well. And there we try to cover the needs of the installer, to teach them our products and to teach them, how they can make their life easier.
To complicate matters you need to do it for international customers. Which are the most important markets?
At the moment we are in an on-off situation in Europe. The Nordics are in a transition phase, a little bit fade down, but not totally. Then we have on-off situation in some Eastern countries or Middle Eastern countries. Italy will come up, will go back to a boom, I assume for C&I. Spain isn't really good. France is still a really interesting market for us. The conditions in Germany are good but the market slows down compared to last two years. Let's move and let's generate to get the energy transition.
Interview by Heiko Schwarzburger
