Quite naturally even on this day, his car is parked in the parking lot right next to the entrance. A small sign in front of it says “Management”. Eberhard Falch and Minda have been inseparable for almost 45 years. The 85-year-old founded and built up the company. Although he has not been managing the business for quite some time, he officially retired at the turn of the year. His name has also disappeared from the trade register. Falch is now only associated with the first name Robert.

The handover to his son has been prepared by Eberhard Falch for a long time. He handed over the first shares of the family business 25 year ago. ” Responsibility is not divisible”, he says. And even though he has no longer had this responsibility for six years now, it is important to him to take the clear step of officially stepping down now. This marks the generational change at the manufacturer of wood and corrugated board processing machines as being completed.

Emotionally, it was difficult to say goodbye, even if your head says it is necessary, Eberhard Falch says. “The danger is being vain – if a transfer does not work, this is mostly due to vanity.” He seems to have avoided this cliff well. “My father is a very emotional person but I have never had the feeling that he cannot let go,“ Robert Falch says.

Rather the opposite: Even if we had quarreled once, he supported the decision 100 percent in the end. One example was, the change of the logo - this was also an emotional issue. The senior was against it, but even though the junior managed to get it through. “Today I know that the decision was the right one”, Eberhard Falch says.

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It was already apparent early on that Robert Falch will take over the reins. “When the others in the daycare center want to become a firefighter, I wanted to become a mechanical engineer, he says today. He never lost sight of that. As one of four children, he practically applied for this task. “I wanted to show that I could do it.”

The alternative teenage dream of becoming a baseball player came to nothing. At the same time, it was particularly important for his father that there was still this other passion that his son was determined but not stubborn. “I wished he would do that, but does he want to?” His wife always reminded him of this, Eberhard Falch says. There was no compulsion. That is why he listened to me – most of the time.”

For example, after joining the company: “If you are smart, you go to the workshop first”, was the advice back then. Not only because of the practice after studies. “The employees should not get the feeling that the old man’s son is coming now.” Instead, the junior must prove himself as a colleague. 

An exchange year in the USA was also an important step in his development. Robert Falch spent the eleventh grade there and subsequently declared that he did not want to join the company. “I grinned and said to myself that these fancies would pass.”

It is important to grow into such a role. Because Eberhard Falch sees a clear difference between an entrepreneur and a manager. “As an entrepreneur, you can no longer run away.” Eberhard Falch will certainly not run away even after his retirement. There is now more time for other things. First a vacation with his wife, then there will certainly be a lot to do on the large property. Cycling tours - without motor - are part of it as well as the annual sports badge and hunting. And then this year the Freischießen will take place. Eberhard Falch is a member of the Escadron and once was its boss. "I would like to ride along."

It is quite possible that his company parking lot will also remain. “From today you are kicking me out,” his father told him after the shares were handed over, Robert Falch recalls. It was only later that he realized the significance of this sentence. The responsibility is now with him, it is not divisible. Nevertheless: “Hopefully you will still be here often.” The chances of this are certainly not bad. After all, an entrepreneur cannot run away. Not even if someone else bears the responsibility.