25 Years of Metecon - A Quarter of a Century Full of Challenges, Opportunities, and Successes
09/09/2024
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Exactly 25 years ago, on September 9, 1999, I founded Metecon - and what a journey it has been! When I look back today, it seems almost unbelievable what we have achieved together during this time. As a young engineer graduating in biomedical engineering in 1997, I could never have dreamed that I would one day be leading a company that is as firmly anchored in our industry as Metecon is today.
Metecon was born from a dream I shared with my colleague at the time, Ulrike Kamecke: We wanted to be independent, not to be forced into the rigid structures of employment, and above all: we wanted to build something of our own. In 1999, we turned this dream into reality. As young freelancers, we started Metecon Ingenieurbüro Kamecke & Fink GbR with the aim of providing engineering services in combination with regulatory know-how for R&D in medical technology.Our first years were exciting, challenging, and – I will freely admit – sometimes a bit chaotic. In 2003, it was time to think bigger: we changed our name to Metecon GmbH and grew quickly - both as a team and in terms of our expertise. In 2009, we decided on a strategic change: away from pure engineering services and towards an expert role in the areas of documentation, verification, and market access. A bold step that ultimately proved to be the right decision and which put Metecon GmbH on its current, stable footing.
Not everything went smoothly, though - unfortunately! In 2015, we experienced an existential crisis: our growth presented us managing directors with challenges that we were unable to overcome as a tandem, and we were on the verge of losing everything. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you: Thank you to Oliver Siebenlist and André Wöber from Corpass GmbH, who supported us during this difficult time and helped us get Metecon back on track. And my heartfelt thanks to Ulrike who stepped down from her post so that Metecon could survive this phase - a decision that required a great deal of generosity and selflessness.When you manage to overcome such difficult times, you tend to emerge stronger. I learned from our crisis year of 2015 to stay on course, recognize pitfalls early on, and skillfully navigate around them. This lesson was painful, but also very instructive - and it remains one of the cornerstones of our success to this day.
The economic stability of the following years presented us with new challenges: How do we want to work together as a team? How can we create an environment in which everyone at Metecon can develop their full potential? We tried out a lot of things and - and I am truly sorry about this today - I also overtaxed some people. In the end, we realized that many of the concepts of "new work" were simply not suitable for us, but that we still wanted more than was previously considered normal: more participation for everyone, more purpose, more customer benefit, more quality time together.
We have not only developed our values and our management mission statement together; we live them every day and demand them from each other. This can be exhausting, but with regular training, it starts to become second nature. Anyone who disregards our values, whether from the outside or from within, harms the team. My job is to protect the team and draw the necessary consequences - quickly and unequivocally.We have learned something from every mistake we have made over the past 25 years - and I have learned the most! I have realized that leadership is not just about making decisions, but also about listening and focusing on the needs of the team. Today, I feel more confident than ever in my role as Managing Director.
Medical technology is a field that requires constant change - be it through new regulatory requirements or innovative technologies. This dynamic fascinates me and makes our work so valuable. And with all the challenges and changes, with all the transformation and innovation, there is one constant that I can always rely on: our team.Today, Metecon is a powerful company that employs great people - people who not only know their trade, but also stand up for each other. And we have the privilege of working with first-class manufacturers, laboratories, and organizations from all areas of medical technology, who have frequently challenged and always enriched us over the years, and without whom our success would not have been possible. I am proud of what we have achieved together and look forward to what the future holds for us.
I am infinitely grateful that I have been able to experience this journey and continue to do so. Over the past 25 years, we have implemented great strategies and have sometimes only driven on sight; we have celebrated successes and sometimes failed; we have grown, learned, and developed through everything. And even if I sometimes hold my breath and cross both fingers as a precaution, I know for sure that we are still on the right track.
Alexander Fink
From Engineering Office to Regulatory Affairs Expert
Metecon was born from a dream I shared with my colleague at the time, Ulrike Kamecke: We wanted to be independent, not to be forced into the rigid structures of employment, and above all: we wanted to build something of our own. In 1999, we turned this dream into reality. As young freelancers, we started Metecon Ingenieurbüro Kamecke & Fink GbR with the aim of providing engineering services in combination with regulatory know-how for R&D in medical technology.Our first years were exciting, challenging, and – I will freely admit – sometimes a bit chaotic. In 2003, it was time to think bigger: we changed our name to Metecon GmbH and grew quickly - both as a team and in terms of our expertise. In 2009, we decided on a strategic change: away from pure engineering services and towards an expert role in the areas of documentation, verification, and market access. A bold step that ultimately proved to be the right decision and which put Metecon GmbH on its current, stable footing.
The 2015 Crisis: A Lesson in Resilience
Not everything went smoothly, though - unfortunately! In 2015, we experienced an existential crisis: our growth presented us managing directors with challenges that we were unable to overcome as a tandem, and we were on the verge of losing everything. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you: Thank you to Oliver Siebenlist and André Wöber from Corpass GmbH, who supported us during this difficult time and helped us get Metecon back on track. And my heartfelt thanks to Ulrike who stepped down from her post so that Metecon could survive this phase - a decision that required a great deal of generosity and selflessness.When you manage to overcome such difficult times, you tend to emerge stronger. I learned from our crisis year of 2015 to stay on course, recognize pitfalls early on, and skillfully navigate around them. This lesson was painful, but also very instructive - and it remains one of the cornerstones of our success to this day.
Economic Stability and Our Alternative to New Work
The economic stability of the following years presented us with new challenges: How do we want to work together as a team? How can we create an environment in which everyone at Metecon can develop their full potential? We tried out a lot of things and - and I am truly sorry about this today - I also overtaxed some people. In the end, we realized that many of the concepts of "new work" were simply not suitable for us, but that we still wanted more than was previously considered normal: more participation for everyone, more purpose, more customer benefit, more quality time together.
Our Values as the Foundation for Long-Term Success
We have not only developed our values and our management mission statement together; we live them every day and demand them from each other. This can be exhausting, but with regular training, it starts to become second nature. Anyone who disregards our values, whether from the outside or from within, harms the team. My job is to protect the team and draw the necessary consequences - quickly and unequivocally.We have learned something from every mistake we have made over the past 25 years - and I have learned the most! I have realized that leadership is not just about making decisions, but also about listening and focusing on the needs of the team. Today, I feel more confident than ever in my role as Managing Director.
Our Team: The Key to Everything
Medical technology is a field that requires constant change - be it through new regulatory requirements or innovative technologies. This dynamic fascinates me and makes our work so valuable. And with all the challenges and changes, with all the transformation and innovation, there is one constant that I can always rely on: our team.Today, Metecon is a powerful company that employs great people - people who not only know their trade, but also stand up for each other. And we have the privilege of working with first-class manufacturers, laboratories, and organizations from all areas of medical technology, who have frequently challenged and always enriched us over the years, and without whom our success would not have been possible. I am proud of what we have achieved together and look forward to what the future holds for us.
Gratitude and Confidence: Looking Ahead
I am infinitely grateful that I have been able to experience this journey and continue to do so. Over the past 25 years, we have implemented great strategies and have sometimes only driven on sight; we have celebrated successes and sometimes failed; we have grown, learned, and developed through everything. And even if I sometimes hold my breath and cross both fingers as a precaution, I know for sure that we are still on the right track.
Founder and Managing Director of Metecon GmbH
