In Interview with Christopher Geng, Managing Director of Markstahler Rohrleitungsbau
klarx met with one of our customers – Christopher Geng, Managing Director at Markstahler Rohrleitungsbau. In the interview, we asked how sustainable pipeline construction really is and how significant its influence on the energy transition actually is.
What exactly does Markstahler Rohrleitungsbau do?
Until early 2022, we were primarily responsible for the expansion of natural gas pipelines. The war situation and the ongoing energy transition led us to optimize and adapt our business model.
Our core business remains pipeline construction, especially water and gas pipeline construction. The electricity component has become immensely larger, and so we work for major energy suppliers. District heating is increasingly coming into focus.
How do you typically proceed with construction projects until completion?
That depends entirely on the project. Typically, we work with annual contracts and services are clearly defined. For project-based work, it's about tenders from municipalities, for example. Once everything is settled, then planning and the construction project begin. From the planning phase onward, you come in – klarx – to provide us with the required construction machinery, such as lifts, excavators, or dumpers. The good thing is that thanks to you, we can also rent machinery at short notice if something shifts or we face capacity issues internally.
You mentioned that you had to adapt your business model.
What challenges do you see in implementing the energy transition in the construction industry, and how do you address them?
An important topic is CO2 accounting, which we will tackle this year. I can imagine that a company can gain an advantage in tenders if it knows its own values.
Sustainable work is increasingly coming into focus. Last year, we replaced all our power generators with power banks. Since we work at specific locations, we don't need large generators on construction sites. These are not only loud but also consume a lot of energy. Additionally, we use electric vehicles when driving to construction sites.
As an entrepreneur, I have to ask myself every day how we can best handle the topic of sustainability.
How do you personally approach the topic of "sustainability"?
Whenever we dig a trench, we try to coordinate as many projects as possible and ask municipalities if there are other measures we can include. We always try to think ahead and have an influence on areas in the value chain where we can. In the end, this saves more effort and energy.
To what extent do EU measures influence your decision when renting construction machinery?
How sustainable the rental of construction machinery can really be and how to define it – we didn't always pay attention to that at first. You do pay immense attention to maximum transport kilometers* and operating time of construction machinery on the construction site. When we have the opportunity to decide whether to rent an electric version or diesel, we choose the former – as long as the performance is sufficient, of course.
And now let's get down to brass tacks: How do you see the future?
What challenges face Markstahler Rohrleitungsbau and the construction industry in 10 years?
The switch to alternative drive types will definitely cost money and be time-consuming. There is a shortage of skilled workers, especially in the trades. Additionally, we also need sufficient resources for alternatives. The best example is biogas, which we offer. However, there isn't enough of it, so demand is served right up to the limit until there's nothing left. This raises the question of whether this approach is sustainable in itself. Even if the energy produced from it is sustainable, it's lacking elsewhere. Similarly, there's a lack of hydrogen. While natural gas can be replaced by hydrogen and is supposed to be by 2035, if there isn't enough of it, it won't help anyone. Currently, too much is lost in hydrogen production for it to be profitable.
Okay, that sounds like a paradox. Who are the winners in all of this?
Electricity suppliers will have all the trump cards in the future. Ultimately, everything can be converted to electricity; that applies to gas, solar energy, wind energy – everything ends up in electricity. There's currently a lot of momentum in network expansion, and many operators are noticing that cable cross-sections are too small once heat pumps or e-mobility are added. In some cases, entire solar parks can't be connected to the grid because the grid can't handle the required voltage at certain points.
I have one more question, regarding mandatory renovation: Are you already feeling the effects of the EU regulation?
Currently, it's manageable. We notice it when it comes to the rapid replacement of heating systems according to the GEG (Building Energy Act). But commercial building contractors are running out of orders. That means in the future, you'll need to focus less on new construction and more on renovation.
Summary: What We've Learned About Pipeline Builders and the Challenges They Face
Much of it seems more like an ad-hoc announcement from the government that can change at any time. This also raises the question of sustainability: How sustainable can a statement itself be if the necessary conditions don't yet exist?
This makes it all the more important to reliably plan the things that are within your control. klarx as a solution provider for renting construction machinery and equipment ensures the guaranteed availability of construction machinery and provides comprehensive service. This allows pipeline builders to act sustainably from the planning phase onward and meet their construction machinery needs. Reliability means providing resource-saving measures so that construction projects can be successfully realized. And that's what klarx does.
