Boels Rental has been a part of the Baltic Lights festival held on the Usedom peninsula in northeastern Germany since 2018. The festival features sled dog races, with the aim of raising as much money as possible to fight world hunger.
Around thirty of our Boels colleagues work at the festival for nine days. Their tasks vary from setting up and taking down the equipment, operating the various machines, staffing the stands, and welcoming Boels guests to their own ‘Boels camp’. Boels Account Manager Henning Hübner has been involved from the very beginning. Actor Till Demtrøder’s event agency contacted Henning eight years ago. The rest is history. “Over the years, a close friendship has developed between Boels employees and Till’s team. We are attuned to each other like no one else and have become an preferred partner for the event.”
We are attuned to each other like no one else and have become an preferred partner for the event.
As the festival continues to grow, more and more machines and equipment are needed to offer the 60,000 guests an unforgettable experience. And that is certainly no easy task, as Boels Area Manager Martin Koch explains. “The biggest challenge is getting all the machines and equipment to the beach. We even built a 500-metre-long road made up of road plates to make it easier. That surprised both friend and foe. Because during the event, the same road plates were used to allow disabled people to reach the beach to visit the event. So we really scored big with that solution!”
Koch, who is in charge of the day-to-day management during the event, relies heavily on his team, with Christian Dörfler as his right-hand man for operations. The experienced Boels depot manager is responsible for all the equipment on the beach and in the dunes. Dörfler starts preparing for the event four weeks in advance. This is all done on top of his regular duties as depot manager. “Martin came up with the idea and I build it! I’m tempted to keep working through the night, but sometimes I have to slow down. It’s great to be able to count on the internal Boels network. We have so much knowledge inside our company, so there’s always someone who has the right answer or who can lend a helping hand.”
The biggest challenge is getting all the machines and equipment to the beach. We even built a 500-metre-long road made up of road plates to make it easier.
It is extremely important to enjoy the work both before and during the event, even though it is hard work, as Martin explains. “The work is a lot of fun. We put in long days in challenging conditions, but we understand exactly what we’re doing it for. For a happy customer and a good cause, of course! But there are benefits across the board.” Here, Martin is referring to the Boels customer event that is organised during Baltic Lights. “Three years ago, I came up with the idea of expanding our collaboration with Baltic Lights. The unique races, the atmosphere and the location created the perfect backdrop for hosting our Boels customers so they can also enjoy the event. Now we welcome guests throughout the day, immersing them in this special atmosphere and showing them the unique ways that our aerial platforms, telescopic handlers, generators, buggies, LED screens and vehicle barriers are used.”
And there is no shortage of wonderful memories. The same goes for Henning Hübner. “I clearly remember the very first time we drove a telehandler onto the beach. The sea, the sun and that beautiful orange machine. It was picture perfect. Now there are a lot more of them and the picture is just as beautiful.”
Team spirit is the key to our success. “Year after year, our colleagues look forward to getting involved in the Baltic Lights. The team is very well-coordinated and knows exactly what to do. That’s important, especially when you consider how much we rely on each other from early morning through to dinner at the hotel. This forges a close bond that extends far beyond those nine days on the island. Strong friendships have been created here”, says Martin.
Area Manager Koch has earned the full trust of his manager. “I have a boss who understands what we need as a team to perform at our best. He has confidence in us and gives us the space we need to work effectively as a team. I never get questions like: Is that really necessary? Can’t you do it cheaper? No, he gives me the freedom to do my job, and that’s a great atmosphere and position to be able to work in. In return, we reward this trust with a satisfied customer and a successful project.”
The entire weekend is about raising as much money as possible for charity. The Boels team is very aware of that and there is no shortage of motivation and drive. “That’s absolutely right. It means a lot to me personally and to my colleagues that our efforts during Baltic Lights go to helping people who are much less fortunate than we are. What moves me every year are all the happy faces I see amongst the organisers, the people from the charity, and our team. In fact, some family members of our Boels employees even come out to help. We sometimes refer to the ‘Boels family’, but here the term is truly put into practice. We have a lot of affection for each other. We have one team, one mission and we share some fantastic moments here on this beach for a good cause.”
