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By Moody Marty | Opening Doorz Editorial | December 14, 2024 Heineken is a Dutch beer, and Henkel is a German giant. Yet, most people often mistake Henkel for Heineken […]
By Moody Marty | Opening Doorz Editorial | December 14, 2024
Heineken is a Dutch beer, and Henkel is a German giant. Yet, most people often mistake Henkel for Heineken because of the close resemblance in spelling and also because of Heineken’s strong brand presence. Now, thanks to CEO Carsten Knobel, things are finally getting clearer as Henkel ‘steps out of the closet’.
For years, Henkel has been the quiet force behind some of the most essential products and technologies in our lives. From the sleek smartphone in your pocket to the car in your driveway, Henkel’s adhesives have been at work, holding together, enhancing, and innovating—all while staying firmly out of the spotlight.
Until now.
Carsten Knobel, Henkel’s forward-thinking CEO, has decided it is time for this industrial powerhouse to step out from the shadows. In a recent LinkedIn post that caught widespread attention, Knobel shared some awe-inspiring stats about Henkel’s ubiquitous presence:
For a company long regarded as an unassuming player in the consumer and industrial goods sector, this was a dramatic and refreshing ‘coming out of the closet’.
Picture this: You’re using your smartphone to book a ride to work. Your car, brimming with advanced adhesives, glides smoothly over potholes thanks to vibration-dampening solutions. On your way, you pass a train whose cars, unbeknownst to you, owe their secure assembly to Henkel’s mind-bogglingly strong adhesives. Later, you receive a vaccine, the syringe held together by—you guessed it—Henkel’s innovations.
Despite this ubiquitous presence, most people outside engineering and manufacturing circles have little idea who or what Henkel is. The company has historically been content to operate behind the scenes, letting the products of its partners take center stage. But this quiet genius approach may no longer suffice in a world where brand storytelling is as essential as the products themselves.
Enter Knobel, who appears to be rewriting the playbook.
Carsten Knobel’s post wasn’t just a revelation; it was a masterclass in simplifying the complex. It distilled Henkel’s sprawling contributions into bite-sized, memorable nuggets that instantly captivated audiences. For years, Henkel’s expertise was cloaked in corporate jargon and technical specifications. Now, with one well-crafted post, the company’s story has shifted from ‘what we do’ to ‘why it matters’.
This shift is not just about bragging rights; it’s about transforming perception. Henkel is a brand with a $20-billion turnover, but its understated image means it often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves. By connecting the dots between its innovations and their everyday impact, Knobel is giving Henkel a voice that echoes with the general public.
The timing of Henkel’s public ‘coming out’ is strategic. In an era where consumers increasingly care about the origins, ethics, and ingenuity of the products they use, Henkel’s behind-the-scenes mystique may have been a liability. Transparency, authenticity, and relatability are the hallmarks of modern branding, and Henkel’s newfound openness is a move to stay relevant in this shifting landscape.
Moreover, Knobel’s messaging aligns perfectly with trends in sustainability and innovation. By highlighting how Henkel’s adhesives contribute to cleaner, lighter, and more efficient technologies, the company positions itself as a key player in the fight against climate change and resource depletion. For instance, Henkel’s adhesive solutions help reduce the weight of cars, improving fuel efficiency and lowering emissions. These are stories that ring right with environmentally conscious consumers and investors.
Knobel’s train analogy—three grams of adhesive pulling a 200-ton train—is not just a fun fact. It’s a metaphor for Henkel’s role as the silent force propelling progress. But this silence has come at a cost. Without a strong consumer-facing narrative, Henkel risks being overshadowed by competitors who are more vocal about their achievements.
The LinkedIn post is part of a broader effort to address this. By humanizing Henkel’s contributions and making its technical marvels relatable, Knobel is crafting a narrative that is as sticky as the company’s adhesives. It’s storytelling with substance, aimed at turning Henkel from an industrial giant into a household name.
Knobel’s leadership marks a turning point for Henkel. By stepping into the limelight, the company is embracing its role as more than just a supplier of adhesives. It is a critical enabler of the technologies and conveniences we often take for granted. This shift is not just about gaining recognition; it’s about shaping how the world perceives and values the unseen forces that drive innovation.
Henkel’s Chennai plant in India isn’t just setting benchmarks—it’s living proof that sustainability is achievable. As a fully carbon-neutral facility, it stands as a shining example of innovation fuelled by commitment.
Yet, knowing this, I can’t help but wonder: why aren’t such blueprints of sustainability part of our education system? Achieving milestones like this is admirable, but the real impact lies in inspiring others to follow suit.
This is an appeal to Knobel: let’s not let these lessons stay confined to corporate corridors. Let’s bring them to classrooms, households, and communities worldwide. Henkel’s Chennai plant could do more than lead—it could teach the world to walk the sustainable path.
So, here’s to Henkel’s ‘coming out of the closet’. It’s a bold move, but as anyone who’s ever worked with their adhesives knows, sometimes all it takes is a little stickiness to make something extraordinary hold.
[Moody Marty: Sometimes funny, sometimes informative, always downright forthright!]
Carsten Knobel Image Courtesy: Linkedin Profile
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