When Klaus Stäblein retired on July 1, 2026, a true leader stepped down. A manager with a down-to-earth approach, a keen eye for processes, and a knack for spotting opportunities. Someone who helped shape Geis for 38 years and who played a pivotal role in defining the Road Germany division.

Mr. Stäblein, you joined Geis in 1988. At that time, Helmut Kohl was still the German Chancellor and the Berlin Wall was still standing.

Yes, I’m a veteran, so to speak. I joined Geis in 1988 and became Freight Forwarding Manager at the headquarters in Bad Neustadt – which was still in Salz back then, a small, cozy place with about 100 people, including the drivers. My supervisor was Managing Director Joachim Fink. In 1989, the owners asked me if I could lend a hand with Geis’s first major contract logistics project. It was for Siemens – the site was called NMA (Nürnberger Maschinen und Apparatewerk, or Nuremberg machinery and equipment plant) back then. We had taken over the entire shipping office, packaging, and distribution there. It was an outsourcing project that I had the privilege of leading for a year. I think it was quite successful.

Did you study logistics?

No, I’m a freight forwarding specialist with a secondary school diploma. I taught myself the ropes and was able to develop my skills further. That experience really shaped me. During the years when I held leadership roles, I always tried to develop people from within our own ranks. We built up our own pool of young talent and moved employees from the third tier to the second and then to the first. This approach was – and still is – very successful.

In the first 18 years, you had a wide variety of roles …

Yes, my career progressed from Freight Forwarding Manager to Branch Manager in Bad Neustadt, with a detour into contract logistics. During that time, in addition to my responsibilities in Bad Neustadt, I worked at other locations, such as Nuremberg, Ohrdruf, and Naila. Once a project was completed, I always returned to my “home base” in Bad Neustadt.

Do you have a keen eye for processes, organization, structure, and efficiency?

That’s how I’d put it. But first and foremost, it’s important that the management structure fits each location. We set the general direction from headquarters, but the managers at each location are the local entrepreneurs and have the freedom to act successfully. With top-quality service, we can attract customers, retain them, and develop our business in a targeted manner. Furthermore, quality and profitability go hand in hand.

When you became managing director of Road Germany – where did you want to take the Road division?

Sometimes you have only limited options – but suddenly new opportunities open up for the company. I’ve always been an advocate of not sticking solely to general cargo. We had to make sure we expanded our product range and thereby drive forward or develop new business areas. For example, in the automotive industry, pushing LTL/FTL, or the specialized business for Siemens Healthineers: there were many reservations at first. But the owners trusted me that this was a niche where we would succeed. And we pulled it off. Most recently, changes in the IDS partnership opened up new opportunities: the acquisition of Krüger – now Geis Krüger – and the takeovers of the Gras Group and Agotrans. I was still playing a leading role in the Krüger and Gras deals.

What has left the greatest impression on you during your long career at Geis?

The opening of the borders in 1989 – that was a defining moment. It opened up many interesting opportunities. For our company, it was a real boost. Another very defining moment was the pandemic. The shift from B2B to B2C – how we suddenly had to deliver to customers in a different way. We also had to navigate the rapid transition from 100 percent office-based work to predominantly working from home. Particularly impressive was the merger of our road transport divisions – GTL (Geis Transport and Logistics) and Geis Eurocargo – at the Nuremberg location. That was a huge change for the company and for the people there.

Back in 1988, cell phones weighed nearly a kilo and operated on the C-network. Today, you work with digital data.

Yes, that’s true. We’ve further developed our Transport Management System (TMS) with a really talented team, and we’ve designed and continuously refined our G-MiS – the Geis Management Information System. After all, one of our keys to success is that on-site managers lead their employees using key performance indicators. It doesn’t do any good to just say, “Guys, things are bad right now.” We do it differently: whether it’s groupage outbound, groupage inbound, or full-truckload transport, etc., people need to be provided with numbers so they can develop an understanding of the situation and think like entrepreneurs.

You’ve been with Geis for a very long time. People have come and gone. In all honesty, Mr. Stäblein: what kept you here?

The opportunity and the trust the owners placed in me, and the chance to grow from freight forwarding manager to branch manager to managing director. I’m deeply attached to my home region. I love Franconia – the wine region and everything that goes with it. My twins grew up here, and my grandson lives here.

What do you think – what will the next chapter of your life be like?

I think I’ll be just fine. We realized early on that we needed to set the course for my succession in good time. It’s simply important to me that the business continues to thrive. With Jörg Rotthowe at the helm, things are going exceptionally well. What will I do after that? First of all, take a sabbatical. I’ve handled the past well, and I’ll handle the future just as well – I’m not worried about that at all. There’s one thing I’ll definitely do – finally spend a lot of time on my motorcycle, cruising through the countryside. I’ll be putting that BMW through its paces – I can promise you that.

“I’ve remained loyal to my home region. I’ve remained loyal to the company. And I think I’ve done the right thing.”

KLAUS STÄBLEIN
Managing Director Road Germany

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