When a craft business wants to grow but can't

Doors, stairs, kitchens, furniture, repairs – but the Bichler joinery also offers a funeral service. It was a conscious decision for the craft business to diversify – but a necessary one in view of the shrinking margins.

Lëtzebuerger Journal: Patrick Bichler, can you briefly introduce your company?

Our joinery business, which is currently located in Remich, currently employs 14 people. There's nothing we don't do. We have made it our mission not to have to tell customers: We don't do this or that. That's why we never get bored.

Is it a family business?

No, I bought the company from the previous owner in 2017. At the time, the business was kind of floundering, if I may say so myself. But we've managed to put it on a solid footing since then. When I took over the business, there were four employees and, as I said, there are now fourteen of us.

And could it one day become a family business?

We are a family with two children. We are expecting the third in October. I don't know yet whether they will take over the company one day. But I am convinced that a lot can be done to pass on this task to the children in a positive way.

In recent years, we have heard that joineries have increasingly had to struggle with difficulties. How do you see this?

Of course, I can only speak for my company. We mainly work in renovation. This means that you have to master your craft, that details and clean workmanship are important. And I think that perhaps sets us apart from others to some extent: We can go straight to the customer, [do the work] and afterwards nobody has to come round to touch up or put things right.