Ideal for the site of the planned youth festival
Nelson Krehnke was the first businessman in Brazil to build modular children’s playgrounds. He started small 35 years ago with his wife Dorly. Today, visitors to his factory halls are amazed at what has become of what was then a start-up company. Krenke (the H is omitted on the catalogs) is a major player in the market, selling its products throughout Brazil and abroad.
At lunch in the Doege house, I learn that the entrepreneur has invited me for 2 pm. In the afternoon we sit together in a conference room. “We would like to support Diospi Suyana with a new children’s playground!” says the German-born Brazilian and shows me his catalogs. I quickly realize that my counterpart is talking about a five-digit USD amount.
“Yes, we could really use a children’s playground for our planned youth festival!”, I answer enthusiastically, clicking through a short PowerPoint presentation on the subject.
Mr. Krehnke finally leads me through his large factory halls. Here, 100 employees work around the clock in three shifts. The order situation is good. One truck after another is packed and rolls away – in all directions of the continent.
Around 3:30 p.m., I am sitting in the Krehnkes’ living room with the family. There are strawberry shortcake and much more, which is delicious, but requires a strict diet afterwards. “We were a very small business at the beginning,” the company founders explain to me over coffee and cake. “We went forward step by step, always looking up to God!”
As I get into the car, I see the most beautiful children’s playground in the world standing on one of our grounds. Of course, the good cargo still has to be transported 4000 km, namely from Guaramirim in southern Brazil to Curahuasi in Peru. But kilometers, borders and transports should really not be the reason for this ingenious action. /KDJ
