Being in the right place at the right time – for some, it's a stroke of luck; for Simon Gerard, it's a lived philosophy that defines success. For the logistics manager at Böker, it's all about perfect coordination. Optimized processes and maximum efficiency demand reliability, a structured approach, a dedicated team, and out-of-the-box thinking. Speaking of boxes – virtually no package escapes his attention, whether it's receiving or shipping. The logistics department is a key pillar of customer satisfaction, as it's the link between goods and customers. Items from in-house production and suppliers arrive in the correct quantities on the warehouse shelves, ensuring they're immediately dispatched to the packing station and ultimately to the customer upon order placement. With over 9,000 different products in the assortment, this is both a logistical challenge and a labor of love. The Böker packing man reveals below why sharpness plays a special role in his life and what he'd like more space for at home.
How did you end up in the knife industry?
My first significant encounter with knives came at the age of 25, when I developed the desire to make my own. Since then, I have been fascinated by the many possibilities that a piece of steel offers for crafting a knife.
You work at Böker as a logistics manager. What does a typical workday look like for you, and what exactly falls within your area of responsibility?
Our daily operations encompass a wide range of tasks. Upon receipt of goods, ordered items are electronically recorded, labeled, and then placed on the shelves. Returns are also forwarded to the appropriate department. Warehousing also includes procurement management to ensure sufficient availability of requested goods. The product lifecycle of an item also necessitates the creation of new storage spaces or the closure of existing ones for discontinued models. For shipping, goods are packaged securely and resource-efficiently and handed over to the shipping providers. Every step is meticulously documented. As Logistics Manager, I allocate my team according to need and ensure that all employees have the same level of knowledge for their daily tasks, enabling them to develop professionally and further optimize processes. In this sense, I am both a contact person and a motivator.
When do you consider a workday successful?
If my team and I manage to ship the packages on time, so that the customer has a tracking number on the day of their order. Since we sell through multiple channels, prioritizing these orders and integrating them into our daily operations presents a significant challenge. From warehousing to shipping, you accompany the goods through many stages.
Which of your tasks are particularly challenging? What do you enjoy most, and how do you inspire your team to achieve shared success?
Especially during peak periods, such as our spring and autumn specials or the Christmas season, fluctuating order volumes lead to significant changes in workload. We tackle this challenge as a team, utilizing all available resources and opportunities to achieve maximum success. And each time, we can draw on the experience gained during previous peak periods to streamline our processes even further. Recently, we implemented a new warehouse management system while maintaining our daily operations. That was no small feat.
How high are the physical and mental strains involved?
This is all manageable. My team gratefully accepts my hands-on mentality as inspiration for ideas, self-motivation, and proactive work – this is precisely the attitude needed for daily success. Naturally, physical and mental strain is significantly higher during peak periods. Nevertheless, the year also offers times when the workload is moderate and energy can be replenished.
How critical are you of yourself and your team?
I am far more critical of myself than of my team. This stems from my own high standards, my sense of responsibility, and the fact that mistakes in my department reflect badly on me. After all, the quality of a teacher is judged by the quality of their students.
Do you have a personal connection to knives outside of your professional activities?
Yes, one of my long-standing hobbies is making special Damascus steel kitchen knives. With forge and hammer, I create even more culinary delights.
A true knife enthusiast. How long have you been forging knives and how did you get into it? Will we find you secretly back at the workshop after work?
That was about 11 years ago, in a rather rustic way, using a gas cylinder and a railroad track. Over time, I've been able to refine my skills through several blacksmithing courses, for example at the LVR Solingen and with a historian. I mainly produce Damascus kitchen knives. For the Damascus steel , I almost always use 1.2842 and 75Ni8. The pre-tacked packages (7-21 layers) are "packed" in the fire and forge-welded in the absence of air using borax. This process creates those impressive showers of sparks. I like to aim for a final layer count of 250 to 300. During further processing, the final shape is achieved and the heat treatment is carried out. This is followed by fine grinding and etching of the Damascus. I pay particular attention to the selection of the handle material, often using a combination of wood and metal in my creations. But I could certainly still use a few more tools. Looking into Böker's production halls, one could easily become envious. The selection of machines that aren't in my workshop is very tempting, but my available space at home simply doesn't allow for it (laughs).
Do you remember your very first knife? What childhood memories do you associate with it?
My very first knife was an Opinel 169. Small, light, easy to use, and then I went out into nature.
Besides your job, do you have any hobbies or other things you do in your free time?
I appreciate sharpness not only in knives. Another hobby of mine is growing chili peppers. So if you see me with a bright red face, it's not necessarily due to my mood. Besides that, I enjoy jogging and doing fitness as a way to unwind from everyday life.
Will you tell us your current favorite knife? What do you like about it in particular?
Here too, I like to look outside the box. Of course, that includes Böker knives, like the Böker Sherman EDC. But currently, I'm really taken with the CIVIVI Appalachian Drifter II with its Nitro-V blade, carbon fiber bolsters, and purple G10 handle scales. A modern slipjoint knife—light, dynamic, always with me, and with fantastic performance.
Simon, thank you so much for giving us these interesting insights .