10 years of NetPeppers.

2017 revolved around one key question. How do you successfully introduce a US company to the German market? Using the example of Klein Tools, it quickly became clear that this was not just about language. The products were high quality, without question. But they were designed for a different working environment. Larger tools, different applications, tool belts as a standard. Logical in the US. Less common in German trade practice.

We realized that having good products is not enough. They also need to fit the market. And that is where the real work began. Many conversations, a lot of feedback and numerous adjustments. Not everything worked perfectly right away, but this process created a genuine understanding of local requirements.

An important milestone was our first joint trade fair appearance at Eltefa in Stuttgart. Together with Klein Tools. With the VDV Ranger, which measures cable length, we celebrated our first tangible successes there.

At the same time, something else became very clear in another area. Entering fiber optic testing was unnecessarily complex for many electricians. Existing solutions were expensive, complicated and often oversized. So we asked a simple question. Why?

In 2017, this led to an idea that still shapes us today. An own fiber optic product line from NetPeppers. Practical. Affordable. Designed for everyday use. In the same year, the first NetPeppers optical loss testers were successfully launched on the market.

Looking back, 2017 was a year of learning. From the market, from the trade and from understanding when it is time to take responsibility for your own solutions.

Our many ideas gradually began to take shape as established structures. Martina became NetPeppers' first employee. Working remotely, she supported our internal operations and helped us set up our CRM and ERP systems.

A lot was happening behind the scenes, too. The first pallet shipments from the USA arrived directly in Starnberg. Our warehouse? The basement. Family, friends and anyone who could lend a hand pitched in. What seems perfectly normal today started with physical effort and plenty of team spirit. That spirit defined the early years of NetPeppers.

At the same time, our own product portfolio continued to grow. With the first NetPeppers fiber optic products, including the OLT optical loss test kits and the VLP50 Visual Fault Locator, we took the next step. What started as an idea became products that made it easier for installers to get started with fiber optic testing, offering unbeatable value for money.

2018 was a year in which NetPeppers continued to take shape. Our team, product portfolio and internal structures developed steadily, step by step.

Our journey through 10 years of NetPeppers continues. Today, we're looking back at 2019. A year in which we continued to grow and laid important foundations for the future.

To ensure we could reliably handle the increasing number of orders, we brought in additional warehouse support in February. This freed up more time to focus on strategic priorities and the targeted expansion of our marketing activities.

Our product portfolio continued to grow as well. We introduced our own range of Wi-Fi accessories, including an APoS system with an integrated power supply housed in a carrying case, adding more practical solutions to our offering.

Our sales network also expanded. We gained important wholesale partners, opening up new distribution channels. The combination of a growing partner network and a broader product portfolio paid off: Revenue increased by 370% year on year, reaching almost €3 million.

In October, another employee joined our internal sales team. As the business grew, so did the demands on our operations. That's why we continued to expand our team, step by step.

 

NetPeppers was growing, and one thing became clear: We needed a central office where we could all work together.

So, in August, it was time to pack up. NetPeppers moved from Starnberg to Grafrath, near Munich, and into our first dedicated office space. After years of working from home and storing products in the basement, this was a pretty big step.

And it wasn't just our premises that expanded. That same month, Mark Nahrstedt joined the team. Starting his new role at NetPeppers meant a change of direction in more ways than one: He relocated from northern Germany to the south. As a field sales representative, he helped bring NetPeppers even closer to our customers.

For NetPeppers, 2020 was all about growth. More space, a bigger team and another step towards more established structures.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic continued to have a firm grip on us. What had begun the previous year had become an ongoing challenge. After our first years of growth, things no longer went entirely according to plan. Revenue fell short of our expectations, and many things we had previously taken for granted became more difficult.

There was one positive development, however. Our online business became increasingly important and continued to expand during this period.

But it wasn't the economic challenges that left the deepest impression on us that year.

One of our colleagues became seriously ill with COVID-19 and was unable to return to work. It was a deeply painful experience for us personally, and its impact is still felt today.

As we look back on ten years of NetPeppers, these difficult moments are also part of our story. Because behind our company are people who have helped build it and shape what it is today.

We're thinking of you! ❤️