"Struggle or war?"

Good morning everyone, and welcome to a new working week!

(Many of our colleagues in other countries are already hard at work again today.)

“Whenever I turn on the faucet and clean, clear water comes out, then I thank the Lord” – now I am always reminded of this saying by my 90-year-old aunt when I turn on the tap. Nothing should be taken for granted in this world and in our lives. We have so many reasons to be grateful and enjoy life. I now know only a handful of people who lived through the horrors of World War II … And two dozen people who have experienced – and still experience – terrible things in other wars (Yugoslavia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine) … It’s a mercy when you have enough food and clean water, medical care, freedom and democracy – and no one is shooting at you … It’s a mercy to have a roof over one’s head, not to have to suffer cold, and to be allowed to live in peace.

This pandemic shows how thin the ice is on which we humans live. But it’s not a war – no, it’s a struggle. It’s not about killing people; it’s about saving people. That is the difference between war and struggle. In war you extinguish life, whereas in a struggle you protect life. Struggle is all about care, about salvation, about sacrifice and love.

So please let us struggle again this week! It is a just struggle and it is a necessary struggle. If everyone gives their best in their place, goes the extra mile and, in doing so, makes an important contribution to winning the struggle, then the team, the community, the whole society and even a company like ours will win in the end. Winning in the sense of survival, winning in the sense of preserving jobs, and winning in the sense of doing good.

And so I repeat my heartfelt request: Let us struggle, win and do good with all our strength, with our head, heart and hands – for our customers, for ourselves and for all our fellow people.

One more remark on another kind of tap, namely the oil tap. As can be read everywhere, OPEC has decided on what is called a “dramatic” cut in production. In May and June, the oil-producing countries intend to pump 10 million barrels less oil per day. Sounds like a lot at first. Do you know how high the total world output per day really is? About 100 million barrels. So the cut is only 10% … Not all that exciting after all. Especially not considering the fact that the world’s oil consumption is currently not at 100 million barrels per day, nor at 90 million, but at most at 70 million … The oil producers will have to cut back “dramatically” a few more times if the world is not to drown in oil. But that’s just in passing.

Now I wish you plenty of satisfaction and fulfillment in the very meaningful work for our worldwide LIQUI MOLY / Meguin family.

Best regards,

Ernst Prost