When ideas start flowing again
Reading time: 7 min
We hold it in our hands every day—and yet a drinking glass still holds a surprising amount of future potential. In this interview, Carsten Kehrein explains how he uses new methods to question the familiar and develop ideas that turn an everyday product into something surprising.
"After training , I training the drawer of ideas."
Carsten Kehrein is a glass designer at Rastal GmbH & Co. KG in Höhr-Grenzhausen, where he is responsible for developing drinking vessels. He ensures that each brand finds its own identity in the glass. With over 200 awards and design prizes, his studio is one of the most renowned addresses worldwide when it comes to glass design. And yet one question keeps tormenting him: Where does innovation come from?
Carsten, they say you can't reinvent the wheel. What about glass?
Let's put it this way: the job is challenging. Because, of course, you can't reinvent the practical benefits of a product that is already highly sophisticated. That's why the task at hand is characterized by constantly pushing ourselves to do better. And constantly searching for so-called game-changing innovations that will transform the market. Ten years ago, for example, we succeeded in doing this by digitizing the drinking glass. We developed a new process that allows us to print an NFC chip onto the glasses. This enables a glass to interact with a smartphone without contact. That was a whole new level for glass—and opened up completely new business areas for us. But the pressure to innovate remains high, of course.
And that's where Haufe Akademie came Haufe Akademie play...
When you've been in the job for thirty years... I don't want to say that boredom sets in, but the challenge in terms of innovation is more than just a design product. What I always lacked were the methods. And that's why I decided last year Haufe Akademie the offer from Haufe Akademie —to train as an innovation manager. It lasted exactly one week. It took place online, via Teams.
Please tell us a little more about this week.
It was a really great, very small group of people. There was a wonderful sense of closeness. During the week of the seminar, we learned various methods that I had never even heard of before. We started slowly, with a lot of methodology and structure. And then the training to practical exercises so that we could learn to apply everything in a practical way. So it wasn't just theory—it was really tried and tested everyday life. And it was very pleasantly structured. So I have to say: the training was really very good.
Would you like to tell us about one of these innovations?
After the training , I training the drawer of ideas that had been closed for a long time. Because afterwards, I felt more confident about being able to validate my ideas. So I unpacked an exciting idea that was almost ten years old: we placed the moussier point, which is normally at the bottom, on the side wall of the glass. The CO₂ bubbles no longer rise from the bottom, but unfold directly at the brand image. And that is exactly what is important in today's world: showcasing the brand at the most beautiful moment of consumption.
What significance does courage have for a company today?
I believe that courage is one of the most important qualities in today's world. However, courageous developments thrive on trust. This means that you need the support of senior management within the company to launch bold innovations. For me personally, this week has been very valuable. I believe that my senior management sees it similarly: it was time very well spent—on topics that are simply essential for successfully leading a company into the future.
Ideas require courage—and a system that carries them forward
In an interview with Carsten Kehrein, it becomes clear that even an everyday product like a glass can be reimagined when creativity is given structure. If you don't want to leave innovation to chance, the certified continuing education program "Innovation Manager" offers a framework for developing, testing, and implementing ideas in a targeted manner.
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Courage has many faces—sometimes loud, sometimes quiet, sometimes obvious, and sometimes hidden. Discover more courageous inspiration here.
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Do you have an exciting story to tell?
Courage takes many forms: starting over, persevering, rethinking. If continuing education has helped you get a step "FURTHER," we want to hear about it. Apply with your success story—and with a little luck, we'll share it together in an interview.
