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Why Uptime is the Most Important Ingredient for this German Butcher

May 19, 2026
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When your business relies on its vehicles to deliver your products on time, any stoppage can be damaging. Ulrich Reichenbach explains how Dealer Uptime Services is proving invaluable at Metzgerei Reichenbach, a German fine meat supplier that is always on the move.

Metzgerei Reichenbach has been supplying fine meats and sausages to customers for the 65 years, and uniquely, in Germany, their products come from their own breeding programme, as well as from select partner farms, and the animals are fed with locally sourced pasture and field feed. This holistic approach means the company looks after everything, right up until the meat reaches customers. 

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    For this butcher in Germany, uptime is a key ingredient
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Metzgerei Reichenbach only sells to customers from its own shops within a 60-kilometre radius and directly to online customers.  To meet logistical needs, the company operates a small fleet of around 30 vehicles, seven of which are delivery vehicles.

“We are, of course, very dependent on these vehicles because we deliver to our shops every morning, and we make deliveries to our customers every day; as many as 1,000 parcels per week across the country, which means many kilometres of travel,” explains Ulrich who is Managing Director.

“Punctuality is very important above all else, so keeping our hard-working fleet perfect is critical. If we can’t deliver to our shops or to customers who are relying on that delivery, then it’s bad for our business and for our reputation.

“When Ernst and König, our local Ford dealer, told us about Dealer Uptime Services we thought it sounded good; the promise of less work and less time in maintaining our fleet was naturally tempting.”

Thanks to Dealer Uptime Services, Metzgerei Reichenbach knows in advance if something is wrong or needs to be done. Ernst and Köni monitors their vehicle data for the company’s connected fleet and if any work needs to be carried out on the vehicles, someone from Ernst and König gets in touch.

For this butcher in Germany, uptime is a key ingredient Click to Enlarge
Ford technician from Ernst and König greeting Ulrich at Metzgerei Reichenbach Click to Enlarge

“They let us know which vehicle is due for a service or which one needs a spare part replaced. We arrange a workshop appointment in good time so we can plan for it,” Ulrich adds. 

“At the agreed time, they bring us a replacement vehicle and take ours away. By the end of the day, it’s back in our yard and we can use it again the next morning. Sometimes, they might also send a Mobile Service Van to us for software updates or small repairs so our van stays on site and is quickly dealt with.  

“This approach is so significant for us because naturally we always need the vehicles. It’s also made everything much faster and less complicated, meaning we can concentrate on what we do best without unnecessary downtime. 

“For over 65 years, we have combined tradition with innovation in agriculture and the butcher's trade. This innovation from Ford is something we now trust to help us maintain that reputation, ensuring our specialty Black Forest ham arrives on time.”