Who are we?
At DreCo Insights, we work as a hands-on partner for European component manufacturers facing structural change in the automotive industry. We believe that strategy only creates value when it is directly connected to execution. Our approach is built on more than 27 years of experience in automotive and industrial component manufacturing across Europe.
From OEM engineering centres to Tier 1 supplier networks, we understand how the automotive value chain truly operates. We work closely with owners, CEOs and management teams of mid-market manufacturers who need clarity, direction and momentum. Not through reports, but by embedding next to your team and supporting real decisions.
Our role is to turn complexity into focus, reduce dependency and help companies secure a strong position within the evolving automotive value chain.
Our story
Because business is all about people
DreCo Insights was founded on a clear belief: strategy only works when the person who designs it also leads the execution. That belief is built on more than 27+ years of hands on experience in European component manufacturing across automotive interiors, appliances, furniture, and mechanical engineering.
Owner Christian Drenth began his career as a Sales Engineer in Strasbourg and grew into roles as Business Manager, General Manager, and integration leader within international organisations. Over the years, he built business units from zero, entered new markets from scratch, tripled revenue in established companies, and carried full P and L responsibility for manufacturing organisations.
Working across France, Germany, Slovenia and the Benelux, from shop floors to boardrooms, one pattern became clear: companies rarely lack strategy, but often lack ownership of execution. Too many plans remain presentations while markets continue to move.
DreCo Insights was created to close that gap. Not as a traditional consultancy, but as a partner that works alongside management teams, combines data driven insight with hands on execution, and stays involved until results are visible. One partner. One direction. Full accountability.
How we help
Testimonials from our satisfied clients.
Clients' voices
At DreCo Insights, long-term partnerships matter more than quick wins. We work closely with owners, CEOs and management teams of automotive and industrial component manufacturers who face complex strategic decisions in changing markets. Our clients value a partner who understands the automotive value chain, speaks their language and stays involved from strategy through execution. Below are examples of how manufacturers describe their experience working with Christian Drenth and the impact this collaboration has had on their business.
DreCo has been instrumental in our success from the very beginning. Christian conducted thorough market research, which laid the foundation for a robust sales strategy. Beyond just developing customer relationships in the field, DreCo also took the lead in shaping and executing our social media and marketing campaigns, ensuring our brand's strong presence and growth.
DreCo Insights helped prenel GmbH prepare to launch our new technology. The market research across target industries validated our commercial assumptions. The business plan and detailed financial forecasts gave us realistic projections. We could present credible numbers and discuss them in depth with investors. A very valuable part was also the access to senior management at market leaders. These introductions connected us with investors and development partners. His guidance keeps us focused on what matters. We get practical advice, not theory. I recommend DreCo Insights to any B2B company entering new markets.
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Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that choosing the right partner is a big decision.
Here are answers to some of the most common questions about Dreco Insights and our services.
When is the right moment to work with DreCo Insights?
The right moment is often earlier than companies expect. Many manufacturers reach out when volumes start to decline or contracts are coming to an end, but the most impact is created when there is still time to act. If more than 30% of your revenue depends on automotive, if your order book beyond 18–24 months is uncertain, or if new projects are becoming harder to win, it is the right moment to step back, assess your position and define a clear path forward.
Do we need to leave the automotive industry to reduce risk?
No. In most cases, the strongest opportunities are still within the automotive value chain. The challenge is not the industry itself, but where you are positioned within it. DreCo Insights helps companies move towards growing component groups, new platforms and additional OEMs or Tier 1s, reducing dependency without abandoning automotive. Diversification into adjacent industries can be part of the strategy, but always as a complement, not a forced exit.
How is DreCo Insights different from traditional consultants?
Most consultants deliver a strategy and move on. DreCo Insights stays involved until results become visible. Strategy and execution are led by the same person, ensuring continuity, accountability and momentum. This means working next to your management and sales teams, preparing OEM meetings, supporting negotiations and adjusting course when needed. The focus is not on reports, but on decisions, actions and measurable progress.
What kind of companies does DreCo Insights typically work with?
DreCo Insights works primarily with European component manufacturers, typically with a turnover between €10M and €250M and 50 to 1,000 employees. Clients are often metal or steel component suppliers operating in automotive, interiors, thermal management or related domains. Engagements are tailored to the company’s situation, whether the challenge is finding new customers, repositioning within the value chain, or preparing for growth, acquisition or transition.
We already have a strategy on the shelf. Why bring in another consultant?
Most strategies fail at execution, not at design. We stay on board until the plan takes hold. If your team can deliver alone, you do not need us.
Our team is too busy for another change project.
We do not add to the workload. We carry execution alongside your team. Decisions still belong to you.
We are too small for consulting fees.
Engagements scale to the situation. Project based for a defined challenge. Retainer based for ongoing support. The first conversation is free, with no sales pitch.
Do you only work inside automotive?
No. Many clients come from automotive and move into adjacent industrial markets. Domestic appliances, furniture, welding automation. Our experience covers both worlds.
What happens if we engage you and it does not work?
Retainer engagements run month to month. Project engagements carry an early exit clause. Both have written success criteria agreed before signing. If the criteria are not being met by the agreed checkpoint, the engagement stops.
How much access to our data do you need?
NDAs sign before any client data is reviewed. Sensitive material stays inside your systems. We work with anonymised extracts where possible. Your data stays yours at all times.
Is our information safe?
All software we use is European-owned. All data is stored on servers in Germany.
We made this choice deliberately. Our clients share sensitive business information with us. That information stays in Europe, under European law.
Here is what we use:
Documents and files
OnlyOffice. It is fully compatible with Microsoft Office.
Mailbox.org. It replaces Microsoft Outlook.
Video calls
OpenTalk. It replaces Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom.
File storage
Hetzner Storageshare, running on Nextcloud, hosted on our Hetzner server in Germany.
Project management
OpenProject, self-hosted on the same Hetzner server.
Client database
EspoCRM, self-hosted on the same Hetzner server.
Our server is a Hetzner dedicated server located in Germany with a daily backup. Nothing we use is owned by an American company. Nothing is stored outside the EU.
That said, one exception exists. We use an American AI tool. We explain exactly why, and what that means for your data, in the next question.
What about AI ?
We mainly use Claude, made by Anthropic.
Anthropic is an American company. That is a deliberate exception to our European software rule. We made it because Claude is the best tool available for the work we do.
Here is what we control, and what we do not.
We control where files and data are stored. All documents and client data stay on our EU-based servers. We do not upload sensitive client information to any AI tool.
We do not control where the AI processing happens. When we send a prompt, that computation runs on Anthropic's infrastructure. That infrastructure is not entirely within the EU.
What we can confirm is this. Anthropic does not train its models on the work of paid users. Our tasks do not feed back into the model.
So the honest answer is: the data stays in Europe, the thinking happens elsewhere, and nothing we do makes the AI smarter at your expense.
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