· Eckhardt, Wiebke Eggers F Mauritz Faenger, Gabriele Feil, Arne-Falk Flander, ... Karl...

glück auf · 1/2011 · Extraits en langue française ........................... 1 glück auf · 4/2012 · Extracts in English .......................................... 1

Workforce makes commitment to save energyGMHütte · Steel maker also links profit sharing to energy saving targets in future.

W ith effect from 1 January 2013, profit sharing for the

workforce of Georgsmarienhütte GmbH will also be linked to how successfully energy is saved. The works council and the company have now reached a correspond-ing company-level agreement - with the arrangements concern-ing profit sharing remaining in place, but being complemented in terms of their quality.

The initiative for this clear commitment in regard to energy saving was taken jointly by La-bour Director Felix Osterheider and Works Council Chairman Ludwig Sandkämper. As an ener-gy-intensive company, GMHütte wanted quite consciously to send a message internally as well as externally, and to make clear

that economical use of resources is not just lip service. It was also a response to criticisms often made publicly that Germany’s steel industry is incapable of organising its processes more en-ergy-efficiently and, in doing so, actively involving its employees.

The workforce members of energy-intensive GMHütte have long been sensitised to energy is-sues – an approach that has been promoted by the company man-agement together with the works council. A good two-thirds have so far attended energy training courses, for instance.

For Felix Osterheider the agreement is a further demon-stration of responsible working practices. “GMHütte is a com-pany that uses, and hence recy-

cles, nothing other than scrap as a production material. We foster the tradition of meeting around a table, and operate according to the “glass chimney” principle. And now we have also made a genuine commitment, in that all have collectively recognised the value of energy for the future development of our operating location.“

mw

,More on this topic:

Main problem was finding a fair solution

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Editorial

Dear Colleagues,

Let’s not beat about the bush. Times are getting harder from an economic point of view, and we must prepare ourselves ac-cordingly. This should certainly not prevent us from enjoying the pleasant aspects of life, however. Of course the current economic situation is not exactly encourag-ing. But why should our “other life” have to suffer as well? Make sure you enjoy the holiday period ahead. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Editorial team

glück auf4/2012

Extracts in English

The newspaper for employees, customers and friends of the GMH Group

Masthead

Publisher:Ge orgs ma ri en hüt te Hol ding GmbHNeue Hüt ten stra ße 149124 Ge orgs ma ri en hüt tewww.gmh-hol ding.de/uk/

responsible in accordance with press law:Iris-Kath rin Wil ckens

translations: Carol Hogg, Michael Snowley

design: elemente designagentur, Münster

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… for your contributions!”Dear authors and photogra-phers of glückauf in 2012!

glückauf is very special in the way it is compiled. That is because the newspaper is not produced by an external agency, as is often the case with other company publica-tions. In glückauf, colleagues write articles and take photographs for colleagues. Their contributions are simply adapted in form and content to conform to prescribed layout and journalistic standards. All contributions are produced by colleagues in parallel with their normal jobs, which are usually de-manding enough in themselves. So we would like to thank you again for your successful contributions this year – and look forward to our continuing collaboration in 2013.

Editorial team

a Irene Aich, Andreas Albers, Gunter Apitz, Victoria Apitz, Sebastian Arend

B Andreas Bader, Inge Be-cher, Thomas Becher, Linda Becker, Stephan Becker,

Markus Beckmann, Detlef Beier, Elke Berthold, Ralph Beushausen, Bastian Biedermann, Robert Böge, Michael Bönisch, Lukas Borgelt, Udo Börger, Jürgen Börner, Jörg Boßmeyer, Wolfgang Bränder, Robert Bräunig, Dr. Dirk Breuer, Klaus-Dieter Brühl, Beate Brüning-haus, Andreas Buchem, Hartmut Budde, Andrea Busch, Slawomir-Josef Büttner

C Andreas Dal Canton, Sér-gio Carvalho, Jean Frédéric Castagnet

d Gerhard Dallmann, Uwe Dannen, Sabine Dan-nhauer, Ingo Dauer, Bianca

Deck, Jakob Deck, Stefanie De-gener, Maren Dependahl, Melissa Diekmann, Birger Diesem, Ailton Cesar Diniz, Christian Dinter, An-dreas Donat, Steffen Drechsler, Susan Drescher, Harald Dröge, Magnus Duda, Martin Duram

E Reimund Eckermann, Petra Eckhardt, Wiebke Eggers

F Mauritz Faenger, Gabriele Feil, Arne-Falk Flander, Sebastian Franke, Brigitte

Freitag

G Hartmut Gattmann, Stephan Germann, An-dré Glasmeyer, Andreas

Glaßmeyer, Lothar Goertzen, Ul-rich Gohl, Ulf Götze, Rolf Grandt, Tobias Grau, Walter Grimm, Carsten Große Börding, Dr. Jürgen Großmann, Heinz Gru-ber

H Nils Hähner, Ursula Hain, Dr. Heikel Hamadou, Katrin Hamann, Jens Hammecke,

Rainer Hammelsbrock, Ute Han-hardt, Armin Hans, Tanja Hans, Laura Hans, Monika Hansen, Mar-tin Hartung, Dieter Haß, Lena von der Heiden, Ulrike Helbig, Cecilia Hentrich, Markus Herkenhoff, Olaf Hermann, Roland Hermann, Mario Hermeling, Traugott Hofer, Holger Hoffmann, Stefanie Hoffmann, Ursula Holtgreve, Stefan Hönow, Wilfried Hörhold, Dirk Horstkamp, Peter van Hüllen, Tobias Hullin, Daniela Hunger, Elisabeth Huse-mann

iJ Matthias Ibeler, Jens Indrachowicz, Thomas Irmscher, Uwe Jahn, Wolf-

gang Janjevic, Britta Jansen

K Franziska Kaden, Recep Kalaycik, Jörg Kampmann, Katharina Kassadjikov,

Thomas Kelter, Hans Jürgen Kerk-hoff, Manuel Keune, Bernd Kirst, Ulrich Klein, Tanja Kleczka, Marcus Klimek, Ina Klix, Kai Kmieciak, Nico Knorr, Hartwig Kockläuner, Dr.-Ing. Günter Köhler, Stefan Ko-lassa, Sabine Kolf, Norbert Kölker, Björn Könes, Heiko Koop, Silvio Kopsch, Marian-Peter Kottick, Udo Krampitz, Karin Kriebel, Felix Kriege, Karl-Günter Kruska, Ralf Kübeck, Michael Kühnert

l Reimund Laermann, Jörg Lange, Karl-Hermann Lau, Frank Ledderbohm, Peter

Leimbrink, Alexander Leitner, Uwe Lewandowski, Thomas Löhr, Rainer Lorenz

M Manja Malyszczyk, Irene Martin, Herbert Mattheis, Henry Matthes, Ralf Mau-

rus, Bernd Mayer, Melanie Mayer, Eberhard Mehle, Peter Melbinger, Felipe Mello Super, Ina Meyer, Sabine Meyer, Dennis Michalski, Volker Mielke, Eng. MSc. Domin-gos Minicucci, Klaus Minneker, Sandra Moers, Rüdiger Monecke, Raymond Mountney, Klaus Müller, Jörg Multhaupt, Michael Münch, Priscilla Muntoni

N Maren Netkowski, Jürgen Neuhaus, Eckhard Neu-mann, Thomas Niebecker,

Daniel Niemann, Marko Niemeyer

o Dirk Oebel, Ingo Offer-manns, Dirk Olbers, An-dreas Olbricht, Dirk Opfer,

Hans-Werner Overmeyer

P Sandra Papenbrock, Dr. med. Ulrich Pätzold, Ute Pellenz, Hermann Penter-

mann, Manfred Pfeiff, Friedhelm Pohl, Christian Pohlmann, Olga Polenchik, Antonio Porto, Dr. Gregor Poschmann, Oliver Pracht, Alexander Püning

r Leon Radunovic, Dirk Ra-schke, Andrea Redmann, Stephan Reichelt, Jan Rein-

ers, Tamara Reinke, Andreas Renze, Dr.-Ing. Roman Ritzenhoff, Achim Röder, Bernd Romeikat, Christoph Rücker, Horst Rüsing, Leni Rüsing

S Silke Sagmeister, Klaus Schafmeister, Friedrich-Karl Schelberg, Dr. Knut

Schemme, Daniela Schlichter, Andrea Schlüter, Wolfhard Scheer, Michael Schmak, Annegret Schmidt, Jörg Schmidt, Kirsten Schmidt, Carla Schmode, Stefanie Schönheit, Ralf Schreiber, Marisa Schriefl, Armin Schröder, Susanne Schubert, Tino Schulz, Berit Lu Schweda, Sandra Sciborski, Lisa Sennhenn, Klaus Seybold, Hendrik Siemionek, Reiner Skrzipek, Frank Smolny, Antonio Carlos Soldi Jun-ior, Joachim Speh, Uwe Spielmann, Josef Stallmeister, Nicole Stephan, Harald Steuler, Dr. Georg Stierle, Claudia Stipp, Petra Stipp, Andreas Stralek, Otto Stockhausen, Andreas Studinski, Elena Suhareva, Frank Swierzinski

t Ewald Thaller, Christian Thiel, Claudia Thiele, Dieter Tondar, Jennifer Treib, Felix

Treppschuh, Jöran Frank Trepp-schuh, Lucas Turquetto

V Christian de Veen, Martin Venn, Jörg Villmann, Bernd Vogel, Andreas Vogele, Se-

bastian Voss, Thomas Voß

W Felix Weber, Daniel Wei-hmann, Anja Wersching, Marcel Werth, Björn

Wieschendorf, Ralf Willam, Lothar Willig, Remo Winter, Heiner Witke, Susanne Wolff, Ronny Wolsky

Z Axel Zajaczek, Hans Bern-hard Zäuner, Markus Zielke, Eva Zimke

„Thank you …

The glückauf editorial team (from left to right): Iris-Kathrin Wilckens (GMH Holding), Sarah-Fee Pietrowsky (BVV), Eberhard Mehle (RAFIL), Oliver Santelli (GMHütte), Julia Pehla (SWG/ESG), Marcus Wolf (GMH Holding/GMHütte), Markus Hoffmann (HGZ), René Surma (WeserWind), Ulrike Libal (Pleissner Guss), Monika Brüninghaus (French translator), Hans-Günter Randel (GMHütte), Norbert Hemsing (Walter Hundhausen), Mat-thias Krych (RRO), Dirk Strothmann (RRO) and Vera Loose (GMHütte). Not on the photo: editorial team member Beate-Maria Zimmermann (GMHütte).

photo: Hartmut Gattmann


Editorial

Faster – higher – further – better?“Our team and products are capable of securing a top ranking.”

throughout the past year we have had the opportunity of following some top-quality

sporting performances, many of which have been captivating. Who wasn’t glued to the television with their fingers tightly crossed during the European football championship, the Olympic Games in London or indeed the daring stratosphere jump by Felix Baumgartner in the USA? We have applauded some superb victories, perhaps also experienced disappoint-ments over lost football matches, or asked ourselves whether the 39 km jump was really of relevance. We sympathised with those who did not actually make it to the winners’ rostrum, and experienced great admiration for those who - despite a handicap or harsh stroke of fate - were able to produce performances almost beyond anything we believed possible.

What is the reason for success? Ostensibly it is the faces visible to the media as well as to all other on-lookers, fighting for victory and for medals. Behind them, however – usually out of sight – is an efficient and diversified team which combines its different skills and expertise and works hard, unremittingly and full of optimism, to achieve a joint aim.

In the GMH Group we also see ourselves as a large performance association, competing in 47 different disciplines. This year, unfortunately, we were not as successful at all our Group loca-tions as we had intended to be.

The prime reason for this is that the world economy deteriorated more seriously in many areas than had been forecast at the beginning of the year. This particularly concerned markets relevant for our products - the automotive, rail-ways, energy, shipbuilding, and mechanical en-gineering sectors, where capacities are placing a strain on the market and creating pressure on revenues, as well as in terms of competition. A decline in demand is making itself felt where in-dustrial and private consumption is concerned.

The second reason is the uncertainty in the markets ensuing from the debt crisis in Europe and in the USA, political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa as well as the develop-ment in raw materials prices. Cautious reticence is the natural reaction to the current situation, which Germany as an export nation is now feeling particularly strongly. Such extreme influ-ences can only be predicted to a limited extent. So it is all the more important for us to prepare well for them in our business deliberations and actions.

The third reason is that we became involved in the renewable energies sector at a time when our intentions and assessments of the de-velopment in this area were optimistic. Ten of our Group companies supply individual prod-ucts in this upcoming industry. However, the

continuing uncertainty regarding the political framework within which this industry will oper-ate makes it extremely difficult to take respon-sible and commercially acceptable decisions. Here we urgently require clear and dependable statements to allow us reliable scope for devel-opment. Furthermore, we are confronted by considerable internal problems in the offshore market. Both impose a heavy burden on us today. It is, therefore, not possible at this stage for me to predict future developments in this sector.

Looking back over the year, we have had to re-adjust our plans more significantly than had been anticipated 12 months ago. Neverthe-less, this year once again, a team consisting of 11,025 persons has put in a performance without which we could not overcome these stormy times, which remind us of the crisis in 2008/2009. I should like to take this oppor-tunity of expressing my sincere thanks to all concerned.

For the next year – under the circumstances currently prevailing - we do not expect any improvement in the economy but, at very best, stabilisation at present levels. Whether our starting position in 2013 will be strong enough for us to achieve a good placing remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that our team and our products are capable of being at the top of the ranking list. Faster – higher – further – better, it is essential for us to combine our ef-forts wholeheartedly in pursuit of these aims.

dear employees, I wish you and your families a happy and peaceful Christmas and every success for the New Year.

photo: GMH Group


this is one race we simply cannot win Berlin · Hurdle race to highlight unequal competition.

apicture is worth a thousand words.” This well-known saying was behind the

decision of the German Steel Federation (“Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl”) to highlight the German steel industry’s predicament in international competition in symbolic form in its “The Future Begins with Steel” commu-nications initiative.

In a race between the world’s major steel-producing countries held on a synthetic all-weather track in front of the German Reichstag in Berlin, the USA, China, Russia and Germany each fielded one competitor. Whilst the entrants from Russia, China and the USA had a clear run, the German runner had to overcome high hurdles representing the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) levy, EU emissions trading, energy tax and electricity prices, each of which obvious-ly had a restricting effect on his performance.

This initiative clearly visualised the bur-den on the German steel industry as a result of having to face tough international com-petition from these countries which do not have to cope with any costs comparable to emissions trading, the energy tax or the Re-newable Energy Sources Act levy. Such high

outgoings are a serious threat to the competi-tiveness of German steel companies.

“The new Renewable Energy Sources Act levy means that in 2013 costs for the steel in-dustry in Germany will rise to approximately 260 million euros. That represents an in-crease of almost 50 percent and a considera-ble burden on our international competitive-ness,” said Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, President of the German Steel Federation. “Claims that the steel industry or other energy-intensive industries in Germany have been completely exempted from the Renewable Energy Sourc-es Act levy are simply not true”, he said.

Moreover, according to Kerkhoff, in the current public discussion people also forget that, in addition to the Renewable Energy Sources Act levy, a large number of other energy and climate-related regulations ap-plying to the German steel industry and the steel-based value chain will lead to further financial burdens. Despite cost-containment measures, the steel industry will be paying out large amounts of money this year – some 180 million euros for the Renewable Energy Act contribution and 45 million euros in en-ergy tax. If the ceilings on compliance costs

were abolished, private consumers would hardly benefit, but a serious cost explosion would take place within the steel industry, he said. “The switch to renewables can only suc-ceed in partnership with industry,” Kerkhoff emphasised. This would require political con-sensus on the necessity of cost-containment measures for energy-intensive industries. Allegations about so-called preferential treat-ment compared with private energy consum-ers are misleading, he said. “A competitive industrial location with an efficient raw materials industry is a key requirement for growth, prosperity and jobs and is in the in-terest of all concerned.”

Germany is one of the world’s key steel-producing countries and is the largest steel producer in the European Union. On an international scale, Germany is in 7th place behind China (1st place), Japan, the USA, India, Russia and South Korea. One third of all patents in the steel sector come from Germany.

Securing Germany’s place as an industrial location is also in the interest of private con-sumers who benefit as employees from an ef-ficient industrial location. The steel industry is part of the industrial value chain and is a supplier of raw materials to many key indus-tries such as the automotive and mechanical engineering sectors. Some 3.5 million jobs are thus intricately linked to the steel indus-try. In terms of logistics and innovation, the geographical proximity to and cooperation with customer industries create a consider-able advantage for Germany as an industrial location.

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The German Steel Federation staged a symbolic hurdle race in front of the German Bundestag under the slogan “This is one race which the German steel industry simply cannot win”.

source: WV Stahl


tHE oWNEr’S ViEW

Change is the only constantDear GMH Group employees, dear glückauf readers,

You will probably be familiar with the above slo-gan. It has already featured in the form of four trees, which change according to the seasons, in a number of GMH Group brochures and advertisements. The changes symbolised take place regularly on an annual basis. The variation is exclusively in the extent of the change. One year we may experience a magnificent golden autumn, another year - at exactly the same time - we may be exposed to rain, storms and depressingly grey skies. No two autumns are the same.

And the steel industry experiences similar fluctuations. Storm damage caused by the global economic crisis in 2008/2009 has not yet been completely repaired and further economic doom is already hovering on the horizon. Yes, nowadays the cycles change sig-nificantly more quickly and the fluctuations are often more extreme. The theory of wave move-ments at seven-year intervals only applies in the context of outdated economic literature. We now find ourselves in a world characterised by global economic relations and fast, unpredict-able change.

The global economic situation in the steel industry has hardly improved by comparison with 2008/2009, according to a statement made in October by Xiaogang Zhang, President of the World Steel Association, at this year’s World Steel Conference in New Delhi. The Eu-ropean debt crisis not only weighs heavily on EU member countries, it also tarnishes the eco-nomic climate throughout the world. Growth rates in China, which had been enjoying such healthy economic development, have deterio-rated along the same lines as those of emerging countries such as India and Brazil, according to Zhang. Increasing uncertainty and reticence, also in markets relevant to the GMH Group, are having a direct effect on the level of incoming orders of member companies. These develop-ments involve numerous new challenges for us in the year ahead.

The good news from New Delhi, however, is that the global steel industry continues to experience a positive rate of growth. Steel is still considered to be the intelligent material necessary for the sustainable developments of industry if it is to fulfil current requirements as well as those of following generations. Steel is the right material within the scope of “life cycle thinking” because it is reusable and therefore resource-friendly and environmentally sound. Such conditions represent the best pre-requisites for the young generation to make an accurate assessment of the significance of

metallurgy and perhaps even decide to study the subject or take up employment in the steel sector.

Nevertheless, heavy industry – which in my opinion includes steel mills as well as foundries, aluminium processing plants, the engineer-ing sector, etc. – will never be a bed of roses because it is subject to constant change. We have to deal with new requirements and learn not only to react to change but to be optimally prepared for it. I am quite sure that the diversi-fication of the GMH Group – a journalist once called us a “convenience store” – nonetheless

represents a solid foundation, particularly in turbulent times.

I wish you and your families a happy and peaceful Christmas. I hope you will be able to relax and enjoy a healthy and successful start to 2013.

Glück auf!

photo: GMH Group


Jeans and t-shirts predominated on the last day of the exhibitionWW · HUSUM WindEnergy 2012: The exhibition provided a dual perspective. It focused, firstly, on forward-looking technologies and, secondly, on future qualified personnel.

typical northern weather!“, was to be heard from some

visitors and exhibitors. And yet storms and wet conditions were unable to keep over 36,000 visi-tors from dropping by at HUSUM WindEnergy 2012 in late September.

The fully booked hotels and overfilled streets were already an indication of the high number of visitors to the exhibition, where some 1,200 exhibitors, among them also companies from the GMH Group, were represented in eight buildings and marquees over an exhibition area cover-ing 56,000 m2. WeserWind was

present at a 130 m2 exhibition stand together with Friedrich Wilhelms-Hütte Eisenguss (FWH Eisenguss) and Friedrich Wilhelms-Hütte Stahlguss (FWH Stahlguss).

The wind specialists had brought two eyecatchers along with them: a model of the “VARIOBASE Jacket” offshore foundation structure, and a model of the “alpha ventus“ transformer station. They stood on a platform, above which an integrated monitor was posi-tioned, showing a product film to prospective customers about the company.

What FWH Stahlguss had on show was really spectacular: an eight-tonne cast node in origi-nal size that is also installed in the “VARIOBASE Jacket“. FWH Eisenguss also had its contribu-tion to the wind energy field on exhibition: a rotor hub in model form. Such hubs “in real size” function as the connector be-tween rotor blades and turbine.

On the last day of the HUSUM WindEnergy exhibition, jeans and T-shirts predominated. On that day it was “Job and Career Day” for potential future recruits. Awaiting them was, among other things, a diverse programme of

presentations, laid on by the ex-hibition organiser. The topics of the presentations included, for example, “The growth potential of the wind industry in Germany and Europe” and “Academic op-tions for training and further education”.

Although the average age of the visitors on that day fell vis-ibly, the interest in WeserWind and in the group of companies remained at a high level. Many young interested students made use of the opportunity to sub-mit applications or to introduce themselves in person.

Markus Herkenhoff

Successful fair: full exhibition halls and a well-frequented joint stand.

photo: Matthias ibeler


impressive appearance in BeijingGMHütte · Steel maker presents itself in its best light.

this year’s “MetalForm China“ took place in Beijing and,

for the first time, GMHütte was also represented. More or less all of its customers were either exhibitors there or were visiting the fair to gather information concerning competitors or new developments by component suppliers.

It was actually a trade fair for forging and stamping manufac-turers – meaning that GMHütte was present as the sole steel pro-ducer. Its reason for being there was that forgings were the focus of the event. The aim, also, was to advertise to companies that were on the lookout for special materials, such as cracked con-necting rods.

The concept turned out to be a success. As early as the first day there was a stampede to the GMHütte exhibition stand. The new film about the steel company’s production process proved to be an eyecatcher. Many visitors watched it all the way through.

Prior to the trade fair, with the support of Chinese part-ners, advertising material had been put together, including information on the product range of Stahlwerke Gröditz that

also highlighted its marketing and distribution network. This equally attracted great interest because, essentially, all forging manufacturers require Gröditz-made material for their forming dies. Potential customers from the field of mining chain pro-duction also showed their inter-est, though, and further meet-ings were arranged with them.

In conclusion, it was right for GMHütte to take part in this trade fair. The next “MetalForm China“ is to take place in 2013 in Shanghai and, presumably, will attract even more visitors - because a large proportion of forging manufacturers are lo-cated in Greater Shanghai and Jiangsu Province.

Bernd Mayer

Would you have known?

Cracked connecting rods made of steelThey are, firstly, produced in one piece and then laser-scribed and broken (cracked) purposely into two pieces. The fracture surfaces offer advantages with regard to strength, cost and finishing ac-curacy.

Engrossed in the new Chinese-language brochure of GMHütte

photo: Bernd Mayer

Backlog of investmentsMWl · Business On Rails: Suppliers show off expertise and capabilities – and expect government to make fair competition possible.

in early November, MWL Brasil took part at the Business On

Rails (BOR) event in São Paulo, Latin America’s largest trade fair in the railway sector. There, together with Bochumer Verein Verkehrstechnik and Radsatz-fabrik Ilsenburg, it presented wheels, axles and wheelsets, and low-noise resilient wheels designed for urban passenger transport vehicles.

For MWL Sales Director Mar-cello Telles Sbeghen the trade fair was an absolute must. “It was important for us to be pre-sent at this major event, because this is a venue for manufactur-ers of locomotives, passenger vehicles and wagons. And this is also the meeting place for pro-spective customers from South and North America, Asia and Europe who are interested in this sector.“ Among the particular plus points he sees the trade fair as offering are synergy effects, the exchange of knowledge and information, and the potential business transactions.

But the prospects for the companies within this economic sector also depend on the invest-ments that are expected from the Brazilian government.

According to Marcello Telles Sbeghen, “We expect politicians and representatives of the work-ers’ organisations and profes-sional associations to keep their promises. We as a company are confident and looking to further develop and market our prod-ucts. The government, though, has announced that its subsidies will be divided up fairly among railway component manufactur-ers. That has not been the case so far, however. We expect the government to make really sure that they are.”

Felipe Mello Super, Comunicação

Wheelset proved to be an eyecatcher at the Railway Systems exhibition stand.

photo: lucas turquetto Supera Comunicação


Quantity and quality meet expectationsSWG/GWB · Companies from Gröditz and Burg showcase themselves successfully at exhibition in Frankfurt on Main.

Service Center on the Bospho-rus to create closer customer

connections” – was the heading in the glückauf 2/2011 issue concerning cooperation between Schmiedewerke Gröditz and SVG Celik, a tool steel service center in Istanbul. Several things have changed in the meantime. The customer, SVG Celik, has be-come Gröditz Celik – in the long version “Gröditz Çelik Endüstri Malzemeleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim S̨irketi” or, abbreviated, “GCE”. The red GMH signet is now also part of the GCE logo.

What has remained un-changed is the friendly and successful collaboration in the marketing of Gröditz-made tool steel in Turkey. And so it comes as no surprise that Kamelya Dögüscü and Birkan Ünal were present together with managing director Cenk Ucar at this year’s EuroMold exhibition stand, where they welcomed impor-tant customers from Turkey – in

particular from the automotive industry.

But not only Turkish custom-ers and interested parties found their way to the joint stand of Schmiedewerke Gröditz and

Gröditzer Werkzeugstahl Burg. The range of products and ser-vices was on show to visitors at the “old” location in Hall 8.0 - including two weighty exhib-its that quickly proved to be a

magnet and a signpost on the first morning for, among others, an employee from a renowned automotive company looking for a manufacturer of large ingots.

One novelty this year was the flying visit made by ten female colleagues from Gröditz to the exhibition stand. After a short introduction, Walter Grimm accompanied the “visitors” through the exhibition hall and gave an insight into where steel from Gröditz is used.

The fair was – where quantity and quality of the visitors were concerned – a complete success for SWG and GWB. In contrast

to previous years, there was al-ready great hustle and bustle at the exhibition on the first day. SWG and GWB hold EuroMold in very high regard because there they find a public that is very important to them. Although cultivating contacts with regular customers is a priority, there are invariably contacts with new customers. And there can be no doubt that SWG and GWB will also be present at the 20th such event next year.

Ina Klix and Bernd Romeikat

photo: Harald Steuler

Attractive exhibition stand at EuroMold

Saved from oblivionrro · Photographs of two scrap metal dealers ensure perpetuity for their scrap metal motifs. An unusual exhibition in the Villa Stahmer Museum.

the subject of scrap seems to attract the men,” affirmed

Mayor Ansgar Pohlmann with obvious pleasure on the occasion of the photographic exhibition presented by two scrap metal dealers, Matthias Krych and Felix Treppschuh.

Nevertheless, on this Sunday morning at the Villa Stahmer Museum it was neither a matter of scrap metal prices, nor origins of the material nor proportions

of the high-quality steel scrap charged into electric-arc furnac-es. It was simply a matter of art. In addition to Mayor Pohlmann, guest speaker Knut Schemme who introduced the exhibition, was visibly impressed by this fact.

As head of the Raw Materi-als Recycling business unit and supervisor of the two photogra-phers, he was the obvious man to undertake this task. Although

most of the 70 people in the au-dience probably also worked in the scrap metal industry, he used the opportunity to re-emphasise the significance of scrap metal as the second-most important raw material in the steel industry all over the world.

In Germany, 45 percent of steel products are currently made from scrap, and over 95 percent of all steel products revert as scrap to secondary raw materi-

als again at a later stage. “But in legal terms,” Knut Schemme said, “scrap is only waste. We think of it as something which is broken and useless.” The two artists have different visions, however.

Each has his own individual approach, Knut Schemme con-tinued. Matthias Krych scrutinis-es scrapyards with a well-trained eye and looks for unintentional constellations, whereas Felix Treppschuh also arranges specific


motifs himself. Both photogra-phers like to play around with surfaces. “Because different types of surface corrosion exude a spe-cial kind of beauty and grace,” Schemme explained.

Furthermore, he continued, both artists create photographs which are beautiful as well as unique. Scrap is in a constant state of change, and so are scrapyards. What is part of a heap today has disappeared into an electric furnace tomorrow. In other words, there is never an opportunity to experience

the same motif a second time round.

By way of conclusion, Mat-thias Krych expressed his thanks - also on behalf of his younger colleague - for the many different forms of support they received for this project. The town of Georgsmarienhütte spared no effort in organising the exhibi-tion, and museum curator Inge Becher, in particular, had been involved for over a year in mak-ing preparations. Both artists also expressed special thanks to their employer, Rohstoff Recycling

Osnabrück, which footed a large share of the costs and supported the project from the initial stages in a variety of ways.

Matthias Krych said, “This commitment to the cultural interests of employees is exem-plary. It makes a major contribu-tion to agreeable relations within the company. After all, the ulti-

mate objective of their work is to achieve a positive commercial result.”

Musician Peter Karl Müller from Münster accompanied the opening ceremony with a pro-gramme of spherical sounds pro-duced with his electrical guitar, loop and synthesizer.

Inge Becher

tHE art iStS

Matthias KrychFelix TreppschuhMatthias Krych’s interest in pho-tography began at a very early stage in life, and the Ruhr region where he grew up provided him with a wealth of motifs, including scrap metal. In 1994 he held his first exhibition entitled “Faszina-tion Schrott” (“The Fascination of Scrap Metal”) at the headquar-ters of the German Trade Union Federation in Frankfurt. Further exhibitions followed in Offenbach, Spenge and Werther. In 2007 he set up an exhibition for “Tag des offenen Hafens” (Open Day at the Port) in which his young colleague Felix Treppschuh participated for the first time.

Felix Treppschuh also started look-ing for interesting motifs for his camera when he was still a child.

And since he started working at RRO, scrap metal has also been one of his main photo motifs. In 2009 the photographers jointly produced their first calendar featuring scrap metal. The fifth edition has meanwhile been pub-lished.

Come and see for yourself. Following the exhibition at Mu-seum Stahmer, the photographs will be on display at Rohstoff Recycling in Georgsmarienhütte, Neue Hüttenstrasse 1.

photos: mk

“Cocktail” by Felix Treppschuh “Untitled II” by Matthias Krych

A successful exhibition, satisfied faces (left to right): Mayor Ansgar Pohl-mann, Felix Treppschuh, Matthias Krych, Inge Becher and Knut Schemme.

glück auf · 1/2011 · Extraits en langue française ......................... 10 glück auf · 4/2012 · Extracts in English ........................................ 10

“Main problem was finding a fair solution”GMHütte · Profit-sharing agreement additionally to take account of “energy” factor

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Intended mainly to send a message that the entire company workforce sup-ports the idea of energy saving and en-ergy efficiency, the recently concluded company-level agreement now also links profit-sharing to the energy factor. glückauf spoke about this to the two ini-tiators of the idea – Labour Director Felix Osterheider and Works Council Chairman Ludwig Sandkämper – and to Reimund Laermann, Head of Energy Management at GMHütte.

glückauf: Profit-sharing is a company tradition. This was the first company in the GMH Group to introduce this form of employee profit partici-pation. Why this additional element now?Felix osterheider: The instigator of this agreement, my predecessor but two, Her-mann Cordes, had already shown far-sighted-ness, together with Jürgen Großmann: from the outset, energy had been identified as an influencing factor alongside the factors of output, productivity and sickness rate. How-ever, we had previously lacked the opportu-nity to bring this factor to life. It has now been possible to do so.

ludwig Sandkämper: Just last year we got a good two-thirds of our workforce colleagues to undergo energy training. The basic idea that we are able to make real energy savings is broadly accepted. What’s more, as employ-ees of a successful EAF steelmaking plant, we do not want the reputation of not having read the signs of the times, especially as the energy factor will decide the future of our company.

But how can the energy factor be taken into ac-count? How did you approach the issue?reimund laermann: The most difficult part was describing this factor fairly. Our main energy consumer is the electric-arc furnace, and most of our fellow employees have no influence on its consumption. On the other hand, we do not wish to “hide” behind this production unit and say that energy saving has nothing to do with us. We thus evaluated our newly installed “Messdas” system, ena-bling us to identify locations throughout the company premises where so-called shared

Satisfied with the new agreement (from left to right): Works Council Chairman Ludwig Sand-kämper, Labour Director Felix Osterheider and Reimund Laermann, Head of Energy Management at GMHütte.

photo: vl


electricity can be read-off. Everyone has an influence on that, whether they are em-ployed in production or in administration. A further factor is compressed air consumption which is calculated together with the other parameter and, if there is any percentage variation, then also influences the sharing of profits.

Aren’t many colleagues afraid that much less will ultimately be left in their purses or wallets than before? Sandkämper: This agreement won’t hurt us. Should we, for instance because of technical disruptions, lower capacity utilisation or oth-er factors, not be able to exploit our energy efficiency efforts to the full, the amount will perhaps turn out to be a few euros less for in-dividual colleagues. But what I firmly expect is that we will become better in matters of energy efficiency through energy manage-ment and, especially, the famous “mental switch” that each individual has. And that, in turn, will mean a few euros more in our purses and wallets.

osterheider: For us the crucial thing is not the saving or sharing-out of more money as a result – the sum of the amounts to be distrib-uted will not change significantly. It is rather that Georgsmarienhütte GmbH wishes to make clear that our workforce is committed to energy saving. We do not pay lip service, but work hand in hand, each and everyone at his or her workplace. And it doesn’t matter whether the money is earned manually or by using one’s head.

This must be the first agreement of this kind in the German steel industry. What sort of feedback do you expect? laermann: We share information closely with other companies. GMHütte, though, is already one of the leaders when it comes to energy management. In that respect I hope that through discussions and meetings we will, firstly, receive positive feedback and, secondly, have yet further ideas on how to make energy saving a “national sport“. This commences with turning off stairway light-ing and goes way beyond operating our pro-

duction installations responsibly.Sandkämper: I hope that, as in other fields, we will become known and recognised as pioneers in seeking to save energy. Our com-pany looks back on a long tradition, but our workforce was not born yesterday. Quite the contrary: we are thinking ahead to the fu-ture. Not only in the interest of our environ-ment, but also to secure our jobs. osterheider: I am hoping for feedback that realistically acknowledges things for what they are: GMHütte is a company that uses, and hence recycles, nothing other than scrap as a production material. We foster a tradi-tion here of meeting around a table, and op-erate according to the “glass chimney” prin-ciple. And now we have also made a genuine commitment, in that all have collectively recognised the importance of energy for the future development of our operating loca-tion, and wish to help. I call that responsible working practice and trust this will receive proper attention time and time again.

Many thanks for talking to us.

Eye safety at work is everyone’s businessGMHütte · Safety goggles are basic equipment for daily use.

What’s your eyesight worth to you? Quite a lot, most

people would say. Quite rightly, too. After all, “not being able to see separates us from the physical world,” Immanuel Kant once said. And indeed most of us, at some stage, have had the pleasant experience of gazing admiringly into the eyes of someone who is special to us!

Many situations which pose a risk to eyesight are quite predict-able. They are documented in risk assessments and are accessible for everyone to read about in operating instructions. For example, when sparks fly during cutting and grinding work you need to wear safety goggles – everyone knows that! But

let’s face it – can we always predict eve-rything? Of course not!

The term used in the industrial safety con-

text is “unforeseeable conditions”. In other words, it’s impossible to predict all hazards in advance. Because many dangers are well concealed. A situation can change suddenly and without warning – and your eyes are exposed to great risk. It’s often too late to react. So if you’re not wearing your safety gog-gles at such moments, your eyes

may suffer for it. To make the wearing of safety goggles

as pleasant as possible, GMHütte is now of-

fering different designs of goggles to suit specific purposes. The range can be seen in the PSA Catalogue. All new developments in the field of eye protection are followed with avid attention. Furthermore, any repairs or replacements which may become necessary can always be dealt with very quickly.

Nevertheless, however meticu-lous such measures may be, they can never replace personal respon-sibility. So don’t rely on good luck – play safe and wear safety goggles in the factory at all times! Make a hab-it of putting on your safety goggles before you start work and make sure you wear them for the entire shift. If you have any questions on “Eye Safety and Safety Goggles”, ask your colleagues in the Industrial Safety Department – they’ll be

happy to advise you.

Norbert Kölker Markus Beckmann from the Industrial Safety Department presents the differ-ent types of safety glasses.

“Don’t rely on good luck – play safe and wear safety goggles in the factory at all times!”

N O R B E R T K ö L K E R

photo: vl


a further milestoneMa · The requirements of customers – as well as the demands facing goods and materials management – are growing with globalisation. Our company in Troisdorf has responded to this development with a new logistic centre.

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As part of a strategic restruc-turing of its logistic opera-tions, Mannstaedt decided last year to relocate its storage logistics from the production building, i.e. rolling mill. It was seeking a future-viable so-lution. How they proceeded is described by Ulrich Welteroth, Head of the Logistic Centre, in an interview with glückauf.

glückauf: Mr Welteroth, what are the reasons for Mannstaedt at all taking a new storage logistics ap-proach?Ulrich Welteroth: Because of in-creasing globalisation, which also places higher demands on the logistic processes. Required nowa-days is not only best value for money, but also individual and flexible logistic solutions. These are crucial qualitative and com-

petitive factors on the market.

So it wasn’t simply a matter of relo-cating the logistic activities. Welteroth: No. The aim was to create an efficient logistics solu-tion that is tailored to our needs. We want, after all, to remain flexible in our ability to meet our customers’ requirements in future.

How did you arrive at this tailored solution? How did you proceed?Welteroth: We first of all looked for a partner, and decided on Bremen-based STUTE Logistics GmbH. We commissioned them in early 2011 to draw up process specifications.

What is to be understood by such specifications? What requirements do they comprise?Welteroth: These specifications describe scopes of performance and the way in which the lo-gistic processes are to be imple-mented in future. They dealt, for instance, with such aspects as storage capacities, storage techniques, warehousing equip-ment, manpower requirements, handling, et cetera. But they also had to take account of future developments that might have an impact on the logistic centre, such as expected rate of growth and future market requirements.

Or what storage capacities have to be kept available, and whether the modern systems and storage approaches applied at Mannstae-dt are also adequate to meet these growing demands.

When did Mannstaedt begin the construction of the new logistic centre?Welteroth: In the fourth quarter of 2011. Having said this, we have not only installed new stor-age space, storage trestles and infrastructures over an area of approximately 23,150 square me-tres. We have also restored and modernised offices and lighting installations.

What would you term as the logistic centre’s “core business”?Welteroth: Receiving the bundles of profiles from production, their storage in the logistic centre, and punctual shipment of the pro-file bundles. Those are the basic requirements that dictate opera-tions at the logistic centre.

And how is all of this now man-aged? What control arrangements are there?Welteroth: We manage all the logistic processes and functions centrally via a storage con-trol system. Once the finished products have been weighed in-process, the system automatically generates transport orders and

Ulrich Welteroth, Head of the Logistic Centre

Would you have known?

trestle storageAt Mannstaedt the profiles are stored in different ways: short lengths between 1.20 and 4.60 m on the floor, and lengths greater than 4.60 m on trestles. The trestles for holding the profiles securely in place during storage are steel rungs (laterally fixed support rods).

photos: Markus Zielke

Sergej Poliakov loading bundles of profiles.


robot commences with warm-upESB · Product information: Steel maker integrates a new marking system to identify products in the process chain – and uses automated mechanisms to do so.

a t Seraing on the Meuse River in Belgium, Engineering Steel

Belgium (ESB) is working indus-triously to develop its melt shop operations further. Only recently, for example, a new off-gas de-dusting system was installed (see glückauf 3/2012). Another in-teresting improvement is a new marking system at the runout end of the company‘s continu-ous caster.

There, until recently, two stamping machines had been used to mark the round steel blooms. The product was stamped with its distinctive number in both strands, which are separated from one another mechanically and electrically. Only then were ESB operatives able to add a further marking containing additional informa-tion for the customer, such as bloom quality, length and diam-eter.

This procedure had one seri-ous drawback: if a marking was illegible, it could lead to mis-taken identity and to the opera-tives marking the wrong steel bloom. Also, blooms that were shortened had to be re-marked by hand, which also involved a certain risk of errors occurring.

ESB has eliminated this po-tential source of error with the

fully au-tomatic “STS2008” marking system from IMTS GmbH. The system has already been positioned at the end of the continuous caster and con-nected to it, centrally between the two strands. The robot can thus tag the blooms on either side with a stainless steel label using the spot welding process. In addition to the heat number the label shows the bloom num-ber and a barcode containing the product’s most important in-formation. The entire process is photographed and archived.

The machine is guided and monitored by a control system. The high-speed communication links permit a rapid transfer of information between the two points. The entire system is tai-lored to the continuous caster - thus avoiding any collisions between blooms and ensuring an orderly process.

The robot also has a self-protection function when in operation. This is because during lengthy downtimes, particularly in the winter, it cools down to low temperatures (for instance, during intervals in produc-tion) and might then, upon resumption of operation, sustain

damage (due to the high viscosity of the lubricants in the gear components). An au-tomatic “warm-up” procedure is therefore activated.

There are two variants of this: With the first, the robot can commence with a work rate of 50 percent and increase it con-tinuously by two percent with each marking - until it reaches its fastest working mode again. With the second variant the ro-bot warms up through suitable movements - so that it is already at operating temperature by the time the first marking is made. A thermostat and a downtime counter offer additional cross-checks.

ESB has optimised its process with this marking system, be-cause the company has thereby increased production efficiency, product quality, and its reliabil-ity vis-à-vis the customer. But it is not only the current benefits that count. The system offers yet further potential. The barcode can be used later in a logistic centre, meaning the customer can scan-in the complete bloom data on his own premises.

Michael Schmak

forwards relevant information to the transport vehicles - in other words, to the front- and sideloader operators. By the time the products are received in the logistic centre, the nec-essary storage locations have already been reserved.

But how do the operators know what is to go where? How are they kept informed about what is required?Welteroth: Whether it is admis-sion into storage, re-storage or retrieval from storage, convey-ance in or out of the logistic centre, or order picking of the products: the employees are supported in their work by so-called MDT’s - mobile data terminals.

Where and how are the bundles of profiles stored as finished prod-ucts?Welteroth: On storage trestles, for one thing. Storage on the floor, on the other hand, is the better alternative for physi-cally storing and handling the roughly 1,200 different items of greatly varying dimensions in the logistic centre.

Lastly, hand on heart: Are you sat-isfied with the restructuring of the logistic operations?Welteroth: Simply take a look inside the building and you will see that the effort has been worth it. On busy days, 30 to 35 trucks or containers are loaded here with shipments - quickly, effectively and smoothly.

Thank you for talking to us.

Marking: the crucial moment.

The partnerSTUTE Logistics GmbH, which has a workforce of around 2,000 employees at 40 locations, ranks among Europe’s market leaders in industry-oriented transport and contract logistic services. Renowned companies from the aerospace, automotive, engineer-ing and steel sectors, among others, are among its regular customers. Its branch in Troisdorf has been active as a dispatch for-warding agent (steel shipments) for Mannstaedt for more than 20 years. A further important activity is in-plant scrap disposal using a skiploader.

Tamara Reinke

photo: GMH Group


No matter which way you turn itSWG · When selecting the ideal disk turnover fixture, the forging company had to decide between various special designs. Its choice has proven to be the right one.

installed in the Machine Shop of Schmiedewerke Gröditz are

five large vertical boring and lathing machines. The forged, disk-shaped work pieces that are machined on them have impres-sive dimensions: diameters of up to four metres, and single piece weights as heavy as 60 tonnes. Be it machining or follow-on inspections, these heavyweights have to be turned several times over.

This procedure had previ-ously been done on large timber beams at a specially designated location with the aid of the

shop crane and round slings – a manoeuvre that was not without its risks.

That is because, when lathed, the work pieces have both rough-forged and already machined faces, a combination that of-ten leads to razor-

sharp edges. Despite edge pro-tectors, such edges were able to damage the round slings and, at worst, even cut through them - invariably at the moment the work piece was in the process of “tipping” from the vertical posi-

tion with quite some force into the

round sling used for attachment to the crane. For this reason the material checkers often had a queezy feeling during the turno-ver procedure - even though eve-rything was just fine as regards occupational health and safety.

So as to eliminate any risk, the management decided in 2011 to invest in a disk turnover fixture. A small project team comprising operatives from the Machine Shop and from Works Maintenance set about procure-ment. They first of all drew up specifications and, in the months thereafter, “shopped around”, comparing offers from technical and economic viewpoints.

No simple task, because the disk turnover fixture in question would have to be specially de-signed. There had, so far, been no “off-the-shelf” product available on the market capable of meeting the specifications. Those invited to submit offers therefore devel-oped various concepts to handle the different work piece shapes (thick, thin, round, conical, rough-forged, finish-machined).

A decision was ultimately reached in favour of a renowned lifting gear manufacturer that had submitted the most con-vincing overall concept - despite having ventured into “unknown territory” with its design. Which is why that manufacturer and the SWG project team had to work all the more closely together dur-ing the subsequent development phase. Only thus was it possible to take account of the forging company’s ideas in the course of the development.

The follow-on translation of the concept into practice equally called for many joint discus-sions and consultations. The future work processes were run through time and again. And the details were matched to the requirements with ever greater precision.

By early July 2012 the disk turnover fixture had been in-stalled in the Machine Shop. After a few minor adjustments it was able to go into service at the start of August. And following several weeks of practical opera-tion, it has become clear that the fixture is proving highly success-ful. It makes the work not only easier, but also safer.

Torsten Ulrich, Dr. Dirk Breuer, Dirk Raschke

and Gunter Apitz

No more “queezy feelings” when turning: everything is just fine, also as regards occupational health and safety, at the new disk turnover fixture (seen here “in action”).

The project team has made the right choice (from left to right): Torsten Ulrich, Dirk Breuer, Dirk Raschke and Gunter Apitz.

“Through their decision, the management have shown that the safety of their employ-ees is important to them. At many other companies, under similar circumstances, such a decision would have turned out dif-ferently.”

T O R S T E N U L R I C H

photo: torsten Ulrich

photo: GMH Group


More effective. The pump house of Wildauer Schmiedewerke (WSW) had been in continuous service since 1925. With its assistance, water was drawn from the River Dahme over a long distance and, us-ing heat exchangers, the polymer bath in the heat treatment shop was cooled around the clock. Since August the old pump house has been consigned to history, because now the polymer bath is cooled by a state-of-the-art closed-circuit cooling system. The circuit is operated redundantly, via heat exchangers and two cooling towers, by a pump-ing station. This very complex system was installed by airkom Druckluft GmbH. Among the advantages of the new cooling system is that, since its start-up, the polymer bath has been cooled more efficiently thanks to shorter cooling cycles. The components requiring quenching can now be immersed without any major waiting times between cycles. What is more, the forging manufacturer has already made significant energy sav-ings through the system being in operation only when necessary.

Stephan Hönow and Ina Meyer

Quest for the perfect axleBVV · Never before has the risk of axle fracture been as low as it is today. And, nevertheless, experts continue to ask the question: How can we make wheelset axles even safer?

175 years of railway history are also 175 years of wheelset

axle evolution which, time and again, has been instrumentally influenced by different factors - by findings of the engineering sciences, by progress in produc-tion engineering, or also by de-velopments in the way railways operate. And, time and again, these have given rise to new dis-cussions, to new regulations and requirements and, ultimately, to modifications of the wheelset axle as a component.

This process is still ongoing. Whether the modifications are always appropriate, however, is currently a matter of controver-sial discussion. The reasons for this lie in organisational and operational changes to the way railways are run.

Implementing new require-ments has always been an ardu-ous process. And the gains in terms of safety within the “rail-way system” become apparent only after many years – because of the long service life of the wheelset axles. Positive effects of any modifications to the design or material mix of wheelset axles emerge only after 10 to 15 years. It is easier, then, to optimise methods relating to operation and, especially, to maintenance and repair. This can have a posi-

tive impact after just four to six years.

Pioneering days

At the start of the railway era, in the early 19th century, iron and steel makers did not yet have the capacity to produce steel in adequately large “portions” for wheelset axles.

They got around this problem with the aid of a special process whereby wrought iron produced in puddling furnaces was forged into thin bars, then bundled together, heated in a forging furnace, and forged together to form an axle. Fittingly, the overall product was referred to as “fibrous axle iron”. It contained large amounts of non-metallic inclusions - and, imaginably, suf-fered a poor track record because of them.

Major progress came when axles were forged from cast steel ingots (poured from crucibles from 1848 onward, and from Bessemer converters from 1862 onward). The strength properties improved by around 70 percent as a result.

The open-hearth furnaces used by steel works to produce blooms for forged wheelset axles from 1868 onward did not yield any further improvement. But

vacuum degassing, practiced from 1955 onward, did improve the material properties further, enhancing cleanliness and reduc-ing the level of hydrogen con-tained in the bloom material.

The chequered history of the axle material’s composition is reflected in the technical lit-erature where, up to 1930, only terms such as “ordinary fibrous axle iron”, “best crucible steel”, etc. are to be found. Thereafter the old material designations St 50 and C35 appear. And around 1970, materials such as C35, C60, 30Mn5, 25CrMo4, 42CrMo4, 34CrMo4 and 34CrN-iMo6 are listed in material tables for wheelset axles. The fatigue strength levels under reversed bending stresses lie, depend-ing on the material, between 240 N/ mm² and 400 N/ mm².

All these improvements in the material characteristics had just one aim: to enhance the safety of the wheelset axles. Yet, which properties guaranteed the great-est safety?

Strength calculation

It was a German engineer, Au-gust Wöhler (1819–1914), who identified the main characteristic for assessing the load capacity of wheelset axles, namely fatigue

strength under reversed bending stresses. It is from this mate-rial characteristic that the stress level allowable in the design of

wheelset axles was derived.

Wöhler’s track to knowledge

began in 1860 and took him via various stations: he analysed wheelset axle loads and load ca-pacity, undertook rotating bend-ing fatigue testing, and laid the foundation stone for wheelset axle design. He also developed the first measuring wheelsets, carried out test runs with them, and thus defined the first design loads for wheel and axle design.

In a manual titled “Handbuch für Specielle Eisenbahn-Technik“ he described the technique for calculating a wheelset axle. In it he took into account the follow-ing forces acting on a wheelset: vertical bearing load, lateral pres-sure on the wheels from horizon-tal impact and centrifugal force, lateral frictional force from track guidance, lateral wind pressure, torsional forces from track guid-ance, and torsional forces during braking.

Calculations are provided for the wheel seat and bearing di-ameters. Also taken into account for the wheel seat design is the ratio of bearing diameter to bear-ing length. Wöhler additionally

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photo: robert Bräunig

photo: GMH Group


determined that torsion has no influence on bending stress and can “be disregarded”.

technical regulations

Some of the findings of his work led to greater safety – for exam-ple, the data on fatigue strength under reversed bending stresses, and the safety factors for passen-ger coaches and goods wagons. And, after a technical experts’ gathering of the central Euro-pean railways association, they were included in the Technical Regulations of 1897 - albeit after extremely protracted discus-sions. Nevertheless, the require-ments regarding bearing and axle dimensions as a function of axle load were retained into the 1930s.

Some of Wöhler’s recom-mendations concerning the geometrical design approach to differences in diameter, however, were evidently misunderstood. The Technical Regulations of 1866 required, for the first time, “avoidance of any sharp-edged steps, due to their being danger-ous” – which, for a long time after, formalised the design of non-powered wheelset axles as having a constant diameter (so-called “Knüppelwelle”).

This design led to the situa-tion where, if rail routes included a large amount of curves, axles frequently failed at the wheel seat - triggering decades of dis-cussions between the Austrian and Prussian Railways. The Aus-trians had, in 1907, applied for the cross-section to be enlarged at the wheel hub. Lengthy discussions, a world war and economic crises meant that the Technical Regulations were not modified in this regard until 1930.

Only as train speeds increased in the 1930s did a

corresponding awareness of the problem also come about in

Germany. From

1938 onward, Deutsche Reichs-bahn (German national railways) conducted extensive, operation-ally related measurements: strain measurements on goods wagon and passenger coach wheelsets, as well as strength testing on 1:1 test pieces (on fatigue test stands) and wheelsets (on a dynamom-eter test rig).

Also analysed was the old con-tentious issue between Germany and Austria: the geometry at the junction from the wheel seat to the axle body. The Austrians were to be proved right after a good 30 years, the analysis putting an end to constant-diameter axles in 1941 – and leading to the devel-opment of a “thicker“ wheel seat. The axle body and wheel seat now had a diameter ratio of 1 to 1.12, and the compound curve geometry was 15/75 mm.

The analysis findings of 1938-40 were published as guidelines by the transport ministry in 1942 under the title “Achswellen-berechnung für Laufradsätze mit Vollwellen“ Fw 28.02.8 (Axle shaft design for non-powered wheelsets with solid shafts). Germany’s national rail carrier(s) applied it until the 1980s.

internationalisation

In the 1970s, steps were taken toward internationalisation. It was then that the International Union of Railways, or UIC, com-piled its expertise regarding the design of wheelset axles in its re-port ORE B136 RP11. It became the basis for new national stand-ards and for the international UIC leaflet 515-3.

Incidentally, it is sig-nificant that, until this time, only design rules for non-powered

wheelsets were ever discussed (mainly for goods wagon wheel-sets internationally). Powered wheelsets, in contrast, were de-signed by the locomotive manu-facturers according to their own, in-house rules. The reason for this difference in approach was that it was mainly goods wagons that were exchanged internation-ally, hence the great interest in standardising their wheelsets.

The national and interna-tional systems of rules were de-veloped further in the late 1990s - culminating in the currently applicable European standards on the design of railway wheelset axles, EN 13103 and EN 13104. Common to all of them are a force diagram and the assump-tion that any axle thus designed is suitable for “long-term, con-tinuous service” under railway operating conditions.

Further development

These design standards, the EN 13261 standard on product requirements, and the mainte-nance rules of the railway op-erators reflect the current safety level. And an evaluation of the incidence of damage involving wheelset axles over the last 110 years shows that the risk of axle fracture has never been as low as it is today.

And, nevertheless, the need for new design methods is under discussion. Three methodical ap-proaches are conceivable.

Stress/strain could be reduced by having greater axle cross-sec-tions - and thereby creating a so-called “safe-life wheelset axle”. It could be used for a certain

“mileage” without any main-tenance and inspection – and then simply be scrapped. This would require know-

ing the rate of crack propagation under the typi-cal stresses and loads, in other

words knowing the fracture-mechanical behaviour of the axle material.

A fracture-mechanical design approach is also being discussed in this regard which would serve to derive scientifically substanti-ated inspection intervals. To ar-rive at economically justifiable inspection intervals with such an approach, high-tensile materials would no longer be used. The wheelset axles are expected to become thicker, as in the first so-lution approach.

Forming the basis would be a system of experiential design that uses statistical data such as mileage, accident numbers, or maintenance reports (for exam-ple, number of incipient cracks found in wheels and axles). Col-lecting such operational data would require greater care and transparency, however, because, when present data collections are compared with those done before 1990, it is found, surprisingly, that, earlier, much better data material was available – without EDP support.

By analysing the maintenance findings, it would be possible to identify wheelset axles in rela-tion to a broad range of prob-lems - for instance, extraordinary operating conditions, difficult environmental influences, or deficiencies in the production of the steel or in the protection of the surfaces. This experience could be used to derive different design criteria and measures for the various applications, such as a special form of surface protec-tion or adapted maintenance strategies.

Which methodical approach will find acceptance? As is so often the case where technical problems are concerned, it will probably be a combination of them that yields the optimum solution.

Dr.-Ing. Günter Köhler

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Günter Köhler

New image video featuring Railway Systems

Video lasting 5 minutes 39 sec- onds about the Railway Systems business unit of the GMH Group, with a short insight into the core capabilities of BVV, RAFIL, BTBED and MWL Brasil.

www.0cn.de/bahnphoto: SFt


Moving into Poland’s markets with new certifications raFil · Poland’s railway sector is growing – and, with it, also the opportunity for GMH Railway Systems companies to open up new sales markets for themselves.

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In Central Europe the Repub-lic of Poland is one of the largest markets for rail vehi-cles – which, undoubtedly, is also helped by its important role as a transit country. The Polish rail network is some 23,420 km long. It is used not only by vehicles belonging to the PKP SA (Polskie Koleje Pan´stwowe Spółka Akcyjna) railway company, but also by local operators. These vehicles will have to be replaced or modernised if they are to meet the demands of modern traf-fic. glückauf interviewed RA-FIL managing director Norbert Klein about the opportunities that will open up as a result for Radsatzfabrik Ilsenburg.

glückauf: How is our neighbouring country tackling the European chal-lenge, Mr Klein?Norbert Klein: Through diverse programmes and the declared intention of investing in the network and its rail vehicles. The transit of goods and passengers alone makes it necessary for it to adapt its infrastructure. This is because the Republic of Poland has a large number of border crossing points that are impor-tant for inner-European transit traffic.

Which countries have borders with Poland?Klein: Seven countries, when all said and done – namely Belarus, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, the Ukraine, Russia, Slovakia and Germany.

What are the contacts like between Poland and RAFIL?Klein: The wheelset specialists in Ilsenburg have already supplied wheelsets on several occasions in the past to meet wide-ranging requirements of diverse vehi-cles - mostly during the times of Deutsche Waggonbau AG and its predecessors.

In other words, pre-1989.Klein: Correct. We are looking to revive this tradition of good co-operation in future.

Is the market so attractive?Klein: This market has grown steadily since 1990. This is il-lustrated by the establishment of European and, increasingly, na-tional system houses within the country. Recently at InnoTrans 2012 in Berlin they also showed the standing they have achieved and what range of products and services they have to offer. Germany’s national rail carrier, Deutsche Bahn AG, is also work-ing together with outstanding companies such as PESA Bydgo-szcz AG. These two companies

have, for example, concluded a contract worth 1.2 billion euros to supply up to 470 “LINK”-type diesel motor train units for short-distance traffic routes by 2018. Polish engineering prowess has shown itself to be competitive as well as convincing in terms of both price and performance.

Are only new-builds of interest for any possible cooperation?Klein: No. There are also opera-tors with large fleets of vehicles in service, comprising a mul-titude of designs - for instance PKP Cargo and PKP Intercity. The demand for wheelset recon-ditioning for these companies’ fleets is huge. PKP Cargo alone has over 64,500 wagons and as many as 3,000 locomotives in its

fleet which in some cases were first-equipped with wheels from Ilsenburg.

How do you intend to move into the Polish market?Klein: We have already made contact selectively, at various lev-els, with companies, trade asso-ciations and politicians to whom we wish to demonstrate our range of products and services in the manufacture of new vehicles and the field of maintenance. One of our marketing employees whose native language is Polish has proven to be extremely help-ful in this respect. Among other things, he attends various trade events in Poland. Through his expertise he conveys an impres-sion of the qualitative as well as other capabilities that RAFIL and the GMH Railway Systems com-panies have to offer.

At which conferences has he already taken part?Klein: For example, at a specialist conference involving representa-tives from the regional govern-ment of Saxony-Anhalt, chaired by the Prime Minister of that Land, Reiner Haseloff, and the Voivodeship Marshall of Mazo-via, Adam Struzik. Or also at a conference of the WAW locomo-tive manufacturers in Warsaw.

Have these efforts yielded any divi-dends for Radsatzfabrik Ilsenburg so far?Klein: We have already been able to harvest the first fruits of our labours this year - with the deliv-ery of goods wagon wheelsets. A step that has additionally boost-ed our prospects is our certifica-tion as a Qualified Manufacturer of monobloc wheels for PKP In-tercity. This certification will also enable us to operate successfully in the passenger traffic sector.

… which will open up new perspec-tives for RAFIL.Klein: Certainly, because such certifications are essential for uncomplicated and cost-effective deliveries to our customers. And, of course, they underscore our market expertise.

Many thanks for talking to us.

Meeting at the highest level: Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (Saxony-Anhalt) in conversation with Polish Voivodeship Marshall Adam Struzik (Mazovia).

Norbert Klein

photos: GMH Group


Second it stage successfully goes into operationPG · How data is transformed into information: foundry completes second stage of an integrated and effective IT solution.

a lready in 2006, Pleissner Guss mapped the pro-

cesses for financial accounting, overhead cost controlling and aspects of purchasing in SAP ERP. Now the entire logistics processes including production, sales, purchasing, quality man-agement, tools administration and integrated cost object con-trolling have been added.

The management prescribed clear objectives right from the beginning. Two old systems con-nected in parallel via interfaces were to be replaced. The new IT solution was to be standardised, state-of-the-art and effective and to integrate already existing in-struments of cost planning and recording.

This solution also provided an opportunity to improve a number of other aspects: the control of capacities, produc-tion and testing stages as well as registration, planning of orders and passing on of cus-tomer specifications. This was the deciding point in favour of the SAP/ MES system variation – with the unique opportunity to eliminate systemic interfaces and external, manually linked evaluation and reporting tasks. This has significantly reduced the effort involved and at the same time improved the quality of information.

The project got underway on 30 August 2011 – with a prescribed schedule which was challenging, to say the least. A date for launching the system had already been set and there was no scope for manoeuvre: 1st May 2012, Labour Day – how appropriate!

The project management team, consisting of Andreas Bu-chem, Reimund Eckermann and Rüdiger Monecke set to work. Their first and very important

task was to create a project team. Here unerring instinct was dem-onstrated on both sides.

The team formed had every-thing required for such a pro-ject: knowledge, motivation, a healthy portion of pragmatism and – last, but not least – the confidence of the management board.

Following the start-up phase, further steps are now being planned. For example, feedback on machining operations is to be transmitted directly to the machine-tools by means of an order-related log-in / log-out sys-tem. Also, the already installed complaints system is to be opti-mised.

Andreas Buchem, Reimund Eckermann,

Rüdiger Monecke

Transparent flows of information

“ Particularly specialised topics were processed in detail in exemplary group work. Project members were released from their normal duties as far as possible during the period of the project phases. Success of the work was a top priority for all involved. The generous attitude of the works council to divergent working time regulations also contributed to the positive outcome. Pleissner Guss was very well-prepared and in a position to make all neces-sary documents available right from the start. This facili-tated the initial work on the first process, the results of which were also recorded in the form of process flow diagrams. Here, what to a certain extent was already clear beforehand, was re-affirmed: flows of infor-mation were frequently interrupted, entries were made several times over and, on account of systems which were not - or at least not optimally - interlinked (SAP, Baan, frequently also Excel) information was difficult to administer and often not up-to-date. Accordingly, the objective was: continuous, transparent flows of information and centralisation of functions. The decision to use SAP ERP made it possible to install one of the most efficient systems available. It was also decided to use GMH.mes (Manufacturing Execution System) as an additional system to enable IT technology to encompass the areas of produc-tion which are most difficult to access. The two systems are compatible and complement each other.”

R E I M U N D E C K E R M A N NProject manager Pleissner Guss

Huge range of functions

“ IT applications are not an end in themselves. Rather, they are a kind of tool. And anyone who likes to work in their own home and garden knows what it is like not to have the right tool. In such a case one would normally go to a neighbour or a DIY store to get whatever is required. In IT this is not always so easy – but it is necessary nev-ertheless in order to make improvements. Work becomes easier as a consequence, is more fun and leaves room for what is really important.

Pleissner Guss has a diversified product range involving high quality re-quirements. Fundamentally almost every customer order is a small project. The new IT functions have to fulfil the relevant requirements. The huge functional scope of SAP ERP was able to cope with these in many areas, for example in sales, with complex pricing functions, and in document management. GMH Systems was also able to contribute other important functions from its stock of add-ons, for example the production planning functions and tool manage-ment.

On account of the open structure of the system, what was still missing could, in fact, be programmed by SAP ERP. Here some very user-friendly functions were created, for example to prepare and manage master data for casting operations. Or for the internal and external documentation of orders (control plan).

The extension of SAP ERP in practical terms is GMH.mes. It is used for making information available where it is needed, or recording it at the point of origin. This is usually on the shop floor in the company – at the machine work-station, for which purpose the appropriate dialogues or interfaces for furnace control, spectrometers, or other test equipment are made available.

GMH.mes is a product whose functional scope increases with every project. A very big step has also been undertaken here at Pleissner Guss. In addition to the standard operational data acquisition function which already existed, new functions have been implemented and improved - for example in the area of quality management (e.g. sample management), management of heat treat-ment batches, and material tracking within the company.”

A N D R E A S B U C H E MProject manager GMH Systems/IDAP

Continuous System

“ The sched-uled long period of preparation and short project time proved a worthwhile arrange-ment. In the intensive project phase the key users from Pleissner Guss and IDAP consultants became a close-knit team. We developed a foundry-specific SAP ERP for Pleiss-ner Guss which is also of interest to other companies of the Castings business units. A continuous system has been created - from order ac-ceptance through to order-related final costing. It has passed the test in actual operation.”

R ü D I G E R M O N E C K EProject manager Pleissner Guss

photo: GMH Group

photo: GMH Group

photo: GMH Group


“Bearing cover“ for crankshafts, made from the new material

late rise to diN nobilitydHG · Silicon-alloyed grades have been around for some time.

there is something new to report concerning the unal-

loyed spheroidal graphite cast iron qualities standardised to DIN EN 1563, which are speci-fied on the basis of strength and structural properties.

The required strength levels were previously achieved in two ways: through heat treatment, and through precipitation of hardness-inducing phases during the solidification of the metal (for example, pearlite).

How much pearlite is pre-cipitated depends greatly on the iron’s accompany-ing trace elements and on the rate of cooling in the mould. Because of this circumstance, regions with variable properties (strength and hardness) are present next to one another in every cast component. Although such a state is not optimal, it can however be

improved through simple silicon alloying.

Alloying with silicon has been around since at least the early 1990s. The method has also featured in diverse company standards as well as been applied in Sweden and the automotive sector. Only now however have three grades, solid solution hard-ened by means of silicon, found their way into the general DIN EN ISO standard for cast iron materials.

Normally, silicon levels of around 2 to 2.8 percent are to be found in the unalloyed spheroi-dal graphite qualities. The silicon steers the solidification process in the desired direction and leads to a carbide-free structure.

If that percentage is raised, then increasingly higher material strength levels, such as tensile strength and yield strength, are achieved while retaining extraor-

dinarily high strain values.

The precipitation of hardness-inducing phases is also sup-pressed, as a result of which the chemical composition becomes the deciding parameter for the material properties. The proper-ties are not dependent on wall thickness. The absence of hard microstructural constituents makes machining much easier and more precise.

Dieckerhoff Guss has been making these materials in pro-duction runs since the early 1990s, the main focus so far being on the higher-strength variety - as well as on the com-ponents’ higher resistance to temperatures.

The new applications of the materials have led to an expan-sion of the exceedingly success-ful range of technical and engi-

neering products supplied by the foundry in Gevelsberg. These include, for instance, engine components such as bearing covers for crank-shafts in heavy-duty engines. And a completely new field

of application is cooling com-ponents for hybrid engines.

Wolfgang Bränder

digital. IAG MAGNUM has taken its first steps into the world of mobile digital measuring technology - with the “Faro Edge”, a new measuring arm developed by FARO Eu-rope GmbH & Co. KG, in collaboration with Peter Kiri (Del-cam Software Schulung), who has many years of experience in mobile metrology. Its first project consisted in checking the geometry of rolls and rollers in cooperation with GM-Hütte. The situation underlying the measuring task was a problem that constantly recurred at the steel mill: a geomet-rical deviation in the outer contour of the rolls/rollers. Using the data taken from drawings, a 3D model was generated at IAG MAGNUM so as to create the measuring programme from those target values and surface entities. Through so-called “blocking of the degrees of freedom” it is possible to define the component three-dimensionally and follow the measurement process in real time on-screen. The Faro meas-uring arm now enables IAG MAGNUM to measure compli-cated contours against CAD data that cannot be measured by analog means. Those wishing to know more about the new service are requested to contact Andreas Olbricht (tel.: 0541.322-106; email: [email protected]). The employees are absolutely convinced by the new technology (from left to right): Güray Keloglu (IAG MAGNUM, Techni-cal Inspection, Metrology), Andreas Rodefeld (IAG MAG-NUM, Technical Inspection, Metrology), Andreas Rodefeld (IAG MAGNUM, Technical Inspection, Metrology), Peter Kiri (freelance surveying engineer, Faro Measuring Arm/Del-cam Power Inspect) and Andreas Olbricht (IAG MAGNUM, BA CAE, mobile measurements project manager).

Andreas Olbricht

photo: GMH Group

photo: GMH Group


absolutely flawless seamsiaG MaGNUM · Manufacture of two generator shafts for a hydropower project in Peru: precise execution of the order required a lot of time – and experience.

iAG MAGNUM won an order from a French customer to produce two generator shafts

for a hydropower plant in Peru. The scope of supply included procurement of all the weld-on attachments, the welding work, the stress-relief annealing treatment, and the complete rough and finish machining of the two shafts. The customer had supplied the shaft forgings.

The project was very time-intensive. The welding work on the two shafts alone amounted to more than 1,000 hours alto-gether. Added to this were also some 200 hours for their assembly and a total of around 1,200 hours for the machining work.

The customer’s specifications were clear, but difficult to put into effect. Absolutely flawless weld seams and near-perfect con-centricity were required. This called for dis-tortion-free weld fabrication, without which successful machining in this precision would not be at all possible.

All in all the order presented a major chal-lenge for IAG MAGNUM because, to be able to realise these requirements, a good deal of experience was needed - not least on account of the many weld seams. They were often not very accessible, or weldable only in strenuous out-of-positions.

The welding work was followed by heat treatment as part of the production process. Both shafts were stress-relief annealed at 560 °C in a bell-type furnace. The “furnace campaign” took a total of 43 hours.

And once all the weld seams had been inspected by means of the ultrasound and magnaflux methods and found to be in good order, machining took place on two large centre lathes (lathes 011 and 052).

As a final step the lathing work was fol-lowed by milling, drilling and grinding of the bearing seats.

Andreas Vogele

Key technical data

Forging and finished component dimensions

Length: 6.550 mm / 6.440 mm

Diameter: 2.000 mm / 1.940 mm

Weight: 30.800 kg / 29.500 kg

Small photo: View of the subsequent internals - the shafts after welding.Large photo: 31 tonnes securely clamped in place - the commencement of lathing work.

photos: Michael Münch


Newcomers celebrate successful debut Windhoff · A new generation in excess of the 1,000 t load class rounds off the top end of the shunting vehicle range perfectly.

W indhoff has added three large two-way shunting ve-

hicles to its rail vehicle mix: the ZRW 64, ZRW 125 and ZRW 180 series. These designations stand for modular, high-quality as well as robust two-way shunting vehicles suitable for universal use in shunting and loading operations.

They are available in a vari-ety of weight/load classes. The load range extends from 200 to 4,000 t. Various drive systems are also on offer: an emission-free battery-electric (AEM) drive, a high-endurance diesel-hydrostat (DH) drive, and a flexible hybrid (DAE) drive. They are available in gauges between 1,000 and 1,676 mm. Approval for road use

and for country-specific railways is also pos-sible.

A model that has been on the market for some time now is the ZRW 15, from which the ZRW 35 and ZRW 50 models later evolved. It has a lower traction capacity and rounds off the bottom end of the ZRW product range.

The new series complement Windhoff’s mix of shunting vehicles perfectly, now ena-bling the company to offer its customers a matching two-way shunting vehicle for every im-aginable shunting task - a model policy that is evidently pay-ing off: five newcomers of the

ZRW 64 (AEM) type have already been sold to K+S KALI GmbH in Kassel.

The Rheine-based company has also developed another new vehicle: the RL 65 T, a shunting locomotive capable of double traction and fitted with par-ticulate filter and hydrodynamic turbo-transmission. The market response in this connection is also positive, with six of this type of vehicle already having been supplied to transport service company BVG Berliner Verkehrs-betriebe.

The new vehicles were shown off to a broad public in brilliant sunshine in the outdoor exhibi-tion area of this year’s InnoTrans fair, where a two-way truck with lifting platform, a high-perfor-mance rail grinding vehicle on lifting jacks, and tried and prov-en attachments for the construc-tion and maintenance of track systems were also to be seen.

Visitors similarly had the opportunity to view an estab-lished Windhoff classic - the ZRW 15 (AEM) shunting vehicle - and needed only to stop by the joint indoor stand of GMH Hold-ing to do so.

Michael Bönisch

Vehicle family: Outstanding characteristics1 ZrW 50

This traditional classic contin-ues to pull its weight: hauled loads of up to 1,000 t are possible.

2 ZrW 15 A classic for workshop use: emission-free battery-electric drive power of up to 22 kW.

3 ZrW 64 All-round solution for any area of use: tractive effort of up to 100 kN.

4 ZrW 125 Solution for medium-heavy shunting applications: its maximum DH speed is 25 km/h.

Impossible to ignore and looking spick and span, a selection of Windhoff-built rail-borne vehicles were on show in the outdoor exhibition area at the InnoTrans 2012 (from front to rear): ZRW 64 AEM, RL 65 T, and two-way truck with lifting platform.

1

2

3

4

photo: anja Wersching


When human beings abuse each otherMa · Birger Diesem is committed to his work for Amnesty International.

i NtErV iEW

Most people are familiar with Amnesty International or are at least aware of its existence. The organisation and its many active members are committed to human rights and feature regularly in the media when-ever it is necessary to draw at-tention to violations of human rights. Anyone who becomes more deeply involved in this topic soon gains the impres-sion that we are living in a haven of peace here in Germa-ny. Fifty years ago, Amnesty International saw itself as an organisation which would, in time, disband itself as a result of its own dedication and achievements. Unfortunately, such an aim is likely to remain a Utopian vision. In more re-alistic

terms, we may be pleased that a lot of people are prepared to give up their free time to support others in the world. Birger Diesem, a purchasing manager at Mannstaedt, is one of these people. He has been an active member of Amnesty International for 30 years now and is spokesman of the Co-logne “Innenstadt Süd” group. And there are indeed many possibilities for personal devel-opment in a voluntary capac-ity. His talent as a moderator, for example, has meanwhile given him the opportunity to become one of the three dis-cussion leaders at the German section‘s annual general meet-

ing. Monika Hansen asked him about his involve-

ment:

glückauf: Mr Diesem, what made you become involved in Amnesty International?

Birger diesem: I first came into

contact with Amnesty In-ternational at a school festival when I was 15 years of age. Some of my teach-ers had or-ganised an information stand. I was profoundly

shocked by the fact that people in positions of power all over the world were abusing their fellow human

beings. And at the

same time I was extremely im-pressed by the uncompromising way in which Amnesty Interna-tional strives to uphold human rights. So I asked one of the teachers how I could become in-volved. He invited me to a meet-ing. I accepted the invitation and have been a member ever since.

… because you are a political per-son?diesem: I am a very political person. And with Amnesty Inter-national I have the feeling that I am able to become actively in-volved in subjects which are ex-tremely important but attention needs to be drawn to them via broad-based publicity work.

What specific topics are involved? What exactly does Amnesty Inter-national campaign for?diesem: Let me give you a con-crete example. In Columbia the civilian population is being sub-jected to extreme suffering on account of the conflicts between guerrillas, paramilitaries and state military forces. It is a mat-ter of drugs, coal and oil palms. Many people are forced to leave their homes. They are threat-ened, bullied, murdered. Women and young girls are raped. Hu-man rights activists and trade unionists are threatened and fear for their lives. Our group in Cologne draws attention to the situation there by means of information stands in town or at concerts. Furthermore, once a year we organise a more large-scale event in order to interest the general public in the people in Columbia.

What type of events does Amnesty organise? diesem: This year we organised a “Columbian night” with live music and dancing. In addition, of course, we also informed the guests about the current situa-tion in Columbia and our cam-paigns.

Do you organise activities at these events such as the signing of peti-tions or involvement in campaigns directed at the Columbian govern-ment?diesem: Yes, of course. That is the main work of our organisa-tion: to attract attention and address human rights’ violations with as many voices as possible. This year the president of the Co-lumbian government will receive a nice Christmas present from us. We have made a video of guests at the “Columbian night” who made statements concern-ing the human rights situation in his country. Everyone can see this video on YouTube. The new media help us to attract a lot of attention, although the conserv-ative method of a simple letter can still have a big effect on the persons concerned.

Are you in direct contact with Co-lumbian people?diesem: Yes, in Columbia we support the peace community of San José. Every now and again human rights representatives from Columbia also come to Cologne to report on their work. Last year we had a particularly moving moment when a lady told us about how her son was kidnapped and murdered by gov-ernment troops who subsequent-ly sold the body as a “guerrilla corpse” in return for so-called success bonuses. She has been travelling the world ever since in order to publicise such dread-ful deeds. This lends even more emphasis to the significance of Amnesty International’s work.

Mr Diesem, you are a purchasing manager at Mannstaedt. That is a very demanding job in itself. And then you have your voluntary work. Is that a good combination?diesem: Yes, of course. In my voluntary work I can find expres-sion for parts of me which I don’t necessarily require as a purchas-ing manager. But in my volun-tary work I have also learned and developed skills which are useful to me in my profession and vice versa.

Thank you for talking to us.

beyondtheplant

Birger Diesem at the “Dom Forum” in Cologne during a talk about displaced per-sons in Columbia.

phot

o: C

arla

Sch

mod

e


FaN SHoP

New articles and special offersGMH Group · It’s always worth taking a look at our Fan Shop.

as the cold season gets under-way, runners should also log-in

and take another look at our Fan Shop. Because in addition to the latest running shirts, there are also two long-sleeved functional sport shirts on offer. Also new is a thin, extremely light-weight, water-repellent and wind-proof running jacket – as all sport clothing, in the usual good quality with fast drying and breathable features.

Anyone looking for bath towels or a travel toilet bag for taking a shower afterwards will also now find these new articles in the Fan Shop. But the range is not restrict-ed to articles for sports fans. Our interesting new products include ball-point pens, travel folders, lan-yards, umbrellas and fleece hats.

What about some other trendy items? The Fan Shop also has an interesting selec-tion on offer. Take a look at our truck bags, coffee-to-go mugs or classical men’s and wom-

en’s Softshell jacket - unbeatable in price as well as comfort.

“Special prices as long as stocks last” are currently available for children’s sweatshirts, children’s hooded sweatshirts in the colours red, blue, black or anthracite, and womens’ hooded sweaters in grey.

In response to demand, next year the Fan Shop range will be extended further to include func-tional sports clothing. Incidentally, if there are any other articles you feel we should include in the fan shop, please let us know. Your sug-gestions are always welcome (Tel.: 040-28406927, email: [email protected]).

Kirsten Schmidt

No internet access?Would you like to order some articles from our Fan Shop but are wondering how to do it because you don’t have internet access? Just contact your Human Resources Department or works council.

light sports jacket, ergonomically cut, with GMH logowater- and wind-repellent with UV protection, extremely light and fast-drying, full-length front zip, two side pockets;sizes S-XXL

26.90 €Coffee-to-go mug, ceramic, with GMH logodishwasher-proof

9.80 €

Fleece hat, black-blue, with GMH logosoft stretch material, fast drying, reversible, keeps the wearer beautifully warm; sizes S-L

5.90 €

long-sleeved running shirt with GMH logotrimmed collar, breathable material/temperature regulating; sizes S-XXL

15.90 €


Warmth and happinessGMH Group · Now into our third baby round.

once again we are able to congratulate many employees of the GMH Group on their offspring. Our baby pages are again well-

filled - and radiate nothing but sunshine. Yet everyone who has become a parent for the first time should nev-ertheless be warned: it won’t always be quite so idyllic. “Children not only provide consolation for old age, they are also a means of getting there quickly”, jokes Italian actor, Roberto Benigni (“Life is beautiful”). And as far as Socrates is concerned, children are little tyrants who contradict their parents, make a mess with their food and annoy their teachers. Stressed nerves and grey hair are also part of being a parent. Children cost a lot of money and broken nights. And some parents have concerns which you cer-tainly would not like to share. But let’s be honest now: They’re really sweet aren’t they?

glückauf editorial team

Zina Polefka. Father : Thomas Polefka; Gröditzer Werkzeugstahl Burg

Lotta Thürnau. Father : Gerold Hilger; IAG MAGNUM

Noah David Schmitz. Father : Christoph Schmitz; GMH Systems

Lea Ochmann. Father : Daniel Ochmann; Bochumer Verein Verkehrstechnik Leticia Rocha

Moreira. Father : Alair Moreira; MWL

Lia Meiners. Father : Sören Wehmeier; GMH Systems

Jonathan Rietkötter. Father : Hartmut Riet-kötter; GMH Prüftechnik

Lionel Schulz. Father : Julian Schulz; Weser Wind

Felix Bertmer. Father : Thorsten Bertmer; GMH Systems

Allicia Andreis Cruz. Father : Herick Robson da Cruz; MWL

Isabelly Cristino N. Soldi. Father : Antonio Carlos Soldi Junior; MWL

Carla Herbstmann. Father : Tim Herbstmann; Bochumer Verein Verkehrstechnik

Merle Winter. Mother : Karen Winter; Father : Marcus Winter; GMHütte

Leah Swierzinski. Father : Frank Swierzinski; ESB

Rune Eggers. Mother : Wiebke Eggers; GMH Holding

Noah Dreier. Father : Martin Dreier; GMHütte

Sofia Camargo Cunha. Father : Joao Batista da Rocha Cunha; MWL

Miguel Tavares dos Santos. Father : Bruno Diniz Tavares; MWL

Leif Rademann. Father : Tim Rademann; Weser Wind

Rieke Julia Sprekelmeyer. Father : Stephan Sprekelmeyer; GMHütte


Theis Glane. Father : Volker Glane; GMHütte

Florian Isufi. Father : Florim Isufi; VTK

Mehmet O˘guz Cey-han. Father : Saltuk Ceyhan; GMHütte

Sophie Marie Feyerl. Father : Jürgen Feyerl; Stahl Judenburg

João Pedro dos Santos Mattedi. Father : Fabio Mattedi Martins; MWL

Marie-Helene Leitner. Father : Helmut Leit-ner; Stahl Judenburg

Sarah Santos de Oliveira. Father : Marcos Aparecido de Oliveira; MWL

Heloisa Hiiga de Brito. Father : Marcio de Brito Pereira; MWL

Lucas Emanuel Silva de Jesus. Father : Carlos Fabricio de Jesus; MWL

Julia Haingartner. Father : Wolfgang Gabauer; Stahl Judenburg

Manuel Pesl. Father : Gerd Griesenauer; Stahl Judenburg

Mayte Pietra da S. A. Marinho. Father : Luiz Rogerio de Souza a Jun-ior; MWL

Emanuelly de Andrade Santos. Father : Charles Fernando dos Santos; MWL

Lennard Stenke. Father : Andreas Stenke; GMHütte

Sara Mayr. Father : Jürgen Steiner; Stahl Judenburg

Helin Sarikaya. Father : Amet Sarikaya; WeserWind

Edda Maria Ursula Titze. Father : Swen Titze; GMHütte

Timo Kaufmann. Father : Patrick Kaufmann; Stahl Judenburg

Rüzgar Öz. Father : Ali Kartal Öz; WeserWind

Fiete Buchelt. Father : Daniel Buchelt; Harz Guss Zorge

Lavinia Cristina S. da Silva. Father : Washington Rodolfo da Silva; MWL


Lea Stumpe. Father : Mathias Stumpe; GSG

Salma Bouallal. Father : Abdeslam Bouallal; Mannstaedt

Amelie Hanke. Father : Manuel Hanke; Energietechnik Essen

Maximilian Karl Niklas Leo Seiler. Father : Jens Seiler; GMHütte

John Evan Benna. Father : David Benna; Mannstaedt

Phillip Klose. Father : Alexander Truar; Mannstaedt

Julia Kolb. Father : Sebastian Kolb; Mannstaedt

Jana Scherzinger. Father : Arthur Scherzinger; GMHütte

Lejla Djedovic. Father : Elmir Djedovic; Mannstaedt

Lisa-Marie Weber. Father : Gregor Weber; GMHütte

Theresa Magdalena Cordes. Father : Jürgen Cordes; GMHütte

Milan Hölmer. Father : Arne Hölmer; GMHütte

Theo Schröter. Mother : Silvia Schröter; Schmiedewerke Gröditz

Olaf Koslicki. Father : Lukasz Koslicki; WeserWind

Milene Neuber. Father : André Neuber; BTBED

Mauritz Ufer. Father : Frank Ufer; Mannstaedt

Hanno Justus Strothmann. Father : Dirk Strothmann; Rohstoff Recycling Osnabrück

Jon-Luc Treppschuh. Father : Jöran F. Treppschuh; Energietechnik Essen

Mara Riese. Father : Marcel Riese; GSG


Julia da Silva Santos.

Father : Wagner da Silva Santos; MWL

Luis Hemrique e Sousa Rodrigues. Father : Jörge Manuel Goncalves Rodrigues; WeserWind

Julia Bialek. Father : Jens Bialek; BTBED

Dünya Bük. Father : Mag-nus Aydin Bük; Harz Guss Zorge

Lena Sophia Ehle. Father : Thorsten Ehle; GMH Holding

Lana Pelzer. Father : Remo Pelzer; WeserWind

Pavlo Geck. Father : Torben Sczimarowski, Wal-ter Hundhausen

Jan Kmieciak. Father : Kai Kmieciak; Walter Hundhausen

Maximilian Gervelmeyer. Father : Jens Gervelmeyer; GMHütte

Juliane Hesse. Father : Martin Bose; Harz Guss Zorge

Ana Julia Oliveira Estrela. Father : Edson Costa Estrela; MWL Davi Luis Souza San-

tos. Father : Flavio dos Santos; MWL

Miguel de Faria Priante. Father : Danilo Oliveira Priante; MWL

Isabella Häßler. Mother : Silvia Wirsing; Saalfelder Hebezeugbau

Erik Hellermann. Father : Dirk Heller-mann; GMHütte

Mika Wolters. Father : Michael Wolters; GSG

Lina Süeda Tokat. Father : Serkan Tokat; WeserWind

Marina R. Cristovão de Oliveira. Father : Alexandre Monteiro de

Oliveira; MWL

Julian Stef-fen Hoppe. Father : Steffen Drechsler; Gröditzer Kurbel-welle Wildau

Leonard Winkler. Father : Konstantin Winkler; GSG

Maria Luiza Paparazo Andrade. Father : Joao Vitor de Oliveira Andrade; MWL

Caio Luiz Farias Costa. Father : Thiago Gonçalves C. Domingues; MWL

Melody-Joline Burwieck. Father : Florian Bachmann; WeserWind

Lennox Zieger. Father : Mario Zieger; GSG

Leni Westenberg. Father : Mario Westen-berg; GSG

Lucas de Souza Cardozo. Mother : Ediene Aparecida de S. Cardozo Father : José Fernando Cardozo; MWL


I simply adore this dessert - al-though it is a partiality which in-volves certain risks. Because - in my experience - there are very few des-serts which restaurants produce in such varying qualities as tiramisu. Frequently you find yourself served with something extremely sweet, of watery consistency or so high-fat it leaves an unpleasant greasy film in your mouth. The following recipe is a pleasant contrast, however. Not only because it has none of the unpleasant side effects mentioned above. This tiramisu not only tastes good - it is also quick and easy to prepare. A particular feature is that the usual sponge fingers are replaced by cantuccini which add a very spe-cial flavour. And, incidentally, it is also better to choose espresso.

and this is how it is made:• Make some espresso.• Break the cantuccini into coarse

crumbs.• Put half the cantuccini into four

to six glasses and carefully pour espresso over them.

• Put the other half of the cantuc-cini into a bowl and pour Vino

Santo or sherry over them. Leave to soak.

• Grate some orange peel. Sub-sequently squeeze juice from the orange.

• Meanwhile mix the mascar-pone thoroughly with the sugar in a bowl.

• Split the vanilla pod in half, scrape the vanilla pulp from the pod halves with a knife, add to the mascarpone and mix thoroughly.

• Add about half of the orange juice to the cream slowly and stir thoroughly to form a creamy consistency. (Should the creamy mix-ture appear too stiff, add more orange juice or some sherry/Vino Santo according to preferred taste).

• Trickle remains of the orange juice over the top of the “espresso-cantuccini” in the glass.

• Distribute half of the creamy mixture over the glasses.

• Spread “sherry-cantuccini” over the creamy mixture.

• Cover creamy mixture with the remains.

•Gratechocolatecoarselyand sprinkle over the glasses together with grated orange skin. •Putglassesintothefridgeforthree to four hours. •Finally,sprinklesomecocoapowder over the glasses and decorate, e.g. with a physalis.

glückauf wishes bon appetit.

A delicious dolceTi amo, Tiramisu – but only in your low-fat version.

The

glüc

k auf m

aster chef recommends:

ingredients:• 500 g Cantuccini• 500 g mascarpone• approx. 150 ml strong, sweetened,

freshly made espresso or coffee • approx. 100 ml Vino Santo or

sweet sherry• 1 untreated orange• 3 tablespoons of fine sugar• 2 vanilla pods

• 100 g fine chocolate with a high per-centage of cocoa (> 70 %)• cocoa powder

phot

o: t

hom

as H

esse

lman

n

Prepare - eat: Tiramisu should be served as fresh as possible, ideally on the same day. Because the older it gets, the less fresh it becomes.

Give it a guess!Where have the family members of RRO employee Stefan Hegner - Marie-Luise, Julius and Delfina - congregated to take a look at glückauf 3/2012? We are looking for the name of the sculpture as well as the location. Think of 1442 and the man who sailed the ocean blue. Alternatively, you could go to this Spanish island to check whether the sculpture is still standing. Send your reply to [email protected] or (by postcard) to Matthias Krych, RRO GmbH, Rheinstrasse 90, 49090 Osnabrück. Closing date for entries is 15th February 2013. If more than one correct entry is received, the winner will be drawn from all correct entries submitted. The winner will receive a polo shirt from the GMH Fan Shop. (No legal recourse permit-ted.)

And where is your photo? Would you also like to submit a picture puzzle? Just take a photo featuring glückauf in the foreground. In the background there should be enough specific details to be able to recognise in which place or in which town the photo was taken. Mail your photo to [email protected].

did you know?In our last puzzle Katharina Kampman of Rohstoff Recycling Osnabrück was at the NASA Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The winner, Klaudia Beck, was drawn from all the correct entries submitted (thank you for taking part!). Congratulations!

photo: Stefan Hegner photo: Jörg Kampmann

· Eckhardt, Wiebke Eggers F Mauritz Faenger, Gabriele Feil, Arne-Falk Flander, ... Karl...

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