PDF [2.5 MB] - Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG
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Responsibility passed on: Eberhardt takes over as executive board chairman<br />
Brauner chairs the supervisory board<br />
Düsseldorf. In consensus with the<br />
Röchling family committees, the chairman<br />
of the Röchling family council, Dipl.-Ing.<br />
Wigand Freiherr v. Salmuth, agreed<br />
that family member Klaus Greinert,<br />
elected as Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>’s supervisory<br />
board chairman in May<br />
1999, would resign from all his Rheinmetall<br />
group supervisory board offices<br />
as of 31 December 1999. Different opinions<br />
on the structure of assets of the<br />
Röchling family, especially regarding<br />
its biggest equity holding Rheinmetall<br />
(with 66% of the common stock) have<br />
prompted this adjustment of group governance<br />
positions true to the principle<br />
of Continuity through Experience.<br />
Since April 1985,<br />
Dr. Hans U. Brauner<br />
(65) has been executive<br />
board chairman<br />
of Rheinmetall<br />
<strong>AG</strong>. His term of<br />
office would have<br />
continued until the<br />
end of 2002, however<br />
out of loyalty<br />
to the Röchling<br />
Dr. Herbert Müller family and after 20<br />
Magneti Marelli’s<br />
pump business<br />
Milan. <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> <strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong><br />
(Rheinmetall’s Automotive sector) has<br />
taken over the international pump business<br />
of Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Milan,<br />
Italy, as of January 1, 2000. In 1999, this<br />
business showed sales of approx. € 68<br />
million, mainly from oil and vacuum<br />
pumps. <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> <strong>Pierburg</strong> supplies<br />
the worldwide auto industry with<br />
modules and systems “for every aspect<br />
of the engine”, and is already a major<br />
player in the pump business. Starting<br />
from 2000, these products will account<br />
The latest news from the Rheinmetall group 1/2000<br />
Newsline<br />
Das Profil<br />
Newsline<br />
years on the executive<br />
board, he prematurely<br />
joined the<br />
supervisory board<br />
on 1 January 2000<br />
and – as had been<br />
expected – took<br />
over as chairman of<br />
the supervisory<br />
board of the Rheinmetall<br />
group on 12<br />
January 2000. Brauner<br />
will continue as<br />
chairman of the supervisory<br />
boards of<br />
all Rheinmetall operating<br />
parents, including<strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong><br />
<strong>AG</strong>, <strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong>,<br />
Rheinmetall DeTec<br />
<strong>AG</strong>, and Rheinmetall<br />
Elektronik <strong>AG</strong> as<br />
well as the future<br />
listed Aditron <strong>AG</strong>. He<br />
has also succeeded v. Salmuth as chairman<br />
of Rheinmetall’s advisory board.<br />
Supervisory board chairman v. Salmuth<br />
and executive board chairman<br />
for world sales of around € 300 million.<br />
With this acquisition, <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> will expand its strong<br />
position in the Western European market<br />
for oil and vacuum pumps and improve<br />
access to Italian carmakers.<br />
Vacuum pumps, oil pumps and thermostats<br />
are mainly developed, manufactured<br />
and marketed at Magneti Marelli’s<br />
Livorno works in Italy. The acquisition<br />
of the Livorno facility means<br />
that around 500 employees will be integrated<br />
into <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> <strong>Pierburg</strong><br />
<strong>AG</strong>’s Air Supply & Pump division.<br />
Including the <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> <strong>Pierburg</strong><br />
facility at Lanciano, the Automo-<br />
Responsibility is passed on: after 20 years on the board, the<br />
chairman of Rheinmetall’s executive board Dr. Hans U.<br />
Brauner (l) was elected as chairman of the group’s supervisory<br />
board on 12 January 2000. His successor on the executive<br />
board of Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong> is Dipl.-Math. Klaus Eberhardt.<br />
Brauner have for many years formed a<br />
successful team which, particularly over<br />
the past five years, has contributed to<br />
(Continued on page 2)<br />
tive sector will in future employ over<br />
700 people in Italy generating sales<br />
in excess of € 100 million.<br />
The takeover of the pump business of<br />
Magneti Marelli is another move in <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong>’s strategy of boosting<br />
its sales (today DM 3 billion/€ 1.5<br />
billion with around 12,000 employees)<br />
to DM 5 billion/€ <strong>2.5</strong> billion by 2000+.<br />
Magneti Marelli is in the process of<br />
refocusing its strategy and revamping<br />
its portfolio. This company is a global<br />
developer and manufacturer of automotive<br />
components, systems and<br />
modules. Its 29,500 employees achieved<br />
sales of € 3.8 billion in 1998.
Newsline<br />
Responsibility passed on: Eberhardt takes over as executive board chairman<br />
Brauner chairs the supervisory board<br />
(Continued from page 1)<br />
the growth of the Rheinmetall group.<br />
Back in 1980 a midsize industrial company<br />
with sales of around 700 million<br />
German marks and 6,000 employees<br />
mainly involved in arms production,<br />
Rheinmetall has inside 20 years evolved<br />
into a significant technology group with<br />
34,000 employees and the three core<br />
sectors of Automotive, Electronics and<br />
Defence, with sales of approximately 9<br />
billion German marks in 1999. Brauner<br />
has thus developed Rheinmetall into<br />
Röchling’s most significant asset.<br />
Management<br />
replacement<br />
Bremen. Due to the unexpected<br />
budget shortfalls in the 1999 result,<br />
the shareholders Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong><br />
(51%) and British Aerospace plc<br />
(49%) as well as the supervisory<br />
board of STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH,<br />
Bremen, decided to replace with<br />
immediate effect the management<br />
board of STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH.<br />
Dr.-Ing. Ernst-Otto Krämer (60),<br />
chairman of the management board,<br />
Dr. Thomas Kritzler (50), head of<br />
finance/controlling and in charge of<br />
the naval systems division on behalf<br />
of British Aerospace, plus the former<br />
board member Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Kunze<br />
(61) have retired from the management<br />
board.<br />
Krämer’s successor is Dipl.-Kfm.<br />
Ulrich Grillo (40), deputy member of<br />
the Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong> executive<br />
board, who has now also taken on<br />
the position as chairman of the management<br />
board at STN Atlas Elektronik<br />
GmbH.<br />
Dipl.-Ing. Gert Winkler (55), executive<br />
board member of Rheinmetall<br />
DeTec <strong>AG</strong>, has combined his present<br />
position with that of a member on<br />
the management board of STN Atlas<br />
Elektronik GmbH, where he has<br />
assumed responsibility for Land and<br />
Simulation Systems.<br />
Dipl.-Wirtschaftsingenieur Hans-<br />
Georg Morawitz (44), head of human<br />
resources, communications and services<br />
at STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH,<br />
has joined the management board as<br />
Dipl.-Math. Klaus Eberhardt (52), executive<br />
board chairman of the operating<br />
parent Rheinmetall Elektronik <strong>AG</strong> – the<br />
future listed Aditron <strong>AG</strong> – since the<br />
spring of 1997, has been appointed as<br />
the new executive board chairman of<br />
Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong> as of 1 January 2000, a<br />
position he will combine with his present<br />
responsibility for the Electronics<br />
sector. Brauner will accompany Eberhardt<br />
on Rheinmetall’s Continuity and<br />
Growth Strategy path to annual sales in<br />
the region of 10 billion German marks<br />
as supervisory board chairman.<br />
the member responsible for human<br />
resources and as the company’s director<br />
of industrial relations.<br />
John Young (50), until now a senior<br />
executive at British Aerospace Navy<br />
Systems, has been appointed management<br />
board member responsible<br />
for naval systems. He will be contributing<br />
his longstanding international<br />
experience in developing and building<br />
complex naval systems, specifically<br />
underwater.<br />
Dipl.-Ing. Manfred Meyersieck (50),<br />
head of naval systems, and Dipl.-Ing.<br />
Uwe Duveneck (57), head of land systems,<br />
have both been appointed<br />
senior executive officers.<br />
For the time being Ulrich Grillo will<br />
be in charge of finance/controlling,<br />
until British Aerospace selects a new<br />
candidate for this position.<br />
The new management board has<br />
been requested to immediately submit<br />
a new business plan for improving<br />
profits. An unexpected loss was<br />
anticipated for fiscal 1999. In 1997<br />
and 1998, STN Atlas Elektronik had<br />
generated satisfactory profits of 19.4<br />
million euros and 16.9 million euros,<br />
respectively. Order backlog is considered<br />
good at 1.6 billion euros. Sales<br />
in 1998 amounted to 817 million<br />
euros. In 1999, the 3,200 employees<br />
were expected to produce sales of<br />
around 526 million euros (excluding<br />
sales in the order of 412 million euros<br />
of the spun-off Marine Electronics<br />
now belonging to EMG EuroMarine<br />
Electronics GmbH).<br />
Krämer will continue to serve on<br />
the Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong> executive<br />
board as its chairman.<br />
2<br />
Dipl.-Phys. Dr. rer. nat. Dieter Seipler<br />
(53), divisional director at Robert<br />
Bosch GmbH before joining Rheinmetall<br />
in July 1998 and since then executive<br />
board chairman of <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong> and <strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong>, has as<br />
head of the Automotive sector been<br />
appointed deputy chairman of the<br />
executive board of Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>. He<br />
will also be responsible for centrally<br />
coordinating the group’s research and<br />
development activities.<br />
Dr. rer. oec. Herbert Müller (46) who<br />
has been responsible for central finance<br />
since the start of 1996 and has so<br />
far held the position of senior executive<br />
officer reporting to Brauner, has been<br />
appointed executive board member<br />
for finance and controlling as of 1<br />
January 2000.<br />
Now that Rheinmetall has shrunk its<br />
Jagenberg stake to a minority holding,<br />
Dieter Niederste-Werbeck (60), hitherto<br />
executive board chairman of Jagenberg<br />
<strong>AG</strong> (Engineering sector) will in future<br />
concentrate on his functions as<br />
corporate director of industrial relations<br />
besides heading human resources<br />
and other corporate departments<br />
(purchase, real estate and IT).<br />
This reshuffling and strengthening of<br />
management resources will assure<br />
Rheinmetall’s continued growth. The<br />
passing of responsibility from v. Salmuth<br />
to Brauner and from Brauner to Eberhardt<br />
is true to the group’s proven philosophy<br />
of Continuity through Experience.<br />
The supervisory board member Gerhard<br />
Goll who retired from the board at<br />
the end of 1999 has been replaced by<br />
Professor Dr. Enno Vocke as the shareholder<br />
representative appointed by the<br />
district court of Berlin-Charlottenburg.<br />
Newsline<br />
Newsline is a summary of the most<br />
important news articles published<br />
in “Das Profil”, the company newspaper<br />
of the Rheinmetall group<br />
Publisher: Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong><br />
P.O. Box 104261, D-40033 Düsseldorf<br />
Responsible: Dr. Klaus Germann<br />
Editor-in-chief: Rolf D.Schneider<br />
Issue: January 2000
Newsline<br />
Meeting with the press on 16 December 1999<br />
Ambitious goals for Rheinmetall<br />
Düsseldorf. Ambitious goals for corporate<br />
expansion while simultaneously<br />
concentrating on the three core sectors<br />
Automotive, Electronics and Defence:<br />
the Rheinmetall group aims to<br />
boost sales and earnings even further<br />
in the years to come, with a sales target<br />
of around 20 billion German marks<br />
for the year 2010 – at an operating result<br />
of approx. one billion marks<br />
(which will then be possible) and a net<br />
income in the order of 500 million<br />
marks. This forecast was presented by<br />
the former executive board chairman<br />
and new supervisory board chairman<br />
of Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>, Dr. Hans U. Brauner,<br />
to members of the economic<br />
press and financial analysts during an<br />
informatory meeting held at the group<br />
headquarters in Düsseldorf on 16 December<br />
1999.<br />
While the group anticipates sales of<br />
approximately nine billion German<br />
marks (excluding Jagenberg) and a net<br />
income of about 130 million marks for<br />
the year 2000, Brauner predicts group<br />
sales of some 15 billion marks for the<br />
year 2005 and profits of between 300<br />
and 350 million marks. Regarding the<br />
outlined scenario for 2010 (sales of 20<br />
Düsseldorf. As a further move by<br />
Rheinmetall to strengthen its new<br />
management structure, the following<br />
second-tier group management<br />
appointments took effect on 1 January<br />
2000.<br />
Dipl.-Kfm. Ulrich Grillo (40), Rheinmetall<br />
DeTec <strong>AG</strong> executive board<br />
member for finance/controlling, has<br />
been appointed deputy chairman of<br />
this company.<br />
Dipl.-Kfm. Helmut P. Merch (43),<br />
until now an executive board member<br />
of Rheinmetall Elektronik <strong>AG</strong> (in future,<br />
Aditron <strong>AG</strong>) has been appointed<br />
deputy chairman of the executive<br />
board of Rheinmetall Elektronik <strong>AG</strong>.<br />
In this position he will be assisting<br />
Dipl.-Math. Klaus Eberhardt, Rheinmetall<br />
<strong>AG</strong>’s new executive board<br />
chairman and concurrently, the executive<br />
board chairman of Rheinmetall<br />
Elektronik <strong>AG</strong>.<br />
billion DM and profits of 500 million<br />
DM), the group aims to achieve 60<br />
percent of its growth through mergers<br />
and acquisitions and 40 percent by organic<br />
growth. Theoretically, the workforce<br />
could be up to 55,000 strong at<br />
the end of the decade.<br />
The Automotive sector will generate<br />
the greatest rise in sales, increasing<br />
from a figure of 3.5 billion marks (in<br />
2000) to ten billion marks (in 2010).<br />
The Electronics sector with its new<br />
operating parent Aditron <strong>AG</strong> which will<br />
include the recently established EMG<br />
EuroMarine Electronics GmbH in Hamburg<br />
in future (this is a joint venture<br />
between Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong>/industrial<br />
leadership and SAIT-Radio-<br />
Holland operating in the marine electronics<br />
sector) should increase its sales<br />
from 2.3 billion marks (in 2000) to<br />
five billion in the year 2010. The Defence<br />
sector should also generate sales<br />
revenues of five billion marks in 2010<br />
(with planned sales for 2000 of 3.2 billion<br />
DM). Brauner remarked that this<br />
outlook is seen as relatively realistic.<br />
Brauner, the chairman of the executive<br />
board of Rheinmetall until 31 December<br />
1999, explained that, amongst<br />
Dr.-Ing. Michael Roesnick (45), senior<br />
executive officer at Rheinmetall<br />
Elektronik <strong>AG</strong> (in future, Aditron <strong>AG</strong>)<br />
and management board chairman of<br />
Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG, Bad Neustadt,<br />
has been appointed deputy<br />
member of the Rheinmetall Elektronik<br />
<strong>AG</strong> executive board.<br />
Dr. jur. Andreas Beyer (47), executive<br />
officer for corporate legal affairs at<br />
Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong> is now senior executive<br />
officer, reporting to Dipl.-Math.<br />
Klaus Eberhardt, Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>’s<br />
new executive board chairman.<br />
Ass. jur. Mathias K. Brauner (41),<br />
executive officer for corporate planning<br />
& controlling at Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>,<br />
now holds the position of senior executive<br />
officer, reporting to Dr. rer. oec.<br />
Herbert Müller, Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>’s new<br />
chief financial officer.<br />
Dipl.-Kfm. Heinz Dresia (51), executive<br />
officer at Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong>,<br />
3<br />
other things, this growth is to be funded<br />
by a capital increase of the approved<br />
capital in the period 2000/2001.<br />
He also pointed out that the majority<br />
shareholder – Röchling Industrie Verwaltung<br />
GmbH – may reduce its shareholding<br />
from the existing volume of<br />
just under 66 percent (of the common<br />
stock) to 51 percent in the next ten<br />
years. Brauner pointed out that the<br />
group may also seek a further financial<br />
partner who would be willing to take<br />
over between ten and 25 percent of<br />
Rheinmetall’s common stock and<br />
would also be prepared to fund mergers<br />
and acquisitions through financial<br />
participations in operating companies.<br />
In this context, Rheinmetall’s former<br />
chairman remarked that the capital<br />
interest in subsidiaries may also be<br />
reduced. One example given was <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong> where the interest<br />
might be reduced from 74 percent<br />
(at present) to 51 percent and the<br />
new Aditron <strong>AG</strong> with a decrease from<br />
66 to 51 percent. It is also conceivable<br />
that the 100 percent interest in Rheinmetall<br />
DeTec <strong>AG</strong> may be decreased to<br />
51 percent through the involvement of<br />
a strategic partner.<br />
Rheinmetall strengthens its second-tier management<br />
is now senior executive officer of this<br />
company; as such he will be in charge<br />
of corporate controlling and report<br />
to Ulrich Grillo.<br />
Following the integration of Oerlikon<br />
Contraves <strong>AG</strong>, Zurich, Switzerland,<br />
into Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong>, Dipl.-Ing.<br />
ETH, Lic. Oec. Ernst Odermatt<br />
(51), CEO of Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong>,<br />
has been appointed senior executive<br />
officer of Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong>.<br />
Dr. Wolfgang G. Glaubitz <strong>MB</strong>A (50),<br />
executive officer for corporate human<br />
resources at Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>, is now<br />
the senior executive officer, reporting<br />
to Dieter Niederste-Werbeck, Rheinmetall<br />
<strong>AG</strong>’s executive board member<br />
for human resources.<br />
After 20 years of service with the<br />
group, Dipl.-Ing. Burkhart Kaul,<br />
hitherto senior executive officer for<br />
corporate real estate at Rheinmetall<br />
<strong>AG</strong>, will retire on 31 January 2000.
Newsline<br />
Defence technology from IWKA – Jagenberg goes to Sachsenring and IWKA<br />
Rheinmetall optimizes its portfolio<br />
Düsseldorf. Three transactions have<br />
helped Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong> to concentrate<br />
its business portfolio on the corporate<br />
sectors Automotive, Electronics and<br />
Defence and simultaneously to<br />
strengthen its defence activities very<br />
considerably. The paper technology division<br />
of Jagenberg <strong>AG</strong> was sold to<br />
Sachsenring Automobiltechnik <strong>AG</strong> in<br />
Zwickau at the turn of the year<br />
1999/2000. IWKA <strong>AG</strong> (Karlsruhe) acquired<br />
the packaging technology division<br />
likewise belonging to Jagenberg;<br />
in turn, Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong>, the operating<br />
parent of the Defence sector, has<br />
taken over the defence business from<br />
IWKA (e.g. armored wheeled and<br />
tracked vehicles). The group’s Defence<br />
sector will therefore reach sales in the<br />
order of four billion German marks. The<br />
sale and purchase of the individual<br />
companies are still conditional on the<br />
approval of the Federal Cartel Office<br />
and the supervisory boards.<br />
Rheinmetall has thus achieved its<br />
objective of refocusing its portfolio on<br />
the corporate sectors of Automotive<br />
(listed <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> <strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong>), Electronics<br />
(Rheinmetall Elektronik <strong>AG</strong>,<br />
to become listed Aditron <strong>AG</strong>) and Defence<br />
(Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong>). The<br />
fourth sector Engineering (Jagenberg<br />
<strong>AG</strong>) is no longer a core activity.<br />
As part of its ongoing concentration<br />
on the core sectors of Automotive, Electronics<br />
and Defence, at year-end Rheinmetall<br />
transferred 68.4 percent of Jagenberg<br />
<strong>AG</strong>’s voting common stock and<br />
hence management control in Jagen-<br />
From Henschel-Wehrtechnik: the scout vehicle Luchs.<br />
berg to Zwickau-based Sachsenring<br />
Automobiltechnik <strong>AG</strong>. The Jagenberg<br />
group supplies its machines worldwide<br />
to manufacturers of paper and board,<br />
producers and converters of plastic film<br />
and foil as well as to the international<br />
foodstuff industry. Its 3,400 employees<br />
are forecast to generate 1999 sales of<br />
around 1 billion German marks.<br />
In Sachsenring, Rheinmetall has found<br />
a strategic partner whose midsize<br />
organization and dynamic management<br />
will ensure Jagenberg’s future as<br />
a machinery maker of strong engineering<br />
capability. Under the industrial<br />
management of Sachsenring, Jagenberg<br />
will be able to further develop its<br />
innovative power as well as expand<br />
and consolidate its worldwide position<br />
in the specialty machinery market.<br />
The air-droppable armored vehicle Wiesel with an E6-II turret of KUKA Wehrtechnik GmbH.<br />
4<br />
In order to facilitate Jagenberg’s assimilation<br />
within the Sachsenring group<br />
and continuity in the handover of industrial<br />
management, Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong><br />
will retain 18 percent of the voting<br />
common stock of Jagenberg <strong>AG</strong>,<br />
Neuss. Neither the sales nor the income<br />
of the Jagenberg group will be consolidated<br />
in Rheinmetall’s financial<br />
statements in future.<br />
Within the context of the transfer to<br />
Sachsenring, Jagenberg <strong>AG</strong> also sold<br />
its packaging technology division to<br />
IWKA Aktiengesellschaft, Karlsruhe, as<br />
of year-end. The companies sold are<br />
A+F Automation + Fördertechnik GmbH<br />
(Kirchlengern), Benhil Gasti Verpackungsmaschinen<br />
GmbH (Neuss),<br />
the French Erca Formseal S.A., (Les<br />
Ulis) and the American Autoprod Inc.,<br />
Clearwater (Florida). Their aggregate<br />
sales in 1999 amounted to approx. 220<br />
million marks, with a total workforce of<br />
822 persons.<br />
The addition of the Jagenberg companies<br />
will mean that the IWKA group<br />
is strengthening its competence and<br />
international position in the growing<br />
market for packaging machinery used<br />
by the food and dairy industries. In<br />
2000, more than 3,000 employees will<br />
generate sales of around 800 million<br />
marks (in 1998: DM 195 million). This<br />
will make IWKA one of the world’s leading<br />
suppliers of packaging machinery<br />
and plant.<br />
In turn, as of year-end, Ratingen-based<br />
Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong> (Defence)<br />
(Continued on page 5)
Aditron <strong>AG</strong> is<br />
the new name<br />
Düsseldorf/Ettlingen. The decision<br />
to merge KIH Kommunikations Industrie<br />
Holding <strong>AG</strong> (Ettlingen) with<br />
the new Aditron <strong>AG</strong> (formerly operating<br />
under the name of Rheinmetall<br />
Elektronik Beteiligungen <strong>AG</strong>, headquarters<br />
in Düsseldorf) means that<br />
Rheinmetall’s Electronics sector will<br />
be admitted to the stock exchange<br />
this year.<br />
This decision was carried by a large<br />
majority of votes on 17 December<br />
1999. At the extraordinary shareholders’<br />
meeting, Dr. Michael<br />
Newsline<br />
Fritzsche, chairman of the executive<br />
board of KIH, pointed out that KIH<br />
would probably cease to exist in<br />
March 2000 following the official registration<br />
of the merger. The Aditron<br />
share will be traded at the organized<br />
stock exchange in Stuttgart and<br />
Frankfurt.<br />
With the establishment of Aditron<br />
<strong>AG</strong>, the Rheinmetall group now has a<br />
powerful, listed electronics supplier<br />
with an international business share<br />
of 54 percent. Based on a good earnings<br />
position, 1999 sales amounted<br />
to approx. 1.34 billion German marks<br />
(0.68 billion euros). The new company<br />
will have a workforce of about<br />
5,600 worldwide.<br />
5<br />
Significantorder for<br />
combined antennas<br />
Neckartenzlingen. Richard Hirschmann<br />
GmbH & Co. (Neckartenzlingen)<br />
has booked a significant order<br />
for the delivery of 50,000 combined<br />
antennas for navigation and mobile<br />
radio communication. The order<br />
which is worth about two million<br />
German marks was placed by a<br />
renowned German electronics company.<br />
The antennas will be delivered<br />
in the next eighteen months.<br />
The combined antenna GPS 1890 PL<br />
is the smallest of its type currently<br />
available on the market.<br />
Defence technology from IWKA – Jagenberg goes to Sachsenring and IWKA<br />
Rheinmetall optimizes its portfolio<br />
(Continued from page 4)<br />
has taken over the defence technology<br />
sector of IWKA Aktiengesellschaft, Karlsruhe,<br />
comprising KUKA Wehrtechnik<br />
GmbH, Augsburg, and Henschel Wehrtechnik<br />
GmbH, Kassel. In 1998, these<br />
two companies together generated sales<br />
of 244 million German marks with a<br />
workforce of 1,200. By acquiring a German<br />
systems leader in armored wheeled<br />
and tracked vehicles, Rheinmetall<br />
is significantly expanding its defence<br />
technology capability and strengthening<br />
its market position as leading<br />
European supplier of land forces systems<br />
in the long term.<br />
In concentrating on the three corporate<br />
sectors Automotive, Electronics<br />
and Defence, Rheinmetall aims to<br />
achieve a global status in all three<br />
markets:<br />
★ With sales of around 4 billion German<br />
marks and 12,000 employees,<br />
Rheinmetall’s Defence sector will, as a<br />
result of this acquisition, further secure<br />
its strategic position as a competence<br />
source for land forces equipment within<br />
Europe while gaining the necessary<br />
economies of scale as a leading onestop<br />
European supplier of weaponry<br />
and ammunition, armored vehicles<br />
and electronics. Defence’s Oerlikon<br />
Contraves, Switzerland, and Eurometaal<br />
have further contributed to European<br />
integration within this sector.<br />
Through its subsidiary MaK System<br />
Gesellschaft and the expected inclusion<br />
of the defence electronics com-<br />
pany STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH in the<br />
consortium of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann<br />
and the British Alvis group, Rheinmetall<br />
DeTec <strong>AG</strong> has secured for itself a<br />
significant (28-percent) slice of the<br />
large-scale German-British procurement<br />
contract for armored transport vehicles.<br />
Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong>’s objective<br />
will continue to be the necessary<br />
consolidation of Germany’s tank building<br />
industry. Rheinmetall is sticking<br />
to its goal of Defence sales of 25 to 30<br />
percent of aggregate group business,<br />
with an overall expanding volume.<br />
★ Among the Rheinmetall group’s objectives<br />
for the year 2000 and beyond<br />
are the ongoing growth of its Automotive<br />
sector into a module and systems<br />
supplier “for every aspect of the engine.”<br />
The targeted sales of 5 billion<br />
marks (presently DM 3 billion) will be<br />
achieved through organic growth and<br />
acquisitions (preferably outside of<br />
Germany). This means that Rheinmetall<br />
is breaking into a new league, both<br />
as original equipment supplier to the<br />
automotive industry and as military<br />
contractor.<br />
★ Through Rheinmetall, Sachsenring<br />
is entering a dynamic strategic partnership<br />
which, in some instances,<br />
may encompass cooperation in the<br />
field of automotive engineering.<br />
★ In the Electronics sector, Rheinmetall<br />
Elektronik <strong>AG</strong> as the future stock<br />
exchange listed Aditron <strong>AG</strong> (including<br />
the IT companies Hirschmann and Preh<br />
and the security equipment manufacturer<br />
Heimann Systems) will constitute<br />
a powerful electronics supplier within<br />
the Rheinmetall group. Plans for this<br />
sector envisage a<br />
rise in sales from<br />
today’s 1.3 billion<br />
German marks<br />
to over 2 billion<br />
marks, mainly<br />
through organic<br />
growth and acquisitions,primarily<br />
in the United<br />
States.<br />
Rheinmetall’s<br />
international position<br />
in its core sectors of Automotive,<br />
Electronics and Defence is substantiated<br />
by international sales of 60 percent.<br />
With a 1999 sales volume in the<br />
region of nine billion German marks,<br />
the Rheinmetall group employs a<br />
workforce of around 34,000 (13,000<br />
outside of Germany). These figures<br />
still include the Jagenberg group.<br />
Sachsenring’s and IWKA’s partner in the future: Jagenberg in Neuss.
Selected range<br />
of products<br />
Zurich. Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong><br />
produces cannons, guns, guided<br />
missile systems, ammunition and<br />
fire control units. The company is<br />
also active in the fields of vehiclemounted<br />
weapons, naval air defence<br />
as well as simulation and training<br />
systems. A selection of the<br />
company’s products is given below:<br />
★ Air defence systems produced<br />
include: Skyshield 35, Skyguard/<br />
GDF, Gunstar, Seaguard naval closein<br />
weapons, fire control systems<br />
and Millennium naval gun anti-missile<br />
system.<br />
★ Vehicle-mounted weapons manufactured<br />
by the company feature<br />
various cannons such as the KBA<br />
25 mm automatic cannon, KDE 35<br />
mm automatic cannon and KDA 35<br />
mm automatic belt-fed cannon.<br />
★ Oerlikon Contraves also develops<br />
and produces ammunition for air defence,<br />
vehicle-mounted weapons<br />
and aircraft guns in 20, 23, 25, 27, 30<br />
and 35 mm calibers. Ammunition<br />
types include explosive ammunition<br />
with head or base fuzes, hard-core<br />
ammunition, subcaliber munitions<br />
of the types “fin stabilized” and<br />
“frangible”, and the latest generation<br />
of ammunition with programmable<br />
fuzes. Added to this, the company<br />
offers a wide range of practice<br />
ammunition, often adapted to the<br />
specific needs of the customer.<br />
★ Training systems include Skyguard<br />
air defence mission simulator,<br />
the Feats firing evaluation and training<br />
system and Adams (advanced<br />
driving and maneuvering simulator).<br />
★ Further products: Fieldguard, a fire<br />
control and guidance system for<br />
rocket and gun artillery applications<br />
(Lars), Ranger UAV system, an unmanned<br />
reconnaissance air vehicle,<br />
and Combat Simlas plus, a system<br />
for infantry training allowing also<br />
the identification of soldiers.<br />
The Millennium 35/1000 naval gun<br />
system offers an effective means of<br />
engaging anti-ship missiles with<br />
ranges of up to <strong>2.5</strong> kilometers.<br />
Newsline<br />
FORMER HEAD OF PENT<strong>AG</strong>ON visits Rheinmetall: Caspar Williard Weinberger<br />
(r), Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan between January 1981<br />
and November 1987 recently visited Rheinmetall’s headquarters to hold informatory<br />
talks. Weinberger gave his host Dr. Hans U. Brauner, the former executive board chairman<br />
and new supervisory board chairman of the Rheinmetall group a copy of his book<br />
“The Next War” in which Weinberger and his co-author Peter Schweizer have outlined<br />
a number of conceivable war scenarios which are perfectly realistic in the future.<br />
MJ 333 handed over<br />
to the German Navy<br />
Eckernförde/Bremen. The German<br />
Navy in Eckernförde took delivery of its<br />
new training system MJ 333 punctually<br />
on Monday, 24 November 1999. This<br />
system was developed and built by<br />
STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH, Bremen.<br />
In conjunction with the simulator MJ<br />
332, it now forms part of the advanced<br />
training center of the Naval Weapons<br />
School in Eckernförde to train all crews<br />
of the minehunting fleet.<br />
The two most important milestones<br />
in the MJ 333 conversion program<br />
have therefore been completed by<br />
this high-tech company from North<br />
Germany. Following the acceptance<br />
of the Kulmbach – that was the first<br />
ship to be converted from a mine<br />
countermeasure vessel of the class<br />
343 into a minehunter of the class<br />
333 – and the delivery of the training<br />
system as the second milestone, the<br />
project is now well on the way towards<br />
successful completion.<br />
Peene-Werft GmbH in Wolgast is<br />
the prime-contractor for this ambitious<br />
project, with STN Atlas acting<br />
as the main subcontractor responsible<br />
for essential systems and the integration<br />
of the entire mine hunting<br />
system. The mine hunting sonar sy-<br />
6<br />
stem DSQS-11M, the mine hunting<br />
command & control system Takis,<br />
the one-shot mine disposal vehicle<br />
Seafox and the PC-based data exchange<br />
and information system<br />
Daisy are all delivered by STN Atlas.<br />
The training system MJ 333 in<br />
Eckernförde is tailored to the very<br />
latest criteria and comprises two large<br />
packages.<br />
The first training package encompasses<br />
computer-based training<br />
(CBT) and includes the actual system<br />
training for the ships. CBT will consist<br />
in a step-wise partial simulation of<br />
key elements of the mine hunting system<br />
MJ 333 serving to familiarize the<br />
user gradually with the full scope of<br />
the systems.<br />
The second part of the training will<br />
be carried out with equipment identical<br />
with that on board, i.e. the sonar<br />
DSQS-11M, Takis, Seafox and Daisy,<br />
to train the functional links in the<br />
team allowing for the interaction between<br />
the initial mine detection by<br />
the sonar unit, processing of the tactical<br />
situation on the Takis console<br />
and operation of the Seafox mine<br />
disposal vehicle. Operators will get<br />
to know the process and interaction<br />
between complicated systems and<br />
are thus offered a comprehensive<br />
training for their duties on board the<br />
minehunter at a later stage.
Newsline<br />
Eurofighter Simulation Systems GmbH (ESS)<br />
Simulation systems<br />
for Eurofighter project<br />
Bremen/Düsseldorf. STN Atlas Elektronik<br />
GmbH in Bremen has established<br />
the company Eurofighter Simulation<br />
Systems GmbH (ESS) in cooperation<br />
with Indra Sistemas (Spain), Meteor<br />
Construzioni Aeronautiche et<br />
Elettroniche (Italy), Thomson Training<br />
& Simulation (UK) and CAE GmbH<br />
(Stollberg/Germany). This joint venture<br />
company will develop and produce<br />
components required specifically for<br />
simulators to be used to train pilots of<br />
the Eurofighter Typhoon weapon system.<br />
Working in close cooperation<br />
with the air forces of Germany, the United<br />
Kingdom, Italy and Spain, Eurofighter<br />
Simulation Systems GmbH will develop,<br />
manufacture and put into operation<br />
the simulators for the multinational<br />
European Eurofighter program.<br />
Through their joint venture Eurofighter Simulation Systems GmbH, they will jointly<br />
develop and deliver the flight simulators for the new European Eurofighter<br />
aircraft (from l to r): Christian Feldmann, product department manager of land<br />
and flight simulation systems at STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH (Bremen), Karl Kim,<br />
division manager for simulation and training systems at CAE GmbH (Stollberg),<br />
Brian Waller, sales and marketing director at Thomson Training and Simulation<br />
(UK), Renzo Lunardi, chief executive at Meteor (Italy) and Manuel Flecha, managing<br />
director simulation at Indra (Spain).<br />
Armored vehicle:<br />
substantial share<br />
Munich/Telford/Kiel. Through its<br />
subsidiary MaK Systemgesellschaft<br />
mbH (Kiel), Rheinmetall’s share in<br />
the armored transport vehicle project<br />
agreed by the German and British<br />
procurement authorities and Artec<br />
(Armoured Vehicle Technology)<br />
GmbH is substantial. Artec GmbH<br />
with its headquarters in Munich is a<br />
partnership between MaK Systemgesellschaft<br />
mbH, Krauss Maffei Wegmann<br />
GmbH & Co. KG (Munich) and<br />
Alvis Vehicles Ltd. (Telford, UK). It is<br />
anticipated that STN Atlas Elektronik<br />
GmbH, likewise belonging to the<br />
Rheinmetall group, will also<br />
be involved in<br />
development<br />
and productionactivities<br />
for the<br />
armored<br />
transport vehicle.<br />
The project relates<br />
to a joint procurement<br />
order for Germany and Great Britain.<br />
Negotiations on the involvement of<br />
the Netherlands in this program are<br />
well advanced. The order encompas-<br />
7<br />
Multinational: the Eurofighter Typhoon.<br />
The cooperation between these European<br />
partners will also help to ensure<br />
that sufficient consideration is given<br />
to the individual interests of the four<br />
participating nations. The development<br />
and utilization of high-tech products<br />
will strengthen the position of<br />
the European simulator industry and<br />
is an important step towards sustaining<br />
independence in Europe.<br />
ESS GmbH was already included in<br />
the concept and definition phase (that<br />
will continue until October 2000) while<br />
the joint venture was being established<br />
and collaborated closely with the<br />
customers on the general specification.<br />
Between November 2000 and the<br />
end of 2007, 18 full mission simulators,<br />
six interactive pilot stations, four<br />
stationary cockpit trainers and four<br />
mobile cockpit trainers will be delivered<br />
to the air forces of the partner countries<br />
involved in the Eurofighter program.<br />
In the words of Dipl.-Ing. Christian<br />
Feldmann, product department manager<br />
of land and flight simulation systems:<br />
“The Simulation Systems division<br />
of STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH will<br />
be able to extend its activities in the<br />
flight simulation sector through its<br />
participation in this project”.<br />
ses not only the development but also<br />
the option for a first series lot of<br />
new wheeled armored fighting<br />
vehicles due to replace the<br />
Fuchs armored transport<br />
vehicles and<br />
M113 vehicles<br />
of US design<br />
from the year<br />
2005 onwards.<br />
It is planned to<br />
produce a total of<br />
approximately 4000 armored<br />
transport vehicles over a tenyear<br />
period. MaK’s work share in the<br />
first partial order for Germany will be<br />
about 28 percent.
Newsline<br />
Naval school Mürwick uses new simulator generation<br />
Virtual seaways, fog on command<br />
Mürwick/Bremen. Maritime traffic is<br />
governed by a “right-of-way” just like<br />
other traffic. Anyone who fails to obey<br />
this has to expect serious damage to<br />
the crew and ship. Although mistakes<br />
made at the naval school in Mürwick<br />
may cause accidents, these are nevertheless<br />
without impact on man and<br />
machine as dangerous situations are<br />
all part of simulator training. The AANS<br />
shiphandling training system at the<br />
school’s simulation center has one fundamental<br />
objective: to train actions<br />
and reactions sufficiently to avoid<br />
errors and to teach trainees how to<br />
deal with mistakes made by others in<br />
order to avoid major damage. In addition<br />
to this, there are a whole lot of procedures<br />
that are important for naval<br />
forces and require initial training in the<br />
simulator. Nevertheless, simulator training<br />
is still only one (important) element<br />
of training since true seamanship<br />
can only be learned on board ship.<br />
After far more than 20,000 hours of<br />
operation of the old simulation center<br />
taken into service back in 1987, the<br />
decision in favor of a system renewal<br />
was reached in 1997. Two years of<br />
planning, development and integration<br />
by the Bremen-based company<br />
STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH then follo-<br />
wed this decision. The modernized simulation<br />
center was finally taken into<br />
operation on 2 December 1999. The<br />
gap between a simulator and the real<br />
ship is becoming smaller and smaller.<br />
The simulations provided by the new<br />
AANS at the naval school in Mürwick<br />
are so realistic that even experienced<br />
seafarers soon forget that they are<br />
“only” commanding a computer-generated<br />
simulation and not a real<br />
ship.<br />
The system is equipped with the very<br />
latest state of the art. It consists of a<br />
true-to-scale nautical bridge with all<br />
the usual instruments like control<br />
stand, engine console and radar<br />
equipment. An eleven-channel visual<br />
system with CGI (computer generated<br />
images) allows a realistic simulation<br />
of the outside world at day and night.<br />
Even complicated docking maneuvers<br />
can be practiced in the simulator<br />
thanks to the exact physical/mathematical<br />
reproduction of the own ship’s<br />
model, including the use of lines and<br />
pilot vessels.<br />
Two instructor stations as well as a<br />
briefing/debriefing room are available<br />
for control and monitoring purposes.<br />
The instructor communicates with his<br />
pupils via intercom and VHF. Besides<br />
Rheinmetall assigned“BBB/A-2”<br />
London/Düsseldorf. Standard &<br />
Poor’s recently assigned its triple-“B”<br />
long-term corporate credit and senior<br />
unsecured debt ratings, and its “A-2”<br />
short-term corporate credit ratings to<br />
the German group Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>.<br />
The outlook is stable.<br />
The ratings reflect Rheinmetall’s moderate<br />
financial profile and average<br />
business-risk profile, based on sound<br />
positions in its respective markets.<br />
These strengths are offset partly by<br />
exposure to the German defence sector<br />
(about 15% of sales are to the German<br />
defence ministry) and to market<br />
trends in the global automotive and<br />
electronics industries.<br />
A key rating factor is the company’s<br />
standing as market leader in several<br />
industrial segments that target different<br />
customer groups. In the defence<br />
sector, Rheinmetall further benefits<br />
from a comfortable order backlog. Also,<br />
the ratings take into account<br />
Rheinmetall’s moderate geographical<br />
diversification, to which Germany<br />
contributes about one-half of consolidated<br />
sales.<br />
In the past few years, Rheinmetall<br />
has grown very rapidly thanks to several<br />
substantial acquisitions. The<br />
group more than doubled its sales<br />
between 1997 and 1998. In the year to<br />
Dec. 31, 1998, the group generated revenues<br />
of euro (€) 4.13 billion (US$<br />
4.37 billion) and earnings before interest,<br />
taxes, depreciation, and amortisation<br />
(EBITDA) of € 328 million. The<br />
group’s lease-adjusted EBITDA margin<br />
has increased gradually over the<br />
years, and amounted to about 10% in<br />
1997 and 1998. The group posted a<br />
8<br />
The naval school at Marwick also uses<br />
the latest simulator generation from<br />
STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH.<br />
the bridge with visual system, the training<br />
system includes six cabins with<br />
the complete nautical equipment but<br />
without the visual systems.<br />
The interaction between the main<br />
bridge and cabins also allows exercises<br />
like nautical operations in units<br />
and combined operations with several<br />
ships. The general configuration therefore<br />
also meets the international standards<br />
for training nautical and technical<br />
officers of ships in accordance with<br />
STCW 95 (standards of training, certification<br />
and watchkeeping for seafarers,<br />
issued by the International<br />
Maritime Organisation IMO) which is<br />
obligatory for all UN members.<br />
pre-tax loss of € 17.7 million in the<br />
first half of 1999 (compared with a<br />
pre-tax profit of € 5.2 million in the<br />
first half of 1998), partly because of<br />
the fact that profits in engineering<br />
and defence activities are typically<br />
booked in the second half of the year,<br />
but also because of softer sales.<br />
With a lease-adjusted net debt-tototal<br />
capital ratio of 26% at Dec. 31,<br />
1998, Rheinmetall is considered to<br />
have good financial flexibility and a<br />
moderate financial policy.<br />
Standard & Poor’s expects the financial<br />
burden of future external growth<br />
to be alleviated partly by equity<br />
support from existing shareholders<br />
and/or strategic partners. The balance-sheet<br />
structure is expected to remain<br />
very conservative. The ratings<br />
do not assume any major improvement<br />
in profit margins, or any substantial<br />
organic growth, Standard &<br />
Poor’s said.
Newsline<br />
EXCHANGE OF IDEAS: Discussions during a recent meeting at the new group headquarters in Düsseldorf focused on<br />
socio-political and economic aspects. The former executive board chairman of Rheinmetall <strong>AG</strong>, Dr. Hans U. Brauner, had invited<br />
representatives from political and industrial circles to this event. Guests included the minister president of North-Rhine<br />
Westphalia Wolfgang Clement, the prime minister of the Grandy Duchy of Luxembourg, minister of state Jean-Claude Juncker,<br />
his colleague Francois Biltgen, labor and employment minister as well as minister of education and cultural affairs, minister<br />
for parliamentary relations and delegated communication minister of Luxembourg, Dr. Julien Alex, the ambassador of the<br />
Grand Duchy in the Federal Republic of Germany, district president Jürgen Büssow, the mayor of Düsseldorf Joachim Erwin,<br />
Dr. Heinz Kriwet, supervisory board chairman of Thyssen Krupp <strong>AG</strong>, Dr. Edgar Jannott, executive board chairman of Ergo Versicherungsgruppe<br />
<strong>AG</strong>, Dr. Peter von Blomberg, chairman of the management board of Allianz Versicherungs <strong>AG</strong> and Dr.-Ing.<br />
Hans-Peter Keitel, executive board chairman of Hochtief <strong>AG</strong>. The program for the evening included a visit to the installation<br />
“Aspetti Magici” created by Professor Gabriele Henkel as well as a tour of the new headquarters of the Rheinmetall group.<br />
Our photos show the guests and their host, above all (photo on right) the prime minister of Luxembourg Juncker (c), minister<br />
Biltgen (second from l), ambassador Alex (l), the minister president of North-Rhine Westphalia Clement (second from r) and<br />
Brauner (r), formerly chairman of the executive board and now supervisory board chairman of Rheinmetall.<br />
Close cooperation<br />
in self-protection<br />
Bern/Neuenburg. RU<strong>AG</strong> SUISSE,<br />
Bern/Switzerland, has acquired a<br />
minority stake of Neue Technologien<br />
GmbH in Neuenburg/Germany.<br />
At the same time a close cooperation<br />
in the field of self-defence<br />
systems was agreed between SM<br />
Schweizerische Munitionsunternehmung<br />
<strong>AG</strong>,Thun/Switzerland, Buck<br />
Neue Technologien GmbH and Nico-<br />
Pyrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG Trittau/Germany,<br />
both part of Rheinmetall<br />
DeTec <strong>AG</strong> domiciled in Ratingen/Germany.<br />
So far SM and Buck<br />
Neue Technologien GmbH already<br />
cooperated at the product level. The<br />
jointly developed Maske self-protection<br />
system – today’s leading<br />
product in the field of infrared active<br />
self-protection smokes for combat<br />
vehicles – is currently being produced<br />
for the Swiss Armed Forces.<br />
With the minority stake and the cooperation<br />
agreed upon, the pyrotechnical<br />
core competence of the three<br />
enterprises is gaining strength.<br />
Moreover SM will have access to an<br />
extended market, can make better<br />
use of its capacities, and contributes<br />
to the safeguarding of knowhow<br />
for the Swiss Armed Forces.<br />
Leopard 2 main battle tank with L-55 gun.<br />
Electronics for<br />
Spanish tank<br />
Madrid. A corporate alliance consisting<br />
of STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH of<br />
Bremen (a subsidiary of Rheinmetall<br />
DeTec <strong>AG</strong>), and the Spanish company<br />
Indra EWS of Madrid has received<br />
an order from Spain’s stateowned<br />
Santa Barbara Blindados<br />
(SBB), general contractor for the Spanish<br />
government’s Leopard 2 tank<br />
program. The contract entails the delivery<br />
of 219 combat systems for the<br />
Leopard 2 <strong>MB</strong>T, each consisting of a<br />
fire control unit, panoramic periscope,<br />
tank-testing device and command<br />
system, as well as 16 command<br />
systems for armored recovery<br />
vehicles. The order is part of a pro-<br />
9<br />
curement program for the Spanish<br />
Army. In addition, Empresa Nationale<br />
Santa Barbara (ENSB) of Madrid and<br />
its cooperation partner Rheinmetall<br />
W&M GmbH of Ratingen have received<br />
an order from Santa Barbara Blindados<br />
worth more than DM 155 million.<br />
This contract is for the supply of<br />
219 L44/120 mm tank guns for the<br />
Leopard 2. ENSB will manufacture the<br />
guns under a licence granted by<br />
Rheinmetall W&M GmbH. Rheinmetall<br />
will furnish the necessary knowhow<br />
and support ENSB with technical<br />
assistance and the supply of hardware<br />
worth DM 55 million. In response<br />
to the Germany Army’s decision to<br />
buy the new L55 barrel under its Combat<br />
Performance Upgrade Programme<br />
1 for the Leopard 2 <strong>MB</strong>T, Spain is<br />
also opting for the new gun system.
Newsline<br />
Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong>: products in over 40 countries<br />
A leader in systems technology<br />
Zurich/Düsseldorf. As reported in<br />
Newsline 4/99, Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong><br />
acquired Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong> in<br />
September 1999. This acquisition,<br />
which has taken effect retroactively as<br />
of 1 January 1999, has expanded<br />
Rheinmetall’s range of products and<br />
strengthened the group’s international<br />
competitiveness and systems<br />
capabilities. Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong> is<br />
an international supplier of mediumcaliber<br />
gun systems and of combined<br />
gun and guided weapon systems for<br />
air defense. The company is divided<br />
into the three business units Systems,<br />
Ammunition and Adats. The products<br />
of this Swiss company, which has its<br />
headquarters in Zurich, are represented<br />
in more than 40 countries around<br />
the world.<br />
The history of the Swiss company<br />
can be traced back to 1906 when<br />
Schweizerische Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik<br />
Oerlikon (SWO) was established<br />
to manufacture and distribute machine<br />
tools. In 1923, SWO was taken over<br />
by Magdeburger Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik<br />
and operated under the name of<br />
Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon<br />
(WO) from then on. In 1924, the company<br />
purchased a machine factory in<br />
Seebach, Switzerland, a firm which<br />
produced anti-aircraft and anti-tank<br />
weapons systems. This then constituted<br />
the basis for the defense technology<br />
sector. In 1936, WO was taken over<br />
fully by Dr. Emil Georg Bührle who had<br />
already held a majority stake in the<br />
company for some years. The name of<br />
Oerlikon was thereupon closely associated<br />
with a0nti-aircraft systems in<br />
the years that followed.<br />
Also in 1936, Contraves <strong>AG</strong> in Erlenbach<br />
was founded as a study company<br />
for air defense equipment of the artillery.<br />
This firm developed and produced<br />
flight tracking instruments and<br />
training equipment. Between 1944<br />
and 1946, Bührle acquired the shares<br />
of Contraves <strong>AG</strong>.<br />
Whereas the machine tool factory<br />
Oerlikon concentrated largely on products<br />
for the civil sector and on traditional<br />
gun systems, Contraves was<br />
concerned mainly with electronic fire<br />
control systems and guided weapons.<br />
Further activities of the company included<br />
drive systems, connection tech-<br />
International leader: Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong> has its core capability in the systems<br />
technology sector. Working in interdisciplinary project teams, specialists from<br />
various fields develop advanced, highly complex and powerful products.<br />
Systems which are used in over 40 countries.<br />
nologies and medical equipment. Oerlikon<br />
and Contraves cooperated frequently.<br />
In 1991, the two companies<br />
were merged to form Oerlikon Contraves,<br />
a group of companies operating<br />
throughout the world. Since then, business<br />
has concentrated primarily on<br />
defense and space activities.<br />
Besides the above-mentioned gun<br />
and guided weapon systems, the<br />
Swiss company also manufactures fire<br />
control systems, cannons and ammunition.<br />
Further business areas include<br />
vehicle weaponry, naval air defense,<br />
simulators and training systems as<br />
well as combat identification for the<br />
infantry.<br />
Here are some examples of the products<br />
of Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong>:<br />
Adats is the only SHORAD system in<br />
the world which can engage both air<br />
10<br />
★ The Skyshield 35 is the most advanced<br />
air defense system from this Swiss<br />
company. All three business units of<br />
Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong> (Systems, Ammunition<br />
and Adats) were involved in<br />
the development of this system which<br />
consists primarily of two 35 mm revolver<br />
guns and a fire control system<br />
comprising an unmanned sensor module<br />
for control and the command<br />
post accommodating the operators’<br />
work places. The command post can<br />
be positioned up to 500 meters away<br />
from the sensor module. The system<br />
can be upgraded with one or two<br />
Adats launchers. Adats is a fully integrated<br />
SHORAD guided weapon system<br />
with search radar for target detection<br />
and passive electro-optical<br />
multi-sensor package. The latter consists<br />
of an infrared camera, TV and laser.<br />
The Skyshield 35 is also equipped<br />
with the Ahead system, likewise developed<br />
by the company. This 35 mm<br />
ammunition is designed especially to<br />
deal with small, extremely agile targets<br />
against which conventional ammunition<br />
is less effective. The Skyshield<br />
35 is a lightweight, compact system<br />
which is easy to transport. The<br />
system’s modularity assures good<br />
flexibility for positioning. High hit<br />
accuracy, short reaction times and<br />
high firing power are further distinguishing<br />
features of this system.<br />
and surface targets. (Continued on page 11)
Newsline<br />
Perfection by “dry practice”: the Adams system is an advanced driving and maneuvering simulator for the initial and further<br />
training of civil and military truck drivers. The system shown here – which is part of the Swiss Army training center – consists<br />
of five driving simulator cabins and an instructor station.<br />
Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong>: products in over 40 countries<br />
A leader in systems...<br />
(Continued from page 10)<br />
★ The Skyguard/GDF is also an air defense<br />
system. The fire control unit consists<br />
of two 35 mm GDF-005 twin guns<br />
and the Skyguard fire control system<br />
which controls the guns.<br />
The fire control system includes<br />
radar surveillance,<br />
identification systems for<br />
target recognition and<br />
control consoles for the<br />
operating personnel.<br />
Ahead ammunition is also<br />
used for the Skyguard/GDF<br />
system. Developed in the<br />
early seventies, this Skyguard<br />
is the most widely used<br />
fire control system of Oerlikon<br />
Contraves <strong>AG</strong>. Over the<br />
years, it has been modified repeatedly<br />
to adapt to changing<br />
threat scenarios from the air. In<br />
its upgraded configuration, it is<br />
still one of the most effective fire<br />
control units for air defense.<br />
Combined with the 35 mm twin<br />
guns of Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong>,<br />
these systems are in service in<br />
about 25 countries.<br />
★ The 35 mm Millennium naval gun<br />
system produced in cooperation with<br />
Royal Ordnance (British Aerospace)<br />
can be used for inner layer defense on<br />
naval vessels. The Millennium system<br />
also uses Ahead ammunition. The<br />
35/1000 revolver cannon is enclosed<br />
by a dome. Millennium is distinguished<br />
by its low weight. It can be operated<br />
in combination with advanced fire<br />
control systems and is readily integrated<br />
into existing defense systems.<br />
★ Oerlikon Contraves <strong>AG</strong> also offers<br />
simulators for military and civil training<br />
purposes: one particularly modern<br />
system in this field is the Combat<br />
Simlas plus, a laser-based training<br />
and identification system for soldiers.<br />
It consists of a laser unit, a master box<br />
as the control unit which e.g. stores<br />
battle data, a 360° helmet sensor and<br />
arm sensors for every soldier. Combat<br />
Simlas plus can be operated in two different<br />
modes. When used in the training<br />
mode, it serves as an infantry<br />
combat simulator and a friend<br />
identification system. Shots fired<br />
at other soldiers are simulated<br />
as a coded infrared laser beam<br />
by the laser unit and hits<br />
are registered by the system.<br />
In combat mode,<br />
the Combat Simlas plus<br />
serves as an identification<br />
and night sight unit.<br />
In this mode, the laser<br />
transmits a beam capable<br />
of identifying soldiers<br />
up to six kilometers<br />
away on the<br />
basis of their sensors,<br />
thus warrantingunmistakable<br />
friend-foe<br />
identification.<br />
The system can<br />
also be used<br />
under adverse<br />
weather conditions.<br />
Targets<br />
can be identified or aimed at even if<br />
largely concealed by bushes and<br />
shrubbery.<br />
11<br />
Combat Simlas plus, the soldier integrated<br />
multifunction laser system: our<br />
picture shows a soldier using the system<br />
in simulation mode to aim and<br />
fire. The compact, smart laser unit CSP<br />
2000 on the M16 rifle, the master box as<br />
the control unit and the helmet and arm<br />
sensors are particularly noteworthy.<br />
★ A further product from the company<br />
is Adams (the Advanced Driving and<br />
Maneuvering Simulator). This is a training<br />
simulator for the initial and further<br />
training of civil and military truck<br />
drivers. The system can simulate every<br />
conceivable traffic situation, be it in city<br />
traffic, on country roads or motorways<br />
or at night. A multi-channel image<br />
generation system, noise and motion<br />
simulation are just some of the features<br />
contributing towards the extremely<br />
realistic presentation. The complete<br />
training system consists of several<br />
driving simulators and an instructor<br />
station from which the instructor<br />
can support and monitor the<br />
trainees. The simulator features an<br />
automatic exercise monitoring and<br />
evaluation function.
Newsline<br />
Simulation and operating systems from STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH<br />
Life rescue operations on land<br />
Bremen. Distress at sea in the German<br />
Bay. Shortly after midnight a private<br />
aircraft with ten people on board<br />
crashes into the North Sea to the west<br />
of Heligoland. The automatic distress<br />
transmitter is activated and – via satellite<br />
– the signal reaches the operational<br />
control center of the German Lifeboat<br />
Institution (DGzRS) in Bremen.<br />
Every minute then counts.<br />
A dramatic scenario, realistic but not<br />
real as the assumed air crash is part of<br />
a routine emergency exercise at the<br />
training center of the German Lifeboat<br />
Institution in Bremen. Experienced<br />
seafarers go through all of the processes<br />
of a search and rescue operation to<br />
make absolutely certain that they are<br />
well prepared for genuine distress situations.<br />
The crews are assisted by advanced<br />
simulation and operating systems<br />
from STN Atlas Elektronik in Bremen.<br />
Handed over by the former Minister<br />
of Transport Matthias Wismann in<br />
early 1996, the training system has become<br />
an essential element of training<br />
activities at the institution today. The<br />
system is, however, quite different<br />
from the “classical” simulator which<br />
offers a realistic reproduction of a cockpit<br />
or nautical bridge, including all the<br />
motion sequences. At a first glance,<br />
the Caesar (Coordinating And Educating<br />
Search And Rescue)<br />
training<br />
center looks<br />
rather like a<br />
language lab<br />
equipped with<br />
modern-day<br />
equipment – yet<br />
it is a lot more<br />
than just that.<br />
Captain Heiner Lübbers,<br />
chief instructor at the German<br />
Lifeboat Institution, explains<br />
that at the training center<br />
“the crews of our ships and cruisers<br />
and the officers manning the control<br />
center practice communication<br />
processes that are absolutely vital for<br />
search and rescue operations.” Always<br />
assuming that the crews have<br />
the necessary seafaring skills, training<br />
operations at Caesar focus largely on<br />
the coordination of operations. The simulator<br />
consists of five separate cabins,<br />
each equipped with telephones,<br />
PC and radio sets. Different crews are<br />
They often risk their lives to save others: the crews of the German Lifeboat Institution’s<br />
fleet that consists of 59 rescue units. The institution with its headquarters in<br />
Bremen, established in 1865, is rated as exemplary in terms of maritime rescue<br />
standards. The simulation and operation systems from STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH<br />
are an essential element of this service.<br />
accommodated in each of the cabins:<br />
e.g. the crew of a rescue cruiser, the officers<br />
on the bridge of a freighter involved<br />
in a rescue operation, the pilot<br />
and copilot of a SAR helicopter of the<br />
German Navy, and the captain of the<br />
ship in distress. The instructor’s station<br />
– representing the Maritime Rescue<br />
Coordination Center MRCC of the<br />
German Lifeboat Institution – is located<br />
at a separate position. The roles<br />
are assigned to the various participants<br />
and it may well be that the<br />
foreman (a German term for<br />
captains of the Lifeboat<br />
Institution) plays the<br />
part of the helicopter pilot<br />
or the watchkeeping<br />
officer on the ship that<br />
has come to the<br />
rescue. After<br />
all, the underlyingobjective<br />
is to<br />
“experience”<br />
a rescue mission<br />
at sea from different<br />
vantage points.<br />
Back to the initial scenario: the cabins<br />
are manned by two to three people.<br />
There are five ships near where<br />
the plane is thought to have crashed:<br />
a passenger ship, a container carrier, a<br />
freighter, a coastal motor vessel and<br />
the rescue cruiser Alfried Krupp. From<br />
12<br />
his instructor’s station, Heiner Lübbers<br />
loads a digital chart into the PCs<br />
of the “crews” and explains the initial<br />
situation – and then things get started.<br />
The foreman of the Alfried Krupp<br />
contacts the other vessels, and after<br />
consultation determines which vessel<br />
should start searching for survivors<br />
where. The search area spans four<br />
nautical miles around the place of the<br />
accident which is fairly certain since<br />
the distress signal automatically produced<br />
a precise position message. Radio<br />
messages are sent, sea charts on<br />
the PC monitor are updated and the latest<br />
messages are evaluated by the<br />
control center.<br />
All of this takes place in real time.<br />
The simulation computer developed<br />
by STN Atlas Elektronik allows for all<br />
the necessary parameters, the speed<br />
of the ships, winds and currents. STN<br />
Atlas has a wealth of experience in this<br />
field since its products include highly<br />
sophisticated shiphandling simulators<br />
that are used by various maritime<br />
institutes, e.g. in Hamburg and Rostock.<br />
These so-called full mission simulators<br />
serve to train bridge crews<br />
and also experienced officers.<br />
The tension remains in the cabins.<br />
The Alfried Krupp calls the container<br />
carrier, “Your position?” The reply is<br />
“54 degrees 56 minutes north, six<br />
(Continued on page 13)
Systems from STN Atlas ElektronikGmbH<br />
Life rescue . . .<br />
(Continued from page 12)<br />
degrees 22 minutes east, 21 knots,<br />
distance 16 nautical miles”. The position<br />
is registered on the electronic chart<br />
of the Alfried Krupp and the foreman<br />
calculates how long it will take for the<br />
freighter to reach the search area.<br />
Every minute counts in such situations:<br />
even with modern rescue vests,<br />
the chances of survival in water are limited.<br />
Besides the obvious danger of<br />
drowning (that is reduced significantly<br />
by the rescue vests) there is the very<br />
serious risk of hypothermia which can<br />
start after only a few minutes at water<br />
temperatures below ten degrees Celsius.<br />
Even if rescue services get there<br />
fast, it may still be too late. This is why<br />
perfect coordination between all those<br />
involved in a rescue operation is essential,<br />
why radio messages should<br />
contain unmistakable instructions to<br />
avoid confusion and why everybody<br />
has to know exactly what to do. In our<br />
example, the exercise was finished after<br />
about an hour and a half – with a<br />
positive outcome. All who were on board<br />
the aircraft have been rescued<br />
thanks to the good coordination of the<br />
rescue mission.<br />
Heiner Lübbers of the German Lifeboat<br />
Institution knows that operations<br />
are not always this successful. Communication<br />
problems are often encountered<br />
in reality, ultimately also<br />
because the situation in shipping has<br />
changed. “Sometimes, we can count<br />
ourselves lucky to find a crew member<br />
Shipwreck – this meant certain<br />
death for sailors on the coast of<br />
the North and Baltic Seas in the<br />
middle of the nineteenth century. Cargo<br />
ships, steamers, sailing boats and barges<br />
which had run aground were really<br />
only interesting for those on shore as<br />
the general rule was “finders keepers”<br />
for any cargo washed ashore. Besides,<br />
cross-border cooperation was literally<br />
unknown in those days. The rulers of<br />
the duchies were only marginally interested<br />
in the welfare of their sailors.<br />
Things changed after the sailing vessel<br />
Alliance hit the dreaded Borkum-<br />
Riff off the North Sea coast and sank in<br />
September 1860. Not one single crew<br />
member survived the accident. This in-<br />
Newsline<br />
on board a freighter<br />
who can speak<br />
at least some English”.<br />
Ships are increasinglyoperated<br />
under a foreign<br />
flag, they are registered<br />
in countries<br />
with relatively<br />
slack rules regarding the training standards<br />
of their crews, shipping companies<br />
exert considerable time pressures<br />
on their captains – all these aspects<br />
have changed shipping drastically in<br />
the last years. Nevertheless any ship<br />
which is sufficiently near the location<br />
of an accident is obliged to come to<br />
the rescue. All captains stick to this<br />
iron rule – after all, they may face the<br />
same situation one day.<br />
Simulator training is mandatory for<br />
the foremen of the German Lifeboat Institution.<br />
Every foreman has to repeat<br />
such a training every other year. The<br />
engineers of rescue cruisers take part<br />
whenever possible. This is important<br />
because the tasks on board ship can<br />
change and ideally every crew member<br />
should be able to take over practically<br />
any job; it is quite conceivable<br />
that the foreman leaves the task of radio<br />
coordination to another crew<br />
member because he is busy maneuvering<br />
the ship.<br />
In addition to the installation of an<br />
advanced training center for rescue<br />
services, the Caesar project has also<br />
involved a complete renewal of the<br />
cident prompted the navigation teacher<br />
Adolph Bermpohl, the lawyer Carl<br />
Kuhlmay, the journalist Arwed Eminghaus<br />
and the senior customs inspector<br />
Georg Breusing to publish an appeal<br />
for the establishment of a maritime rescue<br />
organization for Germany. Associations<br />
for the rescue of shipwrecked<br />
persons were thereupon founded in<br />
Emden, Hamburg, Bremerhaven and<br />
on the East Frisian Islands; in the year<br />
1865 the German Lifeboat Institution<br />
(DGzRS) was then established in Bremen<br />
where the organization still has<br />
its headquarters today.<br />
Rescue stations were established<br />
along the coast, equipped with rowing<br />
boats and launching devices to<br />
13<br />
The rescue cruiser Vormann-Steffens in operation.<br />
maritime rescue control center in Bremen<br />
from where rescue services in the<br />
German territory of the North Sea and<br />
Baltic Sea are coordinated; whenever<br />
a distress signal is transmitted, this is<br />
received directly by the control center<br />
of the German Lifeboat Institution.<br />
Technical processes have changed<br />
considerably in recent years. Distress<br />
messages are rarely received by VHF<br />
radiotelephony nowadays; instead of<br />
this, international regulations demand<br />
that ships of a certain size should have<br />
modern electronic distress systems<br />
on board. The alarm is triggered at the<br />
push of a button, within a matter of seconds<br />
rescue services will know not<br />
only the name of the ship in distress<br />
but also the type of emergency and<br />
the exact position. Even if the crew<br />
does not have the time to send a message,<br />
the automatic distress buoys<br />
that are activated as soon as a ship<br />
starts to sink will do the job. It is then<br />
up to the officers working at the MRCC<br />
in Bremen to assess just how serious<br />
the situation is and who can assist<br />
best in which way – systems from STN<br />
Atlas help them to do this.<br />
shoot the rescue lines on board ships<br />
in distress. Whereas maritime rescue<br />
services were nationalized in the German<br />
Democratic Republic after World<br />
War II, the principle of voluntary service<br />
introduced by the founding mem-<br />
DGzRS: A team<br />
driven by idealism<br />
bers of the German Lifeboat Institution<br />
was upheld in the Federal Republic<br />
of Germany. The institution still<br />
depends exclusively on donations –<br />
and by tradition, the German president<br />
has always been the patron of<br />
the Lifeboat Institution.
Newsline<br />
14<br />
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY AND AESTHETICS – the images presented on these<br />
two pages of our Newsline magazine demonstrate that this combination is certainly not<br />
self-contradictory: sophisticated technical products interpreted by photographers on behalf<br />
of the Rheinmetall group. Conceived and created by a renowned German team of<br />
photographers, these motifs will be used by the Rheinmetall DeTec <strong>AG</strong> group and its subsidiaries<br />
for purposes of public relations and marketing, e.g. in the calender for the year<br />
2000, in product and image brochures, in annual reports and at international exhibitions.<br />
Newsline<br />
15
Newsline<br />
The M/S Nordnorge built in 1997 is the youngest of all “Hurtigruten” ships. The Nacos 45 navigation system from STN Atlas<br />
Marine Electronics GmbH on the Nordnorge contributes significantly towards greater maritime safety.<br />
STN Atlas Marine Electronics on the “Hurtigruten” line for over 40 years<br />
Safely through fjords with Nacos 45<br />
Tromsø. “The world’s most beautiful<br />
sea journey” – although this may sound<br />
exaggerated, anyone who has traveled<br />
along the Norwegian coast from<br />
Bergen to Kirkenes with the famous<br />
“Hurtigruten” line will confirm that the<br />
experience is unforgettable.<br />
For over a century, the “Hurtigruten”<br />
has served as the most reliable and<br />
economical link between the Port of<br />
Bergen in South Norway and the rugged<br />
north of the country. In the dark, snowcovered<br />
winter months it is often the<br />
only link between the north and south.<br />
When the sun disappears for weeks on<br />
end and heavy snowfall blocks the roads<br />
to the north of the Arctic Circle, the<br />
people of Hammerfest, Hønnigsvåg,<br />
Vardø and Kirkenes rely entirely on this<br />
route for their supplies and as the sole<br />
means of transport from the north. Although<br />
even further north than Alaska<br />
and North Canada, the northern region<br />
of Norway has one decisive geographic<br />
advantage: the Gulf Stream flows along<br />
the coastline, transporting warm water<br />
across the Atlantic between the Straits<br />
of Florida and New Foundland and thus<br />
preventing the waterways and ports<br />
from freezing.<br />
Today, eleven ships supply the towns<br />
and villages along the coast every day –<br />
and some have systems from STN Atlas<br />
Marine Electronics GmbH in Bremen on<br />
Safe operation through skerries, sounds and fjords – with Nacos navigation system.<br />
16<br />
board. One of these is the M/S Nordnorge,<br />
one of the latest generation of<br />
the “Hurtigruten” fleet, taken into service<br />
by Ofotens og Vesterallens Dampskipsselskap<br />
ASA in Narvik in 1997. The<br />
Nordnorge and its ten sister ships leave<br />
the Port of Bergen punctually at 22.30<br />
every evening in order to call at 64 ports<br />
at day and night during their eleven-day<br />
journey. The Nacos 45-2 navigation system<br />
from STN Atlas Marine Electronics<br />
helps the M/S Nordnorge to navigate<br />
through the numerous skerries and to<br />
travel through the narrow Raftsund and<br />
even the Trollfjord, much to the delight<br />
of the up to 691 passengers.<br />
The Nacos navigation system<br />
which was first installed on a ship in<br />
1985 and which is now in its third<br />
generation has brought essential<br />
improvements to ships traveling<br />
along the “Hurtigruten”. Only a hundred<br />
years ago, it would have been<br />
quite inconceivable to steer a ship<br />
into the land of darkness in the winter<br />
months. The shallows, rugged coastline,<br />
skerries, sounds and fjords<br />
were dangerous enough in daylight.<br />
And for many, many years, sailors<br />
depended entirely on their own<br />
skills and experience to survive the<br />
journey unscathed.<br />
(Continued on page 17)
(Continued from page 16)<br />
Nacos has made their job a lot easier.<br />
The combined radar and autopilot system<br />
from STN Atlas reliably shows the<br />
way along the coast, thus eliminating<br />
the danger of collisions with the rock<br />
which presents a metal globe to indicate<br />
that the Arctic Circle has been passed.<br />
Yet even today captains sailing<br />
along this beautiful route still have to<br />
use all their skills since varying weather<br />
conditions and encounters in the sounds<br />
always have to be expected.<br />
Not only modern ships are fitted with<br />
marine electronic equipment from STN<br />
Atlas. The so-called traditional vessels<br />
had and still have systems from the<br />
company on board. For example the<br />
M/S Harald Jarl – this vessel is totally<br />
different from the huge hotel ships like<br />
the M/S Nordnorge or the most recent<br />
of the eleven ships, the M/S Nordkapp.<br />
Life on board the small Harald Jarl is<br />
much more leisurely, especially in offpeak<br />
periods when there are only a few<br />
passengers on board.<br />
Given the chance to visit the bridge<br />
and ask the captain, one will learn that<br />
the M/S Harald Jarl that was taken into<br />
service by TFDS in Tromsø in 1960 was<br />
even then equipped with an important<br />
Newsline<br />
STN Atlas Marine Electronics on “Hurtigruten” line<br />
Nacos 45 guides ships<br />
safely through fjords<br />
bridge function by Atlas Werke <strong>AG</strong>, a<br />
predecessor of the present-day company<br />
STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH. Amongst<br />
other things, Atlas (with MaK Maschinenbau<br />
Kiel GmbH belonging to Hugo<br />
Stinnes Industrie und Handel GmbH<br />
at that time) delivered the control system<br />
for the foghorn. According to maritime<br />
regulations, a foghorn has to be<br />
able to produce three different signals.<br />
The Atlas system produces the correct<br />
signal automatically, simply at the push<br />
of a button. The Harald Jarl is also equipped<br />
with an Atlas system for shutting<br />
the bulkheads hydraulically. Fourteen<br />
different sections of the ship can be sealed<br />
water-tight either individually or together<br />
with this system. A display panel<br />
allows the crew to check which<br />
bulkheads are closed at any time.<br />
Anyone wanting to make the journey<br />
on one of the two traditional ships – the<br />
M/S Harald Jarl and the M/S Lofoten<br />
which is nearly the same age – should<br />
do so quickly. The Norwegian government<br />
intends to take these two ships<br />
out of service in the year 2001 at the<br />
latest. After that, the old systems from<br />
Atlas can probably only be admired as<br />
exhibits – in the “Hurtigruten” Museum<br />
in Stokmarknes.<br />
On their eventful, eleven-day journey along the Norwegian coast, the ships of the<br />
“Hurtigruten” also pass through the famous Raftsund. Thanks to the Nacos 45<br />
navigation system, this narrow seaway is no more difficult to navigate than the<br />
Trollfjord – and certainly an unforgettable experience for passengers.<br />
17<br />
Verzuolo/Neuss. Neuss-based Jagenberg<br />
Papiertechnik GmbH, a<br />
member of the Jagenberg group, has<br />
succeeded in booking its first orders<br />
for the newly launched Vari-Top II winder.<br />
The Lang-Papier group, a member<br />
of Finland’s Myllykoski group, is<br />
the world’s first papermaker to use<br />
Jagenberg’s newly developed winder<br />
technology in its production. Two<br />
such machines with working widths<br />
of 8,300 mm recently came on stream<br />
without a hitch at the Ettringen<br />
mill in Germany of Papierfabrik Gebr.<br />
Lang GmbH.<br />
Additionally and against tough<br />
competition Jagenberg was awarded<br />
a further order from the Italian papermaker<br />
Cartiere Burgo for likewise two<br />
of the new winders, with widths of<br />
9,800 mm. Destined for the Burgo<br />
mill at Verzuolo, Italy, these are the<br />
widest ever built by Jagenberg. Both<br />
orders are worth around DM 40 million.<br />
The Cartiere Burgo order is accompanied<br />
by an option for an additional<br />
Vari-Flex winder and several<br />
conversions worth around DM 10 million.<br />
Megaorders for<br />
the new winder<br />
In the development of the new generation<br />
of winders, special emphasis<br />
was placed on ergonomic and<br />
functional aspects as well as service<br />
and maintenance ease. Cost-efficiency<br />
considerations also played a role<br />
since the winders are designed for<br />
one-man operation.<br />
Vari-Top II is all-encapsulated for<br />
even lower running noise compared<br />
with its predecessor. The maximum<br />
operating speed is 2,800 m/min (almost<br />
170 km/h), the design speed as<br />
high as 3,200 m/min. During the very<br />
first days the Ettringen machine was<br />
already producing impeccable winding<br />
results at rates of 2,400 m/min.<br />
“The new Vari-Top II at Ettringen,”<br />
says Willy Heymanns, who as project<br />
manager handled the installation of<br />
the machine at Ettringen, “has meantime<br />
also converted paper from other<br />
production lines at Lang-Papier, with<br />
no problems with any of the grades.”<br />
Vari-Top II specs: Maximum paper roll<br />
weight is 10 t per winding station. The<br />
winder has fully automatic web threading<br />
with integrated winding start. At<br />
the unwinding end, a fully automatic<br />
tambour-butt unit produces readyfor-sale<br />
splices.
Newsline<br />
Series launch at KS Pistões Ltda. in Brazil<br />
Marketing success for<br />
an innovative module<br />
Nova Odessa/Porto Alegre. A good<br />
success for KS Pistões Ltda. in Nova<br />
Odessa, a member of the <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> group: as the first<br />
company belonging to Rheinmetall’s<br />
Automotive sector, <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong>’s<br />
Brazilian subsidiary has won an order<br />
for an innovative module system. A<br />
major order covering a four year period<br />
was recently agreed with Maxion International<br />
(a joint venture with Navistar),<br />
a renowned diesel engine manufacturer<br />
with its headquarters in Porto<br />
Alegre situated in the south of Brazil.<br />
The module system which went into<br />
series production in early December<br />
1999 consists of pistons, bolts, retaining<br />
ring, ring assembly and – as a novelty<br />
– connecting rod.<br />
Americo Rajczy, commercial director<br />
of KS Pistões Ltda. since October 1997,<br />
rates this order as a further example of<br />
the increasing globalization of business:<br />
“The order was won through the<br />
cooperation with Zoellner and the <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
parent company in Neckarsulm.<br />
The blank for the connecting<br />
rod is procured from Japan while the<br />
other detail parts come from the United<br />
States. The connecting rod is processed<br />
in Germany and at KS Pistões<br />
is then finally assembled to the module<br />
together with the pistons produced<br />
here and the other components.” The<br />
complete system is part of the 7.3 l V8<br />
Smart: the world’s<br />
smallest piston<br />
Neckarsulm. Above all, the Smart reflects<br />
the spirit of a new generation.<br />
And this has been done with a clever<br />
slogan: small to the maximum. The<br />
new pistons of the small turbo engines<br />
with their high power densities –<br />
both in spark ignition and in diesel<br />
engines – come from <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
and give the avant-gardist “city sprinter”<br />
the necessary power. In securing<br />
this series-production order and as<br />
the first and also the only developer of<br />
these pistons, KS <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
GmbH has once again demonstrated<br />
engines built by Maxion-Navistar<br />
which are used for the famous Ford<br />
trucks in the USA.<br />
As to the Ford Motor Company: this<br />
car maker from Detroit is also one of<br />
KS Pistões’ customers for another project.<br />
Working in close cooperation<br />
with the Ford customer team in Neckarsulm,<br />
KS Pistões recently won the<br />
order as the exclusive supplier of pistons<br />
to Ford-Brazil for the 1.0 l and<br />
1.6 l HCS/SOHC engines developed by<br />
Ford, Cologne, specifically for the Brazilian<br />
market. This order was won<br />
against strong competition. Rajczy remarks<br />
that with this order “a technology<br />
developed especially by <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
will now be implemented in<br />
production for the first time in Brazil.<br />
We will be delivering the pistons with<br />
a hard anodic coating of the ring groove.<br />
The end product will be installed<br />
in Ford’s Ka, Fiesta and Escort models.<br />
Over and beyond traditional business<br />
areas, experts from KS Pistões Ltda.<br />
have repeatedly demonstrated<br />
that know-how, good ideas and flexibility<br />
are excellent business attributes<br />
both inside and outside the company.<br />
The most recent example is a special<br />
measurement system originally developed<br />
for commercial reasons – for<br />
which the French sister company Société<br />
Mosellane de Méchanique S.A.<br />
its capabilities as a supplier also for<br />
small diesel engines. Incidentally, the<br />
system used in the Smart is the smallest<br />
diesel piston in the world.<br />
The diesel piston for the Smart is<br />
manufactured at Metal Usti in the<br />
Czech Republic. <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> delivers<br />
the pistons as the system supplier<br />
with piston rings and bolts. In<br />
the words of Emmerich Ottliczky, diesel<br />
piston design manager for the car<br />
sector: “This re-entry into the diesel<br />
engine sector of DaimlerChrysler has<br />
given us very promising prospects for<br />
the future. Based on the planned follow-on<br />
order, DaimlerChrysler has<br />
confirmed our competence in the<br />
field of diesel engines. Only recently<br />
18<br />
KS Pistões Ltda. (Nova Odessa) recently<br />
started delivering this innovative<br />
module system to the diesel engine<br />
manufacturer Maxion International in<br />
Porto Alegre.<br />
(SMP) in Thionville has expressed a<br />
strong interest. Americo Rajczy reports<br />
that the first of two automatic<br />
control cells developed by the company<br />
was delivered to SMP in France<br />
in the summer of 1999. These systems<br />
are used in an integrated control/assembly<br />
unit for diesel pistons<br />
with robotic control.<br />
The first of these automatic control<br />
cells was taken into operation at KS Pistões<br />
three years ago and has been<br />
the subject of ongoing development<br />
since then. Particular importance has<br />
been attached to using standard parts<br />
(e.g. components, sensors). Up to 24<br />
important technical characteristics of<br />
a piston can be checked with the control<br />
cells. All measurement data are<br />
stored and evaluated statistically.<br />
Quality manager Günther Salaar emphasizes<br />
that these measurement<br />
cells have contributed significantly towards<br />
productivity improvements relating<br />
to the quality control of pistons<br />
and have therefore also improved<br />
quality assurance as a whole.<br />
Delighted about the success of the<br />
world’s smallest diesel piston used in the<br />
Smart: design engineer Karl Dieffenbach<br />
(l) and Emmerich Ottliczky, diesel piston<br />
design manager for the car sector.<br />
we passed the development and process<br />
audit with excellent marks. This<br />
result speaks for itself.”
Rebuilds to include<br />
paper machines<br />
Enfield. Alongside the Jagenberg<br />
Papiertechnik product range, the<br />
range of systems of the other Jagenberg<br />
subsidiaries is also marketed<br />
from the Enfield location for the<br />
North American market. This applies<br />
equally to Jagenberg Diana GmbH<br />
and WPM Woschnik + Partner Maschinenbau<br />
GmbH, which service<br />
North America with a 15-strong team.<br />
The Jagenberg foil and film division<br />
includes the product groups of<br />
Kampf, Lemo and Bachofen + Meier<br />
<strong>AG</strong> (B<strong>MB</strong>) and is represented by the<br />
Kampf Machinery Division (headed<br />
by Peter Hoelzel), the Lemo Machinery<br />
Division (since 1 October 1999 –<br />
Newsline<br />
Reorientation of Jagenberg Inc.: focus on the converting segment<br />
More muscle for the US market<br />
Enfield/Neuss. Market focus on both<br />
traditional and new terrain: Jagenberg<br />
Inc., the US subsidiary of Jagenberg <strong>AG</strong><br />
founded in March 1979 and based in<br />
Enfield, Connecticut, is restructuring<br />
and strengthening its presence and activities<br />
in the North American paper and<br />
board industry. This reorientation of the<br />
company, which currently employs<br />
some 170 people, involves a much<br />
greater focus on the converting market,<br />
intensification of activities in the rebuild<br />
sector – which got under way<br />
some time ago – and a fundamental<br />
reorientation of sales, which in future<br />
will nurture contacts with North American<br />
customers in the form of a complete<br />
service “from a single source”.<br />
With a reputation built up over decades<br />
in the paper finishing and converting<br />
sector – evidence of which can<br />
be seen in well over 3000 winders sold<br />
around the world – Jagenberg Inc. will in<br />
future focus very specifically on the<br />
North American converting market. This<br />
sector – as in other regions of the global<br />
market – is made up of predominantly<br />
small and medium-sized firms, which<br />
convert rolls of paper or board bought in<br />
from the (large) paper mills by coating,<br />
slitting to diameter or width, or sheeting.<br />
Volker Rose, since the beginning of<br />
this year Chief Executive Officer and President<br />
of Jagenberg Inc.: “To this branch<br />
of industry, which is renowned for its<br />
great flexibility, for example because it<br />
also produces smaller batch sizes, we<br />
are now offering in the form of modifications<br />
of the proven Vari-Flex S winder<br />
and Star and Sprint sheeters, products<br />
that are tailored to its own specific<br />
needs.”<br />
While these tailormade products<br />
meet the special demands of the converter<br />
by offering, for example, an optimal<br />
price-performance ratio and comparatively<br />
simple operation and handling,<br />
they also satisfy every requirement<br />
for sophisticated Jagenberg technology.<br />
Rose: “This aspect incidentally gives us<br />
major competitive edge: we have transferred<br />
the experience and technical expertise<br />
gained over many decades – for<br />
example in the winding technology sector<br />
– to smaller machines. And it is from<br />
this that the customers in the converting<br />
market can profit directly.” This US<br />
market segment will be serviced by<br />
sales manager Erin Ernie and her colleague<br />
Werner Reitter; both will also be responsible<br />
in future for the sale of smaller<br />
winders and sheeters (with a working<br />
width of up to three metres) in North<br />
America.<br />
The US subsidiary of the Neuss-based<br />
machine builder will also significantly<br />
step up its activities in the rebuild sector.<br />
Here, the highly motivated and<br />
competent team of the newly established<br />
Rebuild Division headed by Bob<br />
Mosebach is now on hand with suitable<br />
Frank Balsensiefer)<br />
and B<strong>MB</strong><br />
sales manager<br />
David Netz.<br />
As for Basagoitia<br />
S.A. (Tolosa),<br />
which became<br />
part of the<br />
Jagenberg group<br />
at the beginning<br />
of this year, En- Volker Rose<br />
field boss Volker Rose reports that<br />
the Spanish company will be incorporated<br />
fully in US sales activities in<br />
future: “This will also put us in a position<br />
in the future to offer rebuilds for<br />
paper machines with smaller working<br />
widths.” A strategic step into a<br />
new market segment with the promise<br />
of additional business for Jagenberg<br />
Inc.<br />
19<br />
Currently preparing for their new task<br />
as sales managers with Jagenberg Inc.<br />
at the Neuss-based machine builder’s<br />
headquarters are Chris Himmelsbach<br />
(2nd from right), Max Golter (right), Fabian<br />
Pesenti (2nd from left) and Jeff<br />
Brown (centre), pictured here with<br />
Michael Balzer, responsible in future<br />
for sales coordination at Jagenberg Inc.<br />
in Enfield. The five were photographed<br />
on a Synchro sheeter.<br />
system components and a wealth of<br />
process expertise to assist US customers<br />
improve the productivity of (older)<br />
machines or enhance the quality of<br />
their end products. Rose: “With the<br />
right rebuild measures, which we are offering<br />
both for Jagenberg and other<br />
makes of machine, customers can, for<br />
example, increase the operating speed<br />
of their winder, reduce slitter or roll<br />
change times, or wind larger rolls without<br />
a flaw.”<br />
The 48-year-old President of Jagenberg<br />
Inc. also expects additional<br />
strength to be gained from the restructuring<br />
of sales for the “traditional”<br />
customers. In future, the North American<br />
paper industry will be divided into<br />
six – as opposed to the previous four –<br />
areas, each of which will be serviced by<br />
a separate sales manager. Rose: “Each<br />
of the six sales specialists is responsible<br />
for an average of 80 to 90 paper<br />
mills. He is the first contact person for<br />
his region and responsible for all aspects<br />
of business: alongside the actual products<br />
– winders, coaters and sheeters –<br />
he will also play an active role in rebuild<br />
projects, service and spares business.”<br />
In other words, the full customer service<br />
truly “from a single source”.
Distinguished with the Good Design<br />
Award of the renowned Chicago Athenaeum:<br />
the “modul 5000”.<br />
Good Design Award<br />
for “modul 5000”<br />
Chicago/Waldeck. Mauser Office<br />
GmbH in Waldeck is justifiably delighted:<br />
the office furniture maker has received<br />
another very special distinction for<br />
its design. After all, the company has<br />
won the Good Design Award of the Chicago<br />
Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture<br />
and Design. The institution which is<br />
one of the oldest and most highly acknowledged<br />
organs in the history of modern<br />
product design first presented the<br />
coveted Good Design Award back in<br />
1950. The initiator at that time was Edgar<br />
J. Kaufmann in cooperation with further<br />
famous pioneers of American product<br />
design like Eero Saarinen, Charles and<br />
Ray Earnes, Alexander Girard, George<br />
Nelson, Florence Knoll, Harry Bretola,<br />
Finn Juhl and Russel Wright.<br />
Over two thousand products from 48<br />
different countries – ranging from an<br />
aircraft to a paper clip – took part in the<br />
competition. Only the very best in the<br />
world made the top hundred, one of<br />
these being the “modul 5000”, the<br />
most recent desk system design from<br />
Mauser Office. This is hardly surprising<br />
since this latest success story is the result<br />
of the proven cooperation with the<br />
renowned designer Peter Maly. The<br />
good feeling for new trends in the office<br />
sector reflected by the design and also<br />
the material and ergonomics of the<br />
“modul 5000” were just right and therefore<br />
also convinced the jury in Chicago.<br />
The “modul 5000” desk system<br />
follows a tradition of numerous other<br />
design awards recently won by Mauser<br />
Office – including the so-called Red<br />
Point prize of the Design Center of North<br />
Rhine-Westphalia (1997) and the IF<br />
Design Award of the Industrial Forum<br />
Hanover at the CeBit exhibition (1998)<br />
for the cupboard and wall system “sistemare”<br />
created by the designer Michele<br />
de Lucchi from Milan.<br />
Newsline<br />
Test systems also used for civil applications<br />
When vandalism is<br />
the object of testing<br />
Unterlüß. The environmental test<br />
systems of Rheinmetall W & M GmbH<br />
that were primarily used for military<br />
projects in the past are increasingly<br />
being used for civil products, especially<br />
those coming from the automotive<br />
supplier industry. One such company<br />
is Continental <strong>AG</strong>, the well-known<br />
manufacturer of tires, which has<br />
tested its shock absorber assemblies<br />
at different temperatures. The companies<br />
Johnson Controls Inc. (Burscheid)<br />
and Becker Group Europe<br />
(Grefrath) have performed long-term<br />
temperature tests on instrument holders<br />
and electronic components.<br />
Preh-Werke of the Rheinmetall group<br />
examined the effects of dew on electronic<br />
assemblies for BMW. Volkswagen<br />
<strong>AG</strong> has likewise used the facilities<br />
at Unterlüß to test the de-icing<br />
and heating of windscreens for its<br />
Sharan and Caravelle vehicles.<br />
Yet the test facilities are also of interest<br />
to a far wider group of customers.<br />
The company IMPAC (Hamburg) has<br />
had its flexible tube systems for oil<br />
drilling rigs tested. Environmental experts<br />
from Unterlüß have tested telephone<br />
components for Elmeg GmbH<br />
& Co. KG from Lehrte. The suitability of<br />
electronic assemblies from Baker<br />
Hughes (Celle) for mining applications<br />
has been tested<br />
and steel cables<br />
as well as cable<br />
loops from Spanset<br />
GmbH & Co.<br />
KG (Übach-Palenberg)<br />
have also<br />
been examined.<br />
The test series<br />
conducted by<br />
Höft & Wessel<br />
from Hanover for<br />
Deutsche Bahn<br />
<strong>AG</strong> was also very<br />
interesting: here,<br />
the tests concerned<br />
the new<br />
ticket vending<br />
machines which<br />
are now located<br />
at practically every<br />
railway station.<br />
20<br />
Wolfgang Höfer who is responsible<br />
for planning and coordinating test facilities<br />
at Rheinmetall W & M GmbH<br />
commented on the test results: “Under<br />
high humidity and temperature<br />
conditions, the ink tended to smear<br />
on the tickets. The tickets even stuck<br />
together. The PC integrated in the<br />
ticket machines did not withstand<br />
the shock test serving to simulate<br />
vandalism at railway stations.” The<br />
tests helped to reveal inherent deficiencies<br />
which were then remedied.<br />
Further clients who have benefited<br />
from the environmental testing facilities<br />
at Unterlüß are the Rheinmetall<br />
companies Nico Pyrotechnik, Silberhütte<br />
and STN Atlas Elektronik. Even<br />
customers from Great Britain have<br />
used the test systems: the Salisburybased<br />
company Dera and Primetake<br />
from Fiscaton have had special products<br />
tested.<br />
It goes without saying that early<br />
tests on prototypes in the test systems<br />
offer distinct advantages for<br />
manufacturers. Defects which would<br />
have serious repercussions in seriesproduction<br />
are detected at an early<br />
stage. This saves money and reduces<br />
the development risk. In addition,<br />
the test conditions can be reproduced<br />
at any time.<br />
A lot depends on their judgement: Frank Ullrich (r), a former<br />
world champion and the present coach of the German<br />
men’s biathlon team, Marian Riedel (l) as well as Sandro<br />
Brislinger (marksmanship) evaluate the hit accuracy of rifles<br />
fired under extremely cold conditions. These three biathlon<br />
experts are members of the sports promotion<br />
group of the German Army in Oberhof (Thuringia).
Newsline<br />
German biathlon team tests sports rifles in Unterlüß<br />
Sporting order for<br />
environmental experts<br />
Oberhof/Unterlüß. It is minus 22 degrees<br />
Celsius and late September<br />
1999 in Unterlüß. A shot is heard. The<br />
bullet goes straight through the paper<br />
disk, leaving a visible hole. This process<br />
is repeated five times. Having<br />
checked the results, Frank Ullrich, the<br />
coach of the German<br />
men’s biathlon<br />
team is satisfied<br />
since all five<br />
shots hit the same<br />
hole.<br />
September and<br />
freezing temperatures?<br />
Paper disks<br />
and biathlon? How<br />
does this add up?<br />
We are at the tem-<br />
Wolfgang Höfer<br />
perature test facility (TVA) of Rheinmetall<br />
W & M GmbH. The TVA is used to<br />
test products in two test chambers at<br />
temperatures between minus 46 degrees<br />
Celsius and plus 85 degrees Celsius<br />
at a humidity of between 10 and<br />
95 percent. The team headed by TVA<br />
manager Gerhard<br />
Klocke, his deputy<br />
Adrian Müller and<br />
switching controller<br />
Harald<br />
Lembrecht has been<br />
given a sporting<br />
order on a cold winters<br />
day. The coach<br />
of the German biathletesistesting<br />
rifles to be used in<br />
competitions.<br />
Frank Ullrich, the<br />
German men’s<br />
coach and Gerhard<br />
Müssiggang, the<br />
coach of the women’s<br />
team, have<br />
brought some<br />
twenty different rifles<br />
with them. With<br />
Stephan Hoss and<br />
Sandro Brisling, responsible for skiing<br />
and marksmanship, they are testing<br />
their sports rifles at temperatures between<br />
minus 22 and 20 degrees Celsius<br />
before the winter sports season<br />
starts. Each rifle fires five shots at the<br />
target from a distance of 50 meters.<br />
The results are registered and recorded<br />
on video. Wolfgang Höfer, team<br />
leader and responsible for planning<br />
and coordination of the environmental<br />
testing facilities at W & M explains the<br />
background: “The biathletes carried<br />
out these tests to find the best possible<br />
rifle in combination with the most<br />
suitable ammunition at extremely cold<br />
temperatures”:<br />
Low temperatures change the properties<br />
of a rifle. Loads occurring in the<br />
rifle can deform the barrel of the weapon.<br />
In addition, sub-zero temperatures<br />
can have an effect on the ammunition<br />
and on the way in which this is loaded<br />
into the barrel. Ullrich explains:<br />
“To achieve ideal results in a competition,<br />
the rifles must be tailored to low<br />
temperatures. And then there are different<br />
types of ammunition, each of<br />
which has different properties affecting<br />
the accuracy of firing. The best<br />
possible result is obtained if five shots<br />
in succession hit the same hole.<br />
Sandro Brislinger (l), expert marksman, and Marian Riedel, skiing specialist, testing the<br />
rifles of the German men’s biathlon team at minus 22 degrees Celsius in a climatic test<br />
chamber at Unterlüß. The ammunition is also tested under these sub-zero conditions.<br />
The road towards success has not<br />
been easy. Before the coaches started<br />
testing their rifles at Rheinmetall W &<br />
M in Unterlüß, the weapons were tested<br />
in refrigeration chambers in Suhl.<br />
When this system was closed down,<br />
21<br />
Temperature check: Adrian Müller (l),<br />
deputy manager of the temperature test<br />
system, and switching controller Harald<br />
Lembrecht at the electronic control system<br />
for the two climatic test chambers.<br />
they had to find an alternative quickly<br />
as the world championship was not far<br />
away. Ullrich who works with the<br />
sports team of the German Army in<br />
Oberhof heard of Rheinmetall’s temperature<br />
testing facility. “We were incredibly<br />
lucky to have been given this<br />
opportunity since these low-temperature<br />
tests are extremely important to<br />
us. Besides, we were relieved that the<br />
experts in Unterlüß were willing to<br />
help us so quickly.”<br />
The team found ideal rooms and test<br />
conditions in Unterlüß. The sportsmen<br />
paid three two-day visits to the Rheinmetall<br />
site in Lower Saxony during the<br />
last three months<br />
to conduct a series<br />
of tests. Ullrich notes<br />
that “these<br />
tests were very useful<br />
and helped to<br />
improve the hit accuracyconsiderably.<br />
During the last<br />
biathlon world<br />
championship held<br />
in Kontiolathi (Finland)<br />
in 1998, Frank<br />
Luck won a gold<br />
medal for the sprint<br />
and Ricco Groß was<br />
equally successful.<br />
The low-temperature<br />
tests conducted<br />
at the TVA contributed<br />
towards this<br />
success.”<br />
Looking ahead,<br />
Ullrich points out that the next world<br />
championship in Oslo will take place<br />
in February 2000. Who knows,<br />
perhaps the low-temperature tests<br />
performed in Unterlüß will tip the scales<br />
in favor of the biathletes.
<strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong>, a member of the<br />
<strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> <strong>Pierburg</strong> group,<br />
has been producing intake manifolds<br />
since the early nineties. With<br />
its innovative and advanced technical<br />
products, the Neuss-based automotive<br />
supplier has joined the ranks<br />
of the world’s most renowned suppliers.<br />
This is also underlined by some<br />
two dozen projects performed<br />
with car makers operating throughout<br />
the world.<br />
Here are some details on the technologies<br />
involved: the torque yield<br />
and performance of an engine also<br />
depend on the design of the intake<br />
manifold. Engines with short intake<br />
manifolds and large cross-sections<br />
only produce maximum power at<br />
high speeds. Long intake manifolds<br />
are, however, most efficient at low<br />
speed ranges. The particular advan-<br />
Newsline<br />
Magnesium intake manifold for Audi’s flagship<br />
Concepts as formula for success<br />
Neuss. “The intake manifold is the<br />
connection between the throttle body<br />
and cylinder. The throttle body opens<br />
at the engine as soon as the accelerator<br />
is stepped on. Air enters and then<br />
reaches the cylinder via the intake<br />
manifold. The greater the pressure on<br />
the accelerator, the greater the supply<br />
of air to the cylinder so that the car<br />
gains speed.” This is the somewhat<br />
brief but very apt description of the<br />
function of one of the company’s most<br />
important products – the intake manifold<br />
– by Karl Schmidt, manager of the<br />
air supply systems development department<br />
at <strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong> in Neuss.<br />
The success story of this young product<br />
– for which preparatory work started<br />
only ten years ago – is extensive. To<br />
give just some highlights: series production<br />
of the first aluminum variable<br />
intake manifold for the V6 engine of<br />
the Audi 100 was launched in 1991. This<br />
series was extremely beneficial as it allowed<br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong>’s specialists to gain experience<br />
in areas such as the production<br />
sector, which would then secure<br />
the future of the company in the longterm.<br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> presented its first variable<br />
intake manifold made from magnesium<br />
in 1995; this went into series-production<br />
only one year later. More than<br />
twenty different intake manifold systems<br />
have been developed for com-<br />
A successful team presents its work (from l to r): project manager Hans-Jürgen Ritter,<br />
department head Hans-Ulrich Kühnel, design engineer Uwe Kontschack and<br />
production engineer/prototyping manager Lars Baumeister with the die-cast magnesium<br />
variable intake manifold with three-length design for the Audi V8 engine.<br />
panies like VW, Audi, Opel and<br />
DaimlerChrysler since production of<br />
the intake manifold first got under way.<br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> recently won Audi’s quality<br />
prize for a magnesium die-cast variable<br />
intake manifold with three-length<br />
design. This is integrated in the V8 engine<br />
used in Audi A6 and Audi A8 cars.<br />
The die-casting process allows extremely<br />
thin wall thicknesses of only 1.5<br />
tage of variable intake manifolds is<br />
that switching elements make it possible<br />
to switch over automatically<br />
between short and long manifold<br />
lengths, depending on the speed<br />
and load range. The torque behavior<br />
can therefore be influenced. At lower<br />
A supplier known<br />
worldwide<br />
speeds, a very high torque exists and<br />
a good performance is also achieved<br />
at high speeds. Compared to twolength<br />
designs, the three-length variant<br />
offers a greater speed range with<br />
optimum torque behavior. Intake<br />
manifolds with infinitely variable intake<br />
channel lengths will be the<br />
trend for the future.<br />
22<br />
mm for the V8 intake manifold so that,<br />
in conjunction with the magnesium<br />
used, the intake manifold weighs a<br />
mere 7.12 kg. Aluminum intake manifolds<br />
can be twice as heavy. Karl<br />
Schmidt explains that “magnesium is<br />
an extremely light metal weighing only<br />
1.8 kg per liter. By contrast, aluminum<br />
still weighs 2.7 kg.”<br />
The three-length design of the intake<br />
manifold for the Audi V8 engine is an<br />
absolute novelty. Lars Baumeister,<br />
production engineer and prototyping<br />
manager as well as support engineer<br />
for assembly and metering systems,<br />
was involved in the development of<br />
the production concept for the intake<br />
manifold. He highlights the advantages<br />
of the new intake manifold for Audi:<br />
“The three-length design reaches a<br />
high torque at low speeds. This reduces<br />
fuel consumption even further. In<br />
addition, pollutant emission values<br />
are cut back.”<br />
Another important reason for winning<br />
the Audi quality prize – besides<br />
the excellent technology of the intake<br />
manifold – was the very short period<br />
needed to develop the product. The<br />
concept definition was made in January<br />
1997 and series production already<br />
got started in mid 1998. This was<br />
a development period of only one and<br />
(Continued on page 23)
Newsline<br />
Elegant: the Audi A8, equipped with a magnesium variable intake manifold from<br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong>, is the largest limousine produced by the car maker from Neckarsulm.<br />
Magnesium intake manifold for Audi’s flagship<br />
Concepts as formula ...<br />
(Continued from page 22)<br />
a half years. Normally such a process<br />
takes at least a year longer. This success<br />
was also helped<br />
by the very<br />
positive cooperation<br />
between development<br />
experts at<br />
Neuss and productionspecialists<br />
from the Nettetal<br />
plant.<br />
Karl Schmidt had<br />
an excellent team<br />
athisdisposalin<br />
Karl Schmidt<br />
Neuss, with Hans-Ulrich Kühnel as the<br />
manager of the intake manifold department,<br />
Hans-Jürgen Ritter, project<br />
manager for the intake manifold of the<br />
V8 engine, the design engineer Uwe<br />
Kontschack and Manfred Steiner who<br />
carried out engine tests and performance<br />
measurements at <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s<br />
engine test department.<br />
This team was<br />
backed by qualified<br />
productionspecialists<br />
from Nettetal:production<br />
foreman<br />
Hans-<br />
Gerd Delißen<br />
who had acted<br />
as prototyping manager<br />
during the development phase of<br />
the Audi intake manifold (and has now<br />
retired), Lars Baumeister and Robert<br />
Freudenberg in Nettetal responsible<br />
for quality assurance in production<br />
complemented the team. Special emphasis<br />
was laid on a strategy of simultaneous<br />
engineering, with the design<br />
office, tool manufacture by the company<br />
Schaufler and own production<br />
activities in Nettetal taking place practically<br />
simultaneously. For instance,<br />
the production department often gave<br />
the intake manifold department in<br />
Neuss recommendations on specific<br />
production aspects to make certain<br />
that the product could actually be produced<br />
economically at a later stage.<br />
Development and production of the<br />
Audi intake manifold benefited significantly<br />
from experience gained in earlier<br />
projects. In the words of Baumeister:<br />
“<strong>Pierburg</strong> is currently the systems leader<br />
in the field of magnesium intake<br />
manifolds. We have managed to produce<br />
an intake manifold of high density<br />
while keeping the wall thickness small.<br />
It is unlikely that any of our competitors<br />
will be able to achieve this since<br />
they lack the production<br />
experience<br />
with magnesium.”<br />
Nearly<br />
20,000 V8<br />
intake manifolds<br />
have<br />
been delivered<br />
to date.<br />
Audi certainly appears to<br />
be more than satisfied with<br />
the quality of <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s products<br />
since the successor of the V8 intake<br />
manifold, the Audi-S intake manifold, is<br />
already being manufactured.<br />
23<br />
AT<strong>AG</strong> investment<br />
Basis for<br />
growth<br />
Neckarsulm. KS Aluminium-Technologie<br />
<strong>AG</strong> (AT<strong>AG</strong>) has taken another important<br />
step towards becoming one of<br />
the world’s most advanced aluminum<br />
foundries. The topping-out ceremony<br />
for the new foundry building was celebrated<br />
in one of the production halls<br />
on 22 November 1999. Persons attending<br />
this ceremony included Volker<br />
Blust, the mayor of Neckarsulm, Jochen<br />
Hahn and Dr. Peter Neu, both<br />
members of the executive board of KS<br />
Aluminium-Technologie <strong>AG</strong> and Georg<br />
Liebler, member of the executive board<br />
of <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> <strong>Pierburg</strong> <strong>AG</strong>.<br />
The company has spent approx. 100<br />
million German marks on this project,<br />
this being the biggest investment ever<br />
made by KS Aluminium-Technologie <strong>AG</strong>.<br />
The expansion of production capacities<br />
will create about 150 new jobs at AT<strong>AG</strong><br />
which currently has 610 employees.<br />
Planning activities for the new lowpressure<br />
foundry with adjacent processing<br />
building got under way in January<br />
1998. Expansion of the production<br />
area then commenced in December<br />
1998. Old buildings were torn<br />
down and replaced by new, light halls.<br />
Construction work should be completed<br />
by March 2000.<br />
A building area of some 9,000 square<br />
meters will be available for the new,<br />
advanced smelting plant as well as the<br />
low-pressure foundry with up to 18 casting<br />
cells. Engine blocks for BMW, VW<br />
and Porsche will largely be produced<br />
in the modern, two-storey halls.<br />
With its new low-pressure foundry, KS<br />
Aluminium-Technologie <strong>AG</strong> has once<br />
again set new standards for business in<br />
the region – a fact which was emphasized<br />
by the mayor of Neckarsulm, Volker<br />
Blust (front l) during the topping-out<br />
ceremony on 22 November 1999.
Newsline<br />
ETC-I series successfully launched in Berlin<br />
Flexibility is trumps<br />
with new generation<br />
Berlin. Successful launch of ETC-I series<br />
production: manufacture of the innovative<br />
electronic throttle control ETC<br />
(drive-by-wire) recently got under way<br />
at the Berlin plant of the <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> group. Production<br />
work is being carried out for three orders<br />
from internationally renowned<br />
carmakers and automotive suppliers.<br />
All in all, some 15 million German<br />
marks have so far been invested in the<br />
plant for this trend-setting project involving<br />
advanced production technologies.<br />
ETC-I systems which will be a<br />
significant source of turnover for <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s<br />
Berlin plant in the coming years<br />
are used in conjunction with air supply<br />
systems and help to reduce fuel consumption<br />
and pollutant emission values<br />
very substantially.<br />
The commencement of series production<br />
of the ETC-I drive-by-wire system incorporating<br />
electro-motive control over<br />
the entire adjustment range has been<br />
accompanied by the successful introduction<br />
of a new generation of motorized<br />
throttle bodies on the market.<br />
These systems will<br />
constitute essential<br />
elements of the<br />
business activities<br />
of the <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong><br />
group in this product<br />
segment in<br />
the years to come.<br />
Here are some<br />
details on the system<br />
technology:<br />
the throttle is no<br />
longer controlled<br />
by a (conventional)<br />
control cable<br />
but solely by electromotive<br />
power. The respective position<br />
of the throttle is regulated electronically<br />
via the motor control unit; a<br />
sensor at the accelerator picks up the<br />
selected power and transmits this to<br />
the control unit (so-called drive-by-wire).<br />
This then determines the optimum<br />
angle of the throttle over the entire adjustment<br />
range – from idle to full power.<br />
The innovative ETC-I system therefore<br />
combines all the possibilities of<br />
influencing air mass flow in one component,<br />
thereby assuring lower fuel<br />
consumption and pollutant emission<br />
levels. In addition, the ETC-I allows certain<br />
comfort (e.g. speed control) and<br />
safety functions (e.g. anti-slip control)<br />
when required.<br />
The launch of this new system is an<br />
important move into the future for <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s<br />
Berlin plant with 750 employees<br />
and an operational performance of<br />
about 156 million marks in 1998.<br />
Michael Klose – plant manager since<br />
November last year – rates this new<br />
product group as an important basis<br />
for business success in the future:<br />
“Quantities will rise distinctly above<br />
one million units already next year. As<br />
things stand, ETC-I systems will be the<br />
most important product group at the site<br />
in the next years.” An outlook with a<br />
sound background: besides the series<br />
orders already secured from General<br />
Motors, Delphi and Siemens which are<br />
now in production, further companies<br />
have already placed firm orders and/or<br />
shown a strong interest in the products.<br />
ETC-I project manager Dipl.-Ing. Reinhard Mende (l) and<br />
plant manager Michael Klose with the new electronic driveby-wire<br />
system recently launched at <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s Berlin plant.<br />
In line with the innovative character<br />
of the new product, production facilities<br />
and systems used to manufacture<br />
the new drive-by-wire system are likewise<br />
up to the very latest state-of-theart.<br />
So far, the company has invested<br />
approximately 15 million marks into<br />
this project which will naturally also<br />
help to secure the site in the long<br />
term. Klose points out that “amongst<br />
other things, a new production con-<br />
24<br />
Marko Bleinagel with the most recent<br />
series-product from <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s Berlin<br />
plant: the electronic drive-by-wire system.<br />
The 26 year-old who has a master’s<br />
diploma in electrical engineering<br />
and recently qualified as industrial<br />
management expert is responsible<br />
for the operation of the advanced ETC-I<br />
assembly line.<br />
cept has been developed, warranting<br />
maximum production flexibility in all<br />
areas from casting to mechanical production<br />
and ultimately through to final<br />
assembly.” This has led to a sharp reduction<br />
in buffer phases, extremely<br />
short routes and minimum flow times.<br />
ETC-I project manager Reinhard Mende,<br />
who already accompanied the successful<br />
launch of other ETC series variants<br />
as the responsible planning engineer<br />
in the last years, explains the<br />
details: “To give an example: we use a<br />
highly flexible modular production system<br />
consisting of six production cells<br />
and a central robotic transport system<br />
for mechanical processing. This Flexline<br />
system delivered by Chiron-Werke<br />
GmbH & Co. KG allows three housing<br />
variants to be processed simultaneously<br />
in a ‘chaotic’ sequence; the entire<br />
mechanical processing stage is carried<br />
out from five sides in one fixture.”<br />
The new assembly line for the ETC-I<br />
systems is equally flexible. In the words<br />
of Mende: “In the modular assembly line<br />
where eleven of the fourteen assembly<br />
stations operate automatically,<br />
three different ETC-I types can likewise<br />
be manufactured simultaneously in any<br />
chaotic sequence without requiring additional<br />
set-up times.” This system allows<br />
the plant to react very flexibly to the<br />
requirements of the customer. Another<br />
technical highlight in production is the<br />
assembly station where the tooth-segment<br />
is welded by laser technology.
Propulsion comes<br />
from Nitrochemie<br />
Wimmis. PMP (Pretoria Metal Pressings,<br />
a division of Denel Ltd.) in Pretoria,<br />
South Africa has chosen Nitrochemie<br />
Wimmis <strong>AG</strong> (Wimmis) as its<br />
development partner for the propulsion<br />
system in connection with the new<br />
armored personnel carrier 2000 to be<br />
procured by the Swiss Army. Besides<br />
other national and international suppliers,<br />
PMP has tendered a full-caliber<br />
target practice tracer for the new 30<br />
Newsline<br />
The new generation of mobile Satcom terminals<br />
Simply independent with NetLink<br />
Bremen. With its NetLink, STN Atlas<br />
Elektronik, Bremen, is presenting a<br />
new generation of Satcom terminals.<br />
Used in connection with the new Inmarsat<br />
service Global Area Network,<br />
NetLink offers an extremely mobile<br />
solution for fast and reliable satellite<br />
communication with all of the benefits<br />
of an ISDN connection.<br />
The compact Satcom terminal can<br />
be utilized under a whole range of<br />
different environmental and geographical<br />
conditions. The small and<br />
light-weight yet also very stable and<br />
robust NetLink with a detachable integrated<br />
antenna offers maximum<br />
mobility for unusual and extreme applications:<br />
for instance, the businessman<br />
traveling through South America<br />
is given direct access to data and<br />
information on the company’s network,<br />
the latest reports can be transmitted<br />
directly from a drilling rig in<br />
Kazakhstan to the headquarters in<br />
London or, via a video conference,<br />
contact can be established between<br />
someone working on a pipeline in<br />
the jungle and experts in New York –<br />
the possible uses of NetLink are<br />
practically unlimited. High-speed data<br />
exchange with 64 kbps as well as<br />
high-quality voice transmission in<br />
conjunction with absolute mobility<br />
and worldwide coverage. NetLink can<br />
be integrated in existing IT networks<br />
simply by means of a configurable<br />
standard ISDN interface.<br />
To give some pertinent examples:<br />
transmission of charts and drawings,<br />
videos and images, access to the In-<br />
ternet, electronic commerce, access to<br />
company networks (LAN link). NetLink<br />
will become even more efficient for the<br />
user when the packet-oriented Inmarsat<br />
Packet Data Service (IPDS) for data<br />
transmission is introduced in March<br />
2000. The advantage for the user will<br />
be that only the actual<br />
quantity of data<br />
transmitted will<br />
be invoiced and not<br />
the time of the<br />
connection.<br />
Weighing only<br />
about 5 kilograms,<br />
including the antenna,<br />
DC/DC power<br />
supply unit<br />
and battery, and<br />
having an extremely<br />
compact design,<br />
the unit fits into<br />
any normal briefca-<br />
se or pilot case.<br />
NetLink also offers<br />
a whole lot of other<br />
superior features:<br />
integrated battery<br />
packs allow for up to four hours of pure<br />
talking time and up to 70 hours of<br />
standby operation and the integrated<br />
DC/DC power supply unit (10 to 32 V<br />
DC) or the AC power supply unit (90<br />
to 265 V AC) included with the unit<br />
serve to ensure that the NetLink can<br />
be supplied from practically any power<br />
source.<br />
The sturdy and reliable design with<br />
a light-metal frame assures stability<br />
and protects the unit against external<br />
influences. The specially developed<br />
mm Bushmaster II weapon (high rate)<br />
to the Swiss Gruppe Rüstung that is<br />
responsible for the placement of defense<br />
orders. Fundamental trials are<br />
under way in South Africa. Other<br />
countries apart from Switzerland have<br />
likewise shown an interest in such a<br />
practice tracer.<br />
PMP opted for Nitrochemie as its<br />
partner on grounds of the stringent requirements<br />
imposed and the company’s<br />
proven experience with this<br />
caliber. The development contract<br />
was signed by both parties with an<br />
option for the series. The develop-<br />
25<br />
antenna sliding mechanism is without<br />
conventional hinges and guarantees<br />
quick operability and a long-life.<br />
Particular importance has been<br />
attached to the simple operability of<br />
the NetLink. For instance, antenna<br />
alignment with the satellite is simple<br />
The new portable ISDN satellite terminal NetLink of STN<br />
Atlas Elektronik supports a wide range of applications like<br />
internet access, interconnection of Local Area Networks,<br />
Video Conferencing and file transfer.<br />
with the aid of acoustic and optical<br />
signals. The Windows-based graphical<br />
user interface (GUI) allows easy<br />
and exact adaptation of the unit to<br />
specific requirements. The large, integrated<br />
backlit graphic LC display gives<br />
uncomplicated access to all important<br />
functions and information –<br />
even under adverse environmental<br />
conditions. Standard cipher equipment<br />
(STU IIB/STU III) can be connected<br />
for applications subject to security<br />
considerations.<br />
ment order is worth approx. 200,000<br />
euros.<br />
The qualification will be completed<br />
with series-production maturity at<br />
the end of 2000. Given that the fullcaliber<br />
variant is procured, series deliveries<br />
will start in 2001/2002. Due<br />
to the use of a temperature-independent<br />
propellant, dual use in the Mauser<br />
F and the American Bushmaster II<br />
weapon will be possible. The projectile<br />
reaches a muzzle velocity of between<br />
1080 and 1120 m/s (depending<br />
on the type of weapon) at a weight of<br />
363 grams.
Newsline<br />
Successful qualification of pilot lot – international interest<br />
Series launch for SMArt ammunition<br />
Unterlüß. Following the recent, highly<br />
successful qualification of the pilot<br />
lot at the firing range of the German Army’s<br />
technical center in Meppen, the<br />
new sensor-fuzed ammunition for 155<br />
mm artillery – generally known as<br />
SMArt 155 – will now enter into seriesproduction.<br />
The first units of this<br />
smart, highly effective projectile are<br />
due to be delivered to the German Army<br />
in the near future. The project<br />
which is being carried out by Rheinmetall<br />
DeTec (Ratingen/Unterlüß)<br />
and<br />
Diehl (Nuremberg)<br />
through their joint<br />
company Gesellschaft<br />
für intelligenteWirksysteme<br />
(GIWS) has also<br />
attracted considerable<br />
interest internationally.<br />
Commenting on Helmut Ortmann<br />
the very successful outcome of the<br />
presentation at the WTD range, Helmut<br />
Ortmann, one of the managers of<br />
Rheinmetall W&M GmbH, pointed out<br />
that “the successful qualification of<br />
the pilot lot in Meppen which was accompanied<br />
by an equally successful<br />
presentation to international defence<br />
experts has delivered the proof for series-qualification.<br />
We have presented<br />
Our sketch illustrates the mode of operation of the submunition<br />
of the SMArt 155 after ejection from the projectile.<br />
an excellent result and have secured a<br />
good position on the market. We will<br />
therefore make the very best of the<br />
technical and time advantage which<br />
SMArt has over competing products.”<br />
This strategic policy is also reflected<br />
by the recent placement of the first series<br />
order currently being executed by<br />
the two partners Rheinmetall and<br />
Diehl. The first series lot consisting of<br />
250 systems will soon be delivered to<br />
the German Army.<br />
Ortmann rates the chances of SMArt<br />
on the international market as good:<br />
“Experts who have closely followed<br />
the qualification of the pilot lot – including<br />
defence specialists from Finland,<br />
the Netherlands, the USA, Bahrein<br />
and the United Arab Emirates – were<br />
all very impressed by the high standards<br />
of the project and the product.”<br />
Representatives of the Swiss Army<br />
who had been given the opportunity to<br />
witness a demonstration of the new<br />
sensor-fuzed ammunition at Meppen<br />
in July this year reacted similarly. In the<br />
words of Ortmann: “Our guests were<br />
impressed. The decision on the use of<br />
SMArt is expected shortly since Switzerland<br />
intends to define the manufacturer<br />
and the related type of ammunition<br />
this year.”<br />
The SMArt 155 is a joint project of the<br />
companies Diehl (Nuremberg) and<br />
Rheinmetall DeTec<br />
<strong>AG</strong>, being performed<br />
in equal shares<br />
through the<br />
joint venture GIWS<br />
(Nuremberg). The<br />
SMArt projectile as<br />
such is a highly effective<br />
artillery<br />
projectile capable<br />
of effectively engaging<br />
hard and semi-hard<br />
targets<br />
with extreme precision.<br />
It consists<br />
of a thin-walled<br />
projectile body<br />
with an ejection<br />
device that is triggered<br />
by an electronic<br />
time-fuze<br />
and two nearly<br />
identical submunitions.<br />
These, in<br />
turn, consist of the<br />
26<br />
With SMArt, the German Army will have<br />
an intelligent type of ammunition.<br />
orientation and stabilization unit, the<br />
sensor fuze and the warhead with the<br />
main explosive charge including the<br />
safe and arming unit.<br />
A word on the function of the submunition:<br />
after ejection from the projectile<br />
and transition into the stable descent<br />
phase, each submunition spirally<br />
searches the terrain below for targets<br />
with its multi-mode sensors. Subsequent<br />
to successful target identification<br />
by the electronic signal processing<br />
system of the sensor fuze, the<br />
warhead with the actual explosive<br />
charge is detonated. The projectile forged<br />
by the explosion is capable of penetrating<br />
all modern vehicle armouring<br />
including reactive armour systems<br />
(e.g. additional armouring) and<br />
of neutralizing the detected target. If<br />
no target is found in the search area,<br />
self-destruction of the submunition is<br />
triggered at a certain altitude.
Newsline<br />
1999 investments of approx. 30 million marks in <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s Hartha plant<br />
Operational performance upgraded<br />
Hartha. Anyone driving along route<br />
No. 175 – from Döbeln to Rochlitz – to<br />
Hartha in Saxony in the late hours of the<br />
evening will see immediately that three<br />
of the four floors of <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s plant about<br />
a kilometer and a half away from<br />
the road are still fully illuminated. At<br />
first sight, this light has a simple explanation<br />
and pleasing commercial background:<br />
owing to an excellent order situation,<br />
production is being carried out<br />
in three shifts and partly even six days a<br />
week (e.g. intake manifold, shaft manufacture,<br />
electrical motors for the secondary<br />
air pumps) to cope with all the<br />
work required in connection with the<br />
automatic assembly of electrical water<br />
circulation pumps, intake manifold assembly,<br />
shaft production, rotor manufacture<br />
for the electrical fuel pumps and<br />
electrical valve control systems and the<br />
manufacture of electrical motors for the<br />
secondary air pumps – making up for<br />
eighty percent of the production.<br />
Yet the bright lights also symbolize<br />
something else: in the opinion of<br />
district administrator Dr. Manfred<br />
Graetz, this plant belonging to the <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong><br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> group is one of<br />
the few major plants in the district to<br />
have successfully managed its commercial<br />
re-orientation after the German<br />
reunification. Very modern production<br />
lines for a number of different<br />
products (which have to be produced<br />
in large quantities to meet market demands)<br />
have been implemented since<br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> took over in spring 1992 with<br />
investments of some 47 million marks<br />
and the creation of (currently) about<br />
210 new jobs.<br />
Hartha’s plant manager Dr.-Ing. Thomas<br />
Mielke with the most recent<br />
series-produced product from the site:<br />
the value-optimized secondary air<br />
pump. The screen shows resource<br />
management for pump assembly.<br />
In the words of Graetz: “From the<br />
outset, <strong>Pierburg</strong> GmbH has been a<br />
source of hope for economic reconstruction<br />
in the town of Hartha and the<br />
neighboring region. The plant now has<br />
more than 200 employees and many<br />
millions of marks have been spent on<br />
modern machines and systems.” According<br />
to the 52 year-old administrator,<br />
the <strong>Kolbenschmidt</strong> <strong>Pierburg</strong> group<br />
is the largest single employer in Hartha;<br />
furthermore, it is one of the five<br />
most important plants in the district.<br />
Production of the water circulation pump: electromechanic<br />
Veronika Hedrich assembling a pump housing including the<br />
stator package with the related printed circuit board and simultaneously<br />
checking (on the monitor) the soldering robot<br />
which is also part of the production line.<br />
Thanks to its growing reputation in<br />
the automotive industry and thus also<br />
the greater demand on the market,<br />
operational performance at this plant in<br />
Hartha has naturally also improved: after<br />
approx. 66 million marks in 1997,<br />
the operational performance rose to<br />
143 million marks in 1998, while profit<br />
is also satisfactory. And this improved<br />
even further in 1999. Dr.-Ing. Michael<br />
Mielke, manager of the <strong>Pierburg</strong> plant<br />
in Saxony since November 1998 remarks<br />
that “operational performance<br />
will be increased to approximately 190<br />
million marks – with a good contribution<br />
margin – which bears comparison<br />
with the three other <strong>Pierburg</strong> sites in<br />
Germany.”<br />
In view of this pleasing situation, further<br />
investments were launched in<br />
1999 to secure the medium to long<br />
term position of this <strong>Pierburg</strong> plant situated<br />
in the hilly countryside of central<br />
Saxony. To quote plant manager<br />
Mielke: “As to the development of this<br />
plant since the Neuss-based automotive<br />
supplier joined us in the spring of<br />
27<br />
1992, the main accents have naturally<br />
shifted slightly. Whereas the initial<br />
aim was primarily to establish and<br />
consolidate the site we are now focussing<br />
on the further development of the<br />
plant from a pure motor production<br />
site (mono-structure) to a supplier<br />
with a broad range of products.”<br />
This goal is in the process of being<br />
reached: today, Hartha already manufactures<br />
large quantities of plastic intake<br />
manifolds, vacuum and water circulation<br />
pumps as well as electrical motors<br />
for various applications.<br />
The most recent<br />
series-product<br />
is the value-optimized<br />
secondary air<br />
pump that is to<br />
be manufactured<br />
completely in Hartha<br />
in future; in the<br />
past, only the related<br />
electrical motors<br />
were produced<br />
for the predecessor<br />
system. Customers<br />
include renowned<br />
companies like<br />
VW/Audi, Webasto,<br />
Eberspächer,<br />
Peugeot, Saab,<br />
Nedcar/Volvo and General Motors.<br />
The mentioned expansion of its range<br />
of products which can benefit from the<br />
know-how and enthusiasm of a highly<br />
qualified and motivated workforce<br />
forms the strategic background for a<br />
number of investments, with 30 million<br />
German marks spent in 1999 alone. In<br />
the words of Mielke: “Our main focus in<br />
the coming years will be the utilization<br />
of the new assembly lines, including<br />
the advanced facilities for the production<br />
of water circulation pumps and the<br />
value-optimized secondary air pumps,<br />
as well as the expansion of our position<br />
as a supplier on the market. We naturally<br />
attach importance to a well-balanced<br />
mixture in regard to our product spectrum<br />
and customer structure in order to<br />
be able to react sufficiently flexibly on<br />
the market.” Related measures include<br />
the cost improvement program launched<br />
at Hartha in 1999, widespread use<br />
of flexible production facilities with<br />
shorter set-up times and selective process<br />
optimization in the fields of technology<br />
and information.
Newsline<br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong> develops AMA 4000 – BMW orders new system generation<br />
Central intelligence, modular design<br />
Neuss/Munich. <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s measurement<br />
technology product group has<br />
ranked among the leading international<br />
suppliers of modern measurement<br />
systems and equipment for many<br />
years. Increasingly stringent requirements<br />
for emission standards in Europe<br />
and the USA have led to a drastic<br />
reduction of pollutant concentrations<br />
in exhaust gas. Measurement experts<br />
at the Neuss-based company have accepted<br />
the challenge and have managed<br />
to secure their hold on the market<br />
for measurement systems. The team<br />
headed by the product group’s manager<br />
Georg Maul has developed a new<br />
generation of exhaust gas measurement<br />
systems (AMA in short) to be<br />
launched under the name of AMA<br />
4000 in March this year. The first order<br />
for the new exhaust gas measurement<br />
system has already been booked from<br />
BMW (Bayerische Motorenwerke <strong>AG</strong>).<br />
In line with legislation in different<br />
countries, the AMA systems can be<br />
used to perform exhaust<br />
gas emission<br />
tests for certificati-<br />
on and to monitor<br />
series production<br />
of vehicles on engine<br />
and chassis dynamometers.<br />
Apart<br />
from systems delivered<br />
to the automobile<br />
industry,<br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong>’s measurement<br />
technology<br />
product group also<br />
supplies custommade<br />
systems to<br />
automotive suppliers,<br />
advanced<br />
technical colleges<br />
and institutes concerned<br />
with measurement<br />
technology.<br />
Dilution unit with<br />
multiple venturi jets<br />
The advanced,<br />
trend-setting technology<br />
used in the<br />
AMA 2000 analysis unit will also be employed<br />
for the latest generation of exhaust<br />
gas measurement systems. However,<br />
one essential difference is that the<br />
AMA 4000 has a central intelligence<br />
which controls the components via a<br />
bus system. The decentralized structure<br />
(where the individual elements all<br />
Air<br />
blower<br />
intergral modal<br />
Heated Elements<br />
approx. 40°C<br />
Lines 40°C<br />
had their own computer systems) has<br />
been abandoned in favor of the consistent<br />
use of modular constructions. Jochen<br />
Böning from the sales department<br />
points out that “these modifications<br />
have produced a compact, cost-effective<br />
design. Systems which had to be<br />
accommodated in two AMA cabinets in<br />
the past can now easily be housed in<br />
one”. Sales manager Günter Maassen<br />
adds that “internal communication and<br />
also control of the AMA have changed<br />
decisively as a result of the innovations.”<br />
To achieve a user-friendly and<br />
aesthetic design, the product group<br />
commissioned the Design and Ergonomics<br />
faculty of the University of Essen<br />
to design the cabinet and central control<br />
panel. In the words of Rainer Ballik,<br />
manager of preliminary development<br />
activities: “In designing the AMA<br />
4000, particular consideration was given<br />
to the specific wishes of the customers.<br />
About two years ago, we started<br />
Air Heater<br />
Filter<br />
Mixer<br />
PIERBURG PIERBURG PIERBURG PIERBURG<br />
CVS control<br />
unit<br />
bags<br />
air exhaust<br />
diluted<br />
AMA<br />
diluted<br />
AMA<br />
undiluted<br />
The exhaust gas values of vehicles are tested on a chassis dynamometer. Our<br />
diagram shows the system structure: the vehicle under test is positioned on the<br />
dynamometer. A test driver drives the specified curve, with the system simulating<br />
the resistance exerted on the vehicle when driving along a road. A certain quantity<br />
of exhaust gas is filled into bags during the test and is then analyzed by the AMA.<br />
asking customers what they wanted.<br />
The results of this campaign were then<br />
used to specify the requirements for<br />
the hardware and software of our latest<br />
generation of exhaust gas measurement<br />
systems.”<br />
The achievements of the highly motivated<br />
development team are worth<br />
28<br />
Ambient Air<br />
Air dryer<br />
after<br />
cat<br />
pre<br />
cat<br />
Optional<br />
Driver’s Aid<br />
seeing. The order placed by BMW even<br />
before the AMA 4000 is actually launched<br />
on the market is clear proof of<br />
the quality of the work carried out by<br />
<strong>Pierburg</strong>’s measurement experts. Although<br />
the system will not be available<br />
on the market before March 2000,<br />
BMW has already ordered the AMA<br />
4000 to modernize its exhaust gas<br />
testing centers. <strong>Pierburg</strong> is to install<br />
twelve test facilities in Germany, Austria<br />
and the USA. This is the biggest<br />
single order ever booked by the product<br />
group. And the prospects for the<br />
successful team are good – as an official<br />
World-Wide Selected Supplier of<br />
BMW, the measurement experts will<br />
continue to work as a reliable partner<br />
for the Munich-based car maker in<br />
future, too.<br />
Yet the excellent kick-off for the AMA<br />
4000 with the order from BMW is by no<br />
means the only success story for <strong>Pierburg</strong>’s<br />
measurement technology team.<br />
Other measurement systems have e.g.<br />
been sold to BMW,<br />
Audi, Degussa, Siemens<br />
and Aral.<br />
Measurement facilities<br />
are also being<br />
delivered to Ellring<br />
Klinger, a manufacturer<br />
of engine seals<br />
and sealing systems<br />
in Idstein/<br />
Taunus, to the engine<br />
manufacturer<br />
MAN and to Hatz, a<br />
fan diesel engine developer<br />
in Rurstorf a.<br />
d. Rott near Passau.<br />
Interesting projects<br />
have likewise<br />
been secured<br />
on the international<br />
market:<br />
contracts have, for<br />
instance, been<br />
concluded with<br />
the car maker KIA and the Katech Institute<br />
(Korean Automotive Technology<br />
Institute) in Korea. In addition,<br />
complete measurement systems have<br />
been ordered by India – where a<br />
major order was placed by the company<br />
Mico – and China despite harsh<br />
competition there.