PDF [2.4 MB] - Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG

Orders up by 

around 60 percent 

Wiesbaden. A leading supplier of 

X-ray scanners, the Wiesbaden-based 

Heimann Systems group has once 

again shown a sharp surge in orders 

received. Following the 50-percent 

gain in 1999, orders booked in 2000 

will rise by around 60 percent to just 

under € 156 million (up from € 98 

million), order backlog advancing 

commensurately by a predicted just 

under 89 percent to over € 98 million 

(up from € 52 million in 1999). Due to 

invoice timing technicalities, sales at 

The latest news from the Rheinmetall group 5/2000 

Newsline 

Das Profil 

Newsline 

Shareholders’ letter of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG – orders buoyant 

Automotive’s profitability healthy 

Düsseldorf. As reported in the most 

recent newsletter from the management 

holding Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG, the 

Kolbenschmidt Pierburg group continued 

its successful performance in the 

third quarter of 2000, with sales up by 

approximately 19 percent to €1.315 billion 

(period between January and September 

2000). EBDIT in the first nine 

months of 2000 totaled €141.6 million, 

at €18.7 million this being clearly higher 

than last year (plus 15.2 %). EBT totaled 

€31.1 million compared to €32.4 million 

in the related period last year. The 

group which had a workforce of 12,315 

persons worldwide at the end of September, 

has full order books and anticipates 

sales distinctly above €1.7 billion 

for the entire fiscal 2000. 

Developments in detail: The third 

quarter of 2000 saw an impressive 

continuation of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg’s 

successful first six months’ performance, 

with year-earlier sales in the 

third quarter beaten by almost 14 percent 

in the period July through September 

2000. The major ingredients of this 

sales boost were the acquisition of Magneti 

Marelli’s pump business at the 

start of 2000, a high-riding US dollar, 

and organic growth. As a consequence, 

Kolbenschmidt Pierburg was able 

to capitalize on the ongoing upswing in 

a number of important markets to 

achieve for itself even greater gains. 

The group was unaffected by faltering 

demand for new cars, especially in Germany, 

this sluggish situation continuing 

into the 3rd quarter of 2000. German 

carmakers were able to outweigh 

slumping domestic demand with further 

export advances and Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg penetrated deeper 

into attractive foreign markets. 

In a period invariably weak on account 

of annual vacation shutdowns, 

the group nonetheless generated a 

pretax profit. At a total € 31.1 million for 

the nine months ended 30 September 

2000, this is almost a repeat of the 

successful € 32.4 million for the 1999 

nine-month period. At € 38.8 million, 

EBIT reached the good 9-month figure 

for 1999 (€ 39.2 million) while the EBIT 

margin for the first nine months of this 

year amounted to 3.0 percent. Sales 

are expected to continue positively in 

the fourth quarter of 2000. 

€ 110 million will be slightly below 

the € 117 million for 1999. 

The jump in orders during 2000 is 

mainly due to healthy business in 

freight scanners and success in the 

keenly contested U.S. market for baggage 

scanning systems, product inspection 

units (especially in the food 

industry) and in the biometric sector. 

Meriting special mention is the breakthrough 

in the U.S. market where for 

the first time the Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) awarded Heimann 

Systems a megaorder for hand 

baggage scanning systems. 

Added momentum was generated 

Automotive inside: Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg delivers the complete aluminum 

engine block, pistons, plain bearings 

as well as oil and water pumps 

for Porsche’s 6-cylinder Boxter engine. 

With sales of € 1.315 billion between 

January and September 2000, Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg generated 18.6 per- 

(Continued on page 2) 

by new international security requirements 

effective from 2003 for 100percent 

control of check-in luggage at 

airports. A case in point: Heimann Systems 

won a massive order for fitting 

out Düsseldorf airport with an X-ray 

system for fully automatic explosives 

detection. 

Heimann Systems is a subsidiary of 

Aditron AG, which comprises the Electronics 

sector within the Rheinmetall 

group. With more than 16,000 units 

and systems installed in 150 countries, 

the Heimann Systems group has 

established itself as a world leader in 

the market for scanners used in X-raying 

mail, luggage, and cargo.

Newsline 

Shareholders’ letter of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG – orders buoyant 

Automotive’s profitability healthy 

(Continued from page 1) 

cent or € 206 million more sales than 

in the same year-earlier period. Non- 

German sales, especially high in the 

first six months, remained steady at 66 

percent for the first three quarters. 

Newcomers Zollner Pistons and Magneti 

Marelli pumps together contributed 

€ 96 million to sales while the euro’s 

frailty added another €33 million, 

compared with 1999. Hence, the remaining 

€ 77 million (up 7 percent) attributable 

to organic growth clearly outpaced 

worldwide automobile output of 5.5 

percent. All the divisions played their 

part in this vigorous internal growth. 

Discounting the acquisitions, parity 

changes and division reshuffles, air 

supply/ pumps added €14 million, pistons 

€26 million, plain bearings €14 

million, aluminum technology €14 million, 

and motor service € 8 million to 

the group’s growth. 

The rapid like-for-like expansion of sales 

in the first nine months of 2000 was 

engendered both by successful product 

start-ups and substantial increases in 

shipments of existing products. Moreover, 

customers continued to call off in 

large quantities products which, in fact, 

had been earmarked for phase-out. 

From January to September 2000, the 

Automotive group spent € 121 million 

on additions to tangible assets (including 

leased assets), thus exceeding by 

around 6 percent the level of depreciation 

(including rental expenses). The capital 

expenditure (including leases) of 

€45 million in the third quarter of 2000 

was again mainly related to new OEM 

projects which over the years ahead will 

sow the seeds for further lucrative growth. 

These include fresh orders for magnesium 

intake manifolds, electropneumatic 

valves, electronic EGR systems, 

and new types of pistons for direct-injection 

diesel engines. Another 

focus of expenditure was the continuation 

of low-pressure casting projects for 

engine blocks, whose series production 

is due to be launched in 2001. The 

rationalization and improvement of manufacturing 

processes were further focal 

expenditures. 

With spending heavy in the final quarter 

of 2000, 12-month capital expenditure 

by Kolbenschmidt Pierburg will, in 

absolute terms, once again match the 

year-earlier level, although measured 

against the sharp gain in sales, relative 

expenditure in 2000 will be underproportionate. 

The appreciable rise in depreciation 

is attributable to the salesrelated 

heavy spending in 1999 and 

2000. As a proportion of sales, however, 

depreciation was up only slightly. 

As of 30 September 2000, the Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg group had a workforce 

of 12,315. Because of successful 

rationalization efforts and despite higher 

sales, the total headcount was around 

100 below that at the close of the 

first two quarters in 2000. Compared 

with 30 September 1999, the group employed 

only an additional 527 persons, 

457 of which at Livorno, Italy. Hence, 

the gain is almost exclusively due to the 

acquisition of Magneti Marelli’s pump 

operations, and so the organic growth 

of around 7 percent has been engendered 

with no significant workforce expansion. 

This trend is the outcome of 

both successful shakeup projects (including 

at the Zollner location of Fort 

Wayne, USA) and a reshuffled product 

mix containing a higher proportion of 

outsourced items. The sole reasons for 

the pronounced increase in personnel 

expenses are the addition of the Zollner 

and Magneti Marelli pump operations 

and the weaker euro versus the U.S. 

dollar. As a percentage of sales, these 

expenses declined. 

As to earnings: At €38.8 million, EBIT 

by Kolbenschmidt Pierburg for the first 

nine months of 2000 was virtually the 

same as for the first three quarters of 

1999 (€39.2 million). EBT for the period 

reached € 31.1 million (down from 

€32.4 million). At €141.6 million, EBDIT 

hiked up 15.2 percent or €18.7 million. 

Four of the six divisions achieved appreciably 

improved results compared 

with 1999, thus maintaining the 

group’s earnings level. 

Despite having to pay for the restructuring 

at Zollner, the pistons division 

managed to extend its earnings, thanks 

mainly to the German and Brazilian 

operations. Buoyant business in the 

European market meant that earnings 

by the plain bearings division topped 

the already high year-earlier level. 

Aluminum technology as the engine 

block division managed to pare quite 

appreciably its year-earlier losses 

through substantial increases in series- 

2 

production sales in the course of this 

year and is budgeted to break even by 

2001. Motor service, the aftermarket division, 

more than doubled earnings 

over the first three quarters of 1999. 

With earnings down to €5.1 million, the 

air supply & pumps division failed to 

come up to expectations, due to the release 

of an accrual providing for € 4.2 

million in 1999 and now redundant 

and, especially, the phase-out of profitable 

products while low-profit products 

were ordered in large numbers. Invoice 

timing technicalities meant that MotorEngineering 

earnings were down. 

The soft Euroland currency eroded the 

overall earnings when the negative 

dollar earnings of the US companies 

were translated into euros in Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg accounts. The group 

has made the most of its substantial organic 

growth in order to fully offset such 

profit shrinking factors as cost inflation 

and price squeeze. For the first three 

quarters of 2000, the return on equity 

(ROE) reached 17.3 percent while the return 

on total capital employed (ROCE) 

amounted to 11.3 percent. 

The prospects: The group is confident 

as to the rest of the year that, just as the 

preceding three quarters, the fourth will 

again show a significant improvement 

over 1999. As a consequence, 12month 

sales by the Kolbenschmidt Pierburg 

Group are likely to comfortably exceed 

€ 1.7 billion. Earnings in the 

fourth quarter are not expected to quite 

match the exceptionally high level of 

a year ago. Present order schedules 

from the OEMs will allow the group to 

launch into 2001 with sales again up. 

Newsline 

Newsline is a summary of the most 

important news articles published 

in “Das Profil”, the company newspaper 

of the Rheinmetall group 

Publisher: Rheinmetall AG 

P.O. Box 104261, D-40033 Düsseldorf 

Responsible: Dr. Klaus Germann 

Editor-in-chief: Rolf D.Schneider 

Issue: December 2000/January 2001

Newsline 

European Works Council operational 

Düsseldorf. Established: the new 

European Works Council (EWC) for 

Rheinmetall’s companies in EU member 

states and Switzerland officially 

started work a few weeks ago. The 

EWC established during the constituent 

meeting held on 15 November 

2000 in the Relaxa Hotel at Ratingen 

has 13 members from seven countries: 

Erik Merks (6th r/chairman of 

the EWC – STN Atlas Marine Electronics/Hamburg), 

Manfred Solmersitz 

(r – STN Atlas Elektronik/Bremen), 

Leopold Degyse (2nd r – 

SAIT/Zeebrugge), Gerhard Wille (3rd r 

– Richard Hirschmann Austria/Rankweil), 

Gerhard Grasmeier (4th r – KS 

Gleitlager/St. Leon-Roth), Dietrich 

Moh (5th r – Pierburg/Neuss), Peter 

Winter (2nd l – STN Atlas Elektronik/Bremen), 

Friedhelm Henzel (4th l 

– Heimann Systems/Wiesbaden), 

Antonio Reis Vilaca (5th l – Electromecânica 

Portogesa/Trofa), Fabrice 

Rossi (7th l – Société Mosellane de 

Pistons/Thionville), Cor von der Ploeg 

(8th l – RadioHolland Marine/ Rotter- 

Good marks for 

Automotive 

Düsseldorf. For the first time, the international 

rating agencies Moody’s 

and Standard & Poor’s analyzed Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg AG, Düsseldorf. 

Standard & Poor’s rated Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg with “BBB” for longterm 

and “A-2” for short-term liabilities. 

Moody’s assessed the company 

with “Baa2” for the long-term issuerrating. 

These indications are positive 

dam) and Michael Ahlmann (3rd l – 

STN Atlas Elektronik/Bremen). Ahlmann 

stood in for Karl Fuchs (Jagenberg 

Maschinenbau/ Neuss) who, 

like his Spanish colleague on the 

EWC Jose Luis Navarro (Carbureibar/Abadiano) 

was unable to 

attend owing to other commitments. 

Also present at this official photo session 

in front of the conference hotel 

were Heike Wiemer (7th r – secretariat 

of EWC/group works council of 

Rheinmetall AG/Neuss), Joachim Stöber 

(6th l – management IGM metal 

workers’ union and responsible 

secretary of the European metal workers’ 

association) and Dieter Niederste-Werbeck 

(l), executive board 

member and labor relations director 

of Rheinmetall AG. Niederste-Werbeck 

represented the employer during 

negotiations concerning the related 

group works agreement for the 

EWC prior to its establishment. Incidentally, 

Merks, Rossi, Vilaca and von 

der Ploeg are the members of the 

managing committee of the EWC. 

and equal to those of the parent company 

Rheinmetall AG. 

As the agencies emphasize, Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg’s credit worthiness 

is based on its sound positions in the 

global car component industry, its international 

clientele and its independence 

from single car manufacturers. 

The experts describe the know-how in 

fabrication as excellent and the range 

of products as of superior quality. The 

low debt ratio and the high cash-flow 

leave sufficient scope for further acquisitions. 

The Kolbenschmidt Pier- 

3 

Alliance with 

Atlantis Systems 

Bremen/Brampton. Rheinmetall 

subsidiary STN Atlas Elektronik 

GmbH of Bremen, Germany and Atlantis 

Systems International Inc. of 

Brampton, Canada have formed a 

strategic alliance to develop and 

distribute Atlantis’ family of tactical 

naval training systems. The Bremen-based 

company will have sales 

and marketing responsibility for the 

complete Maritime Tactical Training 

product line of Atlantis Systems. 

This new transatlantic pact underscores 

Rheinmetall DeTec AG’s desire 

to expand and intensify its successful 

role in the North American 

market, where the company is eager 

to expand its market share. 

As Ulrich Grillo, chairman of the 

board of management of STN Atlas 

Elektronik GmbH, points out: “The 

combination is ideal: Atlantis offers 

excellent technology that’s been 

tried and tested by navies worldwide, 

while STN Atlas Elektronik has 

decades of experience in developing 

highly advanced sensors, systems 

and simulators for naval applications. 

This alliance definitely 

puts us in a position to play a decisive 

future role in the growing market 

for naval training and instruction systems.” 

Under the terms of the alliance, 

STN Atlas Elektronik has sole responsibility 

for the sale and marketing 

of new systems, while the tasks 

of R&D and services will be divided 

between the companies. From the 

standpoint of existing customers, 

the alliance will have no bearing on 

contractually agreed service and 

warranty agreements. 

burg group is well prepared for risks 

resulting from possible cyclical fluctuations 

in car production and from 

increasing competition by high innovation 

capacity and its prudent financial 

management. 

According to Standard & Poor’s the 

net income should go up on medium 

term, as the profitability of a pump 

production plant acquired from Magneti 

Marelli earlier this year in Italy 

will improve and as the development 

in the aluminum technology division 

turns out to be satisfying.

EXCHANGING INFORMATION: Michael Deaver (l), 

deputy chief-of-staff in the White House under President Ronald 

Reagan (1981–1989) and now vice chairman of Edelmann 

Public Relations Worldwide, talking to Dipl.-Math. 

Klaus Eberhardt, chairman of the executive board of Rheinmetall 

AG. Besides talking about the presidential elections in 

the USA (the outcome of which was still not known at the time 

of Deaver’s visit), the two used the opportunity to discuss the 

possible impact of the election on politics and the economy 

in the United States of America and the transatlantic relationship. 

Eberhardt once again emphasized that the American 

market is a key market for products and systems of the 

Rheinmetall group and that even higher investments are 

planned for this region in future. Incidentally: Deaver already 

visited Rheinmetall as a guest speaker on the occasion of the 

Rheinmetall management conference in January. 

Changes to the 

management 

Walter R. Kaiser (54), until now management 

board chairman of Hirschmann 

Electronics GmbH & Co. KG, Neckartenzlingen, 

has resigned from the company 

as of November 30, 2000. 

Appointed to succeed him is Reinhard 

Sitzmann (52), who took on the 

position as of December 1, 2000. At the 

same time, Sitzmann has been appointed 

senior executive officer of 

Aditron AG, Düsseldorf, the parent 

company of Rheinmetall’s Electronics 

sector of which Hirschmann Electronics 

is a member. Sitzmann has been 

management board chairman of PAT 

GmbH, Ettlingen, a world leader in construction 

machinery electronics since 

1998. 

As successor to Sitzmann at PAT, 

Laurence Burns (49) has been appointed 

management board chairman. 

Burns has been with the company since 

the start of 1999. 

Newsline 

Ernst Odermatt, 52, has been appointed 

by the supervisory board of 

Rheinmetall DeTec AG to the post of 

deputy member of the corporation’s 

board of management, effective 1 January 

2001. Odermatt, who joined 

the Oerlikon Bührle group in 1978, 

has, as head of the Oerlikon group, 

been a member of Rheinmetall De- 

Tec AG senior management ever since 

the takeover of Oerlikon Contraves 

by Rheinmetall on 21 December 

1999. On the Rheinmetall DeTec AG 

board, Odermatt will have operational 

responsibility for Oerlikon Contraves, 

the world’s leading supplier of 

air defence systems. 

As of 1 January 2001, the board of 

management of Rheinmetall DeTec 

AG will consist of Ernst-Otto Krämer 

as chairman; Ulrich Grillo, deputy 

chairman with responsibility for financial 

operations and controlling 

as well as chairman of the board of 

management of STN Atlas Elektronik 

GmbH; Mario Gabrielli, director of 

human resources and operations; 

4 

LARGE ORDER: Heimann Systems GmbH will equip 

Düsseldorf airport with fully automatic baggage inspection 

systems for 100% inspection of checked-in baggage by mid 

2001. Düsseldorf is the first airport worldwide to use a complete 

multilevel system from the product range of Heimann 

Systems and to comply with the safety requirements of the 

international aviation authorities: Starting 2003 all checked 

in baggage has to be subjected to a hundred percent 

inspection. For a total of € 7.2 million five systems of the first 

inspection level and four systems of the second level are 

smoothly being integrated into the existing baggage conveying 

system. “The new requirements of the international aviation 

authorities provide an important contribution to increase 

flight safety. Already today we provide the technology necessary 

for realization”, says Hans A. Linkenbach, president 

of Heimann Systems. Photo: Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH 

Ernst Odermatt of Oerlikon Contraves 

AG; Detlef Moog of Rheinmetall Waffe 

und Munition GmbH; and Gert Winkler 

of Rheinmetall Landsysteme 

GmbH. 

Michael Heinzemann has been appointed 

deputy member of the management 

board of STN Atlas Elektronik 

GmbH (Bremen) with effect from 20 

September 2000. The 44 year-old industrial 

engineer has taken over from 

Gert Winkler who had joined the management 

board of the company in 

Bremen on an interim basis. Winkler 

has taken over as chairman of the management 

board of Rheinmetall Landsysteme 

GmbH, Kiel, a company which 

was founded recently. Winkler is also a 

member of the executive board of 

Rheinmetall DeTec AG. 

Heinzemann who was a member of 

the management board of Henschel 

Wehrtechnik GmbH (Kassel) will be 

responsible for the land and airborne 

systems and the simulation systems 

divisions at STN Atlas Elektronik 

GmbH.

Newsline 

From 2001 onwards: International Accounting Standards at Rheinmetall 

Group accounts according to IAS 

Düsseldorf. In October 2000, the executive 

board of Rheinmetall AG decided 

that International Accounting Standards 

(IAS) should be introduced for the financial 

statements of 

Rheinmetall AG 

and its companies 

from the year 

2001 onwards. So 

far, the group’s 

accounts have been 

prepared in 

compliance with 

the German com- 

mercial code 

(HGB). The IAS are 

internationally accepted accounting 

procedures already used by many DAXlisted 

companies (for instance Bayer, 

Henkel, Lufthansa and RWE); numerous 

other corporations like Volkswagen AG 

are in the process of converting to IAS. 

The International Accounting Stan- 

dards warrant transparent 

accounts that 

allow international 

comparison. Contrary 

to the HGB procedures 

which are 

still in use – that have 

a strong focus on 

protecting the rights 

of creditors (with an 

emphasis on the 

principle of caution) 

and are influenced 

by tax regulations – 

the IAS give special 

attention to the information 

made available 

to investors. The 

main objective is to 

give a true and fair 

Dr. Ulrich Hauck 

view of the financial position, financial 

performance and cash flows. Rheinmetall’s 

decision to introduce the IAS is 

therefore in line with the expectations of 

the banks and capital markets. In addition, 

interim financial reports of the Rheinmetall 

group will have a much higher informative 

content after the introduction 

of IAS, a fact that is particularly important 

for the presentation of Rheinmetall AG 

on international markets. 

The conversion to new accounting 

standards affects not only external accounting 

issues but also internal reporting 

procedures, and this will apply on 

all group levels. Since, for legal reaso- 

ns, the subsidiaries will still be required 

to prepare their annual financial statements 

in compliance with the German 

commercial code in future, these will be 

prepared in form of a so-called HBII once 

the conversion to IAS has taken place. 

The consolidated financial statements 

of the divisions, sub-groups and 

group will only contain the IAS statements 

(HBII) of the Rheinmetall companies. 

The last consolidated statements 

conforming to the German commercial 

code will therefore be prepared for the 

year ending December 31, 2000. 

The conversion to IAS is being accompanied 

by an ambitious schedule that 

will make particular demands on the 

accounting staff throughout the group. 

The first statement in compliance with 

IAS to be prepared for the year ending 

December 31, 2001 will require the availability 

of like-for-like figures for the previous 

year. This therefore means that – 

Actions 2000/2001 Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 

Preparation and presentation 

of conversion concept 

Project work 

(Project teams and 

steering committee) 

Reporting forms and 

accounting guidelines 

Training 

Preparation of 

financial statements 

as at 31.12.2000 

Review of financial 

statements at companies 

Business planning 

acc. to IAS 

once the annual financial statements in 

accordance with the German commercial 

code have been completed as at December 

31, 2000 – a parallel consolidated 

statement complying with IAS will likewise 

be necessary for the same period. 

Consequently, the members of the 

Rheinmetall group will also be required 

to transform their financial statements 

for 2000 in a format meeting the requirements 

of International Accounting 

Standards. 

Preparations for the conversion are 

under way. In October 2000, eight project 

groups under the leadership of the 

corporate accounting organization of 

5 

Rheinmetall AG (Dr. Ulrich Hauck, Karin 

Crombach) – working in close collaboration 

with the group’s auditors PwC Deutsche 

Revision (Düsseldorf) – started to 

prepare the new IAS accounting procedures 

including the related reporting 

packages. Significant decisions concerning 

the accounting and valuation regulations 

in accordance with the IAS are 

due to be reached by the steering committee 

(consisting of the financial management 

of Rheinmetall AG and its subgroups) 

by the end of the year. Certain 

modifications of the existing data processing 

systems will be necessary in order 

to implement the IAS. 

The success of the conversion process 

will depend very largely on the 

commitment of the staff responsible for 

accounting at Rheinmetall. They will 

now be given the chance to have an active 

part in the fundamental renewal 

and modernization of accounting prac- 

Holding 

Groups 

Individual companies 

The conversion of accounts to International Accounting Standards (IAS) is 

based on an ambitious schedule which will make utmost demands on the 

accounting personnel throughout the Rheinmetall group. 

tices. It will also be 

important to give 

personnel working in 

accounting and controlling 

departments 

the necessary training. 

Once the annual 

financial statements 

have been 

prepared for the fiscal 

2000, these persons 

will all participate 

in a comprehensive 

training program 

that is due to 

be launched in the 

second half of March 

2001, initially with 

the involvement of 

personnel belonging 

to the accounting departments of the 

Rheinmetall companies (the milestones 

for the project are shown in the diagram 

on this page). 

Contacts for the IAS project are firstly 

the above-mentioned project team at 

Rheinmetall AG (Hauck/Crombach); 

competent experts in the groups are Ulrike 

Renner (responsible for Automotive 

sector), Roland Müsse (Electronics) and 

Sven Gronemeyer (Defence). Responsable 

at Jagenberg AG is Rolf Jensen. 

Dr. Ulrich Hauck* 

*Dr. Ulrich Hauck (36) is accounting manager at 

Rheinmetall AG and, in this capacity, is responsible 

for the group-wide conversion of accounting 

principles IAS.

Pu bl i cbid to ta ke 

over Jage n b e rg 

D ü ss e ld o rf / N e uss . On De ce m b e r 

14, 2000, the officia l term for acce pt 

i ng the vol un ta ry pu bl i c bid announced 

by R h e i n m e ta l AG to ta ke over all 

p re fe r red sto ck o u t sta n d i ng of J a ge nb 

e rg AG (ISIN DE 000 621 2038) co mm 

e n ced. Rheinmeta ll AG is o f fe r i ng € 

2 .30 for ea ch sha re of J a ge n b e rg prefe 

r red sto ck, hence aro und 65% 

a b ove the cl osi ng price quoted on the 

day p re ce d i ng the pu bl i cbid announ- 

N e wsl i n e 

ce m e n t. The period for acce p t i ng this 

bid for Jage n b e rg pre fe r red sto ck will 

ex p i re at the cl ose of J a n u a ry 2 2 , 

2 0 0 1 . 

A t p resent, Rheinmeta ll ow ns 8 6 % 

o f J a ge n b e rg AG’s n o nl isted co m m o n , 

and 3% of the pre fe r red, sto ck. The cap 

i ta lsto ck is d i vided into 20, 0 0 0, 0 0 0 

no-par shares, viz. 12,000,000 of 

common and 8,000,000 of n o nvo t i ng 

preferred stock. Rheinmetall consid 

e rs i t sbid a to ken of i t s pa rt i cular resp 

o nsi bil i t y to the pre fe r red sto ckh old 

e rs o fJ a ge n b e rg AG and, by payi ng a 

share price well above the pre-an- 

“On fast lane” wi t h 

i n teg ra ted ante n nas 

N e cka rte nzl i nge n . Richard Hirschmann 

GmbH & Co. (Necka rte nzl i nge n ) 

has booked orders from Daimler- 

C h rysle r, Audi and V Wfor the deve l o pm 

e n tand production of i n teg ra ted ante 

n na systems. T h ese syste m s a re intended 

for seven diffe re n tve h i cle typ 

es, incl u d i ng the su ccessor model to 

the pres e n tE- class o f Me rce d es Be nz , 

the new Audi A4 and the so-called 

“ Super” Passa to fV W. The ord e rs ha ve 

6 

n o un ce m e n tcl osi ng price, is o f fe r i ng 

them the opp o rtun i t yto wi t h d raw fro m 

J a ge n b e rg AG, whose exe cu t i ve boa rd 

has welcomed Rheinmetall’s voluntary 

public takeover bid and recomm 

e n ds i t s sto ckh old e rs to acce p ti t. 

R h e i n m e ta ll st ill i n te n ds to divest 

J a ge n b e rg, pre fe re n ce being given to 

a solution where Jage n b e rg as a 

w h ole is s old to a prosp e c t i ve investo 

r. Rheinmeta ll has d e cided in 

fa vor of a vol un ta ry ta ke over bid si n ce 

p rosp e c t i ve investo rs will ma i nl y b e 

i n te rested in acq u i r i ng all o f J a ge nb 

e rg AG’s sto ck . 

New co n t ra c t– inspection ca pa ci t yd o u ble d 

Eu ro tun n e lo p ts for HCV s yste m s 

Fol ksto n e / Wi esbaden. H e i mann Systems, 

the wo r ld ’ slead i ng ma n u fa c turer 

and su pplier of X- ray i nspection systems, 

has b o o ked a fu rther order fro m 

Eu ro tun n e l pl c. (Grea t B r i tain). In placi 

ng this o rd e r, the British opera tor of 

Eu ro tun n e ll o ca ted at Fol kstone in Ke n t 

a i m s to increase the ca rgo insp e c t i o n 

ca pa ci t yin order to secu re globa lca rgo 

t ra f f i ct h rough the Cha n n e lTun n e l. T h e 

co n t ra c tco m p r is es the delive ry and insta 

llation of a new sta t i o na ry X- ray i nspection 

equipment as we ll as t h e 

m o d e r n i zation of the exist i ng Eu rosca n 

s ystem. Both syste m s a re pa rt o f H e imann 

Systems’ Heimann Ca rgo Visi o n 

(HCV) ra nge of p roducts, deve l o p e d 

sp e ci f i ca ll yfor X- ray s e cu r i t yi nsp e c t i o n 

o fl oaded trucks and co n ta i n e rs . 

These inspection systems produce 

rad i oscopic, high-definition ima ges o f 

ve h i cles and loaded go o ds, which are 

then ana l y zed by t rained secu r i t yp e rs 

o n n e l. As a result, illega lor da nge ro us 

go o ds and su bsta n ces su ch as ex pl osives, 

even hidden in a sea led co m pa rtm 

e n tor in the drive r ’ sca bin, can be dete 

c ted as i f the frame of the truck we re 

transparent. An inspection doe s not 

ta ke more than 10 minutes a t the most 

and avo i ds ma n u a ls ea rch of ve h i cles . 

T h is new co n t ra c t re f le c t s the co mm 

e rcia l su ccess o f the inspection syste 

m s for the Eu ro tunnel, with a cu rre 

n t f l ow of 4,000 to 5,000 trucks 

e ve ry day. It is a lso the resul to f a su ccess 

ful co o p e ration between Eu ro tunn 

e l and Heimann Syste m s a ro und the 

co n ception of a tu r n ke y i nsta lla t i o n , 

p e rfe c t l y su i ted to the sp e ci f i cte ch n ica 

ln e e ds o f the custo m e r. 

The new Heimann Ca rgo Vision stat 

i o na ry e q u i p m e n twill o f fer the most 

re ce n t te ch n ol o g i ca l fea tu res d e veloped 

by the co m pa ny, for insta n ce an 

i n creased inspection ca pa ci t y o f 3 0 

ve h i cles per hour. 

The modernization of the cu r re n tEuroscan 

system, in operation si n ce 

1993, will i n clude new visu a l i za t i o n 

and ima ge pro cessi ng fea tu res a n d 

will a ll ow for a si g n i f i ca n t e n ha n cem 

e n to f va r i o us co m p o n e n t so f the system, 

e.g. co nve yi ng of ve h i cles, qualit 

y and pre cision of X- ray i ma g i ng. 

T h ese HCV s ystems, which will b e 

o p e ra t i o na la t the British entra n ce of 

the Cha n n e l Tunnel, will d o u ble the 

cu r re n t i nspection ca pa ci t y. Fu rt h e rm 

o re, both syste m s will be opera t i ona 

l on a 24 hour basis. De l i ve ry o ft h e 

new system is sch e d uled for ea r l y 

2 0 02, and the upg rade of the cu r re n t 

Eu roscan system will be co m ple ted by 

the end of 2 0 02. The pro je c t will b e 

ha n d led in su ch a way t ha t ca rgo inspection 

fa cil i t i es a t Eu ro tun n e l will b e 

o p e ra t i o na land effici e n ta ta ll t i m es . 

Eq u i p m e n t f rom the Wi esbad e n - 

based sp e cia l ist is a l read y in servi ce at 

n u m e ro us ke y co m m e rcia lt ra f f i cp o i n t s 

in Eu rope and wo r ld wide. 13 insp e c t i o n 

s yste m s ha ve been ta ken into operation 

at va r i o us s ea p o rts, airport s a n d 

b o rder loca t i o ns si n ce 1991. The la test 

i nsta lla t i o ns a re loca ted at the Va a l imaa 

border crossi ng (Finland), at t h e 

Po rt o fTe ma in Gha na, Ro t te rdam in the 

N e t h e r la n ds, Su ba raya and Jaka rta in 

I n d o n esia. T h is yea r, Heimann Syste m s 

has been awa rded new co n t ra c t swi t h 

the Mexi can, Japa n ese and Britis h 

Customs. By the end of 2001, Heima n n 

Syste m s will ha ve delive red more tha n 

21 syste m so f the HCV fa m il yso tha tt h e 

co m pa ny is n ow the leader in the co ntainer 

inspection system ma r ke t. 

an ove ra l value of a pp rox. 15 mill i o n 

per yea r. The diffe re n tm o d e ls will b e 

produced over a period of several 

yea rs. 

The possi ble us es o f i n teg ra ted ante 

n na syste m sra nge from the re ce p t ion 

of radio and TV b road cast s to mobile 

radio co m m un i ca t i o ns and sa te ll 

i te na vi gation through to co n t rol o f 

the ce n t ra ll o cki ng or sta n d by h ea t i ng 

system. Currently, only two compan 

i es in the wo r ld ha ve the te ch n i ca l 

k n ow - h ow for su ch ante n na syste m s : 

the Delphi su bsi d ia ry Fu ba (Bad S a l zd 

e t fu rth) and Hirsch ma n n .

Newsline 

Avior laser projection system from STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH 

High quality in visual projection 

Orlando/Bremen. World premiere: 

at the end of November 2000, STN Atlas 

Elektronik GmbH (Bremen) gave 

its first presentation of the new laser 

projection system Avior to the international 

public at the I/ITSEC in Orlando, 

Florida. The excellent response to the 

system is reflected by positive sales 

figures. Avior is distinguished by unlimited 

focus depth, a high variety in 

colors and brightness, absolute color 

stability and constant color convergence. 

With Lufthansa and the German 

Air Force, the reference list already 

includes two prominent customers 

from the civil and military sectors. 

Being influenced 

by our visual perceptions 

and impressions, 

we need optical 

information. On closer 

consideration, 

we find that modern 

visual systems have 

become an indispensable 

means of 

realistically reproducing 

our environment 

– particularly 

when it comes to 

meeting the increasingly 

stringent flight 

training requirements 

in the field of 

flight simulation. 

With its new and 

powerful Avior laser 

projection system, 

STN Atlas Elektronik 

GmbH can now offer 

unrivaled qualities in visual projection: 

unlimited focus depth, a high variety 

in colors and brightness, absolute 

color stability and constant color 

convergence. By virtue of this new 

technology, simulators can now be 

provided with visual systems by far superior 

to any projection systems available 

in the past, with a degree of realism 

that is absolutely unique. 

The electronics specialist from Bremen 

has already booked its first orders 

from customers planning to use 

Avior for flight simulation. Lufthansa 

Flight Training GmbH will use the new 

laser projection system to upgrade its 

existing flight training simulators. As 

part of the so-called daylight cockpit, 

simulator projection is to be improved 

to suit the training requirements for 

highly qualified flight crews. Avior is 

capable of artificially creating daylight 

conditions, something that was not 

possible in the past. In addition, calligraphic 

lights (for example, runway 

lights) can be projected with a quality 

that is astonishingly good. The development 

of the daylight cockpit has 

been promoted by the senate of the city 

of Bremen. 

Another customer due to receive Avior 

for flight simulation purposes is the 

German Air Force which intends to 

equip eight new full-mission simulators 

for Tornado combat aircraft with 

Flight simulation: a dome with laser projection heads and four target display 

projectors gives an extremely realistic visual impression. This, in turn, helps to 

ensure that highly qualified flight crews – like those flying the Tornado combat 

aircraft of the German Air Force – will be given the best possible training. 

the new laser projection technology. 

The German contracting authorities 

BWB in Koblenz have chosen STN Atlas 

Elektronik together with CAE Elektronik 

GmbH (Stolberg) to deliver the 

simulators for the Air Force. 

The simulators with a dome projection 

system (300°x120° field-of-view) 

will each incorporate a 13-channel laser 

display system of the type Avior. 

As a digital system, the fail-safety of 

Avior is excellent so that maintenance 

requirements are minimal. 

One of the many advantages will be 

particularly useful for the Tornado simulator: 

the system is fairly compact 

(the projection head weighing about 

eight kilograms) with small installati- 

7 

on dimensions due to the separation 

of projection head and laser source. 

Thanks to this, it is possible to build 

much lighter and more compact Full 

Flight Simulators (FFS) with e.g. an electrical 

motion system, in other 

words, without a hydraulic compartment. 

The first simulator for the Tornado 

to be equipped with the Avior technology 

will be installed in Holloman, 

USA. 

Thanks to numerous hitherto unequalled 

qualities, Avior will be approved 

for so-called D-level simulators; 

these are certified and approved flight 

simulators meeting the requirements 

of the Joint Aviation 

Authorities (JAA) and 

Federal Aviation Authority 

(FAA). 

Avior will also resolve 

one of the problems 

often encountered 

with simulators: 

the weight of 

the projectors. Professional 

projectors 

– being the bigger 

variant of the video 

beamers increasingly 

replacing conventional 

televisions 

in many households 

– capable of producing 

images of up to 

several square meters 

in size, are very 

heavy and therefore 

difficult to integrate 

in simulators mounted 

on a motion system. With Avior, 

only the very light projection head has 

to be integrated in the actual simulator. 

The laser source can be located 

outside the simulator. Moving images 

are transmitted by fiber-glass cable. 

Moreover, it will be possible to operate 

several projection heads from only 

one laser source in future. 

STN Atlas Elektronik is using the 

new system for flight simulation purposes. 

The mentioned advantages 

over conventional systems are particularly 

beneficial for Full Flight Simulators 

where the excellent center-ofgravity 

improvement (due to the low 

weight) will allow far lighter and more 

compact FFS with electrical motion 

systems.

Newsline 

Mine clearance vehicle at the border between North and South Korea 

Rhino performs a historic mission 

Hamburg/Paju/Kiel. On 26 September 

2000 a Rhino mine clearance system 

from Rheinmetall Landsysteme 

GmbH (MaK/Kiel) and a Minebreaker 

2000 from Flensburger Fahrzeugbau 

Gesellschaft mbH were loaded onto an 

Antonov at Hamburg airport, from 

where they were flown to Korea. The 

Republic of Korea had purchased both 

of these vehicles at short notice for mine 

clearance operations to be carried 

Being used on the border between 

North and South Korea: the Rhino mine 

clearance vehicle from Rheinmetall. 

DMI cooperates 

with STN Atlas 

Bremen/Lyngby. The Danish Maritime 

Institute (DMI) based in Lyngby 

(Denmark) and STN Atlas Elektronik 

GmbH (Bremen) will jointly market 

their extensive range of advanced 

products in future. The joint portfolio 

ranges from low-end computer based 

training (CBT) to high-end full mission 

simulators in the areas of both bridge 

and engine room simulation as well 

as the associated courseware. Major 

benefits for the customers are firstclass 

integrated training concepts, 

combined with the necessary nautical 

competence, and a flexible and 

strong sales network. 

In September 2000, the Danish Maritime 

Institute (DMI) and STN Atlas 

Elektronik GmbH officially signed a 

cooperation agreement with the aim 

out in the border region between 

North and South Korea. The Russian 

Antonov aircraft flew the two vehicles 

weighing a total of more than one hundred 

tons via Kiev to Seoul from where 

they were then transported on a flatbed 

trailer 40 km northward to the border 

town of Paju. 

Before traffic connections between 

the North and South can be restored to 

normal conditions, an area of 660,000 

square meters with a suspected 

100,000 mines will have to be demined. 

In the light of the rapprochement 

between these two Korean states, it is 

planned to complete a four-lane highway 

and restore the interrupted railway 

link between the two countries. The 

Korean government has set up an ambitious 

schedule for these two projects, 

namely to have the work on the 

highway and railway tracks completed 

by September next year. 

Yet before construction work can actually 

get started, the entire region will 

have to be cleared of mines. The Korean 

army has assigned more than 2,800 

soldiers from eight different battalions 

to this task and has complemented existing 

equipment with modern tools 

and machines purchased from abroad. 

The Minebreaker 2000 and Rhino – 

of a close partnership 

in the 

field of nautical 

simulation. The 

agreement was 

signed by Arne 

Hasle Nielsen, 

managing director 

of DMI 

and Ulrich Sasse, 

general manager 

of the 

STN Atlas simulation 

systems 

division. The 

agreement is the result of a strategic 

investigation undertaken jointly by 

the two organizations during the last 

months. 

DMI is an internationally recognized 

developer and supplier of advanced 

maritime training and education systems. 

In addition, the DMI provides 

PC-based ship handling simulators as 

8 

both of which have demonstrated 

their outstanding capabilities in the 

course of various international demining 

operations were literally purchased 

“on-the-spot”. The tight schedule 

of the Koreans did not leave scope for 

the normal purchasing routine where 

production is generally not started before 

the order is in hand. Consequently, 

the Korean’s prime focus was on 

proven mine clearance systems meeting 

stringent safety requirements, 

and on the immediate availability of 

the equipment. Both of the systems 

fulfilled these requirements. 

Specialists from the two manufacturers 

have accompanied the two vehicles 

to Korea in order to give Korean 

personnel a thorough and quick in-situ 

familiarization with the systems. 

The companies from Kiel and Flensburg 

will also be providing the technical 

service for the equipment in order 

to repair any damage resulting from 

wear and tear without loss of time. 

Korean authorities have pointed out 

that a mine clearing operation of this 

magnitude in such a short time is quite 

unique, particularly as the density of 

mines in the border region between 

North and South Korea is far greater 

than, for instance, in Bosnia or Kroatia. 

Cooperating: Arne Hasle Nielsen (r) and Ulrich Sasse 

well as part-task ship bridge simulators 

and training courseware dedicated 

to nautical applications including 

state-of-the-art mathematical models. 

STN Atlas Elektronik is one of 

the leading training system suppliers 

including simulators and training 

equipment for nautical and naval training 

purposes.

Newsline 

Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH founded 

Concentrating forces 

for armored vehicles 

Ratingen. Pointing the way forward, 

Rheinmetall DeTec AG of Ratingen has 

taken a further step in consolidating 

Germany’s armored vehicle industry. 

Effective 1 January 2000, Rheinmetall 

DeTec has consolidated its hitherto separately 

operating subsidiaries Henschel 

Wehrtechnik of Kassel, KUKA 

Wehrtechnik GmbH of Augsburg and 

The wheel-mounted armored vehicle 

Luchs, also used by the German SFOR 

troops in Bosnia, is the well-known 

product of Henschel which is now part 

of Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH. 

MaK System Gesellschaft mbH of Kiel 

into a single corporation, Rheinmetall 

Landsysteme GmbH. The move brings 

together the expertise and long-standing 

experience of these companies. A 

leading supplier of ground forces 

equipment, Rheinmetall DeTec has a 

workforce of nearly 10,000 and annual 

sales of approximately € 1.6 billion. 

With about 1,400 

employees, RheinmetallLandsysteme 

GmbH is a 

world-class supplier 

of highly advanced 

wheeled 

and tracked armored 

vehicle systems. 

Gert Winkler 

has been appointed 

chairman 

of the board of management, 

and will 

also have special 

responsibility for 

engineering. Also 

appointed to the 

board are Klaus 

Sander, sales, and 

Dr. Peter Merten, 

finance and controlling. 

Rheinmetall DeTec AG is thus systematically 

pursuing its strategy of adjusting 

to the changing requirements of 

the market. As early as 1990, the company 

embarked on a policy of active 

portfolio management, the first German 

defence contractor to do so. As a result, 

Rheinmetall DeTec is capable today of 

producing highly competitive products, 

even under difficult market conditions. 

Thanks to this assertive strategy, Rheinmetall 

DeTec has developed into a viable 

single-source supplier of weapons 

and ammunition, wheeled and tracked 

armored vehicles, and vetronics (vehicle 

electronics). On this basis, the 

company has emerged as one of Europe’s 

leading suppliers of high-tech ground 

forces equipment. 

The companies Henschel and KUKA 

were both acquired at the end of 1999. 

These new assets, along with MaK System 

Gesellschaft, significantly widened 

the array of vehicle systems offered 

by Rheinmetall DeTec. Now that these 

companies have been combined to 

form Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, 

further synergy effects are expected. 

The newly launched company is 

squarely oriented to the needs of the 

customer. The location concept has 

been devised to make optimum use of 

During a visit to Henschel in Kassel, the German Minister of Defence Rudolf 

Scharping (r) and the chairman of the executive board of Rheinmetall DeTec AG, 

Dr. Ernst-Otto Krämer, unveiled a panel displaying the name of the recently 

launched Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH. 

9 

The air-transportable, amored vehicle 

Wiesel 1 built by MaK System Gesellschaft 

mbH (now part of Rheinmetall 

Landsysteme GmbH) can be used as a 

crew transport, reconnaissance and 

ambulance vehicle. 

resources, while simultaneously maintaining 

existing knowledge and expertise. 

To this end, administration and 

sales have been centralized in Kiel, 

while the production and maintenance 

units have been consolidated at the 

Kassel and Unterlüß locations. 

In order to safeguard Rheinmetall 

Landsysteme’s technological edge, development 

and engineering of the 

company’s high-tech products will take 

place at the following locations, each 

with a specifically defined mission: 

★ Kiel: Combat support systems, demining 

equipment and tracked vehicle 

technology 

★ Kassel: Command and reconnaissance 

systems and wheeled vehicle 

technology 

★ Unterlüß/Augsburg: Weapon platform 

systems, especially automatic 

cannon turrets (as well as ammunition 

flow components in Augsburg). 

The new company’s 

sales, R&D, 

production and 

administrative 

operations are currently 

being reorganized 

in accordance 

with a stringent 

timetable. 

Successful implementation 

of these 

restructuring measures, 

combined 

with greater concentration 

on core 

competencies, will 

ensure that Rheinmetall 

continues 

to be a leading 

supplier of systems 

and equipment 

both at home 

and abroad.

Major order 

from Mexico 

Paris/Wiesbaden. Heimann Systems, 

the world’s leading manufacturer 

and supplier of X-ray security 

inspection systems, has been 

awarded a major order by the Mexican 

customs (Administracion General 

de Aduanas de Mexico) The 

order worth more than 3.7 million 

US dollars comprises the delivery 

of an innovative HCV-Mobile 

equipment to be used by the Mexican 

customs to fight against contraband 

and traffic of illegal substances. 

Heimann Systems is the 

first company to equip the Mexican 

customs with a cargo inspection 

system for manifest verification. 

In an effort to modernize their 

entire operations, the Mexican customs 

had undertaken a comprehensive 

review of all potential suppliers 

of mobile security inspection 

equipment. They have selected 

Heimann Systems’ HCV-Mobile because 

of the technological advancement 

of this equipment. 

The HCV-Mobile system, which 

will be put into service by the end 

of this year, will be operated by fully-trained 

Mexican customs staff. It 

will be operated at the port of Veracruz 

which is the main Mexican 

seaport registering the highest levels 

of cargo movements. 

The HCV-Mobile system consists 

of a fully integrated transport vehicle 

and a scanning boom to provide 

an autonomous system, 

which does not require a fixed installation 

or any external services. 

After driving to its designated location 

the system is ready to begin 

full operation in less than 30 minutes 

and once set up, the HCV-Mobile 

can scan a loaded truck in less 

than 2 minutes or approximately 

25 trucks per hour (load, wheels, 

tank, chassis and cabin). Full mobility 

allows the unit to be operated 

on almost any level surface. The system’s 

high penetration capability 

combined with its unique sensor 

array enables the HCV-Mobile to 

scan fully-loaded containers and to 

give a high resolution X-ray image, 

comparable to that obtained from 

Heimann Systems larger and more 

powerful stationary systems. 

Newsline 

FIRST HAND INFORMATION for General Eric Shinseki (5th r), Chief of Staff 

of the US Army during his recent visit to the AUSA exhibition stand of the Rheinmetall 

DeTec AG group in Washington. Shinseki who also visited the European 

center of competence for army systems in Unterlüß these days, was given a 

thorough briefing on the 105 mm smoothbore weapon system, the related family 

of munitions and the program of armored vehicles. Representatives at the exhibition 

included (from l to r) Eckard Lomann (Rheinmetall Landsysteme/RLS), Klaus- 

Dieter Seip (Rheinmetall W & M), Alois K. Osterwalder (Oelikon Contraves), Volney 

F. Warner (US representative of Rheintech Inc./Washington), Eric Prummenbaum, 

Manfred Eggers, Dr. Josef Jörg and Dr. Bernhard Halstrup (all RLS) and Allen Buckley 

(Oerlikon Contraves). As the most important exhibition for army systems in the 

USA, the AUSA 2000 (Association United States Army) welcomed about 27,000 visitors; 

there were 600 exhibitors, of which ten percent were from abroad. 

A hidden 

champion 

Wiesbaden/Kassel. Heimann Systems 

GmbH is one of the five winners 

of the campaign “Hesse, here is the future”. 

More than 100 Hessian firms 

had entered the competition to win 

the Hidden Champions award. Ultimately, 

Heimann Systems secured a second 

place together with three other 

companies. “Hidden Champions” is 

an initiative launched jointly by the 

state of Hesse and the association of 

Hessian employers. The award is bestowed 

on companies that play a leading 

role in specialized fields of the 

market and that are distinguished by 

globalization, innovative power and 

entrepreneurial spirit. The prize-giving 

ceremony was attended by the Hessian 

minister of trade and industry, Dieter 

Posch, and the vice president of the 

association of Hessian employers, 

Paul Coenen, representing the initiators 

of the event. In his speech Hans A. 

Linkenbach, president of Heimann Systems, 

remarked that the “company’s 

workforce is constantly committed to 

developing innovative products and to 

finding customer-oriented solutions.“ 

10 

Order from 

Switzerland 

Bern/Bremen. Rheinmetall subsidiary 

STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH of Bremen 

has received a major order from 

Switzerland. The company will equip 

120 armored vehicles of the Swiss 

Army with observation and reconnaissance 

equipment. The contract with 

Gruppe Rüstung has now been signed 

in Bern. STN Atlas Elektronik is a member 

of Rheinmetall DeTec AG, Ratingen, 

responsible for defence activities 

of the Rheinmetall Group. 

The Swiss Army will receive 120 armored 

vehicles for gunnery commanders 

within the next years. The related 

orders were placed with three companies, 

among them STN Atlas Elektronik 

as supplier for the observation equipment 

with thermal imager, CCD camera 

and laser range finder. In addition to 

the control unit and the test equipment 

for field and depot maintenance, 

the scope of delivery also comprises 

spare parts packages. Furthermore, 

the order includes training courses 

and systems. Four systems will be delivered 

within a preproduction batch in 

the fall of 2001.

Certification sets 

further standards 

Nova Odessa. Successful project 

conclusion with a model character: 

some weeks ago KS Pistões Ltda., a 

Brazilian subsidiary of KS Kolbenschmidt 

GmbH, was the first Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg piston manufacturer 

outside Germany to be certified in accordance 

with ISO 14001 (environment 

management system) and BS 

8800 (occupational health and safety 

management system). The subsidiary 

with its headquarters in Nova Odessa 

(Sao Paulo) whose 1250 employees 

will produce about 14 million pistons 

this year (a new record!) has again set 

new standards that should also have 

a positive effect on business in future. 

Commenting on the certification, 

Americo Rajczy, the commercial director 

of KS Pistões Ltda., pointed out 

Newsline 

PAT delivers dynamic vehicle weighing systems – checkpoints in Germany 

Fight against overloaded vehicles 

Ettlingen. Determined fight against 

overloaded vehicles: the traffic telematics 

division of the PAT group has 

booked two major orders for vehicle 

weighing systems to be provided at 

freeways in Germany (PAT GmbH, Ettlingen) 

and the Netherlands (PAT Krüger 

bv. Holland). These orders worth 

more than € 3.5 million were won largely 

on grounds of PAT’s extensive experience 

with dynamic weighing systems 

and system integration and the 

Part of PAT’s vehicle weighing systems: 

the portable PC with a display of values 

exceeding allowable thresholds to 

allow efficient police operations. 

group’s high competence regarding 

the practical implementation of digital 

video systems. 

According to Laurie Burns, chairman 

of the management board at PAT, the 

“new strategy of integrating additional 

sensors that complement our own 

range of products both technologically 

and in terms of application potential 

is bearing first fruits.” In the words 

of Dr. Dieter Cichon, in charge of product 

management and development: 

“The consistent development and application 

of digital video systems has 

provided a sound basis for various 

video-based traffic monitoring applications. 

These capabilities will give us 

the competitive edge in future acquisition 

projects.” 

A measuring point network with dynamic 

weighing systems for high 

speeds is being established throughout 

Germany. The first tender comprises 

13 measuring points on German 

freeways in Bavaria, Brandenburg, 

Mecklenburg, Western-Pomerania, 

North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony- 

Anhalt. All vehicles on every lane of 

the freeway will be detected and classified 

automatically at the measuring 

points. 

that the “company is now well-equipped 

for the future, especially as we 

have already fulfilled requirements 

which will be a precondition for securing 

new orders from 2001/2002 onwards. 

The certification has a model 

character, especially in Brazil, and it 

will also improve the reputation of the 

German industry in the country.” 

The pistons manufactured on advanced 

production facilities in Nova 

Odessa are delivered to all continents: 

about 70 percent of parts produced 

are shipped abroad (e.g. to 

Europe, the USA, Mexico or Australia). 

And the quality is excellent, as 

evidenced by the high sales figures 

generated. In addition to the 1999 

Supplier of the Year distinction recently 

awarded by General Motors, 

KS Pistões has also received quality 

awards from VW do Brasil and Maxion 

International this year, both of 

which have a long tradition in busin- 

11 

As a minimum, the right-hand lane 

will have weighing sensors integrated 

in the surface of the roadway. Cichon: 

“Freeway traffic will not be influenced 

by the measurement sensors. Our HS- 

WIM system (High Speed Weighing In- 

Motion) determines the axle loads of 

trucks at speeds of up to 120 km/h, 

allowing for certain tolerances.” Based 

on the individual axle load values, 

the system then determines the 

total weight of multiple axle groups 

and the actual weight of the vehicle. 

There are limit values for the maximum 

allowable axle load and the total 

weight for every class of vehicle. The 

system can produce an alarm signal 

as soon as a limit value is exceeded. 

Seven of the 13 measuring points in 

Germany will additionally be equipped 

with a digital video system that 

will help police to identify overloaded 

vehicles and to filter such vehicles out 

of the moving traffic. The digital video 

system consists of a color camera, a 

data transmission link and a portable 

PC with digital image processing. An 

image of the overloaded vehicle and 

the overload percentage data are sent 

to the police officer at the point where 

the vehicle is to be filtered out of the 

moving traffic. 

ess with KS Pistões. Maxion (a joint 

venture with International Inc./USA) 

is a major diesel engine manufacturer 

located in Porto Alegre in the 

south of Brazil.

Newsline 

Interview with Mario Gabrielli of Rheinmetall DeTec 

Conflicts can only be resolved with a strong partner 

Ratingen/Berlin. The recommendations 

of the independent Weizsäcker commission 

(set up by the German government) on 

the reform of the German armed forces 

were announced some time ago as were 

the proposals of the German minister of 

defence, Rudolf Scharping, on the reorientation 

of the German armed forces which 

– as Germany’s biggest employer – (currently) 

have around 320,000 soldiers and 

some 130,000 civilian employees. Experts 

are unanimous in their opinion that one of 

the prime aims of the reform will have to 

be the (re-)orientation of military structuresto 

the tasksofcrisismanagementand 

crisis prevention. Any issues concerning 

the future of the services naturally also affect 

the future of the defence industry in 

Germany. To discuss the impact on the industry, 

Newsline spoke to Mario Gabrielli 

(57), a member of the executive board of 

Rheinmetall DeTec AG – under whose umbrella 

a European center of competence 

for ground forces has been established 

within a matter of only a few years. The latest 

example of the integration of capabilities 

in the military sector is the recent 

establishment of Rheinmetall Landsysteme 

GmbH, marking a further step towards 

a further concentration of systems capabilities 

in the armored vehicle sector in Germany 

and Europe (see also related article 

in this issue of Newsline). 

Newsline: How would you assess the recommendations 

and proposals announced 

by the Weizsäcker commission and 

Rudolf Scharping? 

Gabrielli: The commission did a good 

job of the tasks set: allowing for security 

risks and the interests of the German state, 

the commission proposed new structures 

which will not only involve adjustments 

but also genuine reforms. The defence 

minister’s reform concept adopts 

the fundamental recommendations of 

the commission although he has, for instance, 

more than doubled the proportion 

of conscripts, for obvious reasons. 

Newsline: Basically, therefore, the proposals 

confirm that the defence and alliance 

capability of the German armed forces 

and hence also of the German army 

are a firm element of today’s society. 

Gabrielli: Yes, that is correct. The general 

public is fully supportive of the principles 

of a German defence capability and 

the ability to operate within the alliance, 

in other words the German population is 

in favor of a democracy that is “fit for military 

tasks”. Election results over the years 

have impressively demonstrated just 

this. The establishment of the German 

Bundeswehr, the membership in NATO 

and the subsequent growth of a powerful 

defence industry 

would not have been 

possible without the 

democratic support 

of the nation. 

Newsline: Nonetheless, 

particularly 

also as a result of 

the collapse of the 

Mario Gabrielli 

12 

Soviet power, geostrategic 

conditions 

have changed dramatically as have the 

tasks facing the armed forces and German 

foreign policy. 

Gabrielli: These changes have been given 

due consideration not only by the 

German government and parliament but 

also by the German armed forces. Looking 

at the German constitution, it is evident 

that the German government has extended 

its security tasks far beyond the 

original intent of actual national defence. 

Article 24, para. 2 of the German constitution 

states the following: “For the maintenance 

of peace, the Federation may join a 

system of mutual collective security; in 

doing so it will consent to such limitations 

upon its sovereign powers as will 

The transport vehicle Fuchs being used as an ambulance 

vehicle in Bosnia. 

bring about and secure a peaceful and 

lasting order in Europe and among the 

nations of the world.” In addition to this, 

the United Nations charter, chapter VII, 

states that actions are to be taken in the 

event of “a threat to the peace, the 

breach of peace or an act of aggression” 

. . . to assign the air force, navy or army . . . 

“to maintain or restore international peace 

and security.” 

Newsline: In terms of the German Bundeswehr 

this means that the tasks will . . . 

Gabrielli: . . . surely concentrate on the 

following core areas: the Bundeswehr will 

have to defend Germany and its allies 

against military threats and attacks; the 

fundamental commitment towards national 

defence therefore continues to be an 

important task. Internationally, the German 

armed forces are simultaneously making 

an important contribution towards 

military stability and integration on a European 

scale, and – in cooperation with 

international forces – are helping to bring 

under control and manage crises in Europe 

and elsewhere in the world. 

Newsline: The logical consequence is 

therefore that the tasks under German law 

and international treaties cannot be fulfilled 

without soldiers and weapons. 

Gabrielli: And it is also logical that an armaments 

industry is an essential prerequisite 

for this. This is equally true for Germany 

where the defence industry, being a 

private sector industry, has to deal with 

very restrictive legislation. In many other 

European states, the armaments industry 

is nationalized and in the light of this export 

policies are must less restrictive than 

here in Germany. 

Newsline: What you are saying is that, 

given the restrictive export policy in Germany, 

the competitiveness of the German 

defence industry is at a 

disadvantage . . . 

Gabrielli: ...which is 

one of the fundamental 

rules of economic dealings, 

as anyone will 

know: one doesn’t have 

to be an expert to understand 

this. We urgently 

need an EU-wide harmonization 

of European legislation 

for armament 

exports. 

Newsline: The German 

defence industry, and especially 

the companies of the Rheinmetall 

group operating under the umbrella of 

Rheinmetall DeTec AG have managed to 

maintain their systems and core capabilities 

in important areas of military equipment 

for the German forces and partly also 

those of allied nations, and they have 

managed to do this despite drastic reductions 

in terms of personnel and capacities. 

Can the industry survive such an ad- 

justment process under the existing conditions? 

Gabrielli: Any attempt to reduce the existing 

status of the German defence industry 

even further would not only undermine 

and violate our fundamental, statutory 

principles but would also unacceptably 

diminish Germany’s ability to fulfill its international 

peacekeeping obligations in 

accordance with the UN charter. Germany 

would no longer be a dependable partner 

within the international community of nations. 

This also illustrates the immense 

political significance of the defence industry. 

It plays a vital role within the scope of 

national and international peacekeeping. 

Newsline: In the final declaration of the 

UN’s millennium summit held in September 

2000 in New York, many heads of government 

and state – including the German 

chancellor Schröder – spoke out in 

favor of a reinforcement of UN peacekeeping 

missions. An area where the German 

Bundeswehr will also have to show 

greater commitment in future. 

Gabrielli: The 15 members of the UN Security 

Council have indeed decided to prepare 

a new concept for peacekeeping missions 

of the United Nations and to strengthen 

the role of the UN. In doing this, the 

UN intends to ensure that peacekeeping 

forces will be able to react more quickly to 

crises in the future. Besides, Kofi Annan, 

the UN secretary general, only recently 

supported a whole lot of far-reaching recommendations 

made by an international 

commission chaired by the former Algerian 

foreign minister Lakhdar Brahimi; this commission 

has called for “robuster” UN peacekeeping 

operations. Amongst other things, 

the report says that, when the UN dispatches 

troops on peacekeeping missions, 

they must also be willing to stand up to the 

powers of war and their forces and must be 

determined to conquer these forces. 

Newsline: According to the intent of the final 

declaration of the millennium summit of 

the UN Security Council, this is also to be 

achieved by better training and equipment. 

Gabrielli: The requirements laid down 

by the Security Council cannot be fulfilled 

without thoroughly trained soldiers and 

modern weapon systems. Which is where 

we come back to the fundamental principle: 

the armed forces need a powerful defence 

industry to enforce and maintain 

peace in regions of conflict. 

Newsline 

Optical fibers 

for Control Net 

Neckartenzlingen. Richard Hirschmann 

GmbH & Co. (Neckartenzlingen) 

has booked an order from Allen Bradley 

Inc. (Mayfield Heights/USA), a subsidiary 

of Rockwell Automation, for the 

development and production of an 

optical fiber module for the field bus 

Control Net. Allen Bradley will market 

the module worldwide under its own 

name. The order worth approx. three 

million German marks spans a period 

of three years. 

Field buses like the Profibus, Device 

Net or Control Net are used for data 

transmission in industrial communication 

networks. Optical fiber modules 

convert electrical signals into optical 

signals. The advantage offered by such 

systems is that they can cover distances 

of several kilometers without 

requiring intermediate amplification, 

and the signals are insensitive to 

electromagnetic interference phenomena 

frequently occurring in production 

environments. 

Hirschmann is one of the renowned 

manufacturers of optical fiber modules 

Hirschmann 

has a new name 

Neckartenzlingen. Richard Hirschmann 

GmbH & Co. KG (Neckartenzlingen) 

is now operating under a 

new name: Hirschmann Electronics 

GmbH & Co. KG. This new name reflects 

the increasingly global orientation 

of the Hirschmann group. 

Already today, nearly 60 percent of 

sales are generated abroad. The 

marketing companies in Europe and 

overseas will likewise operate under 

the name of Hirschmann Electronics 

in future. As a subsidiary of the 

listed Aditron AG, Hirschmann is a 

member of the Düsseldorf-based 

Rheinmetall group. Hirschmann‘s 

products range from mobile transmission 

and reception systems to 

analog and digital broadcasting 

technology through to network components 

and field bus systems for 

the automation sector. With a workforce 

of 2,700 persons worldwide, 

Hirschmann achieved sales of 576 

million German marks in 1999. 

13 

Insensitive to electromagnetic interference: 

optical fiber modules from 

Hirschmann for data transmission in 

industrial communication networks. 

for various field bus applications. 

Manfred Jakob, international sales 

manager of the automation and network 

solutions division, points out: “In 

the past, our program did not include a 

module for Control Net, which is a 

standard widely used in the USA. The 

order from Allen Bradley has now given 

Hirschmann access to the North American 

market, where the Rockwell group 

is one of the leaders in the automation 

business.” 

Film/foil division 

now strengthened 

Rudersberg/Niederkassel-Mondorf. 

A member of the Jagenberg 

Group, Lemo Maschinenbau GmbH, 

Niederkassel-Mondorf, Germany, is 

taking over with instant effect the 

business operation of SMR Stiegler 

Maschinenfabrik GmbH at Rudersberg 

close by Stuttgart. The move 

enables Lemo Maschinenbau 

GmbH to further round off its product 

lineup. Lemo will continue to 

run the Rudersberg location as a 

production and R&D center probably 

with a staff of around 40. Stiegler’s 

existing expertise will be utilized, 

further developed and enhanced 

through this bundling of resources. 

Lemo intends to integrate the 

newly acquired operation into its 

own global marketing and service 

network and hence ensure that 

Stiegler customers, too, will benefit 

from existing customer proximity in 

product development and aftersales 

service.

Newsline 

Between 29 September and 3 October 2000, 15 journalists from renowned European newspapers and magazines 

traveled to the USA to collect first-hand information on the activities of the Kolbenschmidt Pierburg group in North 

America. The tight schedule included visits with Pierburg Inc. in Fountain Inn/Greenville (South Carolina) and Karl 

Schmidt Unisia Inc. in Marinette (Wisconsin). One of the group of journalists was Christian Bartsch (72) who worked for 

the German newspapers Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Swiss Automobile Revue. 

Bartsch (born in Klein-Polkwitz, Lower Silesia) who has written about his impressions of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg’s activities 

in the USA, is rated as an expert in this field: after school and an apprenticeship as a car mechanic, he went on 

to study mechanical engineering in Dresden and Berlin; after his university studies, he developed two-stroke engines 

for four years and then worked in the industrial control and measurement sector for some years. In 1961, he moved on 

to work as a technical journalist for the paper Motor Rundschau (Frankfurt am Main); Bartsch 

has been working as a free-lance journalist, author and consultant to renowned German 

companies – primarily in the automotive sector – since 1970. Summing up his personal impressions 

of the trip, Bartsch stated: “During our short trip through the USA, we journalists 

got to know the “other side” of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg that will help to secure the group’s 

future. The group is in the process of conquering the New World, at least its automotive sector. 

And we learned about future developments to be tackled by Kolbenschmidt Pierburg. 

There is certainly plenty of work on the road ahead!” 

Kolbenschmidt Pierburg: great success with German technology 

A circumspect approach to the USA 

Greenville/Marinette. When Europeans 

refer to the USA, they may mean 

Florida, New York or perhaps Hollywood 

and Los Angeles. We know about 

the last war in the States, the war 

between the north and south and obviously 

about the Indians from films 

and literature. But what about Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg? What have they got 

to do with the USA? In point of fact, 

quite a lot – and a lot more in future, 

too. The following article gives some 

impressions gained during a short trip 

through the United States. 

“What you see there are all potential 

customers”, said Dr. Dieter Seipler 

with broad smile. What he actually 

meant were the large American limousines, 

pick-ups and SUVs (special utility 

vehicles) on a crowded street. Some 

of them already have pistons from Kolbenschmidt, 

originating from the joint 

production program with Unisia JECS, 

a Japanese piston manufacturer. Other 

vehicles may be equipped with Pier- 

burg parts, “but still not enough” in 

the opinion of Seipler, who points out 

that this will certainly change in the 

years to come; after all, the company 

only entered the US market with its 

own production in 1996. Given this 

short period of time, the company has 

achieved a lot. 

In 1995, the executive board of Pierburg 

AG decided to establish a production 

plant in Greenville, South Carolina, 

in the south east of the USA. 

There were many reasons for choosing 

this site, particularly the vicinity of 

BMW in the neighboring town of Spartanburg, 

DaimlerChrysler in Alabama 

and especially VW in Mexico. The infrastructure 

in the region is excellent; a 

further bonus has been that the state 

of Carolina helped with tax incentives 

and with the training of the initial 

workforce. As explained by Willy Ruefenacht, 

president of Pierburg Inc., 

“we had to teach the employees the 

metric system.” Although the system 

Production started in late summer 1996: the Pierburg Inc. plant at Fountain Inn. 

14 

Rosa Lee, a Pierburg Inc. employee in 

Greenville (South Carolina) since 1998 

at the functional test stand of line 3 

where fuel tank modules are being 

tested for DaimlerChrysler. 

has existed in the USA for more than 

three decades, it has never really been 

used. Distances are still measured in 

miles, as evident everywhere on the 

signposts and even on the speedometers 

in cars. And inches are still a common 

unit as are many other older units 

of measurement. 

The first gasoline modules left the 

new factory in Greenville on the first of 

August 1996, and by the end of the 

year the company had generated sales 

worth two million dollars. Today, sales 

are in the order of 30 million dollars, 

and the trend is up. Initially, only four 

products were manufactured; today, 

(Continued on page 15)

35 different products are produced. 

Ruefenacht is optimistic that sales will 

have doubled within the next four to five 

years, especially as customers now 

include General Motors (GM) and Ford 

(orders from the latter having been 

won against stiff competition). The 

production of throttle bodies and of oil 

and water pumps is due to be launched 

shortly. More than 800,000 

throttle bodies are to be delivered to 

GM alone per year. And further components 

will follow. 

The technology for all of these components 

originally came from Germany 

and this is where the development 

center will remain. Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg is, however, also in the process 

of establishing development centers 

in Fort Wayne and Auburn Hills near 

Detroit in order to be able to serve 

US carmakers more quickly. The first 

Willy Ruefenacht Frank Pohlmann 

components were all-German; today, 

about 50 percent come from Germany 

and the rest are manufactured in the 

USA. To achieve this, Pierburg took its 

suppliers like Alfmeier, Mikron, Friedrichs 

+ Rath, Norma and others to the 

States to warrant top quality. 

Michael Thiery who was sent to the 

USA by Pierburg and has returned to 

Germany in the meantime has drawn 

attention to the fact that Germany and 

the USA have a totally different approach 

to technical developments. 

Whereas a constant forward-looking 

approach is pursued in Germany, this 

is less prominent in the USA. There have 

been short development bursts 

when new engines or other car components 

had to be developed. The new 

components were then checked out 

thoroughly (in which context it is worth 

noting that US carmakers benefit from 

far bigger pre-series than are common 

Newsline 




Some 50,000 pistons leave the production plants of Karl Schmidt Unisia Inc. in 

Marinette (Wisconsin) every day. 

in Germany). Once this stage was reached, 

the product was left unchanged 

for as long as possible. 

“To determine weaknesses, we perform 

failure analyses and load tests like 

endurance runs on a few components. 

In America, some 1000 components 

have to be tested before seriesproduction 

is launched and this is how 

they find defects – rather an expensive 

method in our opinion”, says 

Thiery. “We will combine the two methods 

in order to bring the failure rate 

down to zero”. One of the next steps in 

this direction will be to automate production 

processes even further in order 

to assure the quality both in Germany 

and the USA. 

Things haven’t got quite this far, 

however. Currently, 120 employees of 

which 80 are female work at the plant 

in Greenville. The average age is 36. 

Assuming that an annual average of at 

least five percent of hours missed is 

common in Germany, the corresponding 

figure for the USA is less than 

one. Compared to an average of 210 

working days per year in Germany, 

Americans work for 249 days – one 

entire production month extra. According 

to Willy Ruefenacht, the workforce 

in America is highly motivated. Incidentally, 

about 90 percent of US-Americans 

do not have a passport, i.e. have 

never left their country – hardly surprising 

considering the size of their 

country. Commenting on the level of 

education in the USA, Ruefenacht 

points out that this is lower. “Besides, 

they have nothing like the German 

15 

qualification system (apprenticeships 

etc.). We either have unskilled workers 

or people who have graduated from 

college.” 

Leaving the warm summer temperatures 

of Greenville, we flew northward 

via Chicago to Marinette, lying in the 

north of the USA where Kolbenschmidt 

and the Japanese manufacturer Unisia 

built a joint production site for pistons 

in 1990 – probably the world’s largest 

piston factory. Following the purchase 

of the US piston manufacturer Zollner, 

Kolbenschmidt is now the biggest piston 

manufacturer on the US market 

and ranks second in the world. Frank 

Pohlmann, president of Karl Schmidt 

Unisia Inc. (KUS) in Marinette, points 

out that there are only three other major 

piston manufacturers in the world. 

The smaller companies have either been 

taken over or have disappeared 

from the market. Kolbenschmidt Pierburg 

has secured an excellent position 

and, above all, it is determined to 

achieve further growth. 

KUS in Marinette presently delivers 

50,000 pistons per day. Another 

40,000 pistons are manufactured in 

Fort Wayne and 10,000 in a Canadian 

Kolbenschmidt factory. In other words, 

about 100,000 pistons per day are 

produced on the North American continent 

alone! Customers include all engine 

manufacturers in the USA, ranging 

from Harley Davison for which 

KUS is the sole supplier, to ship engines 

from OMC and all carmakers 

through to large diesel engines. An in- 

(Continued on page 16)


teresting point is that Ford, GM and 

DaimlerChrysler still produce about 27 

percent of their pistons themselves – 

strictly supported by their unions 

which are adamant that none of the 

people involved in piston manufacture 

should lose their jobs. A situation that 

cannot be sustained in the long run 

because only specialists like Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg are capable of making 

the necessary advance developments 

required in this sector. This is 

why, in the course of the last 25 years, 

German carmakers have been transferring 

ever bigger shares of their development 

and production to suppliers 

who have long since started 

doing their own development work. 

Marinette welcomed us with cool 

temperatures and autumnal colors – 

although the Indian Summer was expected 

to start two weeks later – and 

with the only hotel in the town. We were 

all the more impressed when we saw 

what Frank Pohlmann and his deputy 

Richard Dishaw, also development manager 

at KUS, had to offer us. The trend 

from component to module deliveries 

is equally evident for pistons. Although 

some pistons are still delivered without 

rings, GM and Ford demand modu- 

Newsline 



Dr. Dieter Seipler, chairman of the executive 

board, explaining the goals for 

the Kolbenschmidt Pierburg group in 

the USA to a group of 15 journalists. 

His message: further growth. 

les having the piston 

with rings, bolts and 

connecting rod. Since 

Kolbenschmidt in 

Neckarsulm, Germany, 

also casts engine 

blocks, the road 

to the short-block engine 

is not far away, 

and Pierburg could 

contribute numerous 

other components 

up to and including 

the intake manifold. 

The short-block engines 

could then quickly 

be complemented 

to complete, assembled 

engines readyfor-installation 

which 

are still manufactured 

and assembled 

by carmakers nowadays. 

Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg still has a lot 

of work to do in the 

years to come. In Marinette 

Dr. Dieter Seipler, 

chairman of the 

executive board of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg 

AG, outlined the projects for the 

future, including high-pressure pumps 

for injection. He emphasized that the 

development of new materials is considered 

the most important research 

project as the trend toward high engine 

performance with simultaneous downsizing 

will accelerate in future. Times 

are not getting easier for the supplier 

industry, especially as – to comply with 

future exhaust limit thresholds – pollution 

emission values will have to be reduced 

by another 50% and fuel consumption 

by about 20% although car 

manufacturers demand lower prices 

despite the technological advances 

made. Seipler remarked that these requirements 

can only be met if the 

group continues to grow. 

Which innovations are on the horizon 

for the piston sector? Kolbenschmidt’s 

diesel piston with potted 

cooling channel is to be installed in 

the 1.9 liter VW TDI with 110kW/150 hp. 

A relatively new product from Marinette 

is the articulated piston for utility 

vehicle diesel engines, out of which 

the pure steel piston will be derived: 

16 

Certified machine operator Bonnie Dobbin, who has been 

with Karl Schmidt Unisia Inc. (KUS) in Marinette since 

1986, at the automatic final inspection station, checking 

out the Saturn piston for General Motors. 

this will probably go into series-production 

in about seven to ten years time. 

For VW, Kolbenschmidt has also 

developed the piston for the direct injection 

gasoline engine (FSI) which 

features a complicated crown surface 

to support the combustion process. 

This system will allow fuel savings of 

about 15 percent. Other projects include 

high heat-resistant aluminum alloys, 

coatings and composites with 

other materials. These examples illustrate 

just some of the many different 

tasks for the next decade. Even before 

the decade is over, spark ignition and 

diesel engines will work with homogenous 

combustion and emit practically 

no pollutants whatsoever. 

Kolbenschmidt Pierburg’s commitment 

in the USA has been a major 

step, rendered possible by the technologies 

developed in Germany. The 

group’s plants in the USA will only continue 

to show above-average performance 

if the parent company in Germany 

continues to create innovative 

products. And this is something we 

are pretty certain about. 

Christian Bartsch

Order backlog 

up 16 percent 

Neuss. Jagenberg AG, Neuss, supplier 

to the international paper, film, 

foil production and conversion companies, 

has shown a significant increase 

in order intake during the year 

2000. As of September 30, 2000, Jagenberg’s 

order influx had grown 5.8 

percent over the year-earlier € 258.8 

million to reach € 299.6 million. As a 

consequence, orders on hand as of 

Newsline 

A partner of the armed forces and industry – Rheinmetall DeTec 

Poland – a strategic market 

Warsaw/Ratingen. The fall of the 

Iron Curtain, the reunification of Germany, 

the collapse of the Soviet Union 

and the disappearance of the Warsaw 

Pact have fundamentally changed the 

boundary conditions for the armed forces 

of Germany and Poland alike, and 

for the defence industries of these nations. 

Poland has become an important 

military ally of Germany within NA- 

TO and – as a future member of the European 

Union – has also developed into 

a significant economic partner. 

The development of the market in 

Poland has been and will be determined 

very largely by the following factors: 

Poland became a member of NA- 

TO on 12 March 1999; Poland has applied 

for membership in the EU and 

under the six-year plan announced by 

the Polish defence minister, decisions 

are due shortly on the procurement of 

new military systems and the upgrading 

of existing systems. 

Based on the regulations (issued by 

the council of ministers on 17 November 

1999) governing the reorganization 

of the Polish defence industry, consisting 

of 37 government-owned companies, 

ten research institutes, twelve 

maintenance establishments and 

three trading companies and also on 

the privatization initiative, cooperation 

ventures with the Polish industry 

now have an entirely different framework. 

Privatization is an important 

step towards becoming fit for international 

competition and cooperation. 

Amounting to about 860 million German 

marks, the procurement budget 

for this year is relatively low. Nonetheless, 

given the size of the country, its 

September 30, 2000, gained a very 

heartening 15.6 percent and totaled € 

222 million. In the first three quarters 

of 2000, sales by the Jagenberg group 

grew to € 211.1 million, up 5.8 percent 

over the first nine months of 1999. 

Both divisions, paper technology 

and film/foil technology shared 

equally in this upswing. Thanks to a 

brisk order inflow for slitters and coaters 

as well as major international 

projects, again including contracts 

with well-known North American customers, 

order received by paper 

armed forces with 240,000 soldiers, 

the positive economic development – 

an economic growth of six percent is 

predicted for this year – and the modernization 

and standardization requirements 

of the armed forces, Poland is 

rated as a strategic growth market for 

the defence industry. 

As a partner of the armed forces and 

the industry of Poland, Rheinmetall 

DeTec AG is actively committed to the 

Distinguished by the Polish “Defender”: the observation 

and reconnaissance equipment BAA from STN Atlas Elektronik 

GmbH. Pictured here is the advanced opto-electronic 

observation and reconnaissance system forming part 

of the reconnaissance vehicle MRDM2. 

Polish market. The medium to long 

term strategy of the Rheinmetall DeTec 

group is: 

★ to tap sales potential on new markets 

by offering innovative, affordable 

products tailored to the relevant requirements 

★ to improve the international competitiveness 

by means of alliances, mergers 

and acquisitions. 

This will also help to strengthen the 

integration and the interoperability of 

17 

technology advanced by around 10 

percent. A steady intake of orders in 

the USA and the rebounding Asian 

markets meant that orders booked by 

film/foil technology jumped by as 

much as 18 percent over 1999. 

For the whole of 2000, Jagenberg 

expects an order gain of over 20 percent 

compared with 1999. With international 

markets for specialty machinery 

for the paper, film, and foil industries 

making good recovery, Jagenberg 

AG will be able to launch into fiscal 

2001 with a solid order backlog. 

Poland in the alliance and to promote 

cooperation in the defence industry. 

Poland has been an important customer 

of Oerlikon Contraves for seven 

years; the latter entered into an important 

strategic cooperation with the prime 

contractor Radwar (Warsaw) to improve 

the combat effectiveness of the 

Loara air defence system. In addition to 

this, the 35 mm gun of Oerlikon Contraves 

is being built under license by the 

Polish company Huta 

Stalowa Wola in Stalowa 

Wola. The observation 

and reconnaissance 

equipment BAA 

of STN Atlas Elektronik 

GmbH has been selected 

to improve the 

performance of the 

Polish reconnaissance 

vehicle BRDM2; 

this order has been 

placed by the Polish 

prime contractor WZM 

Siemanowice (Siemanowice). 

MaK (Kiel), recently 

incorporated in the 

new company Rheinmetall 

Landsysteme GmbH, has entered 

into a marketing cooperation for 

armored vehicles with the Polish company 

Bumar Labedy (Gleiwitz). 

The members of the Rheinmetall De- 

Tec group will continue to offer their 

competence in the defence systems 

and services sector as a partner of the 

armed forces and industry of Poland. 

Dieter Hanel* 

*Dieter Hanel (55) is the marketing manager of MaK 

System Gesellschaft mbH, Kiel, which was recently 

integrated in Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH.

Newsline 

Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH in Kiel delivered 100th air start unit 

International success 

after only a few years 

Kiel. A milestone: Rheinmetall Landsysteme 

GmbH recently handed over 

the 100th air start unit. It is the tenth 

unit of this type delivered to Saudi Arabian 

Airlines which had placed the order 

following the highly successful 

operation of the seven air start units 

already delivered last year. When all 

units under the present order have been 

delivered, Saudi Arabian Airlines 

will have a total of 26 MSU 400, one of 

the new units being intended for the 

Royal Fleet of the Kingdom of Saudi 

Arabia. The air start unit is a gas turbine 

driven ground support equipment 

used to start the engines of aircraft 

whose onboard power supply is inoperative. 

Since 1976, the company has been 

working on the integration of gas turbine 

units developed for airborne applications 

into military and commercial 

ground equipment. It soon became apparent 

that the necessary peripheral assemblies 

such as 

gear box, fuel control, 

and electronic 

control unit could 

be implemented 

much more economically 

on the basis 

of vehicle-specific 

know-how. 

For numerous military 

programs, 

Rheinmetall Landsysteme 

GmbH 

developed auxiliary 

power units 

(APU) for modern 

military vehicles 

using both airborne 

components 

such as parts of 

the gas turbine and the company’s expertise 

in this sector. The Leopard 2 

and M1 Abrams main battle tanks were 

equipped with prototype APUs, 

whereas the South Korean Armored 

Recovery Vehicles K 1 were equipped 

with series-produced APUs. These 

units were developed and built in a 

close cooperation with Hamilton 

Sundstrand, USA, one of the top manufacturers 

of APUs for aviation. 

At the beginning of the 1990s, experts 

in Kiel started to examine the 

possibilities of using this special knowledge 

in commercial programs as 

well. Investigations were conducted 

into the various possible applications, 

such as in the field of cogeneration power 

plants, stand-by power supply for 

high speed trains and ships. 

The result of a study showed that not 

only increasing quantities but also performance-enhanced 

ground support 

equipment would be required by the 

growing market for civil aviation and 

the new generation of aircraft which 

was at that time due to be introduced. 

In particular, there was a demand for 

air start units for the new generation of 

aircraft engines. Two or even three 

units of the equipment that was in service 

then were needed to start the engines 

reliably. The Kiel based company 

succeeded in developing a much more 

powerful air start unit, the MSU 200 

Used at many airports around the world: the air start unit of Rheinmetall Landsysteme 

GmbH (Kiel). The 100th ASU was handed over to Saudi Arabian Airlines. 

and 400, using Sundstrand’s gas turbine 

APS 2000 and the APU of the 

Boeing 737-300, -400, -500. MaK’s air 

start unit MSU 200 is capable of starting 

all aircraft engines of the Airbus family 

and the Boeing family up to B 747- 

400, while the twin unit MSU 400 can 

even start all known engines of existing 

and future generations of aircraft. 

The company belonging to Rheinmetall’s 

Defence sector started develo- 

18 

Justifiably proud of the 100th air start 

unit: the ASU production team. 

ping its air start unit in April 1995. Only 

one year later, the first production unit 

was delivered to Leipzig airport. Another 

six air start units were delivered to 

various European customers in 1996. 

And in 1997, the company finally succeeded 

in selling the first unit to a customer 

in the USA. This was the beginning 

of the worldwide marketing of the 

air start unit. Presentations of the 

unit’s capabilities, characteristics, efficiency 

and performance by means of a 

demonstrator were carried out for interested 

customers in South-East Asia, 

the Middle East and Scandinavia. 

The good results of these demonstrationsconvinced 

various customers 

and led to 

further contracts. 

In 1998, air start 

units were ordered 

by customers from 

the USA, Saudi 

Arabia, and Scandinavia. 

And the 

company succeeded 

in qualifying 

the MSU 200 as 

the standard 

equipment of SAS 

and the MSU 400 

as the standard 

equipment of Saudi 

Arabian Airlines. 

Meanwhile, air 

start units are in service at airports in 

thirteen different countries on three 

continents. 

The excellent experience which customers 

have gained with the systems 

and the customer-oriented service 

that is provided are the reason why the 

company has managed to assert its 

position internationally against the 

conventional units of the competitors 

in less than five years.

Newsline 

MSI uses electronic trade platform for car components 

TecCom for access via Internet 

Frankfurt/Neckarsulm. TecDoc Informations 

System GmbH of Cologne 

(established in 1994) whose founding 

members included the former Pierburg 

GmbH and Siemens Business 

Services GmbH & Co. OHG (Munich) 

have transformed their e-business 

project TecCom, associated with the 

development and marketing of an electronic 

trade platform for car components, 

into TecCom GmbH (Unterschleißheim). 

Besides the very successful 

electronic catalog on CD-ROM, 

an e-business “branch” solution is 

now also available for the European 

automotive aftermarket, specifically 

for the automotive parts industry and 

parts trade and for repair shops. One 

of the more than 20 renowned European 

supplier companies that founded 

TecCom is MSI Motor Service International 

GmbH. MSI – which was likewise 

established not so long ago – 

recently completed its first and very 

successful exhibit with its two trade 

marks Kolbenschmidt and Pierburg at 

the Automechanika 2000. 

Commenting on the international ecommerce 

initiative entitled TecCom, 

currently covering Pierburg’s entire 

trade program, MSI’s managing director 

Torsten Stiller explains that “this 

modern solution offers a complete 

Subsidiary in Greece 

Athens. STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH now has its own 

subsidiary in Greece. The new 100% subsidiary with its 

headquarters in Athens is a stock corporation, operating 

under the name of STN Atlas (Hellas) Monoprosopi E.P.E. 

The trade name is STN Atlas (Hellas) E.P.E. STN Atlas 

(Hellas) E.P.E was already established in June of this year. 

The main purpose of the company is to look after the interests 

of the parent company in the case of orders from 

the contracting authorities in Greece, and to deal with 

the related offset agreements. Like many other countries, 

Greece has regulations specifying that governmental 

orders should preferably be placed with Greek 

companies. These requirements also apply to Greek subsidiaries 

of foreign companies to the extent that Greek 

persons are employed by the subsidiary. This applies to 

STN Atlas (Hellas) E.P.E. For STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH, 

this new subsidiary is another step towards the greater 

internationalization and globalization of the company, 

at the same time allowing for the justifiable interests of 

the purchasing countries which are demanding the appropriate 

involvement of their local industries. 

Also available via the Internet thanks 

to TecCom: Pierburg’s system program 

from MSI Motor Service International 

GmbH. 

and comprehensive system with 

which our business processes can be 

included in our logistic system even 

faster and even more cost effectively 

than in the past. Pierburg products 

contained in the electronic parts catalog 

can now be ordered via the Internet; 

in addition, availability data, price 

and catalog data can be transmitted. 

Moreover, MSI can now send its 

customers delivery note and invoice 

data electronically. In other words: 

19 

this new e-commerce concept developed 

out of the electronic portal Tec- 

Doc and the electronic marketplace 

TecCom is one of the most effective 

systems of its kind.” MSI’s Kolbenschmidt 

system program will be marketed 

via the new product disk (electronic 

Internet-based product catalog) 

which was also presented at the Automechanika 

2000. 

Looking back: in early 1994 the aftermarket 

division of the (former) company 

Pierburg GmbH was one of the 

founding partners of TecDoc Informations 

System GmbH which has been responsible 

for the concepts, updating 

and marketing of the electronic catalog 

of car parts. The TecDoc database 

on CD-ROM which is updated every 

three months is a real “hit”. According 

to figures published by the Colognebased 

company, more than 15,000 

CDs are distributed throughout Europe 

per quarter. These CDs contain the catalog 

data of the automotive supplier 

industry in electronic form, with more 

than half a million articles from more 

than 100 manufacturers, of which some 

90,000 are provided with illustrations. 

Added to this, about 10,000 CD- 

ROMs are based on the vehicle park 

and search structure of the TecDoc export 

version. 

150th scanner for USA 

Jena. Heimann Biometric Systems GmbH (HBS), one of 

the leading manufacturers of technology for the digital 

capturing of fingerprints in police applications recently delivered 

the 150th scanner of the LS1/P+ Livescanner type 

since series production was launched in the fall of 1999. 

The scanner was shipped to Sagem Morpho Inc. (Tacoma/USA), 

a long-time OEM customer and one of the 

pioneers regarding the integration of advanced HBS finger 

and palm scan technology into AFIS automatic fingerprint 

identification systems. In the words of Dr. Bernd Reinhold, 

president of HBS: “With 150 LS1/P+ (the FBI certified, international 

scanner version) and another 500 LS1/P (the specific 

scanner version developed for the Japanese market) 

sold to many users and countries all over the world, HBS 

has established itself as a permanent and reliable key 

source of this kind of product on the market. We are proud 

to see that our strong development efforts over the last 

years and our customer-oriented commitment paid off so 

well. This would not have been possible so quickly without 

the help and demands from our partners, amongst them 

Sagem Morpho Inc. is playing an important role.”

Newsline 

Successful product development at Heimann Systems GmbH (Wiesbaden) 

ProLine system sets 

standards for future 

Wiesbaden. Omnipresent at the 

World Exposition Expo 2000 and in 

daily use in 150 different countries all 

over the world: X-ray inspection systems 

from Heimann Systems GmbH, a 

member of the Aditron group. ProLine, 

the most recent system concept from 

the company has once again set standards 

in radiographic screening technology. 

ProLine is distinguished by modern 

image processing functions, an 

optimized working environment and 

an attractive design. Based on its new 

modular system concept, the Wiesbaden-based 

company will be able to further 

expand its market leadership in 

the field of X-ray screening equipment 

for persons and baggage at airports. 

The new system is not only trend-setting 

– its development has also given 

further impetus and incentives for the 

future. 

In view of growing competition especially 

on the American market, Heimann 

Systems GmbH 

decided in 1996 to 

adopt a new approach 

to product development. 

Focusing on 

cost saving aspects, a 

project team was set 

up to perform an 

indepth analysis of 

X-ray screening equipment 

for baggage. 

Stefan Aust, Heimann 

Systems product manager 

for baggage 

screening equipment, 

points out that “longterm 

aspects and considerations 

had to be 

taken into account due to the seven to 

ten year functional cycle of such systems. 

This meant that future market 

requirements had to be identified.” An 

intensive exchange of information therefore 

took place between the team 

members of Heimann Systems and external 

authorities, ultimately resulting 

in an entirely new system generation. 

Commenting on the initial stages of 

project work in the team, Aust explains 

that “to start off with, we got together 

with all involved: this group consisted 

of representatives from the relevant 

authorities, airport operators and security 

personnel as the actual operators 

of the equipment. The different requirements 

and concepts of the individual 

groups were defined in the course 

of the discussions held.” 

At the same time, the “stress” research 

group of the institute for research 

and development of industrial medicine 

at Heidelberg University prepared 

an expertise on ergonomic requirements 

relating to X-ray screening 

equipment used at airports. The study 

(commissioned by Heimann Systems) 

conducted under the leadership of Professor 

Horst Meyer indicated various 

deficits regarding the ergonomic design 

of the working places – for instance, 

no arm rests were provided at 

that time or the stand casing did not offer 

enough foot space. The experts 

from Heidelberg came to the conclusion 

that an adjustable system would be 

recommendable. 

Heimann Systems’ advanced ProLine system concept: the flexible modular 

system providing an optimized working place design for baggage screening 

personnel has been well received on the market. 

Remarking on the significance of the 

research order, Aust pointed out that 

conventional ergonomic designs of systems 

installed at airports revealed 

considerable weaknesses. The harmonization 

of European regulations on the 

protection of health and industrial safety 

has made the ergonomic design of 

working places used to screen baggage 

at airports all the more essential. Industrial 

designers were therefore engaged 

in order to develop new possibilities of 

achieving an aesthetic design coupled 

with a greater system flexibility. 

20 

The excellent cooperation of the team 

members with each other and with experts 

from outside the company boosted 

the creativity of all involved. New 

ideas were developed and introduced 

under the responsibility of team members 

and without time pressure. This 

unique form of product development 

gave rise to an innovative overall solution 

which, as a modular system, can 

be adapted to the individual requirements 

of customers. 

The new operator-oriented concept of 

the working environment has a direct 

impact on the quality of security 

checks. Aust emphasizes that higher 

passenger volumes and greater quantities 

of baggage have increased the 

psychological pressure on security personnel. 

System operators have to decide 

within a matter of seconds whether 

or not the screened baggage presents 

a potential threat. This is why it is particularly 

important to give due consideration 

to the “human factor”. 

Optimum support from security personnel 

was therefore essential during 

product development. Different assignments 

and job rotation have necessitated 

a greater system flexibility and the 

ability to adjust systems to different 

persons. This has been 

achieved by providing 

an electrical height-adjustment 

feature allowing 

easy adjustment 

and by implementing 

an adjustable backsupport 

to relieve the 

strain on the operator’s 

back. The HITraX system 

technology with 

an entirely new online 

image analysis process 

is a further contributing 

factor. Another asset is 

that the new system reduces 

screening times 

considerably. 

By virtue of its advanced technology 

and high reliability, ProLine is ideally 

tailored to working requirements in 

high-security screening areas. About 

one quarter of baggage screening systems 

from Heimann Systems has been 

equipped with these options for ergonomic 

working places, and the trend 

continues to be positive. Aust concludes 

that Heimann Systems has created 

a trend-setting system with its new Pro- 

Line equipment generation, which was 

patented by the German patent office in 

Munich on 21 June 2000.

Newsline 

David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award 

Innovative cooperation 

and cost efficiency 

Washington/Zurich/Oberndorf. Oerlikon 

Contraves Pyrotec AG (OCP) and 

Mauser Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme 

GmbH (MWO) along with other 

companies have received the 1999 David 

Packard Excellence in Acquisition 

Award from the US Under Secretary of 

Defense for Acquisition, Technology 

Advanced amphibious assault vehicle of US Marine Corps. 

and Logistics. Christoph Panek (Mauser 

Werke), Oskar Brodmann and Allan 

Buckley (both from Oerlikon Contraves 

Pyrotec) accepted the certificate on 

behalf of Rheinmetall DeTec AG. 

This distinction is awarded once a 

year to mark extraordinary acquisition 

projects in the defence sector. In 1999, 

the award was given for the innovative 

cooperation and cost-efficient approach 

relating to the procurement of a 

new weapon system (gun turret) and 

the related ammunition for the advanced 

amphibious assault vehicle (AAAV) 

of the US Marine Corps. As possible 

suppliers of the ammunition, OCP and 

Mauser cooperated closely with the responsible 

procurement authorities. 

Their commitment has not only led to 

this award but also resulted in the conclusion 

of a contract for the delivery of 

the ammunition for test purposes. 

The AAAV procurement project was 

launched in the early nineties. At that 

time, the US Marine 

Corps decided 

that the existing, 

traditional amphibious 

vehicles 

should be replaced. 

One of the 

main reasons for 

this decision was 

that the vehicles 

have to be brought 

very near to the 

shore by the carrier 

ship of the US 

Navy, a fact which 

obviously reduces 

the surprise effect 

quite considerably 

and makes troops 

and vehicles far 

more susceptible to hostile attacks. 

The new AAAV will be launched at a 

greater distance where it is not visible 

from the shore and can then move on 

the water’s surface towards the coastline 

at a speed of 30 knots, even in 

stormy seas. Once the vehicle has arrived 

on shore, it then drives on land 

and continues its mission as a conventional 

armored assault vehicle. The 33 

ton heavy vehicle requires a crew of 

three and can transport 18 fully equipped 

soldiers. The AAAV trial period of 

several years currently taking place also 

involves technical ammunition 

tests and service trials. 

Oerlikon Contraves Pyrotec AG and Mauser Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme 

GmbH have proposed this ammunition for the AAAV: a long arrow projectile made 

from heavy metal with a driving band integrated in the plastic covering. The projectile 

is capable of penetrating solid and special armor of considerable thickness. 

21 

The Greek army will receive 54 Short 

Range Air Defence Systems (Shorad) 

from STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH 

(Bremen). The system will consist of 

the weapon system with entire 

opto-electronics as well as the radio 

equipment. It will be integrated on 

vehicles of the type “Wolf”, to be 

built under a license agreement by 

the Greek company ELBO. 

Shorad systems 

for Greek army 

Athens/Bremen. The Greek army 

will receive 54 Short Range Air Defence 

Systems (Shorad) from STN 

Atlas Elektronik GmbH. The related 

contracts were recently signed with 

the Greek Defence Agency (GDA) in 

Athens. The order has a total value 

of 134 million €. Deliveries are 

scheduled to commence in the second 

half of the year 2002. The contract 

includes a cooperation agreement 

with the Greek partner EBO as 

well as extensive offset agreements. 

The order represents a further 

milestone with regard to the 

international marketing of the 

export variants of the German light 

air defence system LeFlaSys which 

is being series-produced in Germany. 

The Greek systems of the type 

ASRAD Hellas (Atlas Short Range 

Air Defence) will consist of the weapon 

system with the entire opto-electronics 

as well as the radio 

equipment. It will be integrated on 

vehicles of the type “Wolf”, to be 

built under a license agreement by 

the Greek company ELBO. The order 

also covers the training facilities 

in form of a classroom simulator 

as well as three on-board simulation 

systems from the Simulation 

Systems division of STN Atlas Elektronik.

Newsline 

GM distinction awarded to KS Pistões Ltda. 

Brazilian subsidiary 

is Supplier of the Year 

Detroit/Nova Odessa. High praise 

from a competent authority and also a 

premiere for Kolbenschmidt Pierburg’s 

piston division: KS Pistões Ltda. in Nova 

Odessa, a Brazilian subsidiary of KS 

Kolbenschmidt GmbH (Neckarsulm), 

has received the 1999 Supplier of the 

Year award from General Motors Corp. 

(GM/Detroit). This prestigious award, 

celebrating its eighth consecutive 

year, is given annually by the world’s 

biggest carmaker to its best global 

suppliers in recognition of their superior 

performance during the previous 

year. KS Pistões – the piston manufacturer 

was proposed directly by the GM 

subsidiary Opel – received the distinction 

for its 1.8 l piston which is delivered 

to Opel’s engine plant in Hungary. 

Hosting the event, Harold R. Kutner, 

group vice president of GM responsible 

for worldwide purchasing and 

North American production control 

and logistics, remarked that KS 

Pist_es is “one of 

our best and brightest 

suppliers. It is 

an honor to have 

them working with 

us. Their contributions 

to General 

Motor’s overall 

success are immeasurable. 

We 

look upon the Supplier 

of the Year 

award as an impor- 

tant recognition of 

their value as an 

automotive industry 

supplier.” 

An assessment 

which Rajczy, commercial 

director of 

KS Pistões Ltda 

was proud to confirm: 

“This is the 

first time that the 

Automotive sector’s piston division 

has received this highly coveted award 

from General Motors. The excellence 

of quality, logistics service and cost effectiveness 

offered by KS Pistões in 

connection with the very intensive 

technical and commercial support 

Clearly delighted with the award: 

Americo Rajczy (c), commercial director 

of KS Pistões Ltda. in Nova Odessa 

in the federal state of Saõ Paulõ. Shown 

with him are Hans H. Demant (l), 

executive director international development 

center and member of the 

executive board of Adam Opel AG (l) 

and Frank L. Colvin, vice president engineering, 

General Motors Europe. 

from our headquarters KS Kolbenschmidt 

GmbH in Neckarsulm fulfilled 

our customer’s expectations and has 

now been recognized by the prestigious 

1999 Supplier of the Year award. 

We are all proud of this award which, 

amongst other things, makes us stand 

out in the Brazilian market and motivates 

us – and naturally all others, too – 

to reach even greater levels of customer 

satisfaction.” 

The GM Supplier of the Year award 

began as a global program in 1992. 

Award-winners are selected by a global 

team of executives from purchasing, 

engineering, manufacturing and 

logistics who base their decisions on 

supplier performance in quality, service, 

technology and price. This year, 

General Motors honored 181 suppliers 

from 22 countries for their excellence 

throughout 1999; thirteen winners were 

from Brazil. Commenting on the nomination 

which is quite remarkable, 

Rajczy pointed out 

that “the GM subsidiary 

in Brazil 

had nominated 

twelve local suppliers; 

we were the 

only Brazilian company 

proposed by 

Opel.” 

KS Pistões Ltda., 

a member of the 

Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg group, 

has been operating 

in Brazil since 

1968. The company 

which has a 

workforce of some 

1250 employees 

will produce approximately 

14 million 

pistons this year – 

a new record for 

the site (+ 18.6 % 

compared to 1999). 70 % of the products 

are exported to Europe, the USA, 

Mexico and Australia. An important 

share of KS Pistões’ production is 

shipped to companies belonging to 

the international General Motors 

group. 

22 

The new C-class of Mercedes-Benz: 

Kolbenschmidt-Pierburg have once 

again delivered components and systems 

for every aspect of the engine. 

Automotive in 

new C-class 

Stuttgart/Neckarsulm/Neuss. Dynamism 

and driving pleasure: these 

are the outstanding features of the 

C-class automobiles from Mercedes 

Benz (which is a member of the 

DaimlerChrysler group) – and many 

of the components are from Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg. Recently, the new 

C-class from Mercedes Benz celebrated 

its international premiere after 

a development period of four 

years and investments totaling approx. 

1.36 billion euros. 

This also signaled the launch of a 

whole package of technical innovations 

which the manufacturer 

claims are unequalled in this segment 

of the market: never before 

has such a strong emphasis been 

laid on safety and comfort in this 

class of automobile; and added to 

this, the new C-class guarantees 

utmost dynamism and driving pleasure. 

One of the partners contributing to 

these innovations with its technical 

products and technological knowhow 

is – once again – the Automotive 

sector of the Rheinmetall group. 

In fact, the new limousine has a quite 

a number of components and modules 

from Kolbenschmidt Pierburg 

under its bonnet. The ultra-light magnesium 

intake manifold for the 6cylinder 

engines is delivered by the 

air supply division of Kolbenschmidt 

Pierburg. The EGR mixing chamber, 

the air mass sensor and the new intelligent 

electrical drive module 

EDM-I all help to reduce pollutant 

emissions. The new high-pressure 

side channel pump warrants a reliable 

supply of fuel even under extreme 

driving conditions.

Newsline 

Mass deacidification facility inaugurated at Wimmis 

Cultural treasures 

preserved for the future 

Wimmis. The red carpet is rolled out 

in Wimmis (in the Bernese Oberland): 

On 1 September 2000, the world’s biggest 

and most modern mass deacidification 

facility for paper was inaugurated 

at Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, Switzerland. 

Persons attending the event 

included Ruth Dreifuss from the federal 

assembly, officials from libraries 

and archives and representatives from 

Ruth Dreifuss from the federal assembly discussing the significance 

of paper deacidification with Gregor Stockmannn 

(r), chairman of the management board of Nitrochemie AG 

and fellow board member Beat Steuri (l). 

trade and industry, political and cultural 

groups. 

Paper which has been manufactured 

on an industrial scale since the middle 

of the nineteenth century is susceptible 

to acid-induced decay owing to 

the chemical treatment applied. The 

cultural treasures contained in the old 

documents and books will decompose 

unless they are preserved. In the 

course of the last thirty years, libraries 

and archives have come to realize that 

the problem of acid-induced decay 

can no longer be resolved with individual 

conservation measures but that a 

mass solution to the problem must be 

sought. Ultimately, this realization 

prompted a joint governmental and 

private initiative in Switzerland to preserve 

precious cultural assets for future 

generations. 

Visitors attending the inauguration 

at Nitrochemie Wimmis AG were offered 

a festive program: after the musical 

introduction, Gregor Stockmann, 

chairman of the management board of 

Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, welcomed 

the guests. In his opening speech, he 

pointed out that “working in cooperation 

with Nitrochemie AG, the Swiss 

national library and the Swiss federal 

archives joined forces to launch a 

trend-setting project to preserve our 

cultural assets.” 

Emphasizing the significance of 

mass deacidification 

in Wimmis, Ruth 

Dreifuss from the federal 

assembly remarked: 

“Culture is 

to remember. The 

decay of paper means 

the loss of culture. 

The Swiss national 

library and Swiss 

federal archives alone 

have about 3000 

tons of documents 

endangered by acidinduced 

decay.” 

To preserve these 

documents, the two 

organizations launched 

a joint project 

in 1990 and initiated 

the production of a mass deacidification 

facility for paper in Switzerland. The 

government-owned facility is operated 

by Nitrochemie Wimmis AG (Wimmis) 

which has the necessary know-how 

and also has a certified quality and environment 

management system. In the 

words of Beat Steuri, a board member 

alongside Stockmann: “Although originally 

a business specializing in mili- 

Robert Guyer at the control monitors 

of the computer-controlled system. 

23 

Paper (produced on an industrial scale 

since 1850) is prone to acid-induced 

decay. Paper deacidification is the only 

method to preserve documents. 

tary materials, Nitrochemie Wimmis 

AG also operates in the civil sector 

with an emphasis on chemical activities 

– a capability that is particularly 

important for mass deacidification, especially 

regarding the chemistry of cellulose 

fiber, the base material used in 

paper production.” To attain the high 

quality standards demanded by the 

national library and federal archives of 

Switzerland, the Swiss system was 

technically improved, advanced and 

extended to include a reconditioning 

system (the so-called “papersave 

swiss” method). 

The facility operating according to 

the Battelle method is designed to 

handle a capacity of 120 tons per year. 

It consists of two treatment chambers, 

each with a volume of about ten cubic 

meters, the related process technology 

and a tank store for storage and 

preparation of the chemicals used for 

treatment. Depending on the format, 

16 to 20 running meters of books or 

documents weighing between 450 

and 900 kg can be treated in one 

batch per treatment chamber. The system 

is controlled and monitored by 

computers. 

The facility which was already taken 

into operation in March this year allows 

the national library and federal archives 

each to have 40 tons of archived 

material and books deacidified 

every year. In addition to the twothirds 

capacity employed by these two 

institutions, one third (approximately 

40 tons) will be available for public 

and private archives in Switzerland 

and neighboring countries. 

In the opinion of Stockmann, the 

“mass deacidification facility is a good 

example of a successful public-private 

partnership project. This is also reflected 

by the five new jobs created at 

Nitrochemie Wimmis AG as a result of 

this project.”

AESTHETIC VIEWS as seen by the 

artist. Two prominent German photographers 

have once again captured 

many surprising effects and artistic 

motifs. The photos presenting various 

defense products from Rheinmetall 

DeTec AG and its subsidiaries will be 

included in the calendar for the year 

2001 and will also be used to visualize 

the products of the Defence sector, 

especially also within the scope of 

international marketing activities.

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