Woco Group Magazine - 41

woco2

W o c o G r o u p M a g a z i n e

Number 41 | August 2008 | ENGLISH

CO2 – A TOPIC THATAFFECTS ALL OF USWhat has climate change to do with the automobile?

FUTURE TRENDSDrives and energy sources

INDUSTRIAL ANTI-VIBRATIONSYSTEMS IAV – a business unit introduces itself

Powered by instinct.

CO2 –Market opportunities

EDITORIAL

2 WOCO Magazine 41/2008

Martin Wolf

Dear Staff Members and Employees,

domain and represent some of the most promising conceptswhen it comes to attaining future success.

Taking the car as a whole, numerous approaches canbe identified for CO2 reduction and energy efficiency enhancement.

Woco is a prominent player when it comes to productsand cutting-edge solutions in the areas of powertrain mea-sures, air-resistance reduction and lightweight construction.

It is our desire to confront the challenges of futuretechnologies shoulder to shoulder with our customers. In the light of sophisticated CO2 specifications and the increasing scarcity of fossil fuels, we want to help ensure individual mobility in the future.

We will continue to invest heavily in product deve-lopment and the manufacture of these products in this field.These efforts will help to secure our future!

Sincerely,

Our efforts concerning productivity improvement in coreprocesses, focusing of our product portfolio, effective con-trol of our production locations, efficient management of ourstocks and improvement of our purchasing performancehave borne fruit during the first half of 2008. Although wehave been committed to these additional activities, we havenevertheless managed to exceed our turnover and perform-ance targets.

The partners and management would therefore liketo express their heartfelt thanks to all our employees. Letus continue to demonstrate the same courage and determi-nation for the second half of the year. We wish to continuethis success with your help!

Suppliers powering innovationA current study conducted by the Stifterverband für dieDeutsche Wissenschaft, an association of benefactors in theGerman scientific community, recently emphasized that German car suppliers are among the leaders when it comesto speed of innovation. The main innovations today emergefrom the supply industry.

Innovative suppliers provide additional growth potential, particularly with developments such as the reduction of exhaust emissions and fuel consumption. CleanDiesel, Bluetech, Bluemotion are all within a German

CONTENTS

3WOCO Magazine 41/2008

2 EDITORIAL

3 CONTENTS

4 CO2 – A TOPIC THAT AFFECTS ALL OF USWHAT HAS CLIMATE CHANGE TO DO WITH THE AUTOMOBILE?

7 EXPLOITING WIND POWEREFFBE-URELAST – USE IN WIND POWER GENERATORS

8 FUTURE TRENDS DRIVES AND ENERGY SOURCES

12 WOCO ENERGY FOXESEVEN SIMPLE MEASURES REDUCE POWER CONSUMPTION

14 INDUSTRIAL ANTI-VIBRATION SYSTEMSIAV – A BUSINESS UNIT INTRODUCES ITSELF

16 SUCCESS AND VISION FROM A CLEAR PERSPECTIVEINTRODUCTION OF PRODUCT PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS

18 CLIMATE CHANGE? CLIMATE CATASTROPHE? WOCO EMPLOYEES ON THE TOPIC OF CO2 REDUCTION

21 CONTROLLING – FROM THEORY TO PRACTICETRAINING REPORT FROM MARC-ANDRÉ WEBER

22 COMPETENCY MANAGEMENTWHAT’S REALLY BEHIND THIS?

24 TELEGRAM

24 IMPRINT

4

8

12

14

22

Powered by instinct.

CO2

woco INSIDE

Emissions ConsumptionPerformanceHybridDiesel

CostConsumptionEmissionsEnergyHybrid

CostMobilityDiesel

Emissions ConsumptionComfortHybrid

CO2 + consumptionEmissions Alternative fuels

+4,4%+4,4%

+24,9%+24,9%

North America

Growth prediction for 2005 – 2015

CostFlex Fuel

Europe

Japan

China

Latin America

India

Global markets – trends and challenges

+8,8%+8,8%+41,6%+41,6%

What has climate change to do with the automobile?

Everybody is suddenly talking about climate change: scientists, politicians, journalists.The scientific community warns us that we apparently only have a few decades to save

our global climate. If we do not succeed in changing our lives by then and reduce the stress onour environment, we could seriously upset the climate balance. Climate researchers say thatthe polar ice caps will melt, island archipelagos will sink below the sea and major storms andflooding will suddenly become normal even in Germany. Other countries, such as Spain, willbecome so hot that it will be impossible to live there in summer.

–a topic thatOther scientists consider this horror scenario to be agross exaggeration. The climate is changing as part of a nat-ural development. We used to have ice ages where all ofNorthern Europe became uninhabitable. The ice sheetsreached as far as Germany during this era. The eventual risein temperature led to melting of the ice. This is all part of thenature of the climate beast. Regardless of which scientistone chooses to believe, one thing is certain: the climate is

changing. And, contrary to changes in the past, this devel-opment is almost exclusively the result of us human beingsand the manner in which we live.

What exactly is climate?“Climate” originates from the Greek word “klima” whichmeans “heavenly region”. The modern interpretation of thisword is as a term for the weather in a particular region over

several years, decades or centuries. Weather is therefore a short-term phenomenon, whereas cli-mate defines a long-term occurrence.

How people change the climateWe are all responsible for the increasing rapidity ofclimate change and global warming. We contributeto these developments through our increased con-sumption of energy. An example of this is our demand for enormous volumes of electricity andpetrol. These in turn are generated from coal, crudeoil or natural gas – so-called fossil energy sources.Problems arise when we use these, with combustionof these fuels releasing carbon dioxide (CO2), a gasthat accelerates global warming, contributing heav-ily as it does to the so-called greenhouse effect.

One thing, however, is certain. The naturalgreenhouse effect played a vital role in the beginningsof life on Earth. A variety of gases act like the panes of


woco INSIDE

WOCO Magazine 41/2008 5

affects all of usa greenhouse in the atmosphere (i.e. the layer of air surround-ing the Earth). They permit the sun’s rays to penetrate throughto the Earth and trap part of the ensuing heat. The most important greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane,chlorofluorocarbons and nitrous oxide (laughing gas).

In this way, the greenhouse effect can be consideredto act as an air conditioning system for our planet.However, this system has unfortunately beendestabilized by the increase in our demandsfor energy. We humans beings expel somuch pollution into the atmosphere that itis becoming increasingly impermeable. As a result, excess heat can no longer dissipate into space, leading to the rise intemperature already mentioned and all theconsequences associated with this.

The most important greenhouse gases:

Carbon dioxideCarbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless and odorless gas and, isin fact, quite harmless. Current difficulties arise from the factthat there is now simply too much of it in the air. When youbreathe, you exhale CO2 – but this is not the problem. It isproduced in harmful quantities when coal, oil and gas areburnt – in other words, when people heat, cook, drive or fly.CO2 is created in power station and during slash-and-burnland clearance in large forested areas.

MethaneMethane (CH4) is created in agriculture, primarily through intensive livestockfarming (e.g. when cows belch during rumination). Sewage works and garbagedumps also emit methane. The volume of methane in the atmosphere today isthree times greater than the levels prior to industrialization and the introductionof intensive livestock farming.

Nitrous oxideNitrous oxide (N2O), also known as laughing gas, is emitted dur-

ing livestock farming, from oil, gas and coal-fired power stations,road traffic and through excessive use of fertilizer. It remains in the atmosphere for a very long period and has a negative influence on the greenhouse effect.

ChlorofluorocarbonsChlorofluorocarbons (CFC) are present as coolants in old refrig-

erators or as a propellant in spray cans. Use of CFCs has been prohibited for more than ten years.

What will happen to the climate in the future? Scientists agree thataverage temperatures will rise in the next few decades. This will possibly involve anincrease of only one degree, but may be as high as six degrees. This all depends onone decisive factor: whether we all take on the responsibility for our environment.

Climate change and the automobileClimate change and CO2 have in recent years become a focus of public interest,particularly in connection with the automobile. The rapid world-wide growth in mobility has simultaneously given rise to enormous challenges. Examples of these are:

Contradictory demands in vehicle development

Ecology / EconomyMobility / Comfort

Greater safety and comfort

Higher driving performance

Greater innovation

Greater quality and more attractive designs

Larger interior space

Custom-made vehicle

Lower weight

Lower fuel consumption andlower emissions

Higher degree of reliability

Lower price

Compact external dimensions

Cost-effectiveness

**

**

**

**

**

**

*****

*****

****

****

Development of drives Optimization for vehicleLight constructionThermal energy managementOptimal electricity consumption in vehicleEnergy recovery / Microhy-bridization

ChargingDownsizingImproved combustion processGearbox optimizationFriction reduction

Fuel-efficient driving routesPredictive switching for automatic gearboxesInnovative gear shift displaysCustomer involvement

Assistance systems for fuel-efficient driving Alternative drives / fuels

HybridFlex fuelNatural gasFuel cellsSynfuel / Sunfuel

Specialist areasCO2 reduction

Sustainable CO2 strategy modules

* the stress engendered in pollution and greenhouse gasemissions

* the finite supply of fossil raw materials

* the impending collapse of road traffic threatening manymegacities

* access to inexpensive, more environmentally-friendly andsafer mobility, even in emerging economies

The automobile industry is therefore constantly encountered in the area of conflict between economics,ecology and mobility. These underlying conditions give riseto the following options when developing a powertrain strat-egy for vehicles:

* A reduction of emissions through increased efficiency

* Regional optimization of powertrain technologies

* Alternative drive concepts

* Use of alternative energies

CO2 and the automobile – an objective considerationIf one were to listen solely to discussions and reports fromthe press and, in particular, the political community, one

could easily be led to be-lieve that the automobileis the main reason for therise in CO2 emissions. Thefollowing figures are onlyprovided to clarify the sit-uation and are not meantas an apology:

Total CO2 emis-sions per year reach a

level of approx. 800 billion tonnes, with 54% being gener-ated to an equal degree by vegetation and the soil. Oceans account for 40 %. About 4% are produced as a result of anthropogenic factors (i.e. the emissions are caused by humans). Of these 4%, approximately 12% are caused bycars and trucks, 24% are produced by domestic fuel andsmall-scale consumers, 25% by power stations and approx-imately 19% by industrial production. All measures relatingto trucks and cars are therefore intended to further reducethe 12% proportion of 4% anthropogenic CO2 emissions.

Consequentially, how can – and should – fields of expertise for achieving sustainable CO2 reduction in the automobile appear?

1. Further development of drives through_ supercharging_ downsizing_ improved combustion process_ transmission optimization_ reduction of friction

2. Vehicle optimization through_ lightweight construction_ thermal energy management_ optimized electrical consumption in the vehicle_ energy recovery / micro hybridisation

3. Auxiliary systems for low-consumption driving_ low-consumption navigation routes_ predictive gear shifting_ innovative shift indication_ customer integration

4. Alternative drives/fuels_ hybrid solutions_ fuel cells_ synthetic/alternative fuels

Five main areas of activity have been identified for achiev-ing CO2 targets of, for example, 130 g/km, in accordance withthe current state of knowledge. These are prioritized as follow,based on possible potential for improvement:

1. Powertrain measures (> 50 %)1. Roll resistance of tyres (approx. 15%)1. cW-value measures (flow around vehicle body, flow

through engine compartment, ...) (approx. 14%)1. Consistent lightweight construction (approx. 13%)1. Reduction of power consumption (approx. 5%)

As a supplier for the automobile industry, Woco pro-vides products and future-orientated, innovative solutions in the areas of system measures, cW-value measures andlightweight construction.

SummaryThe central challenge in future for the automobile industryand suppliers like Woco will be heavily influenced by the de-bates and successes associated with sustained CO2 reduc-tion. The manner in which we care for our environment,globalization of business relationships coupled with the paceat which emerging economies are making ground and thescarcity of natural resources in particular are now more thanever the focus of development. ❚

Dr. Anton Wolf

woco INSIDE


POWERExploiting wind

woco INSIDE

Property profiles and mechanical machinability are alsoexploited in the area of wind energy to produce a molded partthat precisely meets customer requirements.The large-volume rubber/metal bushing widelyused for transmission mounts, ensuring vibra-tion-free mountings, and simultaneously trans-mission torque absorption are replaced by a solution developed with the customer and involving EFFBE-Urelast springs.

Molding preforms (130 – 205 mm) areturned up to the desired height for this purpose, and tilting ofthe material is ruled out in advance through a subsequent mechanical pre-setting.

Alternative energy sources which have been heavilypromoted as a result of the CO2 discussion (particularly windpower) enables us to exploit a booming market and make asmall contribution to the construction of power generators ofthis kind. ❚

Michael Weber

The material sold by us under the name EFFBE–Ure-last is, as already mentioned, a polyurethane manufacturedthrough hot molding. In its classical form, it is a polyurethaneelastomer based on naphtylene – 1.5 – diisocyanate(Desmodur 15), polyester polyol and special sequence extensions. (Source: Bayer Polymers) Two production formsare available on the market:

* solid polyurethane

* cellular Vulkollan

This elastomer is distinguished by numerous excellentproperties which, in combination, enable a broad range ofchallenging applications. The properties profile is as follows:

* dynamic toughness

* excellent resistance to UV radiation, ozone, greaseand oil

* low temperature dependency

* high resistance to wear

* low remaining deformation

* high resilience

* high tear resistance

The molding process allows for a considerable scopein shaping. Mechanical processing is a further characteristicof this material which makes it even more attractive for cus-tomers. Our customers therefore range from tool makerswho use elastomer springs as a stamping and punching stan-dard to machine tool manufacturers who require a moldedpart specified by the machine (emergency stop) and bodypress construction. They are also used as damping strips andfor applications in wind power generators.

EFFBE–Urelast is a molding polyurethane

based on Desmodur 15 (Vulkollan®).

The excellent properties of this material

predestine it for use in different application

cases. From mold to wind power generation.

Design component

made of EFFBE Urelast

Urelast material

as standard

EFFBE–Urelast – use in wind power generators


woco INSIDE


Future trends Prof. Pischinger, we would first like to thank youfor giving us an interesting insight into your dailyworking life. We are greatly fascinated by the im-pressive success story of FEV, advancing as it hasin 30 years from an engineering office to a glob-ally-active partner in the mobility industry with1,700 employees, and one which realizes both ad-vance development projects and serial projects on

a large scale up to market launch. We are looking forward tothe manner in which you will address the questions associ-ated with future mobility for our readers, questions whichwe all find extremely interesting.

WaW: Which types of drive and which energy sources do youconsider as having the best potential for the future?

Professor Stefan Pischinger (SP): The combustion en-gine will continue to be the main drive source for the next 20years. The gasoline and diesel engine will continue to con-verge, with the gasoline engine profiting from the exhaust gasturbocharger, direct injection and automatic ignition, whilethe diesel engine will increasingly exploit homogenous com-bustion. All manufacturers are working on these concepts andhave differing designations for these technologies, an exam-ple being the Diesotto process from Daimler.

The combustion engine is supplemented by the electricmotor, either as hybrid concepts or for special operating con-ditions, or as a purely electric drive. Fuel cells as drives for ve-hicles will not achieve any noteworthy market shares as longas open questions relating to the generation and distributionof hydrogen remain unsolved. In addition to H2 availability,the production costs of fuel cells also need to be reduced considerably.

The question of energy carriers is much more diverse.Petroleum will undoubtedly remain the dominant energysource for the next 20 years. As the combustion engine can utilize practically anything, numerous other fuels will contribute to a reduction of this dominance.

Natural gas occupies a significant position in this re-spect, as its availability is assured for a long period of time, awell-developed distributor network (for domestic fuel) alreadyexists and CO2 emissions will be reduced by 25%. The re-stricted range of these vehicles, on the other hand, must beregarded as a disadvantage. GTL (gas-to-liquid) technologywith its “tailored” diesel fuel enables the achievement of a conventional range and considerably improved emission behavior.

LPG will remain a niche product, as production isclosely linked to the production volume of petrol/diesel, mak-

FEV 1.8l SGT Turbo,

Power: 160 kW,

Torque: 320 Nm,

Vehicle weight:

1,550 kg, CO2 emis-

sion: 145 g/km

Prof. Stefan Pischinger from FEV Motorentechnik GmbH in Aachen providedWe at Woco an interesting insight into his daily working activities. As withWoco, he and his colleagues are heavily involved with the topic of CO2.

FEV = Research Society

for Power Engineering

and Combustion Engines

Drives and energy sources

woco INSIDE


Drives and energy sources

ing an arbitrary increase of the volume impossible. The de-clared objective is the utilization of organic fuels. The first andsecond generation processes currently employed only enablea partial substitution of fossil fuels, as the necessary cultiva-tion area is not available.

Third generation processes are promising when oneconsiders current developments in the Cluster of Excellenceat RWTH Aachen University. Electricity is an interesting source

of energy, but it requires generation in stationary power stations with the known good degrees of efficiency.

The future will be varied. Instead of the simple selec-tion process available to date, which is restricted to gasolineor diesel engines, consumers can expect a multiplicity of alternative drive and fuel combinations.WaW: What influence do underlying political conditions andspecifications have on future developments? (For example,

Along with the reduction of CO2 emissions, the development of cus-

tomer-specific “sounds” constitutes another important task. Highly-

specialized acoustic test benches for the drive section are necessary

for the so-called “sound design”

The future will be varied. The FEV ATAC natural-gas

combustion process can achieve similar power and

torque properties to that associated with diesel but

with a 20 % reduction in CO2 emission

Chairman of the FEV

management board,

Prof. Stefan Pischinger

woco INSIDE


the introduction of quotas for zero-emission vehicles, andlimits on average fuel economy and consumption, which amodel must not exceed.)

SP: The political environment has a considerable influ-ence on future developments. Technical specifica-

tions defined by the political community havenot led to sweeping and long-term success

in the past. An example in this respect isthe promotion of hybrid technology in

the USA. Underlying conditions suchas free utilization of special drivinglanes in agglomerations for car poolsutilizing hybrid vehicles, or directpromotion by large corporations such

as Google which promise each em-ployee a bonus of 5,000 $ if they

purchase a hybrid vehicle, are currentlyresulting in an increase in turnover gener-

ated by the aforementioned technology there, butthere is no hope that this can be sustained in the long-

term in this form. In contrast to this, long-term success is achieved with

targets such as emission standards and CO2 and noise limit values, success which is also evident in retrofitted solutionswith suitable financial incentives. In Europe, controls governingaccess routes in cities will influence the choice of vehicle. Compulsory specifications for emissions and consumption havealways influenced developments and will continue to do so.

Planned limits on average fuel economy and consump-tion will lead to further innovations in vehicle and engine development to ensure that development topics such as fuelconsumption reduction, vehicle weight and the effective treat-ment of exhaust gas are suitably addressed.WaW: Which infrastructure measures are, in your opinion,urgently required if the breakthrough of alternative drivesis to be assisted? The question relates to the followingitems:

* Electricity generation and distribution for electric cars and plug-in hybrids

* Hydrogen production and distribution

* The production of organic fuels (including the procure-ment of raw materials)

SP: Infrastructure enabling the exploitation of naturalgas is very advanced, and a well-developed distributor net-work and filling stations exist for domestic fuel supplies. An important disadvantage is the poor storage capability forthe required energy volume. The development of powerfulstorage plants would be an important step towards ensuringits distribution and eventual acceptance by customers.

Electricity and hydrogen are both energy carriers andnot energy sources, so energy must be utilized to generatethem. Subsequent use is usually associated with a deteriora-tion in efficiency over the entire supply chain. Degrees of effi-ciency in large power stations have reached high levels in thegeneration of electricity.

Options for the utilization of hydrogen represent amuch more difficult situation. Only production from regener-ative energy makes sense here from an ecological point ofview. However, it would be preferential if regenerative ener-gies were utilized initially to generate electricity or produceorganic fuels. Exploitation of power station output for a largenumber of vehicles with electric drives will require a consid-erable expansion of power stations as well as the infra-structure for the distribution of the required volume ofelectricity.

Use of organic fuels must be viewed with ambivalence.On the one hand we have the mostly practical CO2 balance,while on the other, large areas of agricultural land are re-quired, leading to shortages of food especially in developingcountries. First and second generation processes employedto date therefore only appear suitable under certain circum-stances for providing the required volumes of alternativefuels. The approach adopted by the Cluster of Excellence in

The history of successful companies usu-

ally begins in a garage. This probably would

have suited the image of FEV as a company

with close ties to the automobile industry, but:

it was a small apartment in the centre of

Aachen where the company founder, Prof.

Franz Pischinger, tackled the first projects for

a very inexperienced FEV in 1978. As a spin-off

from the chair for applied thermodynamics at

the RWTH Aachen University, highly-motivated

scientists were given the chance to implement

the specialist knowledge they had gained in

research in practical solutions for industry. The

subjects addressed in the first projects still

have an air of topicality about them:

Conversion of a chamber diesel to a di-

rect injection fuel, a gas motor for cogenera-

tion power plants, lean burn engine, alcohol

fuels, hydrogen and weight reduction; fuel

consumption and exhaust gas emissions

were given priority. Car-free Sundays also

contributed to concerns about strategic di-

rection.

Test benches were soon required.

Dr. Manfred Schaffrath, the original managing

director at FEV, reactivated old facilities in

Jülicher Strasse. There were 16 test cells

available 10 years later, the first overseas

location to be set up was in the USA and more

than 300 employees needed more space and

30 years FEV – from research institute

FEV 1.8l SGT Turbo,

Power: 160 kW,

Torque: 320 Nm,

for a vehicle weighing

1,550 kg, a CO2 emis-

sion of 145 g/km was

achieved

The current FEV

premises in Neuen-

hofstrasse (2007)

woco INSIDE


2

3

1

Aachen is much more promising in this respect, with biolo-gists, chemists and engine developers working together on auniversal solution. This involves everything from the selectionof plants to “tailored” engines for new fuels which will be

available in the future. It is important here that the entire plantbe used, and not just the fruit. The provision of third genera-tion organic fuels is therefore the most encouraging approachwhen one considers the measures mentioned. ❚

more test equipment. A site was purchased

in Neuenhofstrasse.

Quantitative growth to a present global

workforce of 1700 employees has gone hand

in hand with qualitative expansion: Although

combustion was initially the centre of atten-

tion of work, this was soon augmented by de-

sign and computations, acoustics and

calibration.

As customers increasingly wanted to

utilize the measurement and test equipment

employed in projects, the Test Systems

business division was founded and ex-

panded. Today it serves the development,

works quality control and line end testing

sectors, providing adequate test equipment

and software.

The direction of expansion was contin-

ued towards the automotive industry under

the current director, Prof. Stefan Pischinger.

Complete drive sections are developed today

by competent teams from the conceptual to

serial production phase and integrated in

vehicles. Control unit development and data

input are part of the duties of FEV. Hybrid

drives and fuel cells are core competencies

today, production sites are being planned

and products are being reworked due to

costs; even chassis development forms part

of the FEV portfolio today. A test centre with

to series developer

31 test benches will shortly open in Brehna

near Leipzig. .

In addition to Detroit, further develop-

ment centres have been set up in China and

India with a view to supporting customers as

they become involved in internationalization.

A network of subsidiaries in both the west and

east ensures that customer contact is fostered

around the world.

FEV assumes sole responsibility forthe complete development of drivesections for the start of production.Some of the necessary resources aredescribed below:

Modern roller test benches are in

line with the development of exhaust

gas laws, including future ones, such as

EU6 and higher

1 The development of the combus-

tion process and durability will be

carried out at over one hundred en-

gine and drive-section test benches

2

The vehicles undergo fine tuning

as regards NVH (Noise-Vibration-

Harshness) at the acoustic roller test

bench

3

First test centre of FEV in

Jülicher Strasse, Aachen

in 1982

You are Woco

YOU ARE WOCO


Woco FOXESENERGY Ignoring VAT, Ignoring VAT, the current price can bebroken down as follows:

* proportion generated for transportation and sales 75,8% constant percentage of ecology tax component for the manufacturing industry of variable proportions in energy reduction/CHP legislation 11,8%

* (renewable energies/cogeneration) 12,4%

If the comparison is drawn back to 2003, it can beseen that the net electricity price has increased by 86 % with-out additional charges. This extreme increase can be tracedback to the slump in electricity prices caused by liberaliza-tion in 2000. This effect was only short-term. Attempts tocompensate for this concession to the advantage ofproviders had already begun in 2002.

Influence of CO2 emissionsA further catchphrase is “CO2 emissions”. This value has alsocontributed to a clear increase in the net energy price since2005. EU member states pledged an 8 % reduction of green-house gas emissions by 2012 in the Kyoto Protocol. This wasdetermined by the situation in 1990. The right of operators toproduce emissions was regulated by the issuing of certifi-cates. The trade in emission rights occurs on the EEX ex-change in Leipzig. In short, this value corresponds to the

amount that has to be burned to produce one kWhof power. Emission, however, stands for the over-all pollution of air by machines, plants, traffic, in-dustry and domestic households. The ability tounderstand this calculation can vary immensely.

Energy Foxes at WocoA building management policy has been in placefor years at the Salmünster location which has de-

veloped over time to become an extremely effective system.It actuates and monitors lighting in relation to daylight, hol-idays and time (among other factors), closes roof hatchesautomatically on a timed basis if frost occurs and/or accesses selected consumers during extreme peak load periods in order to deactivate these briefly and according toa prescribed logic. This not only saves a considerableamount of energy, but also limits an increase in the price ofelectricity. The system is necessary, because very few uni-form and identical processes are in operation. Process engineering test benches and machines are operated withinwidely varying time windows. Hot and summer periods canlikewise be diverse in their effects.

The “Energy Fox” was distributed to all Woco unitsand locations at the end of November 2007. It contains sim-ple instructions on how to reduce costs. The simplest way isto switch off unnecessary consumers. It was my hope that all

Even simple measures reduce power consumption

Future shortages of resources, the growing demands ofindustrial nations (particularly India and China) and a wasteful use of power (e.g. in the USA) will lead to acontinuing increase in energy prices.

Energy Foxes at Woco

achieved consumption

savings of 7.7 %

through simple meas-

ures

YOU ARE WOCO


employees would take a look at this sly little fox, taking noteof these few lines and acting accordingly.

Initial resultsThe fact that employees took this very seriously cannot bequestioned today. A reduction in consumption compared tothe previous year would not otherwise have been possible,had important changes at the Salmünster location not beenrealized. The reduction achieved in the period from January to March 2008, for example, was a substantial 7.7 %in comparison to the previous year, and this was easilyachieved by implementing simple, disciplined measures. Toemphasize the significance of this saving: for 1,000,000 kWh,of power represents a massive 77,000 kWh.

If yet more employees join the circle of “EnergyFoxes” as a result of this publication, this contribution willalso have paid off for Woco.

Measures in the near futureWe will need to account for energy consumption and themeasures implemented to reduce power in the near

future. In addition to electricity, this will also apply to gas,oil, diesel and/or steam, insofar as these are utilized for pro-ductive processes. We therefore need efficient technology,the utilization of waste heat, central processes for optimum control and an honest cost-benefit analysis as theprerequisite for a measure.

As the energy price has changed drastically at both anational and global level, rules and tips on the control andinfluence of energy cost reductions were recently issued toall Woco locations.

The questions posed in every location are “Am Iaware of the energy I consume?”, “Am I using this energyin a sensible manner”, “Have those responsible fulfilledthe necessary tasks” and “Will these requirements bemet?”.

The Federal government of Germany passed the second climate package and declared energy saving to beobligatory at the time of going to press! This confirms theaforementioned statements and indicates the only viablemeans for reducing energy costs. ❚

Georg Brux

* Free consumers are disconnected from themains supply

* Technology and processes are energy efficient* New plants are tested for energy values and

efficiency* Old “endurance runners” are replaced by more

effective equipment* Optimization of existing plants

* Light – where possible – and monitor are deactivated > 10 minutes after leaving the workplace

* The light is switched off (if not automatically) where adequate daylight is available* End of work: light and PC OFF – not standby, thermostat – where possible – reduced,

other power supply units OFF* Thermostat is – where available – utilized for suitable temperature control* Heating and cooling never occur for windows that are permanently open* Conventional on/off switches or power outlet strips with switches ensure disconnection

OFFICE WORKPLACESPROCESS TECHNOLOGY

SIMPLE MEASURES IMPLEMENTED AT THE SALMÜNSTER LOCATION

Georg Brux, responsible

for telecommunications,

energy supply and inte-

rior systems

woco INSIDE

It is unfortunately not possible to illustrate all theproducts, markets and opportunities in detail here, but aninitial overview is sufficient to reveal interesting productsand markets. The business unit consists of a total of threedivisions:

* Machine bearing elements, elastomer springs,membrane pressure cylinders and Conti-

Schwingmetall® rubber-bonded metalproducts division

* EFFBE–GAMMA division located inBoissy Saint Léger/France

* After-sales division

An attempt will be made here toillustrate the first of these divisions(machine bearing elements, etc.). The

EFFBE–GAMMA will be presented later.

EFFBE-LEVELMOUNT® machine bearingelements division

Modern machine designs with ever-increasingperformances are often in conflict with optimum pro-

duction processes and greater environmental awarenesswith regard to noise and vibrations. This results in continu-ally increasing demands being made on the elasticity ofmountings for machine installations.

Our task is to meet these customer requirements,while simultaneously enabling customers to realize rationaland operationally-reliable production planning, free of struc-tural and environmental constraints. The product cataloguecontains a broad range of elements for this purpose, and

these allow a systematic approach to be taken in meetingdifferent customer requirements.

The elements are used for both source and receiverinsulation and range from the simplest case involving elas-tomer plates which reduce structural noise and enable non-slip installation, to the EFFBE-LEVELMOUNT® ,Type LM,probably the most well-known design, through to air-mounted SLM series elements and ADS membrane bearingelements/systems with integrated sensors and control pa-rameters which can be adjusted using software.

Areas of application: presses, machine tools, injec-tion moulding machines, measuring machines, packagingmachines, foundation mountings and all machines andequipment which require anti-vibration insulation.

EFFBE elastomer spring divisionElastomer springs have been a byword for quality for manyyears in tool design, tool making and many other sectors.

Elastomer springs

Membrane equip-

ment

Industrial anti-vibration systemsIAV – a business unit introduces itself

Anti-vibration systems for vehicles are familiar to all employees in the Woco Group – butis this also true for industrial systems? Ever since the takeover of EFFBE GmbH in 2000,a new business unit has existed for anti-vibration systems – those systems intended forindustrial applications. This business unit is now a part of the Woco industry divisionand, in addition to German customers, also provides a range of products for the Western and Eastern European markets. There has been a recent growth in the numberof customers from Asian markets and overseas who require the IAV.



An extremely long service life, defined spring characteristics(even after long periods of use), resistance to oil and wear,a high elongation at break and many more properties markout these elastomer springs. Two different qualities areavailable. CR quality with 70 shore A and EFFBE–Urelastquality with 92 shore A. Urelast quality is a temperedpolyurethane rubber with extremely high dynamicstrength. Some of the advantages over conven-tional steel springs:

* Progressive characteristics curve

* High load absorption

* No risk of seizing as encounteredwith steel springs

* Particular operational reliability

* Fail-safe characteristics, avoidingdamage to tools in case of over-loading

* Completely maintenance-free, ensuring efficiency in continuous operation

* More than 2 x 106 load changes can be realized without a problem provided that design guide-lines are observed

EFFBE membrane pressure cylinder divisionMembrane pressure cylinders are standardized, cataloguedparts. Superior membrane equipment for control functionsin plant and mechanical engineering are available. When utilized as a force element, it is suitable for automatic pro-duction processes and individual assembly stations.

All membrane deviceshave the advantage of nomaintenance requirements andthe sensitive transfer of mechanicalprocesses. No stick-slip effect and enduringoperational reliability are further features. The cylinders can

be supplied with standard pressure forces in the range 50 daN – 4000 daN. The max. stroke varies ac-

cording to design height and the membraneversion utilized.

Application areas can be ob-served in individual cases for textilemachines, paper machines, petro-chemical plants, assembly lines, etc.

Conti–Schwingmetall® rubber-bonded metal products division

The IAV business unit is one of threesales partners for ContiTech Vibration

Control in Germany and in the area of stan-dardized rubber-bonded metal products. Here

the focus is on rubber-bonded metal connections ofwidely-varying designs. These in-clude buffers, device elements, hy-draulic mounts, rails, dome mounts, etc., although the rangeof applications here is restricted to non-automotive areas.

If you require any further information on the productsor the IAV business unit, our employees will be happy to assist you at the number: +49/ (0)6056/ 78-7400. ❚

Michael Weber

+49 (0) 60 56 / 78-7400

Quality

man

agem

ent:

Her

man

nRis

tow

tests the tensile strength

Machine bearing

elements

woco INSIDE

C o m m e n c e m e n t o f u s e U t i l i z a t i o n o f 1 - s t a g e P E R

March April May June July

We need PER new Exce

l calcu

latio

n progra

m

inte

grate

d resu

lts in

Excel f

or

FOSS and Excel a

pplicatio

ns

Analyses, evaluations 1-stage PER

Inte

gratio

n in Acc

ess

multista

ge PER with

conso

le.

Group pro

fit in

Access

Concept d

evelo

ped

Excel

applica-

tions

FOSSapplica-

tions

Production cost determination

Adaptation FOSS

Conversion to new calculation scheme


We at Woco (WaW): What is PER?Laila Knobeloch (LK): PER is an information and control instru-

ment at article level. It helps to evaluate required working steps

in detail and simulate the effects of process optimization.

WaW: Has there ever been a comparable instrument foranalysis and control purposes?

LK: Until now, there hasn't been with a globally standardized

database-supported form. We were using a calculation system

up to the time our project commenced which could no longer

meet increasing internal and external demands. In addition, we

also had to adapt our calculation method to our new function-

ally-orientated organization and take the “Producer”, “Quality &

Works” and “Market” functions into consideration. A further

challenge was the integration of our of our various – but neces-

sary in this context – IT systems.

WaW: What is the organizational setup of the project?LK: After project definition and the compilation of a project plan

last summer, the realization of a single-stage PER had priority

from autumn 2007 until the end of May 2008. In contrast to the

multistage PER, the single-stage PER does not take all individ-

ual details of the value-added chain into consideration within

the Woco Group.

WaW: What does the single-stage PER involve in total?LK: The introduction of an organization-compliant calculation

Project Manager

responsible for

operative realization:

Laila Knobeloch

Woco commenced introduction of the product calculation system (PER) last summer.

The project made numerous demands on the team and works, particularly in the context

of various IT systems. It has proven possible in the last few months to conduct product costing

analyses on a global scale for the first time with PER. These results support the specialized divisions

in keeping Woco and its products on the road to success.

clear PERspectiveSuccess and vision from aIntroduction of product profitability analysis

wocoWORLDWIDE

Status quo of project team

Steering CommitteeG. Schoess, T. Möller, U. Reichert

SponsorM. Wolf

Project ManagementL. Knobeloch

S & MV. Birkenbeil,

J. Leisse

P r o j e c t T e a m

* F & C (H. Brückner,F. Trinkler, S. Fuchs)

* Logistics (B. Bücher)

* Sales (S. Ritzke)

* Quality & Works(H. Klee)

* Central IT Office (T. Geis)

* others as required

WorksAV, Controlling, IT




o f m u l t i s t a g e P E R

August September October November December 2009

Determ

inatio

n of tra

nsfer p

rices

Entrepre

neur model r

ealizatio

n

Realizatio

n

Group acc

ounting m

odel

Inte

gratio

n in Acc

ess

PER thro

ughout the gro

up

g r a d u a t e d r e a l i z a t i o n i n f i n a l s y s t e m

U s e f o r 2 0 0 9 p l a n n i n g

scheme which enables suitable adaptation of the FOSS calcula-

tion, centrally-controlled administration of hours and bonus

records, revision of the assessment system, training and the

realization of product costing analyses as well as the collection

of worldwide information in a database.

WaW: What do the next steps involve?LK: For the next few months the focus will be on realizing the

multistage PER. Many of our articles pass through more than

one works before they are sold to customers. It is considerably

more difficult in these cases to make statements on the success

or failure of an article. For example, it is possible for a product to

achieve a profit via the value-added chain, even though another

plant involved undergoes a loss with exactly this product. How-

ever, the perspective of the entire value-added chain is decisive

for us as a company.

WaW: Is the introduction of PER complete with the multistage model?

LK: Not quite. Our concept plans the derivation of price calcula-

tions from the multistage PER within the Woco Group, thus

simultaneously replacing our old model with assessments and

licence agreements. This is also a demand made by our auditors

which has existed for a long time, but could not be so easily

realized without PER. We also need a system in which all data

can eventually be made available. When we have succeeded in

realizing all this, the introduction of PER will be completed and

the actual operative work can commence.

WaW: Who profits from PER?

LK: Everybody – the works and central headquarters. Everyone

involved receives exact information on problem areas and

potential improvement approaches to enhance the profitability

of the works and Group. Only in this manner can we continue to

assert ourselves in the competitive environment. ❚

The project team with

strategic and opera-

tive responsibilities

The product calcula-

tion realization

program for 2008

P E R R E A L I Z A T I O N P R O G R A M 2 0 0 8

Adapted schedule based on premises described below

wocoWORLDWIDE


Climatechange?

YOU ARE WOCO


You are Woco

Manuel Rützel, student at the BA (Univer-sity of Cooperative Education)“You have to be aware of the problems as-sociated with CO2. However, it’s unfortu-nate that we cannot do completely withoutthe car today. I myself try to contribute toCO2 reduction by only driving when ab-solutely necessary and, where possible,participate in the formation of car pools,whether I’m travelling to the Berufs-akademie (University of Cooperative Edu-cation) in Mosbach or to work in BadSoden-Salmünster.

Another positive aspect of all of thisis the amount of petrol saved.”

Libor Cernin “People have been talking about greenhouse gas emissionsfor years. Some countries signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1997with the intention of reducing CO2 emissions. These ambi-tious targets are today in 2008 not worth the paper theywere written on at the time. It has been clearly shown that,under practical circumstances, the measures necessarywould have an extremely painful effect on the economicgrowth of many industrial countries – and that’s somethingthe politicians in power can hardly allow to happen.

A graphic example of this is, for instance, the situation inChina and the United States.

If one looks at global energy consumption, the mainsources here are petroleum (35 %), natural gas (23 %) andcoal (27 %). People are therefore clearly dependent on hy-drocarbons today. However, supplies of these are limited,as we well know. The problem can best be seen in relationto petroleum, where the price of a barrel has alreadyreached 139 $. It is estimated that there are about 1 billionbarrels of globally-recoverable resources. About two-thirds

Is the Earth about to explode in our faces? Is the

North Pole disintegrating? The planet is creaking

and groaning, glaciers are melting, Sylt is breaking up and

polar bears are facing extinction. Media, politicians and sci-

entists speak in alarming tones, and the climate of hysteria

has spread since publication of the latest UN report. We at

Woco have asked our employees about their opinions on

the theories currently doing the rounds and what they

themselves do to reduce CO2. Here are a few of the contri-

butions submitted:

Manuel Rützel,

student at the BA

(Berufsakademie –

University of Cooper-

ative Education)

Libor Cernin, Quality

Assurance Woco STV

Woco employees on the topic of CO2 reduction

YOU ARE WOCO


Climate catastrophe? of these are under the control of OPEC countries, but theseonly contribute about one-third to the current supply. Thismeans that petroleum is used up rapidly in the rest of theworld (outside OPEC). The entire global supply willhave reached peak oil output in a few years ifthe OPEC countries do not increase theiroutput considerably in the future, andthis will have devastating effects on the“only relatively creeping” growth in oilprices experienced up until now. Onlythen will the moment arrive whenCO2-free alternatives will be taken seriously around the world, becausethere will be no other alternative avail-able – whatever the cost.”

Ruediger Preiss“As far as we are concerned, the car alone can-not be considered the main perpetrator. The enormousgrowth in heavy-duty and air traffic also plays a major rolefor us in this respect. As usual, we Germans have raced tothe front in all matters relating to environmental and climate protection and now have to admit that we can donothing to counteract the hugely irresponsible environ-mental pollution that is occurring with particular intensity in Asia.

The first step necessary would be to thwart the lobbyists,thus enabling a considerably quicker change to more envi-ronmentally-friendly vehicles. Where is the car with an av-

erage of 5 liters or 3 liters which the Greens have beenpromising us for years? Why do we need off-road

vehicles in a country with tarred field and forest tracks? Why does the German au-

tomotive industry tether itself so closelyto other countries when it comes toCO2 emissions?Simply in orderto continue mak-ing a profit out of

the dwindlingsupply of raw ma-

terials. What’s thesituation regarding CO2

emissions in new vehicles?Despite all demands, the values

presented at the IAA are still much toohigh. Why does the weight of vehiclescontinue to increase?

I myself have bought what I con-sider to be a more environmentally-friendly car and only drive when it’sreally necessary. Why, with the levels

Ruediger Preiss,

Acoustics Develop-

ment

YOU ARE WOCO


of technology we have today, are vehicles not available witha serial option involving a combined additional fuel (e.g.gas, hybrid, fuel cells)? Car drivers are once again beingripped off here by the State through additional costs (con-

versions). In addition, the house will be updated inthe next two years to make it compatible with re-

newable energy (photovoltaic/solar).”

Hans-Joachim Graf“This whole discussion of the culpability ofCO2 in a ‘greenhouse effect’ and the resulting

global warming (which is a fact, as anyone myage can confirm through personal experience) is

a political battle for money and influence. When Iwas a student, a liter of petrol cost about 0.60 German

marks – that’s about 0.30 euros. Tax alone on a litre of petrolhas today reached 1.80 German marks – that’s 0.87 euros!With the introduction of the so-called ecology tax, this pricerise is perfectly heralded by a discussion relating to CO2. A gigantic redistribution of wealth from the bottom to thetop, and a development that has acted like a magnet for

every speculator!Before addressing the

questions, I would first like toclarify a few terms which play arole in this discussion. I willconcentrate on a few key buzz-phrases which are relevant tothis topic.

* The greenhouse effect: TheEarth is a greenhouse! A green-house is distinguished by thefact that sunlight warms air inan enclosed room (the green-house) through a window. Thisair cannot dissipate and isforced to cool through thermalconduction, which is a veryslow process. The Earth is not

a glasshouse, and heated air is simply replaced by coldair through convection – which is a rapid process.

* Climate: In contrast to “weather”, “climate” is an inventedterm. Climate is a reverse statistical appraisal of theweather. The statistical analysis does not facilitate any future prognoses, because the weather was – and will remain – chaotic. The expression “global warming” is de-

fined as the deviation of the actual mean weather occurrence from the state determined by a computer model!

* At 15μ, the CO2 absorption band cannot be responsiblefor global warming. In addition to this, an “open window”(i.e. to space) of 7μ to 13μ exists for the temperatures of -20 °C to +50 °C which occur on Earth (the so-called watervapor window) [Federal publication 11/3246 of 1988; thispassage was eliminated in the IPCC report published in 1990]. The maximum thermal radiation is 10μ, whichcorresponds to a body of +15 °C = 288 °K.

* According to Schönwiese, CO2 contributes to 22 % of“global warming”, and water to 62 %. At 0.42 %, the CO2

content in air was considerably higher in the last 180years than the present figure of 0.35 %.

* The water content of the upper air layers has increasedand, as far as I am aware, there is currently no scientificexplanation for this.

* As Dr. Anton Wolf indicated on a transparency during thegroup meeting, the amount of CO2 generated by humanactivities is 4 %. The car is responsible for 11 % of this, a fact substantiated by many other sources. The automo-bile is therefore responsible for 0.4 % of CO2 generated. If one could reduce CO2 emissions by 20%, a contributionof around 0.8 % would be the result (at a cost of billionsof euros), with the car in turn contributing 0.08 %.

* We owe our existence to radiated solar energy, as it heatsthe continuously-cooling Earth every day. Moreover, New-ton’s law of cooling indicates that no body can heat itselfwith the energy it radiates.

The automobile is not the villain, because the con-nection between CO2 and global warming cannot be estab-lished and, at 11 %, is not the main cause of CO2 emissionsgenerated through human activity.

Raw materials are becoming increasingly more ex-pensive, not least because more people are consumingmore raw materials, and the resources cannot be increased.This forces us to utilize these resources carefully and searchfor alternatives. The automobile is particularly affected bythis, along with our mobility and a great many jobs. It istherefore important that the automobile of the future runson less energy. This is the only way to preserve our mobilityand, most likely, our prosperity.” ❚

Dr. Hans-Joachim Graf,

Management of Elas-

tomer Advance Devel-

opment

Controlling

PEOPLE & CULTURE


After a major emphasis was placed on cost accounting and balance sheets in the third term at the Beruf-sakademie (University of Cooperative Education), I had thechance to put this theoretical content into operational practice in the Controlling department under the guidance ofMr. Jens Wahl.

Right from the beginning of my time in F&C, I was involved in all tasks and able to provide support for otheremployees. My first impression was extremely positive, as the tasks were challenging and it was highly enjoyablecollaborating with my colleagues.

Controlling is one of the features of com-mercial control at the Woco Group and sup-ports this through the compilation of projectedbalance sheets, forecasts and analyses of actual values for individual subsidiaries.

In addition to this, it is also responsible for legal commercialconsolidation and compilation of group statements, thusrepresenting an essential component of the operativeprocess. Other important tasks are the supply of informa-tion to management and external business partners, controlof the cost-effectiveness of investments and sales and operating expenditure controlling.

My main duties included the daily determination ofturnover for the previous day at company level, the processing of turnover analyses (planned/actual/year-end

forecasts) at article, customer and product level and the realization of management presentations.

Participation in the inventory optimization projectwas a notable feature of my time spent working in control-ling. The Woco Group strives to reduce unnecessary storagecosts through an improvement in the inventory structure,thus reducing its own costs within the entire supply chain.Participation in project-related meetings gave me an insightinto the concrete realization of objectives, while also takingvarious critical and important aspects into consideration.

The Controlling department is important within theframework of the training, primarily because all commercialprocesses converge here and flow into the profit and loss as-sessment, balance sheet and cash flow. The manner in whichcost and performance structures of individual companies areformed is clearly illustrated here. The intensive use of Exceland PowerPoint also proved invaluable. Being well-versed inthese two programs is becoming increasingly important foroperational practices. The high regard for teamwork in thedepartment is also an important part of professional training.

Finally, I would recommend that all trainees immersethemselves in the world of figures to support the F&C Team.I look back on my time in Controlling with fondness and knowthat I learnt a great deal there, at both a professional and per-sonal level. ❚

Marc-André Weber

Training report from Marc-André Weber– from theory to practice

Marc-André Weber (21) has been a Bachelor of Arts (BA) student and traineesince September 2006. After practical internships at EFFBE, APS Sales and MASPurchasing, Controlling is the fourth department in which Mr. Weber has worked.

Marc-André Weber,

Bachelor of Arts

student and trainee

management

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Competency

Specific role competencies

Specific departmental competencies, varied definition,

depending on the function and role

Specific departmental technical competencies

Cross-sectional competenciesall employees must be knowledgable here,

to varying degrees

• Values, guidelines• Strategy, vision, mission

So what’s really behind the managing of competen-cies, and what in fact are competencies?

Competencies are skills, proficiencies and know-howthat can be developed by implementing specific measures.In this respect, the lower the competencies to be developedin which personality plays a role, the more difficult it will beto specifically influence them. Examples of social and man-agement competencies can be named here. The develop-ment of cognitive competencies (i.e. the acquisition of(specialized) know-how) is, on the other hand, much easier.

“… the systematic development of employee com-petencies with the objective of enhancing the economic

bargaining power of the entire organization!”; this was thetask in hand, or something similar to this, if not the actualraison d’être representing any operational personnel development.

What is specifically behind the “Competency man-agement at Woco” project?

After the competency management project team wasestablished and the task set by management, namely theintroduction of competency management in the organiza-tion, the development of a structure had priority in the initial phase of the project.

This can be illustrated as follows:

No article on modern personnel and organization

development can be published today without the

expression “Competency management” appearing. Other

publications speak of skill and knowledge management.

“Old wine in new bottles” say those who have long since lost

track of things in the jungle of so-called organization and

personnel development tools. It is worth taking a closer look,

however. Not least because Woco decided to introduce com-

petency management in 2007.

What’s really behind this?

A number of people

become experts

during the training

workshop


PEOPLE & CULTURE


1

2 3

So-called cross-sectional competencies were formedfrom the values, guidelines, mission and vision of Woco.These constitute the Woco fingerprint – and a very specificone at that. It represents our common ground.

Specific departmental competencies describe theknow-how required by each individual employee, in order toeffectively carry out his or her function or tasks. The descrip-tion is based on Woco core competencies.

Specific role competencies, on the other hand, attempt to describe where the demarcation between individ-ual roles lies – for example, the fundamental difference between a manager and a specialist.

The second phase of the project will be dedicated tothe configuration of content in the structure illustrated. Theobjective is to create requirement profiles for each functionexisting in the company.

Why make all this effort?Personnel development activities are still much too often“organized” in response to subjective necessity andarranged on the basis of the booking rate and participantsatisfaction. Competency management offers the chance to systemize the process of qualitative and quantitativequalification planning through a comparison of target/performance competencies.

The objective is to discuss the requirement profilescreated in this manner individually in annual employeemeetings and implement specific measures.

OutlookCompetency management can only develop its full potentialwhen it is aligned with Woco strategic targets and is accepted and supported by the employees. ❚

Andreas Noll

Expertise is re-

quired on the engine

test bench

1

The production,

exchange and provision

of knowledge

2

Service is required

here. Mr. Pecoriello

instructs trainees in

service tasks

3

wocoTELEGRAM

The Wolf is here!

Kronach. Powered by instinct.The wolf symbolizes the Kronacher Kunstoffwerke expertise

September will see the launch of our advertisements inautomobile magazines. In Automobile Week Nos. 21, 23and 25; in Automobile Production Nos. 10, 12 and EngineTechnology Magazine Nos. 10 and 12. The advertisementfor Kronacher Kunststoffwerke is shown here.

500,000 clean air lines for Mercedes V6 diesel enginesThe team at the Steinau works can look back with pride on the extremelysuccessful production of this complex component equipped with a vari-ety of functions. An adhesive process realized by a robot was smoothlyand successfully integrated into the production process for the first time.

Millionth foot control system installed in theMercedes A and B class

Millionth foot control system for the Mercedes A and B classThe one millionth foot control system for the current model series (W 169) was delivered by the

Woco works in Rastatt on 12/4/2008. Since May 2004, a total of 28 different variants have been

delivered “just-in-time” and “just-in-sequence” directly to the vehicle assembly line. It then takes

our customer, Mercedes-Benz Cars, just a few hours to assemble them into the current Mercedes

A and B class model series. Woco thus contributes to the reduction of warehouse storage and

optimization of logistical processes.

Professional training successfully

completed at Woco12 trainee graduates at the Bad Soden-Salmünster location received theirfinal certificates during a celebratory ceremony after successfully passingtheir final examinations in autumn/winter 2007/2008. The graduates were invited, along with their parents, partners, employeerepresentatives and instructors who accompanied and supported thetrainees during their training. Drinks were served in the exhibition hall inthe Communications Centre, giving parents of the trainees the opportunityto take a closer look at the Woco product range.

Girls DayWe at Woco – Employee Magazine of the Woco Group, No. 41 – August 2008

Publisher: Woco Industrietechnik GmbH, Hanauer Landstraße 16, 63628 Bad Soden-Salmünster, Germany, Tel.: +49 (0) 60 56 /78-0,www.wocogroup.com

Editorial Staff: Dr. Heike Beerbaum, Dr. Bernd Casper, Bernhard Eckert, Stefan Engel, Matthias Hackerschmied, Gerhard Hepp, Manuela Jost, MarkKeuneke, Karin Kropp, Thomas Mack, Anna DagmarMetz, Dorothee Noll, Roland Schalk, ChristopherStorch, Michael Weber, Anke Wolf, Dr. Anton Wolf,Bernhard Wolf

Editorial Direction: Manuela Jost, Anke Wolf

Design and Layout: STRAIGHT – concept & design,Frankfurt a. M., Germany (www.straight-cd.de)

Translations: sprachenwelt GmbH, Hünfeld/ Germany

Printed by: Druck- und Pressehaus Naumann GmbH & Co. KG, 63571 Gelnhausen/Germany

Photos : Woco Gruppe, STRAIGHT – concept & design, Uli Schwab, Markus Palzer, FEV MotorentechnikGmbH, Werksfotos

© Woco – Reprints only with prior written permissionof the publisher

Editorial deadline: 18. June 2008WOCO Magazine 41/200824

The future-orientated – Girls’ Day – was held atWoco on the April 24, 2008. Woco opened its doorson this day for 35 pupils from Classes 5 through to10. This represented a new record in participants,with the greatest number attending since the introduction of this day at Woco!

New participantrecord at the GirlsDay 2008 in BadSoden-Salmünster

Woco Group Magazine - 41

Documents

Transcript of Woco Group Magazine - 41