Forum IPW Information from the Industrial Park Walsrode Issue 01

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Forum IPW Information from the Industrial Park Walsrode Issue 01 | 2008

Dow Wolff Cellulosics IPW: a globalization hotspot

The acquisition of Wolff Walsrode AG by The Dow Chemical Company, activities. “What we have gained a globally operating US concern, in July of this year has strengthened through Wolff Walsrode is above all the IPW as a modern industrial location. The newly formed company additional technology and market Dow Wolff Cellulosics with its workforce in excess of 2,200 and its expertise,” says Sonntag. The two par- 15 production sites and sales offices has its headquarters in Bomlitz. ties complement each other perfectly In the wake of these developments, promising new linkage points along in terms of future growth objectives. the supply chain are also emerging for small and medium-sized enter- “The former Wolff Walsrode AG set prises. global standards in the fields which are of interest to us.” Whereas Wolff’s product focus was on cellulose deriva- Plug and play – the Industrial Park’s tives for applications in the construc- EU business grants motto not only aims at the bull’s eye tion and coatings industries, Dow has Green light for with regard to SMEs in the chemical traditionally been a strong player in the industry, as is shown by the example of food sector and in the pharmaceuticals investments The Dow Chemical Company, a major market. The European Union is supporting multinational concern. The cellulosics small and medium-sized enterprises business of the US group and of the Continued on page 3 which are planning to invest in the former Bayer affiliate is being consoli- region, by providing grants up until dated under the umbrella of the newly the year 2013. The subsidies can founded company Dow Wolff Cellulosics, amount to 15 per cent of the capital and the global cellulosics activities investment. are controlled from Bomlitz, Germany. Page 6 The IPW plays a central role in the US concern’s global strategy, as the busi- Economic climate ness operations of the new company with its more than 2,200 employees at Economy continues 15 locations are managed from its base to grow here in the IPW. “Bomlitz is our head- Businesses in Lower Saxony currently quarters and the center of expertise for rate economic development as contin- cellulosics within the Dow Group,” uing to be positive. The situation is explains Martin Sonntag, General Man- also judged favourably by the majority ager of Dow Wolff Cellulosics. of industrial companies. This is the outcome of a recent survey by the With their skills, commitment and Lüneburg-Wolfsburg Chamber of experience, our employees alongside Industry and Commerce. the infrastructure and state-of-the-art Page 6 machinery and equipment were a major factor in favour of merging the activities here. “Knowing the market as well CaseTech GmbH as they do, the staff’s entrepreneurial approach already proved in the Wolff era Demanding market that a company can grow faster than Based in the Industrial Park the market itself.” Walsrode, CaseTech produces and markets high-quality synthetic The new company encompasses all the casings for the meat processing business operations of the former Wolff industry and butcher’s trade under Walsrode AG plus Dow’s Water Soluble its brand name of “Walsroder Polymers division. Dow Wolff Cellulosics Casings”. amalgamates the group’s cellulosics Page 7

www.industriepark-walsrode.com · Info: [email protected] New works restaurant

Reader Survey In-park gastro experience

Dear Reader, Eurest Deutschland assures the 2,600 resident in the IPW, too, Eurest offers employees in the Industrial Park that it variety and quality. Regular gourmet, A good newsletter should respond to its read- is committed to cooking with passion theme and special lunches alongside ers’ wishes, which is why in our previous issue and pleasure. The new in-park restau- wok dishes, pasta or grilled meals plus we requested your opinion and asked you what rant opened its doors at the beginning regional specialities provide for culinary you liked about “Forum IPW” and where we of January 2008. Eurest Deutschland is variety. The new works restaurant has could improve it. Many readers made use of the one of the leading institutional catering seating for 300 people and can be opportunity and we thank them very much for firms nationwide. Some 8,000 employ- also booked by the IPW companies for doing so. ees cater to the needs of more than employee assemblies or promotional 250,000 people all over the country. events. Your replies have proved very helpful in our And for the employees of the companies efforts to improve our information service. As a token of our thanks we entered all participants’ names into a draw, the prizes being an MP3 player, a digital camera and a fountain pen. M-Pro-Tec GmbH

The 8 megapixel Sony DSC-W90 camera was won by a reader in Sweden: Fredrik Meuller, Setting up own facilities at IPW 2 president of Trelleborg Protective Products. The iPod video player with a 30 GB memory The Walsrode-based company M-Pro-Tec ject management from the conceptual went to Frank Ludwig, PPC Card Systems GmbH GmbH is expanding its activities at design stage through to the finished in Paderborn, and the Montblanc “Meister- the IPW. The enterprise, which develops item. It focuses on machines and pro- stück” fountain pen was won by Georg Hennig, special packaging machinery for the cesses tailored to the requirements of Dr. Schnell Chemie GmbH, Munich. food industry, is investing in its own the food industry. During its first two warehouse and a workshop where the years, M-Pro-Tec worked closely to- Congratulations to all winners. packaging machines are to be assem- gether with the IPW’s technical service bled, programmed, tested and inspec- provider, Probis. This cooperation will ted. Founded three years ago, the be intensified still further in the wake Yours truly company provides engineering and pro- of M-Pro-Tec’s expansion.

Alf Wilkens Manager Industrial Park Walsrode

Innovation & Growth

Dow Wolff Cellulosics IPW: a globalization hotspot

Continued from page 1

One of the key success factors for Dow Wolff Cellulosics is its ability to launch effective product solutions for its cus- tomers and to develop the necessary forward-looking process technologies. To provide the basis for developing modern processes so as to be flexible and effective, the appropriate resources are now being consolidated at the state- of-the-art research and development facilities located in Bomlitz, Germany.

Methylcellulose process development is being consolidated in Bomlitz

This means that new jobs in conjunction with process development will be crea- “Consolidating methylcellulose expertise in Bomlitz”: production facility at the Industrial Park Walsrode ted at the Bomlitz site. The process engineers will then benefit from the laboratory to the industrial scale and amassed on-site expertise and experi- also develop and optimize new produc- ence as well as from their very good tion processes. Cellulose – an knowledge of the various production plants. “This will also underpin Bomlitz This commitment within the IPW is also inexhaustible resource as a research location,” says Sonntag, testimony of the location’s growing confirming the company’s decision to attractiveness for globally operating Cellulose can be found virtually everywhere in consolidate methylcellulose capacities concerns. Some seven years ago the the natural world. Some natural fibres such as and know-how in Bomlitz, where tech- Finnish conglomerate Wihuri took over cotton, hemp, flax and jute consist almost ent- nicians scale up the process from the the films division of the former Wolff irely of cellulose, whereas the cellulose content Walsrode AG, thereby integrating it into of wood is around 40–60 per cent. The natural its Wipak Group and expanding it into synthesis of cellulose totals about 60 billion tons its largest production site. The IPW of per year, resulting in the practically unlimited became the group’s strategic hub in availability of this renewable resource. It is cur- Europe. Today, Wipak is among the rently extracted mainly from wood. In linters leading European suppliers of packag- (cottonseed hair), cellulose is present in almost ing films. pure form. It stabilizes the cell walls of most plants. By modifying its basic structure, it is con- Currently, six companies operating in verted into a versatile material for use in many the chemical and plastics processing areas of modern life. Processing it to obtain cel- sector plus several service and infra- lulose derivatives involves technologically structure providers are based in the demanding and complex processes with a low IPW. environmental impact, resulting in the specific properties that enhance building materials, food products, printing inks, coatings, pharmaceuti- More information at: cals and cosmetics. www.dowwolffcellulosics.de

www.industriepark-walsrode.com · Info: [email protected] IPW Insight

Technical Service

The technical service portfolio covers stringent safety and quality require- the entire range from spare parts, ments, some 80 specialists carry out assembly work, machine repairs to the approx. 12,000 orders per year. construction of equipment using metal and plastics. Based in the Industrial Park, the Technical Service Business Performance scope: Center of Probis GmbH is the unit to Maintenance of industrial plants consult on all technical issues. Expe- Improvement of machine rience, reliability and compliance with availability time schedules are some of the unit’s Manufacture of new & spare parts prime merits. While complying with Testing of tools & instruments

The Industrial Park Walsrode

Plug and play Facts & Figures 4 The Industrial Park Walsrode Area: 130 hectares Companies: more than 20 (IPW) is an ideal launch pad Workforce: approx. 2600 Production space: 210,000 m2 for small and medium-sized 30 ha of area currently available enterprises (SMEs) and it offers Vacant offices & laboratories plenty of scope for development. Modern infrastructure, a vast array of services, favourable terms and efficient logistics provide a firm base for sustain- Location

able growth and success. The Bomlitz/Walsrode, Germany In the triangle formed by IPW is a central startzing point the major cities HAMBURG Hamburg (100 km), for the markets in Northern Hanover (65 km) and Bremen (65 km) Germany and in Northern and Motorways A7 and A27 BREMEN Close to international Eastern Europe. airports & seaports In-park rail system linked to national network HANNOVER

IPW Insight

Vacant Areas

Office space Laboratory space Commercial space

Size: up to 200 m2; Size: 50 m2, Size: from 1,500 m2 to 6.5 hectares adaptable to utilization extendable to approx. 200 m2 Price: rent from 0.30 €/m2 concept Rent: from 14.00 €/m2 per per month (fully developed) Rooms ranging from 12 to 46 m2 month, plus service charges Supply & drainage: potable/process Rent: from 6.00 €/m2 per Modern infrastructure water, rainwater/wastewater sewers month, plus service charges Flexibly adaptable Utility supplies: natural gas, steam Contemporary fit-out Can be occupied at short notice (up to 20 bar), electric power/ Can be occupied at short notice Close to production facilities medium-high voltage (5KV/20KV) In-park rail connection Misc.: various conduits (for IT, communications etc.) Fire-fighting water supply

Companies Sectors Services 5 (Selection in alphabetical order) (Selection) AF Personalpartner Chemical industry Permit/approval management Atos Origin Plastics processing Engineering CaseTech Life sciences Procurement Dow Wolff Cellulosics Logistics (incl. raw materials) Epurex Films IT services Logistics OHE Engineering Security service Probis Quality management Wipak Walsrode Energy Fire prevention IT, telecommunications Workshops Technical services Fire service

Good reasons for relocating to the IPW

Reduced “time to market” Optimized human resource requirements Straightforward and rapid permit procedure – Appropriate range of services from recruiting competent on-site project management. to engineering “on demand”. Reduced capital investment Strong community Infrastructure in place, low-cost rental and Profiting from “economy of size”, rapid integration leasehold schemes for real estate. into the region. Reduced logistics expenses Utilization of existing supply chains.

www.industriepark-walsrode.com · Info: [email protected] Business Location Germany

Support scheme for SMEs Wage costs Investment EU comparison shows: start-up grants Germany regains ground

The former administrative district of The wage costs for businesses in Europe are rising – but in no country is the increa- Lüneburg is a development area aided se as low as in Germany. According to the German Federal Statistical Office, the by the European Union until 2013. labour costs rose by 1.1% as compared with the 2nd quarter of 2006. A similarly Under this scheme the rural district low increase was registered in no other EU member country. Sweden reported a of Soltau-Fallingbostel and its towns rise of 2.3%, followed by Finland and Malta (2.6% each), Austria and Belgium and boroughs can be awarded invest- (2.7% each). In Poland and the Czech Republic the labour costs rose by 11.4% and ment grants for small and medium- 7.7% respectively. The highest increases were in Latvia (31.7%) and Romania sized enterprises (SMEs). The invest- (23.4%). With a rise in wage costs of 3.5%, France also exceeded the EU average of ment grant is non-repayable and may 3.3%. amount to a maximum of 15 per cent of the investment sum qualifying for an EU business grant in the case Economic survey of small enterprises and up to 7.5 per cent in the case of medium-sized companies. Industrial companies

Eligibility for an SME are optimistic 6 investment grant: There continues to be a positive More information on the eco- Company registered or about mood, as almost 90 per cent of busi- nomic climate in the region at: to be registered in the rural nesses in the area covered by the www.ihk24-lueneburg.de district of Soltau-Fallingbostel Lüneburg-Wolfsburg Chamber of and navigate to: Standortpolitik/Wirtschaftspolitik Applications may be submitted Industry and Commerce are content by: businesses in industry, with the current economic climate. Business services crafts, commerce, hotel and Poor The majority of industrial enterprises service enterprises This sector is for the most part also rate the situation as good. This is Small or medium-sized satisfied, and profits have risen the outcome of the Chamber’s recent enterprise slightly, but forecasts have been economic survey, according to which The investment has not yet scaled down. Medium 50 per cent of the companies asked begun said they were planning to expand 11 % their capacities. The charts show cur- 35 %

Alongside the grants obtainable Good rent expectations in the mechanical through the rural district, there are engineering, chemical and business 54 % further grant schemes offered by services sectors. the NBank. In particular companies achieving their turnover predomi- nantly beyond the region may receive subsidies from the joint programme for “Improvement of Regional Eco- Chemical industry Mechanical engineering nomic Structure”. Order intakes have improved con- Order books continue to be well filled siderably, allowing a positive outlook. and the forecasts are optimistic. Exports are likely to slacken as Profits followed a positive trend and compared with the previous year. some of them will be reinvested. For more information on the SME grants scheme, the rural district’s guidelines and 24 % 41 % the application forms, log onto the 59 % 56 % websites www.soltau-fallingbostel.de 20 % and www.nbank.de

Source: www.soltau-fallingbostel.de Source: Source: IHK Lüneburg-Wolfsburg

Companies at the Industrial Park

1st Education Conference Fit for the future

Making children and young people fit for the future – with this goal in its sights, the rural district of Soltau- Fallingbostel plans to set up a Bureau of Education to cluster together and enhance the region’s vocational education and training (VET) activities. This is CaseTech GmbH the outcome of the 1st Education Con- ference held in Walsrode in mid-Octo- ber. Representatives of the local com- Focusing on sausages munities, private and public education institutions, business and industry took Linking tradition with modernday sausagemaking facility ensure prime part in the event, confirming their inte- needs can be achieved successfully, quality,” says Managing Director rest in improving the region’s education as is proven by CaseTech. Based in Jürgen Schuh. Today the company and training landscape. Their joint the Industrial Park Walsrode, this which emerged from the artificial objective is to work closer together in company produces high-quality casings division of the former Wolff a bid to provide the best possible edu- casings used for producing sausages, Walsrode AG is committed to high- cation and vocational training opportu- and in addition it provides technical level research, state-of-the-art pro- 7 nities for children, juveniles and adults. services and support to the meat production and customized finishing “To secure jobs, we need qualified cessing industry and to the butcher’s and services – all from a single sour- young people,” said Dr Karl Krähling trade. Sausage casings have been ce. And that’s not all: CaseTech is one of Dow Wolff Cellulosics, stressing the manufactured at this location since of the few suppliers around the globe regional economic community’s high as early as 1928 and are marketed to offer not only coated and uncoated level of interest in the project. The under the brand name of Walsroder cellulose fibrous casings but also a participants requested that the Bureau Casings. broad range of polymer casings. of Education take up its work in the course of the coming year. In terms of quality, Walsroder Casings CaseTech pays a lot of attention to have set standards in the course of the visual appeal of its sausage the past seven decades and they casings. Whether for customized, undergo continual upgrading at the standard or butcher’s prints, entire IPW. “Our certified production pro- series of graphic images or individual cess and our fully-equipped pilot print designs – CaseTech operates one of the world’s leading special-purpose printing works and is thus able to print casings by the flexographic process with up to eight colours. In Germany, Eastern Europe and in the USA, CaseTech has approximately 420 employees, some 240 of whom work in the IPW.

More information at: www.walsroder.de

www.industriepark-walsrode.com · Info: [email protected] Contact fax

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Factsheet

Regional profile “Wirtschaftsdelta Vogelpark” (Bird Park Economic Delta)

Company Dates Name ChemSpecEurope 2008 Street | PO Box 18/19 June 2008 Munich Trade Fair Centre Stand 416 Town | Postcode

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Published by: Dow Wolff Cellulosics GmbH Industrial Park Office PO Box 1662 If you have any further questions, please contact: 29656 Walsrode, Germany Tel.: +49 5161 44-3086 Fax: +49 5161 44-143086

Editor: Torsten Wyszniewski [email protected] www.industriepark-walsrode.com

Text & layout: Industriepark Walsrode Ulrich Kommunikation, Hannover Torsten Wyszniewski www.u-kom.com PO Box 1662 | 29656 Walsrode, Germany Tel.: +49 5161 44-3086 | Fax: +49 5161 44-143086 Printed by: [email protected] Druckcenter Walsrode www.industriepark-walsrode.com