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FREUDENBERG SEALING TECHNOLOGIES #1 2021 – #1 2021 – #1 THE MAGAZINE – ISSUE DAS MAGAZIN (IN)FINITE ALL OPTIONS EXHAUSTED? ESSENTIAL 6 Rubrikname CoverRubrikname Theme 37 IN CHARGE PIONEERINGIN FIFTY WORDS WORK FOR NEW SEALING AND DRIVE SYSTEMS

How will we live in the future? Answers to the big questions of the future WATCH THE TRAILER such as emission-free mobility, sustainableResources energy supply, and eff areective finite. Really? The climate protection can be discovered by opening up to new ideas and alliances. As a sealing specialist, we design innovative, tailor-made solutions for all industrial areas. In the last few years, weideas have expanded for this expertise dealing to with scarcity new drive systems. Our engineers and technicians currently develop and manufacture high-performance batteries as well as fuel cells for buses, trucks, trains, and commercial marine. Ourare hybrid infinite system can be used in all– alternative pro- our Heavy Duty Systems, intelligently combining battery and fuel cells. Our willingness to embrace change has consistently made us the market and technology leader for over 170 years of companycesses, history. fst.com recycling, discarding a material. It simply means taking a fresh look at the resource THE MAGAZINE online: www.fst.com/corporate/magazine question. Have we considered everything? Has everything been exhausted? There are usually ways out. Searching for them becomes all the more

NEW ENERGY MAP THE SKILLS SHORTAGE Political scientist Dr. Kirsten West- Skilled workers are in demand – important. (IN)FINITE phal on hydrogen’s growing role. and increasingly in short supply. ALL OPTIONS EXHAUSTED? THIRD DIMENSION Aerial trams from LEITNER AG improve public transport in cities. the magazine 1_21

FST-20-036_215x260_EN_RZ.indd 1 26.03.21 14:33 4 Essay Essay 5

(In)finite – All Options Exhausted?

An Essay by Claus Möhlenkamp, Chief Executive Officer, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

A person standing on the edge of a large forest or the shore of lar situation. Nearly two-thirds of the world’s population suffer that the demand for wood in preindustrial metalworking an enormous lake may find it hard to grasp that they contain from a water shortage at least one month a year. And a full required massive amounts of charcoal. At about the same peri- finite amounts of wood and water. When we see vistas that one-fifth of the world’s forests have been cleared since 1950. od in Central America, mercury was used to mine silver to Resource scarcity can stretch beyond what the eye can see, perhaps views of a reduce the use of water and wood. But this proved not to be often be managed and mountain or a desert, we call them “endless landscapes.” The This in turn has much to do with the sheer number of people, sustainable, mainly due to the impact on the workers’ health. size of our planet is hard for us to comprehend, though we currently around 7 billion, populating our planet. By 2050, the compensated for. have an expression, “like sand in the sea,” that refers to seem- United Nations expects the world’s population to increase to The examples show that scarcity had always led humankind ingly endless quantities. It comes from the Bible, making it nearly 10 billion. Since resources are finite, it seems as though to chart a different course and use a resource more efficiently nearly 2,000 years old. In this day and age, we use 50 million the planet is unable to support all of them. as its supply dwindles. That means “finite” is a relative term. tons of sand annually. The seemingly infinite supply of sand is Sometimes reserves last longer than originally assumed. Or it running short. Coasts and rivers are eroding. Water is in a simi- Or are they finite? helps to change perspectives: How crucial is the raw material Incidentally, human labor can be a resource as well, and it is actually? Do alternatives exist? The examples of water and already in short supply in some areas. Similarly, scarcities of In the 21st century, we doubtless find ourselves in a situation wood show how diverse the possibilities may be. Raw materi- nonmaterial resources like time or attention may exist. The of historic magnitude. Still, shortages of resources are actually als can be replaced. Processes can be changed or tools can be year 2020 did an excellent job of surprising us with what we not that new. Over the course of history, many societies have reinvented. It might even be possible to reuse a material. And might lack: from medical equipment to toilet paper – or even faced them again and again. there is always another question: How much of our consump- close human contact. tion is really necessary? Might we be able to set limits on what For example, archaeologists have considered the island of we consume? We are sure about one thing, however: It is often possible to Pantelleria an exciting field of research, wondering why people manage and offset resource shortages, although not always Nearly two-thirds of the have been living there, of all places, for thousands of years All of this applies to the present as well. People have been pro- immediately. And rarely without effort or sacrifice. But scarcity even though it hardly has any water. The researchers found jecting the scarcity of oil for a long time, and the world has re- often leads to innovation and economic progress in the first world’s population endure that the inhabitants collected rainwater in cisterns. In the end, sponded with alternative sources of energy, battery-electric place. Scarcity is a challenge that unleashes creative potential. water shortages at least one shortages of resources spur invention. That was the experi- propulsion and fuel cells, not to mention new conveyor tech- Have we really exhausted all the options? All the possibilities? ence of the Sumerians who built an advanced civilization on nologies and the more economical use of fossil fuels. Some- Some raw materials may be finite, but the sources of ideas month a year. the idea of irrigating an arid landscape and conveying water times we find that parameters can be changed. For example, and innovations that solve problems are clearly infinite, as from the Euphrates onto their fields. The idea was not sustain- forecasts of the world’s population extend beyond the afore- is the range of ongoing social, technical and economic devel- able, however, even if the difficulties only became apparent mentioned year 2050 and suggest that growing prosperity opments. We at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies want to over the course of centuries. Evaporation salinized the soil, could lead to significant declines in birth rates and thus to a make contributions in these areas. To this end, the latest making it unusable. In the 15th century in central Europe, cities shrinking population long-term. That alone won’t solve all the edition of ESSENTIAL should serve as both an inspiration and came up with the idea of replanting forests. It turned out problems. But it will open up new possibilities. an incentive. 14 54 Interview Who Is Missing – and Where? Political scientist Dr. Kirsten The most important resource for the Westphal on hydrogen and the economy is becoming scarce everywhere: Content energy transition. skilled labor.

03 04 08 46 52

In Fifty Words Essay Story Board The Third Dimension Infographic (In)finite: All Options The increasing scarcity of Wood, minerals, living LEITNER AG builds aerial Full speed ahead – Exhausted? resources is opening our space: Resources are very trams in the mountains ... with renewable eyes to alternatives. diverse – and coveted. and increasingly in cities. energy.

26 29 30 58 59 60

Methanol on the High Seas By the Numbers Swapping Everything Out High Skills for the Future Now I’m Telling You With a Cold Runner Ships can generate clean A single date ought to Two brothers make a At FST, Cara Mia Pesta has Rare earths are indispensa- An injection molding tech- electricity on board. sensitize humanity to how smartphone as sustaina- learned a trade that has ble, and not really as rare nology saves raw materials

wastefully we are behaving. ble as possible. never existed before. as you might think. and cuts CO2 emissions.

34 38 45 68 70

Raw Material on the Move For Lack of Evidence Essential Worth-Knowing Feedback and Contact Designers around the world Chief Detective Jörg Vitamin D is important, News from the world We look forward to a know bamboo is a superb Schmitt-Kilian tells how but not that easy to get. of Freudenberg Sealing dialogue with you! material for bike frames. to convict a criminal. Technologies.

22 42 64 City – Sand – River Catapulted to the The Optimist Not all sand is alike. And that World’s Summit A Swedish author is especially a problem for the Barely professional yet world-class: believes in progress. construction industry. Soccer in Iceland. 8 Rubrikname Rubrikname 9

Emerald Isle

One might think that the rugged beauty of Ireland is solely Nature’s work. But that’s only part of the story. The Emerald Isle ultimately owes its name to its ever-present meadows, not its lush woodlands. This relates to the fact that its residents have made abundant use of wood as a resource for centuries. To the point that woodlands, which covered 80 percent of the island in the distant past, were reduced to just 2.5 percent of its area 350 years ago. The wood was used to build ships and barrels and to make charcoal for iron-working and glassmaking. Pasture land for cattle also took its toll. By 1928, the share of woodlands in the Republic of Ireland was 1.2 percent. Thanks to reforestation, the figure is 11 percent today and rising. Three-quarters of Ireland’s forests are less than 30 years old. 10 Rubrikname Rubrikname 11

Nature’s Treasures

The history of humanity is closely tied to the extraction of natu- ral resources. Marble was already a much sought-after material in ancient times. Its quarrying was manual back then, but today machines do the work, as is the case here in Denizli, Turkey. The country is currently the world’s largest exporter of marble. Re- sources are spread out across the globe unevenly. While they are abundant in a few countries, others, like Japan and Switzerland, have hardly any at all. They specialize in processing imported raw materials and the manufacture of goods that are in de- mand worldwide. On the other hand, Russia, the United States, Australia and China are rich in resources. Along with fossil-based energy sources, they extract highly prized materials such as copper, zinc, iron ore, aluminum oxide and rare earths. 12 Rubrikname Rubrikname 9

Artfully Small

Living space is in demand in times of growing urbanization. Shortages of residential space and higher rents in cities like Detroit have spurred the rise of “tiny houses” as alternatives to standard homes. Twenty-five compact houses are being built in that city to provide low income residents with new residences. A project in Mexico is following a similar path. It is a settlement of tiny houses that is being established in the country’s southeast region. The plan is to make 50-square-meter (538-square-foot) houses available to families who previously could only find make- shift housing. The project is backed by an American building technology company and a nonprofit based in the United States. The highlight: Thanks to a special concrete compound, the struc- tures can be built quickly using a 3D printing process. 14 Interview – Dr. Harry G. Broadman Interview – Dr. Kirsten Westphal 15

“„The Energy Map Is Being Redrawn”

Political scientist Dr. Kirsten Westphal advises political decision-makers on issues relating to security and foreign policy. Her focus is currently on the energy transition. A conversation about inexhaustible resources and the growing importance of hydrogen. 16 Interview – Dr. Kirsten Westphal Interview – Dr. Kirsten Westphal 17

With an energy transition, economic value is no longer DR. WESTPHAL, YOU HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE “GEOPOLITICS OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION” SINCE 2018. created with resources but WHAT IS YOUR AREA OF INTEREST? with the use of technology.” My team and I investigate how the energy transition in Germa- ny and the EU affects their external relations. It can generally be said that the energy transformation will have geopolitical effects. It is going to be a different world.

IN WHAT RESPECT? The countries that now import fossil resources are gaining greater power. The producers of fossil raw materials are relin- quishing it. There is the prospect that Europe will get more room for maneuver, but it needs to answer a question: With THERE IS A “BUT” SOMEWHERE IN YOUR STATEMENT. SO RAW MATERIALS IN THE GROUND WON’T RUN OUT, BUT whom does it intend to network on energy policy? In any case, Climate politics is not energy politics. While declarations are THERE HAVE BEEN AND STILL ARE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE the energy map is being redrawn. important, measures must follow. The absolute supremacy of LESS OF THEM. HAS THIS CIRCUMSTANCE LED THEM TO FIND climate politics poses problems, especially when real progress INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS? IS THE ENERGY TRANSITION A REGIONAL OR GLOBAL ISSUE? on the energy transition lags and ambitions are spiraling faster That’s clear. The high level of energy efficiency in countries Germany and the EU are playing a pioneering role here. But the and faster. This poses the risk of losing credibility at some such as Japan and Germany shows this. Any country spending Paris Climate Agreement has shown that dealing with climate point. a large portion of its gross domestic product importing raw change is a global issue. More and more countries want to be materials behaves differently than that who have substantial

climate-neutral by 2050 or at least CO2-neutral by 2060. The STILL, THE EARLY INDICATIONS SEEM TO BE POSITIVE FOR deposits of these resources. Countries poor in raw materials declarations are coming in quick succession. Everything sounds AN ENERGY TRANSITION. are also forced to diversify in terms of countries of origin and positive for now. Absolutely. We are seeing global momentum, not least of all supply routes. The concentration of energy riches will change because the costs of renewable energy have fallen sharply. as the energy transition continues. Renewable energy along This makes it an attractive option. It makes economic sense with generated hydrogen will be more evenly spread around practically everywhere. From a global standpoint, the energy the world than oil and gas are. transformation is moving ahead very differently across the globe – the goals and the routes to the conversion are fre- THE COUNTRIES EXPORTING FOSSIL RAW MATERIALS quently different than those in Europe. SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THIS. HAVE THEY TENDED TO STICK WITH THEIR RESOURCES AND INNOVATE LESS? Dr. Kirsten Westphal WHAT ARE THE ENERGY TRANSITION’S DRIVERS? They can’t all be lumped together. Consider the United States, Besides reducing costs, it is public opinion. The public sees Canada or Norway, for example. They are all resource-rich and Dr. Kirsten Westphal is a political scientist climate change as a threat. It is tangible in many places. For innovative at the same time. Much would depend on how who works for SWP, the German Institute for example, the air pollution that causes major problems locally. liberal the political system is. On the other hand, state-owned International and Security Affairs, in Berlin. enterprises carry considerable weight in an economy. They are SWP analyzes foreign policy issues for federal The absolute supremacy SO THE RESOURCES ISSUE IS LESS IMPORTANT? not under nearly the same pressure to innovate as multi­ political leaders, economic entities and the This is an exciting aspect. The focus was once on the finite national corporations. public. At SWP, Dr. Westphal is responsible for of climate politics poses character of oil and gas. We believed that extraction would international energy relationships and global soon reach its high point. The assumption became almost YOU MENTIONED HYDROGEN. THE CAPACITY TO INNOVATE energy security. She is also a member of the problems.” baseless with fracking, the revolution in the extraction of IS IN HIGH DEMAND FOR ITS PRODUCTION. National Hydrogen Council. In addition, she shale oil and gas. We now know there is more there than we That’s right. With an energy transition, economic value is no was on the panel of experts of the Global thought. The actual scarcity is in the atmosphere. How much longer created with resources, but rather through the use of Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy

CO2 may we load into the air if we want to stay with the technology. As a result, an economic system’s capacity to inno- Transformation 2018-19 and collaborated on two-degree goal? vate is a crucial factor. Here, Asia and especially China are the commission report “A New World.” 18 Interview – Dr. Kirsten Westphal Interview – Dr. Kirsten Westphal 19

China clearly wants to advance key technologies such as hydrogen and set the standards for them. The EU must continue to be vigilant worth noting, all the more since the size of a market plays in this area.” a major role when new technologies are introduced. It was significant for the battery revolution and e-mobility. China’s economies of scale are enormous.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR EUROPE? China has caught up with us in batteries, solar panels and high-voltage, direct-current transmission lines. Will the EU suc- ceed in avoiding this situation when it comes to hydrogen and European rule and market area and are pressing ahead with cli- will we manage to export these technologies as well? China is mate protection. Of course, hydrogen should also be sourced pursuing the strategies “Made in China 2025” and “Standards from other regions. 2035.” China clearly wants to advance key technologies such as hydrogen and set the standards for them. And then there are WHAT IS YOUR CONVICTION BASED ON? the structural asymmetries. We have highly innovative small Germany and the EU have to provide mutual economic inter- and medium-sized companies supported by foreign trade connections to achieve stability and prosperity in neighboring chambers and embassies. But in Africa, for example, they have regions. Imports of hydrogen and its derivatives offer coun- to compete with China’s state-owned companies offering low- tries like Russia, the Persian Gulf states or even Algeria and cost system solutions and loans as a package. The EU must Egypt the opportunity to keep earning money. As Europeans, continue to be vigilant in this area. Competition from China we are unable to create an exclusive island of happiness when has to be taken seriously, especially when it is exporting its our neighborhood is not benefiting as well. Such geopolitical economic model as well. considerations must be taken into account.

THE EU IS STRIVING FOR GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCED HOW WILL THE UNITED STATES POSITION ITSELF IN TERMS FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY. WHAT ARE THE PREMISES OF ENERGY POLICY? FOR IT? It has heavily focused on fracking and fossil fuels recently. That I believe it is essential for us to develop the technology and cre- will change under the new U.S. President, Joe Biden. He is stress- ate facilities for it to give Europe the ability to export and to ing climate protection, and the new Vice President, Kamala keep it competitive and innovative. But it is important to re- Harris, is one of the signers of the Green New Deal. That’s main realistic. The EU is limited when it comes to good loca- why I expect the new administration to move ahead with the tions for solar and wind energy and generally available space. expansion of renewable energy and key technologies such as In this sense, it is plausible or even essential to rely on imports hydrogen. But its energy and technology policies will focus and carry out hydrogen projects abroad with partners. Here I heavily on the country’s own industries and employment. The am initially thinking of Europe’s periphery and the countries country will collaborate more multilaterally on climate, but connected by pipelines. Norway and Britain are close to us by “America First” will still guide its actions in economy. Not least any measure. Geographically and politically, they are part of a of all due to its rivalry with China. 20 Interview – Dr. Kirsten Westphal Interview – Dr. Kirsten Westphal 21

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE INTERPLAY OF THE GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS FOR A NATIONAL HYDROGEN AGENDA? Very important. Three approaches have to work in parallel: The technology has to be ready for market, you have to be able An energy system that to foresee the business case, and the political conditions have to be right. It won’t come together without this parallel inter- doesn’t include the use of play. Otherwise, the old chicken-or-egg problem will continue. Supply and demand must be triggered. We need new, clear hydrogen would be framework conditions and, most likely in the initial phase, non- inconceivable in 2050.” market-based tools, even if the goal must be to create a hydro- gen market. Since it is essential to introduce new sources of energy and technologies, this touches on the issues related to EU subsidies. The policies are crucial. They determine whether projects will pay off.

WHAT IS INDUSTRY’S READINESS TO TURN TO HYDROGEN starting to get out of fossil resources. They tend to see hydro- The country is pursuing “direct air capture,” that is, extracting

AS AN ENERGY SOURCE? gen-related projects and the associated infrastructure pro- CO2 from ambient air, storing it and creating synthetic fuels We are now experiencing a real hype about hydrogen. This is grams as attractive measures. from it. not the first time, but now it’s different since it has seized the imagination of numerous countries and industries. An energy WHAT INDUSTRIES ARE SHOWING A SPECIAL INTEREST IN EUROPE IS THINKING IN TERMS OF GREEN HYDROGEN. system that doesn’t include the use of hydrogen would be HYDROGEN? JAPAN IS INITIALLY BETTING ON THE IMPORT OF HYDROGEN inconceivable in 2050. In addition, financial institutions are I think it is being discussed in every industry. It already plays a EXTRACTED FROM COAL. WHERE IS THE WORLD HEADED? role in refineries. There are pilot projects in the steel industry. The world is very multicolored in this respect. It will be exciting Plus cement, aluminum, glass. If you think further ahead, there to see how open the EU will be to hydrogen being produced is heavy-duty transport and aviation. in different ways, how it will certify the fuel and build up com- merce in it. This isn’t just important with regard to the Gulf HOW COULD A BREAKTHROUGH FOR HYDROGEN TAKE States – the issue involves Russia as well. That country is tack- PLACE? ling a wide variety of production methods. So is the United “Hydrogen valleys,” places where industries and logistics States. centers come together and network, seem promising to me. Take port cities, for instance. Antwerp produces about 15 per- LET’S LOOK INTO THE FUTURE: WHAT ROLE WILL HYDROGEN

‘Hydrogen valleys,’ places cent of Belgium’s CO2 emissions, Rotterdam about 20 percent PLAY AT THE END OF THIS DECADE? in the Netherlands. If these types of centers are de-carbonized I already hope that we in the EU will have achieved major where industries and logistics with the help of hydrogen, much will have been gained. progress in offshore wind parks and water electrolysis, which are key technologies. We have geographic advantages in these centers come together and HAVE THE OIL EXPORTING COUNTRIES SUCH AS THOSE IN areas. In the western portion of the continent, the “backbone network, seem promising THE PERSIAN GULF BEGUN TO RETHINK THEIR STRATEGIES infrastructure” will have made a great deal of progress. AND SET THEIR SIGHTS ON HYDROGEN PRODUCTION? Energy-intensive sectors will use hydrogen. At the same time, to me. Take port cities, for Oh yes. They are further along than we have thought. Saudi I think that we will discuss a number of issues more intensively Arabia is pursuing its Vision 2030 program to diversify its and openly: the colors of hydrogen, its role in the heating instance.” economy. This includes Project Neom, a new city the size sector, and above all its system function that hydrogen can of Belgium with desalinization facilities and green hydrogen provide as a storage medium for energy systems. Japan, the production, encompassing the entire value creation chain that United States and China will all be using every form of hydro- is due to take shape. When Saudi Arabia held the G20 presi- gen very pragmatically and will be geared to rapid industrial

dency in 2020, it actively advocated a circular CO2 economy. progress. 22 Sand Mining Sand Mining 23 City – Sand – River

Except for water, no resource on the planet is in greater demand than sand, some experts say. Sand is not only found in many

everyday objects – it is particularly in demand for building Poyang Lake in southeast China is the largest freshwater lake in the country. construction. As a result, it is increasingly in short supply. At its longest point, it spreads out over a surface of up to 4,500 square kilometers (about 1,740 square miles). In the 14th century, the inland lake is said to have been the scene of one of the greatest sea battles in history. Depending on the time of year, its water level fluctuates a great deal, recently to the point that it could hardly be seen in satellite images. rapidly growing cities are dependent The powerful Three Gorges Dam, which on sand as an ingredient in cement. disrupts its flow, is one reason for the Every two or three years, China uses as fluctuation. In addition, the extraction much sand as the United States did in of massive amounts of sand has broad- the entire 20th century. Of the up to ened and deepened the lake’s drainage 50 billion tons of sand consumed global- channel, allowing its water to escape ly each year, China accounts for about more quickly. 60 percent.

In 2014, the United Nations Environmen- All Sand Is Not the Same tal Program estimated that 235 million Some might say this isn’t a problem. Af- cubic meters (307 million cubic yards) of ter all, sand can be found in abundance sand are mined from Poyang Lake annu- across the planet. The expression “like ally. That would make it the site of the the sand in the sea” is already found in world’s largest sand mining operation. the Bible and suggests something avail- The gritty material is proving to be a hot able in great quantity. And that is cer- seller as the country’s economy booms. tainly true: Deserts cover about one- Its many infrastructure products and its fifth of the earth’s land surface. But the 24 Sand Mining Sand Mining 25

Actually a lake, not a river: After massive sand mining, the waters of Poyang Lake are draining away even faster.

math doesn’t quite add up because all more quickly than rivers can produce a sand is not the same. Only about 5 per- fresh supply. The world is heading to- cent of the world’s sand deposits are 200 ward a severe bottleneck. This can be suited for cement production. tons of sand are needed to build seen in the prices of the commodity. The an average single-family home. price for sand extracted in Germany Desert sand is out of the question be- rose about 30 percent between 2000 cause wind and weathering have pol- and 2017. In the United States, the price ished it to make it smooth. The sand rose by the same proportion between used in construction must have an an- 2010 and 2019. And when a commodity gular structure. The sought-after variant becomes lucrative, criminal energies are only occurs in gravel and sand pits or in Illegal Mining On a Grand Scale unleashed. In India, there is already talk lakes and rivers, which carry it along to The global demand for sand continues to about Mafia-like structures in the sand the ocean. So construction sand is pri- rise. Nine times more sand is mined than business. It is being illegally mined there marily mined in pits, on riverbanks and oil is extracted, statistics show. The Unit- on a grand scale. In the south Indian shores, or at the bottom of bodies of ed Nations highlights the magnitude of state of Kerala alone, the value of the water. That is what was going on at sand mining in its report, “Sand, rarer illegal trade is put at about $2.3 billion Poyang Lake. It had been targeted to the than one thinks.” Enough construction U.S. Illegal mining has also been ob- point that Chinese officials banned sand sand is used in the production of con- served in other parts of the world. mining from the Yangtze River in 2001. crete to build a wall 27 meters (32 yards) This was required after sand mining high and just as wide around the equa- Singapore is seen as a consumer of ille- washed away bridges, endangered lev- tor. It goes without saying that the large gally mined sand. For a long time, the ees and prevented navigation. grained sand is being extracted much city-state obtained its sand from Indo- nesia, Malaysia and Cambodia from time The breakthrough? to time. A few years ago, these countries Polymer resin turns imposed an official ban on exports. ostensibly useless Nonetheless, Singaporean statistics con- desert sand into tinue to show sand imports from them. polymer concrete. Singapore is heavily dependent on the commodity. Surrounded by water, the city-state has expanded its land area by 20 percent since its independence in 1965. A United Nations report from 2014 says Singapore has imported more Khalifa, the world’s highest building, in follow suit when it comes to sand, which sand and artificial resin hardens after than 500 million tons of sand over the the desert emirate. An abundance of sand brings up the issue of alternatives. In just twenty minutes. In their finished Sand past twenty years. The imports from was also needed for another prestige this respect, the German company Poly- form, individual polymer-cement parts neighboring nations have led to the dis- project: the artificial islands off the emir- care has attracted some attention; it can be inserted and screwed inside one Grains of sand are 0.063 to 2 millimeters in diameter. appearance of entire beaches and some ate’s coast, designed in the form of palms. is supporting a construction project in another like Lego pieces. At some point, They consist of rock that is gradually weathered from the sand islands off their coasts. The cause Namibia after years of research. Ostensi- a building could be dismantled and effect of wind, rain, the sun and frost. As rock is carried is the suctioning of sand from the ocean A Glimmer of Hope? bly unsuitable desert sand was used as a rebuilt somewhere else. Time will tell along by rivers to the sea, the grains are ground smaller floor. Singapore turned to Australia, The demand for sand persists in the construction material after polyester whether the method will prove to be a and smaller. It is a process that can take place over several among other places, to obtain sand that West as well. It is substantial and una- resin was added to it as a crucial binding breakthrough. If it works out, the con- hundred years. is needed to build its huge container bated. After water, it is the world’s most agent. The polyester resin was in part struction sector could turn to smoothly terminal. Dubai was another of Austral- sought-after resource, experts say. The obtained from recycled PET bottles. polished desert sand. And this is indeed ia’s customers, in part to build the Burj United Nations assumes that Africa will The polymer-cement made of desert as abundant as sand in the sea. 26 Shipping Shipping 27

These giant container ships con- sume 10 tons of heavy oil per hour. Methanol could change that. Methanol on the Open Seas

International commercial shipping is intended to be climate-neutral by 2050. This represents a major challenge for the transportation sector – and opens up an opportunity for alternative sources of energy. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is developing maritime fuel cell systems that can produce elec- tricity from green methanol.

The distance between the ports of Rot- since goods transport by ship accounts every shipbuilder and every operator is Three Times the Energy In the Tank space would be required. Freudenberg terdam and Shanghai is 10,557 nautical for around 2.5 percent of global green- considering how to reach that goal.” “But we need different powertrains and Sealing Technologies has therefore de- miles. Today’s container ships travel the house gas emissions, according to the In- A pure battery solution is only viable different sources of energy for interna- veloped a fuel cell system that operates most important trade route between ternational Maritime Organization (IMO). when the traveling distance is short and tional shipping,” Martens explains. This with an upstream methanol reformer. China and Europe in less than thirty The goal of the organization, which rep- the layover time is long enough to re- is where fuel cells come into play to gen- Methanol can be made with “green” days – some in regular service with in- resents 174 member-states, is to make charge the battery – in ferry services, for erate the electricity for the propulsion hydrogen produced with the help of termediate stops and others without all shipping climate-neutral by 2050. example. Batteries can also support die- system and the “hotel” on board. For water and green electricity. But, unlike extra layovers. On these trips, a single sel propulsion as part of a hybrid drive shipping on the open seas, hydrogen is hydrogen, methanol is a liquid under ship can carry more than 20,000 stand- 2050 seems far off, but Nils Martens, system, making it possible to maneuver suited for use in fuel cells to only a limit- 3x normal conditions and has about three ard containers while burning nearly who is responsible for the batteries and emission-free in a harbor. It is a tried- ed extent. Even when it is liquefied and times its energy density. Moreover, if higher – methanol 10 tons of heavy fuel oil per hour. These fuel cell systems business at Freuden- and-tested technology. For example, in kept at - 253°C (- 423°F), the volumetric the carbon for the methanol production outstrips hydrogen’s energy figures make it clear that operating the berg Sealing Technologies, points to the a partnership with ABB, Freudenberg energy density of hydrogen is seven doesn’t come from fossil sources, but is density by far. roughly 100,000 commercial ships CO2- long life cycles in the industry. “In some supplied batteries for new ferries on the times less than the ship diesel common- separated out of the air, or if methanol neutrally on the world’s oceans is a huge cases, commercial ships are in service Dover-Calais run. They are scheduled to ly in use today. As a result, massive fuel derived from biomass is used, the result challenge. Yet it still would be advisable for more than thirty years. That’s why begin service in 2023. tanks that take up valuable transport is a completely climate-neutral fuel. 288 ShippingRubrikname RubriknameFact Check 299

Destined for battery operation: short-run ferries in Scandinavia. BY THE NUMBERS

“This puts us in a range where we are 08/22/2020 competitive and are overtaking internal combustion engines.”

Taking the Ocean Plunge Before year’s end, Freudenberg‘s first fuel cell system will have to prove itself out on the high seas. It is scheduled eople aren’t very considerate of the Freudenberg is developing fuel cells in to be tested under real-life conditions planet they live on. The international a container design for use on the high aboard a new Helios-class cruise ship P research organization Global Foot- seas. The fuel cell stack, reformer, control built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg. At print Network has tied humankind’s largely electronics and all other components first, the system will only produce on- unsustainable activities to a particular date With operating lives are placed in a prefabricated container, board electricity, however the first ships each year: Earth Overshoot Day. As of this permitting easy installation on board. equipped with a hybrid system based day, the world’s population has consumed of 30,000 hours or on fuel cells and batteries could be more ecological resources in a calendar year more, fuel cells are A single container can provide a rated launched well before the year 2030. “We than Nature can renew. From then on, it output of up to 500 kW. When com- are already in the middle of industriali- can’t replace the forests harvested or the

competitive with bined with other units, the total output zation,” Martens says. In 2021, Freuden- fish caught or absorb CO2 emissions in combustion engines.” is scalable to the high double-digit mega- berg Sealing Technologies is opening a equivalent quantities. watt range or even higher. second development center in Munich. The focus will be on the ongoing optimi- In 2020, Earth Overshoot Day fell on August Compared to a combustion engine sys- zation of production technologies as well 22. Thereafter, the resources of future gen- tem, a fuel cell also offers shipbuilders a as products. erations were being consumed. The last huge advantage: The mechanical drive- time the day fell that late in the year was shaft to the propeller is eliminated. This back in 2005. So, why so late last year? Be-

permits entirely new designs that could cause CO2 emissions fell due to the corona make large central engine rooms unnec- pandemic, for example. essary. There has also been criticism of the Global But are these fuel cell stacks – where Footprint Network’s calculations. The or- hundreds of wafer-thin membranes con- ganization doesn’t hide the fact that it re- taining precious metals work with one lies on assumptions and can only approxi- another – as robust as a massively heavy Shipping is expected to mate reality. But it uses valid data when it cylinder in a two-stroke diesel engine? become more climate- can find the information, from the United “We achieve operating lifespans of more friendly. Freudenberg Nations, the International Energy Agency than 30,000 hours with our systems and Sealing Technologies and the Canadian Institute of Forestry. In can see possibilities to increase them to has the answers. the end, Earth Overshoot Day offers a sense even higher in the future,” Martens says. https://on.fst.com/3mvJRlR of how wasteful humanity is. 30 Electronics Materials Electronics Materials 31

So mobile phones have to be Swapping repaired by experts and end up as electronic scrap in two years? Everything Out There are two entrepreneurs who aren’t happy with that situation. The Waldeck brothers produce sustainable smartphones while keeping close track of the resources they use.

s children, Carsten and Samuel Waldeck confronted scarcities of resources at an early age. Their father had A founded an organization to help drug-dependent young people. It was housed in an old manor out in the coun- try. “There was a shortage of everything. It ran totally on dona- tions,” Samuel Waldeck recalled. Anyone who has ever started a charitable project likely knows how he feels. The experience left its mark on him. Waldeck says Mother Nature, with its ever-present cycles, became his model. “Everything that func- tions is actually a cycle. Only human beings conceive of cycles that don’t work. Or there’s no cycle to begin with.” Take smart- phones, for example. On average, less than 20 percent of peo- ple use their smartphones more than two years. In the United States alone, about 150 million smartphones are discarded every year – as special waste containing toxic components. Recycling is difficult because the individual parts are connect- It only requires a single screwdriver, and ed and fused to one another. “Shredded telephones are a huge it is delivered with the product: SHIFT mix of materials,” Waldeck said. mobile phones are built to allow individual parts to be repaired or replaced. The two brothers wanted to do things differently. They want- ed to have mobile telephones that were easy to repair and to recycle. As much as possible, without glued and soldered 32 Electronics Materials Electronics Materials 33

SHIFT buys electronic scrap from Ghana that is certified as child-labor-free and supports the Earth Beat Foundation, which finances small farmers in Uganda so they don’t need to work in gold mines. “Everything that we invest financially inev- itably has something to do with sustainability and social justice,” Waldeck said.

Shredded telephones contain Above all, the Waldecks have set the goal of seeing their smart- phones recycled or reused as much as possible, and they have 22 € a massive mix of materials.” come up with the idea of a telephone deposit as part of the Company founders: Samuel (l) answer. Buyers pay a 22-euro deposit on their phone and get and Carsten (r) Waldeck ($ 26) is the deposit for a the money back later, even if they send an inoperable phone launched their company in phone, and customers get their back to the company. “Electronic scrap that is discarded may Falkenberg, Hesse, in 2014. money back. not legally be resold or reused,” Waldeck said. “But we’re allowed to do it since we are officially taking the used devices back.” That not only lengthens the phone’s lifecycle – the man- ufacturers can also recycle individual parts if they are needed. components. With as few multi-component plastics encased This is especially true for precious metals and single-variety inside one another as possible. Both studied design. “A device plastics. The designers have provided a modular design and that can’t be repaired is bad design,” Samuel Waldeck is an assortment of raw materials in advance that makes this convinced. So the two founded SHIFT in Falkenberg, Hessen, in recyclability possible and ensures that it runs smoothly. 2014, and have produced about 50,000 devices since then. “For us, it is ultimately a matter of closing the material cycle,” Waldeck reaches for a smartphone and removes its backside. Waldeck says. There was a cracking sound and then the interior lay open. A user could replace what was inside without expert help – Paying Attention to Time and Money everything from the battery to the camera – and in some SHIFT is deliberately striking out in another direction when it cases even repair the item. SHIFT offers advice and videos comes to another resource: time. After placing the order, cus- to explain all this. A screwdriver comes with the phone at tomers wait four to eight weeks to get their phone. That is part purchase. of the concept. “We start about a year before the production of a device, in part to pay for it,” Waldeck said. “If we have any Coltan, Gold, Lithium and Cobalt buffer in terms of the timeframe, it helps us.” As some supply But then the Waldeck brothers turned their attention to the chains wobbled during the pandemic, SHIFT was still able to issue of resources. What about the raw materials that are built make on-time deliveries. “As consumers, we’re used to getting into telephones? The pair delved into the matter of where the everything the next day,” Waldeck said. “I think that, as a pro- over-exploitation of Nature or the abuse of workers has been ducer, you can draw attention to why a long-term approach taking place. One of their decisions involved coltan. “To the ex- can be a good thing.” tent possible, we don’t want coltan in our devices,” Waldeck said. Coltan is a tantalum ore that is used to produce a Part of the reason for this approach is that the brothers have heat-dissipating ceramic. Forced labor is used in a large part of been running their company without investors since 2014. “To Congo where it is mined. Due to smuggling, it’s not easy to see us, it was important for the company not to fall into a state of The assembly and screwing operations whether the trade in coltan is “fair.” Nor is it easy to determine dependency,” Waldeck said. All too frequently, they have seen take place in China, at fair terms. Social the amount of coltan actually used in a phone. The brothers investors exert considerable pressure on companies during cri- justice is important to the entrepreneurs. are now having their main circuit boards shot with neutrons to ses. This has not always been to the company’s benefit. SHIFT get the answer. They think the expense is worth it. At the same wants to grow, but not in response to pressure. “This brings us time, they are supporting local aid projects. The same issues back to Mother Nature as our model,” Waldeck said. “In a for- apply to components such as gold, lithium or cobalt. But alter- est, large trees and small trees grow at their own pace.” That natives are clearly not available for every material. makes them resilient. If companies grow independently, they don’t suddenly find themselves in dire straits. “About 150 grams of gold have been incorporated in all the SHIFT phones that we have ever produced,” Waldeck said. “In any case, scouring our supply chains to preclude any problems is expensive. And this would basically be much too small a lever.” It would be better to spend money on support projects. 34 Bamboo Bamboo 35

A Material Bamboo – isn’t it breakable? Not any more than steel, to cite one example. This underappreciated natural material has been inspir- ing bicycle designers for a while. A survey of visionaries in Vietnam, On the Move Malaysia and California – as well as a German world traveler.

t is indeed strange that a Vietnamese bamboo is reinforced, heated and glued engineer would be inspired, in Ger- with epoxy resin at its joints. Pham now I many of all places, to use bamboo to manufactures his bikes for customers build things. In 2009, Minh Tri Pham, worldwide. That makes him part of a then a student at the Berlin Institute of trend: Manufacturers are designing and Technology, attended a workshop on selling bamboo bikes in other countries bamboo bicycles. The idea fascinated as well, and not just for stylish, leisurely him, and he was unable to shake it. excursions, but for racing and mountain Today Pham runs a company called biking, too. The first e-bikes are now “Vietnam Bamboo Bike,” in Ho Chi Minh available as well. City. As an engineer, he is above all fasci- nated by bamboo’s material qualities. Basti Gutmann has subjected the mate- “Various forces are at work when you rial to a special stress test: In 2017, the ride a bike,” he said. “For example, the German cyclist set out on a trip around position of the pressure points is crucial the world on a bamboo bicycle he built when someone presses down on the himself. “On a whim,” he said. So far, it pedals full-strength.” has developed into a 37,000-kilometer (23,000-mile) trek. Traveling under the 40 Bamboo isn’t wood – it’s a grass. It con- nickname “Bamboo Basti,” Gutmann sists of fibers grouped around a hollow was on the road nearly three years Bamboo can achieve a tensile form, separated by nodes. “The strong- before the corona pandemic and its ac- strength of 40 kilonewtons per est fibers are exactly where the largest companying border restrictions stopped cubic centimeter, plus a tensile stress point prevails mechanically,” Pham him in his tracks. Aside from being an strength at break of more than said. That gives bamboo extreme hard- advocate of sustainability, he is tinkerer 200 pascals. That gives it an ness combined with great tensile and and carpentry hobbyist. The fact that he advantage over steel in some compressive strength. It is an illustration chose a bamboo frame for his trip has applications. of lightweight construction in Nature. more than just symbolic significance. The material can’t compete with ultra- light carbon frames based on weight, “Compared to carbon or other materials, but it does very well in comparisons bamboo is the easiest to patch. You only with metal. For bicycle frames, the need an epoxy resin and hemp, which 36 Bamboo Bamboo 37

“I want to build frame construction. He first experiment- attractive, robust ed with the material in 1995. Since 2005, bicycles.” One of he has been manufacturing bamboo bi- the models from cycles professionally and advertises his Minh Tri Pham, current model as “more rigid than many an engineer. carbon frames.” That is remarkable inas- much as Calfee was one of the first in Bamboo Basti the industry to develop carbon frames in the 1980s, equipping Tour de France Cyclist and activist Basti Gutmann, 29, launched his trip winner Greg LeMond with them, among around the world from Munich in June 2017. As part of others. Accordingly, his bamboo frames his plan, he resolved to plant 40,000 trees over the fetch a high price: between $3,000 and course of his trip. As soon as the pandemic permits, he $5,000. Basti Gutmann also met Calfee wants to wrap up his circumnavigation with a Europe- during his travels, encountering him ac- an tour. cidentally while he was looking for lodg- ing. “Tomorrow I want to find that mad- man around here who builds bamboo Find out more at bicycles,” Basti told him. “That’s me,” http://bamboobasti.com Calfee replied. Gutmann stayed with him for two weeks.

Bamboo grows quickly. Some species shoot up as much as 90 centimeters can be easily obtained anywhere, espe- more oxygen than most other plants. (about 35 inches) per day. The niche cially if you are on a coast.” By contrast, Architects worldwide are increasingly market for bamboo bicycles may not be steel or aluminum would have to be discovering the material‘s advantages. growing quite as quickly – but buyers’ welded. Bamboo doesn’t break apart interest seems to have been awakened. like wood either; the fibers tear length- Minh Tri Pham tackled the promise of “Bamboo can grow in a great many loca- wise, which does not affect its stability bamboo with a similar scientific ap- tions on the planet,” Pham said. From all Viet Bamboo Bike provided that the tears are promptly proach. After his return to Vietnam from appearances, the same applies to the in- closed. Gutmann rode his bamboo bicy- Germany, he identified 360 species of terest in Nature’s lightweight material. Minh Tri Pham founded his com- cle across the Balkans to India – and bamboo, and he has worked intensively pany as a side project. In his regu- happened to meet a man in Malaysia on mechanical simulations since then. lar job, he works as an engineer who owned a large bamboo factory. He has now settled on the species that in the renewable energy field. Ahmad Mazlan Othman is an engineer, are best suited for bicycle frames. The He now sells city and mountain construction planner and visionary who pandemic has slowed him down as well, bikes worldwide through his on- also uses bamboo, in his case, for home but Pham has used the time for more line shop. construction. It was then that Gutmann research and development. “The designs realized there were more than a thou- are my strength,” he said. “I want to Find out more at sand species of bamboo with highly build attractive, robust bicycles” – with https://vietbamboobike.com/ specific properties. “Ahmad told me materials that do not have to be import- with a grin that my bike was assembled ed. Pham is planning a small factory extraordinarily well, but the bamboo where 300 frames a month can be built. wasn‘t really suited for it. There were Target audience: Customers abroad. In better choices,” he said. Still, the bike Vietnam, the hot weather coupled with had indeed carried him all the way to torrential rain discourages the use of Malaysia. Ahmad Mazlan Othman is a bicycles as a daily means of transporta- bamboo activist. In his lectures, he espe- tion. But Pham finds that the number of cially stresses the sustainability of the active recreational cyclists is growing. A special kind of stress material. Due to its rapid growth, bam- test: “Bamboo Basti” under- boo binds up large quantities of carbon Craig Calfee of California is considered way on his world tour. dioxide and, in the bargain, produces one of the world’s pioneers in bamboo 38 Interview – Jörg Schmitt-Kilian Interview – Jörg Schmitt-Kilian 39

For Lack of Some resources can be replaced. But what happens when there is a lack of evidence, but you know who the offender is? Or you at least have a suspicion. In an interview, Chief Evidence Detective Jörg Schmitt-Kilian talks about evidence that comes to light decades after the crime and the moment that the felon is suddenly standing before you.

JÖRG SCHMITT-KILIAN, HOW LONG down during interrogation and confess. DO YOU KEEP LOOKING IF YOU Another reason for their behavior is that HAVEN’T FOUND ENOUGH EVIDENCE they can finally ease their consciences. IN YOUR CASE? You keep looking until you have it. But if CAN THERE BE EVIDENCE THAT YOU the search comes up empty, the team HAVE BUT CAN’T USE? working on the crime is reduced in size, Yes. For example, this is often the case and at some point the prosecutor stops with crime-related telephone surveil- the process. But if new evidence comes lance subject to prohibitions on its use up, some cases are reopened. There is no as evidence. In Germany, we offer great- Cold Case statute of limitations on murder. This is er protection for the offender than in occurring a lot right now. You couldn’t most other countries. That can be frus- “Cold Cases” refers to un- perform DNA analyses before, but trating, of course. You know someone is solved crimes for which samples for DNA matches are available the offender, but you can’t prove it. there is new evidence, either today. I know of a cold case involving a from new testimony from woman who was murdered in 1994. In WHY NOT? CAN YOU CITE witnesses or DNA analyses. that case, the murderer was convicted AN EXAMPLE? In many countries, there is because he committed another offense Let’s take narcotics: You have a dealer no statute of limitations and his DNA ended up in a file. under surveillance and you see him on serious crimes such as coming out of a location that is a proven murder and rape. The first SO A HIT ISN’T EVIDENCE IN ITSELF? drug house. But his lawyer says, “Maybe special cold case unit was No. Sometimes it’s not proof, but rather he was visiting the apartment next established in the United a reason to take up the case again. Actu- door.” If we don’t have other evidence, States in the late 1990s. ally, after such a long time, some offend- the accused person will get the benefit ers are so surprised that they break of the doubt here. 40 Interview – Jörg Schmitt-Kilian Interview – Jörg Schmitt-Kilian 41

pletely clean. There was nothing that we could find in her past. Nothing at all. It was only after we arrested her that we learned she had adopted the identity of Wily attorneys often try her sister in Canada. The computer spit to make officers seem out a huge file once we entered her real name. In fact, she was a main witness in as though they aren’t an unsolved murder case in the Nether- lands. She used that as a bargaining chip credible.” after her arrest.

SHE WAS WILLING TO TESTIFY IN EXCHANGE FOR A MORE LENIENT PENALTY? Due to her addiction, she was in therapy. The principle of “therapy, not punish- ment” was at work here. She was re- leased from custody to meet with SO WHAT SEEMS TO BE EVIDENCE IS tennis, I was taking a shower, and some- me. The murder wasn’t my case, but my SUDDENLY NEGOTIABLE? one suddenly began speaking to me. It colleagues asked me to try to figure out On one occasion, we arrested the son turned out that I was responsible for what evidence she had. The end of the of a well-known municipal politician sending him to prison for seven years. story was that she never showed up for on whom 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) of I felt queasy for a moment, and then it the meeting. She seized the moment to heroin were found. His attorney asked was okay. “You did your job,” he told me, vanish without a trace and is still at whether we might have convinced the “and you dealt with me fairly.” large. And the murder case is still un- suspect to make a delivery. The problem: solved. As a narcotics investigator, I can only ON THE SUBJECT OF POLICE make specific statements on tactical an- RESOURCES: WERE YOU DO YOUR CASES REMAIN STORED IN ti-crime measures in court if I have been WELL-EQUIPPED AT THE TIME? YOUR MEMORY FOR A LONG TIME? given an exemption. Wily attorneys of- Back then, our resources weren’t as In my crime novels, I come up with liter- ten try to make officers seem as though good as they are today. But staffing is -al ary solutions to some of the crimes. they aren’t credible. They stray into your ways in short supply, especially in the The case I described with the dealer private life, ask all kinds of questions, area of organized crime. For the most was even filmed. In the novels, I often Jörg Schmitt-Kilian and as soon as you say, “I don’t recall,” part, we can only infiltrate these areas describe situations that seem invented they counter with: “Ah, but somehow with covert measures, which are labor-in- to the reader. But sometimes reality A chief detective and former you do remember that detail in this case. tensive. And now the Internet is adding surpasses even my fantasies. narcotics investigator, he spent You may have worked on the case two new issues, and the police have to con- more than forty years on the job. years earlier.” tinually handle more tasks. It’s possible Today, he holds readings, train- for an organized crime department to ing sessions and events on the DO INVESTIGATORS LEARN THE be reduced in size because other basic prevention of violence and illicit OUTCOME OF THE CASES THEY areas would otherwise be neglected. drug use. Schmitt-Kilian also WERE INVESTIGATING? writes crime novels based on The spectacular cases, yes. But in prac- DO YOU REMEMBER A CASE THAT WAS Got a taste for crime fiction? You real cases as well as advice books tice, you get totally caught up in your PARTICULARLY PUZZLING? can find some short crime stories and travel guides. Find more in- next case for quite a while. Some trials Yes, it was obvious that a heroin dealer in our “Future Files.” This is where formation about the author at go on forever. I can’t remember every- was deeply involved in the drug scene. we visualize the world of tomorrow. www.schmitt-kilian-aktuell.de one that I put in jail. Once, after playing But based on her resume, she was com- https://on.fst.com/3fRJQHz 42 Soccer Soccer 43

A decade ago, Iceland wasn’t even ranked among the top 100 in the world’s soccer rankings. Since then, it has been the smallest nation to qualify for both a World Cup and a European Championship. The country has accomplished a great deal despite very few advantages. But how?

No Icelander will ever forget June 27, in the preliminaries, but the Vikings 2016. On that evening, a country with were still able to come away with a 1:1 barely 350,000 inhabitants made head- tie against the Argentinian team led by lines worldwide. Their origin was an international star Lionel Messi and only event in Nice, southern France, where lost to Croatia, the eventual runner-up, the Icelandic national soccer team saw due to a goal in the last minute of play. to nothing less than a sensation. Gylfi Sigurdsson, Kolbeinn Sigthórsson and How can a tiny country with just 1 per- his comrades knocked England, the cent of the population of California field birthplace of the sport, out of conten- such a strong team? How could such a tion for the European Championship in small football association, which was the round of 16. The England team, 131st in the world rankings in 2012, packed with international stars, seemed surge to the 18th spot in just six years. bereft of ideas and strategy against the How can a pool of negligible size, con- well-organized Icelanders. They were a sisting of just 3,000 players organized surprise even during the qualifiers for into clubs and just 100 professionals, Catapulted to the the final rounds. They defeated the team stand up to the world’s elite? The an- from the Netherlands twice and denied swer is a good mental attitude, a strong it eligibility to play for the Champion- concept and smart investments. ship. The Dutch, who had come in third at the 2014 World Cup after all. Two From a Summer to an All-Year Sport years after that night in Nice, for the The origin of the huge upswing in Ice- World’s Summit first time, the Icelandic team was on the landic soccer dates back to the turn of grandest stage of all: the World Cup in the millennium. Until then, Iceland’s na- Russia. Once again, the team was im- tional team was regularly knocked out pressive in the qualifiers. The Icelanders in the qualifying rounds for the Europe- again managed to defy the heavy- an Championships and the World Cup, weights. It is true they were knocked out and only a few players had brought it to 4410 SoccerRubrikname EverydayRubrikname Object 4511

ESSENTIAL – VITAMIN D 900 Icelanders hold a UEFA “A” or “B” coaching license. That works out to one coach for every 390 inhabitants.

international attention. So it’s no sur- Qualified Coaches breakthrough there. The 31-year-old now prise that soccer would have played a Then it was a matter of improving plays for Everton FC. He is one of the minor role in Icelandic life. It was mostly the level of play. The association made players who benefited from Iceland’s seen as a summer sport, and as soon as huge investments in training coaches. measures early on and donned the the weather deteriorated and the chilly Between 2004 and 2018, more than jersey of the national team. This golden winds picked up on this North Atlantic 900 Icelanders earned a trainer license generation was also the first junior na- island, soccer balls would lay inert on from UEFA. If someone wants to coach tional team to qualify for a European the cinder pitch. 10-year-olds in Iceland, the person Championship in 2011 and hand the needs to be an A-license holder and will German team, including a few subse- In the hopes of changing the situation, generally be remunerated for the work. quent world champions, a 4:1 loss. That the national association began to in- was the first bombshell, and the above vest in the basics – in part with tele- Compared to other European countries, mentioned would soon follow. vision revenue, which the European proportionate to its population, Iceland Football Association (UEFA) distributes has an unmatched supply of qualified Sociologist Vidar Halldórsson of the Uni- among its member clubs. The officials coaches training its young players. This versity of Iceland sees further factors at had a plan for investing these resourc- has been a key to the country’s success, work that contribute to the success of A section on things Vitamins are important. That’s D levels in many countries are es. They built artificial grass venues, says Dadi Rafnsson, who coordinated Iceland’s national team. For all the profes- what parents say when they below what they should be. some of which are heated, entered into youth soccer at the first league club sionalization around the team, he says that can be found urge their children to eat their There is a debate over whether joint projects with schools while in- Breidablik Kópavogur for years. “I would soccer in Iceland held onto the valuable fruit and vegetables. Vitamin D this is a “lack” or just an un - vesting in small fenced-in playing fields say that we are world-class in the 6- to characteristics of amateur sports. In con- everywhere, yet are is especially important for the dersupply – and over how much nearby and had large soccer halls built 14-year range. And in the older segments, trast to commercialized sports, intrinsic so small they often health of our bones, muscles, supplements help. Sunshine with artificial turf pitches. Seven indoor we’re making a lot of good progress.” motivation, friendships and strong team- blood pressure and vessels. It is would be the best option, but soccer fields, each standard-sized and work play a major role here. Since they go unnoticed. Still, found in fatty fish, and in eggs there is often too little of it in the complete with grandstands, were built The strange thing is that there are no are from a small nation, players know in small amounts – and that’s winter. Norwegians eat a great by 2018. Six more had half of a stand- professional soccer teams in Iceland. they have all 350,000 Icelanders cheering they are extremely about it. It is mainly absorbed deal of fish and take cod liver oil ard pitch. The sports halls are open to Even first league players have regular ca- them on when they play in major events, important. Like a seal... through the skin from sunlight. to get a vitamin D boost. No one anyone who wants to train, and they reers. If they are really good, they go which gives them a strong identity. That Since we get out of our homes contests the fact that fruit and continue to build enthusiasm for the abroad, often at a young age. That was makes the national team more than less and less often today, vitamin vegetables aren’t much help. game. A foundation was laid to trans- the case for Gylfi Sigurdsson, the team’s the sum of its parts. It can punch beyond form soccer from a summer activity to current star. He left Breidablik for its weight. Icelandic soccer: a pint-sized an all-year sport. England as a teenager and made his sport with a growth spurt. 46 Urban Aerial Trams Urban Aerial Trams 47 The Third Dimension

LEITNER is one of the world’s leading manufac- turers of ropeways. The company’s emergence paralleled the rise of winter sports-related tourism. Today, ropeways construction outside the winter sports regions accounts for one quarter of its revenue.

Heavily populated Ecatepec de Morelos Based in northern Italy’s South Tirol lies to the northeast of Mexico City. region, LEITNER built the “Mexicable,” Over the past five years, if you wanted which has two lines running a total to reach the upland area of this rambling length of 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles). Its city, you could take a special form of transformation into a global company transportation: the “Mexicable” cable began in the Alps. Initially a family- line. It starts at the Santa Clara Terminal, owned business producing farm machin- located on the heavily traveled Federal ery, LEITNER turned to ropeways manu- Highway 85, which connects Mexico facturing as tourism revolving around City with United States. As you ap- winter sports emerged 70 years ago. proach the station, a huge colorful mu- Together with its sister companies The aerial tram “Mexicable” ral showing the Mexican painter Frida PRINOTH and DEMACLENKO under the carries up to 3,000 passen- Kahlo comes into view as multicolored umbrella of its corporate group HTI, gers per hour over the trams continually depart the modern LEITNER has become the world’s only rooftops of Ecatepec de building at its rear. complete provider of ropeways, trail Morelos. 48 Urban Aerial Trams Urban Aerial Trams 49

Works of art line the route of the aerial tramway that LEITNER built in Mexico.

groomers and snowmaking systems. In It was clear to us early short, everything that tourists require for the carefree enjoyment of winter on that aerial tram sports in the mountains. “The fact that systems can solve we offer everything from a single source gives us an edge in new ski areas like urban transportation those being developed in China and Rus- sia,” said Michael Tanzer, LEITNER’s Sales problems.” Manager for Austria and Germany.

Shortage of Transit Space Paves Way into Cities Despite its initial strength, winter tour- ty years ago. The transfer of ropeways ism today only accounts for about 75 technology from the mountains into percent of the company’s total revenue, this urban environment required some about 1 billion euros. This can be traced adjustments. First of all, due to the dif- to the fact that LEITNER began eyeing ferent periods of operation, ropeways new markets in 1980. The company are used seasonally in ski areas, and, started by building systems in Japan and even then, only for about eight hours Malaysia that helped to develop new a day. In cities, they are part of the local destinations for summer tourists. As in transportation system and are in contin- winter sports, the challenge was to ual use, except for breaks overnight. bridge great differences in elevation. “We need to shift the inspection time About twenty years ago, LEITNER added when maintenance takes place to night- another pillar to its “non-snow” business: time, and have it completed in just a urban ropeways. Incidentally, the project few hours,” Tanzer said. At 6 a.m., at the mirrors one undertaken by LEITNER’s latest, the cabins must be loading the French sister company, POMA. It was re- first commuters. After all, the availabili- sponsible for the construction of the ty of the lines is the top priority for oper- first aerial tram in Medellín, Colombia, ators. But this naturally cannot come at to be followed by additional lines. the expense of safety. Ropeways have done extraordinarily well in this regard. Today, several Latin American countries A survey by the Federal Statistical Office have urban ropeways. “Central Europe- of Germany found that air travel is the ans still think ropeways systems belong only mode of transportation involved in the mountains. But people see them in fewer accidents than ropeways. as modes of transportation in South An accident only occurs once every America,” Tanzer said. 17.1 million kilometers (10.5 million miles) traveled in ropeways. For street- “It was clear to us early on that rope- cars, the figure is 225,000 kilometers ways systems can solve urban transpor- (139,000 miles) and 616,000 kilometers tation problems,” Tanzer said. “Cities (383,000 miles) for buses. ultimately continued to grow and in- crease in density. Surface area for trans- A Range of Advantages for Ropeways portation became scarce.” But people To make the maintenance and opera- first had to become more aware of the tion of urban ropeways as efficient as solution. Medellín eventually commis- possible, LEITNER has to continually sioned a line for local transit about twen- develop products. One development is 50 Urban Aerial Trams Urban Aerial Trams 51

was to connect the favelas on the city’s LEITNER AG slopes with its downtown. Schoolchil- 182 dren and workers are supposed to get to Based in Sterzing in South Tirol, Italy, LEITNER was found- the city-center more quickly without be- ed in 1888 and is part of High Technology Industries (HTI) cable cars carry up to 3,000 ing afraid of being assaulted. “Mexica- today. Besides Leitner, there are several other brands un- passengers per hour on the ble” connects poor neighborhoods at der the HTI umbrella: POMA (Rope-hauled transportation ”Mexicable” tram. higher elevations directly with a trans- systems), PRINOTH (snow groomers and tracked utility portation hub. “Crime is a major issue in vehicles), DEMACLENKO (snowmaking systems), LEIT- cities like Medellín. Streets and buses WIND (wind turbines) and AGUDIO (material ropeways). are more susceptible to it than cabins They are all part of the world’s leading manufacturer of are,” Tanzer said.” Medellín’s ropeways is ropeways, which is the Group’s core business, snow the gearless direct drive. Besides elimi- considered to be one of several reasons groomers and snowmaking systems. In 2019, the Group, nating gear maintenance, its advantag- crime is on the decline. There is also an which has 70 subsidiaries and 131 sales and service offic- es include the reduced use of resources, opportunity to develop the neighbor- es, generated revenues of just over 1 billion euros ($1.18 greater efficiency, and up to 7 percent hood around the ropeways stations billion), surpassing the one-billion mark for the second less energy consumption. As Tanzer by establishing shops and libraries, for year in a row. HTI has more than 3,800 employees world- points out, energy use for ropeways is example. The lines are thus becoming wide. already lower than for buses. “For our pieces of infrastructure as well as socio- ropeways, we only need one drive unit political projects. generating 780 kW at most. We can use it to transport up to 5,000 people in one Tourists also like to climb aboard to gain direction. With its approximately 250 a special view of the city they are visit- kW, a bus transports only a fraction of ing. The mural of Frido Kahlo described that number.” at the start is just one of several on the walls of houses and roofs along the Officials in Medellín and Ecatepec found route taken by the “Mexicable.” It is climbing to a plateau at a higher eleva- private lots and the right to travel above two other arguments that were compel- small wonder that the addition of a third tion. In Ankara, Turkey, a line has supple- them. In Turkey, Ankara made special ling. One is the high physical profile of line to the route is being discussed. One mented local public transit for years. In changes to its municipal laws to allow the cities in relation to their existing advantage should not be underestimat- Germany, Berlin is working on the inte- the construction of ropeways up to 45 built-up areas. Streetcars and subways ed as well: Passengers don’t have to gration of an existing ropeways with its meters (148 feet) high that floated are reaching their limits in the battle to keep track of a schedule because rope- public transit system. The system, erect- across skyscrapers. By comparison, the overcome differences in elevation. Many ways doesn’t have one. The system runs ed for the International Garden Exhibi- legal hurdles are low in Latin America. cities are also densely built-out. “When without interruption and leaves traffic tion in 2017, could close the gap be- Thus, ropeways projects are – and will the space on the ground becomes scarce, jams far below. tween the subway and commuter train continue to be – dependent on society’s I have to enter the third dimension. That stations in two of the city’s districts. acceptance and political will. But some- means into the air,” Tanzer said. The ap- The Difficult Step Toward Europe thing else is happening: The EU is mak-

proach pays off financially as well as While ropeways are finding more and There are also legal reasons why rope- ing a commitment to CO2-free transpor- practically. “A subway certainly carries more imitators in Latin American cities, ways are still awaiting a breakthrough tation, and ropeways help it achieve more passengers, but it is twenty times they have only enjoyed exotic status in as a local transit option in Europe. The that goal. German states have approved as costly as a ropeways system, and it Europe so far. But the HTI corporate laws and regulations covering the sys- the systems for funding. That’s not the takes significantly longer to complete.” Group has come up with its first pro- An urban aerial tems must first be negotiated. The pro- least important reason that twenty Ger- jects. Starting in the summer of 2021, tram has been cess starts with residents who create an man cities are currently dealing with the Aside from these tangible arguments, a ropeways system from its French af- operating in uproar when they see cabins floating construction of ropeways. “These things there are other rationales for urban filiate POMA will be connecting three Medellín for about past their living room window. A clarifi- take time,” Tanzer said. “We just have to ropeways. In Medellín, the stated goal transportation hubs in Toulouse, France, twenty years. cation is also needed on the shading of keep the ball rolling.” 52 Infographic Infographic 53

Share of Electricity Production

2019 2050 34,467 m² Full Speed Ahead – With Renewable Energy Belgium (371,000 sq. ft.) is the total space requirement for solar facilities. This roughly corresponds to the surface area of Belgium. An infinite amount of energy is Renewable Energy’s Share of Global available from the sun, wind and 2050 Energy Consump- 2019 water to meet global energy 25 % tion 13 %

needs – theoretically, since we 2 % have to transform our energy infrastructure. The outlook for 1,664,520 km² 2050 shows that the space require- (642,675 sq. mi.) is the total space requirement 66 % ments are actually not that great. for wind turbines. This is equivalent to the surface area of Iran. Iran 35 % The Future Is Electric

2019 2050 4 % Data on the Transition*

The “Transforming Energy Scenario” from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) offers a look ahead at 2050: 50 % • Global energy declines due to technological advances in energy efficiency. 16 % 14 % 25 % • Electricity becomes the most important energy carrier. Its share of primary energy consumption rises to 50 %. • 86 % of the electricity comes from renewable energy sources. • 8 % comes from him “green” hydrogen from 60 % renewable sources. 60 % Mediterranean Sea of the electricity comes from • 70 percent of trucks, passenger cars, buses and of the volume of the Mediterranean wind power (6,000 GW of installed two- and three-wheeled vehicles operate on Sea is equivalent to the amount of

capacity) and solar (8,500 GW). battery-electric power. 2019: Transformation Energy Global IRENA * Source: water needed for hydro power. 54 Skilled Labor Shortage Skilled Labor Shortage 55

Who is Missing – and Where?

What good is state-of-the-art technology if there is no one to operate it? Well-trained skilled workers are still an economy’s most important resource despite the increased automation of work processes. And those workers are in short supply.

A shortage of skilled workers can be found in a wide range Bleak prospects are looming for 2030: The consulting firm Korn Ferry has pre- of sectors. Analysts have been warning about the dicted that there will be a shortage of 85 global skills gap for years. A shortage of million workers in 2030, quantifying it as There is worldwide demand highly trained workers is going to slow $8.5 trillion in unrealized revenue. To put for engineers and IT special- technological progress, reduce prosperi- the problem more precisely, there is a ists in professions that have ty and usher in a global crisis – if compa- shortage of people with the skills that just emerged. nies and political leaders fail to intro- match the jobs of the near future. In this duce countermeasures in the form of light, the notion of a “scarcity of skilled There are also too few training programs and changes in the workers” is imprecise – the problem is 85 million doctors, nurses and support work culture. Those who are sounding that there is a talent imbalance or mis- staff in many countries. skilled workers will the alarm present charts that show lines match. The change in perspective re- be the global shortfall in 2030. radiating in scissor-like patterns and age veals that many people have not had the pyramids in the shape of bulging urns. opportunity to build up the skills that There is broad agreement that a critical prepare them for the highly specialized imbalance between supply and demand tasks that are increasingly in demand. will be reached in 2030. That’s when the Moreover, the structures of the old baby-boomer generation of Western in- world of work do not meet the needs of dustrial nations will have retired. the younger generation. 56 Skilled Labor Shortage Skilled Labor Shortage 57

A Skills Shortage at One in Two major studies concentrate on the tech- Companies nology and financial sectors, bottle- In 2019, one company out of every two necks in the nonacademic professions did not have enough skilled workers. The that support public life go unnoticed. ManpowerGroup analyzed the trend in its report entitled “Closing the Skills A study from the ManpowerGroup of- Gap: What Workers Want.” A world map fers a balanced picture. Here the skilled in this report shows the most affected trades top the list of the most sought-af- countries in deep red. They were the ter competencies, ahead of sales, mar- United States, Japan, along with Europe- keting and technology. Engineers land in an countries like Poland, Finland, Hunga- fourth place, and drivers and logisticians ry, Romania, Croatia and Greece. Shown follow. IT specialists only appear in sixth in lighter red, Germany, Sweden, Portu- place, followed by occupations such as gal and Slovakia were only a bit better machine operators and the building off. Israel and New Zealand fell into the trades. For the first time, physicians and same category. nurses have risen into the top 10 of the annual ratings. “Compared to all the other countries in our study, the United States is facing an Clinic Beds – But No Caregivers especially alarming scarcity of skilled The damage to Germany’s medical sec- labor,” Korn Ferry summed up in “Future tor has been especially severe during the of Work. The Global Talent Crunch.” This corona pandemic. Many intensive care could entail a 6 percent decline in eco- beds and respirators were indeed avail- nomic volume, the analysts say. able, but there weren’t enough inten- sive care nurses in these situations. Ger- In 2030, only India will have a worker many’s health system is considered to surplus ranging from technical experts be one of the best in the world, but its for certain specialists. For example, Ger- In Japan, by contrast, a natural decline in to factory staff. There is huge potential Achilles’ heel is a shortage of nursing many is looking for engineers in mecha- the number of workers is accompanying in Africa since a quarter of its people will staff. The country, which has the sec- tronics and automation. In the United the fall in its birth rate. In response, the be younger than 25 in 2030. Everything ond-oldest population in the world, will States, renewable energy is increasingly country is automating production pro- now depends on the educational oppor- need about 150,000 nurses, including important, and the demand for techni- cesses – which merely shifts the demand. tunities for that generation. At present, geriatric caregivers, by 2025. That is why cians with experience in wind turbines Then it is app developers and experts in many companies in Africa still cannot they are recruited from other countries, and solar is soaring. artificial intelligence and the Internet of find enough qualified workers, which is including Mexico, Vietnam, Tunisia, Things who are sought-after. Meanwhile, why two-thirds of its CEOs are investing Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the For its part, Saudi Arabia cannot rely on China is pressing ahead with the mas- less than they would like. Philippines. Bilateral agreements are de- its oil reserves forever. The country has sive digitalization of its huge industrial signed to prevent a brain drain since a to build up its IT expertise to keep up sector. It has its eye on the still rare spe- What Expertise Is Really Lacking disproportionate migration of well- with technological change. That means cialists in artificial intelligence and block- The demand for skilled employees is trained experts weakens the home its young, mobile, networked popula- chain along with full stack developers, often associated with the so-called economy. But countries with demo- tion is its most important resource for the super talent among programmers. MINT fields – mathematics, information graphic trends like Germany’s are de- the future. They are due to be trained science, natural sciences and technol­ pendent on the migration of workers. 150,000 in cloud computing, cybersecurity and In many countries, jobs are emerging ogy, which are the foundations of network technology. It is also essential that are totally new to state employ- the engineering professions. From the The World Needs These Skills additional nurses, including for the country to open up its male-dom- ment exchanges. One thing is sure: We standpoint of the entire economy, this One strong indication of the global tech- geriatrics specialists, will be needed inated world of work to large numbers need a skills offensive. In the interests impression is deceiving. While many nological change is the rising demand in Germany by 2025. of well-educated women. of business and humanity. 5812 SkilledRubrikname Labor of the Future RubriknamePerspective 5913

Pioneering work in a new profession: Cara Mia Pesta was trained to become a production metrologist. “I am here.”

NOW I’M TELLING YOU

FST Creates Customized High-Skill Occupation

ara Mia Pesta is training for a Daniel Stocker, Team Leader at Meas- Vienna Chamber of Commerce. It sur- Rare Earths profession that didn’t even exist urement and Testing Technology at veyed various industrial companies, C a year ago. The new employee at Freudenberg in Kufstein, explains the in- and they unanimously welcomed the Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) itiative this way: “At our site, the average notion of a new skilled occupation. has set her sights on work as a manufac- seniority is thirteen years. Our long-time Then everything went very quickly: turing metrology technician. employees have continued to build up Hofer and Stocker worked jointly with their skills over the years to meet grow- representatives of other companies and Our name could hardly be more misleading. After all, we high-performance lasers, as is yttrium. Cerium makes spe- At the company’s Kufstein facility, Pesta ing requirements. But if they resign or measurement labs to define the training aren’t rare at all. Nor are we earths. We are seventeen cial glass and paint more robust. It is put to use in smart- is specializing in precisely the skills that retire, it’s hard for us to fill in the gap. content. The Chamber of Commerce fed metals – rare earth metals, to be precise. We are neatly ar- phones, notebooks, catalytic converters, ceramics and LED will move it forward. As sealing tech- The few applicants with the right train- it into guidelines and presented it to the ranged on the periodic table, from scandium to lutetium. lighting and is therefore very important. nology has progressed, the demands ing and practical experience are also ministry for approval. The name scandium points to where you began to figure on measurement and testing have been being pursued by other companies.” us out. It was in Sweden, at the end of the eighteenth cen- Our deposits are what worries you. To be sure, we are at rising. So have the skill levels that are The result: Since July 2020, Austria has tury, where one of us was isolated from an ore for the first home anywhere in the world, but are hidden in other min- needed. But it is increasingly difficult Stocker therefore came up with the idea had a new skilled occupation: manufac- time. erals, mostly in small concentrations. That makes mining to venture out into the labor market of inventing a new skilled occupation: turing metrology technician. And in difficult and unprofitable, so you don’t bother with us in and find staff with the expert knowl- manufacturing metrology technician. October, Freudenberg Sealing Technolo- Since you have done without us for so long, you might many locations. But we can be extracted somewhat more edge that FST requires. To solve the The goal was to align the training closely gies in Kufstein hired Cara Mia Pesta as think that you could continue on your merry way. Not at effectively in China. Total production came to 132,000 problem, the company has gone on to real-life practices at FST. And it was the first trainee in the specialty – just all. You must be joking. You have finally identified our ben- tons in 2019, or 63 percent of the world’s production. A the offensive and established a new also supposed to provide skills for future one year after the idea first emerged. eficial traits. Neodymium has such a high energy density problem persists: Our mining is not exactly environmen- skilled profession in Austria. It is an technologies such as automation and Stocker puts it this way. “Our hope was that makes it ideal for magnets in electric motors and gen- tally friendly. But you apparently can no longer live with- extraordinary solution to a problem – Industry 4.0. that the trainees would quickly build up erators in wind turbines. The element is also found in out us. a shortage of skilled staff – that FST their knowledge and add to our produc- shares with many companies world- Tanja Hofer, the trainee coach in Kuf- tivity – and the plan is working out with wide. stein, brought Stocker’s proposal to the Cara Pesta.” 60 Eliminating Waste Eliminating Waste 61

Though only used in the United States initially, a new injection molding technology has now spread to many other Freudenberg Sealing With a Cold Runner Technologies plants worldwide. The example shows that, when every cent counts, technolo- gies that conserve resources pay off.

he phrase “Live free or die.” has ther, but rather the enormous consump- only been the official motto of tion of resources by the West’s leading T the state of New Hampshire power. The typical American generates since 1945, but it dates back to the time about four times the global average for when the United States was founded. carbon dioxide emissions per capita. Robert Scavuzzo is responsible for devel- When it comes to water consumption oping new production technologies at per capita, the U.S. is the record-holder Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. In his among OECD countries, a tribute to office, there are always a few signs bear- farming on formerly arid landscapes. To ing the motto on his bookshelf. He many Europeans, life in America is an ex- presses them into the hands of his visi- ample of how not to live a sustainable tors as they leave. Scavuzzo, who de- lifestyle. One suspicion is that a lack of scended from German and Italian immi- regulation is the main reason for the grants, has personally seen how the country’s profligate use of resources. combination of freedom and hard work can lead to social advancement. For him, But as with so many stereotypes, this the American dream is still alive, as it is one fails to grasp every facet of the situ-

for many people throughout the world. ation. CO2 emissions per capita may be In 2019, according to a survey by the high in the U.S., but the country has re- Pew Research Center, more than 44 mil- cently seen the greatest decline in this It especially pays off at high volumes: lion people born in another country metric among all industrialized coun- valve gate cold runner technology for were residing legally in the U.S. tries. This is not the result of billions in injection molding. subsidies for renewable energy but sole- But the gleam of the star-spangled ban- ly due to the switch from coal to less ex- ner has paled in some parts of the world. pensive natural gas, which is extracted No particular president is to blame ei- domestically. The world’s largest electric 62 Eliminating Waste Eliminating Waste 63

car manufacturer is not based in Ger­ into a tool not unlike a baking mold. The another advantage as well: “Product many, where an official government technology is called valve-gated cold- quality rises because no excess material platform is tackling the mobility of the runner injection. Without the precise can flow back through the closed nozzle. future, but in California – which has operation of the valve gate, small sprue That could otherwise potentially lead championed air purity for decades. marks are formed in each operation that to unevenness in the structure of the have to be removed from the cured material.” Avoiding Scrap product. Since individual elastomer mol- That brings us back to the office of Rob- ecules cross-link during the curing – the Computer-Assisted Progress ert Scavuzzo as he passionately explains only way to achieve the desired elastici- The success of the cold runner technolo- a complex technical process used in the ty – the scrap cannot be recycled direct- gy is no reason for Scavuzzo, an engineer production of seals. The raw material, an ly. It is mostly incinerated, releasing its working on advanced developments, to

elastomer, is heated inside a cylinder carbon content as CO2. With Freuden- rest on his laurels. In recent years, much and transformed into a fluid. Then, it berg Sealing Technologies now using the of his work has involved optimizing the flows through a closable nozzle down process in its plants worldwide, it is geometry of the channels. “Here we eliminating about 70 tons of scrap each used the kind of computer-assisted Every cent counts – and so

year and emitting 600 tons less CO2. processes for fluid calculations that are does every gram of material: used to design turbochargers and air- seal production at the The Freudenberg plant in Manchester, craft turbines.” The result: It now takes Manchester plant in New New Hampshire, is the lead facility up to 35% less pressure to move the raw Hampshire. for the valve-gate cold-runner injection material through the now-rounded molding technology. Manchester is a liv- channels. This in turn saves energy and able city of 100,000 where the company promotes a more even flow. A new gen- manufactures engine seals and valve eration of the valve drive is still in devel- stem rings, among other products, pro- opment. To this point, the valve has only ducing volumes in the millions. The been able to open and close at predeter- technology was developed and intro- mined intervals. But, as in vehicle en- duced about 20 years ago. “Our custom- gines, a variable valve control system ers are extremely price-sensitive,” ex- could offer major advantages. “With plains Robert Lidster, the division’s a servo drive, we could control the open- technical director. “But if we can avoid ing of the drive almost at will,” Scavuzzo 70 tons engineering waste, we are not only im- said. “This would make it possible for proving the environment but we can of- us to adjust the process to changes in In turn, freedom is a key That is the quantity of scrap that fer our products at lower prices.” But it conditions at any time.” It is an Industry Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is also true that the valve gate technolo- 4.0 technology that is also sparking condition for an innovation to saves each year worldwide thanks gy comes with a higher price tag com- interest in Freudenberg Sealing Technol- to this process. pared to traditional cold-runner tools. ogies factories in Germany. The example emerge in the first place.” So, in Manchester, a separate decision is of the cold runner technology illustrates made for each product as to whether or how quickly a technology that from not the cold runner valve-gate technolo- an ecological standpoint can make gy comes into play. There is a simple rule headway, but its spread mainly depends of thumb: the higher the volume and on whether it offers economic advan- the bigger the product, the greater the tages, too. In turn, freedom is a key savings, and the sooner a more expen- condition for an innovation to emerge in sive tool is amortized. Lidster points to the first place. 64 Johan Norberg Profile Johan Norberg Profile 65

Corona appeal: Humanity can only solve truly large The Optimist problems by cooperating.

Will the world’s resources be plentiful enough for 10 billion people, all aspiring to lead a prosperous life? Certainly, says Swedish historian and author Johan Norberg. With progress and openness to new ideas and developments, he feels opportunities are opening up.

It is the late 1980s, and Johan Norberg is preparing for his se- lished in 2016, he calculates that 90 percent of humanity at lection as student body representative at his school in a Stock- the start of the 19th century still lived in extreme poverty as holm suburb. He dreams of a free life, living out in the country. defined by the United Nations today. That figure has now To him, modern, industrial Sweden and its school system seem dropped to 9 percent. Life expectancy has more than doubled to be full of constraints. So the 15-year-old creates his own in the same timeframe, not just in rich Western countries but student party, the “Anarchistic Front.” In 2001 – he has com- as a global average. Enormous progress has been made every- pleted his studies in history by this point – 250,000 critics of where in literacy, equal rights, measures to combat violence, globalization demonstrate during the G8 summit in Genoa. At and even environmental protection, he writes. The reviews about this time, Norberg publishes a book defending globaliza- have mainly been glowing, but Norberg has repeatedly stirred tion and capitalism. It is translated into 25 languages. That outrage. “You have your facts, but I have my own stories,” the success enables him to make his living as an author. Today he accusation runs. talks about a gradual process of reflection that transformed him from anarchist to liberal. And he describes a key moment Traders and Tribe Members in his studies. While doing research in the records of his family, In his latest work, “Open,” Norberg goes a step further: He he learned that it only took a single year in the 17th century, a points to progress as a function of openness. Drawing on nu- year with a bad winter and a failed harvest, to decimate a large merous historical examples, he shows that the eras that we proportion of his forebears. The last remnants of a romantic define as high culture are all marked by a lively exchange of image of the “good old days” shattered into pieces. ideas and goods. Trade is in the very nature of humanity, he says. But Norberg also shows that human development has He says the golden age of human history is in the here and suffered many reverses. One of the most striking examples: At now. With such assertions, Norberg simultaneously inspires the start of the 15th century, China had the world’s most pow- some readers and stirs opposition in others. In “Progress,” pub- erful ocean fleet, with ships far exceeding 100 meters in 66 Johan Norberg Profile Johan Norberg Profile 67

Poster campaign in Britain: Can humanity overcome its tribal nature?

The most important raw material is the human brain, and it is potentially infinite.”

length. Compared to them, the “Santa Maria” commanded by Columbus would have seemed a mere nutshell. China could therefore have been the country that discovered and con- quered the Americas. During the Ming Dynasty, however, the fleet was initially nationalized, and then sea trade was halted. Societies close themselves off again and again. Norberg says this is rooted in a second human characteristic, “tribalism,” Johan Norberg or putting the welfare of one’s own tribe ahead of everyone else – and ending up achieving the opposite. Born in 1973, Johan Norberg studied history at Stockholm With its autocrats and trade conflicts, isn’t that exactly the University and began working track that the world is on? “This duality of human nature does for the Swedish think tank Trim- not allow us to break loose from the cycle. Since the financial bro in 1999. His second book, “In can be achieved but rather open exchanges, open minds and answer: “I am comfortable in the role of someone who moves crisis, growing numbers of populists are seizing the opportuni- Defense of Global Capitalism,” open societies.” Norberg also makes the case for “open doors,” new ideas along to breakthroughs.” That means talking about ty that tribalism offers.” When the ESSENTIAL editorial team was published in the original that is, more or less unhindered migration. The view has stirred things that the majority doesn’t agree with. In politics, you interviewed Norberg by video in January 2021, nearly the en- Swedish in 2001 and has been up some unpleasantness, but he feels he has been proven would have to do exactly the opposite. tire world was closed off due to the corona pandemic. Yet he translated into more than 30 lan- right again and again. radiated optimism. “There has naturally been much discussion guages. Its commercial success The fact that Norberg distances himself from these kinds of about value creation chains. But the world has also learned allowed Norberg to begin work Norberg says the climate crisis also can only be overcome with responsibilities likely relates to the longing for freedom that

that you can only understand major problems when there is as an independent author in innovation – and a price levied on CO2 emissions, which would has been driving him since his school days and that he can en- global cooperation.” He says there is definitely an opportunity 2006. One of his best-known promote this kind of innovation. He has not discussed this joy today as an author. He is always writing. He does it every- for a golden era to come our way after the pandemic. works is “Progress.” The subtitle with fellow Swede Greta Thunberg, but certainly with many of where, in every room in his house, and he likes to do it in cafés for the English edition is “10 her supporters. And with politicians who have little patience or on trips, at any time of the day. If his smartphone happens Open Doors Reasons to Look Forward to the for openness to technology and want to regulate how a desira- to vibrate and show him a new tweet, that doesn’t bother him Norberg does not see bottlenecks impeding access to resourc- Future.” As a senior fellow at the ble state of affairs should be achieved. Norberg, who prefers at all – after all, it could give him another idea. He doesn’t yet es. “The most important resource is the human brain, and that U.S.-based Cato Institute, he not to classify himself along the left-right spectrum, makes know what his next project will involve, only that “I will be is potentially infinite. It’s not the reserves of copper or lithium champions free trade, among the case for objectives instead of concrete plans. He is repeat- dealing with great misconceptions and trying to refute them.” that will determine whether prosperity for 10 billion people other policies. edly asked why he is not involved in politics himself. His That’s exactly what he has done for 20 years. 68 Worth-Knowing Worth-Knowing 69

November 2020 Hydrogen on the High Seas October 2020 Crossing Equipping the roughly 100,000 commer- duced hydrogen in combination with cial ships traveling the world’s oceans methanol. The PEM fuel cell consumes with CO2-neutral powertrains is a Her- methanol and operates with an up- the Divide culean task. All the more since a large stream reformer. Using steam reform- share of these ships are part of the ing, the system produces the hydrogen world’s deep sea fleet. That means the that reacts with ambient oxygen to pro- The American manufacturer Trek has come up new propulsion systems will have to duce energy for the ship’s power plant with an innovative rear wheel suspension sys- help them cover very long distances. and onboard network. November 2020 tem in its Supercaliber cross-country mountain bike. As part of its IsoStrut system, the suspen- In its search for a solution, Freudenberg Its container-based design is ideal for sion strut is completely integrated into the Sealing Technologies has developed a shipping. All the components are housed Innovative frame, providing a balance between efficient methanol-powered fuel cell system that in a prefabricated unit that is easy to in- “hard tail” design (without suspension) and the has been certified with an “approval in stall on board. The rated output for sev- fully suspended, comfortable “fullies.” Two cus- principle” from the classification society eral units can be scaled up to the Butterfly Seals tom-fit Freudenberg Sealing Technologies seal- DNV GL. That clears the way for the gov- two-figure megawatt range. Other fuel ing rings made of nitrile rubber keep the high- ernment-backed system to be tested in cell applications are possible in addition tech system free of dirt, even under high off-road the cruise ship AIDAnova this year. to the methanol system. They include Valves for the process industry must meet high hygienic stresses, reducing the need for maintenance. the use of pure hydrogen and liquefied requirements. The French manufacturer Definox needed a The two companies are already working on the For its solution, Freudenberg Sealing natural gas. customer-specific sealing solution for a series of new next generation of compact seals. Technologies turned to renewably pro- high-performance butterfly valves. The idea was to work with Freudenberg Sealing Technologies to find the ideal combination of uncompromising leak-tightness, easy as- sembly, a dead-space-free seal geometry, and resistant material. The effort was a success. With the help of com- prehensive tests on a Freudenberg test rig, the partners created a novel, long-lasting and reliable butterfly valve Find more news online at: January 2021 seal out of wear-resistant materials, with an innovative https://on.fst.com/2PCI9mR design. New Valve for Safe

Batteries October 2020

The lithium ion batteries of today’s elec- The next generation of the valve offers Batteries for Ferries tric cars are densely packed power pack- emergency degassing that is four times ages. That means protective measures as fast. The improved gas flow can be are indispensable. Reaction gases must traced back to fairly small geometric Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is press- capacity of nearly 9kWh per ship, the project be able to drain away quickly and in a changes, such as extra openings on the ing ahead with its environmentally friendly represents one of the world’s largest battery controlled manner when there is a de- side of the umbrella valve. The “DIAvent encloses the nonwoven membrane like powertrains in the shipping sector. Two systems in the maritime sector. The lithium 1,200 fect. But there also has to be a mecha- High Flow” intrinsically combines the a ring, ensures degassing in an emergen- new ferries operated by P&O Ferries, ion batteries support the ferries’ diesel en- nism for pressure equalization during proven strengths of its predecessor: A cy. When the pressure is too high in the equipped with around 1,200 high-perfor- gines and enable zero-emission maneuver- high-performance batteries normal operation. Freudenberg Sealing water-repellent nonwoven promotes housing, it opens until there is equaliza- mance batteries from XALT Energy, a ing in port. They are housed in specially de- will be installed in ferries Technologies combines both functions effective air exchanges during normal tion and then shuts with a watertight Freudenberg Group company, will be linking signed XRS-2 rack systems that withstand traveling between Dover and in a valve called “DIAvent.” operation. The umbrella valve, which closure. Dover and Calais starting in 2023. With a corrosive marine environments. Calais starting in 2023. 7014 ESSENTIALRubrikname Rubrikname 15 Feedback and Contact

Current and Fully Informed If you wish to object to the shipment IN CHARGE Would you like to learn more about Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, of ESSENTIAL under the right of objection PIONEERING WORK FOR NEW SEALING AND DRIVE SYSTEMS our products, solutions and services? Then take a look at www.fst.com and outlined in the German Federal Data discover our wide-ranging portfolio. On our Internet site, you can also down- Privacy Law § 28 IV Clause 1 BDSG, simply load all the editions of our company magazine as PDFs or subscribe to the send an email including your address to: magazine at no charge. [email protected] How will we live in the future? Answers to the big questions of the future We look forward to a dialogue with you! WATCHIsolde Grabenauer THE TRAILER Ulrike Reich such as emission-free mobility, sustainable energy supply, and eff ective Freudenberg FST GmbH +49 6201 80-7467 +49 6201 80-5713 climate protection can be discovered by opening up to new ideas and alliances. [email protected] [email protected] As a sealing specialist, we design innovative, tailor-made solutions for all industrial areas. In the last few years, we have expanded this expertise to new drive systems. Our engineers and technicians currently develop and manufacture high-performance batteries as well as fuel cells for buses, COMPANY INFORMATION trucks, trains, and commercial marine. Our hybrid system can be used in all Publisher Editorial Services Copyright our Heavy Duty Systems, intelligently combining battery and fuel cells. Our Freudenberg FST GmbH Profilwerkstatt GmbH; Freudenberg FST GmbH, 2021 willingness to embrace change has consistently made us the market and Corporate Communications Johannes Winterhagen technology leader for over 170 years of company history. fst.com Höhnerweg 2 – 4, All rights reserved. Duplication of this 69469 Weinheim, Germany Design & Conception document as well as reuse of its content Profilwerkstatt GmbH is not authorized unless permission is Responsible for the content explicitly granted. Subject to technical Ulrike Reich (V. i. S. d. P.) Printing changes. The information in this docu- ABT Print und Medien GmbH ment contains general descriptions of Editor-in-chief Bruchsaler Straße 5 technical options that may not be avail- Isolde Grabenauer THE69469 MAGAZINE Weinheim, Germanyonline: able in specific cases. www.fst.com/corporate/magazine

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Cover DAQ pp 34 – 35 istockphoto: Carlo107 p 53 istockphoto: Oppdowngalon pp 8 – 9 Gareth Wray p 36 Minh Tri Pham pp 54 – 55 FST: Fritz Kopetzky pp 10 – 11 istockphoto: fmajor p 37 Basti Gutmann p 56 istockphoto: Wavebreakmedia pp 12 – 13 FST p 38 istockphoto: powerofforever pp 56 – 57 Shutterstock: Gorodenkoff pp 14 – 21 Anne-Marie Pappas p 40 Dieter Göttsche p 57 istockphoto: AzmanJaka p 17 Kirsten Westphal pp 40 – 41 istockphoto: Miodrag Ignjatovic; p 58 Tanja Hofer pp 22 – 23 istockphoto: jackaldu salihkilic p 59 istockphoto: freelancer p 25 istockphoto: chuyu / Polycare Research pp 42 – 43 John Blair: www.johnblair.co.uk pp 60 – 63 Scott Eisen Technology GmbH & Co. KG p 45 istockphoto: kolesnikovserg p 64 Niels Kliim: Alamy Stock Photo pp 26 – 27 istockphoto: Art Wager pp 46 – 51 LEITNER p 65 Richard Baker: Alamy Stock Photo p 28 Profilwerkstatt GmbH p 52 istockphoto: Roydee / Profilwerkstatt p 66 Johan Norberg p 29 istockphoto: mr_morton pp 52 – 53 Shutterstock: Mile Atanasov; p 67 Simon Leigh: Alamy Stock Photo pp 30 – 31 Jonathan Linker zhu difeng pp 68 – 69 FST p 33 SHIFT GmbH NEWpp 52 – 53 ENERGY Illustration: MAPNadine Hippe THE SKILLS SHORTAGE Political scientist Dr. Kirsten West- Skilled workers are in demand – (IN)FINITE phal on hydrogen’s growing role. and increasingly in short supply. ALL OPTIONS EXHAUSTED? THIRD DIMENSION Printed on FSC® certified paperAerial originating trams from LEITNER AG Climate neutrally from sustainably managed forestsimprove public transport in cities. theproduced magazine 1_21

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