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10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EU EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EU 10 Years New EUROFORGE 10 Years New EUROFOR Erwin Peddinghaus 10 Years New EUROFORGE Erwin Peddinghaus PROLOGUE: EUROFORGE has had an eventful history. Its success has always been dependent on a few figures who have not only encouraged co- operation in their own national associations, but also looked over national borders and who have often been ahead of their time. In June 1953 a first meeting of national European forging associations – one could also call it a trial meeting – took place in Gleneagles (Scotland) on the initiative of the British association. (Germany, UK, France). This resulted in the start of the International Forging Congresses (IFC), which take place every three years. At the same time a closer co- operation between European trade associations began under the name EUROFORGE. At the beginning, technical standards, dictionaries for the forging industry and standards for important commercial and technical processes were developed or co-ordinated between the associations involved. In the statutes of 1961 it was agreed in London to hold a meeting of the presidents of the national trade associations annually, and this was the starting point for a regular general exchange of ideas. Over the course of the years, because of the strong growth of national industries, EUROFORGE lost its dynamism. The presidents still met regularly for a general exchange of ideas, and their directors discussed in various established Foundation of EUROFORGE, 9 November 1961 in Paris. 3 committees the positions of the national associations and their carefully sure that they did not lose any tasks, or indeed members, member companies, but there was however a lack of direction and of to EUROFORGE. Therefore it was important to establish that only an interesting EUROFORGE-specific discussion forum. national associations could be members, that EUROFORGE should In the 1990s the industrial world of the automotive industry and have no staff of its own and that the national associations should take its suppliers changed. National markets became European or even on key functions in the EUROFORGE organisation on an honorary global ones, which affected in particular production locations as well basis. The budget was to be kept small and the allocation formula for as the purchasing sources of the automotive industry - with 60 % by the different countries involved was discussed intensively. But there far the largest customer of the forging sector. Europe‘s markets were was one particular reason for EUROFORGE to be founded speedily: growing ever closer together, and as a result member companies were In 2002 the 17th International Forging Congress (17th IFC) was to ever more often confronting their national associations with problems take place in Europe. No national association in Europe felt itself of a transnational nature. It was at this time that important member in a position to shoulder this on its own. Therefore the European companies started pushing their national associations to create a pan- participants suggested at an informal meeting of presidents of European platform for the exchange of ideas with their European the European forging associations in Beijing on 09.09.1999 that competitors. There were many topics of mutual interest. EUROFORGE should organise the 2002 Congress in Germany. FOUNDATION OF THE NEW EUROFORGE: Following the presidents‘ meeting in Munich on 13.09.1998, the boards of the most important European associations took up the slogan “EUROFORGE needs to be re-founded”, and set up working groups. The individual associations compiled a profile of requirements for the New EUROFORGE. In autumn 1998 the IDS (Industrieverband Deutscher Schmieden e. V.), too, asked its board members for suggestions for a profile of requirements, activities and goals for a New EUROFORGE. In the following months a lot of hard work was done in many meetings. Slowly a vision came into being as to what organisational structure, aims and activities a modern “EUROFORGE” should have. These meetings took place in Düsseldorf and Stuttgart among other locations. At the meeting of presidents on the occasion of the 16th IFC in Beijing on 09.09.1999, the results of the working groups were presented and these later formed the basic framework for the organisation and activities of today‘s EUROFORGE. It is clear that every national association or director of such an association made Strong Partners in European countries in decentralized organizational structure. 4 5 On top of this, the realisation came during the Beijing Congress that a associations = Executive Committee = and important working platform for the large forging companies which supply the automotive groups such as the Automotive Group were to meet twice a year. industry was urgently needed, there being no national markets any Only national trade associations could be members; exceptions for longer. So 12 representatives of important European forging companies countries without their own associations were to be possible. The from Germany, France, the UK and Spain met to agree to found an budget of € 20,000 was fixed at the beginning, with a basic fee which Automotive Group within EUROFORGE. After this meeting the was the same for all associations plus an additional charge dependent “foundation train” really started rolling. The next presidents‘ meeting on the size of the respective national association. Assignments of the took place in the Hotel Edouard VII in Paris on 1st December 1999, New EUROFORGE were to be taken on by staff and/or members of where crucial resolutions were prepared regarding the re-founding the member associations on an honorary basis. of EUROFORGE and its statutes. The different national cultures and On 10th November 2000 in Paris the 1st General Assembly of the New interests had to be brought together in such a way that EUROFORGE EUROFORGE took place. The new statutes with the decentralised would in future be able to function properly, whilst finding the organisational structure were passed and the first draft budget unanimous agreement of the member associations. The following was presented. Peter Sundström (Sweden) was elected as the first countries had over the course of the years become members: the President, with Erwin Peddinghaus (Germany) and Dino Ruffatto UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Poland and the (Italy) as Vice-Presidents and Dr. Theodor Lutz Tutmann (Germany) Czech Republic. It was therefore no mean task to bring 9 associations as Secretary General. The members of the Executive Board were also under one common roof. As well as language problems there were enormous problems of understanding and co-ordination, which could nevertheless, with a lot of persistence, patience and sensitivity, be solved before the founding meeting in Paris on 10.11.2000. The following points for an agreement found general acceptance: Goal: to retain forging companies as members in the EUROFORGE member associations and to gain new member companies through an attractive offer of association services. Strategy: co-operation between the national EUROFORGE member associations – each national association to take on a New EUROFORGE service. Organisation: 1 President , 2 Vice-Presidents, 1 General Secretary as the chairman of the Executive Committee, and a decentralised organisational structure with honorary commitment by the EUROFORGE members. A General Assembly was to take place annually, the working board of the directors of the national member Peter Sundström signs the EUROFORGE constitution act, 10 November 2000 in Paris. 6 7 chosen – the directors of the national member associations. The first Other objectives are: official meeting of the Executive Board took place the following day, 2. act as a forum of European forging companies for the exchange when the special working groups were set up and their tasks defined. of experience and for discussing common problems. (Automotive Group, Open Die Forging Group, Technical Committee, 3. be a representative body vis à vis the EU-Commission, Statistics, Communication). The Turkish forging company Parsan was suppliers and customers given the task of establishing a national forging association in Turkey 4. to collect and defend the common interests of the industry. within 3 years. Until then Parsan would be accepted as an associated 5. to collect and provide information - evolution of technical and member. economic and environmental trends - statistics - benchmarking. The preparations for the 17th IFC were advanced further in the 6. to promote the forging business. Hotel ATALA in Paris on 9th November 2000, and the Maritim Hotel in Cologne was selected as the venue. The German association IDS The Czech association was given the responsibility for organising under Lutz Tutmann had prepared a clear conception with respect the Open Die Forging Group, the first budget was passed and it was to the time-frame and content of the Congress. A large financial decided that English would be EUROFORGE‘s official language. risk for their associations was foreseen by the presidents of some Rules for the 17th IFC were also agreed as well as the following: associations, in particular by the French president Henri Latrasse, The staffing of the Organising Committee, how any profit or loss who could not understand how his German colleague, Dr. Manfred produced by the Congress should be divided up between members, Hirschvogel, could be so optimistic. Dr. Hirschvogel was however to the engagement of a professional organiser (Hinte Messe), prove right. After a long discussion, the budget (at least 311 paying co-operation with the METAV exhibition in Düsseldorf and rules for participants were needed to cover the costs), the programme and the participation in plant visits.

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