SOLUTIONS QUARTERLY

BUHLMANN Industrie Technik: CONTENTS Off to Pastures New AUTUMN / 2018 COMPANY COMPANY & STRATEGY Off to Pastures New p. 1 The Newly Founded Surfection p. 1

Fresh Wind Blows in Domestic p. 2 Refugees at BUHLMANN p. 2

From Tractors to Bridge Engineering p. 3 BUHLMANN at Oil&Gas p. 3 Of Beer and Pretzels p. 3

BUHLMANN from Another Perspective p. 4

CLIENTS & PROJECTS Steel Pipes on Stage p. 2

Imprint p. 4

for our customers and order different products to meet different needs right from within our group”, outlined Arno Hofmann, explaining one of BUHL- MANN Industrie Technik´s goals.

© iStock, Nostal6ie The remaining goals are clearly defined: “We intend to become one Technical building services, food- GROUP: “We are in a very good addition, BUHLMANN Industrie of the most important players in our stuffs and refrigeration: just three starting position thanks to the exist- Technik offers materials for dealing field, just as BUHLMANN is already examples of the new fields that ing infrastructure and departments with water and wastewater, as well in other industries”, explains Arno BUHLMANN GROUP has been such as logistics and IT, as well as as for compressed air and firefight- Hofmann, adding: “How­ever, to developing since the 1st of August. the range of products and our large ing piping.” They are available in achieve this we first have to make Based in Duisburg, BUHLMANN warehouse capacity. Of course, the carbon or stainless steel as well as our presence felt and prove our- Industrie Technik GmbH will, in the new automated small parts storage in boiler tube grades. selves in the market.” He is an ideal future, be offering pipe material and system plays an important role in player for achieving this – after all, pipe accessories in new fields. guaranteeing fast and flexible deliv- Uncharted territory for BUHLMANN Arno Hofmann is no stranger to the ery. Cooperation with our surface “We also intend to win customers from industry: “Whether industry, civil Among other things, we will be coating partner Surfection, located previously non-BUHLMANN sectors engineering, domestic services and focussing on the foodstuffs indus- in the immediate neighbourhood, and similarly consider their needs”, building services engineering, food- try, technical building services, enables us to offer additional ben- says Arno Hofmann. This includes, stuffs production or various other and compressed air and firefight- efits, which we also aim to utilise.” for example, the foodstuffs industry market segments – I have worked ing systems. “We also aim to and here, among others, the bever- in all these fields, and introduced incorporate other fields in order to Arno Hofmann also sees great ages industry. “For example, we can and successfully distributed new establish an even broader base”, opportunities in the market with not only supply a dairy with the mate- products on the German market”, explains Arno Hofmann. He is the existing customer potential: “Here, rials required for building services but he explains. managing director of the new sub- we are not concentrating on our also for its supply and disposal lines”, sidiary company and, together with customers´” product pipelines, but he explains. “In the long term, we aim BUHLMANN Industrie Technik his team, appreciates the prevail- rather on their technical building to be positioned in such a way that can be contacted at the address: ing conditions at the BUHLMANN services”, he explains, adding: “In we can create a range of synergies [email protected]

Concentrated Efficiency: The Newly Founded Surfection GmbH COMPANY

Steel pipes, processed and deli- and blasting turbines are avail- competition.” And this is also some- vered directly from a single sour- able for this purpose. A more than thing from which BUHLMANN GROUP ce, saving you time and money. 20-metre-long free blasting room customers benefit. What sounds like an ideal concept offers additional space. “If required, became a reality for BUHLMANN we also process the products manu- GROUP customers with the newly ally using the compressed air blast founded Surfection GmbH, in which process and have high-pressure BUHLMANN is involved. The com- pumps with spray nozzles, with pany combines the surface treat- which we can remove every dust ment of pipes and metal parts with particle”, says Heinz Gerschermann. warehousing and transportation capabilities. The new company was Something for everyone founded by a long-term partner and If required, the products can also be steel pipe haulier, Brinker Fetten colour-coated. “We are happy to re- Logistik GmbH & Co. KG. spond to every customer request. Our products need to withstand the aggres- The main focus of the more than ten sive climate present in chemical works employees is on all types of corro- and the same applies to the maritime sion protection. “We have different industry or bridge construction, in systems and meet the entire range of these sectors up to four or five coat- specifications, from general stand- ings must be applied”, explains Heinz ards and norms to customer-specific Gerschermann, who has been active in standards”, explains Heinz Gersch- the industry for over 30 years. He is ermann, Operational Manager. Pipes extremely proud of the hall and what it and steel structures are processed is capable of: “Our offer is unique and in the required manner in the 6,000 our systems have been very reliable so square metre hall. A roller conveyor far – this is what sets us apart from the © Photo by Marco Maldonado on Unsplash SOLUTIONS

PAGE 2 QUARTERLY A Fresh Wind Blows in the Mountains and on the Coast COMPANY

There have been some changes in the previous three to deliver great- then, he has passed through various here over the next few years”, he the Domestic Sales Division over the er flexibility and develop further in departments and completed a course summarises the goals for his new past few months: the new Head of networks. Torsten Cordes says: “We of study in Business Administration. position. Specifically, he sees the Sales Southeast in Burghausen is want to develop new products and In 2014, he took over the shipyard extension of the customer structure Gunter Dohmen. In Bremen, Torsten industries to make us more adapt- team and has been the new Head of and the expansion into other sectors, Cordes has taken over the post of able to challenges. In addition, we Sales North since mid-May. such as agriculture or construction Head of Sales North. We would like would like to be on the customer´s machinery industry, as primary ob- to introduce you to these two new site more often to allow us to furnish Gunter Dohmen – jectives in order to generate a broad- contacts, to their goals and to the their needs better.” BUHLMANN a fresh start in Upper Bavaria er end customer structure. Even new structures. GROUP´s wide range of products though he notes that there is still should also be highlighted, he ex- a need to optimise delivery times, Torsten Cordes – plains: “Whether BUHLMANN Gunter Dohmen already regards one from apprentice to executive PROJECTS SOLUTIONS, the auto- achievement as target-oriented for mated small parts storage system, or customers: “It has been possible to Surfection: we need to present these reduce delivery times with the aid of additional services and supply the the automated small parts storage customer with the desired product, system which has been a great ben- on time, so that they can concen- efit to our customers.” trate on their true core business.” Before taking up his new position, Torsten Cordes sees his new position Gunter Dohmen has been taking Gunter Dohmen was Managing as a major challenge: “BUHLMANN care of business at the Burghausen Director of BUHLMANN Singapore grew up with Sales North. This makes site since the beginning of February. Pte. Ltd. where he was able to gather me very proud to take over leadership “We aim to win numerous projects numerous impressions and gain the Sales North sets the sails differ- there.” He has known the department and contracts here in the Chemicals experience to meet his new chal- ently with its Wave and Wind teams: for a long time, and in 2002 Torsten Triangle. In this regard, I can envis- lenge. He was previously employed two teams have been formed from Cordes began his career here. Since age some very good developments as Head of Export West in Bremen.

Steel Pipes on the Boards that mean the World PROJECTS

BUHLMANN stands for premium Ultimately, robust pipes were opt- another hurdle: unloading the pipes The stage designer assembled the sector steel pipes. Customers inclu- ed for. The Schnürschuh theatre from the lorry. Forklift trucks are pipes and then equipped them with de international corporate groups ordered via the online shop, mean- needed to unload the goods from the additional details that are impor- and leading steel industry compa- ing the order landed on the desk the lorries: “We briefly panicked. On tant for the stage play. nies. Earlier in the year, however, an of Alina König, Sales Coordinator: the one hand, because we thought order of a slightly different kind was “When we saw the theatre was the we had ordered pipes that were far The boy with the suitcase was a received via the online shop. customer, we all wondered how too large, and on the other because complete success. The play has exactly the pipes were going to be we don't own a forklift”, says Anja received consistently positive feed- The Schnürschuh Theatre in Bremen used. At the same time, we were Hinrichs. The reaction of Dieter back. Incidentally, this was not the was planning a stage play in which also looking forward to seeing our Hartmann, Logistics Manager, to the last appearance for the BUHLMANN the set design can be quickly and products in the limelight.” unexpected change in the planned pipes: “We are already planning the easily assembled and dismantled delivery situation was a good sign: witches house for the Christmas again. The production Der Junge DIY store or BUHLMANN? “We then simply hired Bremer fairy tale Hansel and Gretel.” mit dem Koffer (The boy with the However, the decision to use Schlüssel, the freight broker, who suitcase) is about a young man who BUHLMANN as the steel trader was was able to deliver the goods in a must flee his home country because not the first choice. “We first went to smaller lorry.” of war. His path takes him through various DIY stores to look at heating deserts and mountains and across pipes, fence posts and the respec- the open sea in a small boat. “Dif- tive connectors. But we quickly real- ferent spaces were to be presented ised that this wasn´t going to get us using simple means, for exam- anywhere, so we googled”, explains ple a bus, a mountain or a capsiz- Anja Hinrichs. It had to be a local ing boat”, explains Anja Hinrichs, supplier. The fact that BUHLMANN the theatre´s managing director. In operates an online shop contributed addition, the structure should be to the final decision. “It was very capable of bearing the weight of the easy to use and we didn't even have three actors who climb across it. The to pick up the phone.” considerations went from scaffold- ing parts that were too heavy for fast However, just before the order was Our pipes with the actors Rune Jürgensen, Pascal Makowka and Dominique Marino (left to right) © boettcher+tiensch assembly and dismantling, to wood. completed we had to overcome

Facilitating Routes into Working Life: Refugees at BUHLMANN COMPANY

Integrating refugees into society and to present the world of work on the pare themselves for the daily world ent areas, and they made a good the economy in general is currently one hand and our apprenticeship of work”, said Ronald Speidel, Head impression. This even resulted in a dominant topic in Germany. In its occupations on the other, to the of Human Resources. a training agreement.” In addi- 'Welcome Pilots' project, the Bre- refugees”, explains Malte Albrecht, tion, the cooperation enabled us men Chamber of Commerce offers Human Resources Coordinator. The participants showed great to deepen our contacts with the support to both companies and refu- Thirteen students from the Vege- interest and asked a lot of ques- Bremen Chamber of Commerce gees in everyday life. BUHLMANN sack school centre took part in the tions. “It was a successful day for and the Vegesack school centre. GROUP is also participating. guided tour and the following round all and, in the future, something of talks. “The school specialises in more may develop from it for every­ “In cooperation with the Bremen information and metals technology one involved”, Malte Albrecht sum- Chamber of Commerce, we facili- and holds classes with language marises the visit and adds: “We tated a visit to the factory in order support, where refugees can pre- took on three interns for differ- PAGE 3

From Tractors to Bridge Engineering COMPANY

“Don´t stop moving and occasio- nally think outside the box” is a BUHLMANN GROUP maxim. This is clearly evident in the founding of two new subsidiaries in recent months. But a lot has also been happening internally: in spring, the Mechanical Tubes working group commenced its activities.

“Because of the stagnating energy markets, we have analysed in which © iStock, kadmy fields, in addition to our main busi- ness, we can meaningfully utilise our has a large selection at his dispos- strengths and our expertise and can al. thus offer support to our customers”, Martin Tangl, Managing Director of Shared expertise BUHLMANN Austria and head of Another benefit: the Mechanical the team, explains the background Tubes team works across loca- to the working group. Initial projects tions and the customer benefits in Austria have been extremely suc- from the resulting synergies. “For cessful and the transnational work- example, we provided support to ing group was created. our colleagues in Thailand and help wherever we can within the corpo- Among other things, it concentrates rate group”, says Martin Tangl. The © iStock, zhaojiankang on mechanical engineering, con- expertise applied also comes from struction and agricultural machin- our cooperation partner Tenaris, and openly discuss every need, so future and goals of the team. “We ery and the construction industry. who manufactures the pipes and everyone learns a lot.” want to establish ourselves as the “These fields even include bridge is involved in the project. “We are permanent contact for these prod- engineering, where we have already in constant contact with Tenaris First projects and framework con- ucts, and thus gain a greater market successfully implemented the and have received technical train- tracts are testimony to the team´s share”, adds Martin Tangl. first projects”, says Martin Tangl. ing locally”, explains Michéle Lud- success: “The team has been able This allowed us to expand the wig, Sales Manager in Bremen, to attract some interesting custom- More information about the team BUHLMANN GROUP product port- who is part of the team. However, ers and book international orders”, and the products offered can be folio. In view of the large range, no she and her team mates perform says Jörg Klüver, who set up the obtained on our website or by send- wish is left unfilled: whether seam- these functions in addition to the team after his first attempts in ing an e-mail to Mechanicals@ less or welded hollow sections, pre- routine work. “It´s a lot of fun and Austria. “We want to address bulk buhlmann-group.com. cision steel tubes, hydraulic pipes, I´m proud to be able to participate”, consumers and secure a number of pilot tubes for cylinder construction she explains and Martin Tangl framework and call contracts with or thick-walled pipes, the customer adds: “We often exchange views logistics concepts”, he explains the

Exploring Unknown Terrain: BUHLMANN at Oil&Gas Uzbekistan COMPANY

Uzbekistan, is located between sent in Uzbekistan. While there, Christian Dörner, Director of the Afghanistan and Kazakhstan and however, I felt a great interest in International Sales Division, high- despite beeing the size of Sweden our products and services”, he ex- lights the efforts in the Central little is known about this country. plains. The interest during the fair Asian country: “Because of the ex- In May, however, the former Soviet was enormous and we have already isting sanctions against Russia, we Republic was the focus of activi- received several enquiries. are reviewing alternatives for devel- ties for a member of the Internati- oping new distribution channels in onal Sales Division. The real goal, however, was anoth- the former Soviet Union.” Uzbeki- er: “We wanted to explore whether stan has large oil and gas reserves, Andreas Gutjahr, Senior Team the market was of interest to us but is making access to the domes- Manager in Export East, repre- and gain a better appreciation for Andreas Gutjahr tic market more difficult. “It is very sented BUHLMANN GROUP at the it. We succeeded in that”, says An- difficult to be committed, but we 'Oil&Gas Uzbekistan' trade fair in dreas Gutjahr. In addition to this, and local conditions. “Discussions remain positive about being active the capital Tashkent. “Our group he was on the look-out for a partner were held and we are optimistic”, locally”, said Christian Dörner. has never previously been pre- with knowledge of the local market explains Andreas Gutjahr.

Of Beer and Pretzels COMPANY

The 33rd FDBR pipeline enginee- fair, our employees demonstrated regenerative power generation were ring conference was held in Munich the benefits of BUHLMANN to particularly interesting”, reports on the 20th and 21st of March potential customers and industry Jürgen Olbrich. 2018. Wolfgang Grässler, Seni- colleagues. The development of the or Manager Sales, Matthias Vogt, German and European power sta- BUHLMANN GROUP has been a Manager Technical Services, and tion, chemicals and petrochemicals regular part of the FDBR conference Jürgen Olbrich, Head of Projects industries, as well as upcoming for many years and benefits from Energy, participated in the event projects in pipeline engineering, the exchange of experience between and returned to their BUHLMANN were popular topics. all involved. “For us as a dealer and sites to report on exciting topics. service provider, participation is In addition, presentations were therefore indispensable”, explains The programme during the two-day given by well-known speakers, Matthias Vogt. In recognition of the fair was extremely diverse. Forty- including on the new edition of EN conference venue, catering was typi- five steel industry and plant engi- 13480-3 agreed on in December cally Bavarian. And so, in the evening, neering companies, as well as com- 2017 and the demands on and pro- the beer keg was tapped by a woman petitors from a wide range of other duction of pipes in the pharmaceu- dressed in a typical Bavarian dress. industries, presented themselves in ticals industry. “The presentations Munich. BUHLMANN GROUP was on the development of standards, represented this year by the Duis- optimisation of downtimes in plant © FDBR e. V., Giulio Coscia burg and Burghausen sites. At the engineering and development of SOLUTIONS

PAGE 4 QUARTERLY

BUHLMANN Sites from a Different Perspective: Paris Famous Architecture and the French Taj Mahal COMPANY

An eye-Catcher from all perspectives © Photo by William West on Unsplash

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the along a circular route following the Champs-Élysées: Paris, culturally famous impressionists. Inciden- one of the most important cities in tally, Vincent van Gogh found his world history, and its attractions, are final resting place in the cemetery well known to many. But what do in Auvers-sur-Oise, located on a the more than 12 million residents hilltop in the village. recommend when visiting the metro- politan region? It´s a good thing that Following a circle to the destination BUHLMANN GROUP has a site in Invigorated by the excursion into Cergy, and our colleagues there have nature, the route from Cergy cross- given us their insider tips. es over the Seine twice, meander- ing through the suburbs to Paris. Let´s first take a look at Cergy before And before you know it, the road moving on to the capital of the recent leads directly to a famous land- Has been looking at Paris for years: a chimera sculpure on Notre Dame Cathedral World Cup winner. This tranquil town mark: the Arc de Triomphe. Thanks © Photo by Pedro Lastra on Unsplash is located north-west of Paris in the to the largest roundabout in France Val-d'Oise department and is known and no defined number of lanes, for an artwork synthesis that extends passengers will certainly have plen- ed further north. “The opera was you should take a break and enjoy over almost four kilometres. The Axe ty of time to take a close look at the built in the 19th century and is a delicious brunch at 'Chez Prune', majeur consists of twelve stations, almost 50 metre high monument. If located in great surroundings that right on the canal”, Veronique Rosa including a tower, an orchard, an the driver finds the right exit among you should not miss when visiting tells us. Then we start at the Louvre amphitheatre and an eternal flame. the twelve roads leading off, it will the City of Lights”, recommends on a walk through the glass-roofed By the way, the axis points towards lead towards the centre on the Stephan Njock, Logistics Coordina- shopping galleries, which were Paris, so a walk along the Axe majeur famous, 70-metre-wide, Champs- tor, who reveals to us another Paris mainly built during the 18th cen- is an ideal way to start the journey. Élysées boulevard. nickname. Although he lives in Par- tury and are located in the heart of is himself, he never ceases to be the city. Whether in 'Le Passage du However, if you prefer to get to But what then? Visit one of over fascinated by the place. “More­over, Grand Cerf', 'Le Passage des Pano- know the surrounding landscape 160 museums or go to one of the it is located centrally and easily ramas', 'Le Galerie Vivienne' or 'Le before visiting the City of Love, 200 art galleries? With around accessible from other attractions, Passage Jouffroy': this tour lets you you should take a trip to the Vexin 16 million foreign tourists a year, such as the beautiful garden, 'Le discover historical Paris and find Français Nature Park. The 71,000 Paris is one of the most visited cit- Jardin des Tuileres'. And if you like one or the other souvenir. Our tour square metre landscape is charac- ies in the world, after London and shopping, you will find the famous through Paris, with so many differ- terised by typical local woodlands, Bangkok, and offers many attrac- 'Les Galeries Lafayettes' in the ent impressions, ends here – over- forests, meadows, hills, swamps tions. One should certainly cross immediate vicinity”, Stephan Njock whelmed by famous architecture and rivers, which even inspired the Seine again to enjoy a fantastic tells us as we leave. and hidden highlights. impressionists such as Van Gogh, view from the city´s famous land- Cézanne and Daubigny. The aim mark, the Eiffel Tower, at an eleva- Further north we meet Stephanie of the nature park is to preserve tion of 324 metres. Because it is Miramont, Senior Manager Sales. this fascinating variety of natural the most visited pay-to-enter build- “The Sacré-Cœur Basilica is one life forms and plant species. The ing in the world, the visit should of the most visited monuments in IMPRINT village of Auvers-sur-Oise, locat- be well planned. You cannot miss Paris. It stands on Montmartre hill ed on the River Oise a few miles the Louvre art museum in the city and bears more resemblance to the Publisher from Cergy, allows you to explore centre. After all, it houses approxi- Taj Mahal than to Notre Dame”, BUHLMANN Rohr-Fittings- the landscape by boat or on foot mately 380,000 works, including she says. A few metres away in 'Le Stahlhandel GmbH + Co. KG many important exhibits such as Place du Tertre' square, a multitude Arberger Hafendamm 1 the world famous Mona Lisa. A visit of artists gather in the confined 28309 Bremen, Germany to Notre Dame Cathedral is also space and present their works. After Editor worthwhile. It is located on the Île a stroll through the picturesque Malte Addiks de la Cité and thus in the oldest streets of Montmartre, Stephanie (legally resp. for content) district of Paris. It is famous for its Miramont shows us why Paris is the chimera sculptures, which rose to City of Love: on a board, in numer- corporate_communications@ fame in the story “The Hunchback ous languages and scripts, stand buhlmann-group.com of Notre Dame”. the words “I love you”. Contributors Malte Addiks, Kim Laura Götz Paris for insiders Covered through the city But let´s take a look away from To complete our journey, Veronique Layout the tourist magnets and see what Rosa, Senior Sales Manager, takes Vaios Anastasiou the residents want to show us: us on two city walks. She first takes Printing It´s time to meet the employees us on a walk along the St. Martin Druckhaus Humburg, of BUHLMANN France. They lead canal. “It's a beautiful and roman- Bremen, Germany The Taj Mahal of France: The Basilica Sacré-Cœur us back to the Louvre, or rather, to tic path along the canal. It can also © Stephanie Miramont the L'Opéra Charles Garnier locat- be explored by boat. On Sundays,