Issue 02 | 2014

MAGAZINE OF THE FRIEDHELM LOH GROUP

KNOW-HOW Data as the new raw material EXPERIENCE Three minutes to customer satisfaction ENGAGEMENT Music’s instrumental! GROUP

LOH

FRIEDHELM

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ECONOMIC WONDERLAND SOUTH KOREA Germany’s Asian twin

2014

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EDITORIAL

THE WILL TO INNOVATE

Dear Readers,

South Korea and Germany have much in common; one example is the economic miracle: the German one began in the 1950s, the South Korean in the 1970s. What in Germany is referred to as the “Miracle on the Rhine” is known in South Korea as the “Miracle on the river Han”. In resource-poor countries such as South Korea and Germany, what counts is a wealth of ideas, quality and a constant will to in- novate in order to remain successful economically.

At first almost unnoticed by the European public, South Korea has grown to become a leading economic powerhouse. The country has oriented itself towards Germany in many respects. Today, Germany and South Korea cooperate as partners in a number of key tech- nologies, including information, nano- and biotechnology and en- ergy and environmental engineering. Both countries are on a path of shifting their industry into a new era – represented by the keyword Industry 4.0. The intelligent factory of the future is based on a new raw material: data. Software connections and a mastery of inter- FRIEDHELM LOH faces will govern everything in the future. Owner and CEO of the Friedhelm Loh Group

South Korea is also a growth market for the Friedhelm Loh Group. Major industrial enterprises in leading sectors rely on solutions from our companies. The Friedhelm Loh Group is investing in South Korea and is thereby strengthening its presence in Asia. Rittal’s new ad- ministration and logistics complex is currently being built in the In- chon Songdo free-trade zone. The goal is to capture the market with quality products from the group on the one hand, and at the same time offer our global customers technical standards and system so- lutions in South Korea – meaning the same quality and identical service worldwide.

South Korea shares with us an understanding of innovation: “Faster, better, everywhere” – that is the central goal and vital interest of the Friedhelm Loh Group. With our companies, we will help make the future of industry a successful one.

I hope this new issue of be top inspires you. Enjoy the read!

Sincerely,

Friedhelm Loh

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 03 RUBRIK NAME

14 COVER STORY SOUTH KOREA

58 40 AN INTERVIEW WITH CARL BASS NEW STANDARD

68 92 SPECIAL PLASTIC ENGAGEMENT CONTENTS

COVER STORIES EXPERIENCE

14 GROWING GROWTH 64 THREE MINUTES TO South Korea is an economic wonderland. The parallels CUSTOMER SATISFACTION to Germany are remarkably diverse – and connections to A look at the daily work of the expert staff at the Rittal Techni- German global players such as Rittal are close. cal Hotline. They answer over 50,000 calls annually.

24 A NATION IN “PALLI, PALLI” MODE 68 LOGISTICS WORLD CHAMPION How did South Korea develop into the model Asian For Würth Industrie Service, Europe’s most state-of-the-art lo- nation? Frank Robaschik, Asia-Pacifi c division director gistics provider, LKH developed new, forward-looking solutions. at Germany Trade and Invest, provides answers. 74 MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE Stahlo is expanding its services with a focus on stepping up technical applications support.

76 XXL FRESHNESS KNOW-HOW Organic wholesaler Weiling depends on the modular RiMatrix S data centre solution.

30 THE IMPROVERS 80 THE SYSTEM FOR THE SMART GRID Systematic shopfl oor management ensuring continuous qual- Smart storage is key to achieving the energy supply of the fu- ity management improvement in Rittal’s plants. ture. Rittal delivers solutions for making this future a success.

36 END OF THE ICE AGE 84 KEEPING A COOL HEAD IT white paper testifi es to modular IT infrastructures raising High enclosure temperatures were common at Bosch Rexroth. company competitiveness. A solution from Rittal remedied the situation and saves energy.

40 CREATING SPACE New DIN EN 61439 standard radically changes standards- compliant plant construction & engineering as of November. THE F.L.G. COSMOS 44 ON AN EXTENSIVE SCALE New manufacturing and development site inaugurated by 88 TREND SUMMIT FOR IT VISIONARIES the Siemens combination technology plant in Chemnitz. Leading fi gures from the IT industry met at the Rittal Open House IT in Herborn in June. 48 PINNACLES OF AUTOMATION There is plenty of potential for optimising switchgear and con- trol engineering, as shown by Swiss company W. Althaus AG. ENGAGEMENT 52 DATA AS THE NEW RAW MATERIAL Together, the companies of the Friedhelm Loh Group offer huge potential for enhancing value creation. 92 MUSIC’S INSTRUMENTAL! The Amadeus Junior Academy has music on the brain – thus 54 NEW DIMENSION setting the stage for long-term learning. The newest version of Eplan Data Portal has data on around YOUR 480,000 items, includes more features and is even easier to use. OPINION MATTERS!

STANDARDS Do you have questions, sugges- 58 THE FORM OPTIMISER tions, praise or criticism about Visionary Carl Bass heads CAD system manufacturer the current issue? Simply mail Autodesk. The be top team met the CEO for an interview. 03 EDITORIAL the editorial team at: betop@ 06 SNAPSHOTS friedhelm-loh-group.com be top as an app! Issue 02 | 2014 12 AROUND THE WORLD Regular updates on the topics MAGAZINE OF THE FRIEDHELM LOH GROUP 28 MAGAZINE: IT IN YOUR POCKET KNOW-HOW Data as the new raw material EXPERIENCE Three minutes to customer satisfaction in this issue. ENGAGEMENT Music’s instrumental! 62 MAGAZINE: FRIEDHELM LOH HONOURED Simply scan the QR code 90 MAGAZINE: GOOD DEEDS WITH MUSIC and discover even more ECONOMIC WONDERLAND SOUTH KOREA Germany’s Asian twin information, interviews and 97 PUBLICATION DETAILS features in the be top app! 98 TOP PERFORMANCES – BE TOP!

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 05 SNAPSHOTS

06 1,889 metres above sea level is where Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota (USA) is located. It was blasted, hewn and chiselled into the granite of Mount Rushmore by sculptor John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum over fourteen summers between 1927 and 1941. Portrayed from left to right are George Washing- ton, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Each sculpture is about 18 metres tall. One of the most famous movie scenes fi lmed at the monument is the dramatic showdown in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, in which Eva Marie Saint and Cary Grant fi ght for their lives between the illuminated presidential heads. The controls for this illumination are securely stowed in Rittal enclosures.

www.mtrushmorenational memorial.com

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 07 SNAPSHOTS

08 115 student teams from 26 countries took to the track at the Hocken- heimring to test the mettle of their self-constructed racers during the Formula Student Germany at the end of July. The young designers were also demonstrating the performance of their racing cars to attending industry and business experts. The international design competition has been hosted by Formula Student Germany under the aegis of the Association of German Engineers since 2006. Eplan sponsored a total of nine teams. They designed and constructed their vehicles with Eplan Electric P8 and Eplan Harness proD. Well-designed wiring is important since it must fi t into the tiniest of spaces.

www.formulastudent.de

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 09 SNAPSHOTS 70 per cent energy savings and even more are offered by the current range of Rittal enclosure cooling units. And the potential for innova- tion is far from exhausted. For com- puting-intensive branches, such as fi nance, this savings potential offers an attractive perspective. Apropos perspective, there are high-tech solutions from Rittal in many of the buildings that make up the Frankfurt skyline, including the IBC building complex – the abbreviation stands for Investment Banking Center. The IBC tower (at right) rises an impos- ing 112 metres. At the beginning of spring, its corners and edges are illuminated – blue in the morning and pink in the evening – as a lumi- nous greeting to the city.

www.ibc-frankfurt.com 02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 11 AROUND THE WORLD

FASTER, BETTER, EVERYWHERE ...

Global player. The Friedhelm Loh Group is present on every continent with more than sixty subsidiaries. A selection of six reports from around the world.

Norway TREASURE SEEKERS With 33 server racks and climate-control systems from Rittal, the Ramform Titan Netherlands goes out in search of crude oil. One of the Canada newest ships in the fleet of Norwegian KPN COUNTS ON RITTAL geophysics service provider Petroleum KPN is one of the Netherlands’ largest pro- AWARD-WINNING Geo-Services, it records data from the viders of digital services. In one of the EMPLOYER ocean floor and spots oil deposits beneath country’s biggest infrastructure projects of Rittal Canada was distinguished as a the oceans around the world. The system the past ten years, the speed of the current “Great Place to Work”. Anthony Varga, integrator is the Japanese corporation data network is to be increased. To achieve president of Rittal Canada, accepted the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The Ramform this, KPN is using innovative “Fibre to the award. Outstanding customer focus has Titan has state-of-the-art technology on Kerb” technology and outdoor enclosures always been Rittal’s primary objective. board as well as comforts: for the up to from Rittal. As part of the network upgrade, Explaning the exemplary ranking Varga eighty crew members and guests, there is more than 4,000 outdoor enclosures from says that “the path to becoming a customer- a 225-square-metre gymnasium, a theatre Rittal will be delivered to KPN. According friendly company starts with the dedicated and other entertainment options. to Rittal Telecom Account Manager Ger employees who make up Rittal. Becoming Dirks, “this creates the necessary space one of Canada’s best employers can be for the active network components from achieved only through teamwork and Alcatel, the interface between the fibre- trust”. Evaluation for the Great Place to optic rings and the copper-wire network. Work award includes a comprehensive In the end, around 400 homes that use the employee survey and an expert assess- fast V-DSL connections can be connected ment of the corporate culture. to each enclosure”.

12 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 Saudi Arabia ARABIAN IT AWARD Starting immediately, the Saudi Arabian subsidiary of Rittal Middle East can call Italy itself the “Best Data Centre Vendor of the Year – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) China FLEXIBILITY COUNTS Market”. Mohammed Zaher (left), Territory The global logistics company BCube is Sales Manager for IT for the KSA, LOGISTICS EXPERTISE counting on two RiMatrix S data centres accepted the prize at the celebration of While construction is ongoing in Germany in the Single 6 version, one of the first this year’s “ITP Channel KSA Awards” in and South Korea, Rittal China in Beijing foreign companies to do so. The flexible Riyadh. This award is one of the most has opened its sixth logistics centre. With deployment option for the RiMatrix S important in the Middle East and honours 2,700 square metres of warehouse space in a container is what convinced BCube. local IT suppliers for their outstanding con- and a modifications centre, it comple- “We’re moving into new company head- tribution to the growing IT industry in ments the locations in Shanghai, quarters soon,” says Ezio Aprile, CIO at Saudi Arabia. The prize was awarded for Shenyang, Xi’an, Chengdu and Shenzhen. BCube, “so it was important to us that the fourth time. Rittal Middle East views With it, Rittal is continuing to develop its we have a flexible data centre that we the ITP Channel KSA Award as a great international logistics concept and can can move to our new location. The acknowledgement, and also as an oppor- ensure much faster delivery in the future. RiMatrix S container solution makes tunity to open doors to new possibilities. The one hundred invited customers as this possible right from the start.” The They further see it as a motivation to well as trade journalists were impressed global logistics company headquartered perform even better. and followed the opening ceremony with in Coniolo in Piedmont, Italy, has more great interest. Rittal has around 1,200 em- than 4,000 employees around the world ployees in China and is represented at eighty branches. nationwide with 31 sales offices.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 13 COVER STORY ECONOMIC WONDERLAND SOUTH KOREA

GROWING GROWTH

14 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 SYMBOL OF IMMORTALITY Mugunghwa – the hibiscus – is South Korea’s national flower. Mugung means “immortality”. The flower represents the Korean people’s determination and resilience.

On the rise. South Korea is Germany’s Asian twin as an eco- nomic wonderland. It managed to rise from a poor agrarian country to a wealthy industrial nation in just two generations. The two countries have close ties.

Text: Marisa Robles Consée and Jürgen Jehle

02 | 2014 | MagazineMagazine ofof thethe FriedhelmFriedhelm LohLoh GroupGroup | | be be top top 15 COVER STORY ECONOMIC WONDERLAND SOUTH KOREA

ou hear the words “palli, palli” eve- ambitious work culture and swift action and rywhere: on the streets, in factories, response times,” says Martin Rotermund, Y at supermarkets. Palli, palli means CEO of Rittal South Korea for the past ten “quick, quick,” and it is the slogan in the years. Rittal founded a subsidiary in Seoul economic wonderland of South Korea. back in 1996; eighty Rittal employees and Quickly, within fifty years, the country sur- fifteen from Eplan work in South Korea to- rounded by three bodies of water (a strait day. In 2014, the cornerstone was laid for and two seas) has ascended from an agrar- the new Rittal headquarters and warehouse ian country to one of the most important – the companies of the Friedhelm Loh national economies in the world. Technical Group have been very successful in this progress has quickly conquered not only growing region. the factories but everyday life too: chip South Korea’s economic upswing was guid- cards and the personal fingerprint have re- ed by the state – by means of education placed keys for the door to the flat. There reforms in the 1960s and the focused ex- are no longer paper tickets for public trans- pansion of heavy industry in the 1980s. Today, the country’s economy is character- ised by very large conglomerates (chaebol in Korean), such as Samsung, Daewoo, LG “South Korea’s economy just grows Chem and the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group. Fifteen of these giants generate and grows. Even at the peak of about three-quarters of the national income. Influential families control these conglomer- the world economic crisis, gross ates. The chaebols aren’t just engaged in a variety of industries; they are also active domestic product grew by about around the world – and so a company like Rittal with global operations is an ideal part- 0.3 per cent.” ner for them. German brand products are very popular in South Korea. “Germany is very reputa- Friedhelm Loh, owner and CEO of the Friedhelm Loh Group ble,” explains Changsoo Kim, professor of economics at Pusan National University. “Around 80 per cent of all vehicle imports to South Korea come from Germany.” The port: passengers pay with their mobile professor sees this figure as an indicator of phone, a rechargeable chip card or with the country’s strong purchasing power, as T-money. You can order groceries en pas- well as of the South Koreans’ love of luxury sant from posters on supermarket shelves goods. via QR codes – prompt delivery to your For German companies, South Korea has home included. become the third-largest sales market in With a per capita gross domestic product Asia. South Korean companies also like to (GDP) of 26,700 euros per person in 2012, purchase brand goods, including machin- the Republic of Korea – South Korea’s offi- ery, which German companies are happy cial name – achieved the level of an aver- to accommodate. Although German ma- age member of the European Union. With chinery is considered more expensive, a per capita GDP of 19,562 euros in 2013, merchants say the products manufactured the country ranked fifteenth among nation- with them often sell better. Expertise and al economies globally. The country’s auto- investments from Germany are always wel- motive, electrical, steel and shipbuilding come. “The South Korean government has industries are powerful forces in the global a great interest in attracting foreign inves- economy. How did they manage this feat? tors, especially when they want to invest in The ingredients were and remain “the ex- knowledge-intensive industries with high traordinary sense of duty, coupled with an value creation,” says Carolin

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MOBILE POWER South Korea is one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, with around 3.8 million vehicles produced annually. Mobility and flexibility are characteristic of the South Korean attitude towards life: act quickly, and always be on the move and available. It’s an attitude that has helped lead the country to success.

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Ratzeburg, manager for the Asia-Pacific branch in Shanghai for almost twenty years. region at Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). Rittal South Korea has been skyrocketing South Korea’s entire economy is concen- since 1996; annual sales growth has been trated in the metropolitan areas, including in the double digits for around ten years Seoul, Pusan and Inchon. Seoul is espe- now. “Because our products offer decisive cially popular; its greater metropolitan re- advantages over the products of local com- gion has 23 million inhabitants of the total petitors, our name recognition and the num- 50 million living in South Korea. Rittal will ber of customers have been continuously thus concentrate its operations in Inchon on the rise, year by year,” says Rittal South Songdo, located about 50 kilometres Korea Managing Director Rotermund. Cus- southwest of Seoul. There, in one of the tomers include companies such as Doosan largest metropolitan areas of the world, Infracore, the largest machine tool manu- New Songdo City is being built, a city of the facturer in South Korea; SeAH, the system future with an international business park. integrator for control and switchgear engi- Eplan will also be moving into space at the neering in the industries of industrial auto- mation, crane building and nuclear power plants; and the Hyundai Motor Company. Friedhelm Loh, owner and CEO of the COUNTRY OVERVIEWS Friedhelm Loh Group (F.L.G.), visited these and other customers during a business trip that also took him and other company rep- resentatives to China. The F.L.G. not only advises and supplies machine manufactur- ers and the automotive industry in South Korea; customers also include the ship- FORM OF South Korea has been an Germany has been a parlia- builder Hyundai Heavy Industries and LG GOVERNMENT independent republic since mentary federal republic since 1948. The head of state is 1955. Angela Merkel has been Chem. LG Chem, the country’s largest president Park Geun-hye. chancellor since 2005. chemical company, made the TS 8 enclo- sure the enclosure standard for its energy- AGE Life expectancy is about Germans become just as old storage systems: Rittal delivered 1,400 80 years; the average age is as Koreans. The average age enclosures to LG Chem in 2013, and an- 40.6 years. is 45.7 years. other 3,000 will follow in 2014. RELIGION 31.6 per cent are Christian, In Germany, 68 per cent of 24.2 per cent Buddhist and the population – more than GOOD EDUCATION POLICIES 43.3 per cent nonreligious. two-thirds – are Christian. For Friedhelm Loh, Germany and South Ko- rea have much in common. Economically speaking, both lack raw materials and have strong toolmaking and automotive indus- new location so that the synergies between tries. And there are historical parallels too. the companies can be optimally exploited “Both of our countries are familiar with the in South Korea too. phases of an economic miracle,” said The administration and logistics buildings Friedhelm Loh during an event in Seoul. In will be completed by the end of 2014 and West Germany, American assistance pro- equipped with state-of-the-art Rittal technol- vided the impetus. Clever reforms and ogy. Rittal’s headquarters, currently in Seoul, good education policies in South Korea in will move to Inchon Songdo after that, as will the 1960s made the “Miracle on the river the delivery centre and manufacturing, cur- Han” possible. “They’ve had dramatic rently located in Ansan. With this investment, growth, which I hold in high regard.” Loh the company is creating the conditions also sees good conditions for the country’s needed for additional growth in South Korea. development in their great passion for tech- The Chinese market can also be served very nology and opportunity-driven thinking. well from Inchon Songdo; Rittal has had a South Korea’s economic

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SELECT CUSTOMERS OF THE FRIEDHELM LOH GROUP IN SOUTH KOREA THE BACKBONE OF THE MAJORS

HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES LG CHEM Industry relevance: The world’s largest shipbuilding company. Industry relevance: South Korea’s largest chemical company, More than 27,000 employees. among the top twenty globally. Around 20,000 employees. Products: Tankers, bulk freighters, container ships, chemical Products: Petrochemical products, chemicals for the electrical tankers, diesel motors, offshore installations and much more. industry, lithium batteries, energy storage systems. Partnership with the F.L.G.: Hyundai uses TS 8 enclosures Partnership with the F.L.G.: TS 8 enclosures from Rittal were and AE enclosure systems from Rittal for ship control technology established as the enclosure standard for the world’s leading and ballast water cleaning systems. Eplan Electric P8 licences energy storage system by LG Chem. Rittal delivered 1,400 en- are in use for electrical engineering. closures to the company in 2013, and will deliver 3,000 in 2014.

HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY DOOSAN INFRACORE Industry relevance: With 3.68 million vehicles produced annual- Industry relevance: Largest machine tool manufacturer in ly, Hyundai is among the top seven manufacturers the world over. South Korea and the fifth-largest for metalworking machine tools Products: Cars. The portfolio currently includes 31 models; sub- globally. sidiary Kia Motors has 27 models. Products: Machine tools. Doosan Infracore produces Partnership with the F.L.G.: Hyundai uses Rittal products in its 12,000 machine tools annually, with sales of one billion euros. factories in South Korea and China as well as Eplan solutions Partnership with the F.L.G.: Doosan Infracore uses CP 120 for engineering. Their globally binding standard for car body support arm systems from Rittal for high-end machine tools. construction investments is based on enclosure technology from Rittal, including TS 8, AE/KL and PC enclosures.

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MARITIME GIANT South Korea is surrounded by water on three sides, and has a strong shipbuilding industry. Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s largest shipbuilding company, is a Rittal customer.

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upswing also benefits from free-trade of thinking among the population so that agreements. The country has signed 46 people who don’t work for the chaebols or such agreements since 2004: with the Eu- as civil servants are appreciated more. ropean Union in 2011, and China will prob- Smaller and medium-sized companies ably follow in 2015. The free-trade agree- would then become more attractive as em- ments not only open the doors for foreign ployers. investors; they also helped South Korea Yet the fact remains that while the chaebols become the world’s seventh-largest ex- may be responsible for around 70 per cent porter of goods, surpassing countries such of the economic output, they provide just as Great Britain, Russia, Italy and Belgium. 12 per cent of the jobs. The many small and However, it is the conglomerates that ben- medium-sized companies are especially efit the most. Barbara Zollmann, managing active in the service sector. The number of director of the German Chamber of Industry one-person businesses is exceptionally and Commerce in South Korea, knows that high: anyone who has taken a stroll through small and medium-sized businesses don’t Seoul and counted the number of food have it easy: “the difficulty in succeeding abroad isn’t caused by the different men- talities and language barriers alone. The major issue is that the companies’ export OVERVIEW OF ECONOMIC DATA departments often don’t have enough per- sonnel to really serve the markets ade- quately. Much potential in exporting busi- ness gets lost because of this.” In comparison, German small and medium- sized businesses are active, on average, in sixteen foreign markets simultaneously. GDP In 2013, South Korea’s gross The German twin’s GDP was domestic product (GDP) was 3,635 trillion US Dollar. According to GTAI expert Ratzeburg, 1,305 trillion US Dollar. strengthening small and medium-sized companies is a huge challenge that should EXPORT/IMPORT In 2013, exports from South In 2013, Germany imported be approached from various angles. “One Korea increased by 2.1 per cent South Korean products valued problem is that the conglomerates exploit over the previous year, reaching at about 8 billion euros. a total of 426.1 billion euros. their market power to pressure their suppli- ers with respect to pricing, for example. UNEMPLOYMENT With an unemployment rate of With an unemployment rate of Although the South Korean Fair Trade Com- just 3.2 per cent, South Korea is 5.3 per cent, Germany is also mission has been dealing with this issue doing marvellously by interna- performing quite well. since 2012, it remains difficult because the tional comparison. conglomerates are the country’s most im- portant investors.” Furthermore, companies such as Samsung and LG are popular em- ployers. A majority of South Koreans would stalls and kiosks knows why. But there are like to work there; people who work for the very few internationally active and com- large conglomerates usually receive better petitive service providers. pay, have access to a variety of interesting Rittal is also an attractive employer. “It isn’t career development opportunities and are difficult to arouse interest in our systems,” considered successful by South Korean Martin Rotermund explains. “Rittal prod- society. “If small and medium-sized enter- ucts and technologies are highly valued, prises manage to offer more attractive as is its commitment to high quality.” To working conditions, they could become date, Rittal has invested in local assembly more interesting to younger employees,” of the TS 8 enclosures in Ansan. “Many big Ratzeburg says. “Perhaps that will cause South Korean corporations prefer nation- Korean society to rethink things.” One of the ally produced products in order to greatest challenges is to achieve a change strengthen domestic industries

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and have direct access to the suppliers’ to perform doesn’t stop after finishing FRIEDHELM LOH IN ASIA manufacturing plants,” Rotermund says. school. According to a survey conducted Suppliers with a local manufacturing pres- by the OECD, 95 per cent of South Kore- ence are seen as “South Korean family ans want to go to university. “It’s difficult in CORNER- members,” so to speak. Customers also Korea for those who don’t make it,” says have high demands in their projects with Professor Kim. STONE LAID regard to the delivery of large numbers of Yet experts have pointed to a surplus of enclosures over a very short period of university graduates: many have been un- time. Usually the systems are pre-assem- able to find an adequate job after gradua- Companies such as Hyundai Motor bled with imported and local accessories, tion. On the other hand, a dual-track educa- Company, Hankook Tire Group, the and they are often provided with cut-outs tion system like Germany’s – with South Korean Stock Market, LG Chem or even in special sizes or special colours. apprenticeships and academic learning – and the world’s largest shipbuilder, “The local TS 8 assembly makes it possi- is just getting off the ground. This type of Hyundai Heavy Industries, all count on ble for us to fulfil these project demands system would definitely be good for small Rittal. During his trip through South Ko- and better participate in the market. Abso- and medium-sized companies, and it would rea and China, Friedhelm Loh and other lute customer focus paired with the high- also take pressure off families: many have company representatives visited numer- est dependability and a clear added value gone into debt on account of expensive ous businesses. They also laid the cor- for the client – that’s the most important tuition fees and the high cost of supplemen- nerstone for the new headquarters and business principle.” tary courses. The massive decline in birth delivery centre, which will be completed In recent years, South Korea has become rates could be a result of this downward in Inchon Songdo by the end of 2014. an attractive cooperation partner for Ger- educational spiral. Covering 10,000 square metres, the site many for a whole series of key technolo- Germany is also aware of the challenges will include a 15-metre-high warehouse gies. The country wants to expand its infor- that demographic changes pose. The In- with space for 4,000 pallets. mation technology, nanotechnology and ternational Monetary Fund recommended biotech sectors as well as the energy and in its “Article IV” report that South Korea environmental engineering sectors, and is should more strongly integrate women in seriously investing in research in these ar- working life; their labour force participa- eas. A growing number of German research tion rate is 20 per cent lower than that of institutions are cooperating with South Ko- men. But attempts at integration often fail rean partners. The institutes of the Fraun- due to a lack of childcare solutions. Ger- hofer-Gesellschaft and the Max Planck So- many has already started taking counter- ciety are particularly active in this area. measures on this issue. Can it become a model for Seoul? WELL-EDUCATED WORKERS Economically speaking, there are plenty of Along with its macroeconomic environ- opportunities for both countries. Frank GROUNDBREAKING ment, very good infrastructure and market Robaschik of GTAI says “Germany is the Rittal’s new headquarters in South Korea size, the country can point to the educa- global leader in the automotive industry, are being built in Inchon Songdo. tional level of its 50 million inhabitants as South Korea in certain electronic segments. a foundation for its success. Well-educat- Germany is rigorous and plans ahead, ed workers are one of South Korea’s loca- South Korea is tremendously fast. If these tional advantages, according to the World strengths can be combined, they offer an Economic Forum’s Global Competitive- enormous potential for cooperation”. Q ness Report 2013–2014. Expectations of academic achievement are very high: in larger cities, children are required to begin learning English and Chinese in kindergar- ten. In the Programme for International Student Assessment among the 34 mem- ber states of the Organisation for Econom- APP TIP: ic Co-operation and Development (OECD), You can find additional infor- South Korea is in the top bracket – a posi- mation on this topic in the tion it also holds for suicides. The pressure be top app.

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LUXURY AND LEARNING South Koreans enjoy going out and love brand products, toys included. Yet the kids don’t have much in the way of leisure time: learning is the order of the day, even in kindergarten. Many families take on debt in order to enable their children to study at university or take supplementary courses.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 23 COVER STORY FRANK ROBASCHIK

A NATION IN “PALLI, PALLI” MODE

Interview. South Korea is the seventh-largest exporter in the world and a model nation as regards economic growth. Frank Robaschik, South Korea expert at Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI), explains how the country has evolved into an economic dynamo since the 1970s.

Text: Marisa Robles Consée and Jürgen Jehle

What makes South Korea so attractive Robaschik: Since the first free-trade agree- for German companies? ment was signed in 2004, South Korea has INTERVIEWEE Frank Robaschik: Germany has a positive entered into similar agreements with more Who? Frank Robaschik (44) is the director image. South Koreans value our consumer than 45 countries. EU member states ac- of the Asia-Pacific section of Germany goods and our brand-name and luxury count for more than half of these agreements. Trade and Invest (GTAI). products. Around two-thirds of all import- Most of South Korea’s exports go to China, ed cars are German makes, particularly in but some of these China-bound exports are What? GTAI promotes Germany abroad as a location for business and technology the premium class. South Korea is the further processed elsewhere, such as the while also providing small and medium- fourth-largest economy in Asia. As meas- United States or the European Union. sized German companies with information ured by gross value added from the man- about foreign markets. The agency has a ufacturing sector, it is still the fifth-largest What are South Korea’s greatest advan- worldwide network of correspondents who industrial country in the world, ahead of tages as a business location? research foreign markets on-site. Italy. This position explains its attractive- Robaschik: Its well-trained workforce, its Where? be top met the Asia expert in Bonn ness to suppliers of capital goods, which stable, well-developed infrastructure and a at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs make up the lion’s share of German ex- high level of product, process and service and Energy. ports to South Korea. innovation in a diversified economy. The highly qualified employees are extremely With its free-trade zones, South Korea hard-working and very quick. Palli, palli – has established itself as a logistics and “hurry, hurry” – is an important aspect of distribution hub in Asia. How do you ex- South Korean culture. In addition, with its plain its strong position? geographical location and free-trade agree- Robaschik: South Korea has excellent in- ment with the EU, South Korea offers excel- frastructure. The government plans to ex- lent business opportunities for German pand the ports in Pusan and Gwangyang companies. Around five hundred German as well as Inchon International Airport. firms have now opened offices in South Ko- Thanks to its geographical location, it’s rea. The highest concentration of South easy to transport goods to China and Ja- Korean firms in Germany can be found in pan. Pusan is one of the largest trans-ship- the Rhine-Main region around Frankfurt. ment ports in the world, and in 2013 Inchon International was the fourth-largest cargo What are some of South Korea’s top ex- airport worldwide. ports? Robaschik: Just about everything it has On the other hand, South Korea also launched successfully on the world market, wants to expand its export trade. How most especially electronics such as mem- important are Germany and the Europe- ory chips, flat-screen monitors and mobile an Union as markets? phones. In addition, the country is

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02 | 2014 | The Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 25 COVER STORY FRANK ROBASCHIK

the number-one shipbuilder and battery manufacturer in the world. It ranks fifth or sixth worldwide in the production of cars, machine tools and steel. Another little- known fact is that South Korea has built up a large petrochemical industry, although it has very few natural resources. Generally, South Korea is attempting to promote en- gines of economic growth – for example, batteries for electric cars and energy stor- age systems. General Motors is producing batteries for the Chevrolet Volt in coopera- tion with LG Chem, and BMW has recently expanded its collaboration with Samsung to manufacture battery cells for its i3 elec- tric car and i8 hybrid.

What do South Koreans do when they’re not working? Robaschik: Going out to eat with friends is very popular, as is noraebang, or karaoke singing. South Koreans have very little free time because of their long working hours and like to spend it in the company of oth- ers. Travelling is also becoming more pop- ular. South Koreans were not permitted to travel freely until around 1989 – the year the mans. Average annual working time is 2,090 SOUTH KOREA EXPERT Berlin Wall came down. In March 2012, hours, above the OECD average of 1,765. Frank Robaschik has been the Seoul schools stopped holding classes on Satur- German workers come in far below this, correspondent for Germany Trade and Invest for six years. He is particularly days. As a result, recreational activities working an average of only 1,397 hours a impressed by the pace of South Korean life. have boomed and imports of leisure goods year. Not only are South Koreans used to Everything is done quickly, and information have increased rapidly. working a lot; they take very few holidays, is made available immediately. although they’re entitled to 25 days a year. What, for South Koreans, makes a good In fact, they often take only a small number employer? of their holidays and have the rest paid out. Robaschik: Where they work is very impor- On the other hand, compared to Germans tant to them. Companies like Samsung and they are less loyal to their employers. South LG are popular, and most South Koreans Koreans change jobs twice as frequently – would want to work for them. Employees of on average, once every five years. Germans large corporations are considered success- switch jobs once every eleven years. ful in South Korea. They earn a better sal- ary and have more diverse and more attrac- German companies benefit from their tive advancement opportunities. Because good reputations, but they need to famil- of the considerable cultural differences, it’s iarise themselves with the country’s very important for German companies to fast-paced culture. What should they gain an understanding of South Korean em- keep in mind? ployees, partners and customers. Robaschik: Germans need to be willing to respond quickly and provide prompt infor- What are the biggest differences be- mation. This behaviour signals a strong tween the working cultures in Germany interest in an individual and in collabora- and South Korea? tion. Automatic out-of-office messages Robaschik: On average, South Koreans sent by a German partner are therefore work around 50 per cent longer than Ger- puzzling for many South Koreans.

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Sudden changes in a partner’s requests are not uncommon. The same applies to rules and regulations, which are not nearly as stable as they are in Germany.

What are South Korea’s secret strengths? Robaschik: The incredible speed at which people are willing to make things happen. Q

LOCAL DOS & DON’TS AN ETIQUETTE GUIDE TO SOUTH KOREA

There are many similarities between Germany and South Korea, but also many differences. Here are eight tips for doing business in the country.

1. Shaking hands is not an Asian cus- 5. Foreign companies benefi t when tom, so shake hands only if your host they offer women better prospects offers his or hers fi rst. Otherwise it is with regard to position and pay.

BRANCHEN INTERNATIONAL 2014 customary in South Korea to greet Women are just as qualifi ed as their GESCHÄFTSCHANCEN IN DER REGION ASIEN/PAZIFIK people with a polite bow. male colleagues, but they are given fewer opportunities for advancement

Branchen International WIN A GUIDE! 2. The company of others is very impor- in everyday life. tant – which explains why South Ko- Send an e-mail to betop@ friedhelm-loh-group.com by reans love grills. Some restaurants 6. As in many other Asian cultures, the 15 December 2014 and have small grills set in the middle of principle of saving face is very impor- win one of ten busi- the table where people can cook their tant in everyday business dealings in ness guides! meat or vegetables themselves. South Korea. This principle applies to both parties. 3. It’s never a good idea to bring up Ja- pan. Korea became a Japanese colo- 7. A person’s gut feeling (kibun, or BOOK TIP: ny after being annexed in 1910. In “mood”) is often more important for Branchen international 2014: North Korea and South Korea, the business success than is a better Geschäftschancen in der Region Asien/ day of national independence is ob- product. High-quality, readily-available Pazifi k provides German companies served on 15 August. service personnel are also crucial for with information about opportunities success. in the Asia-Pacifi c region. An updated 4. In South Korea, relationships are of- version of the business guide to South ten more important than cost-benefi t 8. Speed is important. If you keep busi- Korea was published in November. analyses. A basic requirement for all ness partners waiting, fail to provide Both guides are published by the GTAI South Korean employees is a good prompt information or service, or pro- and are available online at www.gtai.de salary and attractive working condi- vide it late, you will jeopardise your (in German only). tions with sufficient free time. business success in the country.

02 | 2014 | The Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 27 MAGAZINE

FORZA RITTAL!

RECORD TURNOUT AT THE SPS IPC DRIVES ITALIA 2014

The Rittal stand at the fourth SPS IPC Drives Italia in Milan attracted strong vis- itor interest, exceeding all expectations with a 36 per cent increase over 2013. The large turnout was partly a result of Rittal’s concepts for the value chain “Next Level for Industry” and for the roundtable “Technologies and Systems for Mechatronics,” in which Massimo Fanelli, Rittal Italy’s Business Excellence Manager, discussed the topic “Energy Effi ciency in Industrial Automation.”

LINK TIP: www.nuernbergmesse.de/en

RECORD ATTENDANCE Rittal presented new products and the expertise of its employees at the trade fair in Milan.

THE WHOLE WORLD OF IT IN YOUR POCKET

NEW IN THE RITTAL TECHNOLOGY LIBRARY The world of information technology is com- 20% plex, so it is a good thing when IT managers have practical resources within easy reach. PEAK VALUES The world of IT infrastructures, a new, com- pact reference book from the Rittal Techno- ENERGY-EFFICIENCY RATING logy Library, provides valuable IT back- ground information and decision-making One of the European Commission’s cli- criteria. “It contains the answers to questions mate goals is to reduce carbon dioxide about how to build or modernise small, me- emissions by 20 per cent of their 1990 level dium or large data centres sustainably,” by the year 2020. Rittal has had its sites in says Rittal author Martin Kandziora. The Rittershausen and Herborn evaluated by 160-page book provides IT managers with Siemens’ Energy Effi ciency Program for fundamentals and expert knowledge on IT Suppliers. Both the product offering and its infrastructures as well as on standards and production received scores of three out of regulations. Moreover, the advantages and fi ve stars. “In energy effi ciency, Rittal ranks capabilities of a standardised data centre in the top 10 per cent of major companies,” are conveyed in a clear and easy-to-under- LINK TIP: declares Quality Management’s Jürgen stand manner. Decision-makers and techni- The reference book is Schnaubelt. cians will want to have this professional available via QR code or at handbook always at their fi ngertips. http://tinyurl.com/ow5qpax

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ON THE SHORTEST PATH

LASER SINTERING PLANT AT LKH

LKH Kunststoffwerk Heiligenroth puts products on the shortest path from idea to market readiness. Without tools and in just a few hours, the new laser sintering system produces development results and sample parts directly from electronic CAD data. The high imaging accuracy minimises errors and saves time. In the system, a laser melts plastic powder, which is used to create heavy-duty products made of hardened plastic (polyamide and polystyrene) layer by layer in a space 20 centimetres wide, 25 centimetres high and 33 centimetres deep. With no ex- INNOVATION CLUSTER pensive tools required, production costs remain low. The system is also suitable for the economic production of small batches and individualised products of com- SYNERGY EFFECTS FROM IMKK plex geometry; these requirements would be applicable to the medical industry, among others. Since 2009, the innovation cluster Metal- Ceramic-Plastic (Innovationscluster Metall- LINK TIP: Keramik-Kunststoff, or IMKK) has been con- For more information on this topic, solidating infrastructure and companies in visit www.lkh-kunststoff.de or scan the key sectors of metal, ceramics and plas- this QR code (in German only). tic in order to initiate cooperation and pro- mote innovation. The cluster originated as an initiative of the state government of Rhi- neland-Palatinate. Dr Guido Stannek (pho- to), CEO of LKH Kunststoffwerk Heiligenroth and President International Purchasing, Procurement and Logistics at Rittal, was elected Chairman of the Board of IMKK e.V. in July. “Our member companies benefi t from synergy effects through the coopera- tion of business, science and public autho- rities,” explains Stannek. “IMKK also offers companies support in applying for project and business funding and with training pro- grams, personnel recruitment and entrepre- neurship, as well as with price reductions at events and trade fairs.”

LINK TIP: www.metall-keramik-kunststoff.de/en.html

INSTANT HELP

EPLAN SOLUTION CENTER

When a problem occurs, the Eplan Solution Center helps solve it – quickly and around the clock, 365 days a year. The web portal provides worldwide, specifi c support with guaranteed short response times – soon in 17 platform languages! Eplan users in thir- ty countries can submit questions via “tick- et” and access current processing status at any time. QUICK WORK LINK TIP: The laser sintering system produces www.eplan.de/en/support/eplan-solution- new products in a jiffy. center

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15 min.

TOP-5 TALKS Daily at 7.00 am, staff begin the talks at group locations at the Rittal plant in Rittershausen and exchange the findings they have made during the past shift. As a result, prob- lems are discussed THE and resolved in every division at 15-minute IMPROVERS intervals up to 9.00 am. Quality management. Precisely implemented shopfloor management in the Rittal plants ensures continuous process quality improvement in day-to-day business.

Text: Robert Sopella

fork lift hums quietly past in the finishes. Then Jörg Becker from the paint background, cordless screwdriv- shop chips in. He calmly and factually de- Aers rattle away and knocking and scribes how the differences in paint coat- hammering are heard everywhere – the ing could have arisen. “Something more typical noises heard, in fact, at the Rittal precise”, he says, “can only come from a plant in Rittershausen. Eight men are talk with his colleagues.” “This has got to standing in a circle in a section of the fac- be cleared up as quickly as possible to tory building. One of them is Robert Pfister. stop the faults recurring,” he adds. The 32 year-old has been with Rittal for the The group disperse after a quarter of an past 10 years. He has just told his col- hour. Everyone’s knowledge is now at the leagues on the early shift that yesterday’s same level. Cross-divisional problems late and night shifts brought nothing seri- have been discussed simply and directly ous to light with regard to job safety and with the department reps present. The for this there were satisfactory nods all findings from all the talks will then be sub- around. Robert Pfister then tells those in mitted to the Works Manager at a closing the group that he and his team during the meeting. This is where everything is bun- night shift noticed that the drill holes in the dled together. Problems which group rear panel of a number of enclosures had spokesmen and workers were unable to not been made precisely in accordance resolve will be discussed and steps with the specified drawing. He also added agreed so as to avoid more faults arising that differences in colour of the paint coat in the future. had been detected in 14 other enclosures. TOP-5 talks is the name given by Rittal The group spokesman reports that the en- to these clearly structured meetings tak- closures cannot be delivered to the cus- ing place every morning in the plants. tomers as they are. His colleagues listen Here, the group spokesmen for Preliminary attentively and take notes until Mr Pfister Manufacturing, Paint Coating and

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DIALOGUE FOR QUALITY CONTROL Permanent quality control is akin to a tool box with which every employee attempts every day to optimise processes still further. This involves not only the regular Top-5 talks but also standardised documentation of findings at the place of work.

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Installation tell of the challenges they had colleague, he monitors shopfloor meetings DECENTRALISED QM to face during their shift the day before. The and supports the group spokesmen on the meetings represent an important part of spot. This he knows: “particularly when shopfloor management which Rittal set up weaknesses are to be spotted in the pro- KNOWLEDGE at the Rittershausen plant some two years duction process, many colleagues shy ago. It is now being successively intro- away from any clear-cut communication FOR duced into all the international plants. and simply beat around the bush.” “The whole point of shopfloor management This lack of confidence is something all too EVERYONE is to secure a maximally efficient production well known to Udo Schädlich, employee at run and keep our product quality at a uni- the Rittershausen plant and group spokes- formly high level,” explains Michael Weiher, man of his shift in the “Preliminary Manufac- Effective quality management is always Rittal’s President International Operations. turing Run”. “It’s quite strange at first talking based on a well-organised from of documen- To this end, the employees are provided out loud about problems,” he admits. How- tation. The fact that this does not necessarily with a variety of steps and tools. Efficient ever he also notes that they can, as a result, have to be the centrally organised and often rigid certification management system has shopfloor management at Rittal is based on be resolved that much quicker. To improve been proved by Rittal with its Wiki technolo- the Rittal Production System (RPS) launched communicative skills of the employees, gy-based RiWiki. The interactive knowledge some 10 years ago by means of which the they were trained at the Loh Academy, database permits each and every staff mem- complaints quota has dropped 35% since which is part of the corporate group. Fur- ber to access process descriptions, stand- 2010. RPS’s key element is group work. The ther training courses, as needed, in em- ards and operations. In contrast to the usual documentation systems, RiWiki allows as seven other elements – namely total pro- ployee leadership, communication and many employees as possible to be involved ductive management, continuous improve- presentation also took place in co-operation in setting them up. Thus, all Rittal employees ment processes, material systems, work- with the Festo Didactic consulting agency. can start a discussion on any accessible arti- place organisation, visual management, To keep communication between the de- cle in which improvement suggestions can standardised working and standardised partments objective at all times, a clearly be directly made and communicated to the person with process responsibility. In this quality processes – form the “tool box” with defined feedback structure was also intro- way, improvements are agreed to, document- which all employees try every day to opti- duced. Feedback sheets allow both per- ed and communicated that much quicker. In mise operations still further. ceptions and findings to be precisely writ- addition, the documentation is at all times ten down and for what one feels to be up-to-date. At the same time, the content of NO TOP-DOWN COMMUNICATION unemotionally described. In this way, clear, each document is attended to by someone responsible for releasing any changes made. In shopfloor management these well- concrete and implementable requests can In keeping with the competence directive, known tools are supplemented by employ- be formulated and sent to other depart- the process owner clears the final release of ee leadership. “On the one hand, this ments without any misunderstandings aris- any document. means employees being increasingly sub- ing – requests which, in the end, make pro- jected to actively working towards a con- duction processes in the plant simpler and tinuous improvement of the production more efficient. processes,” explains Michael Weiher, who “As such, shopfloor management is an el- worked for a long time at a leading car ementary constituent of Rittal Quality Man- company. On the other, it means putting agement,” states Dr Martin Lang, EVP the communication aspect more to the Quality Management & Service at Rittal. forefront. “By communicating with the After all, the prime aim of any effective qual- Group spokesmen and to one another ity management system is customer satis- transparency is created and this helps us faction. “To achieve this, we need quality to get to the bottom of any problems that products which we constantly analyse and much quicker,” adds Dirk Sengl, Works monitor using a wide variety of quality in- Manager in Rittershausen. He adds that struments, such as product audits.” He only in this way can constant, sustainable went on to say that stable processes, how- improvement come about. ever, were also needed to secure product However, shopfloor management does not quality. They are ensured through shopfloor rely on the usual top-down form of com- management and are regularly checked munication. “It’s not the managers who de- through process audits. “Effective quality termine what is to be done,” explains Mr management is practised in all divisions,” Pfister, “it’s more a question of the workers adds Mr Lang. “This all starts in Design showing where there is a need for action.” where a product is devised to bring about He admitted this was something new for stable manufacturing processes and goes many staff at the beginning. After all, they via Production and dependable transporta- had up to then been used to simply putting tion through to excellent customer service.” into practice manager decisions. “Most of After all, with a premium manufacturer such our colleagues were also a bit uneasy at the as Rittal, product quality impacts greatly on thought of having to speak in front of a any decision to purchase or not. group” – something very familiar to Matthias To ensure that Rittal continues to guarantee Schäfer of the Central Plant Operations a high level of product quality worldwide, Dept. at Rittal in Herborn. Together with a shopfloor management as already

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effectively implemented in the German TRANSFERABLE SUCCESS MODEL PRECISION AND CLARITY plants, will be transferred in stages to the As the next step, the President of Interna- To keep communication objective between plants abroad. A start has already been tional Operations intends to transfer parts departments, a clearly defined feedback structure has been introduced. Feedback made and that was at the Shanghai plant of the shopfloor management concept to sheets allow perceptions to be precisely in China in September 2013. This year the company’s administrative divisions. recorded and one’s feelings about matters should see the plants at Urbana ) and Ban- There are no doubt unproductive opera- described. galore (India) following. “We always make tions there which are not conducive to prod- a point of observing any specific cultural uct quality. Michael Weiher sees consider- features and regional conditions and adapt able improvement potential particularly in the sequences involved with the managers SAP order preparation and control. “There’s on the spot,” Mr Weiher explains. “How- always something to improve,” says the ex- ever, it goes without saying that the shop- perienced manager. “After all, those who floor management basics are the same as have stopped becoming better have in Germany. This applies as much to op- stopped being effective.” Q erations as it does to the production ma- chines used.” According to Mr Weiher, initial reports sug- gest that shopfloor management has been very well received both by the staff at the German locations as well as by those work- ing in the international plants. “Quality awareness is now very high and especial- ly so with the production staff.” To ensure this awareness grows and intensifies, the quality situation is regularly analysed and looked into in every detail. “In this way, we ensure that no negligence finds its way into APP TIP: the system which could put corporate prof- There’s more on the subject itability at risk,” says Mr Weiher. in the be-top app.

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THE GROUP’S STRENGTH

Interview. Michael Weiher, President International Operations, introduced shopfloor management to Rittal in 2010. His assessment of developments to date is positive. It is not top-down communication but quality-oriented dialogue in production which is leading the way.

Mr Weiher, what would the perfect factory look like? Michael Weiher: It would be a place where extremely high quality products would be produced at all times under conditions of the greatest possible efficiency and minimum resource utilisation.

Does this factory actually exist? Mr Weiher: No, not that I’m aware of. Here at Rittal we work every day to get as near as possible to this perfect factory.

What role does shopfloor manage- ment introduced in 2010 play in all this? Mr Weiher: It enables us to make our employees more aware of quality issues on a daily basis. Recurring faults in QUALITY NEEDS TO BE SPURRED ON production are a key concern. We use a “Those who have stopped becoming better have stopped being effective” known all too well to Michael structured, cause-based analysis in Weiher. He looks upon constant quality communication as the key to quality control and improvement. dealing with them. It also becomes easier and quicker to spot any variations How have the employees come to Mr Weiher: The perfect factory will from specifications. As such, those terms with the added responsibility? probably never exist considering that responsible can act more specifically. Mr Weiher: In an exemplary and non-company conditions such as This, in turn, raises both our productivity responsible manner. Frank communica- standards, laws, technological opportu- and product quality. In addition, a tion by supervisors and their role model nities, markets and demand are always clear-cut improvement in communica- function have tackled any reservations changing. All this forces us to adjust our tions in the plants has come about due about speaking openly on problems. The production processes and ways of in no small measure to the standardised staff have also been thoroughly instruct- working. Things that are highly efficient TOP-5 meetings. This is where group ed by external and internal trainers. today may not be so in five years time. spokesmen from the operating sectors Management has also been trained as report daily on what has happened to their new role. Everyone is very much Isn’t that a sobering thought? during the previous shift. committed to continuously improving Mr Weiher: No, no, not at all. Getting both himself/herself and the production the best possible outcome from Is this unusual? processes. Remember that the basic constant optimisation is a truly stimulat- Mr Weiher: Given the situation in the principles of shopfloor management were ing challenge. factories some 20 years ago, it really is known of from the Rittal production system unusual. Decisions as to what happened which was introduced just under 10 years in the plant only took place in the ago. The key element here is group so-called “carpeted executive storeys”. working which through shopfloor manage- The worker had no contribution to make. ment is even more important today. The This is completely different today – and employees involved, group spokesmen rightly so. After all, there is no-one better and managers are now aware of their able to tell us, for instance, about any roles in the system and better fulfil them. APP TIP: unused improvement potential in The QR code gets you to the production sequences than the person What is still lacking in achieving the Rittal shopfloor image gallery actually doing the work every day. perfect factory? in the be top app.

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HUGE SAVINGS POTENTIAL Data centres are run, on average, at 15.5°C. But instead of cooling entire areas, it is considerably more efficient to operate with direct cooling in the rack or in individual aisles. As a result, the ambient temperature can be doubled with this, in turn, markedly reducing the cooling costs.

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END OF THE ICE AGE

IT deployment. Often the cooling in data centres is not optimally designed and, as such, considerable energy is wasted. This is where new, energy-efficient IT infrastruc- tures are helping out – as attested to in a White Paper.

Text: Marisa Robles Consée

n behalf of Rittal in May 2014, the excellent in the industry. Major IT service NEW IT FINDINGS International Data Corporation providers with optimised equipment even O (IDC) – an internationally operat- come up with 1.2 or less,” explains Bernd ing market research & consultancy firm in Hanstein, Vice President IT Product Man- MODULAR information technology and telecommuni- agement at Rittal. cations – interviewed around 500 manag- One reason for the poor PUE figures are INSTEAD OF ers and those with IT responsibility over a the over-cold regulated data centres. The period of 125 hours. They work for small IT managers interviewed said they operat- FIXED and medium-sized businesses – referred ed their data centres at a mean 15.5°C. For to as the “Mittelstand” in Germany – and Bernd Hanstein, this is a pure waste of en- employ at least 100 staff or operate 30 ergy. “Instead of cooling entire spaces, it is More than 60% of the companies inter- servers. The survey entitled “Business considerably more efficient to operate with viewed for the IT survey expect that Industry growth through IT: How efficient data cen- direct cooling in racks or in individual 4.0 will place greater requirements on their tres promote enterprise growth” has been aisles. This allows for a higher average IT infrastructure. The expectation is one of a carried out in 5 European countries – temperature inside and the cooling costs considerable rise in productivity. Although they want to use public cloud capacities to namely in Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the drop,” referring, as he does here, to the implement the changed market require- Netherlands and Sweden. Chris Ingle, savings potentials. He added that from the ments, they shy away from the risks involved. Andreas Olah and Georgio Nebuloni, the technical side far higher temperatures Forward-looking IT infrastructures and ra- IDC Research writers, were surprised at were possible in any case. The American tional processes are indispensable for en- how much leeway the Mittelstand still have Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air hancing competitiveness. The answer here comes with Rittal’s RiMatrix S data centre to make up in “green IT”. Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), in fact, solution. The system lends weight to the re- talks of a temperature up to 40°C with quirement for more agility, scalability and en- EXISTING FACILITIES HAVE A PROBLEM which data centres could be run under ergy efficiency. The writers established that the data cen- certain conditions. Even if working in such tres of those with IT responsibility who hot surroundings is admittedly not very were interviewed for the IT White Paper op- pleasant, Bernd Hanstein still advises de- erate at a 2.4 PUE figure. PUE stands for signing a data centre for a high degree of Power Usage Effectiveness and is an inter- energy efficiency in such a way that “one nationally accepted measured value for sweats on the cold side”. Anyway, there data centre energy efficiency. PUE is de- were no problems to using indirect free fined as the ratio of the total electrical en- cooling in Germany. One of the reasons for ergy consumption of the data centre (IT the poor energy efficiency is the advanced equipment plus infrastructure compo- age of the facilities. According to the IDC nents) to the electrical energy consump- survey, the average age of the Mittelstand tion of the IT equipment. 57% of those in- data centres is 6.9 years. “This is down to terviewed on behalf of Rittal indicated a the fact that most components came into figure of over 2.0. This means that for every operation when interest in green IT and en- kilowatt hour of power used by the IT ergy efficiency in data centres was only equipment, a further 1+ kWh for cooling just starting”, says Hanstein. and other building/installation technology “Modular data centres” such as RiMatrix S is used. “The closer the PUE figure gets to from Rittal could spur on an efficient 1, the more efficiently the data centre oper- form of modernisation. According to the ates. A PUE figure of 1.4 is considered as IT White Paper, this concept

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“ Modular data centres represent a meaningful way of meeting on-going business challenges.”

Chris Ingle, Vice President IDC

supports the requirement from companies The survey also reveals the extent to which IT WHITE PAPER MITTELSTAND for greater agility and scalability. It allows data centres influence the profitability of shorter product life cycles, new system the Mittelstand. The findings show that for launchings and implementation of revised most companies the IT infrastructure and IT SUCCESS provisions to be rapidly undertaken. “Mod- their own data centres are indispensable ular data centres represent a meaningful to ensure and develop their own competi- FACTORS way of meeting on-going business chal- tiveness. Companies performing well in- lenges,” says Chris Ingle, Vice President of vest 20% more on average in their IT than IDC. However, the trouble is that most of firms with a turnover at the same level. The Continuous IT development is necessary those asked have not heard of the modular fact of a company operating profitably in so that a data centre can support business data centre concept. Only 6% make use of 2013 had a direct impact on the IT budget. requirements. The IT White Paper “Business modular data centres in day-to-day opera- 98% of the organisations with an increas- growth through IT: How efficient data centres promote enterprise growth” reveals how opti- tions. The concepts are still relatively re- ing turnover indicated they would either mised infrastructure concepts bring about cent, the market segment has increased in increase their investment in IT or keep it at competitive benefits for companies. the two-digit bracket over the past few the same level. years and modular data centres are a According to the survey, the companies meaningful way of meeting ongoing busi- need to invest, in particular, in forms of ness challenges. The pre-configured mod- failure backup. Redundancy concepts are ules and containers cost less than building often outdated and not reliable enough to the data centre anew and they can be set assure a high level of availability – some- up within just a few weeks. thing which their customers come to ex- pect in the intensely competitive market PRESSURE ON IT COSTS RISES environment. 24% of the IT managers In interviewing IT specialists and decision- asked stated redundant infrastructure as makers, IDC also established that low op- being the most important area for mod- erating costs were the main reason for de- ernisation. All in all, only 46% of the IT JUST A CLICK AWAY ciding on a modular data centre – followed specialists assessed the sustainability of The IDC Research White Paper is ready by lower overall costs. This comes as no their own IT as being very high. Even so, for downloading online free of charge. surprise since the data quantities to be most (79%) of the IT decision-makers dealt with by data centres are growing all think that all of the challenges enquired LINK TIP: the time. As a result, IT budgets are under into can be solved. Q www.rittal.com/de_de/it-marktstudie/public/ pressure – all the more so since energy index.php/en/ prices are rising. This, in turn, exerts pres- sure on data centre energy efficiencies. It was interesting to note that banking, fi- nance and IT companies placed higher energy efficiency above that of cost as- pects. Moreover, a number of IT managers were of the opinion that modular facilities ensured greater security and an additional value in view of the short time needed for them to become operable. This comes as no surprise given that modular systems are not only attractive due to the short time needed for planning and implementation but also in respect of any additional adap- tations. The key word here is IT and cyber security which the German government has just given top priority to.

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FACTS: BUSINESS GROWTH THROUGH IT

Together with IDC – the internationally recognized analysis company – Rittal carried out a market survey in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Sweden. 500 CIOs and IT managers in small & medium-sized businesses were interviewed as to the stage reached with their IT infrastructure and as to their requirements and planned IT investments. Here a review of the findings and how data centres promote corporate growth:

98 % of the organisations reporting sales 33 % of companies More than 75 % of growth either invest in their IT or keep their IT would like to improve their companies anticipate revising their budget at a stable level. customer offering and know-how IT strategy, either to incorporate – Economically successful companies invest in in order to maintain global mobile or Big Data technology. their IT infrastructure. competitiveness. New IT systems help strengthen – Almost 100% of the companies surveyed have a company’s market position. a great deal of confidence in their current IT infrastructure.

However, the data of the companies see Although of compa- centres are around 93 % 60 % an in-house data centre as the key nies would like to implement new 7 years to financial success. market requirements using cloud old on average. technology but are concerned over 97 % of the companies the potential risks. with sales growth surveyed operate in-house data centres.

In the short and medium term, companies will Planning and building a new Economically successful be facing comprehensive modernisation, or data centre can take several companies invest an average even total reconstruction, of their data centres. years but this can be short- Investing in modern data centres helps to lower ened significantly by using of 20 % more in their running costs and increases competitiveness. modular data centres. IT than enterprises with stagnat- This enables companies to react quicker to ing sales. These investments changing market requirements. are clearly money well spent.

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CREATING SPACE

DIN EN 61439. A new standard will change system engineering from November. Emphasis is being increasingly placed on the interaction of switchgear components. This creates room for productivity.

Text: Elke Bieber

ail-safe operations are what is standard – DIN EN 61439 Part 1 and Part 2 wanted in handling electrical low- – which came out in 2012. Its previous ver- F voltage switchgear and control sion and predecessor standard DIN EN equipment. And this needs to be consid- 60439-1 are no longer effective as of 1 No- ered when designing and constructing the vember 2014. The revised version has con- equipment,” says Michael Schell, Head of siderable repercussions on electrical pow- Power Distribution Product Management. er distribution and control equipment in The 43 year-old works on fail-safe opera- industry, on project sites and in domestic tion matters every day – and with the installation work. Rittal has adjusted its standards supplying the answers. Accord- products and solutions to the requirements ing to the Deutsche Institut für Normung of the standard and developed instruments (DIN) established in 1917, standards are with which planning, design and standard- “the language of business”. They reflect compliant documentation can be fulfilled. the stage reached in technical engineering “We are pleased to pass on this knowledge and their specifications facilitate applica- to our customers,” says Michael Schell. tions that occur again and again. But that is not all they can do. They also RITTAL SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTATION ensure compatibility of products and ser- For the standard to be effective, manufac- vices. They raise quality and productivity turers, system engineers and operators and make products and their components are each responsible for certain tasks. Ide- safer. The International Electrotechnical ally, they work together especially in high- Commission (IEC) based in Geneva pre- ly sensitive matters such as short-circuit pares standards and specifications which strength, electric shock protection, instal- the member states of the Word Trade Or- lation type and operability. For Rittal, close ganisation take on. The standardisation cooperation with the customer is a must. work of the DIN is also internationally ori- The company also commits itself in mat- ented. It represents Germany in the inter- ters of implementing things new such as national standardisation organisations, with DIN EN 61439. (see box, page 43). such as in the IEC. In order to remove any Charged with this knowledge, the custom- weak points, it was the IEC which revised ers can implement the standard accord- the existing standards for low-voltage ingly. Basically, the revised standard switchgear combinations in 2011. The out- requires design verifications instead come was the German and European of the type-tested switchgear and

40 STANDARDS HELP FURTHER KNOW-HOW

STANDARDS RAISE QUALITY They ensure compatibility of products and services. They raise quality and productivity and make products and their components safer.

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“Standards also create more legal clarity. A systems constructor who points to the standard conformity of his system improves his position in any dispute.”

Michael Schell, Head of Power Distribution Product Management at Rittal

controlgear combinations (TTA), partially The revised standard stipulates signifi cant- THE BOOK ON THE SUBJECT type-tested switchgear and control gear ly greater precision, in particular, for tem- combinations (PTTA) and type verifi cation perature rise verifi cation of low-voltage test reports. “Some of these terms were not switchgear. The aim is to stop the inside of READ ME! always properly interpreted,” explains Mr designated equipment from becoming too Schell. A design certifi cate comprises 13 hot. “This verifi cation is the most complex individual verifi cations. Some endorse the one if brought about without any additional Rittal’s book entitled “Standard-compliant interaction of various components of a aids,” says Shell. But there are aids on switchgear and controlgear production” switchgear. For instance, the protecting hand. A tested modular system such as provides company users with a manual for conductor system in the switchgear is ex- Rittal’s Ri4Power makes an additional test DIN EN 61439-based switchgear and control equipment engineering. amined to demonstrate short-circuit unnecessary. Those wanting to resort to strength. Verifi cation from the protecting simple calculations instead of complicated conductor rail alone does not suffi ce. It can verifi cation procedures would do best to only come about in the enclosure system. heed a number of points in planning & de- This is because the impact of magnetic sign matters. It is here that Rittal’s Power fi elds is particularly pronounced given a Engineering software (see box on the right) short-circuit which, in turn, can lead to provides valuable support. Even the tem- damage of the entire structure. An exami- perature rise can be calculated that much nation can establish this. Only by applying simpler thanks to using the Rittal RiTherm the Rittal system products for power distri- programme. It even establishes the right bution within a switchgear can the short- appliances for enclosure cooling. The circuit strength be verifi ed. standard limits itself not only to calculations Equipment set up on the basis of a modu- when high amperage switchgear is in- lar system, such as with Rittal Ri4Power, volved. In fact, the individual production DOWNLOAD TIP: already has a design certifi cate. However appliances are subjected to various stress The book can be downloaded free – and particularly in the operation of ma- tests. “To make it easier to establish their of charge at the following link: chinery and processes – many switchgear fi ndings, Rittal has developed an automat- http://tinyurl.com/p2f7vvb and control appliances are individually ed form available on our home page,” ex- based. Even so, a number of verifi cations plains Michael Schell. can be met by using the Rittal system And even if it sounds unbelievable, well at- technology. tuned standards lessen documentation DIN EN 61439 stipulates that equipment outlay. “Everything points, in any case, to rating data is no longer of substance in the more standardisation”, comments Michael specifi cation of circuits. Instead, applianc- Schell. “It reduces fault potentials and es need to conduct the current with every helps us to further automate our production precision under the installation situation processes. This raises competitiveness chosen. This is where the difference is. Af- and that’s good.” Q ter all, “there are always infl uencing factors affecting the mode of operation,” adds Michael Schell.

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ALL MOUNTING FORMS FROM A SINGLE KIT

n requiring design and quantity and configuring switchgear and also with certificates as well as temperature rise documentation. At the touch of a button, I verifications, the revised DIN EN the software prepares the design certifi- 61439 standard obliges switchgear cates and required test reports. The constructors to undertake detailed engineering tool also includes checklists. documentation. From 1 November 2014, In this way, the user can check to see if all all new low-voltage switchgear must requirements in planning and designing comply with the standard. A good many the switchgear comply with the standard. design certificates are already available for the new 185 mm busbar system. These certificates also take into account enclosure and power distribution compo- nent combinations. Moreover, the installation itself of a low voltage switch- gear combination has a prime role to play in the revised standard – something is to LINK TIP: THE STANDARD-COMPLIANT RI4POWER be heeded, for instance, in enclosure More information on low-voltage switchgear assists companies climate control. The Power Engineering Rittal Ri4Power can be with the required documentation. design software helps both in designing found at www.rittal.com.

DIRECT SUPPORT

Customer support. Rittal provides its customers with extensive support and services for trouble-free implementation of the standard in day-to-day operations. Here is the brief check.

BOOKS SEMINARS CONSULTING Rittal has already published four Rittal’s regular technical seminars Our field service provides technical manuals from its technology library. and instructional training provide advisers for customers. After all, a host They provide the customer with customers with support. As such, of technical issues can best be settled instructions and information on our specialists can clarify practical on the spot prior to commissioning. switchgear and control unit everyday questions. engineering. Just printed: “Standard- compliant switchgear and controlgear production” (see also HOTLINE page 42). Help in matters of standardised lowvoltage switchgear is also on hand on Rittal’s hotline, phone +49 (0)2772 505-9052, E-mail: [email protected] DESIGNING. RITTAL’S POWER ENGINEERING software generates checklists which even at the system design stage check whether all standard-compliant requirements have been met. In addition, Rittal provides supportive CHECKLISTS for switchgear constructor-only verifications.

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CAPABLE OF DEVELOPMENT Production in the combination technology plant is in full swing. Even from the start, the areas held in reserve on the new site in Chemnitz were being fully utilised. Siemens is already planning an extension.

ON AN EXTENSIVE SCALE

Siemens WKC. Using Eplan software tools, Rittal system technology and Kiesling automation solutions, Siemens manufactures over 500,000 electronic components and some 30,000 switchgear panels every year at the combi- nation technology plant in Chemnitz. The capacities have now been combined at a large, new manufacturing and development location.

Text: Beate Schwarz

lectronic drives, control systems Saxony, Professor Siegfried Russwurm, Sie- and all-in electrical installations for mens AG Management Board Member, E mechanical engineering & plant pointed to the considerable importance construction are produced in the Chemnitz that WKC had in implementing the vision Combination Technology Plant (WKC). The behind Industry 4.0. “Not only on account company has five locations in the city with of your considerable flexibility as a total so- a population of 250,000, and has not lution provider are you also working here in stopped growing. At the inaugural ceremo- Chemnitz towards realising this vision,” ny of the new manufacturing complex at the said Siegfried Russwurm. He added that end of August, Professor Nils Kroemer, the the development work in conjunction with WKC Plant Manager, said that plant output other industrial companies was a pre-con- had more than quadrupled and employee dition for this. numbers had practically tripled since 2000. Friedhelm Loh, owner and Chief Executive Four times as many engineers now work for Officer of the Friedhelm Loh Group, con- WKC compared to the situation 14 years gratulated Siemens on behalf as well of the ago. A new plant for development and pro- Zentralverband Elektrotechnik und Elek- duction was constructed over a 34,000 troindustrie e.V. (electrical engineering/in- square metre area – the size of five football dustry association) on what they had pitches – as the existing locations could not achieved and on the new building. “We live be extended. Verdion, the London real es- in an era of radical upheavals brought tate investor, bears the 30 million euro costs about by dramatic technological changes. for the new building. Siemens leased the This is something for audacious, creative tailor-made property for an initial 10 years minds and for doers who in assessing risks and invested 3 million euros in fitting it out. give pride of place to the opportunities The City of Chemnitz provided 3.1 million available.” He stressed how important co- euros for infrastructure steps. Four Chem- operation was for the Industry 4.0 vision to nitz production and logistics facilities have become a reality. “The times of mechanical moved to the site and with them 750 of the design, electrical planning and IT operating 1,700 employees in Chemnitz. far away from each other are over. Tomor- At the inaugural ceremony attended by row’s organisation is mechatronics. It is also Stanislaw Tillich, Premier of the State of the basis of cooperation between

44 SWITCHGEAR CONSTRUCTION KNOW-HOW

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Siemens and the Friedhelm Loh Group Extracts from the address given by Friedhelm Loh, companies.” For many years now, Rittal has been the system supplier in enclosure owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Friedhelm systems, climate control and power distri- Loh Group, at the inaugural ceremony of the largest bution for Siemens. Eplan and Siemens jointly developed, for instance, the Eplan and most up-to-date control system site in Europe: Pro Panel which has become the leading market CAE solution for 3D enclosure and switchgear engineering. Mr Loh described For a very long time oil lubri- unifying Eplan P8 with “Seizer,” the Sie- cated the global economy. mens design tool, as a collective vital as- signment for the future. Furthermore: WKC Now it’s the turn of computer- will continue to grow. Even now Siemens is ised data. That is data with the ca- negotiating with the City of Chemnitz on pacity to logically and efficiently potential areas for extension. Q control processes from customer to customer in, for instance, the val-

VIDEO TIP: ue chain – something that includes Just scan the QR code product development, purchase, and find out more about design calculation, production and the value-added chain logistics. Gigantic quantities of data of Eplan, Rittal and are generated every day. The future Kießling at Siemens WKC. will see them being measured in zettabyte and no longer in terabyte, petabyte or exabyte. A zettabyte is a “1” with 21 noughts behind it. By 2020 the global data volume will be 40 zettabytes. This is 50 times the 2010 figure – simply gigantic.

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DIGNIFIED INAUGURAL CEREMONY Siemens and the Friedhelm Loh Group companies are (from left at the front) Dr Albrecht Donner, Head of MC Development at working closely together and in good faith in widely the Siemens Chemnitz location, differing areas both for their mutual benefit and Dr Frank Büchner, Head of Energy Management Siemens Germany, particularly for that of their customers. Knowing it is technically Barbara Ludwig, Mayoress of the City possible, what our customers want are total system solutions of Chemnitz, Friedhelm Loh, owner from a single source which are both standardised and yet and Chief Executive Officer of the Friedhelm Loh Group and Honorary flexible in deployment. It is precisely this expertise that the President of ZVEI, Professor Siegfried German electrical industry has as a system partner. It is also the Russwurm, Management Board Member of Siemens AG, Saxony basis for the long-standing and – if I might say so – effective Premier Stanislaw Tillich and partnership between you all and Rittal, Eplan and Kiesling. Professor Nils Kromer, Head of the Combination Technology Plant. One which has developed from just being on a supplier basis into an exemplary development partnership.

Joe Kaeser, Chief Executive Officer of Siemens AG, PROFESSORSHIP FOR CHEMNITZ established the following at the ZVEI Congress a few weeks ago. The biggest challenge facing us as compa- nies is to comprehend the digitalised-based transformation PROMOTING and as far as possible to shape it. There is no doubt that the RESEARCH key to industrial success will lie – aside from the networks – in software competence. Industry 4.0 winners will be those opti- mally combining software, networks, hardware, electronics, electrical engineering and automation technology with me- chanical engineering. 4.0 is not only a business model. 4.0 represents a significant change in our industrial culture. 4.0 is full of criss-cross themes from three disciplines: mechanical engineering, the electrical branch and information and tele- communications.

Close cooperation between you all and Eplan is allow- Rittal is engaged in many R&D fields. The most recent example is the System Technol- ing us to jointly develop an engineering solution for ogy and Switch Module Endowment Profes- computer-assisted virtual positioning of all compo- sorship at the Chemnitz University of Ap- plied Sciences. The agreement was signed nents in the enclosure, including component cabling. Since by Friedhelm Loh, owner and Chief Execu- our cooperation started in 2004, Eplan Pro Panel has devel- tive Officer of F.L.G. in June. The company will defray the costs of the professorship and oped into the leading market 3D solution. Thanks to the in equipping it with personnel and resources. Eplan, Engineering Tools Electric P8, EEC One and the Eplan The idea is for the endowment professorship Engineering Center, we have made a decisive contribution to to intensively pursue research. At the centre of things will be the use of new materials standardisation. Individual design planning is now behind us. and lightweight technologies in enclosure Macro-based configuration has produced significantly bet- construction, development of machinery and production aids for enclosure production and ter quality under markedly reduced throughput times. Coop- setting up automated value-added chains. eration between you all and Group company Kiesling has re- “We need the humus of multiple knowledge in international competition”, said Friedhelm sulted in Rittal in being intensely concerned with automatic Loh at the signing stage. He concluded by wiring. That is why – as the world’s first control system con- saying that he hoped the endowment pro- fessorship would produce tangible positive structor – you will be receiving the world’s first wiring robot. results.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 47 FLYING HIGH THANKS TO AUTOMATION A strong currency, high wages and a lack of young engineers put pressure on Switzerland as a manufacturing country. Nevertheless, many Swiss companies are prevailing on highly competitive world markets despite, or perhaps because of, clever automation.

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PINNACLES OF AUTOMATION

Efficiency. There is plenty of potential for optimisation in switchgear and control engi- neering. Swiss company W. Althaus AG examined all of their processes and automated them as much as possible, helping ensure the company stays competitive.

Text: Jan-Henry Schall and Jens von Kiesling

witzerland is a country with high must be able to be re-used continuously wages, and the Swiss franc is a throughout the process – which is the only W. ALTHAUS AG S very strong currency. “That’s why way that the subsequent processes can be we’re always looking for possibilities to op- controlled with the necessary efficiency. timise within our company,” says Walter This requirement does not pose a problem CLEVER Althaus, who is the second-generation di- for data from the Eplan platform. rector of this medium-sized company. DEVELOPER The contracts that W. Althaus AG receives REPLACING MANUAL LABOUR are usually for custom-developed control Fabrication in control and switchgear engi- and switchgear equipment. Althaus has neering usually still involves a considerable Swiss company W. Althaus AG, based in Aar- been working with Eplan Electric P8 for amount of manual labour. At W. Althaus AG, wangen in the Canton of Bern, was founded in more than twenty years in its electrical en- however, they rely on as high a degree of 1968 and specialises in automation technology gineering as part of the hardware engineer- automation as possible. For instance, rout- for machine tool engineering. The company ing. The virtual prototype is created with ing for wiring and cabling is executed di- has more than one hundred employees and mainly supplies companies in Switzerland. W. Eplan Pro Panel. The quality of the proto- rectly from Eplan Pro Panel. All of the data Althaus AG developed the Athex automatic as- type is highly contingent upon data being are already in place in electrical engineer- sembly machine, which is distributed by Kies- available for all used components, which ing and in the virtual prototype. The com- ling Maschinentechnik. includes detailed data for the electrical pletely automated machine for wiring and connections along with mechanical mea- cable assembly is directly controlled with surements. Furthermore, commercial data this data. As part of cable assembly, cables such as order numbers and contract de- are cut to length, labelled, stripped and, scriptions are also important. It is easiest to depending on the connection technology, get this data from the Eplan Data Portal, furnished with a wire end ferrule (for exam- which currently has about 480,000 parts ple). All of the wiring cables required for the and device data sets available from more order are then pre-assembled and made than seventy major manufacturers, and to available, already labelled. Connecting the download them directly into the local Eplan components within the enclosure is thus database. “With the Eplan tools and the in- quite simple. “In principle, any non-techni- terface to our enterprise resource planning cal personnel can carry out this task, be- system, we control practically all processes cause both the cables and the components CONTINUOUS GROWTH within the company,” says CEO Althaus. are labelled,” Althaus explains. W. Althaus AG develops electrical controls “That’s why it’s particularly important to us The company also counts on automation for and complex automation solutions at two locations in Aarwangen. that the data in the Eplan Data Portal is as processing metal parts of the enclosures. In complete as possible, which is the case for order to machine enclosure parts such as Rittal system components.” doors and side panels as well as mounting plates, Perforex machines from Kiesling COMPLETE DATA IS A MUST Maschinentechnik are used, among others. With the modular system from Rittal, control Machines from Kiesling, which like Eplan and switchgear equipment becomes stan- and Rittal belongs to the Friedhelm Loh dardised. Components from some manu- Group, are suitable for operation with all ma- facturers, the data for which are not fully terials commonly used in switchgear engi- available, require a great amount of effort neering, including steel, stainless steel, alu- and expense to keep the internal database minium, copper and synthetics. They can APP TIP: complete and up to date. Data created dur- also quickly and automatically handle bor- Find out more in ing electrical engineering and prototyping ing, threading and cut-outs. the be top app.

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These Kiesling Maschinentechnik machines are also fed with data directly from Eplan Pro Panel. “This flow of data is crucial for smooth integration of the various manufacturing pro- cesses,” Althaus says. “That’s the only way we can achieve the desired efficiency.”

ATHEX EQUIPS THE TOP HAT RAILS Along with cable harnessing and metal pro- cessing, the mounting of terminals onto top hat rails is a labour-intensive step in fabrica- tion that still requires much manual labour. W. Althaus AG looked for improvements in this area too. The actual assembly process – putting the terminals onto the top hat rails and snapping them into place – is not ter- ribly complex. And so came the idea to au- tomatically mount the terminals onto top hat rails with a machine, namely, the Athex au- tomatic assembly machine. The centre- Consistently labelled cables, top hat rails the Friedhelm Loh Group – Eplan, Rittal and piece of the machine is an assembly arm and terminals help ensure that fewer mis- Kiesling Maschinentechnik – for many that takes the appropriate terminal from a takes are made when wiring, for example. years and have always decided for the magazine and snaps it onto the top hat rail Nonetheless, testing the control equipment newest developments to advance efficien- at the right location. Depending on the con- before delivery is an essential part of stan- cy in the company.” There will be more ad- figuration, the automatic assembly machine dard procedure. Any mistakes that are no- vancements in the future. “Automated wir- can hold up to six thousand terminals. The ticed and corrected before delivery can ing of components, which is possible with labelling of the terminals is also executed prevent unnecessary additional costs. the Averex wiring robot from Kiesling, is directly within the machine. something we’ll definitely take a look at.” Q An ideal complement to the assembly ma- 60 PER CENT TIME SAVINGS chine is a Cutex cutting machine. It can Testing can also be automated. The Panel automatically cut top hat rails to the correct Scout from Kiesling Maschinentechnik han- length and also directly label them. If more dles this task, with the control system en- than one order is being worked on, Cutex abling time savings of up to 60 per cent as can minimise waste at the same time. Both compared to conventional testing methods. machines work directly with data from the Aside from the time savings, the increased Eplan project. reliability speaks for automated testing. “Of The combined use of both machines can course, mistakes can be made in conven- considerably reduce the amount of manual tional testing as well. We can avoid these labour in this part of switchgear engineer- by using Panel Scout,” Althaus says. The ing. “We expect that mounting of the top hat Panel Scout is a computer that is connect- rails is now possible with 50 per cent fewer ed to the control system of the test speci- personnel than before,” Althaus says of the men by means of an adapter station fitted potential of automated assembly. The result to the application. “Automated testing pays is pre-assembled and labelled top hat rails off for us for batch sizes of more than thirty,” that just need to be mounted in the enclo- Althaus says. sure and wired. The many optimisations implemented by W. W. Althaus AG originally designed and de- Althaus AG in recent years have trans- veloped the Athex automatic assembly ma- formed it into one of the most modern con- chine for its own fabrication. A short time trol system engineering companies in Swit- later, they realised they could develop the zerland, if not in all of Europe. “Through machine to market maturity and sell it. “As additional optimisations along the process control system manufacturers, we weren’t chain,” Althaus says, “we’ve achieved able to market such a machine ourselves, gains in efficiency of around 20 per cent in so we turned to Kiesling Maschinentechnik, fabrication alone over the past two to three with whom we have a long-term working years.” One precondition for this high effi- relationship,” Althaus explains. Kiesling ciency is the continuity of data along the Maschinentechnik integrated the Athex into entire process chain from engineering to its own programme and now markets it fabrication to testing. In addition, commer- worldwide. cial processes such as costing, procure- A major advantage of automated processes ment and logistics are also optimally inte- in fabrication – along with efficiency and grated. “We’ve fostered a very close cost benefits – is higher-quality products. working relationship with the companies of

50 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 SAVING TIME STEP BY STEP Continuous access to data for all components has positive effects for engineering and fabrication. The Athex automatic assembly machine (photo lower right) extracts terminals from a magazine and places them on the top hat rails. Althaus sees strong potential in the Averex wiring robot (top right) for making fabrication even faster.

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DATA AS THE NEW Virtual data as raw material RAW MATERIAL Before a switchgear system comes into existence in the “real DR THOMAS STEFFEN, world,” engineers develop a virtual President International Research 3D model. The data for the enclo- and Development at Rittal, has sure, accessories and equipment his eye on value creation. come from the Eplan Data Portal (see also page 54), which currently contains 480,000 data sets from “Software integration and major manufacturers. Along with command of interfaces will the technical data, many graphical be decisive in the future,” Dr 3D data for components are Thomas Steffen says. “The also available which are necessary for prototyping. keyword for this evolution is Industry 4.0. Together the companies of the Friedhelm Loh Group – Eplan, Cideon, Rittal and Kiesling – offer huge potential for enhancing value creation. Our customers can raise their productivity by streamlining processes in engi- neering and production. That’s why we go to the engineering offices and workshops, analyse our customers’ processes on-site, and support them across the entire value chain.” The infographic at DATA CENTRE right shows the Friedhelm Loh Group value-chain processes for customers in control and switch- gear engineering.

ENGINEERING VIDEO TIP: (CONSTRUCTION) Scan the QR code to learn more about accelerated processes in the value chain or click on PROCUREMENT http://tinyurl.com/lftrzue DATA

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DATA

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5 DATA

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FABRICATION

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1 Product development 4 Delivery 8 Cable assembly With software from Eplan and Rittal, as well With “Rittal – The System.” system engineers Eplan software determines the optimal wire and as the 480,000 items and device data, design receive standardised components for the cable pathways in the virtual 3D model and engineers can quickly generate control and construction of enclosures, housings, climate- wiring diagram. switchgear systems on the computer. control systems and busbar systems as well as accessories. 9 Manual wiring 2 Costing An ergonomically designed assembly table How much does it cost to bore a hole or 5 Preparation improves working conditions. wire a mounting plate? Cideon is a master Side panels and mounting plates are put at interfacing commercial and production- together for further assembly; rack frames are 10 Automatic wiring related costing data. mounted onto base/plinth systems. Manual cable preparation and wiring takes on average 180 seconds per connection. The 3 Ordering 6 Panel processing Averex wiring centre from Kiesling does the Once technical planning is completed and Using Eplan data for the virtual assembly, the same job in just 40 seconds. an offer from Rittal is received, procurement Perforex machining centre from Kiesling can can place the order. drill, mill and tap fl at parts such as doors 11 System confi guration completely automatically. Once all of the components have been processed and wired, the Rittal enclosures are 7 Terminal installation assembled into a system solution. Climate- Athex, Kiesling’s automatic assembly machine, control and power-distribution components are installs the terminals in an enclosure onto top installed as needed. hat rails. The Cutex cutting machine automati- cally cuts and labels the rails. 12 Testing and documentation Kiesling’s Panel Scout test control takes on the automated testing.

13 Delivery and service After delivery to the customer, Rittal Global Service offers a wide range of comprehensive services.

END-CUSTOMER, E.G. THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

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DATA 53 54 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 EPLAN DATA PORTAL KNOW-HOW

NEW DIMENSION

Engineering. The newest version of Eplan Data Portal is here! Data on 480,000 parts, including schematic macros, geometric dimensions and documents, can be imported to engineering automatically. One of the many bonuses in this update is the integrated 3D viewer.

Text: Birgit Hagelschuer

hoices are good, but variety and product portfolios. Siemens, for example, timeliness are better: this could be has added more than 2,100 records from C the slogan of the August relaunch the 3VA series to the portal. In addition to of Eplan Data Portal. Users now benefit commercial data, switch symbols for Eplan from a wide range of data on 480,000 parts and documents, 3D data including produc- – an increase of more than 20 per cent – tion information is also now available. SMC which is continuously being expanded. Pneumatics has updated and expanded its Starting with this update, renowned manu- product spectrum. Fluid users now have a facturers such as the Italian company Find- variety of cylinders, valves and hoses at er are represented in the portal with almost their disposal from more than 15,000 re- 700 records. Another new addition: ifm cords. ABB, General Electric, Icotek, Helu- electronic, which supports its customers kabel, Numatics, Rockwell Automation, Sick with almost 500 records in the fields of sen- and Wieland have also updated their prod- sors and evaluation systems. The new inte- uct portfolios in Eplan Data Portal. All data gration of the Vega Configurator is also can be imported to engineering automati- extremely interesting (see interview, page cally and expeditiously. 57): the user is provided not only with stand- ard components for process measurement ADDED VALUE FOR PROFESSIONALS technology from Vega Grieshaber KG, but Eplan Data Portal’s user interface has also also with the option of individually selecting been optimised. The view of the seventy and configuring components according to currently participating manufacturers has ENGINEERING FUEL The new version of Eplan Data Portal pro- project demands. Manufacturers that were been adapted to the design of the Eplan vides not only even more data, but even more already integrated into Eplan Data Portal Data Portal app. Displaying manufacturer features and convenience as well. have also amended or expanded their logos in a grid speeds up navigation.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 55 KNOW-HOW EPLAN DATA PORTAL

The feedback function has also been ex- device (e.g. user manuals or a data sheet), panded. Users can respond to manufactur- he would have to bring printouts of these NEW INTERFACE ers in the application directly with informa- data to the construction site. Thanks to the tion about missing components or faulty Eplan Data Portal app, this step is no long- representations, for example. In this way, er necessary. SAP the quality of the data constantly increases. Another plus is the 3D viewer, which has Participating manufacturers benefit at the been newly integrated into Eplan Data INTEGRATION same time. “Being in direct contact with Portal. It contributes to project success by users is a crucial added value for manu- giving users a direct view of components facturers,” says Eplan product manager and enabling them to assess the spatial Eplan’s sister company Cideon has devel- Timm Hauschke. “And as operator of the position in the enclosure and obtain useful, oped a new interface to enable fully automat- portal, we are particularly pleased with its crucial evaluation criteria. Timm Hauschke ic data synchronisation between Eplan Platform and SAP PLM and SAP ERP. The interactivity. After all, it is in our interest to explains that “after very positive experi- integrated workflow between these leading have manufacturers store the most com- ences with our Eplan View app, we decided systems supports controlled throughput in plete portfolios and data possible.” It is a to integrate the viewer right into Eplan Data materials management for both BOMs and win-win situation for both parties when the Portal as well. Users searching for various document management. The new standard user has a direct line to the manufacturer components now have 3D functionality Eplan–SAP direct integration enables the se- cure storage of projects in the SAP system in the event that important features or de- available to them”. In short, viewing, evalu- and the exchange of parts lists and BOMs. vice data are not being provided. After all, ating and selecting components is now the user is the best judge of which compo- even faster and more convenient. Q nent data will be necessary for project LINK TIP: www.eplan.de/en/start management. Subsequently, higher-quality data means gradual benefits for the user, and the manufacturer gets a sense of the components that are needed.

PAPERWORK A THING OF THE PAST Eplan Data Portal’s optimised search func- tion is a further innovation: part or type numbers are directly displayed as the first search results, so that a component can now be found even faster. This benefit is key: thanks to the popular and frequently used Eplan Data Portal app, data is avail- able anytime, anywhere. “Designers espe- cially appreciate being able to access currently available data anywhere, such as at the commissioning of a machine. Our app offers the ideal way to access compo- nents locally,” says Hauschke. It also elim- APP TIP: inates a lot of paperwork: before now, if a More information can be user needed detailed information about a found in the be top app.

56 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 EPLAN DATA PORTAL KNOW-HOW

VEGA CONFIGURATOR NOW IN DATA PORTAL

Interview. The customers of Vega Grieshaber KG have been using Eplan Data Portal to design and analyse applications since late summer 2014. Holger Sack, director of prod- uct management at the measurement specialist, spoke about the benefits that the inte- gration of Vega Configurator provides to his customers.

Mr Sack, what can the Vega Configu- and integrate the Vega Configurator rator do? directly. And of course, we make every Holger Sack: The Vega Configurator effort to offer our customers everything contains information about all of our they want. products – not only performance data, but also potential application environ- You didn’t need much time to think ments including resistance to certain about it? substances. Plant engineers can use it Sack: Well, a certain amount of effort to select and configure customised was required, which is why we first measuring instruments. checked out which planning tools are most popular in the industry. And Eplan What is the benefit of its integration is at the forefront, especially in Europe. into Eplan Data Portal? Sack: Automatic transfer of all data in How elaborate was the integration both directions. When I select a prod- process for you and your team? uct, the part number and all of the Sack: Not very, in relation to the product info are available in the system benefits. Eplan has always been very without any extra steps. The appropri- supportive of us, and we felt very well ate macro is stored and can be immedi- tended to during the workshops. The ately assigned. Moreover, the Eplan Eplan experts know precisely what to HOLGER SACK, platform automatically generates BOMs do. Even if the majority of our custom- director of product management at Vega from the designs, including part ers do not use Eplan Data Portal, Grieshaber KG. numbers, which saves time and integrating the configurator was prevents transcription errors. definitely worth the effort!

How many records can Vega custom- ers access when working with Eplan Data Portal? Sack: So far 288 records in the areas of level and switching measurement have been fed into Eplan Data Portal. They consist primarily of data and macros for the rather complex devices required to link our sensors to larger systems. With the macros for the devices that we have entered so far, almost all sensor systems can be VEGA GRIESHABER KG connected – even though not all of the sensors in our portfolio are available in Vega specialises in level, switching and ments measure all kinds of substances, from Eplan Data Portal. pressure instrumentation; its current portfolio gases to the coarsest bulk solids: in chemi- includes over three hundred basic versions cally aggressive or abrasive substances, Your company developed the Vega of measuring instruments, with thousands of under vacuum and high-pressure conditions, Configurator years ago. It can be custom options and a wide range of acces- and in nearly all temperature ranges. accessed using apps or on the Vega sories. The instruments are used in a variety The company, founded in 1959, is a global website. Why did you decide to of industries, such as water supply and leader in its field and has been the market integrate it into Eplan Data Portal? sewage; energy generation; mining; the leader in radar level measurement for over Sack: Many of our customers use chemical, pharmaceutical, and food and bever- fifteen years. Vega employs 1,100 people; Eplan Data Portal. We were being age industries; shipbuilding; and the paper 600 of them work at the headquarters in asked more and more frequently if it and cement industries. Vega’s advance- Schiltach, Germany. might be possible to offer Eplan macros

02 | 2014 | MagazineDas Magazin of the der Friedhelm Friedhelm Loh Loh Group Group | | be be top top 57 KNOW-HOW CARL BASS

THE FORM OPTIMISER

Interview. Carl Bass is the visionary CEO of Autodesk. The be top team met this unconventional thinker, who does not fear making unusual decisions. Bass spoke about the market for development software and the role of system houses such as Cideon, the most recent addition to the Friedhelm Loh Group.

Text: Ralf Steck

4858 CARL BASS KNOW-HOW

In your opinion, how are customers’ re- quirements for technical development software changing? Carl Bass: Interest in quality has been re- placed by cost reductions and enhancing effi ciency. Speed and fl exibility are the cur- rent buzzwords. Questions customers care about include: how can I get better prod- ucts to market more quickly? How do I dif- ferentiate myself from the competition?

What position are companies in today? Bass: I think that companies have powerful tools available and are now searching for opportunities to improve processes. Me- chanical development shouldn’t be an is- land unto itself, but should work together with electrical, electronics, software devel- opment and other company departments. Processes within the departments are al- ready well organised, but there’s a lack of interconnectedness and networking of these processes between departments.

How is Autodesk reacting to this? Bass: We develop integrated solutions, which is about more functionality on the one hand, but also about improved interfaces between the individual departments’ soft- ware solutions. In practically every com- pany, we are dealing with heterogeneous system landscapes, and we must be good at handling heterogeneous data. The vault solution for data management has been able to do this for some time now. Au- todesk’s most important goal is to get the tools out of the way, so to speak; we want to design them so that users can focus on their tasks instead of dealing with the soft- ware, which is actually just supposed to be a tool.

What challenges do you see for the near-term? Bass: We’re in the middle of a process of change. Production is undergoing a renais- sance, especially here in the United States. Companies’ interest in how things are pro- duced is on the rise again. Furthermore, new processes are being developed in manufacturing: additive production pro- cesses, for instance, as well as new materi- als such as carbon-fi bre-reinforced poly- mers. Companies require tools to be able to use these new technologies; they want to rethink their products and develop unconventional, never-before-seen ideas. Only then will they be able to exploit the opportunity that the processes and materi- als offer. I fi nd machines that combine subtractive processes very interesting. The integration of simulations and

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 59 KNOW-HOW CARL BASS

visualisations in CAD software is another between us and the customer. So they play AUTODESK UNIVERSITY aspect that will change the working world a very crucial role. for developers and engineers. We’re think- ing about allowing simulations to run in par- How important is the manufacturing sec- CREATIVE allel with modelling processes so that de- tor for Autodesk? signers get real-time feedback to keep Bass: Very important! Autodesk has a huge CO-WORKING them from going down the wrong track. interest in computer-supported fabrication Over time, this refines users’ intuition so that and other technologies related to manufac- they can become consistently more effi- turing, and with HSM software and the Del- cient. cam portfolio we have offerings for the mid- range market as well as for the high-end What role does the Autodesk cloud offer- arena. It’s simply not enough to model and ing play, marketed under the Autodesk simulate products; the manufacturing pro- 360 moniker? cess must also be integrated into the work- Bass: We consider the entire workflow, flow. from development through to fabrication, and find many points of contact where the What role does Autodesk play in this cloud’s technical possibilities make sense market? and open up new opportunities: the unlim- Bass: It’s not as if there aren’t any CAM ited computational resources in the cloud software packages; the market actually has and the always-accessible central coordi- plenty of solutions that work quite well for nation space. With the help of tablets, you the most part. It’s our job to integrate CAM can access your data at any time and from into the processes and to interlock these any place, communicate, work, and find out established functionalities with the rest of about the status of your project. the product development cycle. As part of Autodesk University, which took place in Darmstadt, Germany at the end of What does that specifically mean? Which problems must be solved? October, Carl Bass spoke about the visions Bass: The next generation of engineers will Bass: As always, companies are asking and challenges of CAD and PDM solutions among other topics. As an Autodesk Platinum see cloud and social-media functions in themselves why it takes so long to get prod- Partner, Cideon was represented with two software tools as natural parts of these and ucts to market. It should be easier to get success stories as well as its own trade fair expect them to be available. The fact is that from the idea to the finished product. One stand at the event. Specialists, design engi- the tools we’re using for today’s challenges direction we’re researching is performance- neers, architects and planners from the areas are essentially twenty years old. based design. That means that you leave of construction, machine engineering, suppli- ers and product development meet at the uni- the computer to do the design engineering versity each year and exchange news about What functions will software companies and just prescribe the limiting conditions the latest developments. and resellers have? and functions that the product should cov- With more than 25 years of experience, Bass: It’s been years since we’ve had part- er. To put it another way, it’s the result of Cideon is an Autodesk Platinum Partner and ners that just deliver software and sell li- combining modelling and simulation: the certified training centre with thirteen locations in Germany. The profound expertise of our cences. Software companies today must exterior form of a component results from employees provides the foundation for analy- find optimal solutions for customer de- the function and requirements – the rest is sis, consulting and both individual and mands, provide the right tools and inter- optimising the form. standard training, as well as installations and faces, and integrate these into a seamless implementation of Autodesk CAD and PDM workflow. What will be topics of the future? solutions. Bass: It will be about the possibilities that How important is Cideon, a subsidiary of new fabrication processes and materials LINK TIP: the Friedhelm Loh Group, as a Platinum offer us. I think we will see astounding new Find out more about Cideon and Partner for Autodesk? solutions that will only become possible Autodesk at: Bass: Cideon has been a wonderful part- when we exploit these processes and ma- http://tinyurl.com/n5boubz ner over many years. They have a fantastic terials without taking previous construction approach to the deep integration of various paradigms into account. Q tools in an overall solution – that’s exactly what German users want and expect. The disciplines of mechanical and electrical engineering working hand in hand is an- other topic of great importance, especially in Germany. We’re happy to have partners who can use our products and interfaces to create a development environment for APP-TIP: the kinds of software packages that are in More information at www. demand in their respective regions. It’s im- autodesk.com and in the portant to be close to the customer, and be top app. companies like Cideon are the connection

60 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 CARL BASS KNOW-HOW

TINKERING XXL Carl Bass has set up two workshops at home, one for woodworking and one for metalworking. Each is about 1,800 square metres in size and has all the equipment of a hobbyist’s wildest dreams: milling centres, CNC machines, hand tools and 3D printers. This is where the 57-year-old spends his leisure time. He is certain that even the best plant machinery isn’t worth a thing if a person cannot demonstrate any DIY skills or technical expertise. Bass worked for many years as a carpenter and boat builder while he was in college studying mathematics.

61 MAGAZINE

A LASTING IMPRESSION

AFTER EIGHT YEARS HEADING ZVEI, FRIEDHELM LOH IS NOW HONORARY PRESIDENT

The German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association Loh stated that it had been an honour for him to be ZVEI presi- (ZVEI) bid farewell to Friedhelm Loh in June after his three-term dent. For the family-business owner, the electrical and electronics tenure as president. As thanks, the association unanimously voted industry is in the mainstream of society. The digitalisation of soci- the CEO of the Friedhelm Loh Group Honorary President of the or- ety will progress further with the energy transformation, energy ganisation. “As a professing Christian, you once said: Faith should efficiency, smart buildings and smart homes, new forms of be a great motivation to do more than others do,” said ZVEI board mobility, embedded systems and Industry 4.0. And what’s more: member Walter Mennekes in his laudatory speech in Frankfurt am “We are a key industry globally.” He referred to positive develop- Main. This sentiment also applied to Friedhelm Loh as ZVEI presi- ments in the electrical and electronics industry over the past dent. Mennekes continued: “The ZVEI is well positioned – in Berlin eight years despite the difficult economic crisis. These industries’ as well as in Brussels. His voice is clear, is distinct, and it is heard, exports, which totalled around 158 billion euros in 2013, were especially in politics!” Loh understood how to make the signifi- about 22 billion euros higher than in 2005, and the number of cance of the electrical and electronics industry understandable for employees in Germany had increased by 38,000. Furthermore, top German and European politicians and how to anchor it in the one-quarter of all private-sector expenditures for research and political landscape. Loh shaped the association to an extraordi- development in Germany were spent by companies in the electri- nary degree from the start of his presidency in 2006, and set it on cal and electronics industry. a forward-looking path by way of various reforms.

SUPERLATIVE FINGERPRINT Friedhelm Loh received a large-scale image of his fingerprint from the new ZVEI president Michael Ziesemer, ZVEI board member Walter Mennekes and ZVEI managing director Dr Klaus Mittelbach (from left to right).

62 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 MAGAZINE

MOTOR ON EVERY WHEEL

E-MOBILE RESEARCH PROJECT

The E4x4 impressed with its exterior and intrinsic qualities: each wheel is powered by its own electric motor. The prototype, in Karmann-Ghia style, is the result of a research project by Creative Data AG in Cologne and Dortmund University of Ap- plied Sciences and Arts. The goal: in- creased driving safety for electric autos. Beneath the bonnet, four contactors in a Rittal AE compact enclosure control the battery power of 40 kilowatts per wheel motor. The drive SKID-FREE control and the 12-volt distributor for the lights are also Each wheel is independently installed in Rittal enclosures. accelerated and braked in the E4x4.

ENERGY SAVED

ECO-PROJECT AWARDED PRIZE

The Rittal production plant in Burbach is one of the eleven companies in the municipality that have taken part in the “Ökoprofi t” ener- gy-saving project. They were recognised for this endeavour by North Rhine-Westphalia’s Ministry for the Environment. A total of 2.7 million kilowatt-hours of power were saved in Burbach, thus resulting in 900 few- er tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The Burbach municipality initiated the Ökoprofi t project. Energy experts from the Baum Con- sult consulting agency assisted the compa- nies in identifying specifi c energy-saving measures and implementing them. In Bur- bach, where Rittal has around 350 employ- ees, the environmental team realised numer- ous energy-saving measures, including the installation of a new air compressor, replace- ment of the factory lighting and the heating systems, and the commissioning of a com- bined heating and power system that runs on sustainably cultivated vegetable oil.

VERY EASY-TO-PLAN IT

INFRASTRUCTURE CONFIGURATOR FROM RITTAL SIMPLIFIES SELECTION

IT infrastructure can now be very easily planned online. The IT infrastructure confi gura- tor “Make IT easy” from Rittal supports partners, system integrators, system engineers and users. Anyone can assemble a customised data centre equipped with as many or ACCOLADES as few individual products as necessary, including racks, climate control and monitoring North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister for the systems. Users can select the most appropriate components for their applications Environment Johannes Remmel honoured factory director Hubertus Spiekermann and according to various criteria. Jörg Kühn (from left to right). At right: Mayor of Burbach Christoph Ewers. LINK TIP: http://tinyurl.com/mskku2x

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 63 EXPERIENCEPRAXIS GELEBTECUSTOMER KUNDENNÄHE SERVICE

SO THAT’S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE! The technical consultants of Rittal’s customer hotline: Anke Bobenau, Angela Zutt (top row), Thilo Neumann, Rolf Wagner, Björn Steinebach (middle row), Norbert Horn, Hartmut Lohrey, Klaus Schimke (bottom row, all left to right).

5464 CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE

THREE MINUTES TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Technical customer support. Rittal Technical Hotline employees respond to over 50,000 requests a year. It takes them only three minutes on average to provide profes- sional assistance to customers. be top takes a look at these experts’ daily routine.

Text: Robert Sopella

fter making a final push of a button engineers. The one exception, 44-year-old to reroute his calls, Björn Steine- Klaus Schimke, is the team’s “rara avis”. RITTAL SERVICE IN NUMBERS A bach takes off his headset and Trained in industrial management, he has clocks off – it’s time for a well-earned rest. been employed at Rittal since 2001, work- For the past eight hours, he has provided ing in the company’s internal sales depart- TING-A-LING! intensive consultation, answering questions ment for more than a decade before joining about highly complex technical issues and the hotline team. Thanks to his many years explaining how to work with Rittal technol- of experience, he is extremely familiar with The Rittal Technical Hotline team responds ogy. Outside, the sun is shining in a deep customer needs. And his innate under- to approximately 50,000 telephone enqui- blue sky, and it is 28 degrees Celsius in the standing of and interest in technology are ries and 15,000 e-mails each year: 70 per cent of all enquiries are resolved over the shade. “On days like this,” he says, “the not just essential for his work, he says, but phone; 30 per cent require additional re- calls suddenly multiply.” One customer has also make it extremely enjoyable. search or evaluation. In February 2014, the problems with his blade server’s cooling hotline received 380 telephone enquiries in system, and another complains of heat EXPERTISE ON THE LINE a single day, a record high. build-up in his enclosure, while others sim- “Hello, I’m Anke Bobenau. How can I help ply need a replacement part or just have an you?” The speaker, seated at her desk, is RITTAL HOTLINE: unanswered question. But all callers have the only woman with a full-time position at Do you have technical questions, one thing in common: they need help, pref- the hotline. Now 44, she started working for or would you like to commend our erably immediately. Since 2004, providing Rittal in 1992 and has been a technical con- support team? Then just call us at that help has been the daily challenge at sultant on Rittal’s hotline team since 2008. +49 (0) 2772 505-9052. the Rittal Technical Hotline at Rittal’s head- The customer on the phone has a very old quarters in Herborn, Germany. cabinet in need of a spare part. Obtaining Steinebach is one of the hotline’s five full- the necessary information is often very dif- time technical consultants. An additional ficult, according to Anke Bobenau’s co- eight team members help out when need- worker Thilo Neumann, seated across from ed. They serve clients from all over the her. Over the course of years in harsh work world and speak fluent German, English environments, identification plates display- and Hessian. They know every product, ap- ing the specific model numbers go missing plication and usage inside and out, a pre- – and this time was no different. “The cus- requisite for working here. Along with inner tomer is sending photos,” the trained radio calm and serenity, says Steinebach – even and television engineer informs her co- when that is not always easy. workers. As soon as the photos arrive, the In addition, all but one of the hotline staff team will do research until the enclosure originally learned a technical trade. They has been identified and the part can be are trained radio, electrical or information ordered. Although it often takes only

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 65 EXPERIENCE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Which hotline situation is particularly memorable for you?

a few minutes, sometimes they need a little little longer. And in the time available when EPLAN AND STAHLO SUPPORT more time. Thilo Neumann is proud to re- the phones are not ringing, the team man- port that they always succeed sooner or ages to process some 15,000 mail enqui- later. One just has to keep at it, adds Anke ries each year. But because the phones are FULL SERVICE Bobenau. rarely quiet, explains Lohrey, a mail re- sponse can sometimes take a bit longer. 50,000 CALLS EACH YEAR For urgent matters, therefore, it is always F.L.G. subsidiaries Eplan and Stahlo also of- Rittal’s absolute determination to try and advisable to call. If all consultants are serv- fer top technical support: with the modern, help customers is one reason why the hot- ing other customers, an automatic callback web-based Eplan Solution Center, custom- line is not simply farmed out to an anony- can be initiated as soon as a line becomes ers have round-the-clock access to solutions provided by the global support team. mous call centre, explains Hartmut Lohrey, available. This step is coordinated in the Stahlo offers technical application support head of Rittal’s marketing, training and sup- background by modern phone software, from expert Kerstin Hirsch. Among the ser- port department. Technical customer ser- thus ensuring that no calls are lost. vices provided are savings options through vice requires comprehensive professional Shortly before 5 pm, Björn Steinebach re- the right choice of steel grade, materials know-how, something that cannot be sim- routes his calls with a quick push of a but- testing and material training courses. ply outsourced or learned on the fly. Most ton and takes his headset off for the last of the consultants have been at Rittal for time today. He has received, considered, LINK TIP: well over ten years – seven of them have evaluated, researched and responded to Eplan Solution Center: www.eplan.de/ actually been on staff for more than twenty. about fifty calls today. Just a normal sum- en/support/eplan-solution-center The working atmosphere is collegial and mer day, he says, picking up his bag. A friendly, and employee turnover is very low. parting glance at his co-workers is his last Along with constant exchange between act of the workday. “I’m out of here – till CONTACT: team members and in-house departments, tomorrow.” Q Technical application support at Stahlo: this setting ensures consistently high-qual- phone +49 (0) 2771 302-6854, ity support. After all, each customer has the E-mail: [email protected] right to expert advice, says the department head, who has been with Rittal since 1988. Customers exercise this right about 50,000 times each year – that is how often the phone rings at the Rittal Technical Hotline. According to Lohrey, 70 per cent of all tele- phone enquiries get an immediate re- sponse. The rest require additional evalua- tion, research or even application testing. On average, it takes his expert team only three minutes to come up with a competent solution. However, if the questions are about standards or special, unusual appli- cations, the answer can sometimes take a

66 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE

THILO NEUMANN, 40 Technical Consultant

“We don’t have the power to invalidate the laws of physics, but we will gladly explain that a fan-and-filter unit with an ambient temperature of 40 degrees Celsius cannot have an internal temperature of 35 degrees.”

BJÖRN STEINEBACH, 34 Technical Consultant

“One customer wanted a coffee-cup holder on the enclosure. Because this is not one of our standard features, we developed a customised solution for him.”

HARTMUT LOHREY, 59 Head of Marketing Training/Support

“An engineer from the Bundeswehr called us with a technical problem. As we later discovered, he was calling directly from the Afghan crisis zone in Mazar-i-Sharif.” ANGELA ZUTT, 46 Technical Consultant

“ After the switchboard transferred him, one customer asked me to connect him with the technical hotline. He must not have been expecting a female technical consultant.”

NORBERT HORN, 48 Technical Consultant and Training Instructor

“Our customers are grateful for our KLAUS SCHIMKE, 44 technical support. Naturally, their questions Technical Consultant also provide us with ideas that we can pass on to other customers.” “Often the most difficult part of an enquiry isn’t the technical issue, but rather a customer’s dialect. But over time one develops a good ear.”

ROLF WAGNER, 56 Technical Consultant and Training Instructor

“Cultural differences are very interesting to me. While Europeans are usually satisfied with a quick solution, Asians often have detailed questions about back- ANKE BOBENAU, 44 ground information and solutions.” Technical Consultant

“Many customers ask us questions about the technical inner workings of the enclosures. We often explain at that point that we do not manufacture the complete inner workings of the enclosures.”

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 67 LOGISTICS WORLD CHAMPION Kanban technique. Europe’s most state-of-the-art logistics centre for supplying industry is located in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and belongs to Würth Industrie Service GmbH. The C-Part needs of more than 20,000 customers are taken care of here across 122 hectares. Plastics specialist LKH has been involved in developing these new forward- looking solutions, such as iPush technology, from the very start.

Text: Rebecca Lorenz and Jürgen Jehle

68 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 WÜRTH INDUSTRIE SERVICE EXPERIENCE

THE AUTOBAHN OF GOODS Each month, around 6,000 metric tonnes of C-Parts leave the logistics centre on a conveyor belt that’s 12 kilometres long.

EXPERIENCE WÜRTH INDUSTRIE SERVICE

urope’s most modern logistics centre for supplying industry is surrounded E by dense forests, lush green mead- ows and gently rolling hills with vineyards. Würth Industrie Service GmbH set up shop in Bad Mergentheim in northeast Baden- Württemberg, Germany, fifteen years ago. The subsidiary of Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, the world’s leading wholesaler of fas- teners, offers its clients customised procure- ment and logistics solutions. Its core busi- ness – dealing in C-Parts – operates on an area the size of more than 122 football pitches. The range of products includes more than 1.5 million articles such as bolts, nuts and washers. Every day, more than 1,300 employees are responsible for cover- ing the C-Part needs of 20,000 customers, including those involved in plant and ma- chine tool engineering. Constant replenishment of C-Parts is im- portant for customers such as Liebherr, Bosch, Rittal and Siemens. In order to maintain production efficiency, an uninter- rupted supply of these small parts must be guaranteed. If an assembly operator runs WÜRTH INDUSTRIE SERVICE out of bolts, the entire production line comes to a halt. So that this doesn’t hap- pen, the required C-Parts must be availa- QUICK AND ble at the right place at the right time. Yet the procurement and logistics of C-Parts is EASY extremely complex. “The value of C-Parts themselves is many times less than the re- sulting process costs,” says Ronald Kerek- value chain also assists companies in effi- The iPush is an important element in the in- jarto, key account manager at Würth. ciently manufacturing products and react- dustrial revolution of C-Part management “Since many of our customers aren’t inter- ing more quickly and flexibly to changes in and another component in the Würth Industrie Service system universe. On the ested in spending resources on C-Parts, the order situation. road to data-controlled Industry 4.0, the de- we offer C-Parts in tandem with integrated mands of industry partners fundamentally logistics system solutions.” NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH LKH change – as do the logistics. Upstream and Christian Schorndorfer, managing director To become more like the factory of tomor- downstream processes in particular will be- of Würth Industrie Service, explains how the row today, Würth develops its own kanban come more complex and must be optimised continually by industry partners. The iPush comprehensive carefree package works at containers. The W-KLT 2.0 – which already from Würth Industrie Service GmbH & Co. Würth: “we deliver C-Parts just-in-time and comes with a standard RFID tag – is an in- KG integrates and automates provision in directly where customers use them. We tegral part of the Würth system universe. C-Parts management on the basis of RFID control the material flow at a customer’s site The company relies on expert support as technology. by means of self-developed kanban con- part of this process. “As a young company, tainers [W-KLT] with barcoded labels. They we need partners who assist us with imple- specify the storage location, the item, the menting our ideas in a targeted manner,” container, the batch and the fill quantity. says project coordinator Franziska Engert. Order initiation takes place via RFID-sup- Together with LKH, the plastics processing ported system solutions for around 12 per specialist in the Friedhelm Loh Group, cent of all kanban customers at Würth.” Würth developed the iPush enclosure. The Fast data transfer creates even more sup- iPush can be mounted either in the W-KLT ply security than the barcode-based kan- 2.0 itself or without a container directly onto ban, which already ensures secure sup- the shelf. All that’s needed to trigger an or- plies. Container data for reordering is der is a simple push of the iPush button. imported directly into Würth’s proprietary Discussing the decision for LKH as a part- enterprise resource planning system. ner, Franziska Engert says “we needed This comprehensive service offers a lot of ideas that we could get our hands on. LKH potential to manufacturers. Just-in-time de- was flexible and quickly implemented our livery of C-Parts saves warehousing and ideas. The company made a significant process costs, and within the scope of its contribution to the development of

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SUPERLATIVE LOGISTICS Würth Industrie Service operates its core business – dealing in C-Parts – on an area the size of more than 122 football pitches. The range of products includes more than 1.5 million articles such as bolts, nuts and washers.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 71 EXPERIENCE WÜRTH INDUSTRIE SERVICE

“ LKH meets all of our requirements in all areas. The company is a powerful, flexible partner that offers outstand- ing support.” Christian Schorndorfer, managing director of Würth Industrie Service

the enclosure with their own ideas and ex- universally utilised in a container, at a stor- pertise”. The demands on LKH in the pro- age location, on a production line or even IPUSH–INDUSTRY 4.0–LOGISTICS duction of the iPush enclosure were exten- at a workstation itself. sive: the enclosure had to be stable and Currently, Würth is working with LKH on robust because it was going to be attached another promising project. Christian STRONG to both containers and warehouse shelves. Schorndorfer says that “the demands on Furthermore, there had to be enough eas- customer–supplier relationships have TEAMWORK ily accessible space for the RFID technol- changed in recent years and will continue ogy on the inside. Also important to Würth to change in the future. Trends show that was that the final product look modern and provisioning in the future will not occur via The final version of the iPush housing was attractive, and that it could be produced a centralised C-Part warehouse, but in- developed in just three months. LKH’s flexi- economically. stead will become more decentralised un- bility, speed and constructive ideas proved til it reaches the workstation itself. As of this persuasive in the end. “LKH contributed to the enclosure’s development with their own PIONEERING TECHNOLOGY year, we’re able to manufacture a worksta- ideas and expertise,” says Franziska Engert LKH fabricated the first almost-production- tion customised to the customer’s de- (below), project coordinator at Würth quality 3D prototype in a rapid prototyping mands”. The W-KLT can be modularly ex- Industrie Service, in praise. “We received the process directly from the electronic design panded with a W-KLT clip and be flexibly first prototypes very fast, and LKH was able data. The process used the newest laser integrated through a track system into the to quickly turn around our changes.” sintering technology (see page 29). The iBIN WP workstation. The iPush is also an enclosure prototype was created layer by important element in our system universe layer in a generative fabrication process. in that it helps continue to advance it. And “We can manufacture development results LKH, Schorndorfer says, is a great partner and sample components with a high de- in developing solutions for the future. Q gree of accuracy and component strength,” says Dr Guido Stannek, managing director of LKH. “We consistently focus on state-of- the-art technology with our laser sintering equipment for the manufacturing of sample components made of plastic, and so make considerably faster market entry possible for our customers.” After initial testing, LKH CONSTRUCTIVE COLLABORATION fabricated 250 enclosures by means of the Franziska Engert of Würth Industrie Service rapid manufacturing process, which Würth appreciates LKH’s expertise. then intensely tested. Thanks to close con- sultation, the final version of the iPush en- closure was completed in just a few months. The result is a mobile enclosure that can be

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INTELLIGENT PLASTIC ALL-ROUNDER

he iPush from Würth Industrie – There had to be enough easily Service revolutionises C-Parts accessible space for the electronics T management in Industry 4.0. At to be integrated. the push of a button, the iPush sends an – There had to be space for the label order placement for article inventory and on the enclosure. for reordering. This happens directly in – The final product had to be both the Würth Industrie Service enterprise visually appealing and practical. resource planning system, completely – The iPush enclosure had to be independent of where it’s being used. A cost-effective in manufacturing. number of requirements were important for development of the iPush, which LKH and Würth realised in close collaboration.

– The enclosure required a short lead-time to facilitate rapid time-to- market for the product. LINK TIP: COMPACT INFORMATION VIA RFID TAG For ordering via RFID in the logistics centre, the – The iPush enclosure had to be made Scan the QR code for more label of the iPush enclosure contains all important of the same material as the contain- information about the iPush data, such as item and storage location. er: robust PP plastic. enclosure.

VALUE-ACHIEVER LKH

Single source. Employees at the LKH branch in Heiligenroth, Germany, develop and manufacture a wide array of products aimed at helping LKH customers achieve smooth development and processes.

2 INNOVATION HUB 6,000 m LKH is a technological leader that is the size of the production area at the LKH utilises free-form designs in plastic with branch in Montabaur-Heiligenroth. high-tech laser sintering equipment (also see page 29). Individual parts and With machine sizes running from 25 to small series are manufactured from 1,000 metric tonnes of closing force and standard pellets with 3D CAD data but injection weights running from 1.0 gram without tools. The components are to 6.5 kilograms, LKH processes all constructed additively – meaning layer thermoplastics using injection-moulding 50 + by layer – from the 3D CAD data with techniques. the tiniest drops of plastic. In this way, LKH has at its disposal a compre- customised, fully functional components hensive machine park with more can be economically produced than fifty powerful state-of-the-art beginning with a batch size of one All! injection-moulding machines. without any injection-moulding tools.

Using around 800 various tools, LKH processes more than 15 METRIC TONNES of almost 200 DIFFERENT pellet variants each day. Source: LKH 3D

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 73 EXPERIENCE STAHLO

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

Services. Delivery practically overnight? The Stahlo Steel Service Center has done it before and can do it again. Core business services are currently being expanded, with a focus on stepping up technical applications support.

Text: Robert Sopella

hort-term delivery requests are part production lines undergoes extensive of everyday business for Guido chemical and mechanical testing.” APPLICATION SUPPORT S Spenrath, managing director of In the company’s testing labs, a tensile test- Stahlo Stahlservice GmbH & Co. KG, a ing machine precisely records the materi- member of the Friedhelm Loh Group. Yet al’s mechanical characteristics under ten- GOOD there is one particular call that he won’t soon sion. Furthermore, a vacuuwm emission forget. One Tuesday, at 4.00 pm, his office spectrometer very quickly analyses the CHOICE phone rang; it was a representative from a mass fraction of up to sixteen different ele- large car manufacturer on the line: the press ments in the sheet metal. Continual sup- installation for sheet metal parts had broken plier audits and certification according to Technical application support from Stahlo down. The representative asked if Stahlo ISO standards – such as ISO/TS 16959 for ensures that the steel grade selected is the was in a position to handle production and the automotive industry – additionally en- one that perfectly fits the application. This choice lays the foundation for the highest deliver parts by Thursday at 6.00 am. After sure a consistently high level of quality. product quality – with potential cost reduc- a moment’s consideration, Spenrath an- tions and gains in efficiency. swered in the affirmative. Yet neither were RECOMMENDING THE RIGHT STEEL the appropriate press tools available nor Another important component of quality DIRECT CONNECTION: was the special steel in stock. “We didn’t assurance is technical application sup- If you would like to take advantage of even have the technical drawings for the port, whereby Stahlo assists its customers our technical application support, parts at that moment,” he recalls. Despite in finding the optimal steel for the respec- please contact Kerstin Hirsch by calling these circumstances, and under this intense tive application. One great advantage of +49 (0) 2771 302-6854 or via e-mail at pressure, the production plans were this service is that the company remains [email protected]. changed, shift schedules reworked, and independent of specific manufacturers. delivery of the tools and the steel coordi- “This way we can select the best material nated with the car manufacturer. “On Thurs- for our customers from the whole spectrum day, the sheet metal parts – in the highest of various steels available,” Spenrath quality, of course – were on time at 6.00 am. says. There are no less than 3,500 differ- in the manufacturer’s production facility for ent types of steel – with physical, chemical further processing.” and environmental properties differing Spenrath says that this example very clear- within these types. When making a selec- ly sums up what Stahlo is all about. “Our tion, solid professional expertise built over customers expect quick response times decades is required, an expertise that and fast delivery as well as top-quality prod- Stahlo commands, Spenrath says. “We uct,” he explains. The company ensures the always view technical application support latter through comprehensive quality-assur- as an anticipatory investment in a long- ance measures. “Every coil that leaves our term partnership.” Q

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ALL-ROUND PERFECTION At the branches in Dillenburg and Gera, Stahlo produces slitted coils, blanks, standard sheets, cut-to-size sheets and contoured blanks in all common grades – from high-strength to ultra- high-strength.

EXPANDING SUPPORT

Interview. Guido Spenrath, managing director of Stahlo Stahlservice GmbH & Co. KG, speaks about how the company’s expertise in ultra-high-strength steels sets it on a path for future growth.

What are your their production processes, from metres is available. Additionally, we goals over the design to implementation. intend to continue investing in state-of- medium term? the-art production equipment. With a Guido Spenrath: Which services do you mean exactly? tensile strength of up to 1,600 newtons, We want to Spenrath: For one, we want to continue Stahlo has a clear technological edge position Stahlo to intensify our activities in steel trading. over its competitors in the area of more broadly and Furthermore, we will be considerably ultra-high-strength steels. We want to establish addi- expanding technical application support expand this capacity because demand tional services for and our range of processing. is on the rise. our core business that make us more independent from Does this include plans for upgrading Does Stahlo intend to expand inter- fluctuations in the economy. At the production capacities? nationally? same time, we are making long-term Spenrath: We’re currently analysing Spenrath: Many of our customers are partnerships with our customers the possibility of expanding our active in Asia. That’s why we are possible; drawing from our extensive capacities at our Gera location, where definitely considering strengthening our expertise, we can provide support for a property of about 40,000 square position there.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 75 EXPERIENCE WEILING

HERBS, CHEESE AND IT CLIMATE CONTROL Along with high-quality organic products, Weiling GmbH now also has a stable IT infrastructure. Michael van Dülmen, IT director at Weiling GmbH, decided on the RiMatrix S standardised data centre from Rittal.

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XXL FRESHNESS

Sustainable IT. Weiling GmbH grew from a small organic food shop to a natural foods wholesaler. Along with their offerings and logistics, another key to success is a sophisti- cated IT infrastructure. Weiling counts on the modular RiMatrix S data centre solution.

Text: Rebecca Lorenz

e currently have more than six centrally controlled from Coesfeld, and an hundred types of cheese from outage would be catastrophic for the ECO-PIONEER WEILING W different vendors in our range of organic wholesaler. Describing why the products, and we chose every single one company’s IT infrastructure must be fail- of them ourselves,” says Dr Peter Meyer, safe, van Dülmen explains that “we ascer- ORGANIC CEO of Weiling GmbH, with obvious pride. tain the status of all goods through our soft- “We also know our suppliers personally.” ware: when will they arrive at the location? SINCE 1975 Their assortment of goods encompasses When are they brought to a storage loca- more than 11,000 products, leaving noth- tion, and when are they forwarded to the ing to be desired: fruits and vegetables, customer? This type of information is im- Starting back in 1975, Weiling GmbH was dairy products, meats and cosmetics, and mensely important to us, because it allows one of Germany’s first companies to sell even three hundred different wines. Since us, for example, to plan pre-ordering and organic products. What started as a small organic food shop is now a full-service re- its founding in 1975, the organic whole- to pick goods in the best possible way”. tailer with more than 11,000 products of saler Weiling, headquartered in Coesfeld the highest organic quality. At its two loca- in Münsterland, North Rhine-Westphalia, FOCUS ON EFFICIENCY tions in Coesfeld and Lonsee, the medi- has proved that a company can be ex- For Weiling, the changeover to the RiMatrix um-sized, family-owned company works tremely successful in the trade of organic S data centre meant the switch to a higher, with around 685 suppliers from around the world. In 2013, the 520 employees of the products. High-quality products, lean inter- TÜV-certified security standard, fire and organic wholesaler generated revenues of nal processes and dependable logistics burglary protection, redundancies, and around 160 million euros. have made the company the market leader protection from leaks, along with an uninter- in the rapidly growing organic sector. The ruptible power supply. The modular and key to success also lies in sophisticated IT. standardised data centre solution from Rit- For a wholesaler that cooperates with more tal is perfectly suited to the needs of small than 685 suppliers and that delivers to over and medium-sized companies. Michael 1,200 customers, stable IT infrastructure is Nicolai, Director International Project & extremely important. Michael van Dülmen, Product Support with Rittal, knows from ex- IT director of this medium-sized family- perience: “small and medium-sized com- owned company, says, “in our daily busi- panies need flexible data centre solutions ness, performance and availability must be with a clearly defined service package, and guaranteed”. This essential was just one of specified delivery times and costs.” (Also the reasons that Weiling recently decided see the article on pages 36 to 39.) The con- to replace their somewhat outdated server tainer delivered by Rittal holds everything rooms with a modular data centre solution a data centre needs: server and network from Rittal. racks, climate control, an uninterruptible “We had repeated difficulties because our power supply including power distribution old IT infrastructure finally reached its ab- adapted to the system, and the Computer solute limits after a software conversion,” Multi Control III (CMC III) monitoring sys- says Peter Meyer. His requirements for tem. The CMC III system uses sensors to high-performance IT: “we wanted to invest collect important data, including tempera- in a new, fail-safe and sustainable data cen- ture and humidity, and immediately notifies tre.” The IT infrastructure for the company’s administrators when the values reach criti- two locations in Coesfeld and Lonsee is cal levels for the server.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 77 EXPERIENCE WEILING

“ The modular concept of the RiMatrix S enabled us to integrate it into our on-site conditions.”

Dr Peter Meyer, CEO Weiling GmbH

INDIVIDUALITY DESPITE STANDARDS ning effort on the part of the company is no “We want to expand the company premises longer required. And despite the customi- CLEVER CLIMATE CONTROL in Coesfeld in the future, so we were looking sations, the time to delivery for Weiling re- for a modular data centre solution,” CEO mained short. Meyer explains. Because the company The new data centre’s efficiency is evident COOLING wasn’t interested in short-term modification every time CEO Dr Peter Meyer reads the of the 14,000 square metres of logistics monthly electricity bill. Because all of the FROM THE space, those responsible for the project components for the RiMatrix S are de- wanted a data centre with a small footprint. signed for energy efficiency, the data cen- ROOF Yet the requirements for its physical protec- tre achieves a power usage effectiveness tion remained high: ideally, the company’s (PUE) of up to 1.15. That the new data cen- new data centre was to be a high-security tre goes easy on the environment through The indirect, free cooling for the RiMatrix S area with a rugged safety door and a clas- the efficient use of energy is an especially data centre is perfectly in tune with the local sic key system. “Entry to the data centre important side effect for the wholesaler of conditions for Weiling GmbH at its location in Coesfeld (see photo, right). The refrigeration area is now limited to a small circle of peo- ecologically correct foods. Q container responsible for cooling the data cen- ple responsible for hardware and IT,” says tre is located on the company’s roof. In the in- IT specialist van Dülmen. Rittal also made tegrated heat exchanger, the inflowing cold air a persuasive argument in the area of cool- from outside cools the warm water. The cold ing. The indirect, free cooling of the data water then cools the server air intake in the data centre, while the warm exhaust air is centre is perfectly adapted to the local con- once again fed to the refrigeration container ditions for Weiling GmbH (see information via the heated water circuit. at right). “The air is very dusty because there are numerous farms in the area,” Pe- ter Meyer explains. The strain on the cool- ing filters with a direct, free cooling system would be too great; the necessary replace- ments would be too time-consuming and expensive over the long run. Furthermore, customisations of the RiMatrix S weren’t a problem for Rittal. Even during the incredibly short planning phase, Rittal op- timally customised the modular data centre to the needs of Weiling GmbH. “Whereas a conventional data centre requires one to two years to get from conception to com- missioning, the time frame for the RiMatrix APP TIP: S data centre is just about six weeks,” says Using the RiMatrix Selector, Michael Nicolai. Because the data centre you can configure your own components are standardised, a lot of plan- standardised data centre.

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PERFECT SOLUTION To the delight of CEO Dr Peter Meyer (left), the medium-sized company can now react flexibly to its IT requirements. The switch to the modular RiMatrix S data centre (top) with the refrigerated container on the company’s roof (lower right) offered many advantages to Weiling.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 79 KNOW-HOW ENERGY SUPPLY

THE SYSTEM FOR THE SMART GRID

Renewable energies. Smart generation, distribution and storage are key for the energy supply of the future. Dependable enclosure systems form the backbone, enabling tech- nology to function at every link along the chain.

Text: Beate Schwarz and Hans-Robert Koch

he wind howls across the land at are weather-dependent. According to 100 kilometres per hour. There is lit- BMUB estimates, wind energy alone will T tle evidence of this weather 135 supply about half of the energy used in metres above the ground in the nacelle, the Germany by 2050, which is predicted to be heart of the wind energy facility, where the 468 terawatt-hours. technology reliably does it job. Hidden Rittal is a global systems partner for more within the hub is the pitch control, which than 120 active wind-energy installations, regulates the alignment of the rotor blades component manufacturers and control sys- in the wind in order to produce more or less tems manufacturers. Enercon, the third- electricity depending on demand. The na- largest manufacturer in 2013 for newly in- celle also holds frequency inverters that stalled wind-energy capacity, installs convert the current generated into grid- several hundred large enclosures from the compatible alternating current. And there TS 8 series week by week. are also power distribution components that ensure the power is fed into the low- FACILITATING FLEXIBILITY TS 8 ENCLOSURES voltage grid. All modules must be securely For photovoltaic installations such as the positioned and able to withstand both dy- 75-megawatt project from SMA namic stresses and difficult environmental Solartechnology AG in Kalkbult, South Af- ROBUST conditions: freezing cold and extreme heat, rica, Rittal is delivering the enclosure tech- salty and sandy air, storms and rain. Com- nology for the central power inverter. In BODYGUARD panies in the wind energy industry aren’t addition, climate-control solutions ensure the only ones to know that their technology the removal of waste heat, and power dis- is securely stowed in Rittal enclosures. The tribution components guarantee that pow- The TS 8 enclosure system from Rittal forms enclosure solutions are also in demand at er is reliably fed into the low-voltage elec- the foundation for control cabinets for wind all central junctions in the electricity grid of tricity grid. Rittal’s international focus and power turbines and housings for central in- verters. Whether for indoor or outdoor appli- the future: generation, distribution and the its globally consistent quality standards cations, they are designed to handle great increasingly important field of storage. are important reasons for customers in the dynamic stresses and can also be equipped Integrating renewable energies into the energy sector to work with Rittal. The com- with climate-control systems. electricity grid is a Herculean task because pany’s specialists always keep an eye on security of supply must be guaranteed. developments in the energy technology Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environ- market. “Currently, we’re looking into the ment, Nature Conservation, Building and feasibility of an industry solution for string Nuclear Safety (BMUB) expects that by inverters,” says Mathias Heun, branch 2030, half of the energy generated in Ger- manager for Renewable Energies at Rittal. many will be coming from installations that “The goal is for our customers to

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SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY WIND CONDITION Inside the tower it is 140 metres straight up. Enclosures and climate-control technology by Rittal ensure comprehensive protection for the electronic components as they feed in green power at the wind farm in Siegbach, Germany. The installation is one of Nordex’s three 2.5-megawatt wind energy plants.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 81 WISSENKNOW-HOW WIND-ENERGY UND PV-ENERGIESUPPLY

DEPENDABLE SUN-CATCHER SMA equipped one of the first large-scale photovoltaic power plants on the African continent with 84 Sunny Central 800CP inverters and Rittal outdoor enclosures. The Kalkbult 75-megawatt project went into operation in South Africa in 2013. Over an area roughly equivalent to 140 football pitches, the plant will produce 145 million kilowatt-hours of solar energy annually – enough to supply the energy needs of 35,000 South African households.

82 bebe top top | | Das Magazine Magazin of derthe Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 ENERGY SUPPLY KNOW-HOW

ductions, as well as for the quick market PUT THROUGH ITS PACES introduction of new energy storage sys- tems. Such a roll-out requires a great deal Every component in Rittal products is of practical know-how about the respective tested according to international codes storage technologies. Lead-based technol- and regulations. Controls by external ogy was introduced decades ago – lithium testing institutes guarantee compliance technology is still in its infancy. Battery with global standards. Here a selection management must be optimally adapted to of approvals received: the cell in order to guarantee reliable op- eration and a long lifespan. Enclosure technology is also important be- cause sensitive electronic components must be safely stowed away. Only in this way can a storage system be protected against outside infl uences and guarantee be able to operate with more fl exibility on reliable operation as well as the longest the volatile photovoltaic market without be- service life possible. Depending on the re- ing dependent on high-pressure die-cast- spective storage dimensioning, solutions ed tools, as is currently the case with con- run the gamut from small enclosures to con- ventional enclosure solutions for string tainers with or without climate-control sys- inverters on the market.” The necessary tems, power distribution, vandalism protec- expertise from Rittal in the area of renew- tion and protection in the event of able energies comes from many years of earthquakes. Rittal offers many solutions. experience in the industry and close col- “Experience shows the earlier we are in- laboration with market leaders in wind en- volved in the product design process, the ergy such as Enercon, Siemens and greater the benefi ts for the customer,” says General Electric, as well as with leading Markus Buchborn, responsible for energy photovoltaic companies such as SMA and business development at Rittal. “Together Bonfi glioli. with Eplan and Kiesling, we offer high add- ed value to optimise value chain processes, ADVANCING STORAGE TECHNOLOGY which is especially true for the engineering TS 8 ENERGY STORAGE Aside from renewable energy generation, of complex systems.” Q ENCLOSURES effi cient and secure storage is another im- portant component of the energy transition. Only when it’s possible to store weather- MODULAR, generated energy will the necessary degree of grid stability, quality of supply and secu- ROBUST rity be achieved. Without energy storage systems, Germany will not succeed in sup- The TS 8 enclosure system from Rittal can plying 80 per cent of the country’s energy be easily adjusted to meet the requirements needs with renewable energies by 2050. for energy storage. Its modular construction Since 2013, Rittal has been working with means that the enclosure’s storage capacity major testing institutes, energy generators, can be fl exibly adapted. Predefi ned rack- and battery and energy storage system mounted systems ensure simple and fast swapping of battery packs. The stable con- manufacturers in the context of its work for LINK TIP: nection between the rack-mounted system the German Energy Storage Association. Reference projects and additional and battery pack allows for earthing and thus The goal is to defi ne uniform guidelines, information can be found at safe operation. Another crucial factor is the standards and quality criteria for safe and http://tinyurl.com/ngxmp8s high load-bearing capacity of the TS 8. To in- secure energy storage systems. The Energy Storage Funding Initiative tegrate lithium-ion batteries in the enclosure, users can choose either the modular 19-inch The German government’s Energy Storage provides a wide variety of information, mounting technology or conventional solu- Funding Initiative is lending support for a including initial research results at www. tions such as heavy-duty shelves that are technological breakthrough and cost re- forschung-energiespeicher.info/en/. designed for loads of up to 100 kilograms.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 83 EXPERIENCE BOSCH REXROTH

WORKING AT THE (CLIMATE) LIMIT High temperatures are normal in an iron foundry. Only high-performance and dependable enclosure climate control systems can ensure trouble-free plant operations.

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Enclosure climate control. Extremely high enclosure temperatures are the norm in a foundry industrial environment. At Bosch Rexroth, which specialises in drive and control technology, a new climate-control solution from Rittal has been introduced to keep tem- peratures constant and save a lot of energy in the process.

Text: Max Franz and Hans-Robert Koch

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 85 EXPERIENCE BOSCH REXROTH

CALM IN A ROUGH ENVIRONMENT High temperatures inside enclosures pose a challenge in the rough industrial environment of foundries. They are not a problem for Andreas Geeb, who works in the foundry’s investment and factory planning department at Bosch Rexroth AG.

hings get unpleasant for electronics installing its own cooling circuit, the thermal above 40 degrees Celsius,” says energy is transferred via the air/water heat THE TOPTHERM CHILLER T Andreas Geeb, who works in the exchangers into one single cooling circuit. investment and factory planning depart- The advantage of having a central supply ment at the Bosch Rexroth AG foundry. The of coolant water is about a 40 per cent re- ALWAYS company operates its own iron foundry with duction in energy costs. Service and main- sand processing facility at a site in Lohr am tenance costs are also noticeably reduced, KEEPING Main, Germany. The on-site control technol- because just one compressor and one wa- ogy is exposed to extreme environmental ter pump must be serviced. COOL! conditions. Geeb speaks from experience: In order to make the cooling output of the “in summer we used to have temperatures recooling units available for the enclo- of 50 degrees Celsius and more in the en- sures, each individual enclosure’s air/wa- The TopTherm chiller is Rittal’s standard- closures.” Radiant and residual heat can be ter heat exchanger was connected to the ised solution developed for TS 8 enclosure systems. The series is made up of just a few found almost everywhere within the found- cool-water circuit. Rittal handled the entire modular units: the housing and modules for ry. Previous attempts to achieve cooling did installation – except for piping. Leak sen- hydraulics, cooling, electronics and soft- not lead to the desired results. sors ensure high safety for the equipment, ware. Yet it is so flexible that it requires just as they display alarm messages, pass seven different output levels to cover the SOLUTION FOR OVERHEATING these messages on to corresponding conventional cooling output range from 8 to 40 kilowatts. With this in mind, Bosch Rexroth AG began monitoring units and shut magnetic valves. working with Rittal to find a solution to en- The air/water heat exchangers with a cool- sure process security – independent of the ing output of 3,000 watts have smart eco- The only cooling solutions certified to extreme environmental conditions – that mode controls, which turn the interior fans does not drive costs through the roof. As a on or off depending on the temperature EN standards countermeasure against the overheating, inside the enclosure. “The idea of a fluid- the companies decided to go with a liquid- based, centralised cooling solution was based cooling solution using heat exchang- extremely well received,” Geeb says. performance diversity ers with built-in redundancy from the Meanwhile, additional standardised steps 8–40 kW TopTherm chiller series from Rittal that was for active cooling of electrical enclosures connected to the factory’s water system. In at strategically important production fa- savings com- addition, there are air/water heat exchang- cilities have followed. Bosch Rexroth is pared to conven- ers – also from Rittal – for each enclosure working with Rittal to set up a factory 40 % tional cooling climate control system. “Setting up a cen- standard for space-saving and efficient tralised climate-control infrastructure with climate control of enclosures that are dif- water as the cooling medium was the only ficult to cool due to their small size or the solution that made sense,” says Andreas high density of electronics within them. Q Geeb. “It was the only way to completely remove the high heat loads from the enclo- sures and to avoid adding more thermal stress to the ambient air.” Cost advantages APP TIP: became apparent in the purchase, energy Find out more at savings and maintenance. Instead of each www.rittal.com and enclosure having its own cooling unit and in the be top app.

86 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 BOSCH REXROTH EXPERIENCE

THE TOPTHERM CHILLER

The modularly constructed heat exchanger has five sizes to cover seven cooling output levels running from 8 to 40 kW. The climate control solution integrates water and cooling modules as well as the electrical controls. Spare parts management is reduced to a minimum.

The control module: energy-efficient Thanks to its bi-frequency design (400 V/50 Hz, 460 V/60 Hz), the control module can be used internationally. The temperature can be adjusted with either a fixed or a differ- ential value. The microcontroller with smart logic decreases the on/off cycles of opera- tion for the components and increases energy efficiency.

The cooling module: variable Maximum availability is guaranteed by means of an optimally adjusted, pre-assem- bled cooling module. Custom-design these variable modules, with a choice of air- or air-and-water-cooled condensers. Optimal positioning of the cooling components makes the cooling module especially easy to service.

The water module: dependable The water module (hydraulic) is very dependable because a series monitoring function is integrated into the plate heat exchanger for protection against icing. The plastic tank ensures maximum security against leakage. The water module can be easily modified as needed.

The housing: space-saving The integration into the TS 8 enclosure means the chiller can be inserted flexibly and modularly into existing standing spaces. The vertical component arrangement saves considerable space and guarantees a minimal footprint.

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 87 THE F.L.G. COSMOS RITTAL OPEN HOUSE IT

TREND SUMMIT FOR IT VISIONARIES

Rittal Open House IT. In June, leading fi gures from the IT industry met at Rittal’s headquar- ters in Herborn, Germany, for four days to discuss new data centre solutions and trends.

etween 23 and 26 June, Herborn was a centre of knowledge trans- B fer for IT professionals. Within the framework of the summit “Rittal Open House IT – next level for data centre,” the company opened its doors to IT profession- als from all over the world. Offering talks, workshops, panel discussions and exclu- sive product presentations and tours, the summit gave these experts the opportunity to expand their knowledge and gain valu- able fi rst-hand tips. For example, Andreas Gillhuber, Infrastructure Director at RWE IT, described the current IT infrastructure chal- lenges facing international companies. Other topics included Rittal’s new products and the extent to which IT infrastructure has a direct impact on a company’s success (see page 37). “This event is an ideal plat- form for an exchange of ideas among ex- perts. Rittal has proved that it has a lot to offer in the data centre fi eld,” says Dirk Miller, Executive Vice President Marketing at Rittal. Q

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88 be top | Das Magazin der Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 NAME KOSMOS F.L.G.

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HIGHLIGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS

1 Opening: Andreas Gillhuber, Infrastructure Direc- tor at RWE IT, delivered the keynote address.

2 Tours: the participants took a great interest in the guided tours. The visit to Rittal’s quality- testing lab was a big hit. 4

3 Talks: “accurate and reliable planning” is an important factor for Bernd Hanstein, Vice President IT Product Management at Rittal. Hanstein discussed methods for optimising cooling strategies in modular data centres.

4 Visions of the future: Mats Andersson, marketing director of Lefdal Mine Datacenter, described his vision for a new data centre in the Norwegian mine.

5 Products: on tours of the plant and at product presentations, the IT experts were introduced to the entire range of Rittal products.

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02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 89 THE F.L.G. COSMOS

AID AFTER THE FLOOD

130,000 EUROS FOR THE BALKANS

Aid for the fl ood victims in south-eastern Europe: in response to the devastation caused by fl ooding in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina in May, employees of the Friedhelm Loh Group and company owner Friedhelm Loh joined forces to launch a major fundraising campaign. A total of 130,000 euros was raised and distributed to six international aid organisations: Car- itas International, the German Red Cross, WORKING UP A SWEAT Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, Help – Hilfe Around 140 volunteers lent a zur Selbsthilfe, Humedica and World Vi- helping hand in temperatures of sion. The money will be used, among 35 degrees Celsius in the shade. other things, to distribute food, water and aid, make available water pumps and dry- ing equipment and fund the reconstruction effort. Friedhelm Loh, owner and CEO of SPRUCING UP SCHOOL the Friedhelm Loh Group, thanked his em- ployees for their generous donations. “This GROUNDS campaign demonstrates once again that we are a team that is willing to take respon- RITTAL’S EMPLOYEES HELP OUT IN DILLENBURG sibility for others.” Heavy rainfall caused the worst fl ooding in the Balkans on re- As part of its initiative for the Otfried Preußler School for Disabled Students in the Hes- cord, affecting more than 1.3 million peo- sian town of Dillenburg, the Rittal Foundation donated building materials worth 20,000 ple and killing more than fi fty. euros and recruited some 140 helpers for a day’s worth of work. In a total of 21 projects, Rittal staff members spruced up the school grounds, which were badly in need of renovation after forty years of use. With great enthusiasm and dedication, the volunteers built, among other things, an accessible elevated garden, a bike path for road safety 130,000 education and a soft play zone around the children’s seesaws. School director Eliza- beth Cloos was delighted: “I get goose pimples when I see how all of you sacrificed your time to help us. Thank you so much!”

AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT LKH

“It’s not easy to fi nd reliable, motivated em- ployees for simple tasks,” says Frank Rie- bow, assembly manager at the plastics specialist LKH in Heiligenroth. Like Dr Gui- do Stannek, managing director of LKH, he is pleased that the integration of three col- leagues with mental disabilities is going well. One employee with a mental disability is currently completing an internship in LKH’s administration department and is hoping for a permanent position. “The out- look is good,” says Stannek.

HAPPY AT WORK Jennifer Dörr making parts for Rittal’s RiLine 60 busbar system.

90 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 THE F.L.G. COSMOS

GOOD DEEDS WITH MUSIC

THE RITTAL FOUNDATION’S MAJOR BENEFIT CONCERT

“Do good and swing” – that could have been the motto of the benefit concert held by the Rittal Foundation in late September at the Rittal Arena Wetzlar. An audience of around 1,600 were treated to a show of a lifetime featuring the Big Band of the German Armed Forces. Under the direction of Christian Weiper, the ensemble opened the concert and was accompanied by singer Bwalya Chimfwembe, a na- tive Zambian who has been touring with the musicians for eight years. During the second half of the event, the talented 19-year-old musician Jördis Tielsch from the town of Sinn in the district of Lahn-Dill performed with her band. All proceeds from the evening will go to three regional social institutions: Tour der Hoffnung raises funds for children with cancer; the Kleine Wege autism centre in Wetzlar provides counselling for autistic people and their families; and the Amadeus Junior Academy (see page 92) promotes young musicians. Speaking on the evening of the event, Friedhelm Loh, chairman of the Rittal Foundation’s board of trustees, emphasised A GREAT PROGRAMME that he would not have been able to establish the foundation without the commit- Glenn Miller, Shirley Bassey, Ray Charles, ment of Rittal’s employees. “We need people who go through life alert to the world Tom Jones, John Miles and Pharrell Williams: the programme performed by the Big Band of around them, who are constructively critical and sympathetic towards others.” the German Armed Forces read like a Who’s Friedhelm Loh also reminded the audience that “the region needs you not only for Who of music greats from almost a century of the people who aren’t as fortunate as us, but also for the coming generation!” music history.

LINK TIP: www.friedhelm-loh-group.com

MOVING DUET When Jördis Tielsch (left) and Bwalya Chimfwembe intoned “That’s What Friends Are For,” the audience could not contain their enthusiasm. They gave a standing ovation for the performance, the evening and the Rittal Foundation’s charitable work.

02 | 2014 | Das Magazin der Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 91 ENGAGEMENT AMADEUS JUNIOR ACADEMY

CATHLEEN SOPHIE SCHÜTTE (10) “I started playing piano a year ago. Sometimes I play a little concert at home for my parents and grandparents. The training at the Amadeus Junior Academy helps me improve.”

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92 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 AMADEUS JUNIOR ACADEMY ENGAGEMENT

MUSIC’S INSTRUMENTAL!

Sponsoring young students. “Rock me, Amadeus!” sang Falco back in the day. The Amadeus Junior Academy doesn’t go quite that far, but it does have music on the brain – and wants to get students enthused about it.

Text: Rebecca Lorenz

t’s a sunny September day, and school term study at a Berlin elementary school. holidays will soon be ending in Hesse, The findings showed that playing music WILHELM-VON-ORANIEN SECOND- I Germany. At Wilhelm-von-Oranien Sec- increased children’s social skills and en- ARY SCHOOL ondary School in Dillenburg, preparations couraged their creativity, and also resulted for the new school year have already be- in increased intelligence and enhanced gun. Teachers can be seen around the powers of concentration. LOVE OF schoolyard and in the hallways of the school. Yet there are students, too, who FOSTERING MUSICAL EDUCATION MUSIC want to be present when some very special The Amadeus Junior Academy to promote cargo arrives. Just like Markus Hoffmann, musical development was founded on 23 faculty director for language, literature and May 2014. It has several goals, one of Music is a tradition at Wilhelm-von-Oranien Secondary School. Along with the perfor- art at the school, they are happy to see the which is improving the music education of- mance of musicals, concerts also belong to vehicle that Ulrich Kögel is driving onto the ferings in Dillenburg and the surrounding the school’s cultural repertoire. The school’s school grounds. The cargo he’s carrying is area, as well as pooling available resources spring concert this year marked the begin- quite valuable to the students and music more effectively. The Rittal Foundation has ning of a new, major musical project: the teachers: an alto saxophone, a flute, two been supporting music at schools for years. Amadeus Junior Academy. This academy for promoting music is a collaborative project of acoustic and one electric guitar. The instru- The collaboration with Wilhelm-von-Oranien the Rittal Foundation, the Lahn-Dill Acade- ments that Hoffmann, Kögel and their col- is also nothing new for the non-profit foun- my and Wilhelm-von-Oranien Secondary leagues unload were purchased with the dation. The Friedhelm Loh Group has con- School. The Rittal Foundation donated assistance of a donation from the Rittal tributed to music projects at the school for 10,000 euros so that the necessary instru- Foundation. “We’ve never been able to buy over twelve years, since 2012 under the ments and furnishings for teaching music could be purchased. Since the start of the so many different instruments at once,” aegis of the Rittal Foundation. 2014/15 school year, music teachers of the says Kögel, a music teacher at Wilhelm- Friedhelm Loh, owner and CEO of the Lahn-Dill Academy are now offering music von-Oranien. They will soon be played by Friedhelm Loh Group, established the lessons at the school – at a reduced price participants in the Amadeus Junior Acad- Rittal Foundation on the occasion of Rittal’s thanks to additional annual support from the emy, a collaborative project of the Rittal fiftieth anniversary and endowed it with Rittal Foundation. Foundation, the Lahn-Dill Academy and starting capital of five million euros. Found- Wilhelm-von-Oranien Secondary School, ing the Amadeus Junior Academy was an- which is supporting music studies. other step for the Rittal Foundation along “We want to develop and foster the music its path of continued expansion of projects education offerings in Dillenburg and the it cares deeply about: promoting educa- surrounding area,” Hoffmann explains. It tional, cultural and social projects in Lahn- cannot be done with local state funding Dill county. “I’m pleased that this project- alone. “The school system subsists on its based cooperation has led to long-term contacts to politics and businesses,” says and self-sustaining music education,” says Armin Müller, spokesperson for the music Friedemann Hensgen, a Rittal Foundation programme at Wilhelm-von-Oranien Sec- board member. GENEROUS DONATION ondary School. “Otherwise we wouldn’t be So that the Amadeus Junior Academy Debora Loh handed over a cheque for able to realise larger projects.” could get started promoting musical edu- 10,000 euros to the project leaders. Children and youth benefit considerably cation, numerous desperately needed in- from early music education. This effect has struments and furnishings for teaching mu- been recognised in Germany since the late sic had to be purchased. The school did LINK TIP: 1990s at the latest, when Dr Hans Günther not have the necessary funds available. Learn more about Rittal Foundation: Bastian, a professor of education science Fortunately, this situation soon changed at http://www.friedhelm-loh-group.de/en/ in Frankfurt, presented the results of a long- the traditional spring concert at rittal_foundation/index.asp

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 93 ENGAGEMENT AMADEUS JUNIOR ACADEMY

LOUISE BEDENBENDER (10) “I can read sheet music since I was six. I would like to learn to play cello now because I don’t like playing piano. But a regular cello is too big for me. That’s why the Amadeus Junior Academy bought a right-sized cello, just for me.”

ERIC KARY (12) “Playing an electric guitar is exciting, and I can really just forget about everything. I still have a lot to learn before I can play my first real concert.”

94 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 AMADEUS JUNIOR ACADEMY ENGAGEMENT

MARO HAFFER (9) “I’m learning how to play the drums really well at the Amadeus Junior Academy. I even know a few pieces by heart already. I’d like to form my own band with some classmates someday.”

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 95 ENGAGEMENT AMADEUS JUNIOR ACADEMY

PAULA REEH (10) “I enjoy classical music. I especially like the composers of the First Viennese School. My favourite piece is the Surprise Symphony by Joseph Haydn.”

Wilhelm-von-Oranien: Debora Loh, Rittal at Wilhelm-von-Oranien as part of the Ama- Foundation board member, handed over a deus Junior Academy programme,” says PROMOTING MUSIC cheque for 10,000 euros to the organisers Günter Bedenbender, director of the Lahn- of the Amadeus Junior Academy. “Music Dill Academy music school. This arrange- education is an essential part of an overall ment relieves parents from having to drive MAKING education,” Loh said. “It contributes to the music students from one school to the other. growth of one’s personality and is important Furthermore, the school’s after-school pro- MUSIC for maintaining regional cultural offerings. gramme has been expanded with an exclu- That is why we are pleased to be support- sive offering. Twenty-five children and TOGETHER ing this project.” youths signed up for the academy during The Rittal Foundation not only supported the summer holidays. the purchase of new instruments; it also Günter Bedenbender is satisfied with the Numerous studies show the positive effects provides another 10,000 euros each year project’s development – even against the of playing music on the development of chil- so that a lack of financial resources does backdrop of the increase in all-day school dren and youth. Making music together in school, choirs and big bands fosters chil- not stand in the way of learning to play an programmes that are greatly changing the dren’s social, intellectual and physical skills. instrument. These funds allow the Amade- music school landscape. “Cooperation In comparison, young musicians are more us Junior Academy to subsidise the month- partners such as Wilhelm-von-Oranien open, better socially integrated and more in- ly fees for the music courses. lend themselves to our programme. Only terested in culture generally than children Music education has become a private by working together can we create new who only passively consume music. Be- cause playing an instrument is a complex matter and almost incidental in Germany. structures and increase interest in music activity requiring abstract and complex Learning instruments that require intensive courses.” Q thinking, musicians often have above-aver- instruction, such as the piano or the violin, age intelligence. Children who play music is often feasible only for those children who are also well ahead of their peers in the ar- can attend a music school or who have a eas of concentration and creativity. They can better concentrate over a longer period of private instructor. The situation has become time and have higher creative potential at so dire in recent years that the German Mu- their command. Children’s great creativity sic Council has warned of a degradation of becomes especially apparent when they use musical life in Germany. their musical abilities to take part in organis- To ensure this doesn’t happen, Wilhelm- ing the region’s cultural offerings. von-Oranien Secondary School is closely collaborating with the Lahn-Dill Academy. “Since the start of the 2014/15 school year, we’ve been offering music courses in rooms

96 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 AMADEUS JUNIOR ACADEMY ENGAGEMENT

AN OVERVIEW OF THE FRIEDHELM LOH GROUP COMPANIES

RITTAL GMBH & CO. KG EPLAN SOFTWARE & SERVICE CIDEON GMBH & CO.KG Auf dem Stützelberg GMBH & CO. KG Tzschirnerstraße 5a 35745 Herborn, Germany An der alten Ziegelei 2 02625 Bautzen, Germany Phone +49 (0) 2772 505-0 40789 Monheim am Rhein, Germany Phone +49 (0) 3591 3744-0 www.rittal.com Phone +49 (0) 2173 3964-0 www.cideon.de www.eplan.de Rittal – The System. Faster – better – everywhere. Eplan – efficient engineering. Cideon – efficient engineering.

KIESLING STAHLO STAHLSERVICE LKH KUNSTSTOFFWERK MASCHINENTECHNIK GMBH GMBH & CO. KG GMBH & CO. KG Gallische Straße 2 Kasseler Strasse 27 Auf der Birke 2 63128 Dietzenbach, Germany 35683 Dillenburg, Germany 56412 Heiligenroth, Germany Phone +49 (0) 6074 8290-0 Phone +49 (0) 2771 302-0 Phone +49 (0) 2602 99942-0 www.kiesling.net www.stahlo.de www.lkh-kunststoff.de

Kiesling – We automate panel building. Stahlo – Processing steel straight from LKH – We make more out of plastic. the line.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

BE TOP EDITORIAL STAFF PHOTO CREDITS Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group Stephanie Backhaus, Adam Blauhut (English Page 1: Matteo Vannini/obyphotography; page 3: F.L.G.; page 4 (top): Sabine Vielmo/Plainpicture; page 4 (middle right): Stock4B/Getty Im- Issue 02 | 2014 translation), Ginger A. Diekmann (English copy- ages; page 4 (middle left): Brand Wenner; page 4 (bottom right): Ramon Haindl; page 4 (bottom left): F.L.G./Michael Koch; pages 6–7: Bilder- ISSN 2195-3198 editing), Dagmar Fernholz (English copy-edit- buch/Corbis; pages 8–9: Klaus Scheuplein/Formula Student; pages ing), Anthony B. Heric (English translation), Jür- 10–11: EibeSönnecken/Ivanhoe Cambridge; page 12 (left): Gary Roork/ F.L.G.; page 12 (middle): Petroleum Geo-Services; page 12 (right): Igor/ PUBLISHER gen Jehle, David Myers (English translation), Fotolia; page 13 (left): Frank Ramspott/Istock; page 13 (middle): ITP. Paul Outlaw (English translation), Martin Planer net/F.L.G.; page 13 (right): Yang Liu/Corbis; pages 14–15: Kim Jae- Friedhelm Loh Stiftung & Co. KG Hwan/afp; page 17 (top): Martin Sasse/laif; page 17 (bottom): Gladieu/ CEO: Friedhelm Loh (consultation), Beate Schwarz, Elke Weidenstraß Le Figaro Magazine/laif; page 18 (left), page 21 (left): Stefanina Hill/ Shutterstock; page 19 (top left): Hans-Bernhard Huber/laif; page 19 (top Rudolf-Loh-Straße 1 (German copy-editing) right): LG Chem; page 19 (bottom left): Seong Joon Cho/Bloomberg/ Getty; page 19 (bottom right): Doosan Infracore; page 20: Sabine Vielmo/ 35708 Haiger, Germany Plainpicture; page 22: F.L.G.; page 23 (top): Gladieu/Le Figaro Maga- Phone +49 (0) 2773 924-0 AUTHORS zine/laif; page 23 (bottom): Wolfgang Kumm/dpa; page 25: Matthias Jung/laif; pages 26–27: Matthias Jung/laif; page 27: Germany Trade and E-mail: [email protected] Iris Becker, Elke Bieber, Max Franz, Birgit Invest/GTAI; page 28 (bottom): Vanessa Lentz; pages 28–29 (all others): www.friedhelm-loh-group.com Hagelschuer, Jürgen Jehle, Jens von Kiesling, F.L.G.; pages 31–35: F.L.G./Michael Koch; pages 36 and 39 (icons): F.L.G.; page 36: Mike Kemp/Getty; page 38: F.L.G.; pages 40–41: Hans-Robert Koch, Rebecca Lorenz, Marisa Ro- Stock4B/Getty; page 42 (top): Renate Schildheuer/F.L.G.; page 42 (bot- tom): F.L.G.; page 43 (top): F.L.G.; pages 44–46: Wolfgang Schmidt; RESPONSIBLE EDITOR bles Consée, Jan-Henry Schall, Beate Schwarz, page 47: Dirk Hanus/TU Chemnitz; page 48: Andreas Hub/laif; pages Robert Sopella, Patricia Späth, Ralf Steck 49–51: W. Althaus; pages 52–53: F.L.G.; page 54: OJO/Plainpicture; Regina Wiechens-Schwake page 57: Vega Grieshaber KG; pages 58–59: Brand Wenner; page 60: Michael Englert; page 61: Brand Wenner; page 62: ZVEI/F.L.G.; page 63 (top): Creative Data AG; page 63 (middle and bottom): F.L.G.; pages EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND COORDINATION ART DIRECTION 64–67: F.L.G./Michael Koch; pages 68–72: F.L.G./Michael Koch; page Christiane von Bonin, Katrin Kemmerling, Annika 73 (top): F.L.G./Michael Koch; page 75: F.L.G.; pages 76–79: F.L.G./ Hans-Robert Koch, Patricia Späth, Peter Sting Michael Koch; pages 80–81: F.L.G.; page 82: SMA Solar Technology AG; Nelles page 83: F.L.G.; pages 84–86: F.L.G./Michael Koch; page 87: F.L.G.; pages 88–89: F.L.G./Michael Koch; page 90 (top): F.L.G.; page 90 (bot- REALISATION AND DESIGN tom): Ruth Albus/LKH; page 91: Ralf Triesch; pages 92, 94–96: Ramon Haindl; page 93: Markus Hoffmann; page 98 (top right): laif; page 98 muehlhausmoers corporate IMAGE EDITING (middle left): Irv Gordon/dpa; page 98 (middle right): Veiko Somerpuro; Stefan Detering, Stefan Hirsch, Jonas Milk page 98 (bottom left): Goisque/Le Figaro Magazine/laif; page 98 (bottom communications gmbh right): Hasenkop/Imago. Moltkestraße 123−131 50674 Cologne, Germany GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTION Phone +49 (0) 221 951533-0 Isabel Funken, Vanessa Lentz, Jörn Plenz © Friedhelm Loh Group 2014, ISSN 2195-3198 E-mail: [email protected] www.muehlhausmoers.com PRINT AND LITHOGRAPHY carbon neutral natureOffice.com | DE-179-204646 Wilhelm Becker Grafischer Betrieb e. K., Haiger, PROJECT MANAGEMENT Germany; print production Jürgen Jehle, Karsten Mühlhaus purpur Wolfgang Herrig e. K., Cologne, Germany

02 | 2014 | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | be top 97 STOP PERFORMANCES – BE TOP!

The largest ship

The largest vessel in operation is 398 metres long and 58 metres wide. The shipping company Mærsk operates eight “Triple E” container ships, an additional twelve are in planning. be top!

Top performances are the order of the day in all Friedhelm Loh Group companies. The record holders on this page are also in top form.

Most kilometres travelled The longest fi lm

Irvin Gordon’s red Volvo P1800S, built in 1966, has more Modern Times Forever is the name of the longest fi lm, than 4.8 million kilometres behind it, enough to circle the clocking in at 240 hours’ running time. It shows the virtual de- planet 120 times. Gordon still drives it every day. cay of a building over centuries, compressed into ten days

The longest railway The longest tennis match

The Trans-Siberian Railway between Moscow and Vladivos- The longest tennis match of all time ran eleven hours and fi ve tok runs 9,288 kilometres, has more than 400 stations and minutes over three days in 2010. The match between John crosses seven time zones. Yes, the journey is the reward. Isner and Nicolas Mahut was interrupted numerous times.

| 98 be top | Magazine of the Friedhelm Loh Group | 02 | 2014 Read premium content!

Now experience the variety of our topics in digital form. With the be top iPad app. Informative videos, vibrant Issue 02 | 2014 photo galleries and useful additional information – for everyone who enjoys keeping up to date.

MAGAZINE OF THE FRIEDHELM LOH GROUP Award-winning content! KNOW-HOW Data as the new raw material EXPERIENCE Three minutes to customer satisfaction ENGAGEMENT Music’s instrumental! You’re always holding premium content in your hands with be top: in 2014, be top received the Gold FOX AWARD in the “Customer Maga- zine” and “Mobile” categories, and Silver in the “Visual” category. Also in 2014, be top received the Silver BCP Award for “CP Excellence,” and received Gold in the “Mobile Apps: Productivity” category at the Communicator Awards.

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Friedhelm Loh Stiftung & Co. KG Rudolf-Loh-Strasse 1 35708 Haiger, Germany Phone +49 (0) 2773 924-0 Fax +49 (0) 2773 924-3129 E-mail: [email protected] www.friedhelm-loh-group.com Issue 02|2014 M