VDMA - New board elected

On the occasion of their general assembly, the representatives of the member companies of the VDMA Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association elected their new board for the administration period 2018 to 2021:

• Michael Baumeister, Brückner Maschinenbau, Siegsdorf
• Lutz Busch, Kampf Schneid- und Wickeltechnik, Wiehl
• Sandra Füllsack, Motan Holding, Konstanz
• Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Reifenhäuser, Troisdorf
• Uwe Rothaug, Kurtz, Kreutzwertheim
• Gerold Schley, battenfeld-cincinnati Germany, Bad Oeynhausen
• Dr. Peter Schmidt, Troester, Hannover
• Dr. Christoph Steger, Engel Austria, Schwertberg
• Peter Steinbeck, Windmöller & Hölscher, Lengerich
• Dr. Frank Stieler, KraussMaffei Group, München
• Dr. Olaf Weiland, Kautex Maschinenbau, Bonn
• Rainer Zimmermann, AZO, Osterburken

During the following constituent meeting, the committee elected Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Managing Partner of the Reifenhäuser Group, as chairman, and Peter Steinbeck, Managing Partner of Windmöller & Hölscher KG, as his proxy.

The highest steering committee of VDMA’s Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association, starts under good economic conditions into the new administration period. After German production grew by 4.1 per cent in 2017 – which equals a monetary value of 7.7 billion euros – for 2018, a growth of 3 per cent has been predicted. However, despite almost eight consecutive years of a booming industry, the worldwide competitive advantage of German machinery manufacturers can only be maintained by promoting permanent progress, development and action in the future.

Board supports standardization of digital interfaces

A crucial strategic topic for the association’s work will therefore be the standardization of digital interfaces on the European level. “The members of the VDMA Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association will remain actively involved in the creation of standards, which are developed by EUROMAP, the European committee of plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers. If we want to fully exploit the advantages of digitalised production processes, we won’t get around standards over the entire process chain,” Dr. Frank Stieler, Chairman of the Directory of the KraussMaffei Group, is convinced. “If we want to establish globally accepted standards, we also have to be fast.”

Circular Economy as central topic of the K 2019

The joint theme of the VDMA and its member companies at the K 2019 will be “Circular Economy”. Plastic as a material is moving increasingly to the centre of public opinion and EU politics. The resulting changes in the consumer market will affect mechanical engineering – maybe faster than expected. Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Chairman of VDMA’s Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association, outlines the upcoming goals for the next K: “At the K, we don’t have to convince anyone that plastic is an excellent material. We want to create an awareness for what circularity means in the plastics industry and what role is played by mechanical engineering. We also want to invite partners of the Circular Economy to the discussion. Only together we will be able to master the issues we are facing, for example, achieving higher recycling rates or improving waste management worldwide.”

Source: VDMA