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Jumbo dredger “Pirat X” Power for the JadeWeserPort Page 18 08/08 HYDRAULIK PRESSE 08/08 Issue 04/2008 28 20 08 A new dimension in offshore wind turbines Heading out to sea Hose lines Safe layout and installation – testing – avoiding risks The RedBook HANSA-FLEX expansion strategy focuses on global customer proximity

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Jumbo dredger “Pirat X”Power for the JadeWeserPort

Page 18

08/0808/08

HYDRAULIKPRESSE08/08

Issue

04/2

008

28

20

08

A new dimension in off shore wind turbinesHeading out to sea

Hose linesSafe layout and installation – testing – avoiding risks

The RedBookHANSA-FLEX expansion strategy focuses on global customer proximity

Editorial 03

XWORLD, pure adventure – The participants are thrilled 04

Systems for wind and waves – GAB Neumünster serving customers along the coast 06

A new dimension in offshore wind turbines – Heading out to sea 08

Something new every day – Nicole Böddeker manages the Warburg shop 10

In conversation with: Christian van der Veen – “With X-CODE we can win over any customer” 12

Putting a brake on the wind – Nothing revolves without Svendborg Brakes 14

Machinery exhibition in Ilmendorf – First hand customer experience in a gravel pit 16

FLEXXPRESS hydraulics service – Number 799 closes the gap 16

Virtuoso pipe-bending for a jumbo dredger – ”Pirat X” a distinctive presence at JadeWeserPort 18

Hose lines – safe layout and installation – testing – avoiding risks 20

Like a leaf in the wind – Vacuum process assures technical edge 22

Trade fair announcements | Training seminar schedule 24

X-LOGO project enhances process expertise – SAP launch “with slightly square wheels” 26

The RedBook – HANSA-FLEX expansion strategy focuses on global customer proximity 28

A donation to gladden children’s hearts 28

Quiz | Figures & facts | Preview 30

CONTENT | IMPRESS

Content

ISSUE AUGUST 2008

Editor/publisher:

HANSA-FLEX Hydraulik GmbH

Zum Panrepel 44 · 28307 Bremen

Germany

Phone: 0421 - 48 90 70

Telefax: 0421 - 4 89 07 48

E-Mail: [email protected]

www.hansa-flex.com

Compilation: Dietbert Keßler, Enrico Kieschnick,

Horst Otto (PAPP Werbeagentur)

Layout: Jan-Christoph Fritz

Print: Berlin Druck · www.berlindruck.de

Responsible for contents: Wolfgang Rink

Frequency: Bimonthly

Subscribe to the on our website.

PEFC/04-31-0976 IVW certified 1st quarter 2008HYDRAULIKPRESSE

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

02

The Management Board

Uwe Buschmann Thomas Armerding

Dear reader,

The objectives for the development of HANSA-FLEX as a hydraulics system partner have been clearly defi-ned: By 2017 the HANSA-FLEX network will comprise 1,000 service stations spanning across more than 60 countries, with a workforce of some 5,000 people generating an annual turnover of around one billion Euros. In order to achieve these ambitious goals we will continue to build on two key factors in our success to date: customer proximity and an uncompromising attention to customer satisfaction. One of our major investments into customer service was concluded with the going live of the new SAP plat-form. By implementing this new software we have realigned our processes more closely to our customers and strengthened the HANSA-FLEX group to achieve its targeted growth. We would like to take this oppor-tunity to thank all the HANSA-FLEX staff for their tireless commitment to the successful launch. Further we would like to express our gratitude to our customers for their patience and understanding when things sometimes did not quite go to plan. At HANSA-FLEX the definition of customer satisfaction is based on a high-performance product range and an unwavering commitment to service. This is illustrated by Kanban warehousing, just-in-time or kitting solutions, as well as plant-in-plant manufacturing partnerships with our OEM customers. These services are complemented by our tailored parts service and the deployment of our FLEXXPRESS service vans throughout Germany and internationally. For more information regarding the expansion strategy of the HANSA-FLEX group please check out the article on page 28. Being close to our customers for us also means having a presence at trade fairs and exhibitions. This autumn we will be demonstrating our calibre as a hydraulic systems partner at SMM in Hamburg, GALA Bau in Nu-remberg and HusumWind in Schleswig-Holstein. A visit to our stand at the HusumWind fair will be of particular interest to development engineers in the wind power industry. At the fair we will be demonstrating how HANSA-FLEX can assist with key support in the design of onshore and offshore installations right from the development phase. Our detailed know-how in offshore line engineering is crucial in shortening the customer’s time to market. Our expertise in the offshore sector was further enhanced by the recent opening of the northern region Subsystem Engineering centre. This competence centre serves as a base for the development and manufacture of HANSA-FLEX specialist offshore subsystems for the power generation from wind and wave energy. To find out what our offshore experts can do for you please refer to the article on page 6 of this issue.

HYDRAULIKPRESSEFOREWORD

Editorial

HYDRAULIKPRESSEISSUE AUGUST 2008

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

03

XWORLD

From Urumqui to Ulan-Bator – a territory seldom accessed by any westerner. One of them was Bernd Hommels, who explored the region on-board a Toyo-ta Land Cruiser on the seventh stage of the XWORLD Tour.

“Getting to visit areas that you would hardly ever see as a private individual was what really attracted me to the XWORLD Tour” the management consult-ant and passionate off road fan reveals. He is no stranger to adventure, having previously crossed South America by motorbike and driven his own rally cars through Poland, Slovenia and Italy. In choosing to cover stage seven – over mountain ranges, on the Mongolian steppes and across the Gobi desert – he certainly opted for a challenging and diverse segment of the tour.

“Impressive landscapes, great campfi res, cooking our own food from what we were able to fi nd lo-cally, sleeping in the camp – it really was an adven-ture” Bernd Hommels recounts with enthusiasm. He personally enjoyed the up to 10 hours’ driving a day, over very rugged terrain. “Gravel, sharp-edged rocks, desert dust, snaking mountain roads in the Altai range – we had a bit of everything, and we re-ally put the cars through their paces,” he recalls, the fascination of the experience still vivid in his mind.

In all phases the tour guides maintained their fo-cus on the safety and security of the participants, so even those who simply could not get enough of drinking in the magnifi cent landscape were satis-fi ed to the full. The tour guides also kept the convoy well up to speed. “The guides drove at the head of the convoy, making the pace, and the group would gradually become more strung out as the journey progressed, so the drivers at the back occasionally had to really put their foot down to catch up,” Hom-mels relates, evidently from personal experience.

Great distances

The fact that the tour was no leisure drive in the country was demonstrated by the wear and tear on the vehicles. “We regularly had to retighten all the bolts on the fl oor panels, and there were fre-quent fl at tyres - mostly caused by the sharp rocks when driving off road. To be able to work safely underneath the cars, we simply drove them up a step somewhere. And it was amazing how skilful the locals were when it came to improvising a tyre repair.”

Something else that amazed Bernd Hommels was when he was suddenly overtaken by his own rear wheel. “It might have been that, because of the frequent wheel-changing in the desert, the areas between the wheel bolts and the rim were not en-tirely free of sand, causing the bolts to work loose over time until, ultimately, the car was just sitting there in the sand. It was a real job to get it mobile again, but we managed.“

Improvisation was called for because, despite thor-ough preparations, there was always an edge of uncertainty. The whole thing then became a real challenge to the local tour guides too, as well as to Melina Lindenblatt, “whose friendly manner always kept up the spirits in the group.” Even when the con-voy had to take a 250 kilometre detour when one of the border crossings was found to be in a restricted military zone, or when nine of the ten watering holes marked on the map turned out to be noth-ing more than salt fl ats. “The water got a bit short, and we counted the bottles more than we normally would have. But surprises like that are part of the fun. I for one will certainly be doing the XWORLD Tour again,“ Hommels asserts. “XWORLD off ers a perfect combination: you can feel safe and secure, while enjoying the freedom of being able to experi-ence something truly extraordinary.”

Caught on camera

The eighth stage of the XWORLD Tour was a cir-cular route starting and ending in Ulan-Bator, the capital of Mongolia. But let’s hear from one of the participants themselves. “After a day relaxing in Ulan-Bator (which means, roughly, “red hero“), we set off on our trip across Mongolia. Immediately af-ter leaving the city we were confronted by proper off road terrain. The roads marked on the maps as being fi nished were barely started, and conditions were also extremely dry. Clouds of dust quickly en-veloped each of the Land Cruisers - something of a hazard, because it was not possible to tell if a vehi-cle in front had suddenly stopped. On that day we

XWORLD – pure adventureThe participants are thrilled

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ISSUE AUGUST 200804

XWORLD

were stopped in our tracks by a mighty sandstorm. We couldn’t go on, because it was impossible to see even beyond the end of the bonnet. The storm was followed by a curious rainfall of sand and water, through which we slowly probed our way forward in conditions of atrocious visibility. Soon we were held up yet again, this time by the fi rst fl at tyre.

We spent the night near Bulgan, the principal town in the province of Bulgan-Aimag, at a Yurt camp. It rained heavily overnight, and the next morning all the routes heading north had turned to mudbaths. For our off roaders it was no problem, and skilful teamwork also saw us master the fi rst river cross-ings, but then we were brought to a halt as the water levels rose ever higher. So, half way along our route, and seeing that there was no realistic chance of getting any further northwards, we decided to turn back to Bulgan. We got together with our tour guides to plan a new route, and decided to head for somewhere drier.

The off road driving became more and more chal-lenging, with more and more rocks along the track playing havoc with the shock-absorbers and tyres. The mountain ranges provided a stiff test of all our driving skills. But the hard work behind the wheel was rewarded by what we saw when we looked out: increasingly dramatic landscapes, and a sense of space which is barely describable. We experienced a unique interplay of colours, and began to see wild horses, yaks, sheep and goats and soon also the fi rst camels. That night we slept at a Yurt camp on the shores of a lake.

Sand between the teeth

At Altai, the provincial capital of Western Mongolia, we drive over scree fi elds, see glistening glaciers and cross the fi rst of the desert-style terrain. The day-long stage runs passes along the cliff s and gorges of the virtually unknown Gichigniy-Nuruu range. For two days we cross a magical landscape, spending the night amidst volcanic mountain scen-ery at a Yurt camp.

Travelling on rarely-used gravel tracks, we reach the Gobi desert, cross many dried-up river beds, and struggle to fi nd our way using our GPS navigation systems. Our modern equipment eventually helps us reach the dunes of the Southern Gobi, and as we pass through the dunes it takes our breath away! Through the next day too, the mighty desert is our highway, as we head towards its outer edges and the Khuislin-Naiman-Nuur national park. We spon-taneously decide to take a detour to a monastery near the Orchon falls. Sadly the excursion proved too much for the Hilux backup vehicle, and it broke a spring! We drive cautiously on to Karakorum: a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site and former heart of the Mongol Empire. It also off ers an op-portunity to have the Hilux repaired. On the return journey to Ulan-Bator we use our winches to help pull a number of stranded cars out of the mud. Ex-hausted but happy, we return to the civilisation of Ulan-Bator, having driven 3,440 kilometres, more than 3,000 of them off road, over sand and rock.

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

ISSUE AUGUST 200805

NEW AT HANSA-FLEX

Between Kiel and Hamburg - and thus between the North Sea and the Baltic - lies the town of Neumün-ster. Since April 2008 it has been the home base of the HANSA-FLEX northern region specialist centre of competence for Subsystems Engineering (known for short as GAB), sharing the facility with the newly established Neumünster branch. The location’s prox-imity to the coast is refl ected in the structure of the regional customer base.

This new location has closed a gap in the HANSA-FLEX network between the cities of Kiel and Hamburg and at the same time has established a subsystems engineering service facility in a region which is home not only to many manufacturers of wind turbines but which also off ers major potential for new business from the neighbouring ports and their lively shipping trade. Of course, Subsystems Engineering Director Martin Reumann is also tar-geting customers in other industries who may be interested in HANSA-FLEX subsystems manufac-ture, installation and commissioning or indeed the company’s range of service and repair off ers.

Off shore expertise shortens lead times in development

Its high level of expertise in the off shore sector, in particular, makes the subsystems manufacturer the ideal partner for businesses in the wind energy

fi eld. Companies driving forward the development of off shore wind power plants are subject to severe time constraints. That is where HANSA-FLEX can be a major help to design departments, especially in view of the hydraulics specialist’s years of experi-ence in off shore operations as a partner to shipyard and engine-building customers. HANSA-FLEX is glad to place that wealth of know-how at the dis-posal of its customers. The acknowledged quality of HANSA-FLEX components is affi rmed by numer-ous certifi cates and approvals, including from Ger-manischer Lloyd.

Optimisation starts at an early stage

HANSA-FLEX is currently deploying its specialist know-how in the construction of a prototype wind turbine in the new six-megawatt class. All the pipe-lines and hoses are of sea water-proof design. And the optimum routing and attachments for the lines are also specifi ed in conjunction with the manufac-turers. The close-by HANSA-FLEX branch, headed by Finn-Steff en Döring, means the Subsystems En-gineering team has the full range of pipeline and hose components readily to hand. Consequently, hydraulic hoses can be customised precisely to the layout of a system. The lengths are calculated ac-cording to the actual routing, and the angular posi-tioning relative to the fi ttings is precision-set. Only then is the hose pressed into shape. All hoses are of course X-CODE marked, enabling the manufacturer

to call upon a complete hose list to order compo-nents when the six-megawatt plants go into full production. This means re-order times are greatly reduced when a replacement is needed.

Swift response and order fulfi llment

The northern region Subsystems Engineering division is also able to respond quickly to order requests thanks to its backing from the well-stocked, effi ciently organised and quality-certifi ed HANSA-FLEX component warehouse (known for short as HKO) based in Weixdorf near Dresden. This means Martin Reumann has a complete picture of how quickly all the components can be available right from the concept design and quotation phase for a new subsystem. If a customer stipulates the use of components from specifi c suppliers, they can of course also be bought-in.

Testing under full load and high pressure

Before new subsystems are shipped from the Neu-münster facility, they are tested under full load on state-of-the-art test rigs featuring motor outputs up to 110 kW. A specially prepared test station is available for acceptance-testing of electrical and hydraulic functions in the presence of customers. A particular feature is the 2100 bar test rig for ultra-high pressure hydraulic hoses. Test pressures of such a magnitude are essential, as hydraulic testing is always carried out at double operating pressure. Ultra-high pressure subsystems and hoses are used, among other applications, in the shipping industry, such as for the tools to pull the heavy pistons of ships’ building-high diesel engines. Many opera-tions at wind power plants are likewise only man-ageable with the use of ultra-high pressure hoses. Hydraulic screw tools are required, for example, to tighten the bolts which join together the tower and the foundations, as well as the individual tower segments.

The GAB express subsystems service also of course includes responding to needs without being de-

Systems for wind and wavesGAB Neumünster serving customers along the coast

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ISSUE AUGUST 200806

NEW AT HANSA-FLEX

pendent on a specifi c manufacturer’s products. The centre has the capability to repair third-party subsystems. That situation frequently occurs when ships dock in Hamburg, Kiel, Lübeck, Rostock or Wismar urgently needing repairs to subsystems originating mostly from non-German manufactur-ers. GAB is well prepared to meet those challenges, taking orders at short notice and carry out on-board repairs, repairing hoses or supplying and installing hydraulic components and so helping ships keep to their tight schedules and avoid unnecessary time in port.

Retrofi tting optimises perfor-mance at minimal investment cost

Although the Neumünster centre off ers every kind of technically feasible new subsystem, the team faces a particular challenge in customising and op-timising existing subsystems to enhance their per-formance and perform new tasks. In this retrofi t-ting work the team demonstrates the full extent of its experience and skills. Recently, for example, they devised an automation concept for an operator who had previously worked with a hand-operated pump but, in the face of increasing complexity associated with larger numbers of orders, was looking to en-hance effi ciency while retaining as much of the existing systems as possible. The order was carried out successfully, just as the customer wished, at minimal cost!

Yet even the best subsystems cannot function if the issue of oil care is neglected. Dirt-contami-nated hydraulic fl uid is the most frequent cause of unscheduled machine downtimes, as Martin Reumann repeatedly advises his customers. Even if the oil still looks in good order, micrometre-sized particles such as dust, paint abrasive or metal fi l-ings may cause subsystems to malfunction. To meet those challenges, the HANSA-FLEX northern region Subsystems Engineering division is equipped with all the gear to provide fl uid servicing, from particle counters to rinsers, and its staff are trained to off er customers rapid diagnosis and optimum solutions.

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

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07ISSUE AUGUST 2008

OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

Electricity generation from offshore wind turbines may well play a major role in Germany’s future en-ergy and climate control policy. The advantage of offshore installations is that the wind blows more strongly (at much higher speeds) and more continu-ously. The offshore wind parks spreading across wide areas of our coastal waters have enormous potential to generate energy.

In order to work really productively, offshore wind parks should be situated well away from the coast. This means the technical demands placed on off-shore installations in terms of tower construction, cable laying and servicing are correspondingly high. They not only have to withstand the wind and waves, they also have to be highly technically reli-able, so as to ensure low-maintenance, trouble-free subsequent operation. Any servicing of the wind park carried out at sea costs money, and has to be done by service technicians shipped out specially. The gigantic offshore wind parks operated by the Bremerhaven-based Multibrid GmbH essentially consist of a foundation, a tubular steel tower and

the gondola – which is in effect the engine room, housing the generator and a 116-meter diameter rotor.

Multibrid specialises in the production of high-performance five-megawatt offshore wind tur-bines. Highly-qualified specialists work together with component suppliers to ensure the ongoing development of Multibrid technology. Multibrid’s M5000 is the world’s first wind turbine designed exclusively for large-scale offshore parks. Its design enables it to be quickly and easily installed on-site. The only assembly work is to join together the tower, gondola and rotor; all the other components come pre-assembled and ready to run. Concerted development efforts have resulted in technical so-lutions which set new standards and are optimally attuned to conditions at sea.

Sea water-resistant materials and compact gon-dola design are key. Like the rotor, the gondola is designed to be light-weight, so as to aid transport and installation. This is vital, because of course all the components – and the equipment needed to assemble and install them – must be dragged on pontoons by ocean-going tugs to the park loca-tion. Large floating cranes swing the components into position, constantly buffered by the wind and waves.

Salty air must be kept out

To meet the special needs of the offshore environ-ment, the Multibrid M5000 features a hermeti-cally sealed encapsulation to provide the systems with permanent protection against corrosive sea spray. That is a vital factor determining durability of components and systems at sea. The encapsula-tion process prevents any penetration of ambient air into the gondola or hub of the wind turbine. An air conditioning system mounted to the base of the tower filters the ambient air as it is drawn in and separates off water and salt particles. The con-ditioned air generates a pressure in the tower and gondola which ensures it passes through the plant

A new dimension in offshore wind turbinesHeading out to sea

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OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

at a controlled volumetric fl ow rate. The pressure is continually adapted to the ambient pressure in all weather conditions and operating states, so that no contaminated air is able to penetrate. As a result, no corrosion due to salt or humidity can occur inside the wind turbine. The volumetric fl ow can also be used to control the temperature in the gondola. The encapsulation also protects the highly dynamic motorised angle adjuster system of the three rotor blades, which is concealed entirely inside the rotor hub.

Well lubricated out at sea

Because of the constant winds out at sea, the slew-ing ring for the blades is subject to particularly high stresses. As a result, it has to be continuously lubri-cated, by means of a special ring main which feeds the gear oil. The tight bearing tolerances involved mean that ultra-clean oil circulation is essential.

HANSA-FLEX was contracted by Svendborg Brakes, the brake manufacturer and Multibrid’s general contractor on the project, to fabricate this ring main for the Multibrid M5000. The stainless steel ring main piping is bent precisely to shape by the specialists at the HANSA-FLEX pipe-bending centre in Schönebeck, working closely to the drawings provided by Multibrid. It is then assembled by in-stallation teams from the pipe-bending centre at the customer’s production facility. It sometimes happens that the pipe shapes have to be readjusted once on-site, because the machine housings of the wind turbine are large-scale cast-metal items which can be subject to minor dimensional inaccu-racies during manufacture. Before being placed in the water, it is essential that the ring main should be thoroughly cleaned once again and fl ushed out, in order to boost the reli-ability of the plant. This process safely removes any contamination which might have penetrated into the pipes, such as during the construction phase. This key task was undertaken by the HANSA-FLEX Fluid Service, using fi lters with a mesh size of 6 μm

absolute. To be completely sure, the Fluid Service staff fi ltered through the 80 litre-capacity tank 25 times. A particle meter then delivered the confi r-mation: everything was clean, and ready for long-life service at sea.

The Multibrid M5000 is currently being tested onshore prior to installation of the fi rst off shore turbines - scheduled to take place before the end of 2008 - at the planned “alpha ventus” test site 45 kilometres north of the island of Borkum. The park will be situated at a suffi cient distance from the coast so as to be no longer visible from the shore due to the curvature of the Earth. Applications have now been submitted for a total of 40 off shore wind parks on the North Sea and Baltic coasts of Ger-many. German off shore technology is among the world’s leaders.

Fluid service minimises wear

E� ective � uid servicing safeguards trou-ble-free operation not just at di� cult-to-access o� shore wind parks. The � uid service o� ered by HANSA-FLEX is a reli-able means of preventing component wear and operation malfunctions. Only an oil � lm of less than 10 μm ensures frictionless operation of the machinery. Provided 100 percent clean oil is used. A � uid service by HANSA-FLEX reliably holds back the creeping process of oil contamination.

The � uid service covers sampling and analysis, service interval scheduling and systems optimisation, through to instal-lation and technical support for sec-ondary-� ow � lter systems and supply of � lter elements. The services extends the life of the hydraulic � uid and so opti-mises process safety.

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ISSUE AUGUST 200809

HANSA-FLEX BRANCHES

In January 2007 the hurricane “Kyrill” brought turbu-lent times to many people, including the manager of the HANSA-FLEX Shop in Warburg. As the sole coun-ter salesperson, managing the shop practically by herself, Nicole Böddeker really had her hands full. She is responsible for ensuring that everything runs smoothly at HANSA-FLEX in Warburg, even when things get stormy.

The storm also uprooted numerous trees around the region, creating a feast for bark beetles. To prevent further loss of trees, all the fallen trees had to be re-moved from the forests quickly. The customer base of the shop in Warburg, which opened its doors back in 2004, includes wind turbine operators but also, crucially, a large number of agricultural and forestry specialists, and they were now queuing at the counter looking for emergency replacement hoses for their machinery. Behind the counter, Nicole Böddeker had everything under control, even providing a cup of coff ee for all the waiting customers. She has plenty of experience in mak-ing decisions on her own initiative and reacting to challenging situations confi dently and profession-ally. She provides advice, puts together replace-ment hoses, orders spares from the HANSA-FLEX specialist centres of competence and books the

HANSA-FLEX installation service where customers need it. Field sales are handled by Franz Vössing, ensuring a continuous fl ow of orders into the shop.

Nicole Böddeker learned her trade at the HANSA-FLEX branch in Paderborn, where she began in 2000 after having decided that the trade in which she had been apprenticed, enchasing, provided too little of a challenge over the long term. Enchasing - the chipless shaping of smooth metal surfaces - demands a high degree of skill and absolute pre-cision. For Nicole Böddeker that’s no problem. She has had a knack for technical skills since her child-hood on the family farm, when even in young years she would tinker around on faulty machinery. So it is no wonder that she so readily turned her hand to working with hydraulics, and pretty soon was mak-ing up her own replacement hose assemblies. She also rapidly learned the theory and the technical features of the broad product range, enabling her to deploy her extensive skills and knowledge exactly where needed. Equipped with all those attributes, the talented young woman had no hesitation in accepting the management’s off er to take over the shop in Warburg, to maintain and develop its role in servicing HANSA-FLEX customers on a local level within the territory of the Höxter group.

No off -the-shelf solutions

Nicole Böddeker was glad to accept the challenge, and remains enthusiastically committed to her cus-tomers and her partnership with them. “The great thing is that there are no off -the-shelf solutions, because every customer comes to us with specifi c needs. And I am always glad when I am able to meet those needs to the customer’s satisfaction“. If a part is not available in the shop, Nicole Böd-deker is able to obtain it quickly from the nearest HANSA-FLEX branch. If customers cannot collect by closing time at 5 p.m., she even sometimes leaves the parts for them with the people at the drinks shop across the road. “My aim is always to provide the customer with a reliable solution.” That is also why Nicole Böddeker always advises her customers to mark their hoses using the computerised X-CODE system. She is proud to report that almost all her customers in Warburg make use of the extremely useful labelling system. The X-CODE enables Nicole Böddeker to retrieve all the relevant data and ap-plicable specifi cations from the computer as soon as a telephone order comes in, making for a much smoother and faster production process.

Nicole Böddeker also applied her inherent opti-mism and enthusiasm when it came to introducing the SAP system across the HANSA-FLEX Group. Just a few weeks after having introduced it, she reports: “The changeover at the Warburg shop has been smooth. The preparatory training was particularly useful.“ And if something doesn’t quite work out perfectly straight away, her motto is always: “Just keep calm”.

Something new every dayNicole Böddeker manages the Warburg shop

Head of the HANSA-FLEX shop in Warburg Nicole Böddeker

10ISSUE AUGUST 2008

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

IN CONVERSATION

Christian van der Veen has been working at HANSA-FLEX for 22 years, and has played his part in the company’s rapid expansion during that time from 14 centres to the present total of more than 330. Ini-tially he worked in sales at the Münster branch, then he was branch manager in Bielefeld. Today, as region-al manager of the Osnabrück group, he is responsible for 13 service centres and seven FLEXXPRESS vans.

At the Osnabrück branch Christian van der Veen learnt all about the wholesale business and export selling, and it is a field in which he still enjoys work-ing. A passionate salesman, his relationship with his customers is warm and collaborative, and founded on a strong sense of trust and confidence. “Custom-ers must be able to rely on promises you make. Af-

ter all, they are making sourcing decisions on which their jobs rely.” That is why Christian van der Veen believes in building up that mutual trust and con-fidence, rather than in making a quick sale. “Only when the customer comes back and buys from us again can we be sure that we have done it right.” HYDRAULIKPRESSE spoke to the regional manager about customer service and more.

:How does a passionate salesman enthuse his cus-tomers about HANSA-FLEX?

Christian v.d. Veen:Step by step. The first thing is to establish trust, to show commitment to meeting the customer’s

needs, and to reaffirm that com-mitment on every order! That is the best foundation for develop-ing healthy business relations. So the key is first to listen, let the customer talk and set out his requirements. Then I can work out a tailored solution without having to overface him with the full range of our products and services.

A salesman must identify where there is potential to enhance and expand a relationship. Customers are usually grateful when we ad-vise them of potential improve-ments, and when we are able to make their processes more efficient by reducing the spread of their supplier base.

: As regional manager, you handed over almost all your existing customers to field sales colleagues at the beginning of 2008. Do you miss that direct contact with customers?

Christian v.d. Veen:I can’t switch off from selling, and I take time to provide my field sales staff with the most efficient support I can. They schedule joint visits to new leads, or include me in meetings with existing key accounts. In that way, I am kept up-to-date on cus-tomers’ expectations of HANSA-FLEX. And, armed with knowledge of the available capacities within the HANSA-FLEX Group, I am able to help devise concepts and contribute to quick decision-making where required.

I place great value in ensuring that field sales staff are able to spend most of their working hours actu-ally out in the field. I believe they should have time to talk to their customer, because that is one of the key ways of keeping the orders rolling in. To help them do that, the in-house staff at the branches handle most of the administrative tasks. That in-clude product searches, drawing up quotes and dispatching deliveries, so the sales team can keep focussed on new challenges.

:To what extent does X-CODE influence sales?

Christian v.d. Veen:X-CODE is a powerful tool in acquiring new busi-ness. Almost 90 percent of replacement hoses dis-patched from the Osnabrück group service centres are marked with X-CODE. Our customers have long been aware that it is the ideal way to optimise their original equipment supply and parts ordering proc-esses. Many businesses are operating cost-cutting programmes – and that is where we focus when attempting to acquire new accounts. Frequently service departments hold large volumes of parts in stock, so as to be able to replace faulty hydraulic hoses quickly in an emergency. That ties up capital, and is costly in terms of inventory management – even in some cases resulting in over-stocked arti-cles being written off.

We are at present designing a process in conjunc-tion with one of our customers to switch the re-

In conversation with: Christian van der Veen“With X-CODE we can win over any customer”

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IN CONVERSATION

placement hose supply service for a large produc-tion line to a rapid-response X-CODE system. More than 500 different hose assemblies will in future be carried within the X-CODE system. That will enable the customer gradually to run down its costly stock-holding operation.

: Customers are expecting more and more from HANSA-FLEX. How do you, as a system partner, re-spond to those demands?

Christian v.d. Veen:The rapid growth of HANSA-FLEX brings new chal-lenges on a daily basis. This is what we have been finding. Misunderstandings sometimes arise with regard to time windows and process workflows in our hydraulics service partnerships. Customers ex-pect the usual fast response. Our task is to convey a sense of realistic targets. It is simply a fact that a cylinder repair involving replacement of the entire seal set may be a lengthy job, as may the engineer-ing for a unit for which the construction and instal-lation work demands different time budgets than for merely supplying replacement hoses. That is what we have been finding, and we are working on conveying those findings to our staff and custom-ers.

: Could you elaborate on that?

Christian v.d. Veen:We have to improve our system skills even more, and optimise all our processes to that end. XLOGO is a project by which the HANSA-FLEX head office is making a conscious effort to shape the transition to the company’s role of being a system partner. we in the Osnabrück group are complementing the proc-ess with our own initiatives, by offering training courses at the branches to teach all the staff about the new possibilities open to them. In that way we will achieve the greatest possible benefit for our customers.

Our rapid growth demands that we plan resources skilfully, so that the branches remain flexible enough to provide the rapid assistance customers expect. Nothing must be blocked by the demands of mass production. That is why we have centred large-scale hose assembly production runs in Bielefeld and Lingen, where we recently recruited three new members of production staff. Expertise in hydraulic components is provided by Helmut Jahnert, who supports the branches. A permanent industrial installations team is also an essential re-quirement for the Osnabrück group, so as to keep

the FLEXXPRESS colleagues free and not dilute the rapid-response concept.

:Are there any ideas about expanding production operations?

Christian v.d. Veen:At the Agratechnika 2007 agricultural show in Hanover, HANSA-FLEX exhibited its products and services as a system partner to agricultural machin-ery manufacturers. We are undertaking collabora-tive discussions with all of them, and we are also

familiar with the requirements of manufacturers who are routinely bringing out new combines or beet harvesters for world markets – those are the kinds of dimensions to which we are adjusting in order to provide our customary levels of service quality in that sphere. But let me make it clear once again: We are aware of our responsibility in terms of our partnership with our customers. We must always keep the promises we make. Our goal remains to attain high levels of customer satisfaction, and we are working inten-

sively on it. We are coming up with new ideas, new concepts, and above all we are recruiting new staff and integrating them into our teams so as to man-age our growth efficiently and safeguard quality.HYDRAULIKPRESSE

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HYDRAULIKPRESSEIn conversation: Christian van der Veen, regional manager from the Osnabrück group

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INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATION

Nothing goes around without brakes! At least, not the turbine of a wind power plant, which could not operate without powerful braking systems.

The heart of a wind turbine is in its gondola. Like a ship’s engine room, it houses all the driving units and subsystems, ensuring reliable operation of the plant and continuous electricity generation. It also houses the brakes, which intervene to control the motion when the gondola is automatically rotated to the ideal position to make maximum use of the wind power during operation. Once aligned to the wind, the brakes hold the gondola head stable in position to ensure the hub, with the rotor blades at-tached to it, rotates smoothly.

Most of the systems, which are deployed by virtually every manufacturer in Europe, America, China and India, originate from Svendborg Brakes, the world market leader in wind turbine brakes. Founded way back in 1893, Svendborg Brakes is a leader in the

fi eld of industrial braking systems. Since the early days of wind power use back in 1989, the company has been involved intensively in the manufacture of hydraulic, electronic and mechanical braking sys-tems. It produces for the fast-growing wind power sector, for the mining industry, for off shore and on-shore oil rigs, as well as for crane manufacturers.

Since 1999 the Wind Know-how Center of Svend-borg Brakes has been based in the town of Bünde in Westphalia. It is not by chance that the company has attained its position on the global market, as sales director Max Altenähr explains: “The key fac-tors are the certifi ed high quality of our products and, of course, the technical support we provide. We supply customers with brakes which precisely meet the demands of their markets. We develop and test custom solutions to that end.” All manufacturers are seeking the optimum meth-od of enhancing the effi ciency of their wind power

plants. Svendborg Brakes develops tailored braking systems conforming in design and manufacture to the precise specifi cations laid down. The centre in Bünde is investing rapidly in targeted research and development to deliver ever more effi cient brak-ing systems. To remain at the forefront of global developments, Svendborg Brakes is today already busy developing the brakes of the future. While 6-megawatt plants are the current state-of-the-art, its wind engineers are working on the next-generation 7.5-megawatt systems.

Brakes for all conditions

In Bünde, Svendborg Brakes manufactures rotor brakes and azimuth brakes as passive and active machine elements as well as compact hydraulic power units. The rotor brakes reliably hold the rotor steady when in service mode so that service techni-cians cannot be injured by unexpected rotation. Sv-endborg Brakes off ers an additional safeguard with its newly developed rotor-lock, to lock the rotor hub in place when at a standstill.

The function of the azimuth brakes is to brake the gondola and hold it in the optimum position aligned to the wind direction so that the wind does not move it in an uncontrolled manner. The gondola is also braked lightly when the gear mechanism is rotating the head into its working position. This is done to ensure that the gear wheels have a smooth frictional connection and wear is minimised.

Putting a brake on the windNothing revolves without Svendborg Brakes

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INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATION

Information on the direction and strength of the wind is supplied by a anemometer mounted on the gondola roof, which transmits all the relevant data to the wind turbine’s automatic control system. It then rotates the gondola into the wind and locks it immovably in place by the azimuth brakes.

The engineers from Bünde are involved at an early stage of planning the new wind turbine to ensure the brakes are correctly dimensioned. For the sys-tems to run virtually trouble-free over some 25 years of electricity generating operation, the de-mands they must meet are high. Thorough and ex-treme test series safeguard the long-term availabil-ity of the brakes. The complete package undergoes testing in Bünde. Hendrik Voß, head of technical support, is proud of the range of test rigs the com-pany operates - covering all possible test cases, and all built in-house. There is even a low-temperature test chamber, enabling testing under Arctic condi-tions down to -40 degrees Celsius.

“Frog” and “Toad” on continuous duty

All the brake components are placed under the microscope of testing, including brake tests, real-life tests, full and part load tests and endurance tests. Friction tests and brake lining limit tests are conducted by Svendborg Brakes on a rod-type test rig by application of brute force: two powerful hy-draulic cylinders drag the rod with a pull force of more than 100 tonnes through the brake shoes to simulate braking. Dynamic and static test series are also employed to check the rotor hub braking under full load.

On the “Toad”, a test rig for the azimuth brakes, the cast steel brake calipers must prove that the can withstand a minimum of 20 million braking cycles. On the “Frog“ rig the brakes are subjected con-tinuously to alternating operating pressures of 0 to 180 bar in order to test their material strength. Only when 20 million cycles have been undertaken without trouble is the quality mark passed.

HANSA-FLEX assisted in constructing the test rigs by providing tailored hose lines and components from HKO in Dresden. The business relationship with Svendborg Brakes began four years ago. Today HANSA-FLEX supports its customer’s prototyping by means of the FLEXXPRESS service, ensuring the practicalities of hydraulic line engineering are quickly and effi ciently handled. The service techni-cians fabricate the hose lines, documenting all the data for subsequent mass production. HANSA-FLEX then supplies ready-to-install connecting elements such as hose lines and screw fi ttings in kit form for integration into the braking systems in production. The commitment shown by HANSA-FLEX to its cus-tomer extends well beyond the line engineering though. It also provides specially fabricated stain-less steel blanking plugs for instance. They are man-ufactured in large volumes precisely to the drawing specifi cations of Svendborg Brakes in Shanghai. The plugs close off all the openings in the brake systems for factory testing purposes. This ensures that no dirt can penetrate and that the residual hydraulic fl uid in the system does not leak out.

As Svendborg Brakes operates on markets all over the world, HANSA-FLEX is ideally matched to it as an expert global service provider. Coordination meetings are currently being held to deliver the customary high standard of HANSA-FLEX service quality for a new customer in Ukraine through the Dnepropetrovsk branch.

Unquenchable thirst for knowledgeSvendborg Brakes makes use of training centre

Engineers, technicians and staff from the Wind competence centre in Bünde attend the “Com-ponents 1, 2 and 3” training courses held at the HANSA-FLEX training centre in Weixdorf near Dresden in order to refresh their knowledge and skills in hydraulic line engineering. Hendrik Voß, head of technical support at Svendborg Brakes, is unstoppable in his praise of the training cen-tre: “The well structured and clearly laid-out training documentation package is very impres-sive, and the practical exercises in constructing hydraulic circuits on the experimental units un-derpin the theoretical learning.”

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Machinery exhibition in IlmendorfFirst hand customer experience in a gravel pit

FLEXXPRESS

Technical expertise and close attention to customer needs are the key attributes valued by Heinz Zie-mer and Alois Plattner, the directors of construction machinery service operation Z & P Baumaschinen Service GmbH. They recently hosted a machinery exhibition revealing the latest additions to their product range in a gravel pit. The exhibition, titled “Kiestage 2008“ (roughly translated as “Gravel show 2008“), attracted more than 1,000 existing customers and potential new leads to view the over 50 new machines on display. The Z & P show featured the full JCB range, from mini and chain excavators, through multi-purpose rigs, telescopic loaders and vibration rollers to the

4.5 cubic-metre Kawasaki wheel-loader. In fact, Z & P is the general agent for Kawasaki in Bavaria. All the visitors had the opportunity to operate the machinery themselves, putting each unit through its paces around the gravel pit.

Z & P also invited its hydraulic connecting systems partner HANSA-FLEX to exhibit its products and services at the “Kiestage” show. The Manching branch gratefully took up the invitation, with fi eld sales executive Johann Leppmeier taking the op-portunity to set up an information stand for indus-try specialists attending the event. Two FLEXXPRESS vans and FLEXXPRESS service technician Wolfgang Pötsch were also on hand, and one of the vehicles

from the X-WORLD Tour was an additional atten-tion-grabber. The HANSA-FLEX mini excavator was a great attraction to younger visitors, challenging them to try out their handling skills.

FLEXXPRESS hydraulics service Number 799 closes the gap

In May 2008 FLEXXPRESS 799, the 100th van to join the Germany-wide fl eet of service vehicles, was put into operation. HYDRAULIKPRESSE talked to Mirko Krušlin, manager of FLEXXPRESS Germany.

: Number 799 is the 100th FLEXXPRESS van to go into service. Where is it operating?

Mirko Krušlin:Service technician Andreas Große Bardenhorst and his FLEXXPRESS 799 van are covering a stretch along the A30 motorway, closing a gap in the territory of the Salzbergen branch up to the Dutch border.

:As usual, the unit carries some 2,000 diff erent spares, with many articles targeted at the specifi c regional customer base. Have there been any other changes?

Mirko Krušlin:We are continually modernising our FLEXXPRESS fl eet, and recently we updated the look of them. The vans are specifi ed to the Euro 4 emissions standard, so FLEXXPRESS can deliver the necessary service even in areas subject to traffi c restrictions in the event of pollution alerts. That is particularly important to our customers, as some towns and cities are going to be introducing strict limits and rigorous sanctions on any infringement.As a brand new feature we have installed “FLEXXPRESS Mobility“, a telematics system where-by jobs are assigned and delivery notes logged by way of a digital pen. At the press of a button, the data stored on the pen is transmitted to the con-trol centre where it is read and processed. This has made the whole job handling process much faster and more effi cient, as all relevant data is logged im-mediately. This also means our customers are able to optimise their own accounting procedures, such as for hire vehicles.

them to try out their handling skills.

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toyota-prius.de

Schon vor über 10 Jahren entwickelt, als CO2-Reduzierung noch nicht in Mode war. Mit mehr als einer Million begeisterten Fahrern und Unmengen an eingesparten Emissionen. Der Toyota Prius mit Hybrid Synergy Drive. Die Zukunft atmet auf.

Abb. zeigt Prius Sol. Kraftstoffverbrauch Prius kombiniert 4,3 l/100 km (innerorts 5,0 l/außerorts 4,2 l) bei CO2-Emissionen von 104 g/km im kombinierten Testzyklus nach RL 80/1268/EWG.

Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive.Die Technologie im ersten Hybridfahrzeug der Welt.

70928_HSD_Anzeige_210x297.indd 1 11.07.2008 14:11:24 Uhr

OFFSHORE HOSES

Dredging operations have been in progress on the North Sea coast since May 2008. Off Wilhelmshaven, the JadeWeserPort is a new deep-water port being built to handle the large container ships of the future. To cope with the more than 40 million cubic metres of sand needing to be cleared to construct the port, off -shore suction dredgers are busy feeding the sand into a 3.2 kilometre siphon-type pipeline, along which it is then pumped to the 450-hectare storage dump.

On completion in 2011, the JadeWeserPort will pro-vide northern Germany with a deep-water terminal for mega-carriers carrying their more than 12,000 TEU (Twenty Feet Equivalent) standard contain-ers. On the 1,725-metre quay, with its 18-metre draft, multiple large-scale container ships of up to 430 metres in length will be handled simultane-ously by way of 18 large-scale Post-Panamamax container bridges. The JadeWeserPort will become the easternmost deep-water port of the so-called Nordrange, along Europe’s North Sea coast. From the terminal, feeder traffi c will carry the containers to Scandinavia and the Baltic. The JadeWeserPort is planned to handle 2.7 million containers a year.

The main contractor on the new port is Papenburg-based construction company Bunte. Founded way back in 1872 in the Emsland region of northern Germany, it has developed from a transport com-pany delivering supplies to building sites into a Germany-wide construction and related services business with divisions operating in the fi elds of roadbuilding and public-sector underground engi-neering, railway and waterway construction, civil engineering and specialist foundation engineer-ing. The fi rst stage in the construction process is to dredge the sand away. It will take two years to clear the required area. At the same time, in August 2008, driving of the sheet piles will begin. Some 80,000 tonnes of steel will be installed as retaining structures for the quay wall and foundations.

“Pirat X“ – power based on hydraulics

To dredge the sand in order to construct the new port, Bunte deployed a special suction dredger designed and developed by its own in-house en-gineers in Papenburg. The 20 million Euro dredger “Pirat X“ is not only Germanys’ most state-of-the-art and powerful dredger, it is also one of four comparable models in the world. The 104-metre long and just under 17-metre wide “Pirat X“ is a so-called suction-cutter dredger, delivering around 10,000 horsepower output. At the front end of the suction pipe a cutting head rotates to free the sand from the sea bed. Three pumps then convey some 12,000 cubic metres per hour of water and sand mixture from depths of as much as 50 metres through the pipe to clear the terminal area.

The “Pirat X“ involves lots of hydraulics. It starts with the ladder, featuring a special cutting head and suction pipe, which can be lowered and po-sitioned 36 metres down by a hydraulic winch to dredge sand from the sea bed. A special pile driven hydraulically into the sea bed holds the ship in posi-tion while it is dredging. The same pile is also used by the dredger to pull itself slowly along, by way of hydraulic cylinder.

Virtuoso pipe-bending for a jumbo dredger”Pirat X” a distinctive presence at JadeWeserPort

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OFFSHORE HOSES

The engineering for the suction dredger was car-ried out in-house by Bunte. For the pipework HANSA-FLEX Industrial Installations in Oldenburg was contracted. The contract involved fabricating the roughly 1,400 metres of piping and laying it on the dredger. To complete the work, the team headed by Thorsten Klische from Wilhelmshaven and Bernd Tietjen from Bremerhaven spent three months on-board. During that time they worked through storms and high winds to ensure the dredger was ready to begin its operations on time.

To support the on-site operations, a service work-shop container was provided at the service centre, fi tted out by HANSA-FLEX with all the tools and machinery to carry out mobile pipe-bending. Even though construction drawings and dimensional specifi cations were provided, short-notice changes to routing and customer design modifi cations dur-ing the construction phase demanded a great deal of fl exibility from the fi tters.

Virtuoso pipe-bending canminimise cost

To provide the rapid response needed, the expe-rienced pipe-bending specialists recorded all the lengths and geometries in situ and, based on that data, used the mobile pipe-bending machine to bend the pipes as required and then immediately installed them. “It was a continual race, demanding a fair degree of physical fi tness“ says Clemens Otte, manager of industrial installations at Oldenburg in praise of his team. The targets to which the staff worked were ambitious. Their aim was to make full use of all the properties of the pipework so as to minimise the number of screw fi ttings - a major saving given that they cost 20 Euros each. Moreo-ver, using fewer screw fi ttings in a piping system also reduces the risk of leaks. That was a key factor particularly when dredging in the sensitive coastal waters of the North Sea, so as to prevent the water being contaminated by hydraulic fl uid for example.

HANSA-FLEX showing at SMM in HamburgO� shore hoses for marine applications

In September HANSA-FLEX will be present-ing its skills and know-how as a service partner for o� shore industrial hoses at the leading marine industries trade fair SMM in Hamburg. Among the products it will be

presenting are special hoses to carry fuel or lubricating oil, water or compressed air, executed as pressure or suction lines, avail-able in nominal widths from 25 to 200.

The specialists from the Hamburg area HANSA-FLEX branches in Wilhelmsburg and Stellingen will be on hand to provide advice and assistance on issues such as hose lay-out and potential applications. Whether for rugged on-board deployment, in o� shore wind turbines, on drilling rigs or in station-ary power stations – industrial hoses from HANSA-FLEX always come in the customary high quality of Europe’s leading vendor of � uid technology products. Those quality standards are a� rmed by certi� cation from numerous classi� cation bodies and insur-ance companies.

The jumbo suction cutter dredger „Pirat X“ from the building contractor Bunte in Papenburg dredges and frees the sand from the sand bed in the newly built JadeWeserPorts. Germanys‘ most state-of-the-art dredger is equipped with a suction pipe and a rotating cuting head to convey sand from depths of as much as 50 metres.

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HOSE LINES

Hose lines – safe layout and installation – testing – avoiding risks

In addition to pipes, hoses are preferentially used to transmit hydraulic power in plant and machinery. Hoses are characterised by• their natural elasticity and fl exibility • adaptability to site conditions• eff ective damping with minor pressure fl uctua-

tions• prevention of vibration transmission• weight saving compared to pipes• easy storage• tested reliability and safety with verifi ed tracking

The key is to make full use of those attributes at the design stage, implement them in a way tailored to the specifi c needs of the application and maintain them eff ectively throughout operations (fi gure 1: Hoses). All involved are called upon to act in a re-sponsible manner, and it is also important that any errors, defects or damage should be admitted. Con-formance to standards and regulations in design, installation and operation is an essential founda-tion stone. Another key factor is planned training of the personnel involved. The law demands maxi-mum safety measures for the sake of personnel and the surrounding area. Technical advances are continuing apace in the fi eld of hydraulic hoses as in other areas. On the one hand, hoses are being de-veloped which off er much higher capabilities than stipulated by the standards; on the other hand, the stresses upon them are increasing.

Hydraulic hoses are increasingly being subjected to higher operating pressures, shorter plant and ma-chinery cycle times and longer running times. The life of a hose is limited. “Hydraulic hoses are safety components, and because of the totality of stresses acting upon them they are subject to a high degree of wear,” comments Helmut Wetteborn from the HANSA-FLEX Training Centre (fi gure 2: Hoses in a hydraulic system). The technically and economical-ly optimum deployment of hydraulic lines demands conformance to safety standards. Those safety standards can only be upheld by a responsible ap-proach to the use of hoses as industrial components and by implementation of the laws, regulations, guidelines and basic safety rules in practice.

Thorough inspection – no com-promise when it comes to safety

Implementing safety is a shared process with dif-fering levels of responsibility but a single common aim. In selecting and designing components, de-signers must allow for:• internal loading from actual pressures, pressure

curves and pressure peaks• temperatures acting upon the hose and the inter-

facing• eff ects of hydraulic fl uids on the hose • attributes of the hose, such as strength, abrasion,

electrostatic characteristics, permeability• protection against cracking, spontaneous leakage

of hydraulic fl uid, external damage• infl uence of the hose mechanism, such as exclu-

sion of inadmissible pull forces, sag, minimum bend radius, twist, torsion

The hose manufacturer is responsible for ensuring:• use of tested and approved products• interfacing in accordance with works standards • quality testing based on pre-determined stand-

ards, such as mandrel testing, static pressure test-ing with verifi cation

• marking of hoses to specifi cation and additionally as appropriate, such as by X-CODE

• delivery as per agreement and in line with re-quirements

The operators of plant and machinery are responsi-ble for ensuring:• appropriate use of hoses in accordance with their

designated purpose• routine monitoring and systematic checking by

authorised personnel qualifi ed in line engineering• detection and repair of defects• routine replacement of hoses

This active assumption of responsibilities is backed by legal requirement. The works carried out and the actions of the personnel involved are further detailed and stipulated subject to the constraints of health and safety legislation, product safety laws,

the European Machinery Directive and Pressure Equipment Directive, and company-specifi c safety regulations. Those regulations explicitly make mention of hydraulic hoses. With regard to active assumption of responsibility, the regulations in question are:• assessment of solutions based on prescribed

risk analysis in accordance with DIN EN 982, DIN 24343, VDMA 24572

• systematic monitoring by means of inspection by authorised personnel with specialist knowledge in accordance with DIN EN 982, DIN 20066, still applicable ZH1/74 (to be replaced by BGR 237)

• disclosure and prevention in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001

The required routine workplace instructions, veri-fi ed by logs, are a central pillar in the chain of re-sponsibilities encompassing safety, testing, main-tenance and inspection. The duties entailed are founded principally on regulations BGI 5100, on draft BGR 237 and on visual inspection - that is to say, the nine-point programme laid down in DIN 20066 (fi gure 3: Problematic hose length). Respon-sibility for routine inspection lies with the operating company. Inspections should be carried out within a defi ned cycle, but also following repair work or any technical modifi cations to plant and machin-ery at the existing or new location. The operating company is familiar with the operating conditions and the residual risk encountered. HANSA-FLEX is able to assist by training personnel in the appropri-ate line engineering skills. The operating company then designates the personnel concerned as duly authorised, thereby meeting its responsibilities in this respect. Alternatively, qualifi ed HANSA-FLEX staff conduct the inspection in a responsible man-ner on behalf of the operating company. The specif-ic standards covering plant and machinery stipulate the content and scope of inspection criteria applied. The specifi c experience gathered by the authorised personnel conducting the inspection is also logged, such as by way of checklists. However, the basis for ensuring safety in operation of plant and machin-ery is in all cases the nine-point programme laid down in DIN 20066.

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The programme covers:• damage to the outer layer through to the inlay• brittleness of the outer layer• Deformation deviating from the natural shape of

the hose or line• leaks• damage or deformation of the hose fi ttings• hoses working loose from their fi ttings• installation instructions not followed• corrosion to fi ttings aff ecting function and

strength• maximum storage and/or service life of hose or

line exceeded

Overpainting of hose lines contrary to marking requirements. Carrying out repairs to hose lines is prohibited. The DIN EN 982 basic safety standard prohibits any such negligent action. Carrying out repairs is classed as grossed negligence. (fi gure 4: Negligence). Responsibility for upholding the in-spection intervals lies with the operating company. The frequency of inspection is set according to the experience of the operating company, or as recom-mended by standards. Helmut Wetteborn sums up:• plant and manufacturing systems subject to nor-

mal requirements: 12 months• plant and manufacturing systems subject to in-

creased requirements: 6 months• stationary hydraulic systems: quarterly to half-

yearly• mobile hydraulic systems: after 400 to 600 oper-

ating hours• mobile hydraulic systems in rough applications

and subject to high operational safety demands: after 250 operating hours

• energy-feeding chains: at least once a year

If designed and confi gured properly, and installed in accordance with their intended use and taking into consideration the hose mechanism, and if sub-jected to systematic monitoring, hoses are safe and will last for the specifi ed service lives: • reliability• safe energy transmission• freedom from leaks

HOSE LINES

1. Hoses

2. Hoses in a hydraulic system

3. Problematic hose length

4. Negligence

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WIND ENERGY

The massive rotor blades rotate to the rhythm of the wind. Wind turbines have long been a feature of the landscape in many areas. That is also true in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, where manu-facturer Enercon operates three production facilities in Magdeburg. In Saxony-Anhalt alone there are already more than 2,000 wind turbines currently in operation. And 40 percent of the state’s total electric-ity consumption is generated by wind.

Demand continues to grow. The Enercon corpora-tion, based in northern Germany, is one of the larg-est manufacturers in the sector, having constructed 1,250 installations in the course of 2008 alone across all its business units. Enercon has a roughly 50 per-cent share of the German market, and forecasts annual growth of around 20 percent in plant con-struction projects through to 2015. Since its found-ing in 1984, Enercon has constructed over 13,000

wind turbines worldwide. The three Enercon manu-facturing facilities in Magdeburg employ a total of 3,800 people, over a total area of 750,000 square metres. The sites manufacture all the components of a wind turbine, including the towers and gondo-las, rotor and stators, as well as the switchgear and rotor blades, based on a „modular principle similar to a Lego construction kit“. The prefabricated com-ponents are subsequently installed on-site, which means by that stage everything must fit together perfectly, with no complications. And the instal-lation work often has to be carried out at dizzying heights of over 100 metres.

Enercon focuses on onshore wind turbines

Enercon’s production focus is on onshore wind tur-bines. Director of the Rothensee-based rotor blade

manufacturing centre, Volker Ziem, explains the underlying strategy: “The advantage of wind tur-bines is that they can deliver power to consumers at a local level. They enable us to generate electricity close to where the demand is, and the plants can also be financed at favourable terms by local power companies. That cuts costs for the consumers, and also makes sense ecologically.”

Germany’s Renewable Energies Act (EEG) is forcing the manufacturers of wind turbines continuously to improve their efficiency so that they are more cost-effective for the operators. This trend is illustrated by the two-megawatt class category of plant, which is now the standard. The initial prototype went online back in 1995. The latest plants now generate 70 percent more electricity than the early models, and that ongoing development is vital, be-cause the increasing cost resulting from high steel and copper prices can only be covered by selling higher volumes of electricity.

Just recently Enercon has moved into the six-meg-awatt class, constructing three type E-126/6 MW plants near the towns of Emden and Cuxhaven in northern Germany which went online last Autumn. They are currently the most powerful wind plants in the world, generating electricity for 20,000 house-holds and providing the base know-how for subse-quent mass production.

Tailwind for new solutions

Enercon is responding to the growing demands placed on two-megawatt class wind turbines with a series of new developments. The geometry of the rotor blades, for example, has been subjected to a fundamental modification, so as to make even more efficient use of the wind. As a result, the tur-bines run more smoothly, and produce less noise. Since Enercon in Magdeburg produces all rotor blades in-house, in lengths from 30 to 39 metres, it is continually coming up with fascinating new technical solutions. Back in 2004, for example, it replaced the laminating process, in which the fibre-glass mats for the rotor blades were coated

Like a leaf in the windVacuum process assures technical edge

Innovative architectureThe new Enercon offices in Magdeburg are designed in the shape of a sine wave. The building, which was officially opened in 2006, was awarded the Magdeburg Architects’ and Engineers’ Prize. The award highlighted the sinusoidal wave design as being “unique and unmistakeable”.

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

22ISSUE AUGUST 2008

in an open process, by a vacuum infusion method which resulted in a much more even covering and also, incidentally, greatly improved working condi-tions on the factory fl oor. When manufacturing the upper and lower shells of a rotor blade, specially designed moulds are employed to enhance the surface properties and dimensional stability of the blades based on optimised geometries. The upper and lower shells each have their own mould, into which glass fi bre and reinforcing material is in-fused according to a special plan. The moulds are hermetically sealed and high-performance pumps then generate a vacuum. Epoxy resin is then added to enhance durability in continuous operation. The fi bre-glass mats are saturated evenly with epoxy resin, providing them with a uniform quality fi nish. The prepared rotor shells are fi nally tempered at around 85 degrees Celsius.

PTFE corrugated hoses guarantee trouble-free work-fl ow

The liquid epoxy resin is fed to the blade moulds through a pipework system. Immediately before the resin enters the mould, the hardener is added to it in a mixer. The mixer and the moulds are con-nected by PTFE corrugated hoses from HANSA-FLEX, and the choice has proved to be ideal. The hoses are resistant to the solvents, and prevent epoxy resin from being deposited on the walls and clogging the lines.

Hydraulics – the linchpin to achieve faster production processes

Enercon recently optimised its rotor blade produc-tion processes by installing a so-called power-hinge supplied by a Canadian manufacturer. Whereas the upper and lower shells previously had to be brought together by cranes prior to bonding, the new ma-chine enables the process to be speeded up. Sup-ported on powerful hydraulics, the power-hinge quickly brings the components together in one simple operation. For this to happen, however, the work platforms around the upper shell mould have to be removed. The HANSA-FLEX branch in Barle-ben, which serves Enercon in Magdeburg, devised and installed a hydraulic solution featuring three power packs, hydraulic cylinders and the complete control and pipework systems. At the press of a but-ton, the work platforms are hydraulically retracted, enabling the upper shell to be swung down onto the lower shell. With this system, branch manager Peter Mandel and his team succeeded in providing Enercon with a highly eff ective solution.

A pioneering wind power plant (GroWiAn)

The idea of using the wind as a source of energy really began to � y in Germany during the 1980s with the develop-ment of the so-called “GroWiAn” (Grosse Windkraftanlage) generation of large-scale wind power plants. The publicly funded large-scale wind power plant in the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Koog municipality near Marne in the German state of Sch-leswig-Holstein served as a test bed for the technology. With a hub height of 100 metres, it was long classed as the tallest wind turbine in the world.

The � rst trial was conducted on July 6, 1983. The plant, featuring many new technologies previously untested on such a scale, was never able to operate at full capacity because of shortcomings in its design and construction materials. In August 1987 it was dismantled. Still to-day, developers and designers of state-of-the-art wind power plants continue to bene� t from the know-how gleaned from this early pioneer.

A fl at bed trailer leaving Enercon premises in Magdeburg with two rotor blades – the optimised blade geometry enhances the effi ciency of wind energy plants signifi cantly

WIND ENERGY HYDRAULIKPRESSE

23ISSUE AUGUST 2008

Trade fair announcements August – September

TRADE FAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS | TRAINING SEMINAR SCHEDULE

1. to 5.9.2008 Grundlagen der Fluidtechnik Teil 2 Dresden-Weixdorf11.9.2008 Metallschläuche Grundlagenseminar Boff zen/Höxter11.9.2008 Grundlagen der Leitungstechnik Bremen16. to 19.9.2008 Umfassendes Grundlagenseminar über Schlauch- und Rohrverbindungstechnik Boff zen/Höxter22.9.2008 Grundlagen der Dichtungstechnik Eisenberg

For further information please contact Mrs. Anne Schmidt (Internationale Hydraulik Akademie GmbH Dresden-Weixdorf/Germany): +49 - 351 - 413 97 19

Training seminar schedule of the IHA September

September 2008

8. to 12.9.2008 Electra Mining Messe – Johannesburg/South Africa hall 6, stand K18 www.specialised.com/exhibits/electramining/introduction.htm

9. to 13.9.2008 Husum Wind Energy – Husum/Germany hall 4, stand C 32 www.husumwind.com

11. to 14.9.2008 MeLa – Mühlengeez at Güstrow/Germany MAZ FG, S-14 www.mela.de

15. to 19.9.2008 MSV – Brno/Czech Republic www.bvv.cz/msv-de

17. to 20.9.2008 GalaBau – Nuremberg/Germany hall 7, stand 7-520 www.galabau.info-web.de

23. to 26.9.2008 InnoTrans – Berlin/Germany hall 23a, stand 130 www.inotrans.de

23. to 26.9.2008 SMM – Hamburg/Germany hall A1, stand A1.61 www.hamburg-messe.de/smm

24. to 27.9.2008 Expomac 2008 – Curitiba, PR/Brazil www.diretriz.com.br

29.9. to 3.10.2008 ITM – Plovdiv/Bulgaria www.fair.bg/en/events/autumn08.htm

August 2008

29. to 30.8.2008 Platformers‘ Days – Hohenroda/Germany www.platformers-days.de

in German only

HYDRAULIKPRESSE24ISSUE AUGUST 2008

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Construction Vehicles and Equipment

Shanghai New International Expo Centre

25 – 28 November 2008

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bC08_Stoerer_210x297-Intl.qxd:0 11.07.2008 12:52 Uhr Seite 1

SAP SOFTWARE

X-LOGO project enhances process expertiseSAP launch “with slightly square wheels”

With its X-LOGO project HANSA-FLEX is enhancing its expertise as a hydraulic systems partner. X-LOGO aims to optimise the organisational structures and processes within the company to cope with the change.

Over the almost 50-year history of HANSA-FLEX, its organisational concept has been department-based. Until just a few years ago, the company’s main thrust was as a supplier of replacement hoses and connecting elements on the parts market. Processes were easily manageable and counter staff were in control of all the procedures. However, the shift towards becoming a systems partner has changed the working culture and competencies within the business: Now it is necessary to think in terms of processes, and to build up the project culture. Counter staff have long been doing much more than just selling hoses. They have become an integral part of the systems partner identity. All the employees are integral to the unified whole that is HANSA-FLEX. They all work towards enhancing the standing of HANSA-FLEX on the market. The demands placed on individuals are becoming more complex. They are integrated into processes, and

have to ask themselves: what input do I receive from my colleagues upstream in the process, and what do I pass on when my own work is complete?

X-LOGO now forms the basis for the introduction of smooth process workflows into the organisa-tion, thereby helping to make planning of projects easier. To optimise logistics, to link the HANSA-FLEX Group to its specialist centres of competence and to strengthen the growing global network with the branches and FLEXXPRESS fleet, all the departments and the processes they handle are being subjected to review in order to improve their efficiency.

What can SAP help to achieve?

One element of this process, headed by Jürgen Kaemena as the management-appointed project manager, is the implementation of the SAP soft-ware system in all the divisions of the HANSA-FLEX Group. On July 1, 2008 the company’s IT systems were switched over - initially covering all the service centres in Germany. The experience gained from the switch will be applied later when the implementa-tion rolls out to the international subsidiaries.

What are the benefits of SAP? There were three key reasons for implementing SAP: firstly, it makes the rapid growth of the business more transparent to the management. All data can be retrieved and analysed in real time, enabling tighter central con-trolling. Investment decisions can now be based on solid facts, and the Group’s reporting practices have been simplified.

Another key benefit of SAP is that the software is open for quick changes, so upgrades can be inte-grated more easily. This is important in the export business, for example, when new regulations have to be updated into the routine. One of those re-quirements from July 1, 2009 obliges HANSA-FLEX, as a certified exporter, to apply the “Atlas” proce-dures in its operations worldwide. This involves the digital transmission of customs-related data to the competent authorities. And for HANSA-FLEX, as an increasingly international business, that is key to establishing smooth global service operations. The main decision-making factor with regard to the implementation of SAP is its benefit to customers. Key accounts who already operate SAP themselves, for example, expect full compatibility in order to simplify their purchasing, accounting and finan-cial controlling processes. Customers using other software packages can dock onto SAP by way of an integrated interface. Moreover, the system enables customer-related data to be recorded which, when evaluated, can be used to proactively recommend specific services to the customers concerned.

One element of this proactive service strategy is the X-CODE marking system, which is also included in

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HYDRAULIKPRESSE

Project manager for SAP implementation Jürgen Kaemena

The so-called HANSA-FLEX Key Users – SAP consultants in charge of the development process

SAP with all legends for X-CODEplus customers. It records all the information on every hose assembly. Customers can retrieve the data at any time after entering a password and draw upon it to provide in-dications of potential use in their own applications. HANSA-FLEX is able to track the running times of hose assemblies and notify customers in good time prior to the end of the specifi ed service interval that a revision is due. This tool helps customers improve the availability of their machinery and fulfi l their responsibilities in terms of safe operation.

Platform for added customer service

SAP is also a platform for future custom service of-fers. It enables data on HANSA-FLEX delivery capa-bilities to be quickly accessed. That is a key benefi t, because customer ordering processes are being initiated within increasingly tight time windows. Customers are also demanding to be continually updated on delivery status, and the medium-term aim is for such planning data also to be accessible over the Internet.

HANSA-FLEX will be incorporating its entire supply programme into SAP. It can then be linked to cus-tomers’ ordering processes to generate a catalogue precisely tailored to the needs of the specifi c cus-tomer concerned, so aiding material procurement in customer departments. It is also conceivable

that HANSA-FLEX might issue dedicated catalogues for specifi c trade fairs, to provide customers with a more readily accessible overview of what it has to off er in a particular fi eld.

These examples in themselves illustrate that the change-over to SAP, with all its complex com-ponents, cannot be completed smoothly and simply overnight. As project manager Jürgen Kae-mena says: “Mapping all the processes in SAP has proved more complex than we expected when we launched the project.” One of the admirable aspects in this context has been the enormous commitment shown by all the HANSA-FLEX staff responsible for the development process. These 40 so-called Key Users were nominated by their regional managers and have - in their leveraging role - tirelessly worked to coordinate the process improvement suggestions submitted by the wider workforce. All other staff underwent targeted training in preparation for the SAP launch and also showed a willingness to take on extra work to cover for their colleagues engaged on the project. “The whole thing started off with slightly square wheels,“ Jürgen Kaemena recalls, “but I’m sure soon things will be running perfectly smoothly. I am thankful that our customers and suppliers backed us by showing understanding for the occasional hiccoughs that occurred during the start phase.” Further SAP implementation is sched-uled soon for Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.

SAP SOFTWARE

HANSA-FLEX ‘Key Users’ of the SAP launch

Left to right: Timo Matusch, Frank Schulten, Norbert Wagner, Ste� en Kriegel, Vartan Günbilek, Jörg Heitlindemann, Christian Herrmann, René Rahneberg, Enrico Klus, Peter Schubert, Sabine Wei-dtkamp, Hendrik Allert, Patrick Marechal, Corinna Laukemann, Karl-Heinz Hagen, Michael Meier, Rainer Herold, Joachim Zühlsdorf, Tino Zeuner, Joachim Ebeling, Janine Müller, Beatrice Mendler, Alex-ander Eilert, Sebastian Walther, Yvonne Kutter, Christina Zinn, Marco Wahls, An-dreas Rothe, Eveline Hesse, Christian Ar-net, Svenja Hellmann, Tino Köcher, Jutta Marks, Conny Varges, Lolita Brosius, Aar-on Farinas, Björn Schmidt

Not pictured: Jürgen Röhnke, Steven Gersing, Jörg Röder, Michael Nowag, Uwe Coors, Klaus Dieter Streit, Jesper Chris-tensen, Jörn Grimme

27ISSUE AUGUST 2008

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

The objective of the HANSA-FLEX management is clear: to continue developing the Group into the world’s leading hydraulic systems partner. By 2017, HANSA-FLEX will have 1,000 service centres in at least 60 countries. It will then have a workforce of 5,000 people generating annual sales of one billion Euro.

One of the instruments being deployed to attain these ambitious goals is the HANSA-FLEX RedBook. It is one of the foundation stones for achieving the strategic growth of the business. In all its efforts, the company is building on the factors which have brought it success to date: flexibility, close attention to customers’ needs, service and tailored stockhold-ing with immediate availability of spares or of parts for OE customers.

The foundations for expansion have been laid

The construction of a second logistics centre in Europe and the enhancement of strategic purchas-ing activities are two factors which are helping the HANSA-FLEX Group to boost its competitive strength. By its acquisition of a holding in the Inter-national Hydraulics Academy (IHA) in Dresden, the company is at the same time establishing the re-sources needed to train large numbers of new staff. After all, well trained-staff are vital when it comes to keeping the promise of being the leading global hydraulic systems partner.

The introduction of the SAP system in Germany in July of this year effectively brought the restructur-ing operations to their culmination. As a result, the processes and structures within the HANSA-FLEX Group have been made leaner and unified. This has created a model which will form the basis for efficient implementation of the system in other countries.

Export Division is steering the growth

The extent to which international expansion will contribute to the overall growth of the HANSA-FLEX Group was revealed when HYDRAULIKPRESSE spoke to Frank Schmidt, head of

the Export Division: “As early as in three years’ time, HANSA-FLEX Group turnover will be split evenly between domestic (German) and international sales. In 2007 Group companies outside of Germany were already contributing 38% of total earnings. Consequently, it is important not only to explore new markets but also, in parallel, to develop and adapt existing markets in a systematic manner. Essentially, that can be achieved both by further direct investments or acquisitions or by means of cooperation with partners.”

RedBook concept outlines expansion processes

“In developing the network of HANSA-FLEX branches we are guided by the RedBook. The RedBook is a log of all the experience gathered by HANSA-FLEX in opening up new markets and a catalogue of the factors which contributed to past successes. It sets out a standardised procedure for launching onto new markets and, by means of checklists and templates, ensures that all necessary actions - from market research to start of selling - are properly scheduled and their status routinely monitored. The aim of the RedBook is ultimately to provide a competitive edge enabling us to save time and human and material resources when making expansion decisions,“ Frank Schmidt explains. He is also eager to express thanks to his team for compil-ing the RedBook.

The RedBook – HANSA-FLEX expansion strategy focuses on global customer proximity

HANSA-FLEX IN 10 YEARS TIME

Export devision manager Frank Schmidt

The social commitment for which HANSA-FLEX is renowned is demonstrated both within Germany and internationally. Last year, export director Frank Schmidt suggested that, instead of distributing the usual Christmas gifts to customers and other business partners, a cash donation should be made to a deserving international cause. Thomas Armerding spontaneously responded to the idea and de-cided that a donation of 100 Euro should be made for every country in which HANSA-FLEX is repre-sented. With a portfolio of 34 countries, this meant that a total of 3,400 Euro was raised. The funds from HANSA-FLEX were put to good use in bringing great pleasure to the residents of a children’s home in Brazil. A new recipient will be selected for the 2008 donation. If you have a suggestion, contact Frank Schmidt to discuss how your idea might be realised.

A donation to gladden children’s hearts

28ISSUE AUGUST 2008

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

An initial approach to defi ning potential target markets - though only with short-term prospects - was provided by analysing and assessing the cur-rent customer base. Which customers already have international operations, and are they too using HANSA-FLEX locally? Customers like to be able to count on tried and proven suppliers, and are in-creasingly striving to reduce their overall global sourcing base. Consequently, HANSA-FLEX - with its network of in-house service centres (a key attribute, unmatched by other players on the market), its fl ex-ibility and its willingness to realise custom concepts - is a welcome partner wherever it operates.

The key is to talk to customers and respond to their ideas and planning. This is a challenge to all the sales staff in the HANSA-FLEX Group. They are the fi rst to hear about customers’ expansion plans. That intelligence can be utilised to devise strategies for successful cooperation both within Germany and on the international stage. It is therefore essential that such information should be passed on to the Export Division. A concept can then be jointly drawn up to provide the customer with optimum service and support. “This strategy of following in the wake of customer expansion forces us to become active and to analyse the new market based on the familiar

model. It also sometimes happens that customers of HANSA-FLEX interna-tional branches ask for assistance from Germany. Thus the international ex-pansion of HANSA-FLEX often in turn generates new business back in Germany,” Frank Schmidt explains, illustrating the reciprocal benefi t of glo-balisation.

In addition to existing customer contacts stud-ies are also undertaken to fi nd out the countries in which HANSA-FLEX might

be successful in establishing itself. This fi rst involves the Export Divison drawing up a desktop analysis, incorporating economic trends, the political situa-tion, the country’s GDP and other macro-economic factors. In addition to information from customers, the level of competitive intensity in the country also provides an indication of demand for hydraulics.

Selection of a suitable location is based on proximi-ty to potential customers as well as on the availabil-ity of appropriately qualifi ed local personnel. “The HANSA-FLEX idea embodies the concept of globali-sation. Products and services from the HANSA-FLEX portfolio most suited to the market in question are off ered, with some adaptation where necessary. That is to say, we have a unifi ed global market pres-ence tailored to local needs,” Frank Schmidt asserts, drawing on his own practical experience.

Customer benefi t is the key

Will a planned market entry involve cooperation with an OEM or a parts service? Can Kanban ware-housing, kitting, siting of production facilities or plant-in-plant partnerships help to open up the market? Can a mobile express hydraulics service like FLEXXPRESS be successfully established?

Once the decision on entering a market has been made, a number of fundamental issues are ad-dressed and the staff in the Export Division conduct local surveys. “As well as contacting customers, we also visit suppliers, consult international chambers of commerce to tap into their expertise, and utilise information from trade fairs and exhibitions. All the information is incorporated into a business and fi nance plan which forms the basis for any invest-ment decision. In this phase the company’s man-agement places its trust in the work of the Division, so we are provided with the necessary freedom to implement plans,” Frank Schmidt explains.

A strategic tool to propagate the corporate identity

In terms of image, too, the RedBook dictates the uniform look of HANSA-FLEX branches all over the world. This includes the customary branding, fea-turing the red and white building decor and the company logo. It also lays down the standardised style of interior furnishings and fi ttings, right down to provisions for the obligatory cup of coff ee to be served to customers. The whole process is aimed at creating and maintaining a unifi ed HANSA-FLEX corporate identity; a global standard which is the foundation stone for business partners’ trust and confi dence in the business, in the same way that the look and style of a familiar fast-food restaurant promises consistency in the food it serves all over the world.

This approach is underscored by staff training and by the consistent production of advertising and promotional material, catalogues, posters and so forth, in the unifi ed HANSA-FLEX corporate design. The fi rst new business unit to be based on this model was launched in August in Istanbul. More countries will be coming online through 2008 – Uzbekistan, Algeria, and authorised partners in a number of West African countries.

HANSA-FLEX IN 10 YEARS TIME

60 countries

€ 1 billion

5,000 employees

1,000 service centresHA

NSA

-FLE

X partners

M & A

HYDRAULIKPRESSE 29ISSUE AUGUST 2008

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

The following topics will be run in the next edition...

Editorial deadline: 21st of September 2008

Preview

X-CODEplus optimises parts logistics Mitsubishi Papers utilising all the benefi tsThe Meissen porcelain works A look behind the scenesXWORLD Adventure 2008/2009 Olympic Games at BeijingFLEXXPRESS Mobility Repair service made even more effi cientSchönebeck pipe-bending centre Launching with expanded capacitiesHANSA-FLEX branches Hungary and Salzbergen

10/08

Answer Edition 06/08: B: 2010 – Winner: T. Gebler, Stuttgart

iPod touch, 8 GB (holds up to 1750 songs), 3.5-inch

(diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display; ear-

phones, USB cable, dock adapter, software iTunes for

Mac & Windows; PC system requirements: USB 2.0

port, Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Profes-

sional with Service Pack 2 or later, iTunes 7.6 or later;

Mac system requirements: USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X

v10.4.10 or later; iTunes 7.6 or later.

Please send the answer in by Email to ma@hansa-fl ex.com

or by post. Please do not forget to indicate your name

and your postal address. The deadline for entries is the

15th of September 2008. One entry per participant will

be considered for the draw. Terms and conditions apply

for legal recourse and liability. A cash payment for the

prize is not possible. Employees and members of HANSA-

FLEX are excluded from participating.

Simply answer the following question and the iPod touch 8 GB could be yours!

Question:How many cubic metres of water/sand mixture can the ‘Pirat X’ pump per hour?

A: 10,000 B: 11,000 C: 12,000

Facts & Figures

182

100

GermanyTotal

340

184

OpeningsJuneHANSA-FLEX Hidraulines Jungtys UAB Pramones g. 1A 74111 Jurbarkas Lithuania HANSA-FLEX Hydraulik Ukraine Krasnozavodskaya strasse 36 A Dnepropetrowsk Ukraine

AnniversaryAugust: HANSA-FLEX Bremen-Nord 5 years HANSA-FLEX Koblenz 5 years HANSA-FLEX Olpe 5 years HANSA-FLEX Székesfehérvár/Hungary 5 years

September: HANSA-FLEX Coburg 10 years HANSA-FLEX Liepaja/Latvia 5 years HANSA-FLEX Ulm 10 years HANSA-FLEX Wilhelmshaven 10 years

Win an iPod touch

QUIZ | FIGURES & FACTS | PREVIEW

HYDRAULIKPRESSE30ISSUE AUGUST 2008

HYDRAULIKPRESSE

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