Newsletter - PFI Germany Start

Pirmasens-Winzeln 

Energy Park 

Forging Ahead 

Newsletter 

01.2013 

Magazine of the Test and Research Institute Pirmasens 

Customised Training 

ISC Germany: Competence in Footwear and Leather 

Audible “Beep“ Warns 

of Impending Injury? 

Injury Prevention 

Optimum Dosage 

Antimicrobial Agents

2 


Contents 

01.2013 01. 01.2013 2013 

Contents ................................................................... 02 

Editorial ................................................................... 04 

PFI Internal 

“Plot a strategic course“ ........................................... 05 

“PFI can score with excellent service“ ..................... 06 

“Continue along the path already chosen“ ............. 08 

News 

CADS Concern Well Received in Asia ............... 10 

PFI Fareast Reaccredited by DAkkS ........................... 11 

PFI Inspection and Advisory Service in Asia .............. 12 

Biotechnology Department Reorganised ................. 13 

UITIC Congress 2013 in Guangzhou ......................... 62 

ISC Germany 

Customised Training .................................................. 14 

Certifi cation 

01.2013 

PFI Grants CE Mark and GS Mark Approval .............. 16

Research 

Audible “Beep“ Warns of Impending Injury? .......... 20 

Dynamics in Design ................................................... 24 

Improved Access to Material Properties .................. 26 

Toe Cap Optimisation ................................................ 28 

Electric Benchtop Lastometer ................................... 29 

Improved Penetration Resistance of Safety Shoes ... 30 

Self-lacing Shoe ......................................................... 31 

Biotechnology 

Pirmasens-Winzeln Energy Park Forges Ahead ....... 32 

Harnessing Waste Heat.............................................. 34 

PFI Develops Power-to-Gas Technology ................... 38 

PFI at BIOGAS 2013 .................................................... 41 

PFI Biotechnology Intensifi es European 

Level Activities .......................................................... 42 

Masthead 

Publisher: PFI Test and Research Institute Pirmasens 

Prüf- und Forschungsinstitut Pirmasens e. V. 

Member of PFI Group 

Directors of Institute: 

Dr. Gerhard Nickolaus | Dr. Kerstin Schulte 

Address: Marie-Curie-Straße 19 

66953 Pirmasens / Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 0 

Telefax: +49 (0)6331 2490 60 

E-Mail: info@pfi -germany.de 

Internet: www.pfi -germany.de 

Editor: Elisabeth Rouiller 

Translation: Tony Rackstraw 

Design Concept and Layout: 

Konzept fünf - Agentur für Werbung und Design 

Internet: www.konzept-fuenf.de 

Chemistry 

01.2013 01. 01.2013 2013 


Hunt for Allergens .................................................... 46 

Chromium VI in Leather Articles .............................. 49 

The Formamide Problem ............................................ 50 

Revised Catalogue of SG Test Criteria ..................... 52 

SVHC Candidate List Grows Longer ......................... 53 

Microbiology 

New International Standard – DIN EN ISO 16187 .... 54 

Wash Me! .................................................................. 56 

Optimum Dosage: Controlled Release 

of Antimicrobial Agents ........................................... 58 

Images: 

PFI, ISC, HDS/L, Fotolia (pp. 20, 28, 

30, 31, 46, 47, 50), Uni Stuttgart (pp. 2, 22 and 23), 

Wikipedia (p. 42), Plastics Europe (p. 43) 

No part of this newsletter may be reproduced 

without authorisation of the PFI. 

The online version of the PFI-Newsletter is available 

under www.pfi -group.org/newsletter.html 

3

4 

Editorial 


Dear Readers, 

This is my fi rst opportunity to greet you as the new Director 

of PFI. Many of you will know me as Head of the 

Analytical Chemistry Department and have hopefully 

read my contributions on current topics concerning 

hazardous substances with some degree of interest. In 

future these articles will be penned by my colleagues 

in the chemistry department and I am sure that they 

will continue to provide you with a wealth of highly 

relevant information in this area. 

It is my heartfelt wish to express my sincere thanks for 

all the messages of congratulation you have sent me 

on the occasion of my appointment as Director. The 

development of PFI in recent years has been a success 

story for which Dr. Nickolaus must take much of the 

credit. Our task is now to successfully pursue the path 

we have embarked upon with all its challenges. We 

are called to constantly develop new ideas and put 

them into practice. I can approach the tasks ahead 

of me with great energy and enthusiasm in the sure 

knowledge of the unique expertise and capabilities 

of PFI. And, with your support, dear members, clients, 

and co-workers, we are bound to succeed. 

Sincerely, Dr. Kerstin Schulte 

PFI Group 

EDITORIAL 

Dear Readers, 

Today is the last time I shall address you in this publication 

as Director of PFI. Most reader will already 

know that Dr. Kerstin Schulte has been appointed as 

my successor and will assume full responsibility for running 

the Institute after a brief handover phase. Imposing 

and demanding tasks await her. Thus, in 2012, PFI 

began expansion of its biotechnology activities in the 

Winzeln district of Pirmasens. In the shape of this largescale 

project, PFI has established a unique competence 

centre in the Western Palatinate and secured the future 

of PFI and the location Pirmasens as a centre of 

excellence. I am supremely confi dent that Dr. Schulte 

will master these challenges. She was for good reason 

my candidate of choice as successor and I am delighted 

that she has indeed been selected for the position from 

among a large number of other applicants. 

Although I shall continue to work for PFI, in particular 

for the PFI subsidiaries in Asia, for some time to come, I 

would like to take this opportunity to bid you farewell, 

to thank you for your valuable collaboration during the 

past in 30 odd years, and to wish you all the very best 

for the future. 

Sincerely, Dr. Gerhard Nickolaus 

PFI Group

PFI INTERNAL 

Interview with Manfred Junkert, 

Managing Director of the Federal Association of the 

German Footwear and Leather Goods Industry 

(Bundesverband der Schuh- und Lederwarenindustrie e.V. - HDS/L) 

“ Plot a strategic 

course” 

What were the decisive criteria persuading you and 

the other members of the PFI board to award the directorship 

to Dr. Schulte? 

It was particularly important that Dr. Kerstin Schulte 

has already amply demonstrated her skills. She has 

adeptly managed the Analytical Chemistry Department 

and, as Deputy Head, she has a very thorough 

knowledge of the Institute. Moreover, she has also 

gained an excellent scientifi c reputation through her 

publications. We are confi dent that Dr. Schulte has the 

ambition and the ability to steer the Institute into a 

highly promising future and to introduce many new 

and valuable ideas. 

What does HDS/L expect of Dr. Schulte and of PFI? 

In recent years the Institute has pursued a path of 

highly dynamic and successful development and has 

also diversifi ed its activities. Clients have come to value 

PFI as a very reliable service provider. The present challenge 

is to plot a strategic course for the future, for 

example by exploring those areas of activity in which 

PFI can grow profi tably. The basis is, and will continue 

to be, the footwear and leather industry. Over and 

above this sector the Institute can make a name for 

itself in related industries and also gain a fi rm foothold 

in completely new areas, as it has recently done 

in biogas production. 

Manfred Junkert 

01.2013 


The second important factor is internationalisation. 

PFI certainly enjoys top ranking in Germany. However, 

we now face the question: How can PFI strengthen 

its international profi le, where must it be physically 

present with its service offerings, where can it attract 

new clients? PFI has already established a presence in 

Hong Kong and in Istanbul. Further internationalisation 

steps now have to be considered. 

Partnerships and cooperative ventures will surely also 

be important for the future. On its own, a mediumsized 

institute will clearly be unable to set up all the 

structures necessary to be present for all industries in 

all world markets. It is therefore important to enter 

into strategic partnerships in order to offer an optimum 

service to immediately relevant industries and to 

remain competitive. 

5

6 


Interview with Dr. Kerstin Schulte, 

Director Designate of the Test and 

Research Institute Pirmasens 

In May Dr. Kerstin Schulte paid her fi rst offi cial visit as 

Director to Eveline Lemke, Minister of Economic Affairs, 

Climate Protection, Energy, and Regional Planning of 

Rhineland-Palatinate 

“ 

PFI can score 

with excellent 

service“ 


What induced you to apply for the position of Director? 

What are your motivations for the new post? 

More than two years ago Dr. Nickolaus asked me 

whether I could imagine taking on the directorship of 

PFI and how I envisaged the future of the Institute. 

That was the fi rst time that I had thought about taking 

on such a challenge, and I put forward a number 

of proposals. I am very familiar with the Institute and 

my wish is that it should continue to develop in the 

same positive way as in the past. Any handover of 

leadership inevitably means changes, but these changes 

should be in accord with the spirit of the Institute. 

I am strongly attached to PFI and I am certainly not 

going to introduce a long list of sweeping changes. 

I started work at the “old” PFI in Hans-Sachs-Strasse, 

in a basement offi ce at the time. Much has happened 

since then: the new building in the Husterhöhe district, 

diversifi cation into new areas of activity, creation of the 

PFI Group. That has all happened during my time at PFI. 

The Institute is on the right track, and that is where I 

intend to keep it. 

What does PFI stand for and where do its strengths lie? 

Characteristically PFI develops a close working relationship 

with its clients. In all aspects of material and 

product testing, whether physical tests or tests for 

hazardous substances, we cooperate very closely with 

our clients and solve problems together. Our clients 

repeatedly emphasise that our strength lies in their 

direct contact with our laboratory personnel, offering 

effective and timely help when needed. We have accumulated 

an enormous body of knowledge in the fi eld 

of testing during the 60 plus years of our existence. 

That is something our clients value highly. 

PFI also stands for inventiveness and innovation: That 

is demonstrated, for example, by PFI Biotechnology, 

which has been built up by Benjamin Pacan and now 

enjoys an excellent international reputation among a 

broad clientele. We plan to further expand this sector. 

The keywords inventiveness and innovation also characterise 

our research activities, which are coordinated 

by Peter Schultheis. Here research proposals are meanwhile 

also being submitted for approval by European 

organisations – this is new territory for us – with initial 

successes. We must intensify these efforts in order

to broaden our stance. It is precisely with EU projects 

that we hope to advance into new areas outside of the 

footwear sector. Work on European projects means 

collaborating with other institutes as project partners. 

This lays the ground for networking, and we can also 

expect to be approached by other research centres 

with suggestions of partnerships. 

Do you see any weaknesses? 

Our human resources are somewhat stretched. In 

particular, the preparation of research proposals is 

extremely time-consuming and ties up personnel. 

Moreover, I consider instrumentation engineering to 

be highly problematical and to hold little future promise 

for the Institute. Given our cost structure we simply 

cannot compete in this area. Our testing services also 

face huge competition from internationally operating 

providers. We must endeavour to cut our costs. On the 

other hand our staff members are highly motivated 

and again and again accomplish the seemingly impossible. 

That is one of our major strengths. 

How important is the footwear industry for PFI, 

today and tomorrow? 

The footwear industry is and continues to be important 

for PFI. It has provided the basis for development 

of the Institute and is represented on the board. However, 

we must keep an eye on the changes taking place 

in that industry. Nowadays the majority of our clients 

are no longer footwear manufacturers but importers, 

companies which have shoes made in Asia and import 

them into Europe. Theirs was the wish for a PFI presence 

in Asia. PFI Hong Kong, China and PFI Istanbul 

were founded in answer to that wish. 

Which fi elds of activity would you like to expand and 

which would you like to introduce at PFI? 

Various ideas already exist, but PFI should develop in 

a considered manner. I can imagine forming business 

links with Latin America or opening an offi ce there. 

01.2013 


How does PFI distinguish itself from its competitors? 

Our testing competitors maintain a global presence 

with their laboratories. We are too small for that. 

However, we can score with excellent service. Our clients 

praise our speed and reliability, the way in which 

we make things happen, and the direct and competent 

help they always receive in response to an inquiry. 

Other footwear institutes like PFI are also engaged in 

research on the transnational European level. We have 

to increase out visibility, to make contacts, and show 

a greater presence in the international arena through 

participating in EU research projects of the kind we 

have now initiated. 

How would you describe your leadership style? 

I consider my style of leadership to be team-oriented. 

During my many years as head of a department I have 

always worked closely with my colleagues. That is the 

way I wish to continue. However, in my new position I 

shall have to make decisions ensuring a good solution 

for the entire institute. I hope that I can nevertheless 

enjoy the support of the whole team, even on those 

inevitable occasions when individual persons are not 

entirely in agreement with my decision. 

What areas are completely new to you? 

First of all I have to familiarise myself with every last 

corner of the institute. There is much to learn, particularly 

in the areas of administration, fi nance, and 

bookkeeping. It will be important to understand how 

PFI functions as a non-profi t institute and to be fully 

aware of the legal basis of this special status. We are 

not profi t-driven. Research is enshrined in our statutes. 

We have to undertake a certain amount of research 

work to comply with our charitable status. We 

attempt to compensate losses in the research sector 

by transferring profi ts made in the testing sector. This 

balance must be retained. However, spontaneous decisions 

to transfer profi ts to areas in need of support 

are ruled out; such funds can only be used for specifi c 

purposes. The challenge will be to strike the right balance 

to avoid wrong decisions. But here I can rely on 

help from an experienced team. 

7

8 


Interview with Ralph Rieker, 

Chairman of the Test and Research Institute Pirmasens 

Ralph Rieker 

“ 

Continue 

along the 

path already 

chosen” 


What were the decisive criteria persuading you 

and the other members of the PFI board to award 

the directorship to Dr. Schulte? 

We received over 25 applications for the position of 

Director when we advertised the vacancy and we interviewed 

12 of the applicants. There was little to choose 

between the two fi nal candidates. Ultimately it was 

Dr. Schulte’s 16-year familiarity with the Institute and 

her knowledge of the industry that tipped the balance 

in her favour. But she admirably fulfi lled all the other 

requirements: scientifi c background, entrepreneurial 

thinking, customer focus, and leadership qualities. 

What do you expect of Dr. Schulte as Director? 

First of all that she continues to take PFI along the path 

already chosen while keeping the Institute attuned to 

the present times. The chosen path is above all the 

path of diversifi cation. Our aim is to gain further expertise 

in new areas without neglecting the footwear 

sector, which will always remain the core competence 

of PFI. One example of the diversifi cation in progress 

is PFI Biotechnology, which has gone from strength to 

strength since its inception in 2003. In addition, PFI has 

broadened its range of testing services: It meanwhile 

also offers microbiological tests and no longer tests 

only footwear and footwear materials but also consumer 

goods ranging from toys via balls all the way to 

spectacles. 

Our second aim is to serve our clients on their home 

territory wherever possible. We have meanwhile established 

offi ces and test laboratories in China and in 

Turkey in order to deliver results faster, and we are 

considering setting up a test station in India. 

Where do you see the strengths and 

the weaknesses of PFI? 

The strength of PFI lies in its market position. It has 

earned an excellent reputation with regard to its 

speed and reliability of product testing, the quality 

of its advisory services, and its research activities. We 

often take a closer look than our competitors: Some 

articles nodded through by other test organisations 

would not have been awarded a label by us. Alongside 

testing activities, PFI has the task of conducting not-

for-profi t research according to its statutes as a registered 

association. 

With regard to research, a particular weakness has 

now become apparent as a result of changes in public 

research funding: We now have to compete with universities 

and universities of applied sciences. I cannot 

see this as competition on a level playing fi eld because 

the public universities, in contrast to PFI, enjoy taxpayer-fi 

nanced basic funding and also have recourse to 

undergraduates and graduate students as low-cost labour. 

This makes it all the more diffi cult for us to raise 

research funding, but we have started to fi ght back: 

The EU funds research, and we have already been able 

to open various doors through the new Brussels offi ce 

of the Federal Association of the German Footwear 

and Leather Goods Industry. EU research projects also 

promote cooperation between different research centres. 

This translates into networking, both within and 

across the respective sectors. However, the application 

process for EU funding is highly labour-intensive and 

time-consuming. Up to 18 months can elapse between 

submission of a proposal and its approval. 

What is the long-term business strategy of PFI? 

In a nutshell: We want to pursue an entrepreneurial 

path without relying on subsidies. 

Will PFI be entering new fi elds of activity? 

I am an advocate of a “one-step-at-a-time” policy: It is 

better to fi nish one job before starting another. Our 

aim is to ensure steady, solid growth and we are already 

very busy with the new areas we have recently 

entered. These include biotechnology, and also ISC, 

which was launched by PFI. ISC is an independent 

enterprise operating under the umbrella of the PFI 

Group. It supports the footwear industry by combatting 

the erosion of knowledge affl icting numerous 

companies through outsourcing of production and the 

retirement of key persons who were veritable repositories 

of expertise. ISC concentrates footwear manufacturing 

know-how and passes it on to employees 

of globally operating companies in training sessions, 

whether in upper production, assembly, adhesives 

technology, or production control. 

01.2013 


Will Dr. Nickolaus continue to work for PFI, e.g. as consultant, 

after the offi cial handover? 

During his time at PFI Dr. Nickolaus metamorphosed 

from a chemist – as Head of Analytical Chemistry until 

1999 – to an entrepreneur who, with great goal 

orientation, has created an international institution. 

He wishes to leave PFI in Pirmasens during 2014. We 

have suffi cient time for the transition. The Schulte/ 

Nickolaus dual leadership phase will continue until 

mid-2014. Then Dr. Schulte will have to go it alone. Dr. 

Nickolaus will then spend some time supervising PFI’s 

subsidiaries in Asia. 

If your were Dr. Schulte’s boxing coach, what advice 

would you give her on sending her into the ring? 

The watchword is “acquisition“. PFI has to communicate 

the fl exibility with which it serves its clients round 

the clock and just how seriously it takes the idea of 

“service“. 

9

10 


CADS Concern Well Received in Asia 

CADS Seminars 

in China and India 

Environmental protection and the avoidance of hazardous 

substances along the entire production chain 

take pride of place among the set goals of the CADS 

Cooperation, now under the aegis of the German Shoe 

Institute (Deutsches Schuhinstitut or DSI). High priority 

attaches to internationalisation of these projects. 

That is why PFI Hong Kong has taken on the task of 

organising CADS seminars for China and India. 

The objective of the seminars was to familiarise technicians 

and managers from Chinese and Indian footwear 

factories with the legal requirements pertaining 

to hazardous substances in consumer goods intended 

for the European market, to present the new CADS 

limit values, and to demonstrate technical solutions 

for avoiding or reducing the concentrations of critical 

substances. 

The CADS Seminars organised by PFI at Wenzhou 

and Dongguan attracted 170 participants 

NEWS 

In China the seminars took place in Wenzhou and 

Dongguan on 20 and 22 November 2012. A total of 

170 participants attended the seminars, which were 

held in Chinese. Lively discussions testifi ed to the avid 

interest of the participants in the subject matter. 

Similar CADS seminars in India were scheduled for 4 and 

6 June 2013 – this time the seminar language was English. 

The venues were in the footwear industry centres 

Chennai and Noida. Both CADS seminars in India took 

place after this PFI Newsletter edition went to press. 

Further CADS seminars are currently in preparation. 

Further Information 

CADS Cooperation at DSI 

c/o DSI - Deutsches Schuhinstitut GmbH 

Postfach 100761 

63007 Offenbach/Main 

Phone: +49 (69) 82 97 42-0 

E-Mail: info@cads-shoes.com 

Web: www.cads-shoes.com 

or 

PFI Hong Kong Limited 

Suite 512, ChinaChem Golden Plaza 

77 Mody Road, 

Tsim Sha Tsui East 

Kowloon, SAR Hong Kong 

Phone: +852 2676 3355 

E-Mail: candice.wang@pfi .hk 

Web: www.pfi .hk

PFI Fareast was audited by the German accreditation 

body DAkkS between 22 and 24 April 2013. This is 

the second time the laboratory has passed this quality 

test, which certifi es that the relevant standards for 

service laboratories are met. Clients can thus be sure 

that the laboratory is competent in all matters relating 

to product and materials testing and provides correct 

results. 

The laboratory at Quanzhou offers all clients in Asia a 

comprehensive testing, inspection, and advisory service, 

just like that provided for European clients by PFI 

Pirmasens. 

This accreditation means that the Quanzhou laboratory 

will be regularly monitored by DAkkS. In addition to 

the DAkkS accreditation, the laboratory has also been 

accredited by the Chinese accreditation body CNAS 

and the US body CPSIA. 

The two managing directors of PFI Fareast, Professor 

Zhenbin Gong and Dr. Gerhard Nickolaus, were 

clearly delighted with the excellent performance of 

the young, highly qualifi ed and highly motivated PFI 

Fareast team. 

01.2013 


Test Laboratory at Quanzhou 

PFI Fareast Reaccredited 

by DAkkS 

The PFI Fareast laboratory is based in Quanzhou. The 

city of Quanzhou has a population of over eight million 

and lies in Fujian Province, the partner province of 

Rhineland-Palatinate. Quanzhou is easy to reach from 

Quanzhou-Jinjiang and Xiamen airports. 

Fareast 

From left to right: Tommy Ou, Prof. Zhenbin (Ben) Gong, 

Elyn Zhuang, Dr. Michael Scheutwinkel (DAkkS), Barbara 

Voon (DAkkS), Dr. Gerhard Nickolaus, Scarly Luo, Ethan 

Zhang, and Jerry He 

Contact 

PFI Fareast Ltd. 

Prof. Zhenbin Gong, Dr. Gerhard Nickolaus 

PFI Fareast Building, Changfeng St., 

Xunmei Industrial Zone, 

Eastern District of Quanzhou City, Fujian, PR China 

Phone: +86 595 2802 1199 

Telefax: +86 595 2802 0866 

E-Mail: candice.wang@pfi .hk 

Web: www.pi-fareast.com 

11

12 

Newsletter NEWS 

Comprehensive Offering: From Inspection to Optimisation 

PFI Inspection and 

Advisory Service in Asia 

PFI Chief Inspector 

Frank Liesenhoff 

at work 

Last year goods worth some € 150m were inspected by 

PFI for various clients in Southeast Asia. In addition to 

fi nished goods inspection, PFI also offers production 

monitoring and production support (production monitoring 

plus advisory services with regard to model and 

production optimisation). For the clients this approach 

can be much more cost effective than working with 

their own inspectors and technicians. 

PFI has been providing goods inspection, production 

support, and consultancy services in Southeast Asia 

for more than ten years. The main focus has been on 

China, Vietnam, and Cambodia, but these services are 

also available in other Southeast Asian countries. Responsibility 

for central coordination of these services 

in Southeast Asia lies with PFI Hong Kong Ltd. 

PFI Hong Kong Ltd. appoints only European inspectors 

and consciously refrains from working with local inspectors. 

All PFI inspectors have a technical educational 

background in footwear production and at least 15 

years’ professional experience in the footwear industry. 

Alongside the inspections, all chemical and physical 

investigations can also be performed in PFI’s own 

laboratories in Southeast Asia. 


Dr. Gerhard Nickolaus or Hui Ching Wang 

PFI Hong Kong Ltd. 

Offi ce 512, ChinaChem Golden Plaza77 

Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East 

Kowloon, SAR Hong Kong 

Phone: +852 2676 3355 

E-Mail: gerhard.nickolaus@pfi .hk 

candice.wang@pfi .hk

A new structure of the Biotechnology Department of 

PFI became effective on 1 Mai 2013. The many new 

activities in this fi eld necessitated that a distinction 

be drawn between the individual areas of activity and 

that the department be split into two. In the course of 

reorganisation, the former Microbiology Department 

is being integrated into one of the new biotechnology 

departments. 

There now exists the “Biotechnology 

and Microbiology” department, 

which is headed by 

Dr. Stefan Dröge. Stefan Dröge 

has been on the staff of PFI since 

2007 and has successfully completed 

numerous projects in the 

areas of process biology in biogas plants and microbial 

fermentation processes. This department will concentrate 

mainly on research and acquisition of projects. 

01.2013 


Internal Organisation at PFI 

Biotechnology Department 

Reorganised 

Dr. Stefan Dröge 

Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Benjamin Pacan 

The second new department 

bears the name “Research 

Plants” and is headed by Benjamin 

Pacan, who has been 

with PFI since 2003 and has 

been responsible for setting 

up the biotechnology unit. The activities of the “Research 

Plants” department will focus on the development 

of new technologies relating to the Winzeln Energy 

Park and will acquire research projects in the area 

of renewable energy. Projects concerning the energy 

management of buildings in connection with the climate 

protection programme of the City of Pirmasens 

will also be handled by this department. 

13

14 

Newsletter ISC GERMANY 

ISC Germany: Competence in Footwear and Leather 

Customised Training 

The activities of ISC Germany revolve around training 

and continuing education, research and development, 

and consultancy. The range of services is specifi cally 

intended for the footwear industry, its suppliers, and 

the footwear trade. One of ISC Germany’s unique 

specialities is the design of customised practical training 

programmes for technicians, purchasers, or sales 

staff. These training sessions are developed entirely 

in accord with clients’ individual needs and demands. 

None of ISC Germany’s programmes comes “straight 

off the peg”! 

In ISC training sessions theoretical principles 

are always demonstrated in practice 

In order to ensure that a training programme ideally 

matches a client’s individual requirements, ISC 

Germany fi rst prepares a highly detailed training 

concept which is coordinated point-by-point with 

the respective client. 

ISC Germany supports enterprises in the leather and 

footwear industry in the qualifi cation of their employees 

through its training and continuing education programme. 

Its main activity lies in the development of 

customised training courses. They are designed in close 

cooperation with clients and directly address specifi c 

requirements. Clients and partners rate the ability of 

ISC to develop company-specifi c training programmes 

for technicians, buyers, or sales staff as truly unique. 

Teachers with a Wealth 

of Practical Experience 

ISC courses are taught both by highly qualifi ed inhouse 

staff and by external lecturers who are all experienced 

specialists in various areas. Precisely this network 

of external trainers enables ISC to provide access 

to practical know-how from a wide range of areas. 

The training courses are held either at ISC headquarters 

in Pirmasens – where the course participants can 

put all their newly acquired theoretical knowledge 

directly into practice in the state-of-the-art ISC training 

factory – or on the premises of clients all over the 

world, in English or German as desired. This ISC training 

factory is an ultra-modern footwear production 

line used for practical instruction and for production 

of samples and for testing new production methods.

Full-Service Offerings 

Much in demand are modules from the following areas: 

Last development / fi t / foot comfort 

Footwear engineering (focus on special shoe 

constructions and production methods) 

Process engineering 

Materials science 

Quality assurance 

Production optimisation 

Legal aspects 

Logistics 

New technologies 

Marketing 

Sustainability in footwear production 

(focus on energy and pollution) 

Team building 

Each individual step is discussed on the basis of a model 

ISC Germany has provided numerous company-specifi c 

seminars for technicians, designers, buyers, sales staff, 

and quality managers employed by footwear manufacturers, 

suppliers to the footwear industry, and footwear 

trading companies. Other tasks have included 

the design of complete footwear factories and startfrom-scratch 

training of production teams and management. 


01.2013 


ISC Germany can assure absolute confi dentiality with 

regard to company-specifi c or patented technologies. 

And the “all-round carefree package” offered for participants 

in ISC training programmes can even include 

laundry service and leisure time activities. 

“Training-the-trainer”: People who acquire professional 

known-how at ISC will generally pass it on to their 

colleagues within the company 

Uwe Thamm, Managing Director 

International Shoe Competence Center Pirmasens gGmbH 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 145334 0 

E-Mail: uwe.thamm@isc-germany.com 

Web: www.isc-germany.com 

15

16 


Total Compliance? 

PFI Grants CE Mark and 

GS Mark Approval 

PFI Pirmasens has been a notifi ed body granting CE 

mark and GS mark status for many years. Its identifi 

cation number as an accredited test centre is 0193. 

This authorisation was reconfi rmed in 2013 by the 

Central Offi ce of the German Federal States for Safety 

Technology (Zentralstelle der Länder für Sicherheitstechnik, 

ZLS). Consumers encounter CE and GS marks 

on an almost daily basis. But precisely what do these 

marks stand for, particularly in the areas of safety, 

protective, and occupational footwear? 

CERTIFICATION 

Numerous products bear the CE mark or the GS mark 

testifying to product safety. Procedures for granting 

CE or GS mark status are regulated by law; in contrast 

to the CE mark, the GS mark is used in Germany on a 

voluntary basis. 

CE Mark 

The abbreviation CE was chosen because it it means 

“European Community” in many languages: “Communauté 

Européenne”, “Comunidad Europea”, “Comunidade 

Europeia”, or “Comunità Europea”. In earlier German 

legislation the mark was called the “EG-Zeichen”, 

meaning “European Community mark”. Concerning 

the origin of the term “CE mark”: In 1992 the Member 

States of the European Community founded the European 

Union with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. 

Since that time, the new designation is used in place of 

the term “European Community”. 

The CE mark indicates that a product meets the pertinent 

requirements of the European Community. 

The manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that the 

product fulfi lls these requirements in order that it is 

freely marketable within the EU. A product is allowed 

to bear the CE mark only if a directive exists which provides 

for its CE marking. Wherever such a directive exists, 

CE marking is obligatory. 

CE certifi cates are valid valid for fi ve years and and are are readily 

renewable.

By affi xing the CE mark the manufacturer or the manufacturer’s 

authorised representative declares that the 

product thus marked complies with all pertinent community 

regulations and that all offi cially required conformity 

assessment procedures such as hazard analysis, 

risk assessment and verifi cation of compliance with 

standards according to the appropriate directives have 

been performed. The CE mark on the product symbolises 

such conformity. 

In addition to other directives – such as the Machinery 

Directive (2006/42 EC), the EMC Directive (2004/108/ 

EC), or the Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC) – two particular 

directives (and their transposal into national 

law) are of importance for the footwear sector: 

Medical Device Directive 

(93/42/EEC with amendment 2007/47 EC) 

(transposed into German law as the Medical 

Devices Act (Medizinproduktegesetz MPG) 

with associated ordinances) 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 

Directive (89/686/EEC) 

(transposed into German law as the Product 

Safety Act (Produktsicherheitsgesetz ProdSG) 

with associated ordinances) 

01.2013 


Shoes as Medical Devices 

Shoes or shoe components such as insoles are classifi 

ed as medical devices if they are used for therapeutic 

purposes, i.e. for the treatment, alleviation, or compensation 

of diseases, injuries, or disabilities. Shoes or 

insoles are also regarded as medical devices if they are 

prescribed by a physician for an individual patient. 

Depending upon the classifi cation of the product according 

to the medical device directive, various procedures 

are stipulated to establish conformity with the 

directive. In general, shoes are assigned to Class I of 

the directive. In this case, conformity is assessed by the 

manufacturer, who has to compile technical documentation 

(description, intended purpose of the product, 

mode of operation, medical assessment, absence of 

any health hazard) and be able to present this documentation 

at any time. The manufacturer is also required 

to implement an appropriate quality assurance 

procedure to register complaints about a product. 

17

18 


Total Compliance? 

Shoes as Personal 

Protective Equipment 

Although “normal” shoes protect the feet against 

cold, wet, and hard surfaces, they are not covered by 

the PPE directive. The term personal protective equipment 

applies to safety, protective, and occupational 

shoes. 

The PPE directive also stipulates differing procedures 

for issuing the CE mark. Most safety, protective, and 

occupational shoes belong to Category II of this directive, 

for which type examination by a notifi ed body is 

required. Special protective shoes offering protection 

against particular hazards such as fl ames, intense heat, 

molten metals, or high voltages belong to Category III 

of the PPE Directive. In this case, examination of the fi nished 

PPE by notifi ed bodies is required in addition to 

CERTIFICATION 

PFI Grants CE Mark and 

GS Mark Approval 

Harmonised standards for PPE footwear of Category II As of April 2013 

Standard Edition* Title of Standard Remarks 

EN ISO 20344 2011 (2013) Personal Protective Equipment - 

Testing Methods for Footwear 

EN ISO 20345 2011 (2012) Personal Protective Equipment - 

Testing Methods for Footwear 

EN ISO 20346 2007 Personal Protective Equipment - 

Protective Footwear 

EN ISO 20347 2012 Personal Protective Equipment - 

Occupational Footwear 

EN ISO 17249 2007 Safety Footwear with Resistance to 

Chain Saw Cutting 

EN ISO 20349 2010 (2011) Personal Protective Equipment –Footwear Protecting 

against Thermal Risks and Molten Metal Splashes as Found 

in Foundries and Welding 

EN 13634 2010 (2011) Protective Footwear for 

Motorcycles Riders 

* Values in parentheses indicate deviating date of publication of the German standard 

type examination. Type examination is generally performed 

on the basis of harmonised standards. Table 1 

lists the principal harmonised standards for footwear 

valid for Category II of the PPE Directive; Table 2 shows 

the harmonised standards for shoes belonging to Category 

III of the Directive. 

PFI Pirmasens has been a notifi ed body for foot and leg 

protection for many years, both for type examination 

and for examination of the fi nished personal protective 

equipment. PFI’s identifi cation number as an accredited 

test centre is 0193. The corresponding authorisation 

was reconfi rmed by the Central Offi ce of the German 

Federal States for Safety Technology (Zentralstelle der 

Länder für Sicherheitstechnik, ZLS) in 2013. PFI has ZLSapproved 

test centres in Pirmasens and Istanbul. 

New version expected at the end of 2013 

Only welders’ footwear belongs to Category II, 

Foundry footwear is of Category III

Harmonised standards for PPE footwear of Category III As of April 2013 

Standard Edition* Title of Standard Remarks 

EN 15090 2012 Personal Protective Equipment - Testing Methods for 

Footwear 

EN ISO 20349 2010 (2011) Personal Protective Equipment –Footwear Protecting 

against Thermal Risks and Molten Metal Splashes as Found 

in Foundries and Welding 

EN 50321 1999 (2000) Electrically Insulating Footwear for Working on Low-voltage 

installations 

* Values in parentheses indicate deviating date of publication of the German standard 

GS Mark 

The GS mark is a voluntary German mark for safe products. 

The legal basis is found in Paragraph 5 (Sections 

20 to 23) of the German Product Safety Act. The GS 

mark can be granted both for ready-to-use consumer 

products as well as for personal protection equipment; 

more stringent demands have to be met in the case of 

simultaneous CE marking. GS marking is possible only 

for personal protection equipment of Categories I and 

II of the directive. 

In addition to type examination, an examination of the 

fi nished PPE according to the criteria laid down by ZLS 

is required prior to awarding of the GS mark for safety, 

protective, and occupational shoes. This examination 

includes an initial inspection of the manufacturing 

sites and conducting of regular manufacturing tests. 

Moreover, compliance with the high standards regarding 

freedom of the products from hazardous substances 

(especially PAH, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 

and dimethyl fumarate) has to be demonstrated. 

01.2013 


The GS mark is awarded for a maximum period of fi ve 

years, and annual monitoring must be ensured. By way 

of exception, it is also possible to award the GS mark 

just for a particular production batch with specifi ed 

quantities and production periods. 

Consumer products such as normal outdoor shoes or 

bathing sandals must be subjected to a type approval 

test according to harmonised principles. With regard 

to inspections and freedom from hazardous substances 

the same procedures then apply as in the case of 

personal protective equipment. 

PFI Pirmasens is also an authorised GS mark awarding 

body. Recognition as an approved GS body was reconfi 

rmed by the Central Offi ce of the German Federal 

States for Safety Technology (Zentralstelle der Länder 

für Sicherheitstechnik, ZLS) in 2013. 

Further Information: 

PFI Certifi cation Body / Quality Management 

Dr. Markus Scherer 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 715 

E-Mail: cert@pfi -germany.de 

Thorsten Greiner 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 805 

E-Mail: cert@pfi -germany.de 

Only welders’ footwear belongs to Category II, 

Foundry footwear is of Category III 

New version in preparation 

19

20 

Newsletter RESEARCH 

Research Project on Injury Prevention 



Prolonged training at the limit frequently has painful 

consequences, as many a runner – whether crack 

athlete or “weekend warrior” – knows all too well. 

Sports injuries due to overuse or misloading are so 

common that they constitute a public health problem. 

Achilles tendon complaints are particularly common. 

That is why a research project has been initiated to 

develop technical solutions for injury prevention in 

running sports. The objective is to develop a concept 

for a “smart shoe” which would warn an athlete of impending 

danger of overuse and misloading and thus 

of possible injury. PFI and the Department of Sport 

and Exercise Science at the University of Stuttgart are 

collaborating in this project, which began in January 

2013 and will be concluded at the end of 2014. 

“Wearable computing“, “smart clothes“ or “e-textiles“ 

are future-oriented products: luminous and heatable 

jackets or gloves and T-shirts with WiFi signal strength 

indicators are already available thanks to integrated 

electronic components. Such systems are gaining acceptance 

not only in lifestyle products; athletes have 

also come to value the advantages of integrated pulse 

and blood pressure measuring devices. 

The German Joint Industrial Research (IGF) programme 

exists to facilitate the low-risk commercialisation of 

such systems by SMEs without their own R&D departments 

rather than only by global players. The Federal 

Ministry of Economics and Technology funds projects 

bridging fundamental research and industrial application 

though the IGF programme. IGF projects harness 

new technologies for an entire sector of industry to 

enhance the competitiveness of SMEs. 

“Intelligent” Shoe 

for Injury Prevention? 

Hobby and top athletes no longer rely solely on their 

subjective impression when selecting the load they 

subject themselves to in training. And even those who 

do not take their training to the limit make use of a 

“beeping” heart rate monitor to check their pulse. 

How about a shoe that can protect its wearer against 

a possibly long and frustrating injury break by beeping 

when danger threatens? 

Problems with the Achilles tendon are a classical consequence 

of overuse in runners. Shoe-based measures 

have so far failed to alleviate this problem. None of the 

tested modifi cations had a demonstrable clinical effect

in reducing overuse injuries. This called for a new approach: 

A “smart” or “intelligent” shoe could provide 

the solution, i.e. a shoe that warns athletes when they 

go beyond their personal limits and risk injury. 

PFI and the University of Stuttgart are now jointly 

developing a smart shoe concept in an IGF research 

project bearing the offi cial title ”Study of the Possible 

Integration of Modern Sensor Technology in Shoes for 

the Example of Avoiding Consequences of Overuse by 

Shoe-based Measures in Sport and Occupational Shoes 

– Sensor Control Running”. It was fi rst necessary to develop 

and test suitable measuring techniques and components 

for subsequent integration into the shoe. 

What Is Already Available and What 

Has to Be Developed 

Commercially available smart-shoe systems are only 

partly, if at all, suitable for gait analysis for running 

style optimisation. They only detect steps and positional 

data. They cannot provide information about 

individual load levels or about neuromuscular control. 

The system to be developed should permit the determination 

of individual anatomical characteristics and 

simultaneously offer the possibility of measuring the 

effects of changes to the shoe on the functional biomechanics 

of the ankle joint with the aim of preventing 

injury through overuse. 

Focus on Ankle Joint Axis, Impact 

Forces and Resulting Vibrations 

Individual anatomical variation of the ankle joint 

axes has frequently been discussed as a risk factor in 

the literature, but has never been considered in the 

modifi cation of running shoes. In 2006 scientists at the 

University of Stuttgart developed a method permitting 

non-invasive real-time in-vivo determination of 

the ankle joint axis in the fi eld. This new measuring 

technique allowed the fi rst observation of a statistical 

relationship between the individual joint anatomy 

(position of the joint axis) and the frequency of Achilles 

tendon problems in runners. 

01.2013 


A component discussed in the specialist literature 

which contributes to the occurrence of overuse injuries 

is the impact force acting on the heel which affects 

the entire lower extremity along the calf and thigh. In 

the past it was therefore attempted to minimise these 

impact forces by introducing larger damping systems 

in shoes. However, recent scientifi c fi ndings point to 

the positive effects of greater impact forces. Thus, a 

reduced stress on the Achilles tendon could be demonstrated 

during running on a hard surface with high 

impact forces. 

A measuring system permitting determination, during 

running, of the impact forces, the vibrations of 

the Achilles tendon, and the pronation and supination 

movements as well as the position of the axis (lower 

ankle axis) could make a crucial contribution to the development 

of preventative modifi cations of shoes. The 

dependence of the recorded data upon the individual 

position of the lower ankle axis could be determined 

with the aid of such a measuring system. 

In recent years, motion analysis has been used to determine 

the position of the subtalar joint axis. However, 

the measuring methods employed all require 

extensive equipment. The methods differ primarily 

with respect to the imaging technology and in the calculation 

of the position of the individual ankle axes. 

Because new data are so diffi cult to obtain, the 1969 

in-vitro fi ndings of Isman and Inman are used to this 

day in research as standard values for the position of 

the lower ankle axis. (The paper can the retrieved by 

googling “R.E. Isman and V.T. Inman, Anthropometric 

Studies of the Human Foot and Ankle”. The laboratory 

study was performed in 1969 on the ankle bones of 46 

cadavers.) 

21

22 


RESEARCH 

Research Project on Injury Prevention 



No Marketable Smart Shoe is Yet 

Available for Gait Analysis 

Several research groups are concerned with “Smart 

Clothes”, i.e. with the integration of electronics and 

microsystems engineering into clothing. The Massachusetts 

Institute of Technology (MIT) is heavily involved 

in the production of sensors and circuitry in and 

with textiles, and also in integration and energy supplies 

of electronic devices and sensors in and on shoes. 

MIT scientists have already published papers about 

shoes with electronic components. A shoe system for 

gait analysis has also been presented which sends realtime 

information to the wearer while walking. However, 

none of these solutions can be described as a 

marketable product. Nor do they offer suffi cient comfort 

because their dimensions of about 150×100×40 mm and 

their weight of 400 g make them too large and too heavy 

to be integrated into shoes. 

The goniometer attached to the ankle measures 

pronation and supination whereas the upper 

goniometer measures the bending of the knee joint 

“Miniature Gait Analysis Lab” 

in a Shoe 

The objectives of the PFI research project are: 

to develop a measuring shoe which records impact 

forces, Achilles tendon vibrations, and pronation 

and supination movements during running 

to determine the dependence of the Achilles tendon 

vibrations and the pronation and supination movements 

upon the control of individual calf muscles 

and upon the impact forces acting during each step 

to analyse the optimum impact forces for various 

axis positions of the lower ankle, for which the 

lowest vibrations of the Achilles tendon are recorded 

to develop axis-modifi ed shoes in order to minimise 

the vibrations of the Achilles tendon and to reduce 

the consequences of overuse in this area 

In this research project it is planned to identify values 

measured in and on a shoe with which misloads 

dependent upon individual joint anatomy can be detected. 

In addition, measuring systems suitable for 

integration into a shoe are to be designed and built. 

Simultaneously, technical measures for countering misloading 

in shoes are also to be developed. With the aid 

of the measuring systems, criteria are to be deduced 

for reliable diagnosis of pertinent predisposing factors; 

the effi cacy of corrective measures implemented 

in shoes is also to be assessed. 

Measuring systems and micro-electromechanical systems 

(MEMS) are to be developed to solve a specifi c 

problem and also to serve as reference for the development 

of footwear systems with which athletes can 

monitor their running style. The systems to be designed 

could also be useful in the search for the causes 

of misloading effects.

EMG stands for electromyography. 

EMG electrodes measure muscle activity 

One of the fi rst steps of the current project is to develop 

a MEMS-based measuring system for recording 

data that will serve as a basis for solving a biomechanical 

problem. A parallel task is to develop a system for 

active gait monitoring that is suitable for everyday use 

after integration into a shoe or an insole. 

In addition it is intended to demonstrate the feasibility 

of using the developed systems for measuring various 

gait parameters with suffi cient accuracy and for 

acquiring hitherto inaccessible data measured in the 

shoe to close interpretation gaps relative to the information 

that existing gait analysis systems can already 

provide. 

Innovative Contribution of the 

Expected Research Results 

EMG 

electrodes 

Goniometers 

Acceleration 

sensor 

The insights gained in the course of this research 

project will enrich our knowledge of how electronic or 

microsystem engineering products can be integrated 

into a shoe. They thus represent an important step in 

the study of assembly and connection engineering in 

the fi eld of textiles. 

The technological solutions hopefully to be developed 

on the basis of the project results could include 

a standardised diagnostic system for individual joint 

anatomies. Such a system could have a wide variety of 

applications: for example in rehabilitation training of 

stroke patients. Here a shoe system of this kind could 

help patients learn and adopt a physiologically correct 

01.2013 


gait by drawing their attention to deviations from the 

target gait pattern. Or for guidance in specialist sports 

stores, for assessing therapeutic measures in the or- or- orthopaedic 

footwear sector, for improved physiothera- 

peutic treatment, for planning and executing foot and 

ankle surgery, all the way to individualisation of the 

provision of ankle endoprostheses. 

Modifi cations for application to other joints (knees, 

hips) could lead to signifi cant improvements also in 

the extremely important clinical sector. 

Manufacturers of orthopaedic, occupational, and 

sports shoes will profi t directly from the results of the 

project. These will be presented in seminars held at 

the research centre, at conferences, and on the internet, 

and published in technical journals, newsletters, 

etc. They should also be communicated to sports associations 

organising sports in which athletes face the 

danger of injury of the lower extremities, such as football, 

handball, volleyball, or basketball. 

This project is funded by the German Industrial 

Research Alliance (AiF – Allianz Industrie 

Forschung) – Grant No. 17615 N. 


PFI Engineering 

Dipl.-Ing. Peter Schultheis 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 249040 

E-Mail: peter.schultheis@pfi -germany.de 

Ilka Meinert 

University of Stuttgart 

Department of Sport and Exercise Science 

Phone: +49 (0)711 685 68247 

E-Mail: ilka.meinert@inspo.uni-stuttgart.de 

23

24 


Research Project: New Design Guidelines for Street Shoes 

Dynamics 

in Design 

Shoes are far more than just fashion accessories. Their 

primary purpose is to provide functional support during 

walking. Insights into foot dynamics have so far 

only found their way into the development of sports 

shoes and special classes of footwear such as army 

boots. To this day, however, street shoes have been 

developed purely on the basis of statically determined 

foot measurements. The results obtained in the development 

of sports shoes are not directly applicable to 

street shoes because of substantial differences in the 

sequences of foot movements performed and in the 

forces that come into play. ISC and PFI are therefore 

working on a research project which should clarify 

whether the fi t of street shoes and leisure shoes could 

be signifi cantly improved if the design of lasts and 

shoes were to take account of the dimensional changes 

of the foot that occur during the walking cycle. 

To be able to move freely and unrestrictedly is one of 

the principal criteria that come to mind when people 

consider the question “What is quality of life?”. We 

all want to remain active and independent into old 

age. The health of our feet plays an important role 

here. We therefore place ever-greater expectations on 

our shoes, not only on sports shoes or special medical 

shoes: The function and fi t of everyday shoes and leisure 

shoes will also have to improve. 

The footwear market is a hotly contested market. We 

could even speak of oversupply. But there are huge 

differences in quality. Here it is essential for manufacturers 

to distinguish themselves from the broad mass 

of competitors. Above all, shoes produced by German 

or other European manufacturers which do not belong 

in the low-price sector have to score by offering 

outstanding features, for example excellent fi t and 

outstanding comfort in wear. 

RESEARCH 

Dynamic Aspects of Shoe Design – 

Ultimate Kick for Optimum Fit? 

The ISC and PFI research project could provide important 

insights. Hitherto, street shoes have been designed 

on the basis of statically determined foot measurements. 

That is because lasts are required for shoe 

production – and lasts happen to be static objects. All 

dynamic changes of the foot during the walking cycle 

have to be translated into static values and transferred 

to the last. 

Knowledge accrued from the study of foot dynamics 

has long been considered in the development of 

sports shoes where it has led to important evolutionary 

processes. However, what may be appropriate for 

special shoes developed for particular sports is not directly 

applicable to street shoes because different sequences 

of movements take place and different forces 

act. The question that arises is: Can the consideration 

of foot dynamics during the design of lasts and shoes 

signifi cantly improve the fi t of street shoes and leisure 

shoes? 

PFI: Large Foot Database 

Since it has very recently conducted major foot and 

leg measuring campaigns PFI possesses a wealth of 

extremely comprehensive and statistically reliable information 

about the static foot dimensions of the German 

population. PFI has also acquired experience in 

using these static values in last design. On the basis of 

this experience, the new project aims to determine the 

changes taking place in moving feet and to place the 

results at the disposal of the footwear industry – summarised 

as practically applicable design guidelines.

Differences in Individual Gaits 

In an initial step, gait analyses were performed and 

the dynamic values compared with the static values. In 

the mass production of shoes it is important to acquire 

data ensuring provision of well-fi tting shoes for a 

maximum number of persons. Classifi cation according 

to foot types is therefore necessary. So far the feet of 

about 70 test persons have been examined and static 

data initially captured with a 3D scanner. The pressure 

distribution on the sole of the foot during walking 

was then determined and the results supplemented 

by a synchronised video recording. These data are currently 

being evaluated. Considerable individual differences 

between the test persons are already apparent 

from the gait analyses. 

Heels Have an Enormous 

Infl uence on Gait 

The effect of a shoe on the movement of a foot is also 

included in the study. Since most street shoes are fi tted 

with heels, the infl uence of the latter was of considerable 

interest. Figure 1a shows the pressure distribution 

in a fl at shoe. The gait line begins at the heel, 

continues almost centrally to the ball region, and ends 

in the vicinity of the big toe. Figure 1b illustrates the 

pressure distribution in a shoe with a heel height of 70 

mm. The gait line is signifi cantly shorter and deviates 

from that of the fl at shoe. 

The results of these measurements should be considered 

in the development of lasts in order to better 

adapt street shoes to the dynamic demands of the 

foot. However, the research project is not limited to 

last design. The design of shoe uppers and shoe bottoms 

will also be included in the study in order to develop 

effective solutions. 

01.2013 


a b 

Pressure distribution in various shoes 

a: flat shoe 

b: High-heeled shoe 

If it proves possible to implement the fi ndings from 

the biomechanical studies in lasts and shoes which differ 

substantially from “conventional” products this 

will mean greater foot comfort for the customer and 

a signifi cant improvement in the competitive situation 

of the shoe companies which benefi t from this project. 

The project will be completed in 2014. 





Dr. Monika Richter, 

Phone: +49 (0) 6331 249027 

E-Mail: monika.richter@pfi -germany.de 

25

26 


Orthopadic Aids for Use in Footwear 

Improved Access 

to Material Properties 

Rising health care costs are a hot topic today and will 

remain so in the foreseeable future – a glance at the 

age structure of the German population shows why. 

Every effort is made to keep costs down. Savings are 

also planned for orthopaedic aids. For orthopaedic 

shoe technicians this translates into less money for 

each individual prescription. The question arises as to 

how orthopaedic aids can be designed more effectively. 

This in turn requires comprehensive information 

about important material parameters, but such information 

is not readily accessible. This defi cit should be 

rectifi ed by a PFI research project to compile a comprehensive 

database containing information about 

the parameters of materials used in orthopaedic footwear. 

The nature and structure of insoles and footbeds have 

to be individually adapted to the clinical picture presented 

by the foot of the patient to be treated. Choice 

of the right materials plays a key role here. Knowledge 

of the material properties is growing all the more important 

since the range of available materials has increased 

dramatically in recent years. Recent additions 

include, above all, synthetic materials designed specifi - 

cally for use in orthopaedic footwear. Which orthopaedic 

shoemaker uses what materials for which purpose 

nowadays depends almost entirely upon professional 

experience. A generally accessible database providing 

clear and comparable information about material 

properties simply does not exist. 

Dearth of Comprehensive 

Information about Materials 

The only material parameter hitherto generally available 

is the Shore hardness. But this parameter says 

nothing about the durability of the material, its shock 

absorption properties, its damping behaviour, or its resilience. 

Sports-medical studies have shown that it is precisely 

this kind of information that is important if a medical 

aid is to achieve the desired biomechanical effect. 

The material properties should also remain unchanged 

throughout the entire lifetime of the product. Information 

about this aspect has also so far been lacking. 

Lack of Information 

about Hygienic Properties 

And yet another shortcoming should be rectifi ed: Materials 

for orthopaedic aids are often selected without 

precise knowledge of hygienic aspects. Strictly speaking 

this knowledge is absolutely essential in view of 

the fact that such products are worn for prolonged 

periods and, depending upon the clinical picture, may 

also come into contact with infectious wound secretions. 

This implies a high risk of colonisation by bacteria 

and other microorganisms. On the one hand, 

infectious microorganisms impair the material and 

thus shorten the useful life of orthopaedic aids; on the 

other hand, and more seriously, the wearer can be reinfected 

again and again and is thus exposed to a massive 

health risk. So far there has been a lack of specifi c 

information about hygienic properties.

Greater Clarity: Which Material 

Has What Properties? 

The PFI research project aims to compile a material parameter 

database which would provide orthopaedic 

footwear technicians with information for more effective 

design of orthopaedic aids through optimum combinations 

of materials. Particular importance attaches 

to information about durability, damping properties, 

and resilience of the available materials. For example, 

the product lifetime will be improved if materials with 

the greatest durability can be selected. For orthopaedic 

footwear technicians this information has hitherto 

been inaccessible in such clear form permitting direct 

comparison of materials. 

The choice of material should be determined by the 

particulars of the patient (weight, clinical picture), the 

desired medical effect such as the damping properties, 

the durability (lifetime of the medical device), the 

walking speed, the intended use (e.g. treatment of 

clinical symptoms, in sport, in safety shoes). No measurable 

parameters have hitherto been available for 

these applications. 

01.2013 


A further objective of the project concerns elementary 

hygienic properties such as the behaviour of various 

materials and composites towards bacteria and microfungi 

(particularly yeasts and skin and nail fungi). 

The results should help orthopaedic footwear technicians 

in the choice of suitable materials, and should 

also fi nd a place in the design guidelines for orthopaedic 

aids. Consideration of microbiological parameters 

(hygienic aspects, minimising the risk of infection) will 

signifi cantly improve product quality and hence also 

the quality of life of the patients. 

Improved Therapeutic Effi ciency; 

Reduced Costs 

This database will make a contribution to reduction of 

costs and of the amount of material used while ensuring 

that the medical devices remain at least as effective 

as before. The provision of physical and microbiological 

material parameters should enable orthopaedic 

footwear technicians to combine materials for footbeds 

intended for a wide variety of purposes in such 

a way as to provide optimum patient treatment using 

even less material. 

The results could also provide good arguments for 

negotiations with health insurance organisations regarding 

the service life of orthopaedic aids and when 

a patient has a right to a replacement. 





Dr. Monika Richter, 

Phone: +49 (0) 6331 249027 

E-Mail: monika.richter@pfi -germany.de 

Measuring the Shore hardness 

27

28 


The protective toe caps of safety shoes offer protection 

against injuries caused by trapping and by impact. 

However, when employees work with handling 

vehicles such as fork lift trucks or pallet jacks accidents 

often occur in which the feet of the driver or 

operator are run over by a wheel of the vehicle. The 

consequences are frequently complex fractures which 

may heal only with diffi culty, if at all, and may impose 

serious life-long restrictions on the injured person. 

A new PFI research project will therefore 

examine how protective 

toe caps of safety shoes 

can be optimised specifi 

cally for cases in 

which the foot is 

run over. 

In addition to the standardised tests covered by DIN 

EN 20344 and DIN EN 20345, accident scenarios can occur 

in the everyday world of work that are simply not 

yet covered by any existing standard – the above-mentioned 

run-over accidents are an appropriate example. 

It is unclear whether today’s protective toe caps are 

designed to withstand the forces arising in run-over 

accidents and whether the protective function of the 

safety shoe is actually assured. This question is of particular, 

but not exclusive, relevance for protective toe 

caps made of plastic. The extent of injury sustained by 

a foot in a safety shoe with a protective toe cap is critically 

dependent upon the deformation of this toe cap 

under load. 

RESEARCH 

Adequate Protection in Run-over Accidents? 

Toe Cap Optimisation 

In a new AiF research project PFI will undertake studies 

to specify the loads occurring, their direction of action, 

and the damage to the toe cap when it is run over, as 

well as the limit values and requirements. The goal is 

to improve protective toe caps by adopting design and 

material measures which also offer protection in a runover 

accident. Moreover, the necessary test equipment 

should be listed and the test requirements formulated 

in preparation for standardisation of the protective 

function of protective toe caps in the case of run-over 

accidents. The results to be obtained in this research 

project should contribute to the further development 

of present-day protective toe caps and thus to further improvements 

in the protective function of safety shoes. 

The two-year project began on 1 January 2013. This 

project is funded by the German Industrial Research 

Alliance (AiF – Allianz Industrie Forschung) – Grant No. 

AiF 17636 N. 




Phone: +49 (0)6331 249040 

E-Mail: peter.schultheis@pfi -germany.de

Improved Precision 

New Electric Benchtop 

Lastometer 

The new electric PFI benchtop lastometer enables 

measurement of the extensibility of upper materials 

in accord with DIN EN ISO 17693:2005. This test provides 

important information about the behaviour of 

individual upper materials and of composite materials 

on lasting and during wearing. The device also permits 

assessment of the bursting strength of footwear 

zip fasteners according to DIN EN ISO 10717:2011. 

The new benchtop lastometer has an integrated control 

module which stores the measuring points required 

by the standard and evaluates them on conclusion 

of the measurement. An external feeler transmits 

the visually assessed levels of damage to the module 

where they are also stored. 

The advantage of the present lastometer over the mechanical 

predecessor device lies in its higher precision: 

In the mechanical model the dome is advanced by 

means of a spindle that has to be turned by an operator. 

This introduces a certain degree of imprecision because 

nobody is able to apply an absolutely constant 

turning force. The electronic speed control now permits 

the speeds specifi ed by the standard to be precisely 

maintained, thus greatly facilitating standardcompliant 

testing. 

Technical Data 

01.2013 


Footprint: ca. 200 × 200 mm (benchtop lastometer) 

ca. 200 x 450 mm (control box) 

Operating voltage: 230 V 50 Hz 

Power consumption: 100 VA 

Order No. 3150 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 249040 


29

30 


New Standards for New Product Properties 

Improved Penetration 

Resistance of Safety Shoes 

An improved protective function of safety shoes not 

only justifi es a higher price but also enhances the image 

of the manufacturer. However: New features also 

have to be effectively promoted, say by means of a 

corresponding test certifi cate. For example, if the penetration 

resistance of insoles for safety shoes has been 

optimised then a generally recognised test standard 

should ensure that this improvement can be convincingly 

communicated to the customer. This is the topic 

of a new two-year government-funded PFI research 

project that started on 1 April 2013. 

It is essential for many people to wear safety shoes 

when going about their daily work. Provision of safety 

shoes for employees demonstrably leads to a signifi - 

cant drop in industrial accidents. The high quality and 

innovative safety shoes produced by a number of German 

manufacturers have earned these companies a 

fi rm place in the market. In 2010 German manufacturers 

produced over four million pairs of safety shoes 

with leather uppers in a single year. 

In this new project, PFI will address the question of 

how the penetration resistance of insoles 

for safety shoes can be optimised and 

how this improvement can be demon- 

strated by new standards for product 

testing. If a shoe exhibits improved 

properties then generally recog- 

nised test standards evidencing these 

new features should also exist. The 

project focusses particularly on 

safety shoes of Classes S3 and 

S5. The fi nal report may possibly 

include recommendations 

for reclassifi cation of the protective functions of 

shoes and insoles. 

The project is expected to yield scientifi c insights into 

aspects of penetration resistance, proposals for new 

test methods (e.g. impact testing) for penetration resistant 

insoles, and suggested improvements regarding 

the use of modern materials for insoles and regarding 

shoe construction. The results obtained in the course 

of the research project should help secure a competitive 

advantage for German SMEs. 

This project is funded by the German Industrial Research 

Alliance (AiF – Allianz Industrie Forschung) – 

Grant No. AiF 17741 N. 




Phone: +49 (0)6331 249040 

E-Mail: peter.schultheis@pfi -germany.de

Making Life Simpler 

Self-lacing Shoe 

Germany‘s demographic development is plain for all 

to see: The population is getting older and older, and 

fewer and fewer people will soon be living in the 

country. The birth rate is continuing to fall, as is the 

number of people in employment. Older persons often 

suffer from restricted movement. This complicates 

everyday life, for example when lacing up shoes. Doing 

up shoes is also a problem for persons whose arms 

or fi ngers are missing, as well as for persons with 

back problems. A new PFI research project could bring 

relief here: The objective is to develop a concept for 

self-lacing shoes that functions without manual intervention. 

The innovative lacing system to be developed should 

be on a par with existing manual lacing systems 

with regard to fi t, security of closure, and fl exibility. 

It should be designed as a micro-electromechanical 

system since this would offer the greatest degree of 

fl exibility. The task of lacing is to be accomplished by 

appropriate actuator and sensor modules. The modules 

of the automatic lacing system should be as userfriendly 

as possible. 

To make it largely independent of an external power 

supply, the system should acquire its energy from the 

wearer’s walking motion. In addition, a cordless charging 

method is to be adapted which ensures a certain 

reserve energy and can charge the system to full capacity 

in fast-charge mode. 

01.2013 


The project includes the development of shoes and 

uppers that are easy to put on as well as special modules 

for energy generation and storage, actuator engineering, 

and integration of all these modules into 

the shoe. 

The insights expected from this project will simplify 

the everyday lives of numerous people. Innovations 

such as this hi-tech shoe will enable German SMEs to 

maintain and consolidate their position as leaders in 

the fi eld of modern technologies – such as low power 

concepts, energy harvesting, or ambient assisted living. 

The project is assigned considerable economic 

importance because of its potential benefi ts for orthopaedics, 

for geriatrics, and in the leisure sector. The 

two-year project started on 1 April 2013 and is funded 

by the German Industrial Research Alliance (AiF – Allianz 

Industrie Forschung) – Grant No. 17742 N. 

Futher Information 



Phone: +49 (0)6331 249040 


31

32 

Newsletter BIOTECHNOLOGY 

Inauguration of First Module Planned for Late 2013 

Pirmasens-Winzeln Energy 

Park Forges Ahead 

The renewable resources biogas plant in the Pirmasens 

Energy Park will be the most modern of its kind in the 

Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate. Changing legal 

and political conditions and the recent climate change 

debate necessitated a certain reorientation to meet 

new challenges. Such modifi cations take time but are 

indispensable for long-term success and testify to the 

innovative capacity and fl exibility of the organisation 

executing the project. To quote John Heywood: “Rome 

was not built in a day”. Inauguration of the fi rst module 

of the biorefi nery is scheduled for the last week of 

November 2013. 

How It All Began 

The original idea for the Pirmasens-Winzeln Energy 

Park dates back to 2008: The City of Pirmasens, the Pirmasens 

municipal utilities, a group of farmers from the 

region, and the Test and Research Institute had joined 

forces to get this forward-looking project up and running. 

It was planned to build three plants for material and 

energetic utilisation of biomass, specifi cally a wood gasifi 

cation plant, a biogas plant for renewable raw materials, 

and a fermentation unit for biogenic municipal 

waste, on a plot of land in Pirmasens-Winzeln. The Pirmasens 

municipal utilities were to build the wood gasifi 

cation plant, the farmers the biogas plant for renewables, 

and the City of Pirmasens the fermentation plant 

for bio-waste and other biogenic municipal wastes. 

The role of the Test and Research Institute was to provide 

scientifi c and technical advice for investors in the 

biogas units and to assume responsibility for processbiological 

monitoring of the biogas plants in the energy 

park. PFI also offered to monitor the quality of the 

“synthesis gas” produced by wood gasifi cation and to 

ensure the smooth running of the cogeneration plant 

envisaged for all three units. 

Preliminary Steps 

A roughly four-hectare plot of land on the southwestern 

perimeter of the Pirmasens-Winzeln industrial estate 

fi rst had to be purchased before the energy park 

could become reality. The purchaser was Bioenergie 

Pirmasens, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pirmasens 

municipal utilities. Owing to diverging interests of 

the previous owners, negotiations regarding the sale 

proved diffi cult and could only be completed in late 

2011. The two-year planning procedure involving the 

public was also completed by this time. It was then 

possible to start approval planning for the plants in 

early 2012. 

PFI had already provided technical advice and support 

in advance to potential investors. Thanks to this 

preparatory work, the Pirmasens municipal utilities 

were awarded a grant of €2.5m by the Federal State 

of Rhineland-Palatinate relatively quickly in 2010. The 

funding was provided by the European Regional Development 

Fund, ERDF. Between 2011 and 2012 the 

municipal utilities invited tenders for construction of 

the innovative wood gasifi cation plant. It became apparent 

that the high level of investment and the price 

of wood would preclude economic operation of this 

plant. Alternative technologies were then considered 

with respect to investment costs and funding possibilities. 

However, this led to a delay. And then the feed-in 

tariffs set by the government according to the German 

Renewable Energies Act became less attractive, whereupon 

the farmers’ interest in investing in a renewable 

resources biogas plant dwindled. Thus construction 

of the renewable resources biogas plant, which was 

to provide biogas for fi ring the central cogeneration 

plant, was called into question. 

PFI therefore jumped into the breach as investor for 

the renewable resources biogas plant in the Energy 

Park. In early 2012 PFI purchased 1.2 ha of the 4 ha site

ought for the overall project in 2011. Planning of the 

biogas plant could then begin. It had meanwhile also 

been decided to install a dedicated cogeneration plant 

for this biogas unit. 

Then more diffi culties arose: February 2012 saw a change 

in the legal situation and hence also a change of the 

body responsible for approval of biogas plants according 

to the Federal Immission Protection Ordinance (BImschV). 

The question of which government agency was 

indeed responsible for the renewable resources biogas 

plant in Pirmasens-Winzeln remained unresolved until 

August 2012. In September 2012 PFI could fi nally apply 

for an operating permit according to the Federal Immission 

Protection Ordinance. The government agency now 

newly involved in the approval process demanded extensive 

expert opinions regarding noise and odour levels as 

well as fi re safety. After careful scrutiny, approval for the 

biogas plants was granted in February 2013. 

Making Good Use of the Waiting Time 

PFI made good use of the “compulsory break” in the 

proceedings by considering what other forward-looking 

technologies could be integrated into the Energy 

Park. Thus it is planned to transform the renewable 

resources biogas plant stepwise into a biorefi nery. This 

would offer the possibility of producing bioplastics 

from straw and also of storing temporary surpluses of 

solar and wind energy as biomethane in the natural 

gas grid. PFI Biotechnology constructed test units in 

the engineering laboratory to gain experience with 

these innovative technologies. These developments 

are unique in Germany and will signifi cantly enhance 

the standing of the Pirmasens Energy Park when implemented. 

One of the three patent applications fi led 

in this connection has already been granted. 

In order to raise about €6m to invest in plant for produc- 

tion of bioplastics from straw, a Life+ application was 

submitted to the EU Commission in September 2012. 

01.2013 


A further application for funding of a plant for storage 

of surplus wind energy in the natural gas grid is in 

preparation. PFI has been able to win Pfalzgas GmbH 

as potent partner for the distribution and marketing of 

this innovative technology. This will further the industrial 

scale implementation of the process developed by 

PFI (see article on “Power-to-Gas” on page 38). 

In the wake of these latest developments, the Pirmasens 

municipal utilities have indicated their willingness 

to cooperate even closer with PFI. At the end of 

2012 the municipal utilities connected the Energy Park 

to the electricity and gas grids. Some 600 m of power 

line and piping as well as a transformer station were installed. 

PFI is now to undertake preliminary planning for modular 

extension of its renewable resources biogas plant to 

provide a 2-MW emergency power supply for the “Neues 

Feld” industrial estate. This alternative to the wood gasifi 

cation concept represents a more economical but no 

less innovative solution for meeting the set targets. 

With the aid of the Southwest Palatinate Machinery 

Ring, 3500 tonnes of maize and 1400 tonnes of sugar 

beet were harvested as biosubstrate in October 2012. 

Cooperation with the farmers has proved to be very 

smooth. Some farmers who had formerly expressed reservations 

about the project would now also like to supply 

substrate for the biogas plant. Fears that harvesting 

would be associated with high noise levels turned out 

to be largely groundless. Many people were surprised 

that harvesting was completed so fast – that should 

also hold for this year too. Coordination talks have already 

been held with the farmers and the machinery 

ring regarding the logistics of this year’s harvest of 5700 

tonnes of maize and 6000 tonnes of sugar beet. 


Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Benjamin Pacan 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 - 840 

E-Mail: benjamin.pacan@pfi -biotechnology.de 

33

34 


Why Squander Process Heat? 

Since January 2012 PFI has been participating together 

with Belgian and German partners in the W2PHeat 

Project, a joint project being undertaken within the 

framework of the CORNET programme, where COR- 

NET stands for Collective Research Networking and 

has the aim of networking national and regional 

programmes for collective research in Europe. Nine 

ministries and funding agencies from nine countries 

and regions are involved in ERA-NET CORNET, which 

is coordinated by the German Federation of Industrial 

Research Associations (AiF). The research results are 

made available to small and medium-sized enterprises 

(SMEs), which usually have limited research budgets. 

Part of the W2PHeat project concerns biotechnology 

and is a feasibility study on the utilisation of process 

heat in biogas plants by means of High Temperature 

Heat Pumps (HTHP). Results should become available 

by the end of 2013. 

BIOTECHNOLOGY 

Harnessing Waste Heat 

Process Analysis 

Waste heat from industrial processes is encountered 

in a wide variety of forms and at various temperature 

levels. How could the energy in this waste heat be harnessed 

instead of being squandered? Heat pumps as 

they are used in households absorb heat from a heat 

source and raise it to a higher temperature level using 

physical work. If the heat source is warmer than 90 °C, 

they are referred to as High-Temperature Heat Pumps 

(HTHPs). 

Effi cient deployment of HTHPs requires a knowledge 

of all fundamental data of the heat sources and heat 

sinks. To this end, three biogas plants and a sewage 

treatment plant producing methane and power with 

associated heat and power cogeneration plants were 

evaluated. These are the biogas plants at Bischheim, 

Heilbachhof, and Wallhalben and the Blümelstal sewage 

treatment plant. 

Fig. 1: Energy flows in a combined heat 

and power (CHP) plant

Detailed analysis revealed that deployment of an HTHP 

requires individual assessment for each plant. Not all 

biogas and sewage treatment plants will benefi t from 

an HTHP. Use of an HTHP makes sense only if the waste 

heat available can be used for further processes after 

appropriate upgrading by means of the HTHP. 

It can be seen in Fig. 1 that in this case about 30 percent 

of the energy content of biogas is present in water 

heated to 103 °C. An HTHP could upgrade this heat 

to a higher energy level, e.g. to 130 °C. Higher temperature 

levels can enhance the effi ciency of drying 

and biorefi nery processes. 

Biogas cooling 

and drying 

Water 

Biogas reactor 

with gasholder 

cooling 

Cold, dry biogas 

Heat pump 

Evaporator 

CHP 

Compressor 

Grid 

Electric power 

Condenser 

Expansion valve 

Heat 

Digestate 

dryer 

01.2013 


Detailed Planning for 

Utilisation of High Temperatures 

In the course of the W2PHeat project, attention is to 

be focussed on two specifi c processes with regard to 

use of an HTHP: 

A fermentation unit using straw for the production 

of xylitol, coupled with a biogas plant 

Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge 

First of all, the confi guration of the respective plant is 

schematised. All heat fl ows and heat requirements are 

considered. Integration of an HTHP in the processes 

could then be simulated. Starting from the products 

to be produced, an economic analysis was undertaken 

with the goal of generating a priority list of the processes 

which also considers additional environmental 

infl uences such as weather and time of year. In certain 

circumstances it may be necessary to heat a biogas reactor 

in winter and cool it in summer. For example, it is 

opportune to dry the digestate in the summer months 

because surplus heat is then available from the reactor. 

In the next steps, innovative control software for energetically 

optimised process operation is developed on 

the basis of the process dimensions and the priority list. 

Biorefi nery 

Fig. 2: Concept for use of a heat 

pump to harness reactor and 

biogas heat for drying digestates 

and for biorefinery processes 

35

36 


Why Squander Process Heat? 

Concept and Mode of Operation 

of the Heat Pump Installed in the 

PFI Biogas Plant 

Apart from the combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration 

plant, other heat sources are also present in 

the PFI biogas plant. An innovative biogas reactor generates 

heat fl ows in the range of 50 to 55 °C through 

metabolic action. The energy has to be removed by 

wall cooling and produces hot water. Moreover, cooling 

of biogas in the dome of the biogas holder also 

produces hot water. Now hot, these cooling water 

streams deliver their energy to the heat pump. Here 

it serves to evaporate a coolant. The temperature of 

the coolant is raised further by compression. This heat 

fl ow can be utilised, for example, to heat air by means 

of a heat exchanger to remove moisture from digestate 

in a digestate dryer. After having surrendered its 

energy in the heat exchanger, the coolant is further 

cooled by passage through an expansion valve. The cycle 

can then begin all over again. 

BIOTECHNOLOGY 

Harnessing Waste Heat 

Partners in the W2PHeat Project 

Digestate Drying 

with the Aid of an HTHP 

The thermal energy of a biogas plant reactor is generally 

released into the environment without being 

further utilised. PFI Biotechnology intends to facilitate 

energetically self-suffi cient operation of the biorefi nery 

through deployment of a heat pump. With this 

in mind, all the heat generated is to be captured, upgraded, 

and utilised. 

Digestate has a water content of about 94 percent and 

is therefore liquid. Statutory regulations require that 

the storage capacity of a biogas plant be designed 

in such a way that a digestate volume from up to six 

months’ operation can be stored. Traditional biogas 

plants therefore have huge digestate storage facilities 

which are more than twice the size of the actual 

fermenter. In addition, return of the digestate to the 

fi elds must also be considered. Depending upon the 

size of the plant, this can translate into hundreds of 

vehicle movements per year. Reduction of the water 

content from 94 to ten percent would thus not only 

greatly reduce storage requirements, but also reduce 

road congestion. 

Science Application 

Funding 

Partner im W2PHeat Projekt

Heat Requirements 

of Biorefi nery Processes 

Heat is required not only for digestate drying but also 

for the fermentation processes taking place in the biorefi 

nery. Before the coproduct of grain cultivation, i.e. 

straw, can be used for the manufacture of chemicals 

and energy it is subjected to physicochemical hydrolysis. 

This is performed at a temperature of 150 °C. The resulting 

solids then undergo enzymatic hydrolysis requiring 

a temperature of 55 °C. Fermentation of the 

sugars present at 37 °C yields the desired chemicals. 

Depending upon the product, subsequent purifi cation 

with drying at elevated temperatures will be necessary. 

This demonstrates the need for a wide range of 

heat levels, which can be provided by a heat pump and 

a thermal buffer system. 


01.2013 


Digestate Storage 

(2,500 m3 Digestate Storage 

(2,500 m ) 3 ) 

Fermenter (1,000 m3 Fermenter (1,000 m ) 3 Fermenter (1,000 m ) 

CHP 

Biogas plant at Wallhalben, Rhineland-Palatinate. 

The figure shows the difference in size between the 

fermenter (1,000 m3 ) and the provision for digestate 

storage (2,500 m3 Biogas plant at Wallhalben, Rhineland-Palatinate. 

). CHP = cogeneration plant / combined 

heat and power generation plant. 

Dr. Michael Müller 

PFI – Biotechnology and Microbiology 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 850 

E-Mail: michael.mueller@pfi -biotechnology.de 

More information about the project can be found on 

the internet: www.cornet-w2pheat.eu 

37

38 


Storage of Surplus Electric Power 

PFI Develops Powerto-Gas 

Technology 

In the course of its national “energy turnaround” Germany 

is engaged in stepwise reduction of greenhouse 

gas emissions and active promotion of renewable energy. 

The Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate has 

set itself particularly ambitious targets and intends to 

generate all its electric power from renewable resources 

by 2030. Time-of-day and time-of-year fl uctuations 

in the availability of wind and solar energy prove to be 

a serious challenge. There is therefore a demand for intelligent 

solutions to the problem of transforming and 

storing energy. This is where a state-funded joint research 

project undertaken by PFI and Mainz University 

kicks in. The objective is to develop a viable power-togas 

technology. The excess energy generated by wind 

turbines and solar installations is to be utilised in combination 

with the CO produced by biogas plants to 

2 

yield storable energy in the form of methane. 

Use of renewable energy resources for power generation 

advanced further in Rhineland-Palatinate during 

2012. Power from renewables meanwhile accounts for 

29 percent of the Federal State’s entire power generation. 

The main focus has been on wind energy, with 

the installed generation capacity increasing by 300 

megawatts, i.e. by some 11 percent, over the previous 

year. At the close of 2012 over 1,240 wind-driven power 

plants with an installed capacity of about 1.9 gigawatts 

were operating in Rhineland-Palatinate. There 

has also been a strong increase in photovoltaic power 

generation. Rhineland-Palatinate currently has more 

than 73,000 photovoltaic installations with a capacity 

of over 1.5 gigawatts. 

Problem: Insuffi cient Grid 

and Storage Capacities 

However, further expansion of the renewable energy 

sector is being held back – not only in Rhineland-Palatinate 

but in the whole of Germany – by limited grid 

capacities and the lack of storage facilities. In particular, 

the lack of storage capacities affects those energy 

sources which are subject to pronounced fl uctuations, 

i.e. precisely wind and solar energy. Thus the number 

of forced switch-offs of wind turbines owing lack of 

grid and storage capacity throughout Germany increased 

by almost 200 percent in 2011. A total of more 

than 400 gigawatt-hours of wind power were lost as 

a result.

This corresponds to the annual electricity consumption 

of about 100,000 households and is not a huge 

amount compared to overall energy consumption. 

Nevertheless: Increased use of wind and solar energy 

as a consequence of the nuclear power phase-out will 

lead to a huge medium-term increase of such losses if 

adequate storage capacity is not provided. 

One possibility of storing temporary surpluses of wind 

and solar energy is provided by the natural gas grid. 

According to calculations by the Fraunhofer Society, 

the German natural gas grid (including gas reservoirs) 

has a total storage capacity of more than 200 terawatt-hours. 

This would satisfy the electric power consumption 

of the whole of Germany (currently about 

600 terawatt-hours per year) for about four months. 

For sake of comparison: The German pumped storage 

hydro power stations have a storage capacity of only 

0.04 terawatt-hours and could supply power for just a 

few hours. 

Trickle-bed reactor for biogenic methane production 

in the PFI engineering laboratory 

01.2013 


Objective: Use of the Natural Gas 

Grid for Energy Storage 

In order to use the natural gas grid for storage, the surplus 

energy must fi rst be transformed into methane. 

The excess electrical energy can be used for electrolysis 

of water to produce hydrogen which can subsequently 

be reacted with carbon dioxide to yield methane. Various 

research and demonstration projects are currently 

based on the long-known concept of industrial methane 

synthesis (Sabatier process). However, this process 

has its drawbacks: Since it is a catalytic process it places 

high demands on the purity of the reactant gases hydrogen 

and carbon dioxide. This incurs costs for the 

supply of the CO required or application of sophisti- 

2 

cated purifi cation measures for the starting gases. 

Alternative Solution: 

Biosynthesis of Methane 

PFI and Mainz University are therefore pursuing an 

alternative approach. The objective is to develop and 

optimise a biotech process for the biosynthesis of 

methane from CO and hydrogen. It is assumed that 

2 

the overall effi ciency of industrial methane synthesis is 

similar to that of methane biosynthesis (both are close 

to 65 percent). In contrast to the industrial synthesis 

of methane, its biosynthesis with the aid of methaneproducing 

microorganisms is performed in a bioreactor 

specially developed by PFI. An engineering laboratory 

scale prototype of the reactor is presently being 

put into service in the Biotechnology Department (see 

image on the left). 

The roughly four-metre high reactor is of the trickle 

bed kind: The reactant gases enter from below whereas 

a countercurrent of liquid growth substrate trickles 

in from above. This facilitates fast mass transfer and 

high conversion rates. The reactor space is packed with 

special plastic bodies on which the microorganisms can 

grow. Thanks to various former projects, the project 

partners were able to acquire extensive experience 

in the propagation and culture of the various methane-producing 

bacteria. They actually have their own 

strain collection of methanogenic bacteria which are 

being tested in this project. 

39

40 


Storage of Surplus Electric Power 

PFI Develops Powerto-Gas 

Technology 

Bacteria Can Also Handle 

Unpurifi ed Biogas 

An important property of the microorganisms envisaged 

for the process is that they are largely insensitive 

to impurities present in the starting gases. Hence the 

growth and conversion rates are not impaired by nitrogen 

oxides or sulphur compounds present in the gas. 

Methane-producing bacteria of the genus Methanosarcina 

from the PFI bacterial strain collection 

Unpurifi ed biogas can therefore be used as starting 

material for the process. Nor are the bacteria subject to 

end-product inhibition by the methane to be formed. 

The CO fraction of the biogas can be converted di- 

2 

rectly into methane by reaction with electrolytically 

generated hydrogen. This represents a signifi cant advantage 

over industrial methane synthesis. Although 

biogas can also serve as starting material in the catalytic 

process, it must fi rst be purifi ed and dried in a 

sophisticated and expensive pre-treatment step. 

The biosynthesis of methane could even offer economic 

advantages over the conventional process. After 

successful conclusion of laboratory and engineering-laboratory 

scale studies by the end of 2013, the 

project partners hope to soon scale-up the process to 

the pilot scale. The ideal location for a demonstration 

plant would be the Winzeln Energy Park where the 

PFI biogas plant is currently under construction (see 

article on page 32). The project is being undertaken 

within the framework of the current ERDF programme 

(European Regional Development Fund) with fi nancial 

support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Climate 

Protection, Energy, and Regional Planning of the German 

State of Rhineland-Palatinate and the EU. 


Dr. Stefan Dröge 

PFI Biotechnology 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490-846 

E-Mail: stefan.droege@pfi -biotechnology.de

Supremely Successful Show 

PFI at 

BIOGAS 2013 

Plant operators, manufacturers, and designers, as well 

as farmers, engineers, and scientists from 36 countries 

converged on Leipzig to attend the 22nd 22nd BIOGAS AnAnnualnual Meeting and and Exhibition Exhibition held from 29 to 31 31 FebruFebruary. Some 450 companies, including PFI Biotechnology, 

had a stand at the show. PFI Biotechnology regards its 

participation in BIOGAS 2013 as a huge success and is 

sure to be present at the 2014 event in Nuremberg. 

This year the Biotechnology Department of the Test 

and Research Institute exhibited for the second time at 

the BIOGAS show with a far larger stand than in 2012. 

Here the department was able to inform a specialist 

audience about its numerous research projects in the 

fi eld of energetic and material utilisation of biomass. 

PFI Biotechnology’s extensive service and consultancy 

programme for operators of biogas plants was also 

showcased. 

The PFI team was very pleased with the excellent visitor 

traffi c at the PFI stand. The BIOGAS show offered 

an ideal platform for keeping in touch and making 

new contacts with potential clients. Interesting conversations 

about collaborative research projects were 

struck up with representatives of industry and universities 

and other research establishments from Germany 

and other countries. 

01.2013 


PFI Biotechnology is convinced: Biogas 2013 was a 

great success. An exhibition stand has therefore been 

planned for the next BIOGAS show, to be held at Nuremberg 

from 24 to 26 January 2014. 

41

42 


EU Research Proposals 

PFI Biotechnology Intensifi es 

European Level Activities 

PFI has set its sights on EU funding. The Biotechnology 

Department, for example, has submitted a number 

of research proposals to Brussels since August 2012. 

If they are approved it would mean that PFI will be 

working within a European framework to a much 

greater extent than ever before. Although evaluation 

of the proposals is still in progress, PFI Biotechnology 

remains confi dent about its prospects of success. The 

individual projects are outlined below. 

LACTOFUEL 

LACTOFUEL is the name given 

to a project entitled “Fermentative 

Production of Butanol Using 

Waste Products from the Cheese Industry”, which has 

been submitted to the funding initiative EuroTransBio. 

The objective of this collaborative project is to study 

the fermentation of whey to form butanol and to develop 

an appropriate industrial process. This is much 

in the spirit of the EU’s call to promote utilisation of 

substrates for biofuel production which are not in confl 

ict with food production. The resulting bio-butanol is 

to be used as automotive fuel because butanol offers 

many advantages over ethanol: 

it is less volatile and less explosive 

it can be mixed with petrol in all proportions 

Present-day car engines can even burn 100 percent 

butanol without any need for technical modifi cations 

it is hydrophobic and can therefore be transported 

in pipelines 

its energy content is comparable with that of petrol 

The process to be developed in the LACTOFUEL project 

is sustainable and uses whey as substrate. Whey is a byproduct 

of the dairy industry and has hardly any uses 

apart from animal feed. 

LACTOFUEL is a collaborative project with the following 

partners: 

Inbiolev SL (Spain) – Coordinator 

Intertek (Spain) 

Reiner Schmitt GmbH (Weselberg, Germany) 

SilverCar Prototipos SL (Spain)

CORNET Projects 

BIO-EOL 

The BIO-EOL project entitled “End-of-life Possibilities 

of Biopolymer-based Consumer Products” was submitted 

jointly by PFI and the project partner CENTEXBEL, 

the Belgian Textile Research Centre. The objective is 

to identify recycling methods for biobased and biodegradable 

plastics and plastic-natural fi bre composites. 

The market share of these materials still lies below 

one percent, yet a steady increase is expected in the 

near future. Early consideration and development of a 

sustainable system for retaining these materials in the 

recoverable substance cycle are therefore of considerable 

importance. 

01.2013 


CENTEXBEL will concentrate on traditional recycling 

methods and study the behaviour of the plastics on 

repeated melting and injection moulding, while PFI 

Biotechnology will consider fermentative recycling. 

Various approaches can be adopted here. On the one 

hand, appropriate treatment of the material can transform 

it into feedstock for fermentative production of 

new polymers; on the other hand, the material can be 

transformed by bacteria into biogas and energy. This 

would avoid composting. In the composting process, 

the material is converted into humus and then resides 

in the environment until, after about one year and 

input of a large amount of solar energy, plants have 

grown which are again used to make new materials in 

a sophisticated production process. Biotechnology offers 

a short cut: new biopolymers could be made available 

in just a few days. If this is not feasible, then it is 

always possible to produce biogas as a means of energetic 

utilisation whereas the energy generated during 

composting is released unused into the environment. 

World Plastics Materials Production 2011 

w/o Other Plastics (~ 45 Mtonne) * 

*Includes Thermoplastics, Polyurethanes, Thermosets, 

Elastomers, Adhesives, Coatings and Sealants and PP- 

Fibers. Not included PET-, PA- and Polyacryl-Fibers. 

Source: PlasticsEurope Market Research Group (PEMRG) 

43

44 


EU Research Proposals 

PFI Biotechnology Intensifi es 

European Level Activities 

HP4Drying 

HP4Drying follows on from the current W2PHeat 

project (see article on page 34). HP4Drying stands for 

“Energetic and Environmental Optimisation of Drying 

Processes by Integration of Heat Pumps (Heat Pumps 

for Drying)”. As indicated by the title, this project concentrates 

on drying with the aid of heat pumps. The 

project covers a whole range of industries. In addition 

to digestate and sewage sludge drying, attention will 

also be paid to the drying of textiles, laundry, wood, 

herbs, and foods. 

Drying is an energy-intensive process and the objective 

is to make it more effi cient and cost-effective through 

utilisation of waste heat. For example, waste heat at 

about 50 °C can be upgraded by means of a heat pump 

to a temperature of about 90 °C. This temperature 

level is suitable for use in other processes. Part of this 

project will be to consider, evaluate, and demonstrate 

the possibilities offered by digestate drying at a biogas 

plant. 

BIOTECHNOLOGY 

The following partners are participating 

in the project: 

Belgium 

Flemish User Group 

Howest, De Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen Kortrijk 

Belgian Institute for Wood Technology - CTIB - TCHN 

Technisch Centrum der Houtnijverheid - TCHN 

Centre Technique de l‘Industrie du Bois – CTIB 

Université de Liège 

Université Libre de Bruxelles – 4MAT Department 

Universiteit Gent 

Germany 

Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik Potsdam-Bornim e. V. 

Institut für Textil- und Verfahrenstechnik (ITV) der 

Deutschen Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung 

Denkendorf (DITF) 

Institut für Ziegelforschung Essen e. V. 

Fraunhofer-Institut für Holzforschung, 

Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut, WKI 

wfk - Cleaning Technology Institute e.V.

Accu-meter 

Another area of expertise of PFI Biotechnology, the 

energetic assessment of buildings, is already being applied 

in connection with the climate protection subprogramme 

of the City of Pirmasens, which is funded 

by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature 

Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The CORNET 

project “Automated Continuous Commissioning for 

Building Energy Profi le Assessment and Improvement” 

will make use of this specialist knowledge to develop 

an innovative software package which uses artifi cial 

intelligence to control the heating and ventilation systems 

in buildings, depending upon the weather, wellbeing 

parameters, and economic aspects. 

Thermal-engineering optimisation of buildings is currently 

performed by applying constructional measures 

and/or by installation of modern heating systems. The 

Accu-meter project goes one step further and optimises 

the measurement and control engineering of the 

system, thereby achieving considerable energy savings. 

The project opens with a measuring campaign in Belgian 

and German schools and public offi ce buildings. 

All data of possible use for simulation and modelling 

of the control system are collected. This will then be 

tested under practical conditions. 

01.2013 


The project coordinator is PFI. The following partners 

are involved: 

Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen 

und Umformtechnik IWU (Germany) 

Kennis Centrum Energy – KU Leuven (Belgium) 

Thomas More Kempen (Belgium) 


Dr. Michael Müller 

PFI – Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 850 

E-Mail: michael.mueller@pfi -biotechnology.de 

Toilet block of a school at the week end: windows 

tilted open and radiators turned full on. Situations 

like these can be avoided by modern control systems 

45

46 

Newsletter CHEMISTRY 

Contact Allergies Caused by Footwear? 

Hunt for Allergens 

The frequency with which footwear manufacturers 

and retailers approach PFI with requests for help 

because consumers blame footwear as the cause of 

itching feet and blisters is steadily increasing. In some 

cases customers even submit allergy ID cards showing 

that their treating physician has been able to identify 

an allergenic substance. A subsequent laboratory 

search for the allergen in the article under suspicion 

is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Why is this 

so and what makes identifi cation of the substance responsible 

for the allergic reaction so very diffi cult? 

Some 30 to 40 percent of the population of Germany 

is affected by at least one allergy. 

Prevalence of allergies in the population 

30 % Respiratory tract allergies 

10 % Drug allergies 

5 to 7 % Food allergies 

7 % Contact allergies 

2 to 3 % Insect sting allergies 

An allergy is an exaggerated response of the immune 

system. Its principal task is to recognise environmental 

toxins, irritants, and foreign organisms – such as 

bacteria – and to effectively protect us against them. 

It is constantly monitoring the entire organism and is 

on the lookout for “intruders”. Anything the immune 

system regards as “foreign” will initially be classed as 

an “intruder”. This will not always be a harmful substance 

in the sense of a toxin. It may be a “perfectly 

normal” food ingredient or fragrance. 

The immune system is particularly active at those parts 

of the organisms most likely to come into contact 

with the environment, such as the skin, mucous membranes, 

or the gastrointestinal tract. It ensures that 

the “intruders” can do no damage. This non-specifi c 

protective mechanism normally proceeds completely 

unnoticed and without any bodily reaction. 

What Causes an Allergy and When Is 

an “Intruder” an “Allergen”? 

If the burden placed on the human body by intruders 

is extreme and the situation possibly compounded by 

physical or psychological stress, the immune system is 

compelled to mobilise additional forces to counter the 

attack. This “reinforcement” can offer a signifi cantly 

greater defence potential. The effects can manifest 

themselves as reddening of the skin, infl ammation, or 

tissue damage. If the immune system overreacts in this 

way, the intruder triggering the reaction is designated 

as an “allergen”. 

Once the immune system has combatted a given “allergen” 

it “memorises” precisely that allergen in order 

to react rapidly on renewed contact (immunity). This 

process is also described as sensitisation. Renewed contact 

with the allergen can then trigger a very powerful 

defence reaction. Allergic immunity is thus primarily 

a defence mechanism against intruders lurking in the 

environment. 

In the case of a “massive attack” by allergens the defence 

reactions can even give rise to damage. Starting 

with reddening via hive formation and itching all the 

way to respiratory distress or circulatory complaints, 

in extreme cases the result may be a 

so-called anaphylactic shock, possibly 

even with fatal consequences.

Above all, products or materials in permanent direct 

contact with the skin often cause allergic diseases. Even 

minimal amounts of an allergen may suffi ce to trigger 

further allergic reactions of a sensitised system. 

Sweat and moisture also play an important role in the 

wearing of shoes, gloves, or leather bracelets. They 

create a local environment in which uptake of an allergen 

by the body actually becomes possible. Only then 

can it develop its allergic potential. 

Examples of Typical Allergens 

in the Footwear and Leather Sector 

Allergens Relevant 

introduced by: materials: 

Tanning agents Leather 

e.g. chromium VI, formaldehyde, 

glutaraldehyde 

Preservatives Leather, textiles, board, fi bres 

e.g. formaldehyde, dimethyl 

fumarate, heavy metals 

Dyestuffs Leather, textiles, board, fi bres 

e.g. disperse dyes, 4-aminoazobenzene, 

p-phenylenediamine 

Adhesives All cemented materials 

e.g. tert-butylphenol-formaldehyde 

resin, thiurams, rosin 

Heavy metals Metal components, e.g. nickel 

Leather, e.g. chromium 

Textiles, e.g. antimony 

Plastics additives Plastics and rubber 

e.g. mercaptobenzothiazole, 

phenol-formaldehyde resin 

01.2013 


How Is an Allergen Identifi ed? 

Most of the allergens encountered in the footwear and 

leather sector belong to the so-called contact allergens. 

That means that the bodily reaction occurs where contact 

with the allergen has taken place. Typical contact allergens 

are nickel and chromium VI. Some 15 percent of the German 

population has a nickel allergy. That makes nickel the 

allergen responsible for by far the most contact allergies, 

followed by dyestuffs, chromium VI, and formaldehyde. 

Patch test 

If a skin reaction occurs immediately after wearing of 

the article then a skin irritation can initially be assumed. 

Typical allergic skin reactions to a contact allergen, such 

as eczema and blistering, do not appear until after 

about three days. If the focal point of the reaction cannot 

be unequivocally assigned to an allergenic source, 

whether on the basis of its localisation or on the basis 

of its appearance and size (e.g. round like a trouser button), 

it will be diffi cult to identify the actual eliciting 

agent. The allergen is not always to be found in the 

material itself, such as leather, textiles, or plastics. Cemented 

areas, sewing threads, labels, or subsequently 

applied preservatives are often the culprits. 

47

48 


Contact Allergies Caused by Footwear? 

Hunt for Allergens 

If a case of contact allergy is suspected, the treating 

physician will fi rst perform a patch test in which possible 

allergens are applied to the skin. A skin reaction 

may be observed after about three days. This may well 

help to narrow down the search for the cause of an 

allergy. However, since the range of possible allergens 

in the footwear and leather sector is so large, it often 

proves impossible to unequivocally identify the allergy-eliciting 

substances in an individual case. 

It should also be borne in mind that almost any substance 

can lead to an allergy in individual cases. Hence 

it does not always have to be a known potential allergen 

that induces an allergy. A single allergen will often 

be insuffi cient to cause a severe reaction. It sometimes 

happens that an allergenic potential only develops 

when a substance is present in a mixture with other 

allergens. Even a positive patch test undertaken by a 

physician merely indicates that the patient shows an 

allergic reaction to the tested allergen. However, such 

a patch test does not provide conclusive proof that the 

allergen identifi ed is in fact that allergen that actually 

induced the allergy. An additional medical approach 

for homing in on the responsible allergen would be 

to test the suspected allergy-inducing materials on the 

patient herself or himself. 

Dramatic Example: 

Dimethyl Fumarate 

Just how diffi cult the identifi cation of an allergen can 

be is illustrated by the case of the mould inhibitor 

dimethyl fumarate (DMF), formerly used in anti-mould 

sachets to protect leather and textiles, and which has 

been banned in the EU since May 2009 after related 

deaths in France. Here too, considerable time elapsed 

before the actual allergen was discovered: A young 

man became seriously ill. The symptoms were skin 

rashes and lung problems. The cause was unknown 

and the illness led to his death. Shortly afterwards his 

father showed the same symptoms; he also died. 

CHEMISTRY 

It was only when the family cat also died that suspicion 

fell on an armchair that was fi rst used by the son 

and then by the father. After the father’s death it was 

taken over by the cat. The cause of the deaths was an 

upholstered chair stuffed with desiccant sachets containing 

the anti-mould agent DMF. 

The hunt for the allergy-eliciting substance in the 

laboratory is just as diffi cult. All available information 

about the allergic reaction such as that provided by an 

allergy ID card, photos, and so on is fi rst evaluated to 

narrow down the search for the allergen. In addition, 

the suspected article is examined to limit the number 

of relevant materials and to identify possible local 

pressure or moisture hotspots. The laboratory search 

is certainly simplifi ed if typical allergens such as nickel, 

chromium VI, dyes, or formaldehyde are concerned. 

However, if attention is focussed on adhesive or plastic 

allergens which may be present in footwear or leather 

at very low concentrations, quantitative laboratory 

analyses often come up against the limits of detection, 

meaning that detection is not always possible. 

PFI offers a range of possible tests for potentially allergenic 

substances. We would be pleased to advise you 

regarding these tests. 

Contact 

Dr. Ines Anderie 

Deputy Head of Department 

Analytical Chemistry and Research 

Phone: +49 6331 2490 712 

E-Mail: ines.anderie@pfi -germany.de

Denmark Proposes Restrictions 

On 20 January 2012, Denmark submitted to the European 

Chemicals Agency (ECHA) a report pertaining 

to Annex XV of the REACh regulation 1907/2006/EC 

proposing to restrict chromium VI in leather articles. 

The Danish document proposes that leather articles in 

prolonged or repetitive direct contact with skin shall 

not be placed on the market if they contain chromium 

VI compounds in concentrations equal to or exceeding 

3 mg/kg. 

The six-month public consultation period, during 

which interested parties could submit comments on 

the proposed restriction, ended on 16 September 2012. 

During this period the Risk Assessment Committee 

(RAC) and the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis 

(SEAC) of ECHA initiated the opinion-forming process 

concerning the health and environmental impact and 

the fi nancial consequences of such a restriction. 

ECHA recently published the opinions reached by the 

two committees, both of which propose a further 

tightening of the ruling put forward by Denmark. 

The draft prepared by both committees proposes that 

leather articles coming into contact with the skin shall 

not be placed on the market if they contain chromium 

VI compounds in concentrations exceeding 3 mg/kg. 

The committees deleted the limitation “prolonged or 

repetitive contact with the skin” and extended the 

proposed ruling to all processed leather coming into 

contact with the skin. This means, for example, that 

shoe uppers without direct skin contact, appliqués, 

and labels would be affected by this ruling. 

01.2013 


Chromium VI in Leather Articles 

The fi nal text is being prepared by the European Commission. 

Inclusion of new restrictions on chromium VI 

compounds present in leather articles in Annex XVII is 

expected for the autumn of 2013. It remains to be seen 

whether the European Commission follows the original 

proposal of Denmark (identical with the German 

Consumer Goods Ordinance) or adopts the tougher 

formulation of the restriction proposed by the two 

committees. 


Dr. Michael Knauer 


Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 717 

E-Mail: michael.knauer@pfi -germany.de 

49

50 


Undesired By-product in Foamed Polymers 

The Formamide Problem 

Consumer products made of plastic have become indispensable 

features of our everyday world. Plastic 

materials have an almost infi nite range of applications. 

This is primarily due to their outstanding and 

highly versatile properties, ranging from their UV 

stability via their insulating or damping action all the 

way to their waterproof nature. The fl ip side of the 

coin is that plastics can contain substances that are 

hazardous to health – as considered for the example 

of formamide in this article. Testing of product safety, 

which falls within the remit of the Analytical Chemistry 

Department of PFI, serves the interests of consumer 

protection and provides assurance for manufacturers 

and retailers that their goods are in order. 

Entirely in keeping with the PFI motto “Quality Means 

Safety“. 

Colourful puzzle mats made of EVA (ethylene vinyl 

acetate) are very popular as toys for toddlers. EVA is 

light, elastic, and also extremely tough. These puzzle 

mats are therefore also popular as shock-absorbing 

gym mats on which children can let off steam. Yet are 

these EVA mats entirely safe? 

Examples of foamed polymers 

CHEMISTRY 

Not always, unfortunately. Back in 2009 a Belgian 

consumer journal reported on a substance which had 

been found in EVA puzzle mats, where it had no place 

to be. The substance concerned is methanamide, better 

known as formamide. 

Formamide belongs to the class of the carboxamides 

and is classifi ed as a Catagory 2 reprotoxic CMR substance 

(CMR stands for carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic). 

Thus formamide is a hazardous substance which 

has no business at all to be in consumer products. Yet 

formamide is repeatedly found in such products. 

Formamide – an Undesired 

By-product 

Formamide is not used as a starting material in the 

production of plastics. It arises as a by-product in the 

production of foamed polymers, specifi cally on use of 

foaming agents such as azodicarbonamide. 

Thus it can happen that an end product is contaminated 

with formamide. Residual amounts of unused 

foaming agent in the product harbour the danger of 

ongoing release of additional formamide – among 

other things through the action of heat. 

Formamide enters the ambient air through outgassing 

from the products concerned. Consumers are therefore 

exposed to the danger of inhaling the substance 

over a prolonged period. In addition, the substance 

can enter the body through the skin and the mucous 

membranes. Babies and toddlers are at particular risk 

owing to their thinner skins.

Foaming agent 

H 2 N N 

O 

O 

N NH 2 

Azodicarbonamide 

Absence 

of Statutory Limits 

No legal limit presently exists for formamide. Some EU 

Member States such as Belgium, France, and Luxembourg 

reacted as early as 2009 and prohibited the sale 

of puzzle mats contaminated with formamide. Meanwhile 

these bans have been partly relaxed. In France, 

for example, puzzle mats may be sold if their formamide 

content does not exceed 200 mg/kg. No such ban 

exists in Germany. 

However, a general ban will be introduced for CMR 

substances when the new Toy Safety Directive 2009/48 

EC comes into force in July 2013. 

Since June 2012 formamide 

has also been included in 

the SVHC candidate list of 

the European Chemicals 

Agency (ECHA) and is thus 

classifi ed as a substance of 

very high concern. 

Formamide sample 

Foaming process 

Cleavage product 

NH 2 

O 

Formamide 

01.2013 


Example of formamide 

formation 

SG Mark and CADS 

Offer Additional Protection 

An especially “perfi dious” characteristic of formamide 

is its lack of odour. It is impossible for consumers themselves 

to detect whether products contain formamide. 

Instead they have to rely on voluntary quality controls 

by the manufacturer and checks performed by public 

institutions. 

The SG mark awarded for products tested for hazardous 

substances or testing in accordance with CADS 

stipulations ensures improved consumer protection. 

CADS – Cooperation at DSI is an association of wellknown 

manufacturers and suppliers to the footwear 

industry and retailers and trading companies active in 

the textile and footwear sector. 

Numerous manufacturers and suppliers adopt a highly 

responsible position and defi ne their own limit values 

to fi ll the gap in the existing legislation. Thus PFI frequently 

assesses formamide levels determined in products 

according to particular client specifi cations. 

The PFI analytical chemistry team can reliably detect 

and quantify formamide thanks to a validated analytical 

procedure and thus protect consumers against 

health hazards. Entirely in accord with the PFI motto 

“Quality Means Safety“. 


Oliver Haubrich 

Chemical Testing and Research 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 710 

E-Mail: oliver.haubrich@pfi -germany.de 

51

52 


At the beginning of 2013, PFI and TÜV Rheinland completed 

regular revision of the stipulated values for 

the SG certifi cation mark. The new test criteria have 

been valid since March and replace those dating from 

11/2011. There have been a number of updates and 

changes since the previous values were published. 

All products for which the SG mark is to be awarded 

have to be tested for a number of additional substances. 

Thus bis(tributyltin) has been included in the organotin 

compounds and the list of phthalates has been 

extended to include four additional compounds. 

Octylphenol, octylphenol ethoxylate, and the preservative 

triclosan have been newly included in the test 

criteria catalogue for all natural materials and textiles. 

Moreover, leathers and adhesives are now tested for 

1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The contents of the 

heavy metals lead and cadmium are now monitored 

in metallic components, while the presence of formamide 

is now checked as a new parameter in plastics. 

CHEMISTRY 

Tests for Additional Substances 

Revised Catalogue 

of SG Test Criteria 

The limit values for the preservatives 2-(thiocyanomethylthio)benzothiazole 

(TCMTB), 4-chloro-3-methylphenol 

(CMK), 2-phenylphenol (OPP), and 2-octylisothiazol-3-(2H)-one 

(OIT) have been individually modifi 

ed on the basis of recent health hazard studies. 

The catalogue of criteria for the SG mark has once 

again been completely updated and includes further 

substances suspected of having a negative impact on 

health and the environment. 

The current catalogue of SG test criteria is available to 

all interested parties on the Institute’s home page as a 

pdf download under ”Chemical Expertises”. 




Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 717 


Web: www.pfi -germany.de

The SVHC Candidate List (Substances of Very High 

Concern) keeps on growing and now includes 138 

substances (as of 19.12.2012). On 4 March 2013 the 

European Chemicals Agency ( ECHA) proposed ten further 

substances for inclusion in the list as potential 

substances of very high concern. The period of public 

consultation came to a close on 18 April 2013. It now 

remains to be seen which of the ten substances will 

actually be included as SVHC candidates. 

With regard to their relevance for the production 

of footwear and leather goods, some of these compounds 

proposed for inclusion in the SVHC candidate 

list are not expected to exceed the concentration limit 

of 0.1 percent by mass. 

This applies to the listed benzotriazole derivates 2-(2Hbenzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(tert-butyl)-6-(sec-butyl)-phenol, 

2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4,6-di-tert-pentylphenol, 2,4di-tert-butyl-6-(5-chlorobenzotriazol-2-yl)-phenol, 

and 

2-benzotriazol-2-yl-4,6-di-tert-butylphenol, which are 

used as UV stabilisers in plastics. 

Nor is it expected that cadmium and cadmium oxide 

will exceed the concentration limit, provided that no 

cadmium-containing pigments (yellow and orange 

tones) are used. 

01.2013 


ECHA Lists Ten More Substances 

SVHC Candidate List Grows Longer 

It is conceivable that four of the proposed compounds 

may be present in products at concentrations in excess 

of 0.1 percent by mass. Their presence should therefore 

be queried all along the supply chain. These substances 

are dipentyl phthalate, used as a plasticiser in 

plastics, and the surfactant 4-nonylphenol ethoxylate, 

as well as pentadecafl uorooctanoic acid (PFOA), used 

in water- and oil-repelling fi nishes, and its ammonium 

salt. The current list can be viewed on the Internet: 

http://echa.europa.eu/web/guest/candidate-list-table 




Phone: +49 (0)6331 2490 717 


53

54 


Standard methods hitherto used to test the effi cacy of 

antibacterial fi nishes for footwear and footwear components 

were originally developed for textiles or sheet 

plastics. They could not be applied without modifi cation 

to testing in the footwear sector. This gap in the standards 

landscape has now been closed: The new standard 

DIN EN ISO 16187 distributed as a draft in 2012 offers 

a procedure for testing antibacterial effi cacy which has 

been optimised for the footwear industry. 

State-of-the-art materials with antibacterial fi nishes are 

used in many applications to minimise undesirable phenomena 

resulting from the presence of bacteria. They 

are also used in footwear and footwear components. 

Quality control of products marketed with such claims 

will include a test for antibacterial effi cacy. This test is 

performed on randomly selected samples before the 

goods are offered for sale. 

Problems Associated with the Previous 

Test Procedures 

The test procedures used until now were originally developed 

for certain materials such as textiles or sheet 

plastics (ISO 22196). They could only be used for footwear 

with restrictions or with appropriate modifi cations. 

Just one modifi ed standard method (ASTM E 

2149 mod., PFI 10/2004) was available for testing composite 

materials and complex footwear components. 

Working Group 1 (WG 1), which was founded in 2010 

by Technical Committee ISO/TC 216 Footwear, concerns 

itself with microbiological aspects and has therefore 

developed a new standard: DIN EN ISO 16187 

Footwear - Test Methods for Uppers, Linings, and Insocks 

- Antibacterial Activity. This standard is based on 

proven test methods and pays attention to necessary 

modifi cations. 

MICROBIOLOGY 

Testing the Effi cacy of Antibacterial Finishes 

for Footwear and Footwear Components 

New International Standard 

– DIN EN ISO 16187 

This standard, which was developed for a wide range 

of appropriately fi nished footwear components – such 

as upper materials, linings, insocks, or outsoles – and 

for all kinds of footwear, serves for quantitative determination 

of antibacterial action with the active agent 

remaining immobilised and not subject to diffusion. 

Test Microorganisms 

The test method comprises independent examinations 

of activity towards a gram-positive bacterium 

and towards a gram-negative bacterium, which differ 

fundamentally on their cell structure. True antibacterial 

activity exists only when the bacterial fi nish of the 

product is effective towards both groups of bacteria. 

The test microorganisms for the new standard are Sta- 

phylococcus aureus as gram-positive bacterium and 

Klebsiella pneumoniae as gram-negative bacterium. Use 

of other bacteria is permissible but only for highly specialised 

applications. Since the test microorganisms are 

potential pathogens the tests can only be performed by 

microbiologically trained personnel in a safety laboratory 

of risk group 2. 

Description of Method 

Only those components or materials are tested which 

are claimed to have an antibacterial action. According 

to the standard stipulations, the footwear component 

to be examined is tested by the most suitable method, 

which is selected in keeping with the material and its 

properties. Planar non-porous, non-absorbing plastic 

surfaces are examined by a fi lm contact method under 

static contact conditions. Complex three-dimensional 

composite systems are tested under dynamic contact 

conditions. 

Test specimens with antibacterial fi nish and in some 

cases also reference samples without such treatment

are inoculated with a defi ned bacterial count of a 

given test organism. The initial bacterial count is fi rst 

determined. After incubation for a set period under 

defi ned conditions and subsequent neutralisation of 

the active agent the number of viable bacterial cells is 

then determined. 

The procedure also includes assessment of the effectiveness 

of the test and specifi ed demands which have 

to be met for validation purposes. 

Calculation of the 

Antibacterial Effi cacy 

The calculated antibacterial effi cacy is expressed as 

percentage bacterial count reduction. 

The results can be presented both as a possible bacterial 

count reduction on the fi nished test specimen over 

time and – given the presence of reference samples 

– as a comparison of the bacterial counts on fi nished 

and non-fi nished articles at the end of the test. 

Different requirements have to be met, depending 

upon the material and the type of application. These 

have to be agreed between the respective contractual 

partners. The cited standard is therefore relevant only 

for determination of the antibacterial effi cacy but not 

for evaluation of the results. 

Round Robin Test 

Two extensive round-robin tests with various kinds of 

samples were conducted in laboratories in China and 

in Europe, also at PFI. They confi rmed the validity of 

the procedure, the test methods, and important details 

regarding sample preparation. 

In 2012 the draft of the standard was distributed for 

review and comments. This phase has now been concluded 

and publication of the defi nitive standard is 

expected in the course of this year. 

Advantages 

In contrast to most of the other standard procedures, 

no identical untreated control material is required for 

testing and evaluating antibacterial effi cacy. 

01.2013 


Attention is paid to conditions and properties typically 

encountered in the footwear sector, thus enabling tests 

on the complex composite systems and irregularly shaped 

objects that generally constitute footwear components. 

Globally harmonised determination of the antibacterial 

properties of footwear and footwear components 

is made possible on use of this standard. 

The new internationally valid standard DIN EN ISO 16187 

is intended for fi nishers and developers of antibacterial 

products, material suppliers, footwear manufacturers 

and retailers, and test and certifi cation centres. 

Tests Offered 

In addition to tests according to the newly accredited 

procedure based on DIN EN ISO 16187, PFI continues 

to offer established procedures for individual components, 

including 

AATCC 100 (static challenge test) 

ASTM E 2149 mod. (dynamic challenge test) 

ISO 22196 (fi lm contact method) 

If desired, the bacterial count reduction can also be expressed 

as the difference of the decadic logarithms since 

this merely amounts to an alternative mathematical 

representation of the laboratory values determined. 

Measurement of bacterial count for determination 

of antibacterial efficacy 

Futher Information 

Biologist Michaela Würtz 

Phone: +49 (0)6331- 24 90 550 

E-Mail: michaela.wuertz@pfi -germany.de 

55

56 


The alarming increase in the number of diabetes patients 

also means that there is a growing need for appropriate 

medical aids, not only in Europe but worldwide. 

The provision of insoles for diabetics generally 

pays due attention to physical and design aspects such 

as Shore hardness, pressure relief, and a soft footbed. 

In contrast, little attention is devoted to aspects of hygiene 

in spite of their enormous relevance for health 

and well-being. This serious gap has now been closed 

by the PFI - Test and Research Institute Pirmasens in 

a joint project undertaken with the Pirmasens-based 

company Colortex GmbH. The result is an innovative 

composite insole system called Reballance ® which has 

already become commercially available. 

Diabetics are particularly susceptible to infection and 

frequently also suffer from seriously impaired wound 

healing. Articles worn close to the skin therefore have 

to be cleaned after wearing and disinfected where appropriate. 

This raises the hygienic demands placed on 

prescribed medical aids. 

Project Objective 

The objective of the project was the market-oriented 

development of an innovative composite insole system 

for diabetics that can be appropriately constructed 

for individual patients by an orthopaedic shoemaker. 

Colortex GmbH was responsible for design aspects, 

and the PFI microbiology laboratory for hygienically 

relevant aspects. The project also drew upon the expertise 

of orthopaedic shoemakers to optimise the 

new composite system for individualised provision of 

insoles for diabetic patients. 

MICROBIOLOGY 

Reballance ® : Innovative Composite Insole 

System for Diabetics 

Wash Me! 

Orthopaedic Features 

and Hygiene Issues 

Novel textile surfaces, lamination, and new layered 

structures have led to improved orthopaedic properties 

of the composite insole system. The results of 

microbiological studies were of crucial importance in 

designing the structure of the insoles. 

The hygiene parameters were studied and evaluated 

in the microbiology laboratory by simulating the skin 

fl ora of diabetic patients with bacteria, yeasts, and 

skin and nail fungi on various materials and composite 

systems. The effectiveness of antimicrobial properties 

– where present – was also considered and evaluated. 

As a true innovation, the newly developed composite 

structure also includes a special membrane that acts 

as a “secretion barrier”. It has the task of preventing 

secretions and microbes from entering deeper layers 

of the insole and the shoe interior. 

Cleaning Procedure 

A cleaning procedure that can be performed by the 

wearer was also developed as part of the project; it 

ensures adequate reduction of the levels of all relevant 

types of microorganisms. It is crucially important 

that the materials retain their shape and function 

during the cleaning process. Various microbial reduction 

processes (disinfection, washing) were therefore 

investigated and their effi cacy as well as their effects 

on the stability of the insole material were examined. 

The respective degree of microbial contamination was 

determined after repeated cleaning using various procedures.

The result is a cleaning procedure that can be performed 

by straightforward machine washing at 60 °C 

in a washing bag with addition of a standard commercially 

available hygiene laundry rinse in any household 

washing machine. 

Study on Test Persons 

A study performed on test persons under medical and 

orthopaedic supervision with skin-sensory tests and 

pressure measurements helped to optimise the composite 

insole system and the cleaning procedure. 

Conclusion 

The new composite system exhibits excellent orthotic 

properties while offering scope for individual adaptation 

by orthopaedic shoemakers. 

The individual insole can and should be washed by the 

wearer using a hygiene laundry rinse. Regular washing 

is indispensable to minimise the risk of re-infection by 

microorganisms and ensuing complications. 

01.2013 


Microbial count before (above) and after (below) cleaning 

in a household washing machine in a 60-°C programme 

with addition of hygiene laundry rinse 

The research project ZIM-KU-2515401AK9 was funded 

by the Central Innovation Program SME (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm 

Mittelstand – ZIM) of the Federal 

Ministry of Economics and Technology (Bundesministerium 

für Wirtschaft und Technologie). 

The Reballance ® product developed jointly by PFI and 

Colortex GmbH was launched by the distribution partner 

Spannrit Schuhkomponenten GmbH at the Expolife 

International show in Kassel in April. 

Breathable 

PU Foam 

The Reballance ® innovative washable 

composite insole system 

Innovative 

Functional 

Textile 



Phone: +49 (0)6331 24 90 550 


Breathable 

“Secretion 

Barrier“ 

Breathable 

PU Foam 

Individualised 

Composite 

Construction 

57

58 


Innovative Concept for Antimicrobial Finishing 

of Footwear Materials 

Optimum Dosage: 

Controlled Release of 

Antimicrobial Agents 

Antimicrobially treated products enjoy high consumer 

acceptance levels and are well established in the 

marketplace. There are currently two approaches to 

antimicrobial treatment of products: the antimicrobial 

agent is either applied to the surface or incorporated 

into a polymer matrix. Neither method can 

be considered optimal because they both require use 

of too much antimicrobial agent. Release of antimicrobial 

agent in precisely the required amount would 

be ideal. This was the topic of a joint research project 

undertaken by the Research Institute of Leather and 

Plastic Sheeting (Forschungsinstitut für Leder und 

Kunststoffbahnen, FILK)/Freiberg, the Hohenstein Institute, 

and the Test and Research Institute Pirmasens 

(PFI). The goal was to develop plastic membranes with 

active antimicrobial agent depots for rapid, demanddetermined 

release of the active agent, and to examine 

their suitability for use in footwear. 

Schematic of a microporous polymer membrane 

MICROBIOLOGY 

Products with an antimicrobial fi nish have numerous 

applications: in textiles, clothing, and fl oor coverings; 

in the fi eld of medicine and sanitary ware products; 

or in foods. Such fi nishes are used to prevent fouling 

of the products by growth of microorganisms and to 

limit the consequences of the presence of microbial 

metabolites in so far as this is possible. They thus prevent 

damage to the product and minimise the risk of 

transmission of pathogens. 

Ideal Kind of Finish Sought 

In many cases, metals, primarily silver, are currently 

used for fi nishing polymers. The active agents are either 

applied directly to the surface or incorporated 

into the polymer matrix. Neither approach can be regarded 

as optimal: 

The drawback of surface coating is that the anti- 

microbial effect does not persist for long because 

the thin layers applied soon wear off. That is why 

the concentration of active substances on the surface 

of new articles is much higher than would be 

required for antimicrobial activity. The layer of active 

agent is worn off through washing, abrasion, 

or other effects. This leads to a reduction of antimicrobial 

properties all the way to total loss thereof.

The drawback of embedding the active agents homo- 

geneously distributed throughout the bulk material 

lies in their permanent bonding to the polymer 

material. Only a fraction of the active agents reaches 

the surface where they can act; most of the agents 

remain in the matrix and will never exert any action. 

Moreover, a rapid action is usually precluded. 

In both cases, much more active agent is used than 

would actually be required for effective action. 

This situation called for innovative thinking: The set 

goal was to develop a plastic membrane with an antimicrobial 

depot providing prompt controlled release 

of the antimicrobial agents and assuring steady replenishment 

upon depletion at the surface. Such a system 

prolongs the product lifetime and prevents overdosage 

at the surface. 

Project Execution 

In order to combine the advantages of both approaches, 

studies were undertaken both on fi xation of a 

model substance in the pores of a microporous polymer 

matrix and on fast demand-controlled release of 

the active agent from a depot. 

Silver was used as antimicrobial agent because of its 

mode of action and because it is recognised as medically 

safe. Silver has a low allergenic potential and is 

considered to be non-toxic. Numerous studies have 

shown that silver acts on a wide variety of microorganisms, 

with biological activity being restricted solely 

to silver ions. These ions simultaneously attack the cell 

01.2013 


Scanning electron micrograph of a 

finished membrane in combination 

with a textile upper material 

at several points and damage the cell wall, the cell’s 

metabolism, and the cell’s genetic material. The microorganisms 

show little tendency to develop resistance 

to silver ions. 

Moreover, experience has already been gained in the 

fi eld of plastics fi nishing. Silver can be applied as a 

metallic deposit to surface-proximate areas via the 

gas phase (aerosol or plasma process) or deposited in 

pores as salts or nanoparticles from liquid media by 

wet-chemical processes (dipping or immersion process). 

These processes differ with regard to the fi nish 

applied to the pore system and hence also with regard 

to the active agent depot and were therefore studied 

in series of independent tests. 

In order to maintain the amount of active agent at 

a constant level despite losses through abrasion, the 

agent, i.e. the silver ions, must be able to keep diffusing 

without hindrance from the depot to the surface. 

Diffusion should be concentration controlled, and it 

should be possible to accelerate diffusion at places 

subject to mechanical stress. Shoe bottoms and insoles 

therefore prove particularly suitable for the use 

of such antimicrobial membranes, especially where 

pronounced mechanical forces come into play, such as 

the sole of the foot. The action of moisture, present in 

footwear in the form of sweat, additionally favours a 

use-dependent ongoing delivery of active agent. 

59

60 


Innovative Concept for Antimicrobial Finishing 

of Footwear Materials 

Optimum Dosage: 

Controlled Release of 

Antimicrobial Agents 

As partner in the joint project, FILK developed microporous 

polymer membranes, into the pores of which 

the active agent was introduced. The biocompatibility 

of the materials was examined at the Hohenstein Institute 

as a precondition for their use in possible contact 

with the skin. 

In parallel, PFI examined the mechanical suitability of 

the membranes and relevant composite systems for 

use in footwear and studied the optimum composite 

structures. The information gained was in turn channelled 

into membrane development and into processing 

of such membranes in insoles. 

In addition, PFI also undertook wear simulation tests 

to assess the dependence of the antimicrobial effi cacy 

upon the composition of the various membranes, upon 

the various kinds of fi nishing, upon the concentration 

of active agent, upon the depot effect, and upon the 

diffusion processes and active agent mobilisation immediately 

after applying various kinds of mechanical 

stress (pressure, fl exing, or abrasion). 

Compression and flexural test set-up 

MICROBIOLOGY 

Results 

The membranes developed showed a good distribution 

of the active agent in the matrix after wet-chemical 

treatment, are cytotoxically safe (i.e. they do not 

damage tissue cells), and exhibit signifi cant antibacterial 

effi cacy even at relatively low concentrations. 

It could be established that the active agent silver 

could be fi xed in the pores and a correlation exists between 

the total silver content, liberation of silver ions, 

and antimicrobial effi cacy. The permanence of the antimicrobial 

activity was confi rmed after washing tests 

on relevant composite systems. 

The advantage of coating the internal surface of the 

pores lies in the possibility of prompt mobilisation of 

the components of the active agent. The result is comparable 

with that of direct application to the surface 

while offering the additional benefi t of protection 

against external infl uences and any ensuing premature 

loss of active agent. This effect can be further 

enhanced by narrowing of the pores or the pore channels. 

The membranes produced can be combined with textiles 

using a polyurethane adhesive to make insoles. It 

is appropriate to use a non-woven material as the underside 

of the insole not in contact with the foot and 

an open-mesh material ensuring effective functioning 

at the top surface of the composite as the uppermost 

layer.

It could be demonstrated that the active agent readily 

diffuses towards the surface when the concentration 

there becomes depleted. Moreover, pressure and 

fl exural stresses lead to a desired enhanced liberation 

of active agents. In addition, it also proved possible to 

attain a long-lasting antimicrobial fi nish with prompt 

and demand-controlled release of active agent as well 

as adequate antimicrobial effi cacy towards both grampositive 

(Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative 

bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli). 

These properties qualify the composite materials for 

use in footwear, especially as insoles because it is precisely 

in the ball and heel regions that pronounced 

mechanical stresses are encountered. 

Applications 

01.2013 


Lower and upper faces of typical insoles 

for wear simulation studies 

The results of this research project open the way for 

manufacturers of safety, protective, and occupational 

footwear to develop new high-quality products. Antimicrobial 

plastic sheets with depot action can be produced 

on spread coating machines commonly used in 

the plastics-processing industry. 

The enormous versatility of antimicrobial membranes 

holds potential for markets in the areas of footwear 

(sport, occupational, and orthopaedic footwear) and 

clothing, as well as in other fi elds such as health care 

products and medical aids (bandages, products for allergy 

sufferers, special insoles for diabetics, mattress 

overlays, etc.) and in the hygiene and hospital sector. 

Research project AiF 16446 BG was funded by the Federal 

German Ministry of Economics and Technology through 

the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations 

(“Arbeitsgemeinschaft Industrie Forschung“– AiF). 

Contact 


Phone: +49 (0)6331 – 24 90 550 


61

62 


NEWS 

Focus on Social Responsibility 

UITIC Congress 2013 

in Guangzhou 

“Social Responsibility: A Challenge for the Footwear 

Industry” is the topic of a UITIC congress for shoe technicians 

to be held in Guangzhou / Dungguan (China) 

between 13 and 16 November 2013. 

This is the 18th time that the International Union of 

Shoe Industry Technicians (UITIC) has organised this 

international technical congress. Co-organiser in the 

host country China is the China Leather Industry Association 

(CLIA). Recent congresses were held in Mexico 

(2010), in Spain (2008), and Tunisia (2005). 

Deadline for submission of proposals for papers on 

the topic of “Social Responsibility: A Challenge for the 

Footwear Industry” was 15 May 2013. Those submitting 

proposals will hear by 1 July whether their paper 

has been included in the programme. The programme 

will then be posted on the UITIC website. 

Further Information and Registration 

UITIC Secretariat 

Mrs. Françoise NICOLAS 

CTC 4, Rue Hermann Frenkel 

69367 LYON Cedex 07 - France 

Phone: +33 (0)4 72 76 10 03 

Fax: +33 (0)4 72 76 10 01 

E-Mail: uitic@uitic.org 

Web: www.uitic.org 

or 

Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Uwe Thamm 

Member of the UITIC Executive Comitee 

International Shoe Competence Center Pirmasens gGmbH 

Phone: +49 (0)6331 145334 0 

E-Mail: uwe.thamm@isc-germany.com 

Web: www.isc-germany.com

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