technology report 04

Editorial
Rolf Najork
Jan Rinnert
Dear Readers,
For a technology company like Heraeus, innovations
are a major element of the growth strategy. Our culture
of innovation is characterized by its international focus,
our creative employees, and a high degree of customer
orientation.
Heraeus works with challenging materials such as gold,
platinum and quartz glass. Behind this variety of materials
lie more than 160 years of experience and expertise in
working with the exceptional characteristics of these
materials. Our developers are hard at work every day to
increase our understanding of these materials, and to
develop new and competitive products. The 5,300 patents
Heraeus currently holds are proof of this successful work,
and a stimulus for the future.
Shortened innovation times, ever shorter product life
cycles, and the constantly increasing demands of our
customers make it necessary to develop new products
increasingly fast and more precisely targeted. In so doing,
we also have to take account of the rapidly changing
international markets. For us, this means working together
closely with our customers, and developing tailor-made
solutions that give them a real advantage. As our products
are often utilized at the start of our customers’ value
added process, we have to understand the entire value
added chain, and keep it in mind at all times.
the world, and a total of 34 products and processes
have been awarded. Many of these innovations have
subsequently established themselves successfully in
the market.
In this fourth issue of our technology magazine, we report
on some examples, and on many other subjects from the
innovative world of Heraeus. With this issue, once again
we wish to give you new insights into our wide range of
products and our technological expertise. Among other
things, you will learn why the discovery of the Higgs or
God Particle required replacement parts from Heraeus,
why motorcycle catalytic converters and sensors for heat
meters are conquering China, and why the tracks on solar
cells are getting thinner and thinner.
We hope you enjoy reading our technology report!
We intensively encourage the high potential for innovation
and development within the company, for example through
the Heraeus Innovation Award. We have been presenting
this award since 2003 for exceptional product and process
innovations. The focus is on recognizing our developers.
Over 210 innovations have been submitted for the
Innovation Award by Heraeus development teams around
Jan Rinnert
Chairman of the Board of Management
Heraeus Holding GmbH
Rolf Najork
Member of the Board of Management
Heraeus Holding GmbH
technology report Issue 4 | 2013