HYDRAULIKPRESSE October 2010, english issue - Hansa Flex

Issue 05/2010 

Hydraulikpresse 

Magazine for customers and employees of the HANSA-FLEX group of companies 

Full speed ahead with hydraulics 

SkySails wind propulsion system is revolutionising marine transport 

Oil drilling technology 

made in Germany 

08 

Hydraulics 

in space 

18 

HANSA-FLEX 

is now an AG 

21

CoNteNt hydraulikpresse 10|2010 

CoVer story 

04 GoiNG WitH tHe WiNd 

international marine transport can cut costs with wind power 

skysails cut maritime fuel con- 

04 

sumption by as much as 50% 

oil drilling technology made in Germany 

ariane 5 launch relies on 

hydraulic technology 

08 

state-of-the-art paper 

10 

production in Brandenburg 

18 

HaNsa-FleX is now an 

21 

aktiengesellschaft 

photo: Julia ahlers photo: skysails gmbh & co. kg 

photo: Julia ahlers photo: esa 

photo: Julia ahlers 

trade Fairs & eVeNts 

06 sHips, MaCHiNes, MariNe teCHNoloGy 

sMM trade fair presence a complete success 

NeWs 

07 tHe atHletes’ NeW ClotHes 

hansa-fleX kitted out 30 clubs with new team uniforms 

20 liFeloNG learNiNG 

training as a hydraulics technician at the iha opens up many opportunities 

21 a step iNto tHe Future 

hansa-fleX hydraulik gmbh is now hansa-fleX ag 

praCtiCal 

08 a Modular Colossus 

offshore drilling rigs from the Bavarian woods 

10 aN eNdless sHeet 

Modern paper production in spremberg 

13 all set For HalloWeeN 

the cordes family meets the pumpkin 

16 true MasterWorks 

reinhold Meister – a proud tradition in water engineering 

Work & liFe 

12 BuCkle up For saFety 

seatbelts increase chances of survival enormously 

people at HaNsa-FleX 

14 dediCatioN aNd its reWards 

Maik Müller is german national deaf 1500 m champion 

15 sittiNG still is Not aN optioN 

nico röger plays wheelchair basketball at high level 

FasCiNatioN teCHNoloGy 

18 a Very loNG Way up 

ariane 5 is europe's flagship space exploration project 

did you kNoW...? 

22 tHe last reNaissaNCe MaN 

alexander von humboldt – a life devoted to research 

ruBriCs 

03 editorial | iMpressuM 

20 iHa traiNiNG seMiNar sCHedule 

22 NeWs tiCker 

23 CoMpetitioN | FaCts & FiGures | VaCaNCies | preVieW 

02 

hansa-fleX Customers magazine

iMpress editorial 

dear readers, 

the world’s oceans are the main arteries of international commerce. More than 90 percent of the 

world's production volume is moved over water. hansa-fleX has supplied certified hoses to the 

shipping industry for many years. last month, we exhibited our expertise in this sector at the sMM 

trade fair in hamburg. 

in our cover story, we take to the skies. With its towing kite propulsion system, the hamburg-based 

company skysails offers shipping operators an interesting option for reducing costs. to find out how 

a 160 square metre towing kite can help to cut maritime fuel consumption by as much as 50 percent, 

and how hydraulics is involved, turn to page 4. 

Water is also the key element in paper manufacturing. on page 10, you can read how a former coal 

refining plant known as “Black pump” has been converted into a modern industrial estate, how paper 

is made at the hamburger spremberg paper factory, and why hansa-fleX chose this particular 

site for a new shop. 

When it comes to water engineering, reinhold Meister gmbh is a leader in germany and throughout 

europe. starting on page 16, we explain how hansa-fleX ensures a constant supply of replacement 

parts far from any human settlement, and why gps coordinates are so important for the machine 

operators who work for reinhold Meister gmbh. 

editor / puBlisHer: 

HaNsa-FleX Hydraulik aG 

Zum panrepel 44 • 28307 Bremen, Germany 

telephone: 0421 - 4 89 07 - 0 

Fax: 0421 - 4 89 07 - 48 

e-Mail: info@hansa-flex.com 

www.hansa-flex.com 

it was by sea that alexander von humboldt arrived in south america. during his four-year research 

expedition, the last renaissance man survived countless adventures and made world-shaping 

discoveries. the life’s work of the man whose footprints seem to span the continent even now, are 

the subject of a hydraulikpresse report on page 22. 

We wish you much reading pleasure 

tHe MaNaGiNG Board 

Compilation: enrico kieschnick, dirk Brunne, 

Jan-Christoph Fritz, Julia ahlers 

articles: dirk Brunne, Jan-Christoph Fritz 

layout: Jan-Christoph Fritz 

print: Berlindruck · www.berlindruck.de 

responsible for content: Wolfgang rink 

Frequency: Bimonthly 

subscribe to the Hydraulikpresse on our website: 

www.hansa-flex.com/kommunikation/ 

hydraulik presse/abo_service.html 

to cancel your subscription, please send an e-Mail to: 

ma@hansa-flex.com 

thomas armerding 


uwe Buschmann 


dieter H. seidler 


peFC/04-31-0976 

Note: this issue of Hydraulikpresse is also 

published in German. Further details are available 

from your branch. 

issue oCtoBer 2010 

16. year 

Cover page arrangement: Nadine Beneke 


HYDrauLiKPresse 10|2010 03

CoVer story skysails 

GoinG witH tHe winD 

international Marine transport can cut costs With Wind poWer 

Wind is cheaper than oil. there can be no argument about that. on the high seas, the wind is indisputably the cheapest, most environ-mentally 

friendly energy source. since conventional sail systems cannot possibly satisfy the demands of modern marine traffic, this potential 

is no longer used by shipping lines. the company skysails gmbh & co. kg in hamburg intends to change this. With their concept, fuel consumption 

can be reduced by as much as 50 percent. What was dismissed a few years ago as “eco-madness” is now an attractive alternative 

for shipping companies. 

Water covers over two thirds of our planet’s 

surface. so it is hardly surprising that the 

seas are by far the most important channels 

for goods movements, accounting for 98 percent 

of global trade. freighters transport everything 

from fruit to ores to cars by sea – and the effects 

on the environment are serious. a study conducted 

in 2003 by the university of newark calculated that 

the world’s merchant shipping fleets release as much 

nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere as the entire 

united states. large cargo vessels consume up to 

30,000 litres of fuel to travel 100 kilometres. But with 

the skysails towing kite, this could all soon change. 

as the market and technology leader in automated 

towing kite systems, the company develops, manufactures 

and markets an internationally patented 

wind propulsion system for cargo vessels based on 

the principle of large towing kites. 

tHe skysails systeM 

the skysails system consists of three simple main 

components: a towing kite with rope, a hydraulic 

launching and recovery system, and a control system 

for automatic operation. instead of traditional sails 

fitted to a mast, skysails uses large towing kites that 

look very like a paraglider. the towing kites use the 

strong, stable winds that blow at altitudes between 

100 and 300 metres to provide foward motion. By 

means of dynamic flight manoeuvres, e.g. in a “figure 

8” pattern, skysails generate five to 25 times more 

power per square metre of surface area than conventional 

sails. the enormous tractive forces are transmitted 

to the ship via a superstrong, tear-proof rope. 

the energy supply to the control pod is ensured by 

means of a patented special cable integrated in the 

towing rope. 

HydrauliC lauNCH aNd 

reCoVery systeM 

hydraulic technology is used for both launching 

and recovering the kite. the towing kite is 

lifted out of the compartment where it is folded 

for stowing by a telescopic mast. a unit produced 

by hansa-fleX aggregatebau service nord in 

photo: skysails gmbh & co. kg 

neumünster extends the telescopic mast to a height 

of 23 metres. at this height, the towing kite unfolds 

to its full size and can be launched. the rope is paid 

out by a winch until its operating altitude is reached. 

the recovery process is performed in the reverse order. 

the winch retracts the towing rope and the towing 

kite docks on the launch and recovery mast. the 

towing kite is then reefed and the telescopic mast retracts. 

the towing kite and the control pod can then 

be stowed in the kite storage compartment, which 

is no bigger than an old-fashioned telephone kiosk. 

Both procedures are largely automated and take between 

10 and 20 minutes. 

iNstallatioN of the hydraulic telescopic mast which is used to engage and release the kite at a height of 23 m 


04 


skysails CoVer story 

“SkySails towing kites generate from 5 to 25 times more power 

per m2 of surface area than normal sails!” 


teCHNiCal eXpertise FroM 

HaMBurG-WilHelMsBurG 

preliminary discussions between skysails and 

hansa-fleX, represented by regional manager 

Wilfried krampitz and raphael tourré from internal 

technical support at the hamburg-Wilhelmsburg 

branch, went well. skysails brought the technical 

expertise of hansa-fleX on board. one of our main 

advantages was our closely meshed branch network. 

for example, the experts of aggregatebau nord 

in neumünster designed, developed and built the 

hydraulic unit that would extend and retract the telescopic 

mast in close consultation with skysails. the 

branch in Wismar supplied the skysails production 

and test centre with replacement parts. 

one of the first shipping lines to fit the towing kites 

on its ships was Beluga shipping. at the moment, 

only a modest number of ships fly the skysails kites. 

But several more will soon be equipped with this innovative 

technology. Because: using skysails technology 

can help to save enormous quantities of fuel, 

and this in turn lowers the operating costs for shipping 

significantly. the low purchasing and operating 

costs of skysails means that the investment will pay 

for itself in as little as three to five years. 

History oF tHe CoMpaNy 


a similar qualification in shipbuilding and offshore 

technology. the company is headquartered in hamburg-harburg. 

in addition, skysails has a production 

and test centre in the hanseatic city of Wismar as 

well as a joint branch office with the highly respected 

marine engine supplier zeppelin power systems for 

worldwide sales and service of skysails propulsion in 

hamburg-Bahrenfeld. the company has 80 permanent 

employees, mainly engineers. there are also a 

number of independent associates and a large network 

of well-known partners that support development 

work. currently, skysails is offering towing kite 

propulsion systems for cargo vessels with an effective 


load of between 8 and 16 tons. skysails with an effective 

load of 32 tons are in development. it is planned 

to extend the product programme to systems with an 

effective load of up to 130 tons. an effective tractive 

force of 8 tons by a skysail corresponds to approx. 

600 to 1,000 kW installed main engine power on 

average - depending on the ship‘s properties such as 

propeller efficiency degree or resistance. 

But it seems highly likely that the winds are set fair 

for future success of the company. after all, wind will 

always be cheaper than oil. and for on-board hydraulics, 

hansa-fleX will always be at its station. 

skysails was established in hamburg in 2001 by 

stephan Wrage, who has an advanced degree in 

industrial engineering, and thomas Meyer, who has 

tHe toWiNG kite uses the strong, stable winds at altitudes between 100 and 300 m to generate forward motion. 

HYDrauLiKPresse 10|2010 05

trade Fairs & eVeNts hansa-fleX at the sMM 

sHiPs, MacHines, 

Marine tecHnoLoGY 

trade fair presence a coMplete success 

Fluid serViCe was the main attraction for our visitors. 

this year for the fourth time, hansa-fleX took 

part in the sMM, the leading trade fair for 

representatives of the shipbuilding industry in 

hamburg. from 7-10 september, we presented our 

products, services and solutions to the interested 

technical community. this year, hansa-fleX in fact 

had two stands. hansa-fleX fluid service welcomed 

members of its own technical community in front of 

the trade fair building. a service that offers advantages 

to all businesses in the maritime sector. for 

example, fluid service is able to analyse oil samples 


from hydraulic systems in the vessel directly on site 

and test important parameters such as the oil’s purity, 

viscosity or water content. if necessary, immediate 

steps can be taken to prevent systems from failing 

due to contaminated oil. from oil filtering with a parallel 

flow filter system to a complete oil change – our 

experts in the fluid service were ready with advice 

and help. With more than 50,000 visitors and over 

2,000 exhibitors, sMM 2010 in hamburg was once 

again a resounding success. this was evident not only 

at the hansa-fleX stand outside the building, but 

also in hall a1. several aspects of the hansa-fleX 

offering were exhibited here, including the special 

segment for metal and ptfe hoses. and naturally the 

segment for offshore and industrial hoses was well 

represented at the trade fair. coolant water, air and 

chemicals are transported just as reliably as fuels or 

lubricants through offshore industrial hoses. the hoses 

are resistant to seawater, vibrations, temperature 

fluctuations, ozone, and abrasive media. 

hansa-fleX cooperates with all of the most respected 

classification bodies in the business, so we 

can ensure compliance with the various requirements 

in many countries. for example, based on 

its exemplary quality management system, the 

hamburg-stellingen branch passed its last audit by 

germanischer lloyd with no non-compliances, thereby 

retaining its status as a self-inspection facility 

without restriction. We conduct regular audits or our 

upstream suppliers as well, as a further guarantee of 

impeccable quality. Working from this high standard, 

the hansa-fleX hamburg-stellingen branch supplies 

many elements of the german armed forces, 

including the german navy. We are also an original 

equipment supplier to many well-known german 

shipyards. over time, we have become an experienced, 

reliable system partner even for unusual assignments 

such as arise when building luxury yachts 

and submarines. 

the hansa-fleX stands were extremely well attended 

for the entire period of the fair. as a result, 

new contacts were made, and existing ones were 

strengthened. so of one thing there can be no doubt: 

we’ll be there again in 2012. 

06 

hansa-fleX Customers magazine 

photo: Julia ahlers

cluB sponsorship NeWs 


tHe atHLetes’ new cLotHes 

hansa-fleX kitted out 30 cluBs With neW teaM uniforMs 

it is still a little chilly when the team trots out onto 

the field for training. the first, light mist of autumn 

still hangs over the training ground as the players 

begin their warm-up exercises. today’s training 

session will be especially hard, because they have 

an important match against a strong opponent this 

weekend. But something is different: the bright, 

fresh colours of the team's strip contrast vividly with 

the grey of the autumn morning – because they are 

brand new. 

the same thing has happened 

for many other 

teams from a total of 30 

clubs, which were selected 

in this year’s club 

sponsoring campaign by 

hansa-fleX ag. each received 

team uniforms with 

a value of as much as 1,000 

euro. 

“The clubs were extremely 

grateful for this assistance, as it is 

becoming more and more difficult in 

these times to find sponsors!” 

the high-quality strips have been produced by outfitters 

team sport & fashion in cooperation with 

hansa-fleX. this is now the third edition of our 

highly successful club sponsoring campaign. the 

quality provided by this manufacturer is indisputable, 

and because of the good value-for-money ratio, 

some of the teams were even able to buy strip for up 

to two full teams. the clubs were able to choose from 

a wide variety of colour combinations – of course the 

players’ names and numbers appeared boldly on the 

back of the shirts. 

the clubs were extremely grateful for this assistance, 

as it is becoming more and more difficult in these 

times to find sponsors that 

are prepared to support 

non-professional clubs, 

out of the glare of national 

publicity. We hope that 

these teams will approach 

their upcoming games 

with even greater enthusiasm 

and commitment. 

at the same time, all of the 

clubs that were unfortunately 

unsuccessful in this 

year's drawing should not give up hope. We expect 

to have another sponsoring campaign for 2011 next 

year. of course we will announce it in good time. 

photo: norbert ott 

photo: Michael heinke 

deliGHted WitH tHeir NeW teaM sHirts the winners 

in our club sponsoring campaign represent a wide variety of 

sporting activities. 

HYDrauLiKPresse 10|2010 

07

praCtiCal oil drilling technology 

a MoDULar coLossUs 

offshore drilling rigs froM the Bavarian Woods 

there are not many companies in germany that can boast a history stretching back over a century. 

But Max streicher gmbh & co. kg aa in deggendorf, Bavaria, is one that can. established as a 

building company in 1909, the streicher group is now built on four thriving business lines. one is 

pipeline and plant construction. for many years, hansa-fleX field service technician Josef pertler 

has been their first call for all of their hydraulic connector equipment. 

08 hansa-fleX Customers magazine 

photo: Julia ahlers

oil drilling technology praCtiCal 

Most of us played with building bricks when 

we were children. We piled one little cube 

on top of the other, and really the result was 

always a tower. very occasionally a house. Most definitely 

never an offshore deep drilling plant. But Max 

streicher gmbh & co. kg aa works a little differently. 

What the engineers from deggendorf have created 

looks rather like squaring the circle. Because with 

the development and construction of the vdd 400.1 

streicher has paved the way for completely new possibilities 

in offshore drilling operations. 

the masterstroke: vdd 400.1 is designed in modules, 

so it can be erected and dismantled in the shortest 

time imaginable. Most of the modules consist of an 

iso container, which must not weigh more than eleven 

tons. this was a particular challenge for the boffins 

at streicher, because many of the machines that are 

used in the system weigh over 30 tons on their own. 

the advantage of modular engineering is that the 

system can be adapted to practically any space constraints. 

since the individual modules are relatively 

light, they can easily be loaded onto a drilling platform 

from a ship. When drilling is complete, the system 

can be dismantled within ten days and transported 

to a new drilling site. the time-hounoured practice 

of leaving old, played out rigs to rust in place will soon 

be a thing of the past. this is beneficial for the environment, 

and the customer saves money, because the 

drilling system can be used again and again. 

autoMatiC operatioN 

vdd 400.1 operates almost entirely automatically. 

Just eight technicians per shift are needed to keep 

it running smoothly. for this, they rely on many hydraulic 

systems: the automatic pipe handling system 

for example. the drill head on the seabed is connected 

to the rig via the “drill string”. as the drill head 

carves its way deeper and deeper into the undersea 

bedrock, up on the rig more pipes are added behind 

it and connected to each other. an operation that 

was previously accomplished by sheer brawn and 

involved significant risk is managed by a fully automatic 

system in the vdd 400.1. giant, computer-controlled 

arms grasp the long rods and move them up 

against the last pipe. there, they are welded together 

in another automated operation. 

a lot oF poWer For 

a little WeiGHt 

the vdd 400.1’s technical specifications are impressive. 

Weighing in at just under 1,000 tons, it is a 

feather compared with other drilling systems. But 

the hydraulic top drive has a hook load of 400 tons. 

Maximum torque: 85,000 newton metres. Maximum 

drilling depth: 5,000 metres. of course, it stands to 

reason that with these figures the hydraulic systems 

are a little larger. the hydraulic hoses that carry the 

pressure medium for the drilling system are clearly 

visible from a great distance. in all there are 16 hoses, 

each as thick as a man's thigh. each is 16 metres long 

and is connected to the drilling system. 

in the machine room of this colossus, unions supplied 

by hansa-fleX are everywhere. “We have enjoyed 

a trusting working relationship with streicher for 

almost a decade. today, streicher relies on the expertise 

of hansa-fleX in many projects”, says field 

technician Josef pertler. and streicher is at work on 

an enormous number of projects. the company’s 

civil and structural engineering sector is engaged 

in building roads, conduit systems and industrial 

engineering projects all over europe. if rapid support 

is ever needed at one these sites, fleXXpress is 

on hand anywhere on the continent. the company’s 

mechanical engineering sector, which also builds 

fairground rides, uses practically every product 

hansa-fleX makes. even our cylinder repair facility 

in königshofen has been called upon to repair the occasional 

hydraulic cylinder for streicher. 

HiGHest saFety staNdards 

recent events have shown that it is high time for the 

existing safety concepts in deep sea drilling to be 

thoroughly reviewed and reconsidered. the highest 

standards of safety are embedded in the streicher 

corporate philosophy. the first offshore drilling system 

produced by streicher was designed and built for 

an order from the norwegian company seawell ltd.. 

on June 9, streicher unveiled this system to selected 

industry representatives. “the norwegian government’s 

safety regulations are extremely stringent. 

the vdd 400.1 conforms to the norsok standard, 

which is among the most demanding specifications 

anywhere in the world”, declares dipl.-ing. hanserich 

endler, an engineer with streicher. 

here is one example: the “blowout preventer” – an 

enormous block that can weigh more than 100 tons 

– is positioned directly above the drill hole in the 

seabed to ensure constant control. if critical volume 

fluctuations are measured in the drilling fluid inside 

the drill hole, extraction is interrupted by four safety 

valves. each of these valves is strong enough to plug 

the line on its own. in the unlikely event that all four 

valves fail, a a fifth valve severs the line and seals it. 

that is just one of many safety systems in this modular 

colossus. “We have a responsibility to our environment. 

We are deeply aware of that in the streicher 

group. accordingly, safety has the very highest priority 

in our systems”, declares Mr. endler. 

independence from fossil fuels is undoubtedly a 

noble objective. But we have a long way to go before 

we realise this objective. all the signs indicate that 

Mankind will still be reliant on oil wells and extraction 

systems for a long time to come. it is good to 

know that streicher systems satisfy the highest possible 

safety standards. 




eNorMous HydrauliC systeMs drive the Vdd 400.1 offshore deep drilling plant – the drill head can drill into the seabed down to a depth of 5,000 m, fully automatically. 


09

praCtiCal paper production 

an enDLess sHeet 

Modern paper production in spreMBerg 

it is one of the most commonly used materials in the world – you are holding it in your 

hand now. exactly. We are talking about paper. Whether it is the daily newspaper, paper 

handkerchiefs, wallpaper, packaging or books – scarcely a day goes by when you don’t 

touch paper. and the production process for paper has remained basically unchanged for 

1000 years. only the equipment has improved somewhat. one of the most modern paper 

machines in europe is located in spremberg, Brandenburg. hansa-fleX was there at its 

construction, as a service partner for hydraulic connecting equipment. 

for years, the heart of the niederlausitz region 

was dominated and defined by coal and electricity. 

even today, it is common to hear the traditional 

miners’ greeting “glück auf”, and the football 

team is called “energie”. the area is spremberg, the 

schwarze pumpe (Black pump) district. lying between 

cottbus and dresden, this was once a centre 

for refining brown coal (lignite). today, the site has 

been turned into an industrial estate that is home to 

82 companies. the “hamburger spremberg” paper 

factory stands right in the middle. and at the beginning 

of July, hansa-fleX opened its new shop, 

“schwarze pumpe”, very close to here. 

HelpiNG WitH eCoNoMiC CHaNGe 

“The machine has a capacity of 

330,000 t per year – the paper is 

made entirely from recycled paper!” 

in october, 2003, when ground was broken for the 

new paper factory in the schwarze pumpe industrial 

estate, hamburger spremberg 

gmbh & co. kg made 

a significant contribution 

to altering the economic 

fabric of the region. one 

of the aims was to employ 

local technicians to begin 

operations in the new 

factory. to this end, during the almost 20 months it 

took to build the factory, 25 workers from completely 

unrelated industries were trained to make paper. the 

project was highly successful. today, 375 employees 

have found new employment with the paper factory. 

the same number again in the surrounding district. 

paper has been manufactured in spremberg with the 

very latest technology since the beginning of april 

2005. for example, in ideal conditions the paper machine 

can process 330,000 tons of raw paper to produce 

corrugated cardboard. Because: in spremberg, 

they don’t make simple white paper like the sheets 

we put in our copiers. here beside the spree, they 

make white containerboard. it consists of three plies, 

and is produced entirely from recycled paper. this in 

turn is used to make cardboard boxes and packaging. 

FroM reCyCled paper 

to paCkaGiNG 

the recycled paper is inspected and sorted according 

to its composition as soon as it is delivered. for 

the white cover layer for the “spreeWhite” paper 

type, only white recycled paper can be used. about 

20,000 tons of raw material are warehoused at the 

factory, ready for processing. this is enough for eight 

to ten days’ production. in material preparation the 

recycled paper is dissolved 

in large amounts of water. 

the paper slurry is then 

passed through many machines 

with perforated and 

slotted sieves until almost 

all impurities have been 

removed. after the material 

has been prepared, additives such as starch are 

introduced to give the paper the desired properties. 

tHe paper MaCHiNe 

the halls that house the paper machine have two 

things in common: they are hot and noisy. everywhere 

in the 100-metre long building, machinery 

parts are in motion, creating a paper web 1,000 

10 hansa-fleX Customers magazine

paper production praCtiCal 

metres long by 5.4 metres wide. enough paper every 

minute to cover a football pitch. But before the finished 

paper can be rolled up, it must pass through 

three main sections. first, the fibre pulp coming 

from the material preparation department is heavily 

diluted with water. this suspension contains 

only seven percent of fibre materials per litre and is 

sprayed evenly onto a rotating sieve. as the water 

drains away or is suctioned out, the fibres are deposited 

on the sieve, forming a fibre web. after this 

step, called the sheetforming process by papermakers, 

paper web still contains about 80% water. the 

paper machine at hamburger spremberg has three 

sheetforming units like this, and their fibre webs are 

merged to form a single strip of paper before being 

forwarded to the next processing step. 

”While the paper machine was being 

built, HANSA-FLEX was on hand 

at all times as service partner!” 

next, this paper strip is passed through rollers to 

squeeze more water out. the rollers are pressed 

together so hard that the dry content in the paper 

emerging at the other end has risen to 52 percent. 

this pressing process also increases the mechanical 

strength of the paper. then, heat is applied to dry it 

further. for this, the paper runs in a slalom through 

steam-heated drying cylinders. With its smoothing 

unit at the end of the drying section, the machine 

creates a smooth surface and consistent sheet thickness. 

the paper is then subjected to a thorough quality 

control inspection. if it passes this inspection, it 

is rolled up on steel reels and sent to intermediate 

storage to await shipment. 

alWays Close at HaNd 

While the paper machine was being built, 

hansa-fleX was on hand at all times as service 

partner for the sophisticated hydraulic systems 

and to maintain the construction machinery. the 

fleXXpress rapid hydraulic service was also on constant 

alert to support the standard spare parts delivery 

service. With its new “schwarze pumpe” shop, 

hansa-fleX has now established a presence very 

close by, so it can be on the scene even more quickly. 

Because closeness has its benefits. not only the hamburger 

spremberg paper factory, but for all the other 

companies on the industrial estate, and for over 

350,000 hansa-fleX customers all over the world. 

photo: Julia ahlers photo: Julia ahlers photo: Julia ahlers photo: Julia ahlers photo: Julia ahlers 

paper produCtioN is a complicated process involving 

many complex machines. 


11 

Background photo: Julia ahlers

Work & liFe the seatBelt 

BUcKLe UP For saFetY 

seatBelts increase chances of survival enorMously 

it was a frenchman, gustave-désiré leveau, who 

first applied for a patent for a four-point seatbelt. 

that was in 1903. louis renault followed his example 

the same year and obtained a patent for the fivepoint 

seatbelt, and it was from this prototype that 

volvo developed the three-point belt that is in most 

common use today. starting in 1959, seatbelts were 

standard equipment in all saab and volvo vehicles. 

When the german federal government made it mandatory 

to wear seatbelts – although no penalties 

were imposed for disobedience – the law met with 

intense opposition from some drivers. it was another 

eight years before failure to wear a seatbelt became 

punishable with a fine of 40 dM. compliance then 

rose immediately from 60 to 90%. and yet, seatbelts 

are the single most important safety mechanism in 

the interior of the vehicle, as is attested by the dramatic 

decline in fatalities immediately after wearing 

seatbelts became mandatory. By wearing their seatbelts, 

car drivers increase their chances of surviving 

an accident by 45%. statistics show that almost 50% 

of those who die in traffic accidents were not wearing 

a seatbelt. 8% were driving cars that were not 

fitted with them, or were exempt from wearing one, 

in a further 16% of cases, it was no longer possible 

to determine whether they were wearing one or not. 

only 35% of people who were killed in car accidents 

were properly belted. as a rule: everyone must wear 

a seatbelt. But it is the exceptions that prove the rule. 

When driving at walking pace, reversing, and driving 

from one house to the house next door, drivers in 

germany are not obliged to wear a seatbelt. 

saFety First 

But anyone who is driving in normal traffic on the road 

without wearing a seatbelt is liable to receive a fine of 

30 euros. people who make their child wear a seatbelt 

but do not use a child safety seat will also have to pay 

30 euros. if the violation concerns several children, the 

fine is 35 euros. in flensburg, drivers who are irresponsible 

enough not to secure their children in any way, 

receive a fine of at least 40 euros and one point on 

their driving licence. generally, the driver is responsible 

for ensuring that his passengers are safely buckled 

in. it is also the driver who is penalised if his passengers 

do not comply. in germany, men are found not 

wearing seatbelts noticeably more often than women, 

and older people seem to place greater value on 

safety than younger people. those who believe that 

the kinetic energy produced when driving slowly can 

be absorbed by the arms should take note: at speeds 



barely above walking pace, this is not possible without 

injury. and open fractures of the elbows are not 

pretty, they are excruciatingly painful, and they take 

a long time to heal. furthermore, the compensation 

that might be payable by an insurance company in the 

event of an accident can be significantly reduced if the 

insured person is not wearing a seatbelt. for all these 

reasons: Buckle up, and drive carefully. 

aCCordiNG to statistiCs, the seatbelt increases drivers’ 

chances of surviving a traffic accident by 45%. 


hydraulics in farMing praCtiCal 

aLL set For HaLLoween 

the cordes faMily Meets the puMpkin 


no one can claim that halloween is an essentially 

german festival. But in recent years, the night 

of horrors has enjoyed increasing popularity, 

particularly with children. and carved pumpkins are 

becoming more and more common as garden decorations 

at this time of year. at the cordes pumpkin 

patch in kirchlinteln, this is very gratifying. astrid 

cordes wanted to decorate her farmyard with pumpkins 

back in 2003. But this was no easy ambition. “We 

had to drive a long way before we found anyone who 

sold them. and then, pumpkins were very expensive”, 

recalls the farmer now. astrid cordes decided she 

would not put up with this, so a year later she began 

growing her own pumpkins. starting with 18 different 

types, she sold her wares from small self-service 

stalls by the roadside. these days, the cordes family 

grows over 10,000 pumpkins a year. they offer more 

than 120 different kinds for sale. every pumpkin is 

harvested by hand. 

she offers simple recipes for preparing pumpkins in 

a wide variety of ways. from baby food to pumpkin 

bread, the book covers it all. the cordes family now 

sell their wares in their own farmhouse shop and at 

three self-service stalls in the region. Besides pumpkin 

jam, pumpkin liqueur, and pumpkins in the most 

startling colours, you will also find small decorative 

items or pumpkin juice. 

puMpkiN aCtiVity days 

since pumpkins and halloween go together like 

night and darkness, the cordes family has instituted 

a great halloween programme for children aged 6 to 

14. then, the children can carve the pumpkins they 

themselves have picked in the field. and the pumpkin 

festival is celebrated in mid-september every 

year, under the pumpkin pyramid in the pumpkin 

patch. 


tend 200 beef and 80 dairy cattle at the farm in kirchlinteln. 

and when the hydraulic hoses on his farming 

machinery need to be replaced, dirk cordes drives to 

his nearest hansa-fleX branch. the replacement is 

handed over promptly. if he has to go in october, perhaps 

he will bring a pumpkin. find out more about 

the cordes family's produce at www.kuerbis-undmehr.de. 

reFereNCe Work 

over the last six years, astrid cordes has learned so 

much about pumpkins and their uses that she has 

compiled her knowledge in a cookery book entitled 

“alles kürbis oder was?”. in this 138-page volume, 

HydrauliCs at Work 

But the cordes family also runs a “normal” farm both 

outside and during the pumpkin season. on their 

70-hectare smallholding, they grow mainly fodder 

maize for their own beef and dairy herd. in all, they 

tHe Cordes FaMily still FarMs in the traditional way 

besides their pumpkin crop. 


13

People at HANSA-FLEX Maik Müller 

Dedication and its rewards 

Maik Müller is German national deaf 1500 m champion 

HANSA-FLEX employee Maik Müller won the 1500 m race and came second in the 5000 m at the German National Athletics Championships 

for the Deaf. In this interview, the 23-year-old talks about his triumph, his work at HANSA-FLEX, and his next sporting objectives. 

Mr. Müller, a few weeks ago, you won the 1500 

metres at the German Deaf Athletics Championship. 

Warmest congratulations, first of all! How 

did you feel on crossing the finish line first? 

I was absolutely exhausted, but I was jubilant as well. 

Was your victory a surprise or did you start the 

race as a favourite? 

To be quite honest, I would never have thought I 

might be able to win it. So this victory was a tremendous 

surprise. For me and all of my supporters. But I 

also trained very hard for this race. 

How long have you been in competitive running, 

and how did you get into it? 

I’ve played sports ever since my schooldays. I started 

with football. I played regularly until November 

2008. Then between December 2008 and mid-2009 

I competed in triathlons. I only began training for 

running in June 2010. That was another reason this 

win at the German National Championships was so 

surprising. 

You work for HANSA-FLEX in Weixdorf. What is 

your job there, exactly? 

In Weixdorf, I work in internal technical support. 

Is it true that all deaf people can lipread, or is that 

a fairy story? 

If deaf people have a cochlear implant (Editor’s note: 

A cochlear implant is a hearing prosthesiis for deaf 

people whose auditory nerve still works) or wear a 

hearing aid, they understand their surroundings 

better, and they can also lipread better. Other deaf 

people do not have a cochlear implant or hearing aid, 

and they then use sign language. I have learned to 

hear with a cochlear implant and to lipread. I can also 

understand and talk in sign language. 

How do you and your colleagues communicate? 

Unfortunately, there are very few hearing people 

who have also mastered sign language. 

I communicate by speaking. Many of my colleagues 

make an effort when they are talking to me. It helps 

if they speak simply and clearly. 

Can you explain briefly how sign language works? 

Is there a sign for each word, or do you use signs 

to create letters or syllables? 

Sign language consists of letters, gestures, and words. 

There are signs that one shows for different words. 

Every individual has different experiences with sign 

language. There are many differences depending on 

the country and national spoken lang-uage. So sign 

language is by no means uniform internationally. 

Are you comfortable as an employee with 

HANSA-FLEX? 

I am very comfortable at HANSA-FLEX. My colleagues 

are very nice and I enjoy the work very much. 

What else would you like to achieve in sports? 

Of course my target is to take part in the big championships 

in the next few years. That would be the 

European Championships for the Deaf in Turkey in 

2011, the 2012 World Championships in Canada, and 

the Deaflympics – that is the Olympic Games for the 

deaf in Athens in 2013. A purely personal goal for me 

is to run 5,000 metres in under 15 minutes 50. 

“I would never have thought I might be able to win it. 

So this victory was a tremendous surprise!” 

Photo: Martina Müller 

14 HANSA-FLEX Customers magazine

nico rÖger people at HaNsa-FleX 

sittinG stiLL is not an oPtion 

nico rÖger plays Wheelchair BasketBall at high level 

for nico röger, sport has always been an important part of his life. he played football as a child. he was so succeessful that he was invited to try 

out for the Werder Bremen youth team. But his life took a different turn. in the mid-1990s, doctors diagnosed bone cancer in his thigh. 

amputation was the only solution. 

now aged 26, one day when he was ten, he was 

celebrating his football club’s championship 

win. the next morning, he complained of a pain 

in his thigh. after several examinations, he received 

the devastating diagnosis: bone cancer. a course of 

chemotherapy followed, and finally his entire leg was 

amputated. there was no question of playing sports 

any more. “it was a difficult time for the whole family”, 

says nico röger today, “but as soon as i felt better, 

i started playing football again. on crutches, because 

in the early days i couldn’t get on with an artificial leg 

at all”. today when nico walks, you would not notice 

that he has an artificial leg. 


CoMplete NorMal, But diFFereNt 

after trying out several different sports, the 

hansa-fleX commercial clerk discovered wheelchair 

basketball. this sport pits men and women, with 

and without disabilities, against each other on equal 

terms. the dimensions of the court and the height 

of the nets are exactly the same as for “pedestrian” 

basketball. as as the name suggest, the athletes use 

specially designed sports wheelchairs to get around 

the court. however, the biggest difference is the classification 

of individual players. players are classified 

on a points system from 1 to 4.5 depending on their 

motor skills. a severely disabled player receives 1 

point, a wheelchair basketball player without a disability 

receives 4.5 points. the combined points for 

the five players on the court must not exceed 14.5. 

lookiNG up 

nico röger has been playing wheelchair basketball in 

achim for about 7 years. for a while, he played in two 

clubs. Because he was so good, he was given a double 

licence for young players, and was allowed to play 

for the team from lüneburg in a higher division, and 

so began playing in the 2nd division of the german 

national Wheelchair Basketball league (rBBl). “certainly 

i am ambitious about improving constantly. 

eventually, there came a time when it was not going 

to happen any more, so i started playing in lüneburg 

as well”, says the blond 26-year-old. But playing 

in two teams was extremely time-consuming. “My 

girlfriend has always supported me, but she wasn’t 

terribly happy that i had training at least three or four 

times a week, and weekends were practically always 

game days”, he says with a smile. these days, he plays 

only for Bsv achim. he also trains there three times 

a week, but the long drives to lüneburg have been 

dispensed with. “We want to build something here, 

and climb as far up the standings as possible”, says 

nico röger. promotion to the regional league came 

in 2009. the following year, the team were runners 

up to the league champions. they are hoping that 

2011 will see them promoted to the 2nd national 

league. perhaps they will soon set their sights on the 

national senior league. 




NiCo rÖGer during a wheelchair basketball game with BsV achim – the stated goal for the team is to win promotion to the 2nd National league in 2011. Good luck! 


15

praCtiCal Water engineering 

trUe MasterworKs 

reinhold Meister – a proud tradition in Water engineering 

the company reinhold Meister gmbh is held to 

be one of the largest earthmoving companies 

in germany. and water engineering is traditionally 

one of the company’s primary activities. having 

started in standard river engineering, Meister consistently 

takes on new challenges in water engineering. 

With the hansa-fleX hydraulics workshop, they 

know they can always be sure of rapid spare parts delivery 

– even when they are working well away from 

populated areas. if you drive past the headquarters 

tHe NeW BaNk is seCured with matting layers and a 

covering layer of stones. 


of reinhold Meister gmbh in deggendorf, upper Bavaria, 

you get the merest glimpse of the size of this 

company's vehicle fleet. the excavators stand in serried 

ranks that seem to stretch to the horizon. the total 

fleet includes more than 700 machines. of these, 

150 are hydraulic tracked vehicles and self-propelled 

excavators. Malfunctions are repaired by Meister directly 

in the company’s own workshop. “some of the 

equipment we use cannot even be bought. We build 

them ourselves in that case”, explains workshop supervisor 

thomas Berndl. for example, an excavator 

bucket has been extended by a few metres to extend 

its operating range. since the hydraulic hoses were 

then too short, replacements were obtained through 

hansa-fleX field service technician Josef pertler. 

Fast WitH X-Code 

With such a huge number of vehicles, countless hose 

lines are needed. to make it as easy as possible to obtain 

spare parts, Meister has been using X-code for 

years. “X-code is really good”, says thomas Berndl. “it 

means we don’t have to spend a lot of time measuring 

the lines. We just quote the code over the telephone, 

and in the next delivery we receive the right 

hose lines”. stephan Margetan visits reinhold Meister 

gmbh almost every day. “the need for hose lines and 

other hydraulic components is really enormous. But 

given the number of projects they are working on, 

this is not surprising. Besides, we’ve worked with 

them for many years now. there is a great deal of 

trust on both sides”, states the field technician. the 

outsider can see straight away that the business relationship 

between reinhold Meister and hansa-fleX 

is better than just good. almost every employee in 

the workshop greets stephan Margetan by his first 

name. that may be due to the friendly nature of Bavarians 

in part, but it is surely due in equal part to the 

good cooperation between the companies. 

proJeCts tHrouGHout europe 

the range of projects Meister undertakes is every 

bit as varied as its vehicle fleet is large. if you pass 

a construction project involving water anywhere in 

europe, you will almost always see the logo of the 

experts from deggendorf emblazoned on the vehicles. 

this applies for the drakenburg canal on the 

Weser and at the danube delta in rumania, where 

Meister is restoring the banks of the sulina canal. for 

canal projects, Meister deploys a small army of machines. 

eight big excavators, each weighing over 70 

tons, two smaller ones, weighing up to 70 tons, four 

loaders and two crawler-loaders were floated by ship 

down the danube to the worksite. since the worksite 

is well away from transport routes and any other 

infrastructure, all spare parts must also be delivered 

by ship. this takes time, which as everyone knows, is 

money. especially when a construction machine is 

immobilised. 


Water engineering praCtiCal 

“The range of projects that Meister undertakes is 

as varied as its vehicle fleet is large” 


iMMediate replaCeMeNt oN site 

in order to ensure that hose lines can be replaced 

as rapidly as possible in urgent cases, hansa-fleX 

has provided a hydraulics workshop on the danube 

delta. this workshop is equipped with all of the 

spare parts that are used. training sessions were 

held for the Meister employees, so they would be 

thoroughly familiar with the production equipment 

and could make the spare parts themselves if need 

be. But sometimes the unexpected happens even 

with the most carefully laid plans. for these events 

too, hansa-fleX is there. so it was on the danube 

delta. a hydraulic hose on an excavator burst while 

the construction site was being set up. since none 

of the Meister employees who had been trained had 

even reached the site yet, and no one was familiar 

with the hydraulic workshop, hansa-fleX employee 

Josef pertler passed instructions to the machine operator 

by phone. he explained each step involved in 

press-fitting a hose, and what needs to be remembered 

when it is installed. in an emergency, this is 

also part of the service. 

reinhold Meister gmbh is dressing and reinforcing 

the banks for several kilometres along the sulina 

canal in the danube delta to ensure that the river 

remains navigable to shipping. for this, the excavators 

must scoop out the earth on both banks. this 

is guided with pinpoint accuracy via gps signals, so 

that the river remains as wide as it needs to be. after 

the removal, the subsoil is covered with giant mats of 

non-woven fabric. these mats overlap each other by 

70 centimetres and prevent the subsoil from slipping. 

Meister has developed its own mat laying machine 

so that the mats can be laid as quickly and accurately 

as possible. in a final step, the mat is covered with 

stones, which also protect the bank. 

though it may sound very simple, in practice the undertaking 

is extremely challenging. the duration of 

the project reflects its magnitude and scale. it was 

begun in March 2009, and the banks of the danube 

delta will be restored in all their glory some time in 

2012. and the hansa-fleX hydraulic workshop will 

be on site for all that time, to make sure that downtimes 

are as short as possible. 

piNpoiNt aCCuraCy WitH Gps 



Gps teCHNoloGy supports MaCHiNe operators in pinpoint working of the bank terrain – the excavators used have been 

specially equipped with extra long buckets for this application, with the active cooperation of HaNsa-FleX. 


17

Fascination technology Hydraulics for space travel 

18 HANSA-FLEX Customers magazine

hydraulics for space travel FasCiNatioN teCHNoloGy 

a VerY LonG waY UP 

ariane 5 is europe‘s flagship space eXploration proJect 

satellite navigation, heat-resistant materials, solar cells, freeze-dried food or satellite-supported weather forecasts – these are all examples 

of the way space travel directly affects our daily lives. Without research in weightless conditions, many advanced technologies would never 

have emerged. even today, much basic research is still conducted in space. the most important carrier for the european space agency (esa) 

is the ariane 5. 

When the usa calls a final halt to the space 

shuttle program in february 2011, it will 

truly represent the end of an era. for the 

first time since space research began, the world's 

leading space flight nation will be without a space 

transport vehicle of its own. at least not for a few 

years. her international partners will step into the 

void to ensure that the international space station 

(iss) is not endangered. for example, over the next 

few years astronauts will be transported from earth 

to the iss and back again in the russian soyuz capsule. 

the automatic transfer vehicle (atv) built by 

eads astrium space transportation in Bremen will 

keep the space station supplied with vital raw materials 

such as water, food, oxygen or fuel. When it is 

empty, the crew can use it as a gigantic dustbin. after 

separating from the space station it will burn up on 

re-entering the earth’s atmosphere. 

WeiGHtless is Not 

eXaCtly WeiGHtless 

another important function of the atv is to lift the 

space station at regular intervals. Because even 

though the iss is orbiting about 350 kilometres 

above our planet, it is still slowed by the frictional 

resistance of the thin atmosphere at that altitutde, 

and it falls towards earth at a rate between 50 and 

150 metres per day. if the iss falls too far, it is in danger 

of being incinerated in the earth’s atmosphere. to 

prevent this, the unmanned space freighter will dock 

with he station completely automatically and remain 

docked for up to six months. for the docking manoeuvre, 

a laser-guided, fully automated system is 

used, which can help to couple the atv to the russian 

zvyezda module. this demands the most extreme 

precision. if the iss has to be lifted, the atv will fire 

its jets to put the space station into a higher orbit. 

this has been done once before. the atv raised the 

iss by 6.4 kilometres in two stages. the next launch 

is scheduled for the end of november 2010. since the 

atv is a transporter that cannot be launched into 

space from the earth under its own power, it will be 

sent into orbit on the back of one of the most powerful 

rockets ever built, the ariane 5. launches like this 

use hydraulic systems. 

XWorld Will pass Close By 

the ariane 5 will be launched from the space station 

in kourou, french guiana, in south america. the 

geographical situation of this site makes it ideal for 

launching rockets. it is close to the equator. Because: 

the earth's rotation is more powerful here, which 

means that the ariane is able to carry two-and-ahalf 

to three times more payload into a geostationary 

orbit than if it were launched from a more northerly 

site. this saves fuel, and accordingly costs. the fortunate 

participants in the third stage of XWorld south 

america from 16 to 29 July 2011 will have the privilege 

of touring the esa space centre. 

oNe-Way FliGHt For 180 

MillioN dollars 

Besides the atv and the esa, which will launch a 

payload into orbit on the carrier rocket once or twice 

a year, the rocket can also be used to take up satellites 

for international customers. ariane 5 will carry 

the satellites on a one-way trip into space for a paltry 

180 million us dollars. a sophisticated system will 

enable the european carrier rocket to place two satellites 

in different orbits. this makes ariane 5 more 

attractive for international customers, because this 

cuts the launch costs in half. 

iNstallatioN oN site 

WitH HydrauliCs 

ariane 5 is a european project. to ensure that all of 

the countries which contribute funds also reap a benefit 

from it, the various parts of the rocket are produced 

or assembled at different locations in the participating 

nations all over europe. the rocket is not 

fully assembled until it reaches kourou. Between one 

and two months before a launch, the ariane’s main 

photo: esa 

stage, secondary stage and fairing will reach the port 

in the capital of french guiana in oversized containers. 

the individual parts will then be driven on heavy 

transporters to the launch centre, where they will be 

assembled. hydraulic systems are used during this 

assembly as well, to lift the individual stages and 

connect them to each other. the upright ariane will 

then be transported to the launch gantry about a 

kilometre away on a rail system. the two solid fuel 

boosters attached to the sides of the primary stage 

will provide additional thrust during the launch. they 

burn for about 130 seconds and are then jettisoned. 

even though hydraulic systems are practically inoperable 

in space due to weightlessness and the 

low temperatures, on the ground they are essential 

for ensuring that we can continue receiving satellite 

television, and that the international space station is 

constantly supplied with vital raw materials. 

ariaNe 5 is rolled out to the launch pad from the assembly 

building on track mounted “launch platform”. 


Background photo: esa 

19

NeWs Qualified hydraulics technician 

LiFeLonG LearninG 

training as a hydraulics technician at the iha opens up Many opportunities 

Mario JaNss Has eVery reasoN to sMile he has 

successfully completed the training course to become a 

“qualified hydraulics technician” at the iHa. 

Mario Janß has been working for hansa-fleX 

since 2003. he started as a driver for the 

fleXXpress hydraulics immediate response 

service, and is now deputy manager of industrial 

assembly in hamburg and a service technician for 

industrial assembly and plant construction. Besides 

these demanding activities, Mario Janß also attended 

the iha training course that would lead to 

his qualification as a hydraulics technician. he passed 

the course with distinction. in the following interview, 

he describes his views on the course content. 

Mr. Janß, why did you decide to take the training 

course to become a qualified hydraulics technician 

(HFk)? 


someone mentioned to me while i was at a seminar 

in dresden that this hfk qualification course was 

being offered. it sounded interesting. so i found 

out more details about it and submitted a written 

application to my regional manager, Mr. krampitz. 

Mr. krampitz approved it and forwarded it immediately. 

he was extremely supportive throughout the 

entire training course. 

How do you rate the content of the course? 

the material covered in the hfk training course is 

very extensive. each topic area is discussed down to 

the smallest detail, and where possible this theoretical 

knowledge was reinforced with practical exercises. 

our trainee group was extremely demanding, 

and the trainers had to put in an enormous amount 

of overtime. i would also like to express my sincere 

thanks once again to the iha team! 

Now you can step back a bit: How has the training 

course you have just completed helped you in 

your work for the company? 

i have become a great deal more self-confident when 

dealing with customers. customers certainly feel 

more confident that they are in good hands as well 

when they find that the “hydraulics technician” they 

speak to on the phone is sure of himself, and knows 

what he is about. 

How did you manage the extra workload? after 

all, you had to resume your existing responsibilities 

for HaNsa-FleX in between training weeks. 

it’s true, the workload was huge. almost all of the 

participants had stopped studying many years ago, 

so the first thing you had to do was learn how to 

learn again. the weekends were always very short, 

and the three weeks sometimes went by faster than 

we would have lliked. i used to set off back to dresden 

with my colleague at about midday on sunday, and 

we would quiz each other on the way down, because 

we knew that we had a four-hour test every Monday 

at the iha. this was how they tested whether we had 

understood the training material and had studied at 

home. 

Which employees do you think would benefit 

from this training course? 

i think that the hfk training is to be recommended 

for fleXXpress vehicle drivers and service technicians. 

But also for anyone who deals with hydraulic 

systems as part of his working life and is interested in 

getting a sound training in hydraulics. 

the training course you attended was associated 

with certain costs for your employers. 

How does your training benefit your employer 

HaNsa-FleX aG? 

i think that the customer feels more confident that 

he is in good hands, which means that he is more inclined 

to call us again if he has another problem with 

his hydraulics. it is also an advantage that we learn 

about more than just hoses in the training course. We 

learn about everything that hansa-fleX has to offer. 

When you're dealing with customers, you don't 

walk around with blinkers, you point out things that 

the customer had perhaps not thought about before. 

that can be beneficial for everyone. 

www.hydraulik-akademie.de 

advertisement 

Training seminar schedule October – November 

05. – 06.10.2010 Qualified staff member, line equipment hennigsdorf/Berlin 

04. – 08.10.2010 principles of fluid technology part 2 dresden-weixdorf 

18. – 22.10.2010 electrohydraulics dresden-weixdorf 

26. – 27.10.2010 Qualified staff member, line equipment Boffzen/höxter 

25. – 29.10.2010 maintaining hydraulic systems dresden-weixdorf 



17. – 18.11.2010 Qualified staff member, line equipment Bremen 

18. – 19.11.2010 Fluid service workshop for Sales Bielefeld 

22. – 26.11.2010 maintaining hydraulic systems dresden-weixdorf 

29.11. – 03.12.2010 principles of fluid technology part 2 dresden-weixdorf 

For more information, please contact ms. alpermann or ms. Schubert on tel.: +49 351 65 87 80-0 | info@hydraulik-akademie.de

change of coMpany forM NeWs 


a steP into tHe FUtUre 

hansa-fleX hydraulik gMBh is noW hansa-fleX ag 

the rate at which hansa-fleX has grown in the last few years can best be illustrated with a few cogent figures. in June 2006, we had 162 

branches in germany, today we have 194. Worldwide, this number has risen from 285 to 358. the number of fleXXpress rapid hydraulic 

service vehicles operated by hansa-fleX has almost doubled in the last four years. 

When a company grows as fast as ours has, 

its internal structures occasionally have 

to be adapted to reflect prevailiing circumstances. 

in 2009, hansa-fleX fully integrated 

its two subsidiaries, hansa-fleX Metallschläuche 

gmbh in Boffzen and k+s hydraulik gmbh, to form 

hansa-fleX hydraulik gmbh and create a clearer 

corporate structure. this step also enabled us to reduce 

internal costs – for example for preparing annual 

financial reports. With the construction of our 

second central warehouse in geisenfeld, which began 

operations this year, hansa-fleX is also keeping 

pace with the organic growth of the group and ensuring 

that in future our customers can be supplied even 

more quickly with all hansa-fleX products. 

the conversion of our company from hansa-fleX 

hydraulik gmbh to hansa-fleX ag, which was finalised 

in august 2010, represents yet another logical 

step in our strategy to embrace and manage our 

growth. having said that, hansa-fleX shares will 

not be traded on the stock market. instead, our new 

corporate form is a “familien-ag”, in which all of the 

shares will be held by the families of the managing 

board, the armerdings and the Buschmanns. 

one of the main objectives of this step is to streamline 

our internal structures without having to reduce 

our workforce. this will also reduce internal costs, 

which will in turn render operational business more 

efficient. “With the conversion to hansa-fleX ag, 

we will also strengthen central management of the 

entire group and hope to further raise the public profile 

of the company. the ag corporate form enables 

us to function even more efficiently in the future, 

and respond even better to the requirements of our 

customers”, says Managing Board chairman thomas 

armerding. 

except for our corporate form, nothing will change 

for our customers and suppliers. hansa-fleX ag 

will continue to stand for the highest quality materials, 

comprehensive services, skilled employees, and 

closeness to our customers. 

a CereMoNial MoMeNt the conversion of HaNsa-FleX to 

a joint stock corporation (aktiengesellschaft) was finalised 

in the prestigious Bremer park Hotel – from l. to r. Jörg 

Buschmann, esther schönewald (attorney), Christian-Hans 

Bültemeier, uwe Buschmann, dieter H. seidler, tim Hollweg, 

thomas armerding, Gisbert loosen, Günter Buschmann, 

dr. Holger sudbrink (attorney and notary). 



21

NeWsletter schon geWusst...? 

newsticKer 

photo: Julia ahlers photo: istockphoto 

Bariloche 

Geisenfeld warehouse officially opens 

the official opening of the second hansa-fleX 

central warehouse, in geisenfeld was held on 

september 10. More than 100 guests from 

industry, the media and politics attended the 

event. guests included the district administrator 

of pfaffenhofen, a. Westner and the Mayor of 

geisenfeld, c. staudter. the mayor expressed his 

appreciation to hansa-fleX for the company’s 

commitment to the region. the central warehouse 

been fully operational since 5 July. 

Book now: XWorld south america 

the new XWorld homepage is now available 

online at www.xworld.cc. it provides complete 

information about the forthcoming off-road adventure, 

together with the opportunity to book 

your place on one of the stages. anyone interested 

can find further details in the amply illustrated 

XWorld catalogue. since a third of the 

stages are already fully booked, those who are 

yearning for adventure should not wait too long. 

Cusco 

Georgetown 

Salta 

Ushuaia 

Buenos 

Aires 

Belem 

Rio De 

Janeiro 

painting by friedrich georg Weitsch, 1806 (source: Wikipedia) 

tHe Last 

renaissance Man 

aleXander von huMBoldt – a life devoted to research 

there can have been few figures in the history of 

the world whose life and work have been intertwined 

in one inextricable opus as completely 

as in the person of alexander von humboldt. While 

still a child, he resolved to devote his life to the study 

of the natural world and to undertake a great expedition 

for the purpose of scientific research. in 1792, 

after receiving a thorough education, humboldt was 

appointed “assessor cum voto” to the prussian Mines 

department at the age of 23. three years later, as 

chief Mines advisor, he made extended inspection 

visits of mines throughout europe, also improving 

his knowledge of geology. in 1796, humboldt’s 

mother died and left him a considerable fortune. 

von humboldt declined Minister hardenberg’s offer 

to allow him to take paid leave for several years, so 

that he could complete his research expedition, and 

resigned from the civil service that same year. With 

his finances secured, he set about preparing for his 

journey. he visited volcanos in italy, purchased quantities 

of measuring instruments in paris, and then 

made for Madrid with his companion, the botanist 

aimé Bonpland. By dint of diplomacy, von humboldt 

obtained a travel permit from the king of spain that 

extended to all of the spanish colonies on the american 

continent. With his preparations complete, on 5 

June 1799 vo humboldt boarded the frigate “pizarro” 

in la coruna and set sail for south america. 

photo: istock photo 

for the next five years, von humboldt journeyed 

throughout the territories that would become venezuela, 

ecuador, Brazil, cuba, peru, colombia, Mexico 

and the usa. he calculated the height of mountains, 

climbed the highest volcanos on the continent – in 

walking shoes –, collected over 60,000 animal and 

plant specimens, and discovered a natural connection 

between the two mighty rivers of south america, 

the amazon and the orinoco. almost incidentally, 

he disproved the theory of neptunism, according 

to which all rocks were formed by deposition in the 

world’s seas, and which had hitherto been widely 

respected in the scientific community, discovered the 

ocean current that bears his name, and created the 

most accurate map of the continent – to name just 

a few of his achievements. all the while, von humboldt 

was in the thick of the action. theory was not 

what he did best. he crawled into caves that were so 

tight, aimé Bonpland had to pull him out by the feet. 

once, while in a native village to study the effects of 

the toxin curare, with which the indigenous tribes 

tipped their arrows, he noticed that the animals 

killed with the poison could be eaten immediately. 

he theorised that the poison was only effective if it 

got into the bloodstream. to prove this theory, he 

abruptly dipped his finger in the poison bowl, licked 

the poison off, and survived. 

Back in europe, humboldt spent the next 20 years 

in paris, evaluating the results of his research. ultimately, 

his travelogue encompassed 35 volumes. in 

1827, he moved to Berlin at the request of the king 

of prussia. there, he condensed his discoveries into 

a single work entitled “kosmos” (cosmos). alexander 

von humboldt died of an influenza infection on 

6 March 1859. the american continent is still full of 

reminders of his journey. for example, he is immortalised 

in the names of beetles, penguins, rivers, cities 

and universities. 

aleXaNder VoN HuMBoldt journeyed extensively 

throughout south america conducting research into the 

natural world in the early 19th century. 

22 


win GLoBetrotter VoUcHers 

Just ansWer our prize Question 

coMpetition | vacancies | previeW FaCts & FiGures 

in this edition, we are again offering multiple 

chances to win. three winners drawn at random 

will each receive a voucher worth 100 euros. 

these vouchers can be redeemed at globetrotter, 

the famous outdoor clothing and travel equipment 

store. please send us your answer by email to 

ma@hansa-flex.com or by normal mail. don’t forget 

to include your name and address. the deadline for 

receipt of entries is november 15, 2010. only one entry 

per participant will be accepted. Judges’ decision 

is final, no liability accepted unless permitted by law. 

the prize cannot be substituted with cash. good luck! 

priZe QuestioN: 

at what altitude do the skysails towing kites 

exploit strong, stable winds to create forward 

motion? 

a: 100 to 200 metres 

B: 100 to 250 metres 

c: 100 to 300 metres 

auFlÖsuNG ausGaBe 08|2010 answer: a > 6-7 kg 

Winner: M. kowall – torgau, G. paul – Helmstedt, p. licht – 

elmshorn, B. ruhland – ismaning, u. Hintersdorf – laußig 

Facts & FiGUres 

anniversaries 

october: 

hansa-fleX schwerin-süd, germany oct. 1990 20 years 

November: 

hansa-fleX salzburg-Bergheim, austria nov. 2000 10 years 

hansa-fleX herstal, Belgium nov. 2000 10 years 

hansa-fleX lamone-cadempino, switzerland nov. 2000 10 years 

hansa-fleX zürich, switzerland nov. 2000 10 years 

BraNCHes 

FleXXpress 

neW Branches 

WorldWide 

358 

gerMany 

194 

232 127 

august: 

hansa-fleX Borringhauser str. 6 49401 damme germany 

hansa-fleX saules iela 63f 4801 Madona latvia 

PreView 12|2010 

for the neXt issue, We are preparing the folloWing articles 

CoVer story 

trade Fairs & eVeNts 

praCtiCal 

Making chocolate at stollwerck 

Wanderlust: preview of XWorld south america 

snow clearance duty in Braunlage 

Work & liVe 

did you kNoW...? 

NeWs 

addiction – the employer’s options 

ashoka – the warrior of peace 

Winter road protection – automac snow fences 

careers at Hansa-FLeX: 

an selection of our current vacancies froM WWW.hansa-fleX.coM/karriere 

• internal sales technician m/f in Bremen 

• internal technical service staff m/f in Münster and stadtlohn region 

• Warehouse dispatch supervisor m/f in dresden-Weixdorf 

• field technician m/f with knowledge of hydraulics in rostock 

• commercial clerk m/f in 85290 geisenfeld 

• internal serv. technician (workshop/warehouse) m/f in hamburg-Billbrook 

• hydr. fitter for field service m/f augsburg, ingolstadt, München areas 

• inhouse and field service technician m/f in Mannheim 


23

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HYDRAULIKPRESSE October 2010, english issue - Hansa Flex

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