Annual report 2003

Sigurd ADLER,
Vice President & General Manager Refining Services (Hanau)*.
Francis VANBELLEN,
Site Manager Precious Metals Services, Hoboken.
What are/were the main challenges in integrating
the refining activities at Hoboken & Hanau?
Francis Vanbellen: Hoboken’s refinery is fully automated and
uses innovative, cutting edge processes and recycling technologies.
The Hanau refinery has been tuned to supply the “downstream”
product business and for development initiatives. The result of our
integration project should be evaluated within that context.
Hoboken will take over most of Hanau’s refining activities, whilst
Hanau will further focus on the precious metals compounds
business.
From a people point of view, the main challenge was to balance
the business arguments with the human and cultural factors and to
try to get the best of both worlds. Bearing this in mind I think that
the integration team has been able to deal with these issues and
focus fully on the future of the new Umicore.
Were there any immediate benefits?
Francis Vanbellen: Yes. They were mainly found in the treatment
of by-products from Hanau in Hoboken. The Hoboken smelter
masters a unique technology and as such can handle almost any
kind of material. Other quick wins came from the learning process
that was initiated through the integration exercise. Both refineries
have developed unique world-class refining processes. Hoboken
and Hanau have already applied certain of these mutual experiences
in their own environment. The metals management integration
probably went faster than the other elements and the benefits
from this process were realized earliest.
What was the role of the Hanau works council in
the restructuring process?
Sigurd Adler: The works council played an essential role in the
restructuring at the Hanau plant. The works council represents the
interests of the employees, but also had to include the interests of
the company in its considerations and decisions.
The project was successfully accomplished through the open,
honest, and collective work that took place, especially in the more
difficult phases of the process. Obviously the people affected by
the restructuring were at the forefront of the discussions along
with the current and future perspectives for the Hanau site in
general and the refining operations in particular.
An essential part of the social compensation plan, was the
creation of a personnel development company. The company
* Is currently in charge of Production & Technology, Automotive Catalysts.
offers those affected by the plan the best possible opportunity of
finding new employment in the Hanau region – a labour market
that is currently very difficult. I think that we have seen an example
in this case, where the works council and the management of
Umicore worked together in a thoroughly professional manner to
find a way through a difficult but necessary part of the integration
process.
In what ways has the integration affected
Umicore’s market in precious metals refining
and recycling?
Francis Vanbellen: Our markets were quite complementary and
Umicore can now offer a broader service to a broader customer
base. We now offer a full service to an extended market and are
able to handle almost any request in the field of precious metals
recycling, refining and product development. A good example is
the autocatalyst business. The new Umicore has more collection
and pre-processing points, more refining capacity and masters a
consolidated autocatalyst development process.
Sigurd Adler: In geographic terms one of the big differences
is that Umicore has now got a much better presence in regions
such as Asia and South America. This adds to its previous strength
in the European market.
What’s next for Precious Metals Services?
Francis Vanbellen: We’ll continue to pursue our strategic focus
on complex precious metals recycling supported by an extended
metals management service portfolio. The integration process has
delivered a unique platform for product development, backed by
one of the world’s best-equipped and most flexible precious metals
refineries. This should bring new opportunities.
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