Yearbook 2013/2014 - ehedg

European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group
News from the Treasurer
Piet Steenaard, Dr. Catzlaan 19, NL-1261 CE Blaricum, e-mail: steenaard@kpnmail.nl
Apart from covering our administration costs, the positive
income was partly used for giving the growing number of
experts the possibility of joining Subgroup meetings and
EHEDG congresses. In most cases we have been able to
fund the attendance of Subgroup members without financial
back-up from a company or institute.
At the end of each year, all Regional and Subgroup Chairmen
are asked to send in their activity and budget planning for the
year to come and if in need of financial support for upcoming
EHEDG activities, we have approved most inquiries in the
past. Resulting from the growing number of Subgroups and
Regions, about 50 regular EHEDG meetings plus many local
events, workshops and training courses are held annually.
From a financial point of view, the period 2011 - 2012
was successful for the EHEDG. It was characterised by
an increase in income thanks to a significant growth in
membership and by more revenues from certification. On the
other hand, as company members benefit from downloading
the guidelines free-of-charge from the EHEDG website,
document sales have been decreasing at the same time.
Institutes have been offered an advantageous membership
fee and since then, the EHEDG has gained more universities
and institutions. This increase helps to strengthen the
scientific recognition of the EHEDG. As a result, we are now
in a position to involve more scientists into the development
of our state-of-the-art guidelines, along with our experts from
mechanical engineering with their essential know-how. Many
institutes adopt and organise our regional activities and
they translate the EHEDG guidelines and our website into
the local languages. They are active in various Subgroups
and hold seminars and workshops to disseminate EHEDG
knowledge.
The EHEDG Subgroups are ideally composed of mechanical
engineers, microbiologists, food producers and academia.
However, sometimes it is not easy to find the right experts
who can jointly provide the well-balanced and comprehensive
know-how on the topic in question. Therefore, active expert
input and EHEDG Subgroup participation on behalf of all
related industries is always highly welcome – as long as it
is considered on a basis of ‘give-and-take’. The EHEDG can
offer many benefits to the industry if it actively joins our work:
companies are offered the opportunity to feed their interests
into the discussion and they can provide influence on setting
global standards by actively contributing to the Subgroup
work. EHEDG helps to enhance the reputation of its member
companies and makes them knowledge leaders in hygienic
design and processing.
Most companies encourage and support their employees
to participate in EHEDG activities, so they can develop or
revise guidelines, training material and test methods for
equipment. We are thankful to all these companies for their
continued support.
In recent years, we brought all our Chairmen together on
the occasion of our annual Plenary Meetings to provide
updated information from EHEDG International, enhance
networking and cooperation in our fast growing organisation
and offer them an opportunity for experience exchange and
networking.
EHEDG participation in international exhibitions helps to
establish the new relationships and to expand our network
and we invite you to visit us on the occasion of e.g. Drinktec,
Anuga FoodTec and other important events.
We are interlinking more than 200 companies and 30
academic institutions. To date, about 1,000 persons have
joined the EHEDG and more than 350 experts are actively
involved in our Subgroup work. They are aiming to develop
state-of-the art documents and teaching aids for hygienically
designed machinery and equipment as well as for safe food
production processes. Any new members are welcome in
order to keep up this good work.
It was an honour and a pleasure to take care of the EHEDG
finances and to work with such highly committed people.
Piet Steenaard
EHEDG Treasurer