DEAR CUSTOMERS, DEAR STAFF AND FRIENDS,this year, we celebrate our company anniversary „50 years of Wirtgen“. Reason enough to take stock of the dynamic development of our company over the past five decades and the key milestones along the way.

A focus on customer satisfaction While our father Reinhard Wirtgen was developing his ser-vice company step-by-step back in the 1970s, he assem-bled a team that could live up to his aspiration of custom-er orientation on the job site. The personnel were always open to unconventional solutions and impressed custom-ers with their remarkable dedication and seemingly limit-less flexibility. Those days were imbued with a unique pio-neering spirit.

Building on the experiences the company had gained in operating its own machines, the service philosophy was then channelled into the subsequent machine construction era and became a signature feature that inspired and shaped customer satisfaction. This wealth of experience pervades the company to this day and it is still a matter of course in all companies of the Wirtgen Group to provide helpful and professional support whenever our customers need our services, day or night. Our branches and their teams are available on the spot and our customers can al-so rely on qualified backup from the respective headquar-ters for the different brands.

Professionalizing with passion Each weekend, the service machines were modified in the Windhagen workshop, incorporating the experiences gained on job sites. Driven by the desire to always be a cut above than the rest, it was this process which triggered the company‘s dynamic development. The machines that were subsequently offered on the market were continually im-proved with the same vigour. To this day, the company is still systematically and enthusiastically implementing inno-vations and introducing resource-friendly construction pro-cesses all around the world.

The professionalization of the manufacturing processes themselves has been just as dynamic. After multiple ex-pansions of the Windhagen factory, conversions and ex-pansions followed at Vögele in Mannheim, then at Hamm

in Tirschenreuth. Later, new headquarters were construct-ed for Kleemann in Göppingen and Vögele in Ludwigshafen. Ambitious investments each year put this extremely rapid professionalization on a firm footing right from the start.

Using potential flexiblyThe technological transition from hot milling machines to cold milling machines, the reorganization that changed us from a service provider to a machine construction compa-ny, the system change from workstation assembly to flow assembly and the structural change that transformed us from a single company into a group are just a few exam-ples of how one milestone followed closely on the tail of another, in our case over a short period of just 50 years. And then there was the set-up of production facilities abroad, the establishment of branches and the authorized dealer network around the world and our entry into new fields of business.

The key aim was always to recognize opportunities and po-tential, to sound them out and then resolutely implement, integrate and harness them to the benefit of our custom-ers. In the light of these facts, it is easy to see how a one-man business could develop into our group of companies with a workforce of 5,000 in the space of just 50 years.

On course for the future, todayToday, the Wirtgen Group is a strong medium-sized enter-prise with excellent prospects for the future. Our employ-ees untiringly continue to uphold the traditional virtues from which our success has grown. And it is this willingness to take up the challenges of the future – with unconventional solutions, a pioneering spirit, a willingness to innovate and a focus on the needs and satisfaction of our customers – that will continue to accompany us on our path.

Our warmest wishes

HIGHLIGHTS

Top event: 17,300 visitors celebrate 50 years of Wirtgen!

Exhibition stand of Wirtgen America proves to be crowd-puller.

Market launch more than successful – new EVO plants.

T h E N E w S p A p E R F O R C U S T O M E R S , S T A F F A N D F R I E N D S O F T h E w I R T G E N G R O U p | N o . 4 1 / J u l y 2 0 1 1

02 Open day: 50 years of Wirtgen

04 Vögele PowerFeeder for top quality

06 Hamm one step ahead – the i-era commences

07 Kleemann EVO plants successful in continuous operation

08 Wirtgen Group and Betek: maximum customer satisfaction

09 Wirtgen Group and Streu-master: complete solution for soil stabilization

10 Wirtgen Group and Deutsche Leasing: optimum conditions

11 Conexpo: resounding success in America

12 Children in Need: kindergarten instead of rubbish dump

IN THIS ISSUE

FORUM

02

07

11Jürgen WirtgenStefan Wirtgen

ROAd And MineRAl TechnOlOgies

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50 yEARS OF wIRTGEN – FROM pIONEER TO CORpORATE GROUp:

OpEN DAy DElIGhTS MORE ThAN 17,300 vISITORS A 50th birthday is a joyous occa-

sion to celebrate with friends, col-leagues, neighbours and companions. And the same holds true for a world market leader. „50 years of Wirtgen – from pioneer to corporate group“ was hence the motto for the open day to which employees of the headquarters and subsidiaries were warmly invited, along with locals. All told, 17,300 peo-ple grasped this opportunity to take a glimpse behind the scenes and flocked to Windhagen for the compa-ny‘s 50th jubilee on 5 June.

insights, overviews, reviews and outlooksThe visitors came to the Wirtgen headquarters with quite different ex-pectations and motives. Families and friends of the workforce, local resi-dents, technology enthusiasts, stu-dents, people from the region, cus-tomers, suppliers and service provid-ers of the Wirtgen Group all attended this event.

“I’ve always wanted to know how these big construction machines are actually built.” That was the motiva-tion for many visitors to spend their Sunday at the premises of a machine manufacturer. However, there was al-so great interest in simply visiting a successful company: “I’ve been fol-lowing the success story of Wirtgen for many years now. Reason enough to take a glance behind the scenes.”

deep insights into production The factory tour fulfilled these wishes, as all areas of production were opened to visitors. The visitors were impressed not only by the huge processing machines and numerous construction machines, but also by the transparency and deep insights they were given into the pro-duction processes. Their countless

questions were answered competently by the personnel. Tarik Teke, who has been working in production at Wirtgen for 14 years, was impressed by the in-terest shown in his workplace: “I’m proud to be able to demonstrate our ad-

vanced machines. I think it’s great that people are interested in these things.”

The service and design information booths also exerted a magnetic attrac-tion. “How long does a cutter last?

How many metres of welded seam are there on a milling drum? Where is the foam created for foamed bitumen? Which recyclers are used for which type of damage? Why doesn’t the con-crete fall over when building a safety barrier?” The personnel answered visi-tors’ questions all day long and even our most experienced colleagues were astounded at the immense interest shown in the products and technolo-gies from Windhagen.

Outstanding overview of a unique product range Wirtgen, Vögele, Hamm and Kleemann are the four internationally renowned brands of the Wirtgen Group. Visitors learned how the machines function, what they are capable of and what the operator’s platform of an advanced construction machine looks like in the large machine exhibition. Children were given the unique opportunity to sit in a

pUbLISHEr‘S dETaILSFORUM – THE NEWSPAPER FOR CuSTOMERS, STAFF AND FRIENDS OF THE WIRTGEN GROuP

pUblIShED by: Wirtgen Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH · Reinhard-Wirtgen-Straße 2 · D-53578 Windhagen E-Mail: forum@wirtgen.de · Internet: www.wirtgen-group.com OFFICIAL REGISTRATION: Commercial Register Montabaur HRB 10492 VAT No.: DE 149 525 751 Board of management: Jürgen Wirtgen, Stefan Wirtgen, Rainer Otto

RESpONSIblE FOR CONTENT: Franz Sales Mantel · Tel.: +49 2645-131 128 · Fax: +49 2645-131 499 E-Mail: presse@wirtgen.de

EDITORIAl STAFF: Michaela Adams

All rights reserved. Reproduction only with written permission by the editorial staff. This applies especially to duplication via copying or CD-ROM and storage in electronic databases.

lAyOUT: Andrea Schiffer

TRANSlATION: interteam Übersetzungsbüro, Grünwald

pRINT: Gebrüder Kopp, Köln

Area Service Manager Jürgen Bauer (left) and Service Technician Daniel Speisser from Kleemann: „We‘re having a great time here in Windhagen at the 50th jubilee.“

Milling Machine Operators Udo Mitchell and Uwe Felgenhauer work with Wirtgen machines every day. „We‘re delighted with the warm welcome and the comprehensive information that we‘ve received from the personnel here.“

Mario Runkel (left) is a Service Technician at Wirtgen Windhagen. „Today is an ideal opportunity for me to show my family the machines I attend to every day.“ During the machine exhibition, he was also pleased to meet up with André Felchner, Service Technician and Product Trainer at Vögele.

The fascination which Wirtgen‘s legendary status exudes and the large machines attracted countless visitors to Windhagen. People from the region were curious to see the production facilities of the important machine construction company.

Confident and friendly: trainees from the headquarters of Wirtgen, Vögele and Hamm presented highlights from the Wirtgen Group product range in a dynamic show. The show was presented by Daniel Klein, commercial apprentice and business administration student, together with Jenny Preukschas, trainee industrial mechanic and mechanical engineering student.

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real construction machine, while many adults learned about the functions and applications. “I was amazed by the high quality and level of detail of the questions,” said Michael Funk from Kleemann’s Customer Service enthusi-astically, who was answering questions in his capacity as a mining expert.

Moving reviews of 50 years of Wirtgen

“The Wirtgen Way” is a success story that is unquestionably both exceptional and utterly unique – the tale of a com-pany’s development from a visionary pioneer to a global group. using texts, images and videos, an exhibition simi-larly entitled “The Wirtgen Way” illus-trated technical and company mile-stones, as well as challenges and vi-sions. Visitors could get in touch with the spirit that has driven this group for half a century now, has held it together in times of crisis and allowed it to grow continuously. The visitors left this exhi-bition deeply impressed and full of re-spect.

Trainees offer an appealing outlook The machine presentation held by the trainees provided a glimpse into the fu-ture of the Wirtgen Group. Young tal-ents from the German headquarters presented the very latest construction machines. And their presentation was top-notch: “It wasn’t until I took a clos-

er look that I realized these were our trainees demonstrating the machines, and not professional presenters,” said Petra Holl from Human Resources with no small amount of pride in the dynam-ic up-and-coming talent.

„I‘m extremely impressed by the achievements of the Wirtgen family. My company has been on the scene for 30 years now and we have 200 personnel. But to go from a one-man busi-ness to an enterprise with 5,000 employees? That‘s really an extraordinary feat. I take off my hat to them,“ said entrepreneur Stefan Hillers and his companion Bettina Etscheid after the tour of the „The Wirtgen Way“ exhibition.

Bernhard Stahlhausen has known the Wirtgen family for as long as 50 years. „I‘ve been a member of the Asbach district council for 30 years now. That alone has given me cause to follow the progress of the group of companies. Time and time again, I‘ve been pleased to see how well a local company like Wirtgen have become established as an international player.“

Haulage agent Walter Morschhäuser (left) has been transporting Wirtgen machines from the factory to customers for almost 20 years. „Today, I‘m taking the opportunity to have a good look at those areas one doesn‘t usually get to see during day-to-day work. And it‘s really strengthened my impression - It‘s amazing how this company has developed. Congratulations!“

„It was well worth visiting the 50th jubilee event, despite the long trip,“ commented Hamm em-ployees Rosi Zeus and Nelina Balzereit. Three coaches brought personnel from Tirschenreuth to Windhagen. They naturally also met up with colleagues from their own company, such as Ralf Schröder of Hamm‘s Product Management team, who helped organize the machine exhibition.

Jürgen and Simone Krautscheid from Neustadt know a lot of employees: „Wirtgen is a fantastic employer. That‘s the impression we get of the company as outsiders. Social commitment is writ large. We think that‘s a good thing and it is also evident in activities such as ‚Children in Need‘.“ Helmut Rau from Ockenfels (right) adds: „My impression of Wirtgen is that of a family enterprise with a long-term strategy. That distinguishes it in a very appealing way from the quick-win approaches of corporations that are under shareholder pressure.“

ChARITy GROUp „ChIlDREN IN NEED“ FUNDRAISING MARAThON wORkS MARvElS

A very special event organized by the likeable team from charity group „Children in Need“ kept the crowds on tenterhooks the whole day. As part of a fundraising marathon, all visitors were able to donate money at numerous points on the grounds.

A „donations barometer“ revealed to all how much had already been collected. Enthusiasm was already running high when the EUR 50,000 mark was passed at around 2 pm. And there were happy faces all around when it became clear at the end of the day that a total of EUR 126,555 had been raised. „That‘s sensational! We didn‘t expect so many donations,“ exclaimed Gisela Wirtgen and her team.

The money will benefit the „Rubbish Dump Children Project“ in Cebu City and the Reinhard Wirtgen Memorial Hospital in Alegria (both in the Philippines).

Over the course of the day, visitors who followed the perfectly signposted route through the factory covered more than four kilometres through spotless assembly halls and outdoor areas. And there was plenty to see, too, as Wirtgen gave detailed insights into the production processes.

The sturdy „Wirtgen Rhino“ has long been symbolic of the strength of Wirtgen cutters. And it provided all-day fun for the smaller visitors in „Rhino Land“, the huge children‘s play area set up by Wirtgen.

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NON-CONTACTING pAvER FEEDING CREATES TOp QUAlITy

vÖGElE MT 3000-2 pOwERFEEDER AND MT 3000-2 OFFSET At bauma 2010, Vögele presented

two new feeders from its PowerFeeder generation. Alongside the MT 3000-2 Offset featuring a pivoting conveyor, the MT 3000-2 is another high-perfor-mance member of this family. The PowerFeeders have since made their operational debuts on jobsites. Large-scale projects place very special demands on job site logistics and an uninterrupted supply of mix is crucial, allowing paving teams to work eco-nomically while achieving maximum paving quality.

The new MT 3000-2 and MT 3000-2 Offset feeders from Vögele ensure that this requirement is met, as the two PowerFeeders boast a host of techni-cal innovations.

immense conveying capacity The performance of these two feeders is impressive: several thousand tonnes of mix can be fed to a paver each day. Numerous factors contribute to this enormous capacity: for instance, the

receiving hopper has a maximum ca-pacity of 8 t. Meanwhile, the worm con-veyors, with their large 400-mm worm blades, ensure a homogenizing, resi-due-free conveyance of mix.

Finally, the 1.1 m wide conveyor can transport up to 1,200 t of mix per hour. The combination of all these factors per-

mits the PowerFeeders to empty a feed vehicle holding 25 t of mix in 60 sec-onds flat. That not only greatly speeds up work on the job site, but also leaves feed truck drivers free to focus on the important task of manoeuvring.

Material conveyance concept geared to practical use Another essential factor for high paving quality is the contact-free transfer of mix to the paver. To this end, the feed-ers are equipped with an advanced la-ser system that constantly ensures the correct distance between the feeder and the paver. An anti-collision system

also ensures safe operation. Guidance of the conveyor belt via tensioning cyl-inders guarantees a properly centred alignment of the belt. And a smart au-tomatic function ensures that the belt is continually tensioned, exactly as re-

quired. Finally, a newly developed die-sel engine maintains the conveyor at the correct temperature to prevent the mix from adhering, thus ensuring opti-mum material management.

simple to operateBoth feeders come with the proven ErgoPlus® operating system installed in

the „dash 2“ generation of Vögele pav-ers. The „Automatic Conveying“ func-tion, easily selected at the push of a button on the operator’s console, acti-vates all conveying systems with inter-coordinated speeds.

For optimum visibility, the driver can select the side of operation and also rotate both seats through 180°. In ad-dition, each of the seats swings out and then rotates through 90°, allowing the operator to sit transverse to the job site. All of these factors allow the oper-ator to focus his full attention on the mix transfer process.

special feature of the MT 3000-2 OffsetThe innovative pivoting conveyor of this PowerFeeder opens up a wide range of applications. In cramped conditions, for example, the MT 3000-2 Offset can be driven offset next to the paver and feed it from the side. Also, two pavers that are paving alongside each other hot-to-hot can be fed from a single feeder. This PowerFeeder is also ideal when any kind of trenches or cavities in traffic barriers need to be filled.

The MT 3000-2 Offset in use in the Netherlands on the N 245 near Alkmaar in the direction of Schagen. The customer, Dura Vermeer, is impressed with the high variety of applications of the Vögele feeder with pivoting conveyor.

Here, the new MT 3000-2 PowerFeeder from Vögele was used by Strabag AG in the construction of a new 2.3 km bypass on the B 535 between Schwetzingen and Plankstadt.

The ErgoPlus® operating system provides for simple and safe machine operation with an outstanding overview of the mix transfer and paving processes.

High-performance conveyor design allows up to 1,200 t of mix to be conveyed per hour.

Receiving hopper with a maximum capacity of 8 t of mix.

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bEHINd THE ScENES

FACTORy RElOCATION pROvES SUCCESSFUl

vÖGElE MANUFACTURING AND TRAINING AT A hIGh lEvEl After around six months at their

new location, Joseph Vögele AG can take an upbeat view of the move in all respects. Production is in full swing and the modern Centre for Training and Technology (CTT) is being ex-tremely well received.

The world‘s most modern production facility for road pavers has been in op-eration in Ludwigshafen in Rhineland-Palatinate since October last year. After the economic crisis in 2009, things have picked up again in the industry and the order books are brimming over. And the 1,000th machine rolled off the Vögele production lines as early as the

spring of this year! This VISION 5203-2 wheeled paver is being sent to a cus-tomer in the uSA. Indeed, the uS mar-ket is developing exceedingly well for Vögele. But business is booming in other countries, too, most notably in China, Turkey and, of course, the do-mestic market in Germany.

Vögele centre for Training and Technology Right from the start, the CTT (Centre for Training and Technology) was a key strategic element when planning the construction of the new factory. As re-ported in detail in Issue 40 of Forum, in-house apprenticeships are conduct-

ed here, as well as advanced training for machine operators of Vögele road pavers.

The fi rst training season is now almost over and can be considered a great success, with 2,000 satisfi ed partici-pants from all over the world already having attended the CTT. The most popular training offerings are the prac-tical Vögele paving seminars, followed by the ErgoPlus® operator seminar and the SuPER 1600-/1800-2 machine technology seminar.

Group photo with VISION 5203-2: Overjoyed with the positive sales fi gures at the new factory in Ludwigshafen, Vögele’s Board of Management, the Production Team and colleagues from Administration celebrate the shipment of the 1,000th road paver.

Vögele trainer Jörg Mehner (2nd from left) during the machine technology seminar with visitors from Japan. According to a survey, the participants most value the expert knowledge of the trainers, the opportunity for practical paving exercises and the modern seminar rooms.

Michael Holzem, Klaus Rick GmbH & Co. KG / Burgbrohl (Germany)

“We’re here be-cause we want to further enhance our teamwork and get to know

all the ins and outs of the Vögele machines.

The training here in the CTT is very good. Both theory and practice are optimally inter-linked. Right now, I’m reading the Vögele ‘Booklet on Paving’.

We had a tour of the factory yesterday and I’m still amazed. Such an advanced factory is real-ly something you don’t see every day!”

oUr SySTEm parTNErS

CONTINUOUS COOpERATION

hAMM AND DEUTZ A „COMMON CAUSE“ SINCE 1911 As far back as 1911, when Hamm

built the world‘s fi rst ever road roller with a diesel engine, the Tirschen-reuth-based enterprise relied on technology from Deutz. Deutz had only commenced with the series pro-duction of these units a short time before, in 1907. Hamm recognized the potential of the modern technol-ogy and laid the foundations for their cooperation with Deutz.

Today, Hamm and Deutz still work closely together, just as they did one hundred years ago. „Our companies can look back on an extraordinarily long business relationship. There are

very many personal contacts, there is mutual trust and a spirit of partnership,“ says Michael Hüßmann, Purchasing Manager at Hamm, in describing this special relationship.

Deutz takes a similar view and is pleased to have such innovative cus-tomers: „Quality-conscious trendset-ters like Hamm are important to us. We are proud that our engine technology is used in the high-quality and heavy-du-ty rollers. In this way, everyone can see what our products can do,“ says Franz Stichter, Sales Manager (South) at Deutz AG. Both companies are confi -dent about the future. The focus is cur-

rently on the topic of the „Eu IIIB / Tier 4i“ standards, which limit pollutant

emissions considerably. This is only possible by means of a completely new generation of engines and numerous auxiliary systems for exhaust gas post-processing. „Integrating the new tech-nology in the machines called for inten-sive cooperation and coordination be-tween our development teams,“ ac-knowledges Thomas Bletscher, Project Manager at Hamm.

And they were successful, with the new H 20i now rolling off the production line. This is the fi rst compactor to be equipped with a Tier 4i / Eu IIIB engine and was presented at CONEXPO in Las Vegas.

Hamm is an important customer for Deutz, not just in terms of Hamm‘s innovative strength but also in terms of the sales volume. Since the construction of the fi rst road roller in 1911, some 60,000 Deutz engines have been installed in Tirschenreuth. The photo shows the new 6-cylinder engine of the H 20i, which fulfi ls the strict requirements of Tier 4i / EU IIIB.

Hamm is the oldest surviving roller manufacturer in Germany. The photo shows one of the fi rst rollers, equipped, of course, with a Deutz engine.

Hamm and Deutz also cooperate when it comes to service. Hamm service engineers are trained at Deutz and use the know-how thus gained for service work and diagnoses. A clear advantage for Hamm customers on all continents.

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INNovaTIoNS from TIrScHENrEUTH

h20i: ThE wORlD‘S FIRST COMpACTOR wITh TIER 4i TEChNOlOGy

hAMM UShERS IN A NEw ERA Tirschenreuth-based company

Hamm has once again forged ahead of the competition, releasing the most advanced compaction techno-logy in the world. At Conexpo 2011 in Las Vegas, Hamm debuted its new H 20i, the world‘s first compactor in this crucial market segment to be equipped with the clean and state-of-the-art Tier 4 engine technology.

Tier 4i – also referred to as Eu IIIB - de-signates the strict emissions regulati-ons that entered into force in the uS and the Eu in 2011. „Integrating the new engine technology in our machine caused us a headache on more than one occasion,“ reports Thomas Bletscher, Project Manager for deve-lopment of the H-series in retrospect. And a peek beneath the curved engine hood can give an idea as to why. The components for intensive exhaust gas post-processing require a lot of instal-lation space and have attained a hither-to inconceivable degree of complexity in the field of construction machinery.

But that‘s not all. Even before the pro-ject started, Hamm asked customers, service engineers and numerous in-house staff for their feedback on po-tential for improving the compactors. A

„wish list“ was drawn up for the new compactor, the aim being to fulfil as many of the items on the list as possi-ble. A design revision was also planned. And, last but not least, the price also had to be right, meaning that the engi-neers also had to keep a close eye on the cost.

new technology finds favour in the UsAReconciling all of these requirements was a challenge that Thomas Bletscher and his team met with aplomb, as con-firmed by the Conexpo, where the H 20i – the first machine in the new H-series – received nothing but praise. „The custo-mers were delighted with the fresh, new design, Hamm‘s signature user-friendli-ness plus the technological advance-ments,“ reports Marketing Manager Gottfried Beer from the uSA.

investment at times of crisis pays offIt is no coincidence that Hamm is the first manufacturer to offer a compactor with the new technology. Indeed, the new development was „pushed ahead with in 2009 and 2010, despite the eco-nomic crisis, which saw many compe-titors either drastically cutting back on expensive research and development projects, or stopping them entirely,“ ex-plains Thomas Bletscher, pleased with the backing he received at Hamm.

„This attitude motivated our team tre-

mendously and everybody really put their backs into the job.“

The core team of designers, electrical engineers and prototype builders didn‘t just focus on the broader aspects, but also worked out, calculated and tested every single detail. When necessary, other specialists were called on to assist, for instance FEM specialists, whose calculations enabled the machine design to be verified without the expense of constructing a proto-type.

designers also on boardNowadays, collaboration with industri-al designers is a crucial part of the pro-cess for Hamm engineers. Integrated in the project from the onset, the desig-ners are highly familiar with the wide-ranging requirements on a compactor.

One example of the successful interac-tion between engineers and designers is the front chassis of the new H 20i. With a high angle of slope, it is extre-mely functional yet also extremely aes-thetic. What‘s more, the contour was designed in such a way that a mini-mum of sheet steel is wasted during production. The curved and comforta-ble cabin access ladder is yet another technical and design highlight. This feature is unique in the industry to date, but is sure to set a new trend in future.

The new compactor will soon have a chance to display its strengths as the first Type H 18i, H 20i and H 25i 6-cy-linder machines will already start rolling off the production line this summer. Meanwhile, the next types in the medi-um-weight class, with a 4-cylinder die-sel engine, are to be fully developed and tested. Their market debut is plan-ned for summer 2012.

Hamm has again lived up to its pioneering role in the fiercely competitive roller market. At Conexpo 2011 in Las Vegas, the compaction experts of the Wirtgen Group presented the H 20i, the world‘s only road roller with a Tier 4i engine. The response was extremely positive.

The new H 20i offers the ultimate in ergonomics. The operator can enter the cabin from either si-de via an elegantly curved access ladder. Inside, everything is clearly laid out, easy to operate and ergonomically optimized.

Thomas Bletscher, Project Manager responsible for development of the H-series:„We developed the new series strictly in ac-cordance with the requirements of the PEP Product Development Process. Among other things, this involves the integration of all departments in the development process, from Purchasing and QA, Service, Sales and Controlling, all the way to Production. And right from the first day! This intensive coope-ration speeded up the progress of the pro-ject significantly. One example was the early integration of colleagues from the Work Preparation Department, who were able to compile the documentation and plans for production as early as during the prototype construction phase. This kind of knowledge transfer saves time and is tremendously im-portant when it comes to getting efficient series production off to a good start.“

Test run on the race track. The prototype fleet was equipped with sensors for remote diagnosis and put through rigorous trials in numerous jobs throughout Europe. And the new compactors were thoroughly convincing, with exceptional driving performance backed up by a highly advanced driving geometry. This photo shows the H 20i compacting a motocross course between races.

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TEcHNoLoGy IN opEraTIoN

A GlObAl SUCCESS STORy

NEw klEEMANN MObIREx EvO plANTS A good year after the market

launch of the new generation of mo-bile impact crushers, the plants have since been used for the most diverse applications the world over.

When a new machine is developed from scratch, the moment of truth – the mar-ket launch – always strikes sooner or later, and no matter how well or how dil-igently the preparations and testing work may have been, this is a time when various questions arise. How will the machine be received by the customers? Will it truly live up to the promise it showed during its development and prototype testing? Will the machine be a market success? One year after the market launch, all of these questions can be answered with a clear „yes“.

The right technical concept pays offIn terms of performance and fuel consumption, both the MR 110 and the

MR 130 have demonstrated what is possible in their size class when the right concept is applied. The new ma-terial flow concept, which ensures that there is no restriction to the flow of the material, successfully prevents the for-mation of bridges, reduces wear and increases the performance of the entire plant. Factors contributing to this in-clude proven Kleemann components as well as further developed compo-nents, such as the active double-deck pre-screen, the vibrating discharge chute, the innovative inlet geometry and the new blow bar technology. The fully automatic hydraulic configuration system of the crushing jaw also sub-stantially improves not only the quality of the final product but also the availa-bility of the plant in combination with the effective overload protection sys-tem.

successful the world over An MR 110 Z EVO plant has recently been proving its worth in the field of re-cycling in Xuchang in the Province of

Henan, China, crushing demolition ma-terial. The feed material has an average size of 0 – 900 mm, in some cases even 1,000 mm, and is crushed to a size of 0 – 32 mm. The material is then recycled for use in the manufacture of various products, such as cement and bricks, or is used as a subgrade mate-

rial in road construction. Performance tests showed feed capacities of as much as 350 t/h. According to David Zhao of Wirtgen Group sales and ser-vice company Wirtgen China, the cus-tomer already had experience with oth-er makes, but only the Kleemann plant can fulfil its demands in terms of relia-bility and performance.

Another example is in Sydney, Australia, where an MR 130 ZS EVO is also being used for recycling. Diverse materials are being processed here, demonstrat-ing the great versatility of the plant: as-phalt, bricks, tiles, concrete and demo-lition material with dimensions of up to 700 mm are crushed to various sizes from 0 – 40 mm. These materials are being recycled and used for road con-struction, as well as in gabions and decorative applications. The decisive factors for the customer were the high average performance of more than 300 t/h, the robust design and machine features such as the active pre-screen and the diesel-electric drive system with direct crusher drive.

The new plants are also demonstrating their capabilities when it comes to nat-ural stone. In France, an MR 110 Z EVO processes up to 3,000 tonnes of baux-ite in an 8-hour shift. According to Michael Schwarz, Area Sales Manager at Kleemann GmbH, the customer is particularly impressed by the hourly ca-pacity and low diesel consumption.

conclusion: market launch more than successful These are just a few examples of many successful projects around the world. Time and again, the plants are impress-ing customers with their tremendous performance, their low fuel consump-tion and wear and, not least, the broad range of applications they can handle. And so, the questions posed at the start of this article can be answered not only with a clear „yes“, but with a re-sounding „Yes, and how!“

Kleemann Mobirex MR 110 Z EVO recycling rubble in China.

Kleemann Mobirex MR 110 Z EVO processing slag in Spain.

MR 110 Z EVO crushing bauxite in France.

MR 130 ZS EVO processing asphalt in Australia.

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oUr SySTEm parTNErS

SySTEM pARTNERShIp bETwEEN ThE wIRTGEN GROUp AND bETEk

A 30-yEAR SUCCESS STORy Wirtgen GmbH became a custom-

er of Betek some 30 years ago. This business relationship developed into a unique system partnership which now extends across the entire Wirtgen Group. The specialist knowledge of all manufacturers is systematically pooled, with development, design, production, quality assurance and sales all going hand-in-hand. The common goal is to ensure the utmost customer satisfaction.

Wirtgen + Betek = low operating costs A high machine speed with minimum tool-change times yields a maximum daily output. In order for this formula for low operating costs to actually equate, powerful machines with high-quality tools are an absolute prerequisite.

Only cutting tools of the highest quality that are matched precisely to the ma-chine and intended purpose can en-sure a long tool life with flawless rota-tional properties. “The long-standing system partnership between Wirtgen and Betek is purposefully geared to continuous improvement based on mu-tual experiences in real life operations,” explains Thomas Lehnert, Team Leader

for Cutting Technology at Wirtgen GmbH. In this respect, new applica-tions are frequently the trigger for opti-mization or even new development of the cutting tools, leading to even great-er economic efficiency. Increasing sales figures testify to the soundness of our concept, which is primarily geared to customer satisfaction,” explains Helgo Koch, Sales Manager for Spare Parts at Wirtgen GmbH, who is pleased about the successful system partner-ship with Betek.

challenges in soil stabilizationA road construction project in Denmark provides an impressive example of the way that actual applications can prompt an optimization or new devel-opment of the cutting tools. The major challenge in the construction of the new A7 near Klipley was to stabilize very sticky clay soil containing large stones using a WS 2500. “At a milling depth of 40 cm, the speed had to be kept at 10 meters per minute. This re-sulted in extreme wear to the toolhold-ers and cutters. The standard solutions failed to improve the situation satisfac-torily, so a new, special-purpose cutter was developed without further ado. And the inspection after 2,000 square meters was extremely positive, with al-most no wear despite the extreme workload,” says Thomas Allgaier, Pro-duct Manager for Milling Cutters at Be-tek, enthusiastically about the new de-velopment with the name W1-15/25-RK.

Kleemann + Betek = solutions for the future Kleemann in Göppingen is also working towards a mutual system partnership with Betek. “We’re currently developing carbide-edged blow bars for our Mo-birex series,” explains Benjamin Kazmai-er, an engineer in the Development & Design Department at Kleemann GmbH. The goal is to achieve a longer service life. “The carbide crushing edge remains

“sharp” for longer, allowing us to achieve even more effective crushing perfor-mance and an optimum quality of the crushed material over the entire service

life. The space between the baffle plate and the impact plates remains constant, so that there is no irregular erosion,” says Bernhard Moosmann, Product Ma-nager for Crushing and Mixing at Betek, when explaining the advantages of the new development. Another positive ef-fect is that the carbide quick-change toolholders and cutters weigh just a fraction of a complete baffle plate, which facilitates replacement considerably as no heavy duty equipment is needed.

Wirtgen group + Betek = Maximum customer satisfaction 30 years of successful partnership be-tween the Wirtgen Group and Betek have given rise to perfectly matched system components with a high sav-ings potential for users. The sale of Betek tools is handled via the Wirtgen Group and their 55 sales and service companies, as well as 100 authorized dealers. Service on the job sites is also handled directly on site for the custom-ers via the tried-and-tested service net-work of the Wirtgen Group. The cus-tomers can thus benefit from coordi-nated one-stop solutions. “Despite the very demanding requirements on our engineers, we can get new develop-ments ready for series production very swiftly – a testament to the smooth co-operation from which our customers benefit,” says Dr. Günter Hähn, Ma-naging Director of Wirtgen GmbH, praising the partnership-based and highly effective cooperation of the mo-tivated development teams of Betek and the Wirtgen Group.

MIlESTONES IN ThE COOpERATION bETwEEN wIRTGEN AND bETEk:

1981: Establishment of Betek

1982: Wirtgen become one of the first customers (tools for road milling machines)

1983: Development of tools for surface mining

1990: 1st quick-change toolholder system (HT2) as a co-production between Wirtgen and Betek

1991: Sales figures top 1 million tools for the first time

1994: Quick-change toolholder system HT3 replaces the HT2

1995: Cooperation agreement for system partnership concluded on 30 April 1995

1997: Start of tool sales in the uSA – the largest market in the world

1998: Sales figures top 5 million tools for the first time

1998: Development of the W6R – Wirtgen’s standard tool for many years

2001: Development of a new tool system with a long sleeve and large disk

2001: HT3plus is presented as a further development

2001: Sales volume tops 10 million tools for the first time

2004: Sales figures top 15 million tools for the first time

2005: Successful introduction of the HT11

2006: Presentation of the new R-Tool series with twin-stop system

2006: Presentation of a new cutting system for surface miners with a 42-mm shaft system

2008: Sales figures top 20 million tools for the first time

2009: Introduction of the HLL and XR generations

2011: Betek celebrates its 30th jubilee, while Wirtgen celebrates its 50th

High-performance cutting technology is the heart of Wirtgen machine technology for cold milling machines, soil stabilizers, cold recyclers and surface miners. High-quality cutting tools and innovative technologies reduce wear, ensure short tool-change times and cut the operating costs.

20 million wearing tools per year, primarily for road construction, are produced at the Betek factory in Aichhalden in the Black Forest region. Here, 150 employees produce tool systems for 16 different fields of application.

Wirtgen and Betek – a strong team: (from right to left) Thomas Allgaier, Product Manager for Milling Tools at Betek, Sarah Bitzer, Betek Sales, Helgo Koch, Sales Manager for Spare Parts at Wirtgen GmbH and Thomas Lehnert, Team Leader for Cutting Technology at Wirtgen GmbH, work hand-in-hand.

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oUr SySTEm parTNErS

SyNERGIES USED TO OpTIMAl EFFECT: ThE wIRTGEN GROUp AND STREUMASTER

bINDING AGENT SpREADERS OF ThE hIGhEST QUAlITy Streumaster produce high-quality

binder spreaders exclusively for Wirtgen. These devices for pre-spreading lime and cement optimally complement the Wirtgen range of soil stabilizers and cold recyclers. The fi rst-class offerings also include vi-brating plates for mounting on Hamm compactors.

new production facility in egglkofenSince autumn 2010, Streumaster has been manufacturing at its newly con-structed factory in Egglkofen, with 5,500 m2 of production space. The fac-tory design is ideal for the production of the extensive product range.

Short routes and the most advanced installations ensure effi cient production with a high level of quality. A parts warehouse with 1,000 m² provides am-ple space for the 13,000 different prod-uct items that are used both for pro-duction in-house and for spare parts sales. The administrative building has training and conference rooms with state-of-the-art equipment and, cover-ing 700 m² on two levels, offers plenty of space for the Streumaster team.

Wirtgen + streumaster = Absolutely unbeatable in soil improvement The two family enterprises have worked closely together for many years. Based in Egglkofen in southern Germany, Streu master have been building sprea-ders for agricultural and construction applications since 1967. “Thanks to the system partnership with Streumaster, we are in the enviable position of being able to meet in full our customers’ de-mands for a complete soil stabilization and cold recycling solution.

Streumaster produce a well-developed range of lime and cement spreaders for us,” says Walter Grüber, Wirtgen Pro-duct Manager, describing the coopera-tion with Streumaster.

The latest product developments in the successful partnership are the high-end spreader SW 19 SC and the “Rhino” trailer.

hamm + streumaster = Maximum soil compactionThe combination of a Hamm compac-tor and a Streumaster vibrating plate makes for an ideal compaction perfor-mance, especially in sandy soil. “Com-pacting non-cohesive soils with a cylin-drical drum body produces a bow wave effect, as the material that has already been compacted is displaced towards the surface. The deep compaction per-formance is good, but the material to be compacted becomes loose again in the upper layer. The vibrating plate that works directly behind the drum achieves a very good result in the up-per layer. This allows maximum com-paction results to be achieved in a sin-gle pass,” explains Ralf Schröder, Product Manager at Hamm AG, in de-

scribing the advantages of the new product development.

The VPH 75-2 vibrating plate has been optimized for attachment to Hamm Type 3412 and Type 3414 compactors. The vibrating plate can be displaced on both sides by 800 mm respectively, with a working width of 2,140 mm.

Wirtgen group + streumaster = complete solutions from a single sourceWith binder spreaders from Streu-master, soil stabilizers from Wirtgen and compaction technology from Hamm, the Wirtgen Group can offer the perfect range of products for soil im-provement and soil compaction.

Sales are handled via the Wirtgen Group and their 55 dedicated sales and service companies, as well as 100 au-thorized dealers. Service on the job sites is also handled directly on site for the customers via the tried-and-tested service network of the Wirtgen Group.

The customers can thus benefi t from coordinated one-stop solutions. “We naturally benefi t from the worldwide sales and service organization. This al-lows us to focus entirely on the manu-facture and further development of spreaders and vibrating plates, and we can maintain our high standards of quality,” explains Didier Gutzwiller, Managing Director of Streumaster.

International audience at Egglkofen: the Streumaster Sales Meeting in April was attended by sales managers of the Wirtgen Group from all over the world. The Wirtgen Group continually strives to convey and enhance “best practice” and “know-how”.

Qualifi ed and effi cient soil stabilization requires high-quality machine technology. The Wirtgen Group has years of experience in this fi eld, offering inno-vative technologies for soil stabilization and soil improvement: 1. Binder spreader from Streumaster, 2. Soil stabilizer from Wirtgen, 3. Compaction tech-nology from Hamm.

Successful teamwork: (from left to right) Streumaster Managing Directors Catherine and Didier Gutzwiller, Streumaster Operations and Sales Manager Hans Müller, Wirtgen Product Manager Walter Grüber, Streumaster Product Manager Peter Schlösser and Wirtgen Product Manager Martin Diekmann are constantly developing the system partnership further.

NEw hIGh-pERFORMANCE SpREADER Sw 19 SC wITh RhINO TRAIlER

The Rhino really lives up to its name. Robustness, power and maximum stability are the distinguishing features of the off-road three-axle vehicle. The powerful engine performance is achieved with a Cummins engine with 325 PS (242 kW). The SW 19 SC has an impressive binder capacity of 19 m3. The maximum working width is 2.76 meters and can be adjusted if necessary to three separate width sections. Each width section is driven separately via a special high-volume hydraulic engine.

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oUr SySTEm parTNErS

TwO STRONG pARTNERS: wIRTGEN GROUp plUS DEUTSChE lEASING

TOp CONDITIONS FOR FIRST-ClASS MAChINES The Wirtgen Group offers a com-

plete range of products for road and mineral technologies and has contin-uously expanded its market-leading position over the past 50 years. Thanks to the system partnership with Deutsche Leasing, the Wirtgen Group is also in a position to directly provide its customers with the best possible form of financing.

carefree financing package „As a long-standing partner of the Wirtgen Group, we are very familiar with the challenges of the construction industry, the strong competitive pres-sure and the special seasonal charac-teristics, especially when it comes to road construction. We offer customers of the Wirtgen Group individual solu-tions tailored to their specific financing needs. Quickly, easily and without the red tape,“ explains Gisbert Götte, Vendor Manager Construction Machines at Deutsche Leasing.

The advantage for the customers of the Wirtgen Group is clearly evident. They can conveniently obtain the financing, insurance and guarantees for their Wirtgen Group machines in a conveni-ent one-stop package. This leaves construction companies free to con-centrate fully on their jobs without hav-ing to deal with laborious loan applica-tion processes and battle through con-tractual documents that are often in-comprehensible to laymen.

experts of high repute on the market The Deutsche Leasing Group (DL) can look back on almost 50 years of expe-rience in investment-related financial services and is the indisputable leasing pioneer in Germany. In 1962, Deutsche Leasing GmbH became one of the first leasing companies to offer this new al-ternative for financing investments on the German market.

To date, the pioneering spirit is still a core element of the company philoso-phy. The company headquarters are in Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, close to the

financial hub of Frankfurt am Main. Some 2,000 personnel work for the Deutsche Leasing Group, which is part of the German Savings Banks Finance Group (Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe). All company shares are held by roughly 400 savings banks, either directly or via affiliated companies.

Mutually trustful cooperation „We refer our customers to our partners at Deutsche Leasing with total confi-dence. The conditions and financing products our partner provides are good and offer maximum planning certainty. Our customers quickly receive solu-tions tailored to their specific needs. The unbureaucratic provisioning of fi-nancing solutions ensures that our cus-tomers can put their machines into op-eration as quickly as possible,“ ex-plains Rainer Otto, Managing Director of Wirtgen Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH.

In the course of the globalization pro-cess, Deutsche Leasing accompanied its Germany-based partners into the major export markets of Europe in 1993, Asia in 2005 and the uSA in 2007. Deutsche Leasing now has an interna-

tional network that spans 21 countries in addition to Germany, these being Belgium, Bulgaria, China, France, the united Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sweden, the Slovak Republic, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the uSA.

Wirtgen group is a driving force for deutsche leasing in chinaThe fact that Deutsche Leasing was granted a licence in 2005 by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce to con-duct leasing business throughout China was due not least to the Wirtgen Group‘s commitment on the Chinese market. After all, Deutsche Leasing (China) Co., Ltd. signed the first leasing contract in China with the Wirtgen Group in Shanghai.

„The China model and various other ex-amples from other countries with a high financing ratio clearly demonstrate that sales are positively influenced with the help of the right financing instru-ments,“ says Rainer Otto enthusiasti-cally about the effective system part-nership with Deutsche Leasing.

Wirtgen group + deutsche leasing = A successful team with substantial customer benefits The consulting services and products of Deutsche Leasing are tailored spe-cifically to the respective investment project. „Different forms of contract al-low the use of the machine and the fi-nancial burden to be matched to the in-dividual order situation. And we cater fully to the customer‘s situation in that respect. As we have our own repre-sentatives on the various markets, we are also familiar with the local particu-larities, much to the benefit of our cus-tomers,“ Götte sums up.

Contact with Deutsche Leasing is es-tablished via the Wirtgen Group sales and service companies. „Selecting the right financing product often renders the project-oriented use of the machine substantially more cost-effective,“ con-firms Klaus Fromm, Managing Director of Wirtgen International GmbH. Many of his customers in the economic area of Eastern Europe, Russia and the CIS use the financing services of Deutsche Leasing and are thoroughly successful with them.

The system partnership has been operating very successfully for nine years now. Rainer Otto, Managing Director of Wirtgen Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH and Gisbert Götte, Vendor Manager Construction Machines at Deutsche Leasing, work closely together.

With the right financing strategy, customers of the Wirtgen Group can optimize their cash flows and always benefit from the latest machine technology.

Construction companies who also need fast financing for the fast rehabilitation of fast roads receive the best possible advice from Wirtgen Group system partner Deutsche Leasing, now represented in 22 countries around the world.

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dIE WIrTGEN GroUp aUf dEr coNExpro 2011

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. This re-markable city is not only famous for its casinos, but also for regularly hosting important events for various industries. Every three years, the American construction industry gath-ers at the Convention Center for the largest construction machine trade fair in the USA, Conexpo.

Let us take short a look back: about three years ago, the American con-struction industry was reeling under the recession. The industry has hence been awaiting this year’s major con-struction industry event, the Conexpo in Las Vegas, with great anticipation. Would it boost the economic recovery and nurture the emerging mood of op-timism? Indeed it did. Almost 120,000 visitors thronged to the trade fair site, the outdoor areas and the exhibition halls. From 22 to 26 March, 2,400 com-panies exhibited their products for the construction industry.

Those are the cold hard facts, but how was the mood at the trade fair? The fig-

ures indicate an upswing, and this was echoed in discussions with customers, too. There was a tangible sense of the optimism that has been driving the re-covery of the uS construction industry for some time now. The exhibition stand of the Wirtgen Group was simi-larly caught up in a buoyant new get-up-and-go feeling. Customers and vis-itors were very interested in the many

new products from the German head-quarters and could see how well

Wirtgen, Vögele, Hamm and Kleemann meet the demands of the American market with their machines and tech-nologies.

The market successes speak for them-selves. James P. McEvoy, President of the Wirtgen subsidiary Wirtgen America, together with his team and authorized dealers, boosted sales in North

America by 40 percent from 2009 to 2010. The recent introduction of com-

pletely new product ranges alone testi-fies to the Wirtgen Group’s dynamic processing of the uS market: for in-stance, there are the Vögele asphalt pavers of the Vision series, which come with a new screed generation, the Wirtgen slipform pavers, the Hamm as-phalt rollers in the over-7t segment and, last but not least, Kleemann technolo-gy, which has now been integrated in

Wirtgen America. With this product portfolio and an effective sales and ser-

vice structure with authorized dealers in the individual states, the Wirtgen Group is excellently positioned and can look forward to further growth. In order to achieve this, the site of our subsidi-ary in Nashville is to be expanded this year. Success and optimism – made in the uSA.

Very successful with the right strategy: Vögele Vision pavers from Ludwigshafen for road construction in the USA.

Formerly in the outdoor area, but this time in the hall: the modern appearance of the exhibition stand with its clear brand management, just before the visitors poured in.

ClOSE TO OUR CUSTOMERS IN lAS vEGAS:

RESOUNDING SUCCESS AT CONExpO 2011

Meeting up at Wirtgen America – Leading technologies for road construction and the mining and processing of useful minerals from a single source.

Modern technologies, such as cold recycling, open up new business fields for customers and are consequently attracting great interest.

James P. McEvoy, President of Wirtgen America, encouraged the motivated sales team to listen to the customers and to give them helpful and friendly advice.

Close to our customers: Stefan Wirtgen and Jürgen Wirtgen were glad to see many of their customers from North and South America again and to show them a warm welcome.

12

SocIaLLy commITTEd

ChARITy GROUp „ChIlDREN IN NEED“ TAkES ACTION IN ThE phIlIppINES:

pRE-SChOOl INSTEAD OF RUbbISh DUMpS

the rubbish. This allows them no op-portunity to improve their living condi-tions. I saw many sick and undernour-ished children playing in dirty puddles of water. The place was also swarming with vermin, rats, large beetles and noxious flies. It was simply incredible that virtually nobody helps these peo-ple.

Father Kulüke then told me that he wished to show me the first step for the children towards a better future. We drove to a large plaza perhaps 300 me-tres away. There, I saw a kindergarten that had been built out of simple wood-en planks. Inside the rooms, approx. 70 children were sitting listening atten-tively to their teachers. We soon dis-covered that there were virtually no schoolbooks or teaching materials. The children didn‘t look particularly clean, either, and none of them were wearing school uniform.

Nevertheless, Father Kulüke had al-ready achieved one success. On the whole, the young boys and girls were no longer being taken by their parents to collect refuse on that terrible rubbish dump as in the past. The children also receive a nutritious lunch at the kinder-garten. For that reason alone, the par-ents – some of whom are unable to read or write – are happy that the kin-dergarten staff take care of their little sons and daughters.

And now this kindergarten was in dan-ger of being shut down, as the previous sponsor was unable to continue bear-ing the costs for economic reasons. Standing there, it was clear to me that our charity group had to help. Our board of management agreed immedi-ately. Now we are involved in trans-forming that simple kindergarten into a good pre-school.

Father Kulüke: „There is only one way to free these needy and suffering chil-dren from the cycle of poverty of their families. They must attend a pre-school, then a primary school and after that, other schools, so that they will be able to complete vocational training.“

And the charity group „Children in Need“ wishes to help the rubbish dump children of Tapul.

Charity group „Children in Need“gisela Wirtgen, 1st chairwoman

Never in my life have I seen so much hardship and poverty as during my visit to the Tapul rubbish dump in March this year.

Father Heinz Kulüke, a German mis-sionary who has lived in the Philippines for more than twenty years now, invited me to join him on a visit to the „Mahaya-hay“ aid project in Cebu City to show me the many achievements in this ille-gal slum. I was thrilled when I saw the youngest children in our pre-school trying to write their first and last names. In contrast to the other village inhabit-ants, they looked clean and smart as they are only allowed to wear the school uniforms donated by charity group „Children in Need“ during school hours.

The mothers proudly showed me their large home-built kitchen, in which they voluntarily prepare a nutritious lunch for all 120 children. The costs for the food are borne by „Children in Need“. One of the things that I found most pleasing was that many of the young boys and girls were in far better health than dur-ing my earlier visit.

During our conversation, Father Kulüke suddenly told me that he would like to show me an aid project that is particu-larly close to his heart.

About thirty minutes later, we stood facing an enormous, stinking rubbish dump. And then I experienced an inde-scribable spectacle. Two massive re-fuse trucks suddenly pulled up and within minutes, the whole dump was thronging with people. Men, women and children appeared from every-where carrying huge plastic bags and started sifting through the dumped re-fuse. They were searching for plastic bottles, glass, metal and anything else they could make use of.

It took my breath away when I saw a pregnant woman together with two children, one roughly two years old and the other about four. She began sorting through the rubbish, while the two chil-dren, both with bare feet, sat on the ground. I then saw how the four-year

old discovered an old, rotten banana amidst the rubbish, put it in his mouth and started searching for other things to eat. I wanted to run up to them and tell the child to stop.

Father Kulüke held me back and told me that if I did, then I would have to spend

the whole day on the rubbish dump. He now wanted to show me a different im-age of these people. And then he led me to the dilapidated huts surrounding the rubbish dump in which these families live. Seeing the hovels these people dwell in was a gruesome sight.

Sometimes, they earn a meagre 50 cents a day by selling what they find in

Gisela Wirtgen strives to make a better future for the children of Tapul.

Education is the only way to break the cycle of poverty.

All receive a warm meal at lunchtime in the pre-school. Sadly, this is often their only meal of the day.

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For further information on the charity group „Children in Need“, visit us on the Internet: www.kinder-in-not.de

The families earn less than 50 cents a day from collecting refuse.