01 12

Metropolitan mobility Air springs by ContiTech support intelligent traffic systems

Groundbreaking hose line technologies by ContiTech are set to improve liquefied natural gas transportation

In 2011, this approach allowed us to achieve the best business figures in the

history of our company. We now need to keep on heading down our chosen

route, keeping a close eye on which new markets we can tackle in which coun-

tries and which business areas. We also need to look at extending and devel-

oping our existing production facilities as well as taking over new ones.

Since last year, we have been producing power transmission belts in Ninghai,

China. Meanwhile, in Tianjin, we are increasing production capacity for con-

veyor belts this year, and our Vibration Control unit is planning to extend its

Research and Development Centre in Changshu. In Brazil we are currently

developing our production facility in Ponta Grossa and planning the construc-

tion of an operation for our Oil & Marine segment. Over in Mexico, construc-

tion work is under way on a new mixing plant. And in India, the Conveyor Belt

Group’s products are growing and business is developing.

In this edition of ContiTech initiativ, we explore a range of topics that show

once again just how diverse our activities are in our area of expertise, in natu-

ral rubber and plastics.

Happy reading!

Best regards.

Heinz-Gerhard Wente

Head of ContiTech Division

Dear reader,

More than ever before, industry is looking to the markets of the so-called

BRIC nations, not least of all to secure the growth potential it needs. The

world is in a state of constant flux, with new trends in new markets emerging

everywhere. I am confident that the key to ContiTech’s future viability lies in

our ability to respond quickly and flexibly to the challenges that arise. For this

reason, we are looking carefully at where new potential areas of growth are

developing to see where we can make a sustainable contribution. Take as an

example the 20 or so megacities in the world that currently have more than

ten million inhabitants. Whether in Europe, Asia, Africa or South America, we

can already predict that in just a few years from now, their numbers will have

doubled! This opens up potential for us to apply our expertise in natural rubber

and plastics technologies in order to build a Green Economy for these metrop-

olises to benefit from. In this issue of CTi, we report on our contribution so far

to a better quality of life and improved mobility in the megacities of our world.

In the not-too-distant future, mobility will become more flexible, individual and

eco-friendly as well as even safer.

The fact that we are able to respond to global challenges in good time is due

in part to our teams, who often work shoulder to shoulder with our customers

in different countries and different fields of expertise in order to develop or

enhance our high-quality products. At Continental and ContiTech, our corpo-

rate culture helps us do this. It is based on our sustainable network and our

four values: first, mutual respect. Second, the will to deliver peak performance

with passion and win fairly. Third, the ability to shape the flexibility of our busi-

ness and pursue new ideas. And fourth, the solidarity that allows us to help

and support each other.

Editor ial_ 3

Mobility: The mega-issue for megacities

The future is decided in cities. More than 50 percent of

the global population already live in metropolises and

urbanisation is set to continue, causing demand for

mobility to increase. ContiTech is helping cities ensure

safe, sustainable passenger transport for their inhabitants. ____________ Page 6

Megacities and mobility

In our guest feature, Professor Alexander Schmidt from

the Institute for Urban Planning and Development at the

University of Duisburg-Essen reports on a sustainable,

eco-friendly urban development project. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 14

A multi-faceted professional life

A challenging foreign assignment: Annika Paczkowski, head

of HR development, spent a year working for ContiTech in

Sonepat, India. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 24

Life around us FutureFlagship of hose line technology

Specialist hoses and hose lines are the core business of

ContiTech’s internationally active Oil & Marine segment.

Its flexible, corrosion-proof hose lines withstand extremes

of temperature and pressure to transport mineral oil and

natural gas. Its dredge hoses are made for use in extreme

conditions. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 28

Firm foundations in high seas

Power generation from wind energy is booming, and ever-

increasing numbers of windfarms are being built in the open

seas. Their turbines have to withstand rough sea conditions.

Saltwater-resistant anti-scour mats by ContiTech ensure low-

maintenance, cost-effective, reliable foundations for offshore

windfarms. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 38

In this issue

6

German innovations for Tiger and Dragon

Demand for washing machines and dryers is growing

across Asia. The ContiTech Power Transmission Group has

a designated Team Asia, which is building on closeness

to the customer and local production and development.

By maintaining a continuous dialogue, the team is able to

respond swiftly to changes in the dynamic market. ________________________________________________________ Page 16

Finest print for liquorice and all sorts

ContiTech Elastomer Coatings is setting standards in the

market with its newly developed printing plates. It is the first

producer of printing blankets in the world to manufacture

solvent-free printing plates by the roll for use on flexible

packaging. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 20

Sustainable forming

ContiTech’s Benecke-Kaliko business unit is the only foil

producer in the automotive industry to simulate the production

of surfaces for instrument and trim panels in 3D on the

computer. As well as saving customers time and resources,

this new process is kind to the environment. _______________________________________________________________________________________ Page 40

The latest from the world of ContiTech

Innovation by ContiTech – the new ancillary unit drive

system for the Volkswagen up! ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 27

Another foothold in China _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 27

News in brief

More from the world of ContiTech _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 41

Masthead _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 41

Technology Et cetera

32

20

241628

A major attraction in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur – the Petronas Towers are the highest twin towers in the world

Mobility …

The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the one of Shanghai’s most famous attractions and a major landmark in the world’s tenth-largest megacity

… the mega-issue for megacitiesBy 2020 alone, the world will have 20 new metropolises with more than ten million inhabitants each – a major challenge for infrastructures.

The global trend towards mass migration into the cities of this world

continues unabated. Numerous megacities with populations that

would have been unthinkable just a few years ago have sprung up

and continue to mushroom at breakneck speed, drawing in thousands of

people every single day. These megacities are hubs of social and economic

development. But for politics, business and society, they represent some

major challenges. To help resolve some of the issues of increasing urban

development, ContiTech is working on forward-looking concepts and sus-

tainable products that represent an important contribution to mobility and

consequently to a better quality of life.

Megacities are drivers of innovation and creativity, which ContiTech uses to

create technological solutions. Metropolises are points of both fascination

and tension, with increasing numbers of people drawn to them by the prom-

ise of opportunities for a better life for themselves and their families but also

of successful employment.

Across the continents and up and down the social hierarchy, people are leav-

ing their rural homes and villages in search of secure jobs, a good infrastruc-

ture and more varied leisure opportunities. The largest and fastest-growing

cities are megacities with at least ten million inhabitants. By 2015, it is said

that there will be at least 26 such cities, with predictions for 2020 putting this

figure at about 42.

“For us, one of the fundamental tasks we face is providing these many mil-

lions of people, who often live in relatively little space, with adequate urban

transport that will improve their quality of life,” says Heinz-Gerhard Wente,

head of the ContiTech division. He and his management team are observing

São Paulo landmark – the Octávio Frias de Oliveira Bridge. This cable-stayed bridge is a major traffic intersection in the city, which is home to 18.9 million people

developments very closely in order to provide sustainable product solutions

for climate-friendly mobility.

Politics and businesses face some tough demands. A good standard of living,

high-quality food supplies, clean water, good health, accommodation, educa-

tion and, most of all, mobility are essential – and have to be ensured. A key

factor for success in this respect involves clean water supplies and adequate

waste disposal.

Urban transport systems keep the city moving

One important task is to provide people with an adequate transport system

that will take them safely and comfortably to their workplaces, schools or

educational institutions as well as to cultural and recreation centres in their

free time. Traffic needs to flow not only into the city but also outwards, to the

industrial estates and recreational facilities on the outskirts. Personal trans-

port, such as cars, will have only a minor role to play in these fast-growing

conurbations.

Against this background, forward-looking urban development must contrib-

ute towards an intelligent urban transport system that combines perfectly

the full range of public transport options, from buses, Metros and under-

grounds to city cable cars, suburban trains and cable liners at airports. Many

of these solutions are already operating around the world with the help of air

springs created by ContiTech Air Spring Systems. But ContiTech is carrying

out further research and development in this area, working with and for its

business partners to find even better, more advanced products that meet

requirements for lightweight construction, safety, comfort, and energy opti-

misation as well as environmental protection.

In megacities across the continents, ContiTech is already working in partner-

ship with businesses in the relevant key industries to develop new products

for public transport – in Paris, Shanghai, São Paulo and elsewhere.

Conurbations such as the Rhine-Ruhr area in Germany are often viewed as

similar to megacities because they consist of a closely intermeshed agglom-

eration of medium-sized and large cities, in this case with a total of 12 mil-

lion inhabitants. Population maps and Google Maps show just how extensive

urbanisation is in this area, where buses and trains are the transport options

of the future, combined with sophisticated infrastructure plans.

Intermodal mobility with cable cars

One example of the kind of intermodal mobility

from which the metropolises of the future can

benefit can be found in the South American city

of Caracas. Here, the favelas, or shanty towns, of

San Agustin del Sur have spread well into the hilly

landscapes beyond the city limits, where there

are no public footpaths or transport facilities. For

many years, inhabitants had no access at all to

conventional roads, having to walk along hillside

trails and up and down steep, narrow steps to reach the city’s transport net-

work. Finally, the city’s urban planners identified an opportunity and con-

nected San Agustin del Sur to the rest of the city with an apparently unortho-

dox solution: a cable car. The five cable car stations arranged in a semicircle

along and over the hill have brought major improvements to people’s quality

of life. The end stations, which connect to the Metro, have now turned into

busy traffic intersections. The stations also accommodate social facilities

such as educational institutions, a library, day-to-day shopping opportuni-

ties, restaurants and a sports hall, meaning they also contribute to people’s

social lives.

Innovative passenger transport solutions are an area in which ContiTech has

been working closely with the Austrian company Doppelmayr, which has long

been active in urban cable car transportation. “We are working with urban and

traffic planners around the world to look in greater detail at the advantages of

using cable cars. We’ve found cable cars are being integrated into local trans-

port systems more and more often,” says Peter Luger, Doppelmayr’s head

of development, who welcomes the fundamental

rethink that is taking place around the provision

of low-cost supplementary modes of transport.

Another context in which cable cars contribute to

mass transit is for events that attract millions of

visitors. The German garden show BUGA, in Kob-

lenz, for example, welcomed five million guests in

just six months. Its transport solutions featured

products by ContiTech Air Spring Systems. Other

such mega-events include the forthcoming Sum-

mer Olympic Games in London and the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in

2014. Urban cable cars are making an ever-increasing contribution to finely-

tuned, ecologically sound mass transit solutions.

Clean air in megacities

In 2011, world leaders met in Durban to agree a minimum consensus for

climate protection. Their agreement is nowhere near enough to solve the >>

“Moreover, we firmly believe Green Economy represents a great

opportunity for the megacities of this world to ensure an eco-

and climate-friendly way of life.” Heinz-Gerhard Wente

Head of ContiTech Division

12_ Life around us

problems of the world’s cities and megacities, and work is underway on indi-

vidual solutions to support climate protection, energy-efficiency in buildings,

zero-emissions mobility and new waste management concepts.

There is a consensus among experts that although cities cover only 1 per-

cent of the Earth’s surface, they account for 75 percent of its entire annual

energy consumption. Moreover, it is not without reason that urban devel-

opers have ambitious climate protection targets: studies have shown urban

areas already account for some 80 percent of carbon emissions today. These

result largely from heating water and keeping temperatures pleasant in living

spaces. Other major contributors include road traffic, industrial production

and private households.

In São Paulo, plans are afoot to make local public transport climate-neutral

by 2017. In order to do so, São Paulo will power its transport system solely

with energy from regenerative sources and renew its railway network. “This is

another area in which we are contributing,” says Hannes Friederichsen, direc-

tor of the ContiTech Air Spring Systems business unit. “São Paulo’s new under-

ground and suburban trains will be fitted with our innovative spring systems.”

Another important factor is the use of renewable energies in generating elec-

tricity and warmth. From windfarms and solar thermal heating to the storage

of hot water in solar tanks – ContiTech has delivered a wide range of innova-

tions to contribute what it can do in these all-important fields.

“The choice of Engineering Green Value as the guiding principle for our com-

pany was made very consciously,” says Heinz-Gerhard Wente. “Whatever

area we operate in, our activities are sustainable. Moreover, we firmly believe

Green Economy represents a great opportunity for the megacities of this

world to ensure an eco- and climate-friendly way of life.”

Health and culture in the megacity centre

Another essential aspect of life in megacities is health and diet. Contrary to

the way we envisage things today, the future of agriculture is urban. From

fruit and vegetable crops in high-rise blocks to integrated fields for corn and

maize, potatoes and other basic foodstuffs – all of these products will be

sown, tended and harvested in cities. Already ContiTech is active in the agri-

cultural machinery industry with its SCR hose technologies, and in hay and

straw processing with its conveyor belts. Hose lines for the food industry by

ContiTech Fluid Technologies also contribute to the lives of millions of people

every day, ensuring safety and hygiene in the drinks industry.

Day-to-day life in cities works with ContiTech products

From durable power transmission belts for lifts and escalators in skyscrap-

ers to the eco-friendly belts in household coffee machines, mixers, washing

machines and dryers – ContiTech solutions are designed to make life better

for current and future generations.

And that’s not all. Intelligent conveyor belt technology is also in demand in

megacities, be it to transport incoming goods in ports, to support tunnel

construction that will relieve traffic systems above ground, for the cement

industry in high-rise construction, or for clean waste management.

ContiTech’s many innovative products mean it is active in countless areas.

Around the world and in all possible areas of life and work, ContiTech is help-

ing build a better future. And already the company is considering the skills

its developers will need in handling rubber and plastics in order to meet the

challenges of the mega-regions of the future. Plans are already being made

today for the 120 million people that will be living in areas such as the Hong

Kong-Shenzen-Guangzhou region in four decades’ time – and ContiTech still

has much to contribute. <<

Urbanisation: a mega-trend United Nations statistics indicate a growing trend towards mega-

cities. At the beginning of the 19th century, just ten percent of the

Earth’s population lived in cities. By 2008, it was more than half, and

by 2050, the United Nations believes 70 percent of the world’s popu-

lation will be living in an urban environment. The list of the top 10

megacities shows that the strongest contenders already have more

than 15 million inhabitants. Tokyo, for example, has 32 million. Other

cities high up the rankings include Seoul, Mexico City and New York

City, which could be referred to as gigacities, given their dimensions.

The geographical expansion of its city limits will also take Moscow

into the top ten.

ContiTech at the Hanover trade show HANNOVER MESSERunning under the motto Greentelligence, this year’s Hanover trade

show will be presenting the latest innovations, trends and solu-

tions from the world of industry between 23 and 27 April 2012. The

ContiTech stand will be focusing on the topic of megacities and mo-

bility, showing areas in which the company’s products are applied

and presenting innovative mobility concepts for local urban trans-

port. Visitors will find ContiTech’s 400 square metres trade fair stand

in Hall 5, Stand A 16.

The top ten megacities in 2010Megacities? Or are they gigacities already? According to predictions by the United Nations, 70 percent of the world’s people will be

living in cities by the year 2050.

Number of inhabitants in millions

SeOul MexicO city

New yOrk city

Mu

Mba

i

Jaka

rta

SãO PaulONew Delhi

ÕSaka/kObe

ShaN

gh

ai

32.5

20.6 20.5

19.819.2

18.9

18.918.7

17.4

16.7

tOky

O

14_ Life around us

Rapid urbanisation

The 21st century is the century of the city.

By the year 2050, about 70 percent of the

global population will be living in towns, fore-

casts say. And as rural migration continues

and growing metropolises remain financially

attractive, urbanisation is soaring – in emerg-

ing nations in particular. China provides a

specially striking example. Here, the promise

of financial gain, an attractive job and per-

sonal wealth is magnetic. The megacities of

the People’s Republic are mutating into giga-

cities. At present, 45 percent of Chinese live

in cities. Thirty years from now, this figure is

expected to rise to 75 percent. Urban devel-

opers in China are expecting to build cities

and suburbs for 450 million people over the

next three decades. According to the maths, that

works out at 12 cities every year, housing a popu-

lation of one million each…

Urban development in a changing climate

Burgeoning urbanisation harbours some major

risks. Cities – and megacities in particular, with

all their usual structures and lifestyles – are espe-

cially energy-thirsty. Approximately three-quar-

ters of the world’s final energy is currently con-

sumed in metropolises, and the trend is upward.

If our new cities are built in the same way as our

old ones were, there is no way we will meet our

agreed climate targets for several decades to

come. Consequently, we must seize every oppor-

tunity to take urban growth in emerging nations

down a more climate-friendly route.

A model project in Shanghai

An interdisciplinary research project sponsored

by BMBF (Germany’s Federal Ministry of Educa-

tion and Research) has been following a model

construction project for a low-carbon business

quarter in Shanghai’s Hongqiao district. During

the project, the holistic monitoring of an entire

“urban system” allowed an interactive plan-

ning tool and intelligent monitoring software to

be developed. These were then used to show

clearly how aspects of city type, mobility, build-

ings and renewable energies work together.

Efforts were intended to encourage the local

planning committee to support, implement and

Megacities and mobility

Guest feature by Professor J. Alexander Schmidt from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany*

monitor the construction of a climate-friendly

urban development.

In order to be effective in achieving a climate-

compatible urban development, the project

is primarily process-focused. However, exist-

ing methods, tools and procedures turned out

to be of no particular use in this specific situ-

ation. Instead, a LowCarbonIndex (LCI®) was

developed, since CO2 emissions can only be

reduced effectively in the early planning stages.

By taking into account aspects of mobility, city

type, buildings and renewable energies, this

tool allows urban developers’ intentions from

Life around us_15

smart meters and linked to additional data relating

to weather conditions, times of day, seasons etc.

This allowed the project team to monitor whether

the energy efficiency targets agreed beforehand

were being adhered to. It also allowed the project

team to ascertain whether additional restrictive

traffic regulation or facility management meas-

ures would be required for the project to achieve

its energy-efficiency goals.

Transferability

These approaches are transferable not only to

new cities but also to existing ones in other cul-

tural environments. This means they could allow

The Shanghai Metro is one of the fastest-growing underground rail networks in the world and transports 5.5 million passengers a day

masterplan to realisation to be verified for their

energy efficiency. Checklists show just how high

energy-efficiency levels are. They also allowed

Low Carbon Codes to be developed for the plan-

ning committee, the contents of which were used

for various purposes including documentation

for investors.

To monitor the situation, a dynamic Energy

Efficiency Controller (EEC®) was developed. This

system revealed whether energy-efficiency plans

were being adhered to as the new city quarter

took shape. In addition, dynamic mobility data

from sensors in buildings were processed via

similar potential elsewhere for increasing

climate-friendliness while at the same time

creating intelligent, healthy, social and aes-

thetic cities. <<

J. Alexander Schmidt

* Institute for Urban Planning and Development (Lead). Duisburg-Essen University et al. (2008 bis 2011) Shanghai – Integrierte Ansätze zu einer nachhaltigen und energieeffizienten Stadtentwick-lung: Stadtform, Mobilität, Gebäude und erneuer-bare Energien. www.megacity-energy.de

16_Technolog y

Technolog y_17

German innovations for Tiger and Dragon As demand for washing machines and dryers booms across Asia, a close-to-customer strategy and local development and production are helping the ContiTech Power Transmission Group’s Team Asia win customers.

German engineering is highly respected across Asia. So it’s hardly

surprising that the ContiTech Power Transmission Group Industry

has several of its own sales teams working in China, South Korea

and India. Stretching more than 5,000 kilometres from Surat in the west of

India to Busan in the Tiger State of South Korea, the region is home to more

than 3 billion people, all of whom want a good standard of living with modern-

day conveniences. As a result, demand for washing machines and dryers is

on the rise. The ContiTech Power Transmission Group’s Team Asia is on loca-

tion, following a close-to-customer strategy and relying on local development

and production.

Space is a commodity in short supply, especially in

booming cities. The majority of urban apartments

are smaller than the homes of people living out in

the countryside or in the metropolises of Europe.

Their kitchens and bathrooms are especially com-

pact, with only limited capacity to accommodate a

fridge or a washing machine. A young couple in a

Chinese city may well live on just 40 square metres of space. And with just

70 square metres on offer for families of three, washing machines in the

People’s Republic are often no more than 40 or 50 centimetres wide. But still

they can do just about everything any other machine does – and they have

just as much laundry to get through as their larger brothers and sisters.

In newly-built multi-party dwellings in particular, noise restrictions are becom-

ing increasingly important. As high-rise blocks spring up across the megacities

of the region, residents are finding themselves plagued by rising levels of noise

pollution. Tenants or home-owners who have a neighbour with a quiet washing

machine can count themselves lucky. Environmental and climate protection

are just as much an issue here as in Moscow, Cairo or São Paulo. As people in

cities around the world grow increasingly prosperous, their demands are ris-

ing along with their desire for greater convenience and comfort in their lives.

ContiTech is an important development partner and manufacturer of power

transmission belts in Asia, and the Power Transmission Group Industry is a key

player and a leading development partner for premium producers in the region.

Customers value the quality and innovativeness of the Power Transmission

Group’s products, be they in household appliances

or supplied parts for the automotive or other indus-

tries. Eric Woo is based at the plant in the South

Korean city of Busan and is the head of ContiTech

Power Transmission Group’s 35-strong Team Asia.

Some 2000 kilometres away, on the other side of

the East China Sea, his team are taking care of the

Chinese market from their offices in Shanghai and

Ninghai. Here, the year of the Dragon is expected

to bring significant growth rates once again. Meanwhile, in the home of Bol-

lywood and the Bengal tiger is the New Delhi sales office. Along with four

other branch offices operating in their local regions, the office takes care of

customers across India. Supporting the team is the centre of competence

in Wigan, UK, where branch manager Graham Buckley has been working for

several years. As an expert in the global white goods industry, it is his commit-

ment that has enabled a three-fold increase in turnover in this business area.

But as distant and diverse as these cultures may be, says Jürgen Zwoll, who

is responsible for global sales of industrial power transmission belts at

“Our success in Asia is always based on teamwork

and on partnerships with our customers.”

Jürgen Zwoll, head of industry sales at ContiTech Power Transmission Group

>>

18_Technolog y

The Korean company Wooyang B.T.C has long been a trusted trade partner of the ContiTech Power

Transmission Group in Korea. In February Wooyang B.T.C visited ContiTech in Hanover. From left to right:

Min Joo Kim, Eon Jung Kim, Duk Kyu Choi, Jürgen Zwoll, Regina Arning, Christian Scholz, Jenny Möker

ContiTech, “our success in Asia is always based on teamwork and on partner-

ships with our customers.” This philosophy has allowed his team to achieve

double-figure increases in turnover on a regular basis for the last few years.

Developed and produced in Asia

Customers such as Samsung, in South Korea, and other international produc-

ers who are active in Asia, like Bosch Siemens Hausgeräte and General Elec-

tric, expect their partners to produce supplier components in the local market

– which is why ContiTech produces power transmission belts in the Chinese

city of Ninghai. Their products are in strong demand for use in white goods

such as washing machines and tumble dryers. Increasingly, the V-ribbed belt

by ContiTech is becoming the solution of choice for washing machine produc-

ers because it the quietest, most durable, lowest-maintenance product of its

kind. “With our engineers in the local plants, we solve even the most difficult

engineering tasks and produce power transmission belts that meet our cus-

tomers’ requirements,” Eric Woo explains.

In China alone, more than 100 million consumers bought a state-of-the-art

household appliance in 2011. Moreover, with the Chinese government aiming

to replace all old machines with more up-to-date, efficient, eco-friendly ones,

state support for purchases of new machines over the last three years have

resulted in a ten percent discount. But the market is also booming in India,

where growth rates of over 30 percent have been the order of the day for

several years. In addition, western standards and the new Indian lifestyle are

changing the look of India’s kitchens, as washing machines and dryers make

their way into more and more homes across the sub-continent.

And if energy consumption is not yet a major selling point, it soon will be –

because the familiar A-G energy efficiency categories are set to be intro-

duced for white goods. And so ContiTech engineers are consistently working

to improve the smooth running of power transmission belts through better

component materials and better surface characteristics. This is just one

area that is allowing ContiTech to consolidate its reputation as a sustain-

Technolog y_19

able corporation. Companies that produce in Asia have a strong interest in

energy-efficient products and in suppliers who run sustainable operations –

as ContiTech does Asia and elsewhere in the world.

Show trust, earn trust

As well as being a significant OEM in many branches of industry, the ContiTech

Power Transmission Group is a major force in trading. The Asian market is

extremely dynamic, with different competitors and customers entering and

leaving all the time and new companies opening up with new, local products

at regular intervals. “So it’s very important for us to stay on the ball by talk-

ing to each other. That way, we can respond to changes quickly,” Eric Woo

explains. If we keep an ear to the ground, our customers benefit too, because

we have very close and collaborative relationships with them such as with

the Korean company Wooyang B.T.C, which has long been a trusted partner

of the ContiTech Power Transmission Group. Jürgen Zwoll cites one example

that illustrates just how stable these relationships are: “Once, the sales team

built up a partnership with a trading company for automatic door-openers.

The two companies quoted prices together and presented themselves to the

end customer together.” Later, when a ContiTech competitor approached this

same customer, the company was rejected because the customer values its

trusting relationship with ContiTech so highly.

ContiTech has now been successful with a range of trading partners in Asia

for more than 30 years. It develops and manufactures at three different sites

across the continent. In Asia, “engineered in Germany” is a decisive factor

for success. “As a reliable, quality-focused partner with expertise, we have

managed to gain an advantage over our competitors by winning the trust of

customers. We’re going to stay committed to them as we act on our guiding

principle of Engineering Green Value. We will consolidate our market position

further and continue to develop it,” says a confident Eric Woo. <<

Contact: Jürgen Zwoll, juergen.zwoll@ptg.contitech.de

Finest print for liquorice and all sorts ContiTech is the first producer in the world to offer flexographic printing plates on rolls for printing on packaging for consumer goods.

22_Technolog y

Sweets and candies are hardly visible when they are in their little bags –

but their red packaging alone is enough to get anybody’s mouth water-

ing. The craving strikes out of the blue. There’s no denying what’s com-

mon knowledge about these products, the messages sent out by commercials

and product placements, or even personal experience of that familiar taste …!

Companies invest heavily in their markets and marketing strategies, selling

and promoting the outstanding qualities not only of their products but also of

their brands. And packaging has a major role to play. The vast majority of pur-

chase decisions are made when the customer is already in the supermarket,

when a good design is enough to tempt many of us to pick up a package off

the supermarket shelf. And the right choice of packaging material is essential

to the success of sweets, spaghetti or chocolate. But even more important is

what is printed on it. Complex typographical designs and a host of different

colours and 3D effects beautify many a package found in today’s shopping

baskets – and they are often created through flexographic printing. ContiTech

Elastomer Coatings is now operating in this market with a complete line of

printing plates that are particularly efficient and eco-friendly to use.

This new range of products comprises four different laserline flexographic

printing plates. These are prepared for printing by laser-engraving the

intended design onto their surface. The technique allows flexible foil pack-

ages to be printed, as well as the box they will be put in, and it works irrespec-

tive of whether the printable surface is paper or corrugated cardboard. As a

result, manufacturers can print the typical images, logotypes and colours of

their brands onto packaging in harmonious combinations and top quality. The

new technology allows any kind of material to be printed on to create an end

result that the consumer will find aesthetically pleasing.

“All CONTI® Laserline flexographic printing plates are considerably longer-

lasting than comparable products thanks to their low abrasive wear,” points

out Dr Thomas Perković, head of the printing blankets section at ContiTech

Elastomer Coatings. In developing these new flexographic printing plates,

the team were able to draw on ContiTech’s 100 years of offset printing expe-

rience. This allowed them to integrate a specially engineered compressible

layer into the printing plates, for example. The result is an even print impres-

sion, optimum ink transfer and high-resolution laser engraving technology.

The new technique also allows users to do without expensive foam adhesive

tapes. All these qualities are beneficial not only to printers but also to the

environment.

International innovation: Plates off the roll

This new, specially developed procedure makes ContiTech Elastomer Coat-

ings the first company in the world to produce off-the-roll flexographic print-

ing plates for printing on flexible packaging materials. Up to 13 metres in

length and more than 2 metres across, these rolls offer printing plate material

in a wide range of thicknesses. The printer simply takes off as much mate-

rial as is needed. As well as being less wasteful, this method is more cost-

efficient than using conventional printing plates. The high-resolution laser

engraving can be completed even more quickly and there’s a special benefit

to the environment: ContiTech is the only company in the world to create this

product in an absolutely solvent-free process.

“With CONTI® Laserline, we have a decisive advantage in the market – not

just with regard to the environment. We can also meet the needs of our cus-

tomers with different thicknesses and volumes of the product while at the

same time ensuring they receive the best possible value for money,” says

Armin Senne, manager of the flexographic printing unit at ContiTech Elas-

tomer Coatings. CONTI® Laserline products also offer a number of other

advantages: they are easy to use and save costs for the printer as well as for

the printing plate producer. Günther Weber, managing director of the print-

ing plate manufacturer Flex-Punkt from Westphalia in Germany, is impressed

by ContiTech’s latest innovation: “We have tested this off-the-roll product

extensively. CONTI® Laserline offers stronger ink transfer and is resilient

to aggressive ink series. The products are also less sensitive, which makes

them considerably easier to handle during day-to-day operations. The quality

is simply fantastic.”

ContiTech’s involvement in the printing industry has grown stronger over the

last few years. “And we are confident that our sustainable, eco-friendly, natu-

ral rubber products still have plenty of potential within the printing process.

Our existing customers are most certainly convinced by the results so far,”

Dr Thomas Perković confirms. ContiTech’s entry into this market with its part-

ners, who include the repro house and printing plate producer Flex-Punkt

Druckformen, will result in significant growth over the next few years. <<

Contact: Armin Senne, armin.senne@ec.contitech.de

Thomas Perkovic, thomas.perkovic@ec.contitech.de

ContiTech at the DRUPA trade show

From 3 to 16 May 2012, ContiTech will be exhibiting at the DRUPA,

the world’s largest international printing trade show, which is held in

Düsseldorf. Among the products being presented on stand 6A 77 in

Hall 6 will be its new flexographic printing plates and its innovations

in offset printing.

what is flexographic printing?Flexographic printing is a high-pressure printing process by which

raised areas of an elastomer printing plate transfer ink to a printable

surface. Nowadays, these printing plates are produced by laser tech-

nology, which removes any sections that do not contribute to the final

image. The procedure is well-suited for printing a range of packaging

materials, such as plastics, paper and cardboard.

Günther Weber, managing director of Flex-Punkt Druckformen, and Armin Senne, business manager of the Flexodruck division of ContiTech Elastomer Coatings, are impressed by the

quality of Flexodruck’s new flexographic printing plates, which are made from rubber

Annika Paczkowski, head of HR development at ContiTech, is the first woman to take up a job in the Indian plant in Sonepat

Life around us_ 25

Annika Paczkowski’s impressions of life and work in India are still

fresh in her mind. She spent almost a year working as a human

resources consultant expat at ContiTech’s Sonepat. She recently

returned to headquarters in Hamburg, where she is now head of HR develop-

ment for ContiTech.

Life as an expat in India was quite a challenge for the 35-year-old. “I was the

first woman to work in our facility at Sonepat plant,” she recalls. “When I

was invited to go to India, I was absolutely thrilled. I couldn’t miss a learning

opportunity like this.”

Annika Paczkowski’s job in India was

extremely challenging, not least because

of the cultural differences and the language

barrier. Her task was to introduce standard

procedures and processes into HR manage-

ment and familiarise the team with them. She

did so by working her way through a list of 98

action points with great discipline and struc-

ture. Without doubt, her open and positive

approach to people and her joie de vivre were

a great help throughout her time in India.

Another important job on her list was to find a new head of HR for the plant.

She finally opted to give the job to a woman, whom she then showed the

ropes. “When I joined ContiTech myself eight years ago, my colleague at the

time was a fantastic mentor to me. It was a pleasure to pass on all the things

I had learned from him and from my supervisor to the new head of HR in

India,” she recalls.

A multi-faceted professional life Annika Paczkowski puts her heart and soul into HR development –

and travels the world in pursuit of her passion.

For the good of the team

The ContiTech Power Transmission Group plant in Sonepat employs around

400 staff. As well as providing them with a fixed monthly income, the plant

takes a great interest in the well-being of its staff in a way that was new to

Annika Paczkowski. Every member of the production team takes home not

only a monthly pay packet but also a bag of highly prized goodies: a piece of

soap and a block of jaggery, which is a kind of unrefined sugar that is par-

ticularly high in mineral salts and considered beneficial to health in Indian

Ayurvedic medicine.

ContiTech also appreciates the traditions and

values of this eastern country, allowing staff

to perform their religious rituals whenever

they need to and to celebrate important festi-

vals on the plant premises.

Broadening horizons

The plant in Sonepat is approximately 50 km

from New Delhi. Along with the surrounding

region, the Indian capital is home to some 17

million people, making it one of the largest

metropolises in the world. Annika Paczkowski

was able to find a pleasant apartment to live in, in a detached house in a part

of town called Greater Kailash. As a non-local, the only way she could get

to work was with a driver, whom she had at her disposal for the duration of

her stay. For a European, the traffic in India appears absolutely chaotic, with

trucks, cars, bicycles, rickshaws and mopeds jostling for position and many

pedestrians in between. From time to time, a cow or a working elephant will

take a gentle stroll in amongst it all.

“For us, this is where HR development starts. We make

the most of social and cultural diversity and ensure we have

well-trained employees around the world whose focused

development we support.”Annika Paczkowski,

head of HR development for ContiTech

>>

26_ Life around us

During her time in India, Annika Paczkowski spent her weekends travelling

so that she could get to know the country better. The Taj Mahal in Agra, the

historical city of Jaipur, the Himalayas in Jannu and Kashmir, the colourful

hustle and bustle of Calcutta and the backwaters of Kerala were all on her list

of must-see destinations, preferably to be visited with family, friends or her

partner from Germany. She kept in contact with home via a virtual diary, her

blog, in which she described all of her experiences and posted several of her

many photographs.

For Annika Paczkowski, India was not her first foreign assignment. She also

enjoys travelling to different continents on holiday. She has been to the USA

numerous times and also experienced China, which inspired her to take a

Chinese language course.

“After spending a year on a school exchange in Michigan in 1994, I had the

opportunity in 2001 to go to Charlotte, North Carolina, and Auburn Hills

in Michigan when I was doing an internship with Continental,” says Annika

Paczkowski, a business economist originally from Lower Saxony, explaining

how her career began. This represented the first milestone on her way to full

employment with ContiTech in 2004. In her first job, she got to know the air

spring production facility in Hanover, where she worked as an HR Officer. As

an all-rounder, she had to learn everything from scratch to build up a broad

spectrum of knowledge. Next, in 2008, she joined HR at Benecke-Kaliko

before moving on to the power systems unit. In November 2010, she finally

boarded the plane to India. Each station in her career played an important

part in broadening her horizons.

As head of HR development, Annika Paczkowski is currently responsible,

among other things, for trainees at ContiTech, and for upcoming manage-

ment candidates who will work on all the different continents of the world.

“For us, this is where HR development starts. We make the most of social

and cultural diversity and ensure we have well-trained employees around

the world whose focused development we support,” she says, describing her

area of work. One factor to which she attaches great importance is identify-

ing and developing the potential of employees in-house across the ContiTech

Group and throughout all of its markets.

As an HR manager, what Annika Paczkowski appreciates most about

ContiTech is the many opportunities and countless facets it offers for a

highly varied professional life. This idea fits in well with one of her favourite

creative hobbies: making mosaics. The inspiration for her art comes from

great names such as Antonio Gaudi, Niki de Saint Phalle and Friedensreich

Hundertwasser. Annika Paczkowski is fascinated by the endless creative

opportunities this art form offers – hardly surprising, then, that her profes-

sion is so centred on different tasks and people with different capabilities

and opportunities. <<

Contact: Annika Paczkowski, annika.paczkowski@contitech.de

As an amateur photographer, Annika Paczkowski has documented her impressions of India photographically

With its plant in the port city of Tianjin, some 120 kilometres southeast of Beijing, the ContiTech Con-

veyor Belt Group was able to secure a new foothold in China at the end of last year. Since taking over

the Chinese conveyor belt producer Tianjin Xinbinhai Conveyor Belt Co., Ltd., ContiTech has been busy

extending the site. Over 160 employees produce conveyor belts for the industrial sector, including the

metal, cement and mining industries.

“In the first few months we were able to set up good organisational structures very quickly. We

began by concentrating on quality orientation, health and safety measures and recruiting personnel”,

says Claus-Peter Spille, head of the ContiTech Conveyor Belt Group’s Mining World segment. Now

ContiTech in Tianjin is about to bring a new belt line on stream for the mining industry. And the pro-

duction of special products is also to be expanded further. “Now we can supply the Chinese market

with locally-made products for power stations and the cement and mining industries”, emphasises

Claus-Peter Spille.

ContiTech has already been operating in China for over 30 years. Now, in no less than eleven high-tech

production facilities, some 2,200 employees manufacture components and systems for the automotive

industry, machinery and plant construction, and the mining, printing and rail-traffic industries.

Another foothold in China

ContiTech has come up with a low-maintenance ancillary unit drive for Volkswagen’s latest small car, the

up! The revolutionary new system consists of an Elastic Plus V-ribbed belt, which ContiTech developed

specially for Volkswagen, and an eccentric tensioner with a tension pulley developed by ContiTech’s

system partner, Schaeffler. All of these components have been designed to last as long as the engine’s

service life, keeping tension constant the whole time.

“Our elastic V-ribbed belts have been proving their worth in several BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen vehi-

cles. With this design, we have reached a new performance class,” says Dr Klaus Schütte, Head of Sales,

Key Accounting and Application Engineering at the ContiTech Power Transmission Group. ContiTech is expect-

ing demand for elastic V-ribbed belts to rise steeply because by making conventional tensioning systems

redundant, they support lightweight construction.

This drive system is not the only thing ContiTech has developed for the up! A ContiTech timing belt

drives the camshaft, while the company’s shock absorber mounts enhance driving comfort. In addi-

tion, membranes by ContiTech regulate fuel flow, while the surface material Acella® – which has been

certified in accordance with the Öko-Tex® standard – makes for more comfortable seats and a better interior

climate in the up!.

ContiTech innovation: The new ancillary unit drive system for the Volkswagen up!

Et ce tera_ 27

Elastic Plus V-ribbed belt

Redesigned tensioner pulley

The ContiTech Oil & Marine facility in Szeged produces highly flexible and extremely temperature- resistant high-pressure hose lines and dredge hoses for use in extreme conditions

Flagship ...

Employees such as Németi László, who works for ContiTech Rubber Industrial in Hungary, produce high-pressure hose lines measuring up to 60 metres in length for the extraction of raw materials

... of hose line technology High-tech products by ContiTech Fluid Technology’s Oil & Marine segment are making the extraction of natural resources a safe business.

32_ Future

PCs, mobile phones, modern medicine,

your own petrol-powered or electric car,

and heat and energy on demand – what do

all these things have in common? They all need raw

materials. They are also essential for a good stand-

ard of living for people around the globe – because

industry makes the modern world go round. And

that’s why people across the continents mine, col-

lect and transport natural resources of all kinds,

from oil and gas to valuable raw materials, such as

zinc, precious metals and rare earths but also iron

ore for steel production.

Obtaining, refining and processing these resources

before they finally make their way into our homes

takes a lot of technical expertise. One of the

experts involved is ContiTech Fluid Technology’s

Oil & Marine segment, which is a flagship for high-

tech transport hoses in raw material extraction.

For this globally operating segment of ContiTech,

specialist hoses represent the core business area.

Oil & Marine manufactures flexible, temperature-

resistant high-pressure production hoses for the

oil and gas industries as well as dredge hoses for

use in extreme conditions. Its high-tech products

for transporting fossil fuels over land or water

have to meet stringent quality and safety stand-

ards. The tougher the standards and the more

extraordinary the ocean exploration project, the

more the research and development team get to

apply their skills and expertise. Each hose line

they manufacture is custom-made from a special

combination of elastomers, steel, steel cable, tex-

tiles and reinforcement elements.

World class since the 1950s

Over the last 60 years Oil & Marine has bro-

ken more records in new technologies than any

other company, filing for numerous patents on

its innovations. Based in Szeged, Hungary, and

in Grimsby, in the UK, the segment is unique in

the world in offering high-tech hose lines with

coveted API certification. API stands for the

American Petroleum Institute in Washington. This

renowned organisation sets the highest standards

in the world for safety and quality in this indus-

try and the toughest technical specifications. For

global businesses with challenging projects, API

certification is a deciding factor when it comes to

choosing a business partner. And for ContiTech it

is one of the best references possible.

>>

Speaking about the ever-increasing demands fac-

ing this technologically sensitive business field,

Dr. Tamás Katona, head of the Oil & Marine seg-

ment, says: “Our products are being enhanced

all the time because more and more prospecting

is going on in oceans around the world. Sought-

after raw materials include oil and gas but also

gold, silver, copper, zinc and much more besides.

But searching the seas is far more demanding

than prospecting on dry land and our knowledge

and competence in this area is unique.” These are

also the reasons for the business segment’s

The perfect quartet

As a technology leader, Oil & Marine was formed over several decades as numerous high-tech

companies in the oil and marine industry came together. Its specialist units now work as a well-

rehearsed quartet to offer their customers not only specially developed hose lines but also the

services to go with them – all from a single, expert provider:

Since the 1960s, the Hungarian plant in Szeged has represented the world-famous Taurus brand,

a guarantee for high-performance hose lines. Besides textile reinforced dredge hoses it also

produces high-pressure hoses using a unique, state-of-the-art steel cable laying technology that

was designed specially for the purpose. This ensures extremely robust, stress-resistant prod-

ucts. Anybody who has seen the plant at Szeged will know all about the dimensions involved in

producing hose lines measuring up to 60 metres in length.

Another member of the market segment is Dunlop Oil & Marine, based in Grimsby and Ashington

in the UK. Ever since the 1950s, this has been producing innovation after innovation. Its high-

tech developments are superlative and provide sustainable support for the oil and raw materials

transport and energy industry.

ContiTech Beattie, based in Houston, Texas, and Eddelbüttel + Schneider, based in Hamburg,

are the last two in the Oil & Marine quartet. Their development engineers and sales staff ensure

good customer contacts all over the world.

The Oil & Marine segment employs 500 people worldwide.

>>

ContiTech Oil & Marine supplies high-pressure, cooling and drilling

hoses for use in gigantic floating refineries called FPSOs, or “floating pro-

duction, storage and offloading units”

34_ Future

good collaborations with global corporations

according to the Hungarian-born manager.

These three examples describe some of the most

noteworthy applications of Oil & Marine hose lines

and innovations.

Indispensable: Diamonds from the seabed

Our Earth is often called the “blue planet”.

And not without reason: 70 percent of its sur-

face is covered with water, meaning a stagger-

ing 360,000,000 square kilometres of seabed

could be systematically searched for diamonds.

These precious stones are used in a range of

industries, including fine-engineering tools in

watch and clock making, the optics and dental

industries, and innovative semiconductor tech-

nologies. But above all, diamonds will remain

the most desired jewels of all. They are often

found hundreds of metres beneath the surface

of the water, off the coast of Namibia, for exam-

ple. Collecting them from the seabed and bring-

ing them up to the light of day involves some

major, sophisticated technology.

The diamonds are dredged from the ground by a

crawler. This sucks up the top layers of the sea-

bed and mixes them with water so they can be

pumped up to the ship. Travelling at pressures

of about 30 bars, the mixture is pumped along

high-pressure hoses specially designed by Oil &

Marine. On board the ship, the sediment is sifted

and filtered until the coveted diamonds finally

appear. “Our product is a special piece of high-

tech equipment for transporting these extracted

materials,” explains Marcus Prinz, Managing

Director at Eddelbüttel + Schneider, which is part

of ContiTech Oil & Marine. A hose line of this kind

has an interior diameter of 65 centrimetres and is

Concentrated work: Marc Johnson works for ContiTech Dunlop Oil & Marine, which is based in Grimsby, UK. It produces high-tech hose lines for oil and raw material transportation

“In ContiTech, we have found an experienced

partner with considerable technical expertise in marine industries.”

Hugo Heerema, president of Bluewater

Future_ 35

a metre and a half wide on the outside. Its thick

walls have to stand up not only to the high pres-

sure of the seawater pushing down from the out-

side but also to extreme interior pressure from

the materials flowing along the inside. Hoses of

this kind are also engineered for wear-resistance,

because during the course of about a year, the

sediments that are pumped up grind considerable

amounts of material off the interior walls, mean-

ing the hose has to be replaced with a new one.

On a sensitive operation like this, components

have to be regularly maintained. The crawler is

brought up onto the ship from the seabed for ser-

vicing every ten days.

The unique hose lines used to dredge up diamonds

in the seas off the Namibian coast are produced in

line with the exact specifications provided by the

development team from Eddelbüttel + Schneider.

They are manufactured in the dredge hose pro-

duction hall at the plant in Szeged. When Szeged

manufactures more than 100 metres of flexible

yet robust hose, the massive factory doors have

to be opened to take the product out. Hose lines

are – quite literally – a very big business.

Refineries and storage tanks as

floating tower blocks

When it comes to building or converting FPSOs (or

“floating production storage and offloading units”),

ContiTech Oil & Marine collaborates with custom-

ers to offer them the full range of services from

a single service provider. FPSO vessels are vast,

floating oil collection and stabilisation units that

move heavily across the oceans with their built-in

storage units. Here, the team of specialists offers

full service for its high-pressure production, riser

as well as cooling and offloading hoses and a range

of other products.

FPSOs are multi-purpose vessels. As well as taking

on board oil or gas from offshore rigs, they treat it

in their own stabilisation units before pumping it

into their enormous tanks for interim storage. This

stabilisation process requires the coldest possible

cooling water – and this is pumped up to the ship

using ContiTech hose lines that reach down to sev-

eral hundred metres below the surface of the water.

“We recently received another order, this time

for a South Korean ship called the Clov, which

Concentrated work: Marc Johnson works for ContiTech Dunlop Oil & Marine, which is based in Grimsby, UK. It produces high-tech hose lines for oil and raw material transportation

>>

36_ Future

is currently being converted and setup for FPSO

operations,” says Marcus Prinz, reporting on the

company’s latest success. The Clov will take to

the seas in 2016 and operate in an oil field of the

same name off the northwest of Angola. Waters

are up to 1,750 metres deep in this area and are

currently being searched by a number of oil com-

panies including BP, Shell, Halliburton and Exxon.

The Clov is expected to process some 200,000

barrels of oil and around 5,000,000 cubic metres

of natural gas every day. A high-performance job –

made possible by ContiTech Oil & Marine.

Innovation from plastic and metal

Transporting natural gas across the sea via pipe-

lines is an extremely expensive and technically

highly demanding business. Laying and maintain-

ing pipelines on the seabed is a cost-intensive

business, so an alternative solution was devel-

oped several decades ago, consisting of special

ships with insulated tanks for transporting gas in

liquefied form. The liquefaction and transportation

of natural gas at -165°C represents an important

future industry as LNG (or liquefied natural gas)

compresses one cubic metre of natural gas into

just 1.7 litres of liquid. Once it has arrived at its

destination, the process is reversed and the natu-

ral gas enters the energy cycle in its original state.

At present, the greatest consumers of LNG are

the Asian markets. “We’ve been observing for

many years that increasing numbers of coal-fired

power stations are being converted to use natural

gas,” says Dr. Kambiez Zandiyeh, General Man-

ager of Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd at ContiTech Oil

& Marine in Grimsby, in the east of England. Gas

power stations are far cheaper, more efficient and

– most importantly – eco-friendlier. “We want to

be part of this development,” says Dr Zandiyeh.

By 2015, experts are predicting that some 370

million tons of global LNG will be traded – a good

15 percent more natural gas than is currently

being extracted and five times as much as Ger-

many used in 2010 alone.

Dunlop Oil & Marine has made an innovative con-

tribution to the business, explains Simon Bishop,

the responsible project manager: “Our newly

developed LNG pipelines will soon go on stream

and represent an improved link in the future LNG

transportation chain.” Previously, the issue of

hose technologies had been approached by con-

sidering how to optimise the conventional process

of getting LNG from large ships onto smaller shut-

tle tankers for transportation around the world.

Until recently, gas was transferred by position-

ing the tanker alongside the FSPO. But as well

as requiring the sea to be absolutely calm, this

method meant the hose line could have a diameter

of no more than 8 inches, so loading took more

than 24 hours.

The new solution is better and comes thanks to

the efforts of the experts from Grimsby and their

partners from Bluewater Energy Services BV, from

the Netherlands. As a producer of loading systems

for tankers, Bluewater floated an idea that the two

companies were able to work on in partnership.

“In ContiTech, we have found an experienced

partner with considerable technical expertise in

marine industries,” says Hugo Heerema, president

of Bluewater, explaining the reasons behind the

partnership contract.

When transferring LNG at extremely low tempera-

tures, it is no longer possible to use elastomers.

Instead, the British site in Grimsby has come up

with a range of high tech materials which are a

world first among ContiTech products. “With

temperatures as low as -165°C, we decided on

a plastic-metal compound,” says Simon Bishop.

“We apply more than 70 layers of different mate-

rials to create an extremely strong and flexible

non-bonded composite hose structure. These

layers protect the sealant and insulation layers

in between,” explains the 32-year-old engineer.

Two spiral-shaped metal frameworks, one on

the inside and one on the outside of the hose,

ensure the structure remains stable as it works

at extremely low temperatures and pressures of

up to 20 bars.

The advantages of this high tech hose have been

demonstrated on a 12-metre prototype. With

twice the interior diameter of its predecessor,

the new hose measures 40 cm across, raising

throughput. In addition, the new hose allows

tandem loading, so rather than requiring the

shuttle tanker to be positioned directly along-

side the FLNG vessel (“floating liquefied natu-

ral gas”), it can instead be positioned at a safe

distance some way behind it. In order for this

arrangement to operate safely, Bluewater spe-

cially developed a loading fixture for the bow of

the ship from which the hose can be rolled out

and attached to the floating liquefaction facility.

Even in stormy weathers, when waves are up to

5 metres high, loading can continue unhindered.

For the natural gas industry, of course, the news

could hardly be better, because rough sea con-

ditions have often meant operations had to be

aborted. But with the new technology, those

days are now gone. <<

Contact: Marcus Prinz, m.prinz@e-s.de

Dr Tamás Katona, tamas.katona@fluid.contitech.hu

Dr Kambiez Zandiyeh , kam.zandiyeh@dunoil.com

The critical eye of Simon Bishop, project manager at ContiTech Dunlop Oil & Marine. As well as withstanding extremely low tempera-

tures, LNG hoses must handle pressures of up to 20 bars

Firm foundations in high seasA new development by ContiTech is providing lasting protection for the foundations of offshore windfarms.

In the northern hemisphere, summer is

drawing nearer. Many families have already

planned their summer holidays, and in Ger-

many the north coast is a top destination. Most

holidaymakers who go there make a beeline for

the beach to walk barefoot in the sand, their trou-

sers rolled up, dipping their toes into the sea. As

they stand there with the waves lapping softly at

their feet, they gaze at the horizon, which is dotted

with wind turbines, way out at sea, far away from

the coast. With a gentle tickle, the water retreats

from under their feet, washing the sand away as it

goes. By the time the next wave comes a small dip

has formed, leaving the holidaymaker standing on

a mini-island of their own. It’s the result of a pro-

cess known in scientific terms as scour formation.

And where waves are bigger significant amounts

of sand can easily disappear. The effects are clear:

the ground beneath your feet simply washes away.

And it is these effects that represent a major chal-

lenge for the operators of windfarms out on the

open seas.

Having taken it upon themselves to tackle the

issue, developers from the ContiTech Conveyor

Belt Group have now come up with an innovation

for which they have already submitted a patent

application. Known as CONTI® SCOUR PROTECT,

it consists of a protective mat that fights the

effects of especially rough sea conditions and

protects the foundations of offshore wind turbines

both reliably and over the longer term. As ocean

currents and wave movements take their toll on

the “feet” of wind turbines, the technical risk is

significant and has, until now, been tackled only

with complex solutions that have not been entirely

successful.

ContiTech’s new protection system is now set to

close this niche. Made from natural rubber, its thin

matting is attached to the seabed around the pile

and adjusts to suit its shape perfectly, thanks to

Future_ 39

its flexible rubber content. By combining weight

and elasticity, CONTI® SCOUR PROTECT provides

lasting protection from the forces and vortices of

the waves, which would otherwise cause scour

formation around the foot of the wind turbine.

As well as being seawater-resistant and low-

maintenance, these anti-scour mats represent a

low-cost solution for a firm foundation. And as

anyone holidaying on the Baltic coast will know:

if you stand amongst the waves on a rubber mat

like CONTI® SCOUR PROTECT, you will have solid

ground beneath your feet.

Offshore windfarms are the future

The generation of energy from the wind is grow-

ing ever more important, with the open seas play-

ing a vital part. At the end of 2010, the combined

output of windfarms around the world totalled

some 200 GW, which is enough to power every

single one of the 200 million or so households in

the EU. And when it comes to generating energy

from the wind, the ocean is an absolute paradise.

Offshore windfarms have long been booming, and

ContiTech has been an expert partner in this key

industry for several years. ContiTech Vibration

Control, for example, has produced flexible rubber

mounts that keep turbines running smoothly and

maintenance costs to a minimum (as we reported

CTi 2/2009).

“In terms of technologies and environmental

conditions, safety and security requirements for

windfarms on the open seas are far more complex

than those on land,” explains Michael Möschen,

development engineering and project manager

with the ContiTech Conveyor Belt Group. In rough,

offshore conditions, it is absolutely essential that

windfarms operate safely and reliably and remain

maintenance-free even in extreme conditions,

when storms rage over several days and waves

crash against the structures. In waters between

10 and 60 metres deep, complex foundation struc-

tures are needed. These add major costs to the

bill that would not be needed for land-based wind-

farms. “In addition, numerous scientific experi-

ments have shown that the protective measures

in place until now are simply not enough. They

mostly involve placing stones and sandbags

around the piles but – most importantly – they are

no guarantee for the safety of these windfarms

over the longer term,” Michael Möschen explains.

Precise positioning

Unlike other stabilisation procedures, CONTI®

SCOUR PROTECT matting can be positioned with

extreme precision. It is delivered by the roll, with

the matting measuring up to 4 metres across

and several hundred meters in length. The right

amount of material is simply taken off the roll

on site and the pieces are vulcanised or bolted

together. A hole is then cut into the middle and

the mat is positioned over the top of the pile so

that it can gently drift down to its exact position

on the seabed. For more complex structures, the

mats can be joined and assembled on land. The

material itself is extremely hard-wearing, corro-

sion-free and absolutely resistant to salt water

– which of course means zero maintenance over

the longer term. ContiTech’s anti-scour system

is also good for environment and marine protec-

tion, being easy to remove with the help of a single

crane and leaving the seabed free of debris. And

with the ocean cable beneath the elastic matting

receiving the best possible protection as well,

operational security is even greater.

All in all, CONTI® SCOUR PROTECT represents

another sustainable invention created under the

guiding principle of Engineering Green Value.

Developed to market maturity by ContiTech engi-

neers, it ensures firm foundations even in high

seas and remains un-noticed by tourists holiday-

ing on the Baltic coast. <<

Contact: Michael Möschen,

michael.moeschen@cbg.contitech.de

Frank Dahmen, frank.dahmen@vc.contitech.de

Keeping things turning

In a wind turbine, the rotor shaft transfers energy from the rotor blades to a gearbox. This is

connected to the generator, which then converts the power of the wind into electricity. Normally,

the rotor, gearbox and generator are assembled on-site. Fine-tuning them can be tricky, as each

individual component of the drive system has to be perfectly adjusted to suit the others. “We’ve

specially developed a mount that allows the generator’s position to be adjusted precisely be-

tween vertical and horizontal, even under pressure,” explains Oleksandr Kosov, responsible for

product development with ContiTech Vibration Control’s industry segment. This keeps the entire

drive system in the ideal position at all times, allowing the turbine to run perfectly smoothly.

Another development by ContiTech can be found in the gearbox of many large wind turbines.

The major loads to which turbines are subjected tend to cause vibrations. Flexible mounts by

ContiTech can dampen these vibrations and reduce noise pollution. The torque support on which

the gearbox is mounted is fitted with flexible elements known as connection cushions, with

two half-shells combining to form one cylindrical cushion. By changing the construction of its

cushioning elements and optimising their rubber profile, ContiTech has been able to make them

last five times longer. “It definitely saves significant costs for wind turbine operators,” explains

Vincent Sambo, sales manager with ContiTech Vibration Control.

Sustainable forming ContiTech is the only foil producer in the automotive industry to simulate the production of surfaces for instrument panels by computer. This saves customers’ time and resources.

40_Technolog y

As we all know, the moment you get into a brand-new car, the first

thing you notice is its high-quality interior fittings. The design

and colour of the instruments, seats and door trim are among

the most striking aspects – and you immediately start comparing them with

your old car. Only then do you switch on the engine and take your new car

out on its maiden trip. First impressions count, as the old saying goes – and

that’s why vehicle producers are making every effort to deliver the kinds of

vehicle interiors their customers want. Perfect design and pleasant haptics

are major purchase criteria, and in perfecting them, the capacity to simu-

late complex shapes and surface trims is extremely important in creating

components such as dashboards. Thanks to a special software developed

by ContiTech’s Benecke-Kaliko business unit, parts of this kind can now

be produced using 3D simulation technology. As well as saving significant

amounts of time and money in development, this new technology is kind to

the environment.

The new software simulates the production of entire dashboards and other

such components as they are built up with foils just a millimetre or two

thick in a process known as deep drawing. This involves heating the foils

in layers, pre-forming them, and finally shaping them using a vacuum and

a die. The whole process works on the same principle as drawing the air

out of a freezer-bag full of vegetables: the plastic shrinks down to hug the

contours of every pea or carrot, leaving their silhouettes easily recognis-

able. Thanks to the deep drawing technique, decorative foils just a few

millimetres thick can be used to cover instrument panels and other such

items. Moreover, as well as being very robust, they are also light in weight,

which supports the production of less heavy – and therefore more eco-

friendly – vehicles.

Experience and expertise in foilsThe new software incorporates Benecke-Kaliko’s entire range of foils along with

all their various specifications and characteristics. With decades of experience

and proven expertise, the development team can now produce and process foils

for vehicle interiors using computer-aided design data from customers, which

represent the design of the finished instrument panel, for example. As well as

allowing a perfect fit, the software delivers a host of information on material thick-

nesses at various points and allows the foil-forming process to be recorded on

video. “The simulation itself is quite complex,” says engineer Martin Obst, from

central process engineering. “But it saves our customers a lot of development

time, which in turn keeps their development costs down.” Benecke-Kaliko is the

only foil producer in the world to offer its customers this sustainable service.

Saving resources, saving time

The engineers at Benecke-Kaliko have analysed many types of foil made from

various materials and with different characteristics and fed their findings into

the simulation software. “This allows us to support customers as they design

a new component by providing swift feedback as to whether or not their plans

can be realised in the way they are intending. Sometimes, the material is too

thin in certain areas and adjustments have to be made to the component’s

geometry,” Martin Obst explains. Already, automotive suppliers and produc-

ers appreciate the value of this service. The engineers at Benecke-Kaliko

are already supporting their customers with the development of new compo-

nents and pointing out aspects that could be optimised – from inside corners

and edge radiuses right down to the tiniest details. Perfectly formed virtual

worlds for full interior comfort. <<

Contact: martin.obst@benecke-kaliko.de

Masthead

Published by:

ContiTech AG,

Vahrenwalder Str. 9,

30165 Hannover

service@ ContiTech.de

www. ContiTech.de

www. ContiTech-online.com

Responsible for the content:

Anja Graf,

Vice President Communications

ContiTech AG

Editor in chief:

Jens Fechner,

Director Market Communications

ContiTech AG

Editorial team:

Peter Abbes

Meral Adenli

Sibylle Engel

Elvira Kluth

Dirk Kroll

Kerstin Porsiel-Voges

Julia Schmitz

Concept and coordination:

ContiTech AG and

comm:up Kommunikation & Management

GmbH, Düsseldorf

Layout and production:

bubedamekönig designbüro GbR, Cologne

Photos:

ContiTech AG, Paulo Fridman, Elisabeth

Hagopian, Michael Neuhaus,

Oliver Nimz, Tom Peschel, Mick Ryan

Printed by:

Benatzky Druck & Medien,

Hanover

Benecke-Kaliko has enhanced its PVC foam foil Yorn® Light. Eco-friendly and specially created for use in

vehicle interiors, Yorn® Light now weighs even less and can be used in all the same places that Benecke-

Kaliko PVC foam foils were applied to previously – in door trim panels, centre consoles and elsewhere.

With Yorn® Light, Benecke-Kaliko is helping manufacturers make their vehicles less heavy. As well as

improving fuel-efficiency, this helps ensure compliance with ever-tougher emissions legislation.

The door trim panels of the BMW 5 Series, for example, are made with the new Yorn® Light. Replacing the

bicolour PVC foam foil that was used before has saved 1.5 kilogramme in weight. Benecke-Kaliko is the

only provider to offer bicolour lightweight foils in its product range. What’s more, Yorn® Light feels consid-

erably softer than its predecessor. And in terms of production, the work of ContiTech’s process engineer-

ing unit means the new material is of consistently high quality, irrespective of whether it was manufactured

in China, Mexico or Hanover.

Drive light with Yorn® Light

Et ce tera_ 41

New technologies New solutions New networks

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NEW TECHNOLOGY FIRST23–27 April 2012 · Hannover · Germany

23–27 April 2012

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