aktuell - Borbet

aktuell
BORBET-Newspaper
Issue 6/August 2014
PREFACE
Contents
IMPRINT
BORBETaktuell
BORBET-Newspaper Issue 6/August 2014
Publisher: BORBET GROUP
Run: 5.000 exemplars
Copy: Only with the written permission
of the editorial department.
Copyright 2014 BORBET GROUP
OVERVIEW: OUR BORBET SITES
Headquarter BORBET GmbH (Hesborn/Germany)
DEAR EMPLOYEES,
DEAR BUSINESS
PARTNERS,
It’s been a while since the last “Borbet aktuell”,
which gives us an opportunity to look back on
the past two years.
Editorial department/Responsible for the content:
BORBET GmbH/Marketing
Hauptstraße 5,
59969 Hallenberg-Hesborn
Tel.: +49 29 84 30 10
E-Mail: [email protected]
BORBET Vertriebs GmbH (Neuching/Germany)
BORBET Austria GmbH (Braunau/Austria)
3
When it comes to “business climate”, 2012
and 2013 are divided into two halves. The
first half of 2012, like 2011, was very successful, while challenging sales for the European
automotive industry were increasingly
ref lected in the orders we received during the
second half of 2012 and the first half of 2013.
One source of problems was the so-called Euro
crisis, especially in Southern Europe, which
caused many of our customers to keep lowering their projected sales through the third
quarter of 2013. Even the increasing equipment
rates for our aluminium wheels could hardly
compensate for this in late 2012 and early 2013.
We were able to counteract this during 2013
through increased exports beyond Europe, so
that the decrease in automobile production was
less visible for us.
VORWORT
STANDORTE
2
Preface .......................................................................................................3
Greetings.....................................................................................................4
Investments..............................................................................................5-7
Specialised trade.........................................................................................8-12
Marketing...................................................................................................13
Technology/Processing............................................................................14-17
BORBETianer.......................................................................................18-25
Sport......................................................................................................26-35
Impressions..........................................................................................36-37
BORBET Newcomer............................................................................38-39
Since the fourth quarter, we have seen that the
crisis in Europe has apparently rebounded from
its low point – many markets are now growing
again. Although total sales volumes in Europe
are still far below 2007 levels – before the crisis
– from today’s perspective we are able to look
forward optimistically to 2014.
Whether or not the Euro crisis returns – expert
opinions are widely scattered.
We, at least, see reason for confidence over the
coming years in the European market as well,
and for this reason we will continue high levels
of investment in the ongoing development of
our plants.
We wish a successful 2014 to all of our employees and our business partners.
Yours,
Burkhard Plett
Worthy of mention for the BORBET GROUP
in 2013 is that we received a Supplier Award
from each of the two largest European
automobile manufacturers, the Volkswagen
and PSA Groups. We’d like to once again
thank all of our employees.
BORBET GmbH (Medebach/Germany)
BORBET Solingen GmbH (Solingen/Germany)
BORBET South Africa (PTY) Ltd. (Port Elizabeth/South Africa)
BORBET Alabama, Inc. (Auburn/USA)
BORBET Thüringen GmbH (Bad Langensalza/Germany)
www.borbet.de
GREETINGS
4
SPECIALISED TRADE
GREETINGS FROM
THE DIRECTORS OF
VOLKSBANK
BIGGE-LENNE
5
Directors Volksbank Bigge-Lenne eG: Michael Griese, Peter Kaufmann (speaker) and Andreas Ermecke (from left to right)
There are numerous companies in Germany’s
Sauerland region that work very successfully. The
medium-sized companies in the Hochsauerland
district look optimistically into the future. These
are the two central statements from this year’s
business poll conducted by the Volksbank in the
Hochsauerland district. For us at Volksbank BiggeLenne eG, we are very pleased to have served a
successful company like BORBET as their local
bank for decades.
Is it anything special when a bank and a company
have worked together for over 30 years? This is a
given for the BORBET GROUP and Volksbank
Bigge-Lenne.
The reason for this successful partnership between two legacy companies is apparent. As a
co-operative bank, we are a medium-sized
company, too, and like the BORBET GROUP
we must overcome tough competition and handle everyday business. BORBET has been loyal
to us. We have worked together in partnership for
over three decades and look forward to a bright future together. Both sides have benefited – and the
entire Hochsauerland district as a result.
Medium-sized companies like BORBET, with
their business motivation and entrepreneurial
responsibility, their loyalty to their local commu-
nities, their belief in future-oriented structures,
along with their innovative products and capable
employees, are what makes Germany so successful
in international competition.
Confident, independent, self-sustaining – that’s
the image of BORBET today. Companies like
this find in local Volksbank a natural partner for
financing and bank accounts. Doing things
yourself, rather than waiting for others or even the
government – that is our co-operative philosophy.
Self responsibility, self help and self-management
illustrate the thoughts and actions of the employees
at the Volksbank Bigge-Lenne. Our co-operative
values make us strong. This strength carries over in
our members and customers. We do this with the
support of our co-operative business model, which
includes our local and regional orientation, sound
knowledge of the markets, and the many years
invested in relationships with customers like the
BORBET company. You couldn’t ask for more
partnership.
VOLKSWAGEN AG HONOURS
BORBET WITH THE 2013 VW
GROUP AWARD
Visibly proud: on behalf of the entire BORBET GROUP, Peter Wilhelm Borbet accepts the award from Martin Winterkorn
(chairman of the board ofVolkswagen AG).
The Volkswagen Company once again presented the Group Award on 20 June 2013
to its best suppliers. In the presence of 150
guests from the international automotive
branch, 21 supplier companies received the
prestigious award at the glass manufacturing plant in Dresden. BORBET GmbH
was amongst the award recipients.
Visibly proud, Peter Wilhelm Borbet
accepted the award on behalf of all employees at
BORBET GmbH. The founder of the
traditional company then thanked representatives of the Volkswagen Company,
emphasizing the essential importance of the
service from each and every employee in the
BORBET family. The success of the company
is the result of dedication from people who
give their best every day.
Since 2003, the Volkswagen company has
bestowed the Group Award to those suppli-
ers who have proven to be an especially reliable and strategically important partner for the
company through outstanding expertise and
commitment. In particular, this includes those
companies who make a significant contribution to the goal declared by the Volkswagen
company: to be at the top of the automotive
industry by 2018.
We at BORBET GmbH knew how to win
them over in collaboration, for example
through the utmost f lexibility with consistent customer orientation as well as new and
innovative production technologies over the
decades with a constantly high product quality.
INVESTMENTS
SPECIALISED TRADE
BORBET:
STRONG BRAND AND
GERMAN FAMILY
OWNED
BORBET is one of the strongest brands in Germany. This was
documented in a decision from
a high-ranking advisory board
to include the BORBET brand
in the well-known compendium
entitled “Brands of the Century
– Lighthouses in a Sea of Brands”
and award it with the “German
Standards Brand Award.” As a result, BORBET
is a member of an exclusive circle of around 250
German brands that each represent unique selling
points for their product category.
A rich tradition is behind the BORBET brand
family owned company. Since May 2014 it
has been eternalised in this lexicon of German
family companies. Around 1,000 regional and
family companies have been compiled in this
1552-page tome. This lexicon is a symbol of
the unique characteristics of the German economy: vibrant and very successful family owned
companies are a guarantee for the economic
success of our country. In addition, it highlights
the regional bond these family companies share
with their sites.
BORBET ALABAMA:
2014 IS THE YEAR OF
INVESTMENT
Extensive
investments in various
departments
are
also planned for the
BORBET plant in
Alabama. For example, our Alabama team is
proud of two new “Diamond” cut machines,
two new “Promot” machines, as well as eight
new smelting furnaces – along with the new
possibilities for procedure and quality that
these allow for.
The smelting plant will be completely renovated.
More than half of the investment funds for 2014
will flow into this large-scale project. Eight new
ZPF furnaces will be installed this year – two of
them in June alone. After these comprehensive
construction measures, we expect energy savings
of 15-20 per cent. Another benefit of the new
furnaces is the low CO2 emissions, which greatly
reduces the pollution of the environment. Finally,
compared with the Hiteq furnaces, which cause
more oxide in the metal, the smelting quality is
also improved. Three of the new ZPF furnaces
will be used to melt the shavings.
www.borbet.de
Did you know...?
539,424
INVESTMENTS
the number of motor vehicles built in
South Africa in 2012
63 %
A
increase over the year 2000.
BORBET
SOUTH AFRICA:
INVESTMENT IN THE
FUTURE
We’re not only producing in our South African
BORBET plant, we’re
also investing heavily.
After eight months of
construction, the smelter renovations
were completed in August 2013 – and further renovations are already underway.
The primary objective of the smelter expansion
was to retrofit the induction furnaces, which
were previously powered by electricity, to gaspowered ZPF smelting furnaces. By installing three new smelting furnaces, two shavings
furnaces, as well as two new channelling systems, energy consumption has been decreased
by around 20 per cent. At the same time, the
smelting capacity has increased by forty tonnes
per day. The new technology also provides better smelting quality as well as a marked drop in
burn-off loss for the shavings. The investments
also included a new hall for compressors and
transformers and the purchase of two forklifts
with pushers. The renovation measures should
lower the maintenance costs for our factory in
South Africa. Additional investments in the
foundry are planned for 2014. There are also
renovation plans this year for the chill mould
metalworking shop, which have already been
partially realised. Further, operation of a new
X-Ray station and a Makra drilling machine
with robots are planned.
6
INVESTMENTS
BORBET ALABAMA:
A STEP INTO A FRESH
FUTURE
More fresh and
healthy food and
a larger range of
options for our
workers at the
BORBET Alabama plant. Toni-Marie
Hedge (HR manager) and Ulf M. Kranz
(CEO) opened a new mini-market in Auburn on 2 September 2013. By doing so,
the company is taking a big step towards
healthier food options for employees.
The mini-market, operated by local providers,
should give employees fast and easy access to
a large selection of food and beverages during
their breaks. The freshness of the food is the
central focus. A wide array of various products
is on offer. The assortment can be changed at
any time and can be adapted to meet current
employee needs. There is a theme day once per
week, where local dishes, for example, are prepared fresh. Payment can be made in cash or
electronically at the newly-installed checkout
machines. The system includes technical highlights like a fingerprint scanner. This allows
every BORBET employee to easily create a
personal account, ensuring smooth operations
each day. The employees simply select products
from the assortment, scan the bar code themselves, and pay. It’s a simple new concept for an
unmanned mini-market with a big effect for
everyone who can now enjoy their breaks onsite in the BORBET Café.
INVESTMENTS
BORBET AUSTRIA:
SMELTERY EXPANSION
As it grew over time,
the smelting furnaces
in our Austrian plant
were arranged in various areas. This continually posed logistical challenges for us. In order to change
this and maintain the smelting quality at
a high level, foundry and smeltery employees worked together with the management of BORBET Austria to come up
with a new smelting concept and layout.
The last smelting furnace in the new plan
went into operation on 17 October 2013.
The basic idea was to arrange the smelting furnaces in a row. There are several advantages to this:
• chaining
• short transport routes
• simpler work steps to ensure constant smelting quality
INVESTMENTS
Pawel Dul from BORBET Thüringen had the
group-wide task of transferring good, proven
procedures and methods in the smelting plant
and foundry departments to all locations. The
arrangement in Thuringia, with which every
smelting furnace has a channel connected to a
shavings furnace, had already proven successful.
This enables the smelting process to be simple,
constant, and manageable. As a result, Peter
Wilhelm Borbet authorised the investment in
November 2012, marking the start of implementation. This required ingenious solutions for
a complex challenge.
This challenge was to move the shavings- and
smelting furnaces and their entire infrastructure, including shavings vacuuming equipment,
during ongoing production with a full order load
– all without affecting production. Even complicated construction measures, like raising the
hall roof and moving the support columns, were
necessary. At the same time, the foundry had
to be supplied with liquid alloy in the expected
quality without threatening work safety.
In order to achieve high smelting output combined with a high and stable quality level,
temperature regulating cards and a charge matrix were introduced simultaneously. This information is recorded by a PDA (production data
acquisition) system and released online. Coordination in the smelting cell between the shavings
and smelting furnaces was honed and optimised.
Besides the smeltery, the foundry also got a
makeover. During this process in 2013, four new
GIMA moulding machines were set up and automated. Despite limited space, we were able to
implement the project successfully. This GIMA
group can also be expanded for the possible production of NatureWheel wheels in the future.
After a few initial hiccups and fine-tuning of the
moulding machines, these are now running well
as expected.
BORBET Austria thanks all of the employees
who contributed to the positive outcome of this
project.
BORBET AUSTRIA:
CONSTRUCTION OF
NEW PAINTING FACILITY
BORBET Austria received the green light in late
January 2014 for the construction of a new painting facility. Construction work has been going full
speed ahead since early April. The planning is intense: production in the new facility should begin
in November of this year. All of those involved
are bringing their best each and every day for the
smooth and error-free implementation of this
construction project. The final production sector
is currently also being expanded. These forwardthinking and trendsetting investments increase
www.borbet.de
flexibility – especially for orders
with new finishes.
7
SPECIALISED TRADE
CUSTOMISATION:
DREAM CAR
FOR EVERY
CUSTOMER
Burkhard Plett
8
More models, more styles,
more colours, more accessories – Nowadays every
car buyer could put together his car regarding to his
ideas. But this blessing for end users presents a variety of challenges for the Automotive industry.
Even amongst BORBET’s main customers,
customisation continues to increase. The end
customer can select from a variety of styling
options, even for models that have just come
on the market. Then come accessory wheels,
special editions, etc. As a supplier, BORBET
also feels the effects of this phenomenon. From
2011 to 2013 alone, the number of active parts
numbers in the BORBET Group increased by
25%. The enormous growth of different colours and colour variations is a real challenge as
well. In this area, we’ve seen growth of more
than 30% since 2011.
Many processes become more complex as a
result. In particular, this affects the areas of
development, project management, business
transactions, tool maintenance, producDid you know...?
tion planning, production lot sizes, as
For the E Class model introduced
well as quality assurance and logistics.
in April 2013, our BORBET
Besides the challenges for production,
plants in Solingen, Thüringen
and Hesborn supply 19
this trend also poses a problem for voldifferent wheels.
ume forecasts, as it is getting harder and
harder for BORBET’s customers to predict which wheel designs in which colour the end customer will choose.
The Mercedes-Benz GLK model
planned for 2015 will shine on
BORBET wheels – just like the
Mercedes M Class expected for 2015.
A few years ago, selection from a broad
spectrum of wheels was reserved almost
exclusively for premium vehicle owners.
In the meantime, the variety of designs
and colours from mass-produced products has increased greatly. BORBET has
adapted to this development in recent
years through more f lexible production
procedures. Further adjustments for the
whole organisation will be necessary,
however, as this trend is expected to
continue.
SPECIALISED TRADE
TECHNICAL SEMINAR
AT NISSAN IN JAPAN
Japan. June 2013. Borbet introduced the latest developments in finishes as well as various lightweight technologies at a technical
seminar at Nissan.
• Wheels in a chrome look (PVD process) in the
variations Dark Chrome and Brilliant Chrome
• Burnished wheel in matte
• Burnished, ball polished wheel with
coloured matte coating
• A wheel with plastic applications
• ExaPeel wheels with laser manufacturing
procedures and peeled off paint layer
• NatureWheel process
• FlowForming process
To enhance the presentation, we showed various
videos about the individual production processes.
BORBET was honoured to attend the technical seminar: we were the only non-Asian wheel
manufacturer invited. The reactions of the Nissan
employees to the BORBET wheels presented was
very positive.
SPECIALISED TRADE
OPEL FWLZ FORUM IN
NEUASTENBERG
On 25-26 September 2013, Opel invited around
120 of its top retailers to the annual forum of
independent workshop centres (FWLZ) at the
Dorint Hotel in Neuastenberg. For the first time,
BORBET also made a presentation at this event.
Besides various seminars, retailers were offered
workshops where they could get information
about the latest developments.
At the same time, an exhibition was taking place
on the Dorint hotel grounds. 14 supplier companies used the opportunity to present themselves
and their products and services. BORBET, represented by our employees Birgit Grebe-Frese
and Michael Risse, introduced the new ExaPeel
technology. This created great interest amongst
the retailers there. Many of them asked about
where to get them on the spot.
Besides professional exchange, there was no
shortage of socialising. After a speedy kart race,
participants met during the evening for a relaxing evening outdoors on the Sahnehang. There
was great enthusiasm the following day for the
BORBET plant viewing in Medebach – the
crowning conclusion to this event. Retailers were
impressed with the exclusive glimpse into wheel
production.
SPECIALISED TRADE
PSA TECH DAY
IN PARIS
We visited the PSA Development Centre Vélizy in Paris on
23 May 2013. Under the title
“Tech Day”, we introduced the
BORBET GROUP’s innovations
in the wheel sector. The presentation was divided into five
parts in order to give visitors
information about the company tailored to their interests.
1.Company – Origin and development of the
company
2.Development & Construction – Technical
processes and innovative development
3.Finishes – New techniques, coatings and paints
4.Design – Styling suggestions, finish
prototypes, adaptive application
5.Process & Procedures – Introduction of production
and innovative procedures, like NatureWheel
and FlowForming
Around 50 exhibits of wheels and wheel cutaways were nicely displayed in front of a dark
presentation background created by us. For
each area, related contents were displayed on
an LCD screen. In the design area, a custom
designed styling of one of the customer’s vehicles (Citroen DS3) was also simulated. The
customer could use the intuitive touch pad
to change the styling, see the wheels in moSPECIALISED TRADE
9
tion (approach simulation) and the
wheels at an angle (steering wheel angle
simulation).
The presentation was visited by PSA staff
from the management, design, development and purchasing departments, and
included high-ranking representatives
of the company like Jean-Pierre Ploue
(Head of Design PSA Peugeot Citroën),
Thierry Metroz (Head of Design DSLinie), Nicolas Sechet (Senior Manager
of System Management Teams (SMT)
Chassis), Thomas D’Haussy (Product
Branding Manager Citroën) and Franck
Martineau (Head of Development/
Wheels). The feedback from the customers at Tech Day was affirmative, thus
a great success.
SPECIALISED TRADE
EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIP WITH PSA
PEUGEOT CITROËN
Because of our good business relationship with
PSA Peugeot Citroën, we received the company’s Supplier Award on 20 June 2013. This
award is an honour for suppliers who met or
exceeded the company’s expectations for 2012.
The BORBET Group was able to win them
over in the cost savings category.
AND THE THEO GOES
TO ...
Readers of TUNING and VWSPEED magazines have voted. And the 2014 THEO Award
for the rims category goes to BORBET.
The winner of the coveted “Oscars of the Tuning Branch” were announced on 2 May 2014
at Tuning World Bodensee. Named after tuning pioneer Theo Decker, the best companies
in ten different categories were announced for
the fifth year – and BORBET was amongst
them.
Did you know...?
BORBET Austria exclusively produces the AU
108 design for the Audi A3 Quattro. In a refined
black matte with burnished highlights on the
transition to the rim well, the wheel accentuates
the Audi’s elegant silhouette.
Readers of the “auto, motor und sport” magazine voted it
the most attractive
SUV – the Range Rover Sport.
64,500 units came off the assembly line by the end of 2013.
71% of these vehicles drive on BORBET wheels.
The Porsche 911, THE classic amongst sports cars, turned 50 years old in
2013. We congratulate this model on its proud 50th birthday and wish
the 911 continued happy travels.BORBET
presently supplies around 16 different
wheels for the current Porsche 911.
All of them are manufactured to be
weight-optimised with the
FlowForming technology.
www.borbet.de
SPECIALISED TRADE
INNOVATION AWARD
New, sophisticated designs and innovative manufacturing methods distinguish the BORBET
brand. This was recognised by the 2014 Innovation
awards jury, made up of branch experts, that honoured BORBET for its novel NatureWheel production method in the Environment and Prudent
Resource Use category.
Particularly pioneering innovations are awarded
with the Innovation Award – sponsored by Messe
Essen, Bundesverband Reifenhandel and the
Vulkaniseur Handwerk e.V. (BRV). The NatureWheel procedure developed by BORBET
impressed the independent jury and honours our
trendsetting environmental commitment with this
award. The celebratory handover of the trophy
took place during the official opening of the REIFEN tyre fair on 26 May 2014, where top
EU politician Jean-Claude Juncker,
amongst others, was featured as a guest
speaker. The internationally recognised
award is considered an indicator for innovative power in the entire branch.
10
SPECIALISED TRADE
REIFEN 2014
The 2014 REIFEN tyre fair was a major destination for insiders and fans of the tyre and
wheel branch from 26-30 May 2014. At each
exhibitor’s stand there were presentations, explanations and discussions – and the same was
true for BORBET’s stand in hall 3. A place to
get rolling, we use the REIFEN fair to introduce our highlights for the season.
At the elaborate and attractively designed
stand, visitors could marvel at new products
like the C2C wheel design in the commercial
wheels category, the popular BL5 in the new
silver black glossy ExaPeel colour option, and
the brand new Driftbrothers special edition
of the XRT sport design in striking Racetrack red polished. Besides colourful spring
designs, BORBET expanded its assortment
with new sizes of proven, all-weather winter
wheels. That means new sizes, for example
for the dynamic F-wheel, TL wheel, and CA
design, played a role in the BORBET fair
presentation.
SPECIALISED TRADE
BORBET SPECIALITY RETAIL HIGHLIGHTS 2014
BORBET embraces colour. Individual and exhilarating with appealing design – that’s what
that special light alloy wheel should be. At the start of the year, BORBET introduced popular designs from the wheel
collection in attractive colours and – as a special eye-catcher – in brilliant hues.
SPECIALISED TRADE
SPECIALISED TRADE
TUNING WORLD
BODENSEE 2014
ELEGANT AND ROBUST:
BORBET uses Europe’s largest pure tuning
fair to introduce new sizes for popular wheel
design, new and innovative finishes, and
the “THIS IS BORBET” image film from
BORBET. There were two simultaneous premieres for tuning fans at the BORBET fair
stand: the TOP TUNING TOOLS and the
online 3-D wheel configurator.
TOP TUNING TOOLS is a really cool tool
kit. You take four CW2 light alloy wheels
in an elegant sport design, four high-performance tyres from Continental with dynamic
driving characteristics, and a set of Eibach
PRO KIT performance suspension springs for
optimum safety and an unmistakeable look
and you’ll have a total package with perfectly
tuned components that boost performance and
aesthetic appeal. TOP TUNING TOOLS are
available for popular tuning vehicles like the
Audi A3, Seat Leon, Skoda Octavia and the
VW Golf VII.
The only dilemma when buying new wheels is
“Do these new light alloy wheels go with my
car?” BORBET is familiar with this difficult
challenge, and has developed a real high-tech
experience for tuning fans: the new online 3D
configurator. Visitors at TUNING WORLD
BODENSEE got an exclusive first look at this
new technology. The virtual changing room allows
the user to choose from
a large selection of different vehicle makes and
models and combine these
with the entire selection
of BORBET light alloy
wheels for a personal wish
list combination. This
new feature is also a part
of our new web portal.
Users can now take their
dream wheels for a spin
from their PC or tablet at
www.borbet.de.
The C2C is another highlight from the Commercial Wheels category and is distinguished
by its extreme durability as well as the reduced,
straight-line design. It’s the perfect wheel for
commercial and off-road vehicles.
The ten spokes on the C2C run towards the
wheel centre with a slightly concave curve,
lending the wheel an especially elegant appearance despite its incredible robustness. In this
design, the line design and proportions were
harmonised precisely for common off-road vehicles.
Our C2C guarantees the highest quality, durability and long-lasting driving enjoyment
that professionals also enjoy. Rainer Zietlow
will be driving towards his next long-distance
record in his VW Touareg with the C2C in
“black glossy”. (More on page 29)
THE NEW C2C WHEEL DESIGN
11
www.borbet.de
SPECIALISED TRADE
MARKETING
Oliver Schneider
LIGHT ALLOY WHEELS
- MORE THAN LOOKS,
THEY’RE ALSO SAFETY-RELATED AUTO ACCESSORIES
12
The light alloy wheel cannot be reduced to simply
aesthetic aspects. Rather,
it
is a complex composition
of development and technique, styling and design
as well as production and quality. In addition, there are a number of requirements
for the wheel as a relevant safety feature
on a vehicle. The BORBET GROUP is
aware of its comprehensive responsibilities as a light alloy wheel producer and
combines its standard of utmost quality
with extensive services.
BORBET Quality – Inspected and Certified
In the BORBET GROUP, we place great
value on TÜV-certified production as well as
certified quality management. As such, all of
the group’s production sites are certified according to ISO:TS16949, the international
quality standard for the automobile industry,
and ISO:14001, environmental and resource
management. In keeping with these, all of the
BORBET wheels are produced according to
the highest standards.
BORBET Vertriebs GmbH, who is responsible for the retrofitting business of the
BORBET GROUP, is certified as a premium
sales company according to DIN EN SO 9001
and distinguished for its effective quality management by the TÜV Rheinland.
Our product strategy in speciality retail is to
deliver light alloy wheels of the highest quality.
A number of production and quality processes
ensure that we meet the quality standards and
approval criteria on the world market. The
testing criteria for EC/KBA/TÜV/VDA are
fulfilled without any ifs, ands, or buts.
on quality in specialised retail
Since 2011 he´s been executive
director of the BORBET Vertriebs
GmbH and looks back onto 20
years of management experience
in the automotive sector.
product-oriented wheel design. During the
FEM analysis and in computer and casting
simulations, the wheel properties are calculated and optimised during the construction
phase. Every prototype must prove its quality
during testing and its finishes must stand up
to extreme testing conditions in the laboratory. Only wheels with excellent test results can
become part of the collection.
Quality is an absolute must with the production of our brand products as well. We use numerous testing processes integrated within the
production to guarantee this quality:
X-ray 100% of products after casting
-
-
100% monitoring for true-running
-
Reliable leak tightness inspection
-
Inspection for visual f laws according
to our finish standards.
With regard to product quality and development, our innate standard is to adapt speciality retail wheels to the quality standards of the
automobile industry. All of our products are
tested according to the approval criteria for fatigue strength and collisions, both in 3D during initial development and with the finished
piece itself. TÜV Nord and TÜV Rheinland
are our partners in this area, who monitor and
test for product requirements.
There’s no question that wheel design is a guarantee for the success and popularity of BORBET speciality retail wheels. Beauty is more
than skin deep here – the appeal of the product
lies just as much in innovative development and
production, based on the latest safety standards,
as in an attractive design.
From Idea to Highest Quality Safety Component
Prior to series production comes f lexible and
www.borbet.de
NEW BORBET ONLINE
WORLD
BORBET took its new website live online
right on time for the opening of the international REIFEN 2014 tyre fair in Essen on 26
May 2014. State-of-the-art design, easy to use
and navigate – the new BORBET online world
awaits you to browse and look around.
Amongst the new website’s highlights are certainly the virtual 3D plant tour, the new 3D
wheel configurator, and the integrated shop
system. The company’s About Us section got a
comprehensive makeover, which includes numerous new contents and historical images following the relaunch.
This website shows that tradition and innovation do not exclude each other. With this new
website, BORBET is taking another step into
the future, keeping it in clear focus. The new
web contents were made cross-platform accessible as part of the relaunch. This means that us-
13
ers of smartphones, tablets and the like can also
enjoy the full functionality of the wheel configurator, BORBET shop and other features at
www.borbet.com with a version optimised for
mobile end devices.
MARKETING
“THIS IS BORBET” –
THE TITLE SAYS IT ALL
IN THE CURRENT
COMPANY FILM
Right on time for a product offensive with
many new wheel designs, we introduced our
new image film at the 2013 ESSEN MOTOR SHOW. This video, at just under two
minutes, communicates the company’s essence and our products with an emotional
appeal.
At the centre is our common contribution, the
path of our company. BORBET’s decades-long
tradition of highest quality, our love and passion
for metal processing, and our enthusiasm for the
automobile as a cultural asset.
We were able to commission the Format67 video
production company for the film. They have made
a name for themselves with their craft, garnering the likes of Porsche, Honda, and the popular
TopGear automobile show amongst their client
portfolio. Team Driftbrothers – 2012 European
Champion runner-up and Germany’s most successful racing team in drift motor sports – were
amongst the party. This unique constellation resulted in an image film that we are very proud
of. Exciting driving scenes, soulful close-ups, and
images of our production are combined with historical photographs from the company’s very beginning. We don’t want to spoil the surprise here:
goose pimples are guaranteed!
The image film plus an exclusive look behind the
scenes can be found on a website created especially
for this video at:
www.this-is-borbet.de
Did you know...?
BMW rides on our BORBET wheels on the street and in the open.
The 259 styling in Reflex Silver Gloss gives the BMW 5 series an especially noble look.
The X5 has wheel 268 in “Ferric Grey”.
www.borbet.de
TECHNOLOGY/PROCESSING
TECHNOLOGY/PROCESSING
EXAPEEL
14
Numerous market surveys and studies,
in addition to practical experience in the
branch, show us that the automotive market will feature an increasing need for individualisation, communicated differentiation and personal expression for all target
groups. This is confirmed by the increasing
demand for strengthening the emotional
benefits of a vehicle.
Over the course of development, retailers and
specialised tuning companies reach out to new
target groups and position themselves successfully outside their traditional markets. In contrast, automobile manufacturers meet this development with product line expansions by
creating levels or by expanding into series and
special editions - often with a limited number
produced.
This modification usually includes not only
technical, but also aesthetic and visual differences. The visual aspects of the wheels have
only been realised to a limited extent up to this
point. The procedures used up to now, such as
foiling or manually applying partial paint to the
rim, results in high costs or loss in durability.
BORBET’s patented ExaPeel procedure opens
UNDERCUT *
up new possibilities for the wheel that were not
feasible before: the ability to use your wheel as a
tool for individuality as well as emotionalising,
supporting the idea of the “car” as a cultural asset and symbol of freedom, expression and independence.
The ExaPeel technology developed by
BORBET enables the removal of the top paint
layer with μ precision. With an ultra-precise,
laser-assisted procedure, the top paint layer is
removed, revealing the wheel’s coloured primer
in any design you wish. The wheel is sealed with
a clear coat subsequently. This allows for text,
decoration, logos and even the most delicate
patterns to be seen on the rim. This makes premium diversification of the wheel and the vehicle possible and serves the need for individuality,
exclusivity, and free expression.
The rims treated with ExaPeel naturally have
the same high quality and long life for which
BORBET has been known and valued for years.
Based on this reputation, it has developed into
one of the leading OEMs for light alloy wheels.
The undercut serves for further weight reduction. In this process, the accumulation of material in the transition zone between rim bed
and spokes is reduced by “undercutting” in
this area.
15
TECHNOLOGY/PROCESSING
NATUREWHEEL*
NatureWheel is a procedure that reduces weight
by up to 20 percent. In order to determine the
quality of stability, elasticity and design, our engineers used nature as inspiration and designed
the light alloy wheel as a composite body. The
innovations of NatureWheel in lightweight
technology set new standards in lightweight
wheel construction technology. Automobile
manufacturers like BMW, Rolls Royce and
Maybach have already placed their trust in
BORBET’s NatureWheel.
*More information about our innovative production procedures can be obtained at our 3D plant tour.
TECHNOLOGY/PROCESSING
BORBET SUPPORTS
STUDENT PROJECT
TECHNOLOGY/PROCESSING
FLOWFORMING*
FlowForming enables the production of lighter and
more stable light alloy wheels to be carried out thanks
to rotation rollers. In this procedure, the rim bed of
the wheel blank is rolled out on a die plate. In this
manner, the material is shaped and condensed. The
results are rims with thin sides and the highest stability along with the lowest weight and materials usage.
Four
female
students from
the Hochsauerland region
built a vehicle.
Not a model,
mind you, but
a drivable vehicle. Granted,
the
carriage
of the vehicle
was made of
plywood and
therefore not
allowed
on
public
roadways, but theoretically fully functional. The
whole thing rests naturally on a set of wheels
drilled specially for this vehicle – our TS design.
This project at the Bergkloster Bestwig Vocational School should ease the transition into
studies for these apprentices. These students at
the technical college with an emphasis on design created this vehicle together with their art
and design teacher, Georg Fuhs, in their free
time after class. After completing the carriage
construction, the students received a certificate
for participation in the design project. This has
already helped one student land a study place in
the product design department. In BORBET’s
view, this alone was worth the effort.
www.borbet.de
TECHNOLOGY/PROCESSING
16
ENERGY MANAGEMENT AT BORBET:
FOR THE HEALTH OF
THE ENVIRONMENT
AND THE COMPANY
A manufacturing company like BORBET
naturally has immense energy needs. Just
the electricity consumption at our Thuringian location is equal to that of a small
city. All the more reason why we feel responsible for reducing energy usage as
much as possible, using resources prudently, and operating a sustainable company
with regard to the environment and energy. This is happening in leaps and bounds:
our plants in Thuringia and Solingen were
audited and certified in 2013 for EN ISO
50001, and Hesborn and Medebach will follow this year.
With this certification, BORBET commits
to reduce energy usage by five per cent by
2016. The lawmakers want it this way. However, Achim Lücke, the BORBET energy
management officer who is responsible for
the Bad Langensalza, Hesborn and Medebach locations, emphasises that our goals are
even more ambitious. “According to my estimates, we will save at least 10 to 15 percent,” says Lücke. For him and his colleague,
Jörg du Mont, under whose leadership the
plant in Solingen received the certification,
it’s now time to implement these goals. It’s
obvious why it’s harder for BORBET than
in a private household to chuck out and replace “energy hogs“. What are the savings
possibilities? “First, the main consumers of
electricity and gas are investigated to find
BORBETIANER
10 YEARS OF BORBET
THÜRINGEN
Eleven years ago, there was
nothing more than fields
and meadows where today
our BORBET plant Bad
Langensalza stands. There was no trace of
wheels – other than the ruts from off-roaders. Today you’ll find one of the largest and
most modern wheel plants in Europe here.
That’s reason enough to properly celebrate
ten years of BORBET Thüringen GmbH.
TECHNOLOGY/PROCESSING
possible savings,” explains Achim Lücke.
“For example, we analyse machines and
equipment to see whether energy-saving operation techniques could be implemented.
If not, then we calculate whether or not an
exchange is cost-effective.” Beyond that,
there are a bunch of other possibilities over
the coming years that should help reduce energy needs. For example, the waste heat from
the smelting furnaces could be fed into the
heating system or could generate electricity with the aid of steam turbines. The preheating chambers in the furnaces should be
consistently used to heat the aluminium to
around 300 degrees Celsius prior to melting.
In addition, air pressure leakages are targeted
and remedied – an important contribution
for energy savings, because the compressors
make up around 30 percent of the total electricity consumption. For thermal equipment,
insulation can be improved to minimise radiation of heat and thus to reduce the amount
of gas needed to heat the equipment. In line
with this, we will train our employees about
energy saving techniques when dealing with
energy-intensive equipment.
While some of these measures are currently
in the works or have already been implemented, others are undergoing feasibility
studies. Besides the benefits for the environment, Achim Lücke is certain that the considerable effort required for the certification
procedure will be worth it for the company.
Lücke explains that, “For us, the measures
equate to a significant reduction in production costs. We also benefit from tax rebates
thanks to the certification. They are also a
prerequisite for reducing the renewable energy surcharge payments under the Renewable Energy Law.”
For this occasion, employees and their families were
invited to a colourful summer party on 17 August
2013. Even the mayor of the city of Bad Langensalza, Bernhard Schönau, didn’t miss the opportunity to personally congratulate and celebrate with
everyone at the jubilee.
There was more than just sustenance provided
this day – the Weberstädter Blasmusikanten brass
band and the Torsten Witt Band provided musical
entertainment as well. Even the young guests had
plenty to do. They had lots of fun romping on the
bouncy castle and taking part in face painting. It was
an exciting time for young and old alike when the
fire department of Bad Langensalza displayed their
technology. It was a wonderful day for both the
guests and the event organisers.
BACHELOR THESIS AND
DEGREE DISSERTATIONS
- DEVELOPMENT AND
CONSTRUCTION
For years the Borbet
company has offered
apprentices the opportunity to learn the work
in the development and
construction department – including
the test field – and become a part of the
employee team. In this context, here
are brief introductions of bachelor and
diploma theses that received excellent
marks.
Florian Moos - „Influence of
the Degree of Metal Forming
on the Mechanical and Technological Properties of FlowForming
Wheels“
The goal of this bachelor thesis was to describe the process
of metal forming during the
FlowForming and thereby determine conditional materials variables. With his
thesis, Florian Moos successfully earned the title of Bachelor of Engineering. Today he works
in the development and construction department at the Hesborn location and is jointly responsible for our customer Mercedes-Benz cars.
Lena Schunke - „Comparison
of Impact Testing of an Aluminium Wheel with FEM Simulation“
In her bachelor thesis, Lena
Schunke compares the results
of the FEM impact simulation
with those of the impact testing.
With this thesis, Lena Schunke
completed her studies in engineering and economic sciences at the Fachhochschule Südwestfalen University of Applied Sciences in Meschede, obtaining her Bachelor of Engineering
degree in February 2012.
Arnold Horn - „Validating a Casting Simulation to Predict Materials
Variables for Lightweight Cast Metal
Wheels“
In this bachelor thesis, the casting
process based on the aluminium
cast wheel (HO001) is simulated
in low-pressure casting procedures with the aid of cast process
simulation (MAGMA). The results obtained such as
cast quality and materials variables, were evaluated
and compared with actual results.
Arnold Horn has been responsible for the creation
and evaluation of casting simulations since 2007. In
tandem with his work, he studied mechanical engineering at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences in Iserlohn. He successfully completed
his studies in 2012 with the aforementioned bachelor
thesis and earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree.
17
Jan-Frederik Hendrix - „Production-Related Feasibility of Aluminium
Cast Wheel Designs by Uncovering
Secondary Paint Layers Using Laser
Technology“
The objective of Jan-Frederik Hendrix’s degree dissertation was to create a technical specification sheet
about the Borbet Exapeel procedure
and to analyse the production-related feasibility of
the procedure.
Jan-Frederik Hendrix studied at the Production
Institute at Cologne University of Applied Sciences (Faculty of Automotive systems and Production) and successfully completed his studies with
the briefly introduced thesis, becoming a graduate
engineer.
Heinrich Reimer - „Predicting Casting-Related Action Limits in Reference to
Optimal Mechanical Variables with the
Aid of Filling and Setting Analysis“
The subject of the bachelor thesis was to conduct investigations
within the simulation and production processes. Heinrich Reimer studied engineering and economics at
the South Westphalia University of Applied
Sciences in Meschede, earning his Bachelor of
Engineering degree.
Marian Wiese - „Determining the Influence of Quenching Medium on Residual Stress Conditions During Thermal
Treatment“
The objective of this bachelor thesis
was to determine the influence of
the quenching medium on the residual stress conditions during thermal treatment. Mr. Wiese successfully completed his studies in engineering and
economics at the Fachhochschule Südwestfalen,
earning his Bachelor of Engineering degree.
Today he works in the development and construction department in Hesborn.
www.borbet.de
BORBETIANER
DR.-ING. CLAUSMICHAEL HONSEL –
18
NEW DIRECTOR FOR
THURINGIA
Our plant in Thuringia has a new director –
Dr.-Ing. Claus-Michael Honsel. After five
years, he is succeeding Jürgen Gareis in this
position. Three months of co-directing the
plant ensured a smooth
transition – and now Dr.Ing. Claus-Michael Honsel
is at the helm on his own.
We were able to gain a seasoned expert in metal casting and procedure
in Dr.-Ing. Claus-Michael Honsel. His authentic leadership personality enriches our
Bad Langensalza site by adding an outstanding insider in the branch.
BORBETIANER
The native of Meschede discovered his passion
for metalworking early in childhood. “Even as
a young boy, I cast tin soldiers in the cellar. It
was almost impossible for me not to pursue this
career path,” shared Dr.-Ing. Claus-Michael
Honsel. He completed studies in metallurgy
and materials engineering with a specialisation
in founding as well as economics at the RWTH
in Aachen. He subsequently began his career
at ALCOA Automotive Structures GmbH,
where he was the foundry director from 1997
to 1999. His career path then led to positions
as managing director of Magna Cosma, the
Thielen Group, and Honsel & Co. GmbH &
Co. KG. After twenty years of experience in
the areas of development, project management,
production, prototyping and manufacturing
management in the automotive supplier industry, we are very excited to welcome Dr.Ing. Claus-Michael Honsel to the BORBET
team. “I am very much looking forward to
my new tasks in Thuringia,” says the father of
two. There’s a lot on his agenda. “In general, I
want to promote greater coalescence between
processes, employees, companies and region.
This includes the stabilisation of processes.
BORBET Thuringia has grown so quickly. I
want to not only consolidate these processes,
but also incorporate them into the daily routine. In order to achieve this, we will be focusing on the employees themselves, their ideas,
and communication with them. Employees
are the cornerstones of our success. Without a
well-functioning team, even the best product
and latest innovations mean nothing. Trust and
motivation – that’s what we will be working
on,” says Dr.-Ing. Claus-Michael Honsel about
his future objectives. “In addition, I want to
give the company a face, both internally and
externally. We are a successful, medium-sized
company, and under the BORBET f lagship we
will sail as the youngest in Germany; as such,
we possess a strong business dynamic. As a solid
and attractive employer, we highly value the
educating and training of our young workers,
actively counteracting the shortage of skilled
workers in the regions. We are opening up future opportunities; we are proud of that and
everybody should know about it.”
19
This would soon change. She applied as a Quality
Management Officer at BORBET Thüringen
GmbH. “At that time, I rode my motorcycle to
the interview. The men all stared at me. It seems
they didn’t think such a thing was possible. But I
was able to convince them otherwise.”
CAROLA SCHEIKEL –
NEW QUALITY CONTROL
AT BORBET IN HESBORN
Almost 23 years in quality control, 15 of those in a
management position, 10
years with the BORBET
Group, and four of those
at BORBET South Africa.
Now she has chosen to return home to Germany and become a resident of the Sauerland
region. She has been our new Quality Manager at BORBET GmbH in Hesborn since
January 2014.
She’s something out of the ordinary in the automotives branch – women in management positions are quite a rarity. But this doesn’t matter for
Carola Scheikel. “Everyone should do what they
enjoy and what they’re good at – regardless of
their gender. I have always pursued this personal
goal of mine,” she says. Her training as a microelectronics engineer in former East Germany laid
the foundation for a technical career. Germany’s
reunification enabled both political as well as personal transitions. The new opportunities for selfdetermination awoke a desire for self-realisation
in this young mother. Retraining as a Quality
Manager opened up new career opportunities
and possibilities.
Carola Scheikel’s first experiences in quality control were at the TÜV technical inspection agency
Thüringen. She remained loyal to the company
for 9 years until a very interesting career challenge presented itself: the BORBET GROUP
planned a new production site in Bad Langensalza, Thuringia. “My time with TÜV Thüringen was very significant for my career. But after
a certain point, there were no longer any major
opportunities to advance in my career.”
With her move to our new BORBET plant in
Thuringia, Scheikelin (as she’s called by her colleagues) took on a job with lots of responsibility.
She smiles as she thinks back on her first days in
the new job. “At the very beginning, our offices
were still at a construction site. We met in a container for the initial production preparations.”
Carola Scheikel has been in Thuringia since the
beginning, and in doing so she helped to make
the plant what it is today.
In 2010 it was time for another change, however.
A BORBET Quality Control Director position
was beckoning in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
“It was time for me to go out into the world and
see what it held in store for me.” In Scheikel manner, she analysed, restructured and improved. Together with Plant Manager Brenton van Vuuren,
she prompted important investments for the
smelting plant, which were indispensable for improving wheel quality. This career change moving into a completely different culture involved
more than just technical challenges. “Having a
white woman in a leading position was something totally new for the folks at BORBET South
Africa. In addition, the clocks on the other side
of the world just run differently, primarily more
leisurely. After a while, one learns the wisdom
in a South African proverb, which says that grass
doesn’t grow faster when you pull on it.”
However, after four years in Africa, Carola
Scheikel decided to go back to European time
and returned to her homeland of Germany.
She has been the Quality Control Manager for
BORBET GmbH in Hesborn since January
2014 and is excited about her new responsibilities. “We have a lot planned for this year. At the
top of the list is to continue great product quality.
Customer satisfaction will remain a focus for our
company. It’s important to understand that you
can’t test quality into a product. Quality has to
be produced. This isn’t the result of one person,
but rather the product of well-functioning teamwork.”
www.borbet.de
BORBETIANER
BORBETIANER
PASSED! AND NOW
IT’S TIME TO REALLY
GET GOING
From left: Christopher Imöhl, Johannes Kappen, Steve Niggemann, Rouven Temme, Martin Schmidt, Stefan
20
Guntermann, Felix Peis
From left: Jessica Wand, Carolin Hasert, Tobias Tschesch, Laura Esche, Ulrike Ruppert
Not present are: Philipp Stoll, Francesco De Carlo
behind: Manfred Cieslok, Bastian Flottmann, Sebastian Höch, Dennis Storch, Christoph Marschalt,
Kay Streibel, Leonard Benich
front: Brain Hendel, Tim Hofmeister, Jonas Pfützenreuter, Paul Becker, Dominik Hecht
Not present are: Marek Böhm, Christian Hehrhold, Phillip Heß, Fabian Lorenz, Patrick Raschke
We congratulate our former apprentices at the
Sauerland and Thuringia
locations, who passed
their examinations in
2011, 2012 and 2013.
Every time we greet our new apprentices at
the beginning of August each year, we tell
them that the apprenticeship will go by faster
than they think – and this is truly the case.
How quickly two or three years pass by and
then the training is complete?! There are
some highs and some lows, just as with normal work.
At this point we’d like to say a heartfelt thank
you to everyone who takes part in ensuring
that our young workers receive a good and
solid education. This includes the business
educators as well as all of our colleagues who
support our apprentices in their daily work,
who give their time to help out and take our
apprentices by the hand. We’re especially
happy when we can congratulate our apprentices on passing their examinations and also
hire them on with the company. We wish all
of our former apprentices continued success
and all the best in their professional and personal endeavours.
BORBETIANER
BORBET APPRENTICE
HONOURED BY THE
CHAMBER OF INDUSTRY
AND COMMERCE
He was one
of the best: Johannes Kappen,
former apprentice at BORBET. He was
honoured on 17 October 2013 at
the Herdringen hunting lodge
by the Chamber of Industry and
Commerce for his top-notch performance on the final examination.
Johannes Kappen completed his training with us
as a lathe operator (turning machinist) from August 2009 to January 2013. After his exam, we
hired him as a lathe operator in toolmaking. We
are currently providing him with further training in CAD/CAM.
His trainers and the management are very
pleased with his outstanding performance. We
are proud to say that we have gained another
highly-qualified and motivated employee for
our Hesborn location. We congratulate Johannes Kappen on being one of the best in his
class and wish him all the best for his career at
BORBET.
BORBET – APPRENTICES EXAMINED
AND FOUND TO BE GOOD
high levels of commitment in professional training, high satisfaction amongst apprentices, and their
positive evaluation of their training situation at the
company. Educational content, trainers, payment,
Those who choose to train with future opportunities at the company, work load and
BORBET GmbH are in good work times were some of the criteria judged here.
hands.This was confirmed by
According to the apprentice survey, BORBET
apprentices in a survey about
GmbH fulfils all of the criteria of a good training.
their training situation, resultAs such, this legacy company is a “2014 Outstanding in a 2014 “Outstanding
Educational Operation” seal of quality for the family ing Educational
owned company from the Hochsauerland district. Operation” and
offers its apOn Thursday, 5 June 2014, Judith Grefe from
prentices good
“ertragswerkstatt GmbH” presented the award at
opportunities in
the company headquarters in Hallenberg-Hesborn the future with
in the presence of the apprentices and their trainan outstanding
ers.The “2014 Outstanding Training Company”
education.
seal of quality is based on an anonymous survey
of apprentices taken in early 2014 and stands for
BORBETIANER
OPEN TRACK FOR
YOUNG BORBET
EMPLOYEES
Approximately 1,500 metres long with 15 curves
and top speeds of between
120 and 140 kilometres
per hour: those aren’t the
specs for a motor racing
track, which might seem logical in connection with the BORBET name. No,
this describes the bobsled run in Oberhof
and Winterberg, which were this year’s
destinations for the apprentice excursions at BORBET GmbH and BORBET
Thüringen GmbH.
We consider training our young workers to be
one of our most important tasks. Looking to
the future, we support the skilled workers of
tomorrow, working to counteract the shortage of them in our respective regions. Besides
company training, group building in particular is one of the highest priorities. To promote
this company standard, we invited our former
apprentices from Thuringia and Hochsauerland on the second weekend in February on an
excursion to regional winter sports destinations and their bobsled tracks – Oberhof and
Winterberg.
In bobsleds occupied by three BORBETians
and an experienced bobsled pilot on board, they
raced down artificial ice canals towards the valley at speeds of 97 kilometres per hour – just
under the normal time for pros. After around 40
seconds of pure adrenaline and endorphines, the
teams arrived at the finishing line. Following
this unique experience and the ascent back up to
21
the starting point, it was time for some refreshment. Afterwards, the travellers rounded off the
exciting day with a dinner together and relaxed
socialising outside the everyday workplace.
Whether Thuringia or Sauerland – everyone
had reason to celebrate this evening. Besides
the speedy rides, there was another reason: former apprentices Alexa Bawey, Melanie Gessert,
Annika Siepe and Johannes Kappen received
awards last year for being the best apprentices
in their class from the Chamber of Commerce
and Industry. On this occasion, Carolin Mittermaier, who is responsible for
our apprentices, congratulated
them on behalf of the company
for their extremely successful
achievement as industrial clerks
and cutting machine operator.
In recognition, the four received
a personalised writing set with
the BORBET logo as a souvenir of their apprenticeship at the
company.
It was an enjoyable, typically
BORBET experience for all of
the participants – with lots of
fun, sport and high speed.
www.borbet.de
BORBETIANER
22
BORBETIANER
BORBET
THÜRINGEN
AT CAREER
WINTERBERG
ORIENTATION FAIR
The “Career Start Fo- TRAINING FAIR
rum” - the largest career
orientation fair in the state
of Thuringia - took place
on 20-21 November 2013
at the Erfurt convention hall. For the first
time, BORBET Thüringen also took part.
225 exhibitors from industry, trade, craft, universities and public institutions presented their
training and educational options. Students had
the opportunity to gain an impression of the
various career fields thanks to presentations.
Further, the fair facilitated personal conversations with trainers and apprentices from every
branch of business. Numerous young people
took advantage of the opportunity to get information about apprentice careers at the company at our stand. The “Career Start Forum”
had around 14,000 visitors over both fair days.
The first inter-community education fair took place on 17 May
2014 as part of the Winterberg
career fair for the cities of Hallenberg, Medebach and Winterberg
and the community of Bromskirchen. BORBET
GmbH was amongst those present this weekend at
Qversum in Winterberg.
Over 35 companies from around the region presented almost 100 different jobs requiring training
to students, interested youth and their parents. At the
BORBET stand, our large variety of training options
in the business and trade sectors awaited visitors:
Cutting machine operator
IT specialist
Industrial mechanic
Tool engineering technician
Energy electronics engineer
Industrial clerk
Our trainers as well as apprentices were on site to chat
with visitors and answer questions.
BORBETIANER
BORBET
SOUTH
AFRICA AT
TRAINING
FAIR IN P.E.
Every child has a right to an
education – BORBET South
Africa wrote this motto on
the blue and white flag. In order to ensure that opportunities are available after school
education, BORBET South
Africa teamed up with the group Masifunde
Bildungsförderung e.V. and the team at Ready4Life on 18 February 2014 to organize the
“Walmer Career Fair“.
At the Walmer High School, we and 19 other
companies introduced ourselves to the students,
youth and teachers from surrounding schools:
Walmer High School, Victoria Park High School
and Theodore Herzl High School. A total of 1,340
interested students and teachers visited the career
and education fair this day – an astounding success.
Mr. Naidoo, one of our employees there, represented our South African subsidiary on this day.
Giving a talk and answering questions. The goal
was to introduce the youth to various career opportunities in the company, thus showing them
possibilities for the future. In keeping with the
BORBET family way of thinking, the Walmer
Career Fair was another step in the right direction
– a confident future for the young generation of
South Africa.
BORBETIANER
GIRLS JUST WANNA
HAVE FUN – AND THIS
IS TRUE FOR CAREERS
AS WELL
But what do I want to do
with my life? What are
my interests? What are
my strengths? Is the social
or technical field a better fit? These are justified questions that a
young woman must ask herself about her
career choices. At BORBET, ten girls got
the chance to answer these questions and
perhaps even find an answer or two in the
toolmaking plant in Hesborn at Girls Day
on 27 March 2014.
Girls from the 5th through 8th form classes
visited a full-day BORBET training workshop
and got a chance to see the apprentices for tool
engineering technicians, cutting machine operators, and industrial mechanics in action. But
this future career day for girls didn’t stop with
just watching. It went something like this: “Ladies, get ready at your hammers and drills; set;
go! The girls got to work on lathes, die sinking machines, etc. until the early afternoon.
The results? Artistic objects that the girls could
take home as a souvenir of Girls Day 2014 at
BORBET.
BORBETIANER
THANKSGIVING AT
BORBET ALABAMA
Thanksgiving,
a
day to give thanks
and be with the
family, is celebrated with reflection
and reverence in the USA – even more so
than Christmas. On the fourth Thursday
in November, they think back on the difficult period when Europeans first settled
in North America. Without the aid of the
Native Americans, these settlers would not
have survived the first winter. Still today,
they reflect on this gesture of kindness and
celebrate this holiday in remembrance.
The employees at our BORBET plant in Alabama don’t forget the meaning of Thanksgiving – namely gratitude and giving. Of course,
everything about this day revolves around eating. In every department, they gathered food
and donated it to the Food Bank of East Alabama. Thanks to the collections, at least 200
kilograms of food were gathered to assist needy
families in the community of Auburn.
23
A glance at the training workshop shows that
even at BORBET, male apprentices are clearly
the majority. We want to change this! Girls
Day is an opportunity to introduce young girls
to technical careers. This was an excellent success for BORBET trainer Raimund Clement
and his team. Several of the girls could even
envision themselves in the field of metalworking one day. Who knows, perhaps we’ll see
some of these ladies again in a few years as apprentices! We’re happy about it in any case.
In outstanding giving moods, the community
focus of the BORBET Alabama workers continued – Christmas was just around the corner.
Right after Thanksgiving, the Human Resources department began selling raff le tickets.
Each week on Friday, BORBET employees
had the chance to win many sensational prizes.
Over five weeks, the considerable sum of $900
USD (approx. 660 euros) was raised. With this
contribution, the Alabama employees supported the local Salvation Army organisation,
which helps needy families over the holidays
with aid in the form of Christmas presents for
their children. The donations from BORBET
were used to purchase presents for 41 children.
However, the financial contribution wasn’t the
end of it: BORBET employees also helped
with distributing the gifts to the respective
parents.
According to the motto “You get what you
give”, the company thanked its team for their
outstanding work and loyalty on both holidays
with a traditional feast.
www.borbet.de
BORBETIANER
BORBETIANER
NEW WORKS COUNCIL
FOR BAD LANGENSALZA,
HESBORN AND
MEDEBACH
24
25
A big task awaited employees at the Bad Langensalza,
Hesborn and Medebach
plants: head to the ballot
front: Markus Bohn, Ralf John, Kerstin Günther, Denny Frey, Bernd Hiese, Norman Dietzel (BRV)
boxes and mark your vote.
middle: Günter Klos, Steffen Nollau, Uwe Rahardt, Dirk Michel
Four years have passed again – it’s time for a behind: Dirk Schirrmacher, Christopher Cibis, Heiko Hoffmann
new works council.
SILVER BORBET JUBILEES
A quarter of a century with BORBET is something very special – in 2013, 17 employees celebrated 25
years of service with the company. Peter Wilhelm Borbet and his brother, Rüdiger Borbet, congratulated their loyal employees and thanked them for their service and dedication to the Borbet company
and family at a lunch together in December.
Our 2013 jubilee honourees: Susanne Guntermann, Kerstin Kruschinski, Elisabeth Schmidt, Monika
Schmidt, Günter Bannuscher, Hermann Bonacker, Bernd Michels, Thomas Möbius, Mario Neumann, Frank Niggemann, Helmuth Niggemann, Gerhard Sauerwald, Bruno Schäfer, Günter Schmidt,
Hubert Steden, Johannes Welticke and Johannes Wienand.
BORBETIANER
2014
CHRISTMAS
RAFFLE:
GIFTS FOR A
GOOD CAUSE
Christmas – it’s a time for giving and
receiving. At BORBET it’s tradition to
collect all of the Christmas gifts from
BORBET customers and donate them
as prizes for the annual charity raff le. A
stellar 937 tickets were sold to employees this past December. This resulted in a
donation amount of 1,874 euros. Thanks
to the BORBET social account, this
amount could be boosted to a sensational
6,000 euros.
But who should benefit from this sum
of money? It was up to the employees
to submit recommendations. Amongst
the numerous suggestions, the following were ultimately chosen by the works
committee: Sozialwerk St. Georg e.V.
in Schmallenberg (residence for people
with autism), Schule für Körperbehinderte e.V.
(school for the physically disabled) in Olsberg,
and a disadvantaged family from Hesborn.
Friedhelm Brieden and Peter Frese represented
the company in donating the funds in three
equal parts to these charities.
71 colleagues were in the running in Thuringia on 2-3 April 2014. 13 new and existing
works council members as well as a deputy
member were voted in. The new Thuringia
works council has been in office since 8 May
2014 with Norman Dietzel and Dirk Schirrmacher as chairpersons. A total of 42 employ
BORBETIANER
THÜRINGER COMPANY RUN
“On your marks, get set, go!”
452 companies and their ambitious runners were ready
for the start signal on 4 June
2014 at 7.00 pm sharp for the
Thüringer company run. BORBET Thüringen GmbH was represented for the fourth time
by our colleagues there. A total of 15 BORBET Thüringen employees ran amongst the
sports-happy throng of 6,300 runners during
perfect running weather, finished the fun five
kilometres on the new, optimised route. They
reached place 90 in the team evaluation – really not bad! After this exertion, the BORBET
runners truly had earned a cool beer. However,
there’s no time to rest on their laurels: preparations for the BORBET bicycle tour in July/
August are already underway.
ees were up for election at the Hesborn and
Medebach plants. Friedhelm Brieden and Peter
Frese were named chairpersons. The new term
began on 18 April for the BORBET works
council in Sauerland.
BORBET THÜRINGEN
BIDS FAREWELL TO
MR. GAREIS
After five years as
plant director in
Thuringia,
Jürgen
Gareis will be transferring to the company headquarters in Hesborn, thereby
remaining with the BORBET Group.
Our colleagues in Thuringia made
sure to see their former plant director
off with a hearty going away party.
Jürgen Gareis was visibly touched when he
was greeted in front of the Thuringia administration building on 12 June 2014 by a
majority of the staff: everyone was holding a
balloon to the sound of Queen’s “The Show
Must Go On”. As a going away token, several
colleagues read a poem written especially for
this occasion and gave Jürgen Gareis a light alloy wheel clock they had built with a personal
dedication for his new office in Hesborn.
Along with these gifts were also presents
with a personal touch. For example, his team
gave him a large wallet filled with all kinds
of coins, as he always had just a little on him.
Peter Wilhelm Borbet also found words of
praise at the end of the day for the “Gareis
Era” at BORBET Thüringen. As a symbol of
the farewell, everyone let go off their balloons
and let them rise to the heavens at the end.
www.borbet.de
SPORTS
SPORTS
BIKE TEAM BORBET LOOKS
BACK ON A SUCCESSFUL SEASON
This past season,
the Bike Team Borbet raced in splendid form. Cyclists in
Borbet Austria regalia graced the podium
at both the traditional seasonal start in Munich’s City Bike Marathon as well as the
preliminary races for the marathon championship that started in May in Weyregg (Attersee, Austria).
26
ALL SEVEN –
THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM
Jürgen Niggemann loves adventure. Besides his job as a
wastewater technician at the
Hesborn plant, he’s always
been drawn to the highest
and most remote places on earth. As a sponsor of
this adventurous expedition, BORBET was part
of the party at the summit of Mount Everest.
Together with his friend, he climbs the highest peaks under the name “JP Adventure Tours”
and – when possible – flies over them in a paraglider. What started as a harmless hobby quickly
SPORTS
VFB SOLINGEN
BORBET Commits to Regional Associations. The same
is true for Solingen. The Vf B
became a passion – the mountains grew higher
and higher, and along with them the increasingly
perilous valley flight.
JP Adventure Tours has had a major goal for
many years: to climb the Seven Summits, the
highest mountain on each continent. Soon
they’ll have all seven under their belts:
2004 Kilimanjaro
2005 Mount Elbrus
2007 Aconcagua
2008 Denali
2010 Mount Everest This trend continued throughout the year.
Both at the long-distance competitions, such
as the 12-hour “Rund um den Griffener
Schloßberg“ race as well as the COC CUP
(Mehring, Germany), a two-hour crosscountry race, racers from the Bike Team Borbet took their places at the podium and victories in quick succession.
A special highlight from last year was the
participation of no less than 6 BTB cyclists
in early June at the biggest multi-leg race in
Germany – the Bike Four Peaks (formerly
Trans Germany). Over four days, the course
wound 300 km and 10,000 vertical metres
from Ruhpolding, Germany to Neukirchem
a. Großvenediger, Austria. Here our cyclists
could measure up against world champions
like Alban Lakata and Christoph Sauser on
27
the Fleckalm Trail, the 2013 world championship route.
The colours of the BTB team are already well
represented again in 2014 both in Germany
and abroad. With a victory in Kürnberg, Austria, a race that counts for the TOP Six mountain bike marathon series, and third place at
the Granite Marathon in Kleinzell, Austria,
this team from the Innviertel maintained their
dominance in local mountain bike sports.
More information at www.bike-team-borbet.at
SPORTS
Solingen men’s soccer team has been
able to build on our
support since 2011.
The grounds of the
district
leaguers
clubhouse is located
just a few metres
from the production
plant in Solingen.
The closeness to
the Vf B cannot be measured in just metres,
however. Our Solingen colleagues are also
dedicated fans of these kickers, and they
regularly attend Vf B games.
BORBET AND THE THC
– A SUCCESSFUL TEAM
FOR 11 YEARS
BORBET Thüringen and
the Thüringer Handball Club
have been a successful team
since the opening of the Bad
Langensalza plant in 2003.
BORBET accompanied the first THC women’s
team on their way to the first national league and
supported the handball players since then at their
appearances on the national and international
stages.
The success of this team can’t be overlooked.
They were recently named German champions
for the fourth consecutive time. By doing so, the
women from THC have earned six titles in four
years. For the past two years, the team has been
the German Handball cup winner. They joined
the Champions League twice already. It’s no
wonder that several of the players also play in the
national team.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed for upcoming
games and wish them all good luck!
www.borbet.de
SPORTS
PETROL IN THE BLOOD
Fabian Hellwig – you should remember
this name! This 14-year-old from Lichtenfels will outgrow the junior kart
sport this year after many successful seasons and is now preparing for automobile sports.
28
SPORTS
BORBET IN THE TOP
LEAGUE: SPORT
SPONSORSHIP AT VFL
WOLFSBURG
BORBET reaches the end consumer directly as a target group through sports sponsorship. BORBET wheels are already revered
amongst them. The goal, however, is to make
the brand even more familiar amongst consumers. The choice fell, amongst others, on
VFL Wolfsburg, as the premier league football
games draw attention across Germany as well
as internationally, offering a broad marketing
opportunity through television broadcasts. In
addition, as one of the leading suppliers for
the VW Group, BORBET feels very connected with the main sponsor of the VFL and
the Auto City. This is affirmed by the latest
honour of the “Volkswagen Group Award”.
Especially in the sports sector, BORBET sees
even greater potential in the club. With regard
to infrastructure and organisation, the VFL
Wolfsburg is already considered a Champions League today. The association leadership
as well as acting individuals demonstrate authenticity and sustainability. BORBET looks
forward to continued success with a common
future for the VFL Wolfsburg.
BORBET AND THE
JOY OF HORSES
Because in this sport,
too, sponsor funds and
the available means
keep getting scarcer, we
changed saddles from
individual sponsoring in
past years to riding tournament event sponsorship. International tournaments, like in Balve,
Nörden h a rdenber g,
His list of achievements is studded with success
Upon entering the active kart racing sport in 2009
and taking part in official races, Fabian’s incredible
success story began with support from BORBET.
Without a dedicated racing team, he reached the
podium twice in this season and achieved 5th place
in the overall evaluation. Fabian proved in the following years that he was amongst the ambitious and
talented in motor sports. From 2010 to 2013 with
the Scheider kart team he continuously reached
the champion’s podium and won a victory in 2011,
earning him the Champion title in the Rhine-Main
Cup.
Driving full speed into the future
The race signals are also green for 2014. “Fabian will
take the victory in the junior class this year,” shares
his father, Bernd Hellwig. This goal is realistic. “We
invested in a new kart and are therefore betting on
excellent material. Six races await us this season in
the ADAC Rotax Max Challenge.” Career-wise,
SPORTS
BORBET has sponsored equestrian riding sports
for decades. It all started with Westphalian gelding Rembrandt BORBET and his rider, Nicole
Uphoff. Rembrandt, the most successful dressage horse of all time, was the first to receive the
BORBET sponsor name. The horse-rider team
Rembrandt-Uphoff took part in international
tournaments and at the Olympic Games in Seoul
in 1988 and in Barcelona in 1992 – they won gold
in individual and team evaluation at both games.
It all started with BORBET.
Born in 2000, Fabian Hellwig has been a motor
sports fan since he was four. His passion started early
– and BORBET was a significant contributor. In
2004 Fabian was exposed for the first time to the
smell of burnt rubber on the asphalt. When BORBET, then a SEAT partner, was represented at a race
in Oschersleben, he accompanied his father, Bernd
Hellwig, who works in quality assurance at BORBET’s Medebach plant. The spark immediately ignited a passion in the young boy for motors and the
sport.
29
Fabian also wants to remain in the fast lane – he is
dedicated totally to automobile sports. In addition to
racing, he completed an internship at Formula One
team GU Racing, which was coordinated by its partner agency, motorsportkarriere.de. At this incredible
opportunity, he left the driver’s seat to look behind
the scenes and learn the technical aspects in greater
detail.
BORBET as a sponsor
Since Fabian’s first driving attempts, BORBET has
stood at this talented young man’s side as a sponsor.
“Promoting young talent is important for sports and
contributes to a successful season – and not just financially. For this we and especially our son, Fabian, are
very grateful,” said his father, Bernd Hellwig. Our
support is assured for the young racer in 2014 as well.
After this season, Fabian, who with almost 10 years
of experience is already an old hand, will leave kart
sports and will focus on automobile sports. In 2015
the first tests with racing teams will take place. We
wish our exceptional young driver lots of success for
the future and hope he has many personal victories
off the race track as well.
SPORTS
HISTORIC FLAIR AT THE
GRAND PRIX I. M. RUDOLF CARACCIOLA
Bremen and Dortmund, could build on BORBET’s
support as a result. Still today, we have remained true
to equestrian sports. Especially the riding events in the
regions where our plants are located are special to us.
August 2013 was a beacon of high-stakes jumping
and dressage sports at the RC Hofinger in Ranshofen.
Three tried and tested, wonderfully organised tournaments, two of which on a national level and an international event in the CS12* category took place.
The tournament in Ranshofen is a very good example
for the many international, BORBET-sponsored riding tournaments that are popular far beyond Germany’s
borders. We present many spectacular riding events
with exciting sports and a diverse program.
A fantastic sight for classic car fans: More
than 70 historic vehicles headed for the start
line from 27-29 June 2013 for the first Grand
Prix In Memory of Rudolf Caracciola. This rally in memory of the
most successful automobile racer
from the pre-war years covered the
stretch from Kassel to Dresden and
back.
As one of the sponsors, we were
present everywhere with our logo:
on the website, start numbers of
participating vehicles, as well as on
the start/finish line booth. Even the
participant vests, which authorised
entry to all race-related events and
therefore had to be worn at all times,
were fitted with the BORBET logo
on the front and back. In addition, it
included a full-page ad on the back
of the GRAND PRIX In Memory of RUDOLF CARACCIOLA
program..
www.borbet.de
Speed with nostalgia: time and placement aren’t the only things that count in a classic car race.
SPORTS
SPORTS
A WORLD RECORD
WITH BORBET
TEAM DRIFTBROTHERS
AND BORBET –
A SUCCESS STORY
30
BORBET has supported Team Driftbrothers since 2012. These newcomers
are now considered the most successful
German team in drift sport and have already taken home many trophies, including the title of European Champion Runner-Up in 2012. Here’s a brief overview
of their sport.
The Rules: Driving sideways is considered the
highest art of mastering automobiles ++ There are
two runs ++ Two drivers face off in a twin battle,
alternating as hunter and hunted...
....the one driving in front is judged by a jury
on speed, as much angle as possible, line, and
style. The chaser is then assessed as to how well
they can copy the leader’s angle and lines. This
results in spectacular driving duels, frequently
door to door, in which the day’s champion is
decided in a K.O. System.
The Potential: Drifting is also the fastest
growing motor sport in Germany. Spectacular driving manoeuvres, open paddock, nearseries vehicles, and the youthful lifestyle enable contact with target groups that traditional
motor sport types no longer reach: a young
audience with a high percentage of females
clearly sets drifting apart from traditional motor sports.
The Special Edition: Team Driftbrothers
with drivers Elias and Johannes Hountondji
trust in the reliability and quality of BORBET
wheels. The BORBET A wheel is a timeless
classic, the uncompromisingly robust CWE,
and the modern and dynamic XRT are just
as much a part of the team’s equipment as the
classic and sporty RS design. Because in drift
sport appearance and style count as much as
extreme durability and reliability, BORBET
works together with Team Driftbrothers to
introduce a very special edition of the racingworthy BORBET XRT.
A thirst for world records and love
of automobiles are what drive Rainer Zietlow on. The 44-year-old
from Mannheim can count three
Guinness world records and two
long-distance world records in his
list of successes. In 2014 he will
venture his next record-breaking drive
with our support in a VW Touareg.
31
Since his first drive around the world in 1996, he
has continued to seek new challenges. In order to
realise his various record drives, he founded the
Challenge4 GmbH company during his studies.
“The appeal for me is setting automobile records
that have never been achieved. This fascinates me
particularly as a German, considering the history
of automobiles in our country and the strong automobile industry in the background,” he explains
of his motivation. After a polar expedition last year
in an Amarok, he is now preparing for his next big
project together with his partner, photographer and
cameraman Marius Biela. “I’m looking forward to
working with BORBET for the first time and I am
already very excited about the black rims, which
will surely look wonderful on the Touareg.” We
wish him a thoroughly good drive on his path to a
world record!
Beginning in May 2014, the popular wheel will
be available in a limited Driftbrothers special
edition. In red with striking brilliancy lathing
as well as an exclusive hub cap, this wheel underscores the look of sporty vehicles and makes
a clear statement: from the track to the street!
SPORTS
DOMINIK GRUDZIEN –
VLN YOUNG DRIVER
Drivers on the VLN long-distance series
should buckle in, because this season’s going
to speed up – Dominik Grudzien is part of the
pack this year.
The 21-year-old driver from Gladbeck close to
Gelsenkirchen, has been an enthusiastic motor
sports fan for 14 years. It all began classically
with the kart slalom. After a solid ten years in
this discipline, he transitioned to the automobile slalom. In his first season in 2010, he was
the second-best rookie in the ADAC North
Rhine Championship Slalom. One year later
he drove on the GLP circuit and was accepted
in his first racing team in 2012. During his racing debut in this series, he landed a sensational
fourth place.
It’s all new this season – new series, the VLN
long-distance series, the new “Wickispeed”
team, new vehicle, and new sponsor. BORBET
is sponsoring the racing for this mechanical enBrave driving manoeuvres and spectacular scenes – drift sport requires a lot from the drivers.
gineering student from here on. We equipped
the BMW Z4 M Coupe with its racy 350 HP
with our race-worthy XRT design wheels in
black glossy.
This young racing car driver’s goals are clear.
Besides successfully completing his studies, he
wants to take part in the Gran Turismo series
by the time he’s 25.
www.borbet.de
SPORTS
32
ELLEN LOHR –
NEW BORBET BRAND
AMBASSADOR
Ellen Lohr and BORBET – this is a match
with many years of experience, passion
for first-class motor sports, and the highest quality demands. Whether desert or
racetrack, from here on we’ll ride together: Ellen Lohr is the new BORBET brand
ambassador.
Ellen Lohr, born in Mönchengladbach, is
amongst the most successful female racing car
drivers in motor sports. This now-resident of
Monaco has been active in motor sports for 29
years. From kart sport to the Formula Ford, from
Formula 3, where she headed off against icons
like Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald
Frentzen, and ultimately to the DTM. Here she
was the first and only woman to have won a
race in the popular DTM Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft series. After five years in the
DTM, larger and more powerful vehicles ultimately lured her in, and in 1997 she started in
the European truck racing championship. She’s
back at the start in this series for 2014. The legendary Dakar Rally is one of the milestones in
Ellen Lohr’s career. BORBET looks forward to
future projects together with this exceptional
racecar driver.
SPORTS
FROM GYMNASTICS
TO SKELETON: TOP
ATHLETE MARION
THEES
Since 2011, BORBET has sponsored skeleton pilot Marion Thees from Eisenach.
The 28-year-old began with gymnastics
at the age of four. “At school we had a
racing sled project that really caught my
interest. That’s how I came to skeleton,”
recalls the ambitious winter athlete from
the start of her career.
After her entry into skeleton sport in 2001,
Marion Thees quickly achieved her first victories. She attained fourth place at the World
Championship in Königssee and took second
place at the European Cup. That was in 2003.
Over the years she added impressive titles, such
as Junior World Champion 2007, World Champion in Individual and Team 2009, European
Champion runner-up in 2009 and eighth place
at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. She was the Overall World Cup Champion
in 2008/2009 and 2012/2013. Her biggest title
so far is the win at the World Championship in
Königssee in February 2011. “I like speed and
the challenge of quickly and precisely guiding the sled to the finish,” describes the athlete
about her enthusiasm for skeleton. Besides ambitious and endurance training, it’s her love of
the sport that lets her fight for victory.
After the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, the
athlete is taking a well-deserved holiday in order to make plans for sport and otherwise.
www.skeleton-germany.de
SPORTS
KEVIN KÖPKE –
MOTOR SPORT STAR
ON THE WATER
Kevin Köpke is an exceptional talent in an exceptional discipline with his Ferrari-red racing boat. As
German champion of the ADAC motor boat cup, he
is already considered amongst the best in Germany.
He is starting confidently this season with a new, 16
HP motor boat in the higher-class ADAC Formula
Masters racing boat series. This 21-year-old from Jork
has one big goal in sight: the Formula 1 master’s class.
And we get to accompany him along the way.
SPORTS
Marion Thees at full speed.
33
Reason to smile – Team Schneiderheinze
TEAM SCHNEIDERHEINZE –
OUR OLYMPIC TEAM
Hopes were high at the 2014 Olympic
Games in Sochi – Team Schneiderheinze
gave it their all, sacrificed sweat and tears,
and won over hearts, but unfortunately
their chances for a medal disappeared during the games in Russia.
In 2001, the former speed skater from Erfurt traded
her ice skates for bobsleds. Staying true to the ice and
skids, she formed a two-person bobsled team as the
brakeperson with Sandra Kiriasis. This season, Anja
Schneiderheinze-Stöckel went to the starting line for
the first time as the bobsled pilot. Whether driving or
braking, she has experienced numerous European and
world championship cups with bobsledding:
•2006
Olympic gold with Sandra Kiriasis
•2008/20094th Place in the German Championship
•2010/20112nd Place and European
Champion runner-up
(World Cup in Winterberg)
•2011/2012 8th Place at the World
Championships in Lake Placid
2nd Place overall at the World Cup
3rd Place in the German
Championship in Königssee
Additional wins were planned for the Olympic Winter
Games in Sochi with her current team, Lisette Thöne
and Stephanie Schneider, but the results were different:
The entire German bobsled team, originally in a clear
favourite role, could not muster their usual outstanding
performance at the Russian Olympic Games and were
beaten by other countries in many races. The same was
true for Team Schneiderheinze – they finished far from
the top in 10th place.
Despite the Olympic defeat, Anja Schneiderheinze is at
the world apex of bobsled sports. Accompanied by us
for years, she is far from giving up. Together, we look
forward to the World Championship at home next year
in Winterberg. The athlete is especially good with the
luge there and she is very excited about it. No matter
what the results of this home competition will be – we
will celebrate together.
www.borbet.de
SPORTS
Francesco Friedrich from SC Oberbärenburg is considered THE newcomer in bobsledding and can already count impressive
wins at his young age.
34
NEW TO THE BORBET
TEAM: FRANCESCO
FRIEDRICH THE BOBMASTER
Bobsled team Friedrich can count on support from BORBET since the start of
the 2013/2014 season. 23-year-old pilot
STEFANIE
SZCZUREK –
WOMEN’S POWER
FROM THÜRINGEN
In the past season, he wasn’t only the junior world
champion in two-person and four-person bobsledding. In St. Moritz this year, he went down
in sports history as the youngest world champion
in two-person bobsledding. “I came into bobsledding through my older brother, who started
with it two years before me,” explains the young
man from Pirna. At the federal police, where he
is employed in the sports promotion group, he
is released for his sports activities. “It would be
impossible to head a professional sports team like
ours without this huge amount of support,” he
emphasises.
After a successful 2014 European bobsled championship – the team took home bronze in fourperson bobsledding – he started looking confidently to the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi
together with his teammates Jannis Bäcker, Alexander Mann, Gregor Bermbach, Thorsten
Margis, Florian Kunze, Martin Grothkopp and
Candy Bauer. The longed-for victory fell out of
reach, unfortunately. Problems with the materials hindered these German hopefuls from winning an Olympic medal. However, the ambitious
goal of a gold medal is certainly not a matter of
the past, because after the Olympics is also before
the Olympics. They will start anew over the next
four years, and the next one will be the World
Championship in Winterberg.
SPORTS
NEW SOCCER FIELD
FOR MEDEBACH
We are currently supporting the construction
of a new soccer field in Medebach. This construction project to renovate the small playing
fields will enable local youths and others to
enjoy recreation off the streets. But the young
people of Medebach are not the only ones who
will benefit from the new sports field. In the
future, we will also have the opportunity of
offering a wide array of employee sports. Additionally, our employees’ children will have a
place for sports, fun and games after the soccer
field is completed. Together with TUS Medebach, we are enabling this project according
to the BORBET premise that regional bonds
should be strengthened.
35
SPORTS
SPORTS
BORBETTO BORBET MASCOT IN WORLD CUP FEVER
You might think to yourself,
“What an odd name!” You’d be
right, because this name is noteworthy – Stefanie Szczurek is one
of the young hopefuls in German
bobsledding.
This police officer from Schmalkalden
has been an active bobsledder since
2003 and began her winter sports career as a bobsled pusher for Claudia
Schramm. This former track and
field athlete accompanied the team through the
2006/2007 season, earning a bronze medal in the
2006 German Championship, for example. One
year later, she served as pilot for the first time at the
European Cup, achieving – amongst others – third
place in the competition at Winterberg. As a B-
squad member, the 27-year-old formed Team Szczurek along with Erline Nolte and Lisa Buckwitz.
The women’s power squad has been a part of the
BORBET sponsorship group since this season. The
team has a promising future in bobsledding ahead of
them – and we can be part of it.
www.borbet.de
IMPRESSIONS
THE PATH OF A BORBET WHEEL
36
37
www.borbet.de
NEWCOMER
NEWCOMER
BORBET-NEWCOMERCONTEST
38
We have received the most heartwarming photos of babies and children in the past two years. With
all the pink and blue props, it was
impossible to name THE loveliest
BORBET newcomer image – so we
decided on the most creative: Emilia
Lucia Haida.
Her father, Adam Haida, works at
our Solingen plant in the IT department. The photo of little Emilia Lucia
will be rewarded with a 50 euro gift
voucher for myToys.
39
Carlo Joel Keiselt
Bastian Stranka
Asenathi Zililo
Ayanda Majiyezi
Adriano Giovanni Theodorides
Albin Muharremi
Ben Striber
Arne Kluge
Alina Platte
Elias & Greta Hoffmann
Carly Malina Manjana Eitner
Christian Kloster
Clara Linn Stracke
Diego Rodriguez
Dominik Pyka
Efe Emir Yüksel
Finn Luca Hahn
Gustaf Kruspe
Jason-Finn Fischer
Linam Nikkita Mnqwazana Koyana
Lea Gunterman
ida
Em ilia Lu cia Ha
Johnny Schlegel
Enes Grosche
Erik Wegelin
Karolina Leifried
Josie-Linn Brunz
Julian Happel
Tia Lena Straub
Elias Welticke
Tim Calles
Jonas & Jason Kumskov
Lennard Juwan
Konstantin Aff lerbach
Tim König
Leonie Hahn
Nico Pöttinger
Pia Lara Huneck
Nico Schulz
Nikita Raisch
Neo Ewen
Lina Erdmann
Lotta Anthe
Louis Valery Tepfer
Louis Jünger
Prince Borish & Princess Borisha Boateng
Ronja Schnellen
Sichumiso Koti
Oliver Zdebel
Phil Bilstein
Philip Alexander Kunz
Phillip Meier
Nele Maurer
Likuwe Sidonca
Franziska Pauline Schwarz
Dominik Markus
Thando Junior Rubusana
Is your child not under
the current BORBET
Newcomers? Send a
photo of your baby wearing the BORBET romper at:
[email protected].
www.borbet.de
BORBET GMBH
Hauptstr. 5
D - 59969 Hallenberg-Hesborn
Tel.: +49 2984 301-0
Fax: +49 2984 301-110
[email protected]
40
d noch nicht unter den
BORBET Newcomern?
Sie ein Foto inkl.
trampler an:
@borbet.de.
BORBET Vertriebs GmbH
Tratmoos 5
D - 85467 Neuching
Tel.: +49 8123 9303-0
Fax: +49 8123 9303-20,
9303-50
[email protected]
BORBET Austria GmbH
Lamprechtshausener Straße 77
A - 5282 Ranshofen-Braunau
ÖSTERREICH
Tel.: +43 7722 884-0
Fax: +43 7722 884-64
[email protected]
BORBET Solingen GmbH
Weyerstr. 112-114
D - 42697 Solingen
Tel.: +49 212 2267-6
Fax: +49 212 2267-880
[email protected]
BORBET Thüringen GmbH
Am Fliegerhorst 17
D - 99947 Bad Langensalza
Tel.: +49 3603 89465500
Fax: +49 3603 89465710
[email protected]
BORBET South Africa (PTY) Ltd.
11 Kohler Road
Perseverance, Port Elizabeth 6000
SOUTH AFRICA
Tel.: +27 41 404-1500
Fax: +27 41 463-1366
www.borbet.za.net
[email protected]
BORBET Alabama, Inc.
979 West Veterans Boulevard
Auburn, Alabama 36832, U.S.A.
Tel.: +1 334 502-9400
Fax: +1 334 502-9494
[email protected]
www.borbet.de