Endress+Hauser Group
Employee Magazine
Issue 1/2015
connections 6 Training Universities and colleges as partners
23 Lan Gao, China
Reach for the sky
16 Application Sewage treatment plant as power generator
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connections
Editorial
12 More commitment
16 More e�ciency
20 More success
How Product Manager Davide Duregon from Italy approaches customers and colleagues.
How the small US town of Reading made its sewage treatment plant into a power station.
How our sales staff in India cope with the subcontinent’s size and its variety of customers.
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Innovators’ meeting: Awards for researchers and developers
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Financial year 2014: Top values in sales, profit and headcount
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Focus on educational partnerships: Why Endress+ Hauser supports colleges and universities
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A day in the life of… Davide Duregon, Product Manager Analysis in Italy
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Technology from Jena: When Analytik Jena begins to flex its muscles
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Endy’s expert knowledge on elemental analysis
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Upgraded: The sewage treatment plant on Fritz Island, USA, generates power
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An emerging country: Chances and risks for our sales in India
Imprint Publisher Endress+Hauser Management AG, Kägenstrasse 2, 4153 Reinach BL 1, Switzerland Editors David Bosshard, Monique Juillerat (project management), Roland Kienzler, Anna Kürzinger, Alexander Marzahn (chief editor), Martin Raab Language adaptations Daniel Hawpe, Peter Späth, Helen White Production, design Isler Tomasi GmbH, Visual Communication, Zurich
Proofreading Jan Sinstadt Images, photos Endress+Hauser, Christoph Fein, Holger Knau, Gianna Orlando, Martin Spiess, Guido Werner Print, distribution Binkert Druck AG, Laufenburg, Switzerland Published 3 times per year. Next issue: August 2015 Copies 7,300 in German, 5,530 in English, 800 in Chinese Contact magazine@holding.endress.com
This magazine is printed on FSC certified paper. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) prohibits practices that are detrimental to trees and forest ecology.
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A city tour of Mumbai, India’s center of trade and culture
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Family and work are compatible in Maulburg
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Then and now: A unique exhibit
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Lan Gao from China: Teamwork on the Silk Road All issues are also available electronically in ENGINE.
Premiere It is not a coincidence that an employee from China adorns the front cover of the current issue of ‘connections’: For the first time, the magazine is published in Chinese as well as in English and in German. No matter in which language you prefer reading the employee magazine, your comments and suggestions are always welcome (send to magazine@holding.endress.com)!
Find talent? Promote the young generation! Don’t you sometimes think back to your schooldays with mixed feelings? The downsides of strict teachers, homework and test stress made it easy to forget that access to education and knowledge is the basis for prosperity and financial advancement. This is as true for individuals as it is for whole regions or nations. Education is a good indicator of a country’s social and economic development. Qualified people and enterprises attract each other, and it is for a good reason that training projects are an important part of modern-day development aid. Endress+Hauser also promotes education and training – internally with the Masterclass training platform, but also in partnerships with public and private schools and universities. Following the example set by the company founder Georg H Endress, close ties have evolved with educational institutions in many countries which – thanks to our instruments, our support and our expertise – are capable of training tomorrow’s specialists. Commitment in terms of what is known as Corporate Social Responsibility also makes sense in business terms. It helps us to recruit highly skilled experts, allows us to have a dialog with researchers, and enhances acceptance among our customers. At the same time, we must ensure that these facilities properly reflect our standards and quality levels. Read more about this issue on page 6. We are not alone in our efforts. As a recent UNESCO report shows, more than 200 of the Fortune 500 invest in educational projects. And this is sorely needed: far too often, it’s not talent but social background that determines educational opportunities. As a global enterprise, we need highly motivated and well-trained people throughout the world. This is why we welcome initiatives that help us to attract talented people to join the world of measurement and automation technology, in the hope that they will one day be ‘People for Process Automation’– like you and me. Yours,
Roland Kienzler
“We welcome initiatives that help us to attract talented people.” Roland Kienzler, Corporate Director Human Resources of the Endress+Hauser Group
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Group News
connections
Good figures, uncertain prospects
Success owed to innovation
2014 financial year: crossing the two billion euro mark for the first time For the fifth year in succession, the Group ended last year with a growth in sales, and for the first time crossed the two billion euro mark. Operating results and earnings before and after tax have also improved. “We may not have reached everything we had aimed for, but we’re nonetheless really happy with this result,” says CFO Dr Luc Schultheiss. While the general economic situation continues to be marked by uncertainty, developments in exchange rates provided something of a tailwind. On the other hand, the recently acquired subsidiaries put pressure on the result, with the declining ruble forcing Analytik Jena to make substantial contingency reserves. Endress+Hauser will present the detailed annual report during the press conference on financial statements on 5 May 2015. Luc Schultheiss gives the organic sales growth
of the group as just under six percent, with the headcount also showing an upward trend: at the end of 2014, 12,435 people worked for Endress+Hauser worldwide, 516 more than a year ago. Strong Swiss franc clouding prospects Making a forecast for the current year continues to be difficult, with the end of the euro-Swiss franc currency tie-up generating uncertainty. “The Endress+Hauser Group as a whole is not gravely affected because much of the production is located inside the eurozone,” says CEO Matthias Altendorf. Special challenges are faced by sales in Switzerland and Endress+Hauser Flowtec in Reinach, Switzerland, where more favorable conditions in materials purchasing have only partly compensated for the drastic rise in value of the Swiss franc.
Endress+Hauser invests in Jena
Analytik Jena AG has bought the owneroccupied property in Jena.
Analytik Jena AG has bought the previously rented complex of buildings at the company’s headquarters in Jena, Germany. The properties include several new buildings and a modernized older building of the former Carl Zeiss Jena company. The purchase has been completed with financial backing from the Endress+Hauser Group. “This decision is a clear commitment to the company’s location in Jena,” says Klaus Berka, Board Chairman of Analytik Jena AG. As well as office space, the properties also include state-of-the-art laboratories for research and development, applications and production. This is also the site where important
Finland and Switzerland
analysis instruments belonging to the product range go through final assembly. These include all atomic absorption spectrometers, which currently account for about 30 percent of the company’s sales (find more on Analytik Jena on pages 14–15). More investments are in the pipeline: a new series of instruments – whose subassemblies are currently being made in the USA – is soon to be produced at the site after a division of the US Bruker Corporation was acquired in September 2014. “This technology completes our product portfolio and constitutes an important step for our company’s future growth,” continues Klaus Berka.
Best employer
Realignment without Metso
Wetzer honored again
The sales and service cooperation between Endress+Hauser and the machine manufacturer Metso in Finland and Switzerland, which started in 2000, will not be continued. The companies mutually agreed to discontinue their minority shareholding by 1 July 2015. While Metso focuses on a number of business fields, Endress+Hauser (Finland) Oy will in future be Endress+Hauser’s sole sales organization in Finland. In Switzerland, Metso will continue to serve the market with valves and pumps.
After coming second in last year’s business competition ‘Best Employer Allgäu’, Endress+Hauser Wetzer now made it to ‘Germany’s Best Employer 2015’ in the category of enterprises with 50 to 500 employees. A total of 600 enterprises of all sizes and industries took part in the benchmark study by the institute ‘Great Place to Work’. The award honors trusting, appreciative and attractive workplace cultures.
Busy innovators: 2014 saw a record number of patent applications.
Endress+Hauser’s PatServe patent department can’t complain about too little work: never before have researchers and developers filed so many invention reports as last year. 2014 saw a total of 337 submissions from teams across different sites and locations. After careful scrutiny, 259 of these were eventually filed for patent. The number of active protected privileges has climbed to over 6,000 – an indicator of the sustained power of innovation. Endress+Hauser employs over 700 people in research and development. Technical innovations have been filed
mainly in flow, level and analysis measurement technology. “Innovative products giving our customers added value are our weightiest argument, especially in uncertain business times,” says COO Michael Ziesemer. Patents which are particularly important in business terms are honored with prizes and awards. This appreciation of the inventors always takes place at the annual Inventors’ Meeting in March, which was held this year in Muttenz, Switzerland. The invitees numbered 344 associates who had been involved in patent applications in 2014.
Business Development Awards
Reward for good work On 14 April, Endress+Hauser distributed the Business Development Awards 2014 in seven categories. In Service, it was Endress+Hauser France that took the lead (13 percent of sales with services). In Project Business, Endress+Hauser USA (customer: Nexeo Solutions) took the honor. Other awards went to teams from the UK (Sales Progress), Korea (Top Sales), USA (OEM Progress), Germany (Top OEM Sales) and a mixed team (Strategic Account) for looking after our key account Clariant.
Friendly takeover
IST buys Jobst Technologies Sensor maker Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG has acquired the Freiburgbased Jobst Technologies GmbH, strengthening its market presence in physical, chemical and biological sensors. IST has for many years cultivated good business relations with Jobst Technologies, which was established in 2002 and boasts a number of important innovations for medical and biotechnological applications.
Personnel news Joachim Hartmeyer (50) will be the new Director Corporate Sales at Endress+ Hauser Consult AG Sales Support. He has over 20 years of experience both in sales and production at Endress+ Hauser. He came to Key Account Management via inside and outside sales; he later became General Manager of Conducta Anaheim and worked most recently as Head of Sales at Endress+Hauser Conducta. In March, Khay Guan Lim (49) succeeded Managing Director Neil Watmough at Endress+Hauser Singapore. The physicist and MBA graduate worked for Yokogawa and Rockwell before transferring to Emerson in 2006, looking after the Pacific Region as Director of Business, Engineering and Services. He most recently worked as General Manager for Services and Systems at Eaton Electrical Asia-Pacific.
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Hands-on training: Students at Ho-Chi-Minh University, Vietnam, prepare for all eventualities.
Limitless process technology: The Endress+Hauser lab at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver, Canada. Investing in the future: Those who train on Endress+Hauser systems often remain loyal when they are in employment.
Fueling the talent factory Endress+Hauser has a long tradition of cooperating with schools and univer sities. The global shortage of skilled labor makes this strategy more important than ever. But long term success requires more than equipment donations. Before Endress+Hauser adopted the ‘People for Process Automation’ claim in 2003 to bring employees into sharp er focus, ‘The Power of Know-how’ was the company tagline. Georg H Endress knew that success depended on well-trained professionals, a re-
source that was not easy to find even in the early years. As a result, he vigorously encouraged employee training and development and established partnerships with schools and universities in Germany, France and Switzerland, some of which still exist today.
Over time, relationships were established with numerous training and education institutions in other countries as well, many of which began when Endress+Hauser was approached for sponsorship or technical expertise. Universities that can offer a training lab to make their courses of study more attractive are not the only beneficiaries of this support. Win-win situation This generosity can also be worthwhile to Endress+ Hauser: “Teachers and students become familiar with our instruments, which makes us attractive as an employer,” says Dr Holger Knau, head of the Application Training Center (ATC) in
Reinach where the bespoke training systems are also built. “We also have the chance to develop important contacts and share information and knowledge.” For many students, practical handson training is not their last contact with the blue instruments. Many go on to service and maintain Endress+ Hauser equipment at customer locations, while others pursue purchasing jobs in the industry. Others still elect to become one of the ‘People for Process Automation’ upon completion of their education. “Contact with schools is an important door opener for us,” confirms Roland Kienzler, head of human resources at the Endress+
Hauser Group. “In light of skilled labor shortages around the world, it’s in our best interests to establish an early presence in the classroom.” Halfway there All the same, there is no blueprint for successful cooperation. The prerequisites and needs vary too much in the individual countries. Two things do apply across the board, however: many institutions have lim ited financial resources, and the charitable donation of a few instruments alone is not the answer. “If there is no one on site who knows how to operate the equipment, that doesn’t help the university or us,” says Holger Knau. “No one wants to train on outdated or
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Customers are also welcome: The training center in Greenwood, USA.
Broadening horizons: As part of an exchange program with Austrian customers, trainees get a close-up look at the training equipment in Maulburg.
First-hand experience: Students at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, have been training on Endress+Hauser equipment since 2006.
defective equipment systems either.” In many cases, the larger simulation systems proudly bear the Endress+ Hauser name, which calls for particular care. “If there are cables hanging out, missing covers, or trash lying around, little remains of the hopedfor image boost.” That’s why one of the keys to success is training the instructors who utilize and take care of the equipment. Although you need someone at the school you can trust, regular on-site visits are also important. “Today, the larger Endress+Hauser SCs have people who are responsible for coordinating these activities and they report to us,” says Holger Knau. “We can learn from these experiences and help the sales centers to improve.” Offering internships and graduate projects or participating at job fairs can strength en the partnership and open further doors. Meanwhile, guidelines have been developed that mark out the path from informal contact to cooperation contracts that include maintenance or utilization agreements. When it comes to donating equipment, state-of-the-art doesn’t necessarily have to be the most expensive. Returns – equipment sent back by customers for various reasons – can also be put to good use in school labs.
“Since most of the equipment has been produced for specific customers, it can rarely be resold,” explains Michael Kanzinger, logistics specialist at Endress+Hauser. “It ends up on the shelf, collects dust and is eventu ally scrapped.” He estimates the Endress+Hauser sales and production centers have two to three million euros’ worth of returns in storage.
Endress+Hauser Austria is an example of how to achieve a lot with a small budget. “We came up with the idea of building a training system for young technicians,” explains Herbert Springer, product manager and the driving force behind the project. “Instructors and professors from 15 educational institutes were fully behind our concept, but the budget was small to non-existent.” After two years he had lined up 25 additional sponsoring companies to equip the 15 systems with donated material, from control cabinets to control valves. “Each system is worth roughly 90,000 euros. The schools have to bear only ten percent of the cost,” says Herbert Springer.
In good condition In order to reduce this number, the equipment needs to be inventoried and stored in good condition. “We need transparency so that we know the equipment’s condition, and where it is stored,” Michael Kanzinger says. “We can then respond positively to more inquiries from training partners.” It’s difficult to quantify how much money flows into such projects around the world (see box). But today around half of the Endress+Hauser subsidiaries maintain relationships with educa tional institutions. These are frequently spurred on by the personal efforts
of individual employees. Support ranges from a single piece of training equipment to multi-million euro simulation systems, such as those installed at the prestigious National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training NIBRT in Dublin, Ireland, or the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology SAIT in Calgary, Canada, where 16 students can practice simultaneously on state-of-the-art systems (see our interviews on pages 10 –11). Even renowned universities are in no position to implement such systems on their own, an issue that is related to more than just insufficient funding. “Anyone can build a classroom. But building an effective learning environment in the fields of trades and technology, requires partnerships with companies that are innovative and very active in the field,” says Mary MacDonald, Dean of SAIT’s MacPhail School of Energy. “Without the support of partners like Endress+Hauser we would not be able to provide such a first-class facility to our students.”
“Without the support of Endress+Hauser we would not be able to provide such a first-class facility.” Mary MacDonald, Dean of SAIT’s MacPhail School of Energy, Canada
Exchange program While the Endress+Hauser production centers provided the measurement technology, the schools meanwhile used the planning, construction and commissioning of the systems as a basis for training and graduate thesis projects. Endress+ Hauser Austria also manages an exchange program that allows customer’s own trainees to work in the Endress+ Hauser production center and viceversa. Herbert Springer adds with conviction: “Impacting the future requires investing in young people today.”
That applies not only in Europe. Endress+Hauser China likewise has rapidly expanded its training and education network by furnishing around a dozen school training labs with equipment worth four to five figures – and with measurable success. “We have already recruited 43 welltrained technicians from East China University, our most important partner,” says Deputy General Manager Prof Wang Zhuojun, who is responsible for the university alliance program in China. Skilled workforce Neighboring Laos is also aspiring to a well-trained workforce. Because this developing country has next to no skilled labor, Endress+Hauser Instruments Inter national is working with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to build a training center that will offer its own step-by-step training program designed to prepare young talent for process automation field work. “Not having a workforce with the necessary skills is stressful for the staff, inefficient for the company and may even be dangerous for the safety of a plant,” says Holger Knau. Although situations vary widely between countries, more and more train-
ing systems around the world are bearing the blue signature – and some of the equipment is making professors’ and students’ eyes light up. “By providing the best measurement equipment and training material, we’re not only imparting knowledge. We’re also generating excitement,” says Roland Kienzler, who adds with a sly grin: “Once you’ve ridden an e-bike, it’s hard to go back to a normal bicycle.” Decentralized organization Since HR activities and cooperation projects are the responsibility of individual Group companies, there is no central record of how much Endress+Hauser invests in training partnerships each year. Furthermore, the partnerships are often based on providing assets (equipment) and professional support (consulting, training, pro ject management) as opposed to financial support. The best overview of current and past projects in more than 20 countries is available on Clue → Management AG → Corporate Human Resources. ttp://clue.endress.com/ h x/s51GAw
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Skilled staff are in demand worldwide Endress+Hauser leaves its mark in the classroom early on. Staff in four countries explain the benefits of this type of cooperation. Canada The training facility Endress+Hauser Canada donated to SAIT in Calgary is a gem worth 1.4 million dollars – and more than a prestige property. Marketing Communications Manager Scott Whitehouse explains why this big investment pays off. What is the driving force behind your cooperation with colleges and universities? Scott Whitehouse: A number of years ago we became aware of the need for the latest in measurement technology by the training institutions in Canada. Their equipment was very dated and they did not have the funds to purchase new instruments. The students were not being properly trained. When the renowned SAIT Polytechnic university built a new complex in 2012, we saw an opportunity to help improve the training as well as to create awareness of our products. We established an effective learning environment, a 170 square meter process lab. 16 students per session have access to hands-on training with state-of-the-art equipment. What kind of students? Most of them will go on to embrace careers in instrumen tation, engineering and, in particular, in process automation. Students who have trained on our equipment may be more open to using our instruments once they are out in the workforce. Hopefully, some of them will join our company upon graduation. Our country faces a shortfall of workers with technical skills. We must have access to quality personnel who can join the workforce with ready-to-use knowledge. We have now made donations to four other institutions as well. How exactly do you support these institutions? In some cases we provide instruments only; in some we provide working demonstrators, at times it is the complete lab. The latter would not have been possible without the support of Consult and the PCs; it is truly a Group-wide effort. We also provide maintenance services, training material, training for the instructors and sometimes our people are guest lecturers. How about the experience? SAIT is a real success. The colleges and the students are very appreciative of our donations and involvement. They have told me that Endress+Hauser is providing a ‘dream come true’ to students and staff. Last but not least, companies in the oil and gas industry see our donation to SAIT as a real commitment to their industry.
India Endress+Hauser India manages a strong partnership with the local university. This effort has visibly improved our image, explains Vinay Chitale, Marketing Manager for Endress+Hauser Maulburg in Aurangabad.
How did the collaboration in Aurangabad begin? Vinay Chitale: The collaboration started in 1999, when we sent four students to Germany to obtain a master’s degree. In 2010, Klaus Endress signed a memorandum of understanding with the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and we donated the instrument panels. The laboratory was named ‘Dr G H Endress Automation Laboratory’. Are you also involved in the training program? We committed to delivering four guest lectures. We also carried out a two-day training program for the local lecturers. Later we gave 13 students the opportunity to complete our web-based training. The award ceremony was a wonderful presentation of our commitment towards supporting education in the local region. During the ceremony we announced that we will provide the training facility to 100 students from the region. This was very well received. In 2013 and again in 2014 more than 450 students completed the web-based training program. How has the cooperation developed since then? Matthias Altendorf renewed the agreement in 2012, focusing on the sponsorship of ten bright students and also for financially challenged students. The Aurangabad Divisions handed over the sponsorship amount. This hopefully will help us to breed talent for our future R&D team. Two students – one girl and one boy – were selected to be sent to Maulburg for orientation and training in February 2015. Is recruitment of young talent the main goal of this commitment? We always recruited our young engineers from the local university, but this gives added confidence that we are committed towards local development. Our trainers and managers donate a lot of their spare time, which has helped to build a positive image of Endress+Hauser in the region and in India as a whole. We get approximately 300 to 500 students visiting our facility each year, where they learn more about our high standards in manufacturing. Wherever these students go in their life, they will always remember and admire Endress+Hauser.
South Africa In the last ten years, Endress+Hauser South Africa has very successfully forged relationships with three external training providers. Marketing Manager Hennie Blignaut explains why the sponsored training units are very similar. How did it all begin? Hennie Blignaut: Endress+Hauser began working with Tshwane South College approximately ten years ago, when the school was thinking about a suitable venue for an instrumentation training school. The ultimate aim was to enhance the level of know-how in the field of process automation in South Africa. This partnership has been a major success story. In 2006, the University of Johannesburg also identified the critical need to train more instrumentation technicians and technologists. They approached us to build a ‘center of excellence’. Since then the Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology has also been set up with the latest technology and equipment. All of the labs have been named after the late Dr Georg Endress. The three labs are very similar in design and also have third party instruments. Why are they nearly identical? To ensure that Endress+Hauser is able to support these universities and colleges in a unified and structured way when it comes to design, set up, maintenance and further enhancements. It also allows us to fairly easily duplicate new Dr Georg Endress facilities that may be planned in the future. The training rigs are focused on technology, applications and solutions including a theory and hands-on component. How exactly do you support the institutes? Instruments are sold at cost, or obsolescent instruments are donated. Endress+Hauser is committed foremost to supporting this initiative on a long-term basis. We also maintain the training centers and host student days with training. It is at these student days that we are able to ‘market’ the career possibilities within our company, not only in the technical and maintenance fields. Thus we assist the education and growth process in our industry, which will eventually give us a broader spectrum of candidates for our in-house training program. Have you been successful? Yes! At least half of our service team gained their practical training at Endress+Hauser, while others have moved into Sales and Projects.
USA Endress+Hauser works hard to raise its profile by building relationships with training institutions in the USA as well. Jerry Spindler, who manages customer & field service training, also wants to make better use of the training center in Greenwood.
How many instruments have you donated in recent years? Jerry Spindler: Prior to 2013, most activity in the USA was handled by the regional sales managers. We may have donated around 20 devices per year. In the last two years we have made more of an effort, increasing our donations to over 50 devices per year with a market value of more than 100,000 dollars. The universities should be either a source of graduates, or a location where incumbent process industry workers are trained for workforce development. Very important is the school’s willingness to maintain a long-term working relationship with us and to be part of our process training network. What does this mean? In those cases, part of our service proposal is also to keep the equipment fresh and up to date, since most universities have limited budgets. We don’t want to just make a donation and then walk away! We also generate service revenue by providing trainers to run the instrumentation courses. That way it is a service expert trained at Greenwood who is instructing at the school. These people also do field work on customer sites, which brings even more real-world experience to the classes, which the students appreciate. Do you usually donate pre-used instruments or ‘returns’? Before 2013, the primary source of hardware was returns from our customers, so there was a limited list of devices we could offer. But in the last two years we have also produced new and tailor-made devices. Usually the schools have just a very vague idea about what equipment they really need. So they look to us as a true partner to help them select the right devices. Do you also train students at the new Greenwood customer center? Our classes have been focused on our internal Sales and Service personnel, as well as our customers. We plan to host additional events in the future. Most of the major engineering and technical schools in Indiana already have the most modern labs in the US due to our involvement, so students really wouldn’t need to come here for training!
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People
A day in the life of…
Davide Duregon, Product Manager Analysis, Italy Davide Duregon (30) introduces customers to the secrets of analysis measurement technology. But colleagues in sales and service also take advantage of his knowledge. I have a dynamic job. Since I’m exposed to a variety of environments, I learn something new every day. That’s what I appreciate most about my job at Endress+Hauser Italy. As an example, one day I meet with the managers of a local water treatment plant. The next day I check to see how things are running in the clean room at a life sciences company. Then I get a call from a government lab chemist who needs help… This not only requires a lot of technical and industry knowledge, but also the ability to deal with different people, understand their problems, and communicate with people at various levels of the organization. Whether I’m working with a maintenance technician, a procurement specialist or a
quality assurance manager, it’s always exciting to gauge the customer’s reaction and see which path we take to reach the objective. Climbing a hill with my road bike after work is actually a similar challenge. Although I can choose different routes, the best part is reaching the summit! Recognition When it comes to our customers, we also want to reach the top. We manage that pretty well because we have a good team, we’re flexible and we can always rely on the company’s extensive experience. I’m 30 years old. After I graduated from university, I worked briefly for an energy provider, after which I joined the marketing department at Endress+
Hauser Italy in 2010 as a product manager for the analysis business. One of the great things about this position is that I get a lot of recognition from different areas. Customers and colleagues value my technical know-how and understanding of the market. On the one hand, I act as an interface between sales and service. On the other hand, I have close contact with the Endress+Hauser Conducta production center. That allows me to stay up-to-date on what is occurring in the product world. So not only can I better advise my customers in the area of analysis measurement technology, I can also share my know-how with our customers through training courses.
8:30 a.m. Assignment What A typical meetings are scheduled for working day today? Aft the diary, Das Tagebuch vom Mittwoch, 4.er reviewing Juni 2014
it’s time to browse the inbox. Many of the email inquiries from customers and colleagues revolve around selection of the right instrumentation.
8.00 a.m. Arrival Davide Duregon makes his way to the Endress+Hauser Italy headquarters. The o�ce is located in Cernusco sul Naviglio, a community in the metropolitan area of Milan. After a cup of coffee with colleagues, the day can begin.
10:00 a.m. Approach Customer meeting at the sales center. Davide Duregon uses a PowerPoint presentation to introduce the small delegation to the fundamentals of analysis measurement technology. Afterwards they have time to discuss a specific application in more detail.
Full of energy: besides his technical expertise, Davide Duregon needs excellent communication skills for interacting with customers.
1:45 p.m. Advice Customer call at a large water treatment plant near Milan. The aging automation technology needs to be improved and upgraded. Davide Duregon recommends modern analysis measurement points based on Memosens technology.
6:00 p.m. Athlete After work, the sports enthusiast likes to take a ride on his silver road bike or go jogging with his girlfriend. Afterwards, it's time to take care of his aquarium, since he is a stickler for water quality even at home! 4:15 p.m. Assortment The second customer call for today. A representative of the municipal government wants to know the best way to measure the flow in open flumes, including which Endress+Hauser instruments should be taken into consideration for this application.
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Technology
Small molecules, big goals
Endy in his element
Analytik Jena has been part of the Endress+Hauser Group for nearly two years. Founded in 1990, the German company is well positioned in the global market with its analytical product offerings.
Determining sulfur, nitrogen, chlorine and carbons levels is a particularly important task in the chemical and petrochemical industries. That’s why Endy’s expertise in the field of elemental analysis is in great demand.
responding high technology products to increase significantly.” An important step forward was taken this past year with the acquisition of the ICP-MS business unit of Brucker Corporation, an American scientific instruments specialist. “Integrating ICP mass spectrometry technology into our core business will allow us to offer the entire portfolio of trace element determination equipment based on atomic spectrometry,” says Klaus Berka excitedly. “With this move we’re edging closer to our three largest US competitors. The goal of this portfolioenhancing acquisition is to penetrate new sales, customer and market segments and to strengthen our market position.” Universal talent: atomic absorption spectrometers from Analytik Jena are in demand in the environmental, medical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and research industries.
“Today there is no relevant market that we do not represent with our analytical instruments,” says Klaus Berka, CEO of Analytik Jena AG. He founded the company in 1990, together with two other former employees of Carl Zeiss AG. The new company has been successful worldwide for many years in its core business. With exports accounting for roughly 75 percent of revenues, Analytik Jena sells its products in more than 90 countries, a number that is on the rise. Broad range As a manufacturer of highly-specialized instruments and products backed by a workforce of around 1,100, Analytik Jena has positioned itself in an exceptionally varied technology segment while serving numerous industries and markets. The portfolio runs the gamut from conventional analysis technologies for measuring element and molecule concentrations, to bioanalytical systems that examine the entire life cycle of a
sample, from preparation to detection. “We see particularly high growth potential in the market for bioanalytical instruments and molecular diagnostic reagents,” says Klaus Berka, who adds, “We expect the demand for cor-
“With our acquisitions, we’re edging closer to our three largest US competitors.” Klaus Berka, CEO of Analytik Jena AG, Germany
Complementary portfolios With Analytik Jena’s two core business segments – Analytical Instrumentation and Life Science – Endress+Hauser has defined two central areas of growth. The company’s own process technology analysis products, which are not designed for laboratory environments, complement the Analytik Jena portfolio that is managed within the Group under its own brand. “There are many global opportunities for the Analytik Jena products,” says Matthias Altendorf, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group. “But we have a lot of work ahead of us before we can create the right framework.” This includes building the international sales structure needed to respond to increasing demand in the Asian growth markets. Over the years, Analytik Jena has consistently managed to position itself against considerably larger competitors and drive international growth through innovative products. “I see no limit to our growth potential,” says Klaus Berka. “If we make smart, targeted investments in our structures, we will add significantly to our market share.”
The process of burning fuels and heating oil creates sulfur and nitrogen oxide, which can harm the environment. Strict thresholds have thus been developed, which industries must adhere to. With the multi EA 5000 elemental analyzer, Endy has an outstanding analysis tool at his disposal. The multi EA 5000 is deployed in refineries and other industries to analyze product compositions and contamination. Here the focus is on tiny concentrations of nitrogen, sulfur and chlorine. The instrument detects catalytic toxins and corrosive elements that can damage production equipment and systems. What exactly happens during this type of analysis? The first step is to thermally dissolve the sample in the multi EA 5000 at 1,000 degrees Celsius. All of the sulfur, nitrogen and carbon compounds present are converted into gaseous oxides (SO2, NOx, CO2) which are then detected and quantified. To do this, the instrument relies on ultraviolet fluorescence, chemical luminescence and infrared measurements. If halogen compounds are present, they are converted to gaseous halogen hydroxides, which are then transferred to a titration measuring cell in order to determine their concentrations. It doesn’t matter if the
has become standard. Increasing complexity, volatility and viscosity of the samples, however, makes it necessary to use the horizontal mode. To date, the laboratory team has used two different instruments. Depending on the sample matrix and analysis objective, the multi EA 5000 double furnace technology makes it easy to switch between applications. Conversion only requires a few steps, which saves valuable time.
sample is a solid, liquid or gas: the multi EA 5000 can examine oils, fuels, solvents, polymers and a wide range of other organic materials. The user needs to detect the presence of elements in various refinery products. Here, Endy has another ace up his sleeve. For rapid and precise determination of liquids and gases, particularly in the trace range, the use of vertical systems
How does Endy explain the advantages of vertical and horizontal furnaces? In the horizontal mode, the sample is injected automatically into the combustion chamber where it is completely burned, free of residues. This is the optimal environment for creating dependable measurement results. The user again saves time since the intelligent flame sensor allows complete and simple oxidation of each sample in variable amounts without exact knowledge of its properties. The vertical application is best suited for determining tiny elemental concentrations. For the ultra trace analysis of sulfur content, the multi EA 5000 boasts a very low detection threshold range of five parts per billion (ppb). That means users are already equipped for the future when it comes to meeting the quality requirements of their products.
All-rounder The multi EA 5000 is an extraordinarily versatile analyzer for solid, pasty, liquid, gas and liquid-gas samples. Determining carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and chlorine levels is only part of the application spectrum. Capability to analyze environmental parameters such as total organic carbon (TOC) and organic halogens (EOX, AOX/TOX), makes the multi EA 5000 extremely adaptable.
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Markets & Solutions
Turning sludge into energy in Pretzel City As part of a modernization effort, the city of Reading, Pennsylvania upgraded its wastewater treatment plant with the latest technology. Apart from using the plant’s biogas to generate energy, the city is saving the equivalent of 60,000 euros annually through technology from Endress+Hauser.
In the United States, Reading is known as ‘Pretzel City’. Situated roughly 200 kilometers west of New York, most of the city’s original settlers came from Germany, bringing the twisted lye pastry to their new homeland. Besides being home to around 90,000 people, Reading still boasts scores of large pretzel manufacturers such as Bachman, Dieffenbach and Unique. To dispose of the lye water from the bakeries, the city built a wastewater treatment plant at the end of the 18 th century on Fritz Island, an islet in the Schuylkill River. Population and in dustrial growth, in addition to the incorporation of surrounding commu nities, forced the city to repeatedly modernize and expand the plant. Today the facility is capable of treating more than 100 million liters of wastewater a day. Water/wastewater is a non-cyclical industry and an exciting market for Endress+Hauser. With many areas of the world subject to stricter environmental regulations, the demand for technologies and equipment is growing, and for many customers this places growing importance on the availability of efficient, environmentally-friendly technologies. Meanwhile Endress+ Hauser supplies nearly 95 percent of the measurement technology used on Fritz Island including level, pressure and flow instruments, as well as recorders.
Fresh and clean: The city of Reading, a traditional center of pretzel production, has modernized its waste water treatment plant several times over the years.
Growing market After the latest modernization, the plant not only treats water, but also uses a closedloop system to convert biogas into
Meeting the customer’s needs: The ultrasonic flow measuring system was specifically designed for real-time monitoring of wet, dirty biogas.
energy. The employees’ primary task is maintaining the process temperature at a constant 35° C. John Gerberich, the facility’s chief electrical engineer, explains: “At a cozy temperature of 35° C, the anaerobic bacteria feel right at home in our three large digesters. As long as we maintain stable process conditions, the bacteria are extremely productive and highly efficient.” Before the generator turbines begin to rotate, several things have to happen in the wastewater treatment plant. The first step involves the removal of large debris such as kitchen leftovers, hygiene articles and pieces of wood with huge rakes or strainers. In a sec-
ond step, the water flows to a basin where sand, rocks and gravel settle on the bottom. The top is skimmed at the same time to remove any fats, oils and grease that collect on the surface. Parting of the ways The wastewater then enters a preliminary clarification basin to decelerate the flow and remains there for two hours to allow other materials to settle on the bottom as sludge. This sludge is then extracted and diverted to the digesters. The treated water is piped back into the river while the sludge is used as an alternative source of energy.
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Markets & Solutions
Wastewater treatment and sewage sludge digestion Sewer system Public site
Biogas control
Inlet and mechanical treatment Industrial site
Pump station
Bar screen
Fat /Sand removal Gas flare
to sludge treatment River
Fecal station
PO4 precipitation
Primary clarifier
Gas motor
Secondary clarifier
Final filtration Disinfection
Aeration
on the Fritz Island facility. The methane is drawn off to burn in the boilers, which produce steam to power the condensing turbines that drive the electrical generators. Not long ago, the plant was using an outdated pressure transducer to monitor biogas flow via its SCADA telemetry network. “Frankly, it wasn’t very accurate and we often had false readings,” John Gerberich recalls. Temperature was monitored manually, while the facility’s lab spent up to four hours a day analyzing gas
Boiler
Point of discharge/river Effluent line
Biological treatment
Hungry bacteria In the digesters, the wastewater sludge is consumed by anaerobic bacteria and converted to combustible biogas. Any harmful organic carbon compounds are broken down through a microbiological process. In this oxygen-free environment, the energy required for the bacteria’s metabolic process stems from the conversion of organic carbon compounds into organic acids. The bacteria then produce biogas that consists mainly of methane and carbon dioxide, which in turn is utilized to generate energy
Gas tank
to sludge treatment
Return activated sludge Precipitent preparation
Digester
samples to determine the methane fraction. Excessive energy consumption The daily analysis caused delays in adjusting the sludge flows into the digesters. “Sometimes the methane fraction would drop below 20 percent and the temperature would fall to 20° C. These conditions caused the digester to sour, which caused metal corrosion, not to mention that we had to tap external sources of natural gas to fuel the boilers to make up for the low
“The Proline Prosonic Flow B200 from Endress+Hauser might at first seem expensive, but with the savings it can generate, it’s really a no-brainer.” John Gerberich, Chief Electrical Engineer, Fritz Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, Reading
methane fractions.” This was costing the plant several thousand dollars a month. “I really wanted a way to measure temperature and methane fraction in real-time so we could dispense with the lab testing, which took us so much time!” Real-time data transmission A Prosonic Flow B200 was the answer. This flowmeter was developed by Endress+Hauser especially for biogas applications. It not only measures gas flow under heavily fluctuating process conditions with a high degree of accuracy, it can also monitor the methane fraction directly in the pipe using ultrasonic technology. This unique functionality means the quality of the gas can be continually monitored. With the introduction of the Prosonic Flow B200, the plant no longer has to wait hours for the test results and the lab’s technicians can put their time to better use.
As the plant operator, the city of Reading is saving the equivalent of almost 60,000 euros a year – the result of increased lab productivity, halved maintenance costs and less demand for natural gas to fuel the boilers. John Gerberich is highly satisfied, given that the instrument paid for itself within one year. “The Proline Prosonic Flow B200 from Endress+Hauser might at first seem expensive,” he said, “but with the savings it can generate, it’s really a no-brainer.”
Prosonic Flow B200 measures the flow rate in the measurement pipe by means of two diametrically opposed sensors. The sensors are arranged such that one of them is placed slightly downstream of the other. The system determines the flow signal by alternately measuring the duration of an acoustic signal from one sensor to the other and then relies on the fact that an ultrasonic signal travels faster downstream than upstream. The instrument determines the volume flow using sequential measurements between all of the sensor pairs. By recording both ultrasound velocity and instantaneous gas temperature, the instrument can directly indicate the methane percentage. Biogas usually has a relative humidity of 100 percent. That allows the system to determine the water content based on temperature, and compensate accordingly. The wastewater treatment plant on Fritz Island is owned and operated by the city of Reading, PA. It receives wastewater from the city and eleven surrounding municipalities. Four remote pumping stations drive wastewater to the plant, which is designed to process 100 million liters per day.
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connections
Around the Globe
Incredible Mumbai As author Salman Rushdie wrote, “Mumbai is all of India.” After the country’s declaration of independence in 1947, the port city of Mumbai evolved into a bustling trade and cultural center with 12.5 million inhabitants.
Continuing growth: 176 ‘People for Process Automation’ look after the Indian market.
A country on the up For over 20 years Endress+Hauser has had its own sales team in India. This emerging country holds great potential, as well as many surprises.
E as t ern Freew
BYCULLA EAST
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Unity in diversity – this is the mainstay for Endress+Hauser in India. “India is a huge mosaic of highly diverse ethnicities, cultures and religions,” says Managing Director Sajiv Nath. There are no fewer than 26 official languages, some with their own script. “That means our employees are vested even more in company values such as commitment and friendliness, and strive to position themselves better still in their region or industry.” With 176 employees Endress+Hauser India ranks amongst the top ten sales centers in the Group. Headquarters are located in the mega-metropolis of Mumbai; ten regional offices as well as individual engineers bring knowhow to the customers, just where they need it. The company’s presence on the sub-continent stretches back to the 1970s, when Endress+Hauser began a joint venture in Indore. In 1994 the alliance was dissolved and the company opened its own branch office in Mumbai. Four years later this developed into the Sales Center. Aurangabad, 300 kilometers away, is where the Endress+Hauser PCs Flowtec (since 2000), Maulburg (since 2007) and Wetzer (since 2012) produce for India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Opportunities and risks “The sheer size of the country is a challenge,” says Sajiv Nath. “It’s 3,000 kilometers in
both directions, from north to south and from east to west. It takes us more than 24 hours to reach some customers.” Development of infrastructure is an important key to national development. And this will open up new prospects: for example the state-owned gas company, GAIL, has decided to equip its country-wide pipelines and gas works with analysis measurement technology from SpectraSensors. Other companies such as Jal Board, the Delhi water supplier, have put their trust in Endress+Hauser measurement and automation engineering for many years. In India a large amount of industrial power is concentrated in industries such as chemicals, food and life sciences as well as primaries and metal. Industries and regions In order to offer these customers even better service, the sales center has decided to support key sectors of industry with regional branch managers. After ten golden years the fact that the pace of the economy has slowed somewhat since 2011 – the annual growth rate fell from eight to four per cent – is partly due to a hesitant economic policy. Differing tax laws make life difficult for logistics, and many large corporations are state-owned, which often leads to protracted awarding procedures. “We’re hoping for an up-
turn with the new government in 2015,” says Sajiv Nath. “Stability and the removal of trade barriers will hopefully lead to more foreign firms investing in the country again.”
India
Hanging Garden
6 Dhobi Ghat Around 10,000 slum residents take care of the laundry for Mumbai’s hotels and hospitals. Men scrub the laundry with soap in hundreds of concrete wash tubs while the women handle the ironing.
Aurangabad
Victoria Dock
DHOBI TALAO
5 Azad Maidan
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2 Chor Bazaar ‘Chor’ actually translates as ‘thief.’ Legend has it that one of Queen Victoria’s violins surfaced here not long after disappearing. This legendary flea market has long been famous for antique and classical items as well.
ay
1 Gateway of India Mumbai’s most famous landmark was erected in 1924 as a colonial welcome for (British) passengers. In a piece of historical irony, the last British troops departed the subcontinent 24 years later from this very spot.
Lalbaug Flyo ver
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Arabian Sea
Jawahar Dweep Bh au c
ha Dh akk a
Gharapuri
3 –M ora
nt pha Ele
a–
M
ry Fer bai um
3 Elephanta Caves These temple caves dating from the 8th century are situated on a small forested island. Scores of stonework sculptures flank the steps to the sanctuary, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Boripakhadi Site.
Mumbai
India with its 1.2 billion inhabitants is the most highly populated country in the world after China. Bordering on the Himalayan Mountains in the north, the country protrudes like a wedge into the Indian Ocean. From 1756 onwards the conglomerate of principalities came increasingly under British influence. Peaceful resistance headed by Gandhi led to India’s independence in 1947.
5 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus This train station, built in 1888, serves three million passengers each day, making it one of the world’s busiest. With both Victorian and Indian elements, the building is a hallmark of Mumbai’s Neo-Gothic architecture.
4 Colaba Causeway Mumbai’s shopping mile is considered the cultural heart of the city. Lining the much-frequented thoroughfare are historic palaces, luxury hotels and museums, as well as countless shops, galleries and cafés.
“Boomtown and ‘Slumbay’ – Mumbai is an overwhelming city of extreme contrasts.” Sapna Batoye, Assistant to the Managing Director, Endress+Hauser India
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Piazza
Portrait
Of damsels and dinosaurs
About myself • My life’s motto: If there is anything you can do today, don’t put it off until tomorrow • My greatest pleasure: Solving a problem • The place I’d like to visit: Mecca • A skill I’d like to have: Speak English fluently
Thanks to a daycare center and vacation care, family life and work are now easier to reconcile in Maulburg. “Accepting social responsibility is a central value for Endress+ Hauser,” stresses Wilfried Köning, Head of HR in Maulburg. Five years ago, PC Maulburg broke new ground and cooperated with a local daycare center for children: with the help of Endress+Hauser donations, the ‘Neue Strasse’ day nursery expanded its premises with a nap room, a kitchen and a separate play area for the toddlers. The annual operational allowance reserves a total of ten places for employees’ children aged one to six years. “When we assessed the demand, we found that some parents also had difficulties bridging the school vacation times,” continues Wilfried Köning. “Taking the next step, this prompted us to develop a concept for company-run vacation care for children.” In 2013 an organization team around Christin Schelenz (HR Development) ventured into a vacation program for our employees’ children and their friends. Over 30 children aged from six to eleven years took part in the three-week program. The enthusiasm was so great that an additional engineering week was offered in the fall vacation of 2014 and the summer vacation care was extended over another four weeks. Each week had a different theme, ranging from damsels of the castle to dinosaurs. “We offer our kids exciting summer vacations – the follow-up has already been scheduled for this year,” discloses Wilfried Köning. New experiences: in Maulburg young talents are always welcome.
Then and now
Up on the ladder of success What looks like a Dada art performance is in fact – well, actually what? Four gentlemen and a remarkably younglooking apprentice are grouped around a rickety handcart carrying a gadget which could easily pass as a rocket section, were it not far too improvised with its loose cables. It turns out this is a ladder with safety cage, like the ones found on many a tank or silo: this unsophisticated construction is an exhibit on the way to a trade fair, and the ladder is only a decorative extra for the level measuring devices. The photo was taken in 1957 in Lörrach, Germany, where the first in-house instruments had gone into production a short while before. Endress+Hauser is still keen to climb the ladder of success, which may actually be one reason why today’s engineers rely on advice from trade fair and marketing professionals when showing their products. And why only very few people can remember when they last brought a measurement instrument to its destination on a wooden cart...
Do you have any historic photos somewhere in your own collection? Please send them, with a brief description, to magazine@holding.endress.com. For every photo we publish the sender will be rewarded with a 100 euro Amazon voucher.
Creative at home as well: Together with her husband, Lan Gao enjoys cooking Jiaozi, a kind of Chinese dumpling.
Teamwork on the Silk Road At the northwest edge of China, 3,267 kilometers from the Endress+Hauser Sales Center in Shanghai, Lan Gao (27) provides technical support – and preserves the Uyghurian culture. In Xinjiang we like to say, “If someone can walk, they can dance.” Well, I first learned the Uyghurian folk dance during my university studies. The dancer expresses his joy through swift and graceful gestures, in which every part of the body moves around in many different ways. You have to be completely agile; the head rotation alone required two months of practice, every day for one hour after school! But I think for the public, good charisma is more important than having the perfect technique. I belong to the Hui Muslims in China, one of the 13 ethnic minorities in our region. We’re a very hospitable and sincere people. In the Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture where I come from, as a child I galloped horses across the prairie. When I think back to this endless expanse, my heart soars! That’s also what happens when I think about my husband: I’ve been happily married for exactly one year... I earned my degree at the Xinjiang Petroleum Investigation Design and Research Institute in Ürümqi, a university that specializes in oil and gas production technology. I joined Endress+Hauser in 2008, right after graduation. The team had also just been formed and today ten employees work in Ürümqi. As part of technical support, I provide backup for the sales team, process orders, write bids and also organize meetings, training programs and team events. A lot of it is routine work, but if I can satisfy my colleagues and the customers, then I’m satisfied, too. I have a good heart and I enjoy working in a team. It takes a lot for me to lose my patience.
Central Eurasia Ürümqi literally means beautiful pasture. It’s the capital of the Xinjiang autonomous region and is farther away from the ocean than any major city in the world! It’s situated on the southern edge of a vast desert and steppe region in central Asia that is surrounded by towering mountain ranges. New oil and gas deposits were recently discovered nearby. The petrochemical, textile and iron and steel sectors are important industries and China’s largest wind farm supplies green energy. The surrounding area is also green. We took the front cover picture at the crystal-clear Heavenly Lake (Tian Chi) in Tianshan National Park, whose highest point is 5,440 meters above sea level. The lake, which you can reach from Ürümqi in two hours, is very popular. I go skiing in the winter. I also enjoy cooking very much and playing puzzle games with friends. In the summer you might see me at the nearby city park, where I continue to perfect the Uyghurian folk dance!
“Everyone likes Lan Gao for her kind, vivacious heart and earnest work attitude.” Dr. Guangjian Yu, Managing Director Endress+Hauser China
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“Customer satisfaction and personal recognition are what drive me.” Lan Gao, In-house Technical Support Engineer, Endress+Hauser China
Contact Endress+Hauser AG Kägenstrasse 2 4153 Reinach BL 1 Switzerland Phone +41 61 715 7700 Fax +41 61 715 2888 info@holding.endress.com www.endress.com