trimet.de: News

Martin S�ffge CFO at TRIMET

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:39:00 +0100

Martin S�ffge comes from the Rewe Group, where he served for over 16 years working in managerial positions. Previously, he served as an auditor and tax consultant for seven years at KPMG Peat Marwick, where he first came into contact with TRIMET.

The 2008/2009 business year: The TRIMET team masters difficult times

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:09:00 +0200

"With our aluminium, we store energy, protect resources in recycling, and spare the environment about 1.7 million tons of CO2 with our products." An independent institute has confirmed the environmental benefit of aluminium beyond the duration of its utilisation after extensive tests in the past weeks.

TRIMET was able to conclude the past business year (1-7/30-6) with a profit despite the economic crisis. As a result of lower metal prices and decreasing production and trade volumes, turnover in the four areas of Metals & Energy, Primary Products, Recycling, and Automotive fell from EUR 1,112.3 million in the previous year to EUR 827.0, while the annual result reached EUR13 million after a special depreciation of EUR 1.2 million. In the previous year, EUR 39.8 million was listed as the result.

The financial situation is being influenced by an equity ratio that has increased by two percentage points to 37.1 and liquid assets that have risen to EUR111.4 million. The net financial debts to banks increased from EUR78 million to EUR85.8 million. The Board of Management and Supervisory Board are certain that the "difficult times" have been overcome, especially thanks to the employees. At some sites, the employees took advantage of the arranged short-time work to take part in voluntary further education measures. The number of employees remained almost constant at 1,548 (1,569 in the previous year), while the number of vocational trainees increased from 73 to 86: if the achieved environmental benefit is compared with the number of employees, each TRIMET employee saves more than 1,000 tons in CO2 emissions a year through his or her work.

TRIMET claims it will emerge even stronger from the economic crisis. A prerequisite, however, is a guaranteed power supply of the energy-intensive smelters in Essen and Hamburg at acceptable prices. In the next three years, compensation payments are being demanded for the CO2 certificate costs included in the electricity tariffs by the power companies and a comprehensive release from these costs by 2013. Without this release, the existence of the TRIMET smelters in Essen and Hamburg with a total of 1,000 workplaces are in great danger; TRIMET has no "Plan B" in this case.

German Government Boosts "Production of Eco-friendly Non-ferrous Metals"

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:58:00 +0200

In its quest to lay open the complex reasons and contexts behind the government decision, TRIMET held a press conference at its own Kurt-Ehrke-Haus in the city of Essen. At the corporation�s request, Rolf Hempelmann, the SPD�s Parliamentary Spokesman on Energy Policy, shed light on the arguments and decision-making processes that led the German parliament to pass the stimulus package. Facing 11 journalists from regional, business and technical media outlets, TRIMET CEO Heinz-Peter Schl�ter and Heribert Hauck, Director of Energy Management at TRIMET, stressed the significance for Germany�s energy-intensive industry of being able to rely on dependable power sources at economically feasible prices over the long run. Although the government�s short-term stimulus was welcomed, there was also a consensus that it was still a far cry from fair utility prices to keep the industry competitive in Europe, maximum energy efficiency in production processes notwithstanding. Commenting on market demands for reliability, Mr. Schl�ter said, �Our customers, especially the automotive industry, are interested in forming strategic, long-term partnerships with us, given the intensified use of aluminum parts in automobiles, which makes perfect sense in ecological terms. When we talk about environmental protection, our goal has to be to cut fuel consumption by cutting vehicle weight, especially when it comes to vehicle fleets. For TRIMET, it all comes down to delivery and pricing conditions we can�t possibly meet if we have no way of long-term planning stability for ourselves. Nota bene: planning stability in the production of aluminum goes hand in hand with planning stability in the feasible supply of this raw material called electricity.�

Production Joint-Venture Established

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:00:00 +0200

In the same vein, a joint venture has been formed under the name KS ATAG TRIMET Guss GmbH for the production of cylinder crankcases made from aluminum alloys. Both partners will hold a 50% share in the joint venture, which has already been approved by Germany�s federal cartel office and will be located in the town of Harzgerode in the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

KS ATAG TRIMET Guss will focus on automotive engineering to integrate the expertise of both partners in the fields of metal finishing, casting technology, raw-material and energy management, thereby capitalizing on the synergy potential from all of these fields. Both partners will retain their current production sites and market presence under their original product names. The joint venture will employ about 50 people.

TRIMET: Saving Energy Energetically - T�V certifies energy efficiency of the aluminum smelters in Essen and Hamburg

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:21:00 +0200

The efficiency standards of the Bundesamt f�r Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (Federal Office of Economics and Export Control) for manufacturing companies are fully met. This has been confirmed to the company by the certifying body of T�V Nord Cert GmbH. The certification will be necessary in the future to assure energy-intensive companies can retain the hardship provision and therefore be released from additional costs of millions which are determined by the political climate. This contributes to the safeguarding of Germany as an industrial base and ensures thousands of jobs.

Background information: Since 2000, all consumers have paid a contribution to the operator in their electricity rate in accordance with the renewable energy law. They pass on the revenue with subsidization to the operators of wind and solar energy plants. As energy-intensive companies such as smelting works cannot bear the additional costs arising from the renewable energy law, they were, in part, released from this surcharge with a hardship provision. As of 2009, the companies must demonstrate an efficient energy management system so that the hardship provision can be effective for them in the future.

TRIMET ALUMINIUM AG Reforms at the Top

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:31:00 +0100

Founder and sole owner Heinz-Peter Schl�ter (59) is switching from Chairman of the Board of Management to the Supervisory Board of the company; further members of this committee include Dr. Thomas Ludwig and Wolfgang Zwingenberger. Previous member Stefan Judisch has resigned for professional reasons; he is taking on a management position at RWE.

Within the scope of the completed "long-term, carefully planned generational change" (Schl�ter), Kurt Ehrke has retired from the Board of Management of TRIMET ALUMINIUM AG after reaching the age limit of 65. Mr. Ehrke has been in a management position at TRIMET since 1994. In honour of his great service to the company and the entire aluminium industry, the new TRIMET social and administration building at its headquarters in Essen is now called the "Kurt Ehrke Building."

German Energy Policy Remains Greatest Problem

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:30:00 +0100

Mr Schl�ter refers to his "best trained, highly motivated employees," a process and environmental technology that "sets standards worldwide," and the high-tech materials and products produced within the TRIMET association, which are "essential prerequisites for the competitiveness of our customers."

These customers admittedly come from the automobile industry and its suppliers. The downswing in this sector, however, was already foreseeable last autumn, and TRIMET adjusted to the reduced demand for aluminium in a timely manner. Mr Schl�ter says, "In these months, we have also followed our corporate philosophy and adapted to the declining need in close coordination with our customers." With pride, he speaks of an "excellent network of suppliers and customers" and of the company's own application-oriented research and development that it pursues together with its partners: "We thus contribute to securing the competitive advantage of export champion Germany."

The company has shut down electrolysis ovens without having to let employees go. Further education and training measures have been concentrated and completed, leaving TRIMET convinced that it has an even better trained team for the "hopefully upcoming upswing."

"The true threat for our production, workplaces, and customers does not come from the economic crisis," Mr Schl�ter says. "The true threat for us and Germany as a location for business comes from Berlin." The entrepreneur complained about the "massive distortion of competition due to the one-sided, high electricity rates in Germany." Even now, the emissions trade for CO2 certificates is leading to an enormous increase in the price of German electricity.

TRIMET currently pays EUR33 million alone for the CO2 costs included in the electricity rate, and the politically motivated increase in this rate will continue. Mr Schl�ter says, "From 2011, we will be paying EUR90 million, and, from 2013, an estimated EUR120 million. For us, however, electricity is a raw material and its costs already make up more than 40 percent of the production costs of primary aluminium in our energy-intensive company." Such financial burdens, which affect only German aluminium production, cannot be handled in international competition.

Indeed, the aluminium producers in neighbouring countries such as France, Spain, and Italy benefit from state-regulated electricity rates. These not only spare the European competitors the CO2 costs, but also guarantee them additional electricity rate advantages of the same magnitude.

According to Mr Schl�ter, it is "absolutely urgent" to relieve the energy-intensive industry of the CO2 costs not starting in 2013, but immediately. As he says, "We face any competition at TRIMET. Only it has to be fair."

International production of primary aluminum in decline

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:17:00 +0100

In December 2008, the production of primary aluminum again declined noticeably � in comparison with December 2007 by around 7%. All important regions worldwide were affected by this downturn. The downturn in production in China is especially noticeable, where the 17.3% decrease was most clearly visible.

We believe that this trend is also very likely to continue, initially, in the coming weeks. However, inventories are on the increase as the use of aluminum continues to decline.

33,000 euros for charitable purposes � TRIMET continued a good tradition at Christmas in 2008.

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:18:00 +0100

Most of the money was collected at the D�sseldorf site, where 5,000 euros each went to the university clinic�s pediatric cancer ward and to the Hans-Joachim Kaps foundation. The clinic is using the money to facilitate the utilization of a database used to research new therapy possibilities for children suffering from life-threatening leukemia. The Hans-Joachim Kaps foundation is dedicated to the training and further education of metal traders. It secures internships and stays abroad, and offers young skilled workers special promotion programs in this occupational field.

Traditionally, the majority of the donations benefited organizations committed to the wellbeing of children in difficulty. At the company headquarters in Essen, the Ronald McDonald House received a donation of 5,000 euros. The organization offers accommodation to families with children who are seriously ill and being treated in the neighboring Essen university clinic. The families can regain their strength and recover from the stressful day-to-day hospital experience in a temporary home.

In Gelsenkirchen, where TRIMET operates an aluminum recycling plant, donations were made including a sum of 5,000 euros which went to the children�s hospice �Arche Noah�. The �Arche Noah� cares for chronically ill and severely disabled children for a limited time, and helps to take the pressure away from their families. Both the TRIMET plants in Harzgerode and S�mmerda donated money for the wellbeing of families with children in their region. In the Harz community, 6,000 euros were donated to the Ballenstedt Diakonie, with which a warm lunch and clothes for especially needy children are being financed. In S�mmerda, the children�s ward of the local hospital was presented with a check for over 1,000 euros. This will be used to equip the playroom there.

Meanwhile, the aluminum plant in Hamburg has gotten involved in on-site sport. Here the soccer division of the Finkenwerder gymnastics and sports club was supported by the neighboring aluminum smelter. It received 5,000 euros for the expansion of its sports facilities. Local ball games are therefore being promoted at both of TRIMET�s smelter sites. As we all know, the local red and white heroes of Essen have been playing in TRIMET jerseys for years. The TRIMET office in Turin once again donated 1,000 euros to the Italian cancer research institute AICC.

TRIMET board member Kurt Ehrke on this year�s fundraising: �It is very important to us that through our donations we alleviate distress and pain as well as promoting joy and a sense of achievement. We owe a special thanks to our employees and customers, as they went without our Christmas gifts for the benefit of this fundraiser.� For this reason, according to Ehrke, it is also important to TRIMET ALUMINIUM AG that the outcome of each contribution can be pinpointed exactly. Ehrke: �Being able to see the results achieved by our donations also gives us great pleasure.�

Metal traders move into offices in Essen

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:19:00 +0100

With a total expenditure of around 4.5 million euros, TRIMET built a social building on the plant premises in Borbeck with offices for around 600 employees at the Essen site.

The new building, constructed over four levels, provides space for 35 employees with around 3,150m� floor space, in addition to the staff room. Along with the metal traders, the environmental and occupational safety sectors as well as the works committee and the executive board have also moved into the building.

The centerpieces of the investment are the state-of-the-art changing room, shower and washing facilities, several meeting rooms and a cafeteria and lounge for employees.