WE THINK RED. “Red symbolizes vitality, dynamics, progress and passion – a color that really suits us. Standing still is not part of our philosophy.” Harald Vogelsang, Managing Director 02 | THINK RED 04.2019

CONTENTS 08 RoadPump Plus by Vogelsang wins prize for sustainability Following on from the “busplaner” prize for international innovation in 2018, Vogelsang has now been awarded the 2019 sustainability prize by the same magazine 16 Agriculture. Precision distributors Precision is innovation. Precision distributors – The heart of liquid manure spreading technology 04 | THINK RED 04.2019 Title 12 NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR Salut, David! David Guidez joins the Vogelsang Management Board as the third Managing Director Hot off the press 06 NEWS 10 TRADE SHOW REVIEW Trade shows with a common theme. Vogelsang at InnoTrans, EuroTier and EnergyDecentral Sectors 16 22 28 32 AGRICULTURE. PRECISION DISTRIBUTORS Precision is innovation. Precision distributors – The heart of liquid manure spreading technology INDUSTRY. REDUNIT From waste to value. The RedUnit transforms tough food waste and by-products into pumpable media for further processing TECHNOLOGY. WINE PUMP Smart wine pumps. Increased digitalization and networks in wine production TRANSPORTATION. PIERPUMP Cleanliness on the water. The PierPump by Vogelsang disposes of wastewater from boats simply, cleanly and reliably. It helps to obey the new environmental regulations 38 IN FOCUS. ELECTROKINETIC DISINTEGRATION Maximum opportunities in the microcosm. Electrokinetic disintegration – the unknown process

NEWS Dietmar Köhler, Branch Manager MORE ROOM FOR GROWTH Vogelsang expands production capacity in Rothenschirmbach with construction of Hall IV The success story of the Rothenschirmbach site began 25 years ago with a small Vogelsang service shop in an industrial region. The customer base quickly expanded and following constant expansion of sales and service for eastern Germany, several years ago production activities were introduced on the site. Then a second hall was con- structed on the site grounds in 2010, with a third following in 2013. Based on the positive development and equally promising outlook, in 2018 the company decided to invest an additional 2 million euros to expand capacity and construct a fourth production hall. While to date the site has only hosted steel construction work for the dribble bar systems and trailing shoe systems, following completion of the fourth hall, complete system assembly will also be performed on-site. The employees responsible for these projects trained extensively for this purpose and were brought up to speed at the headquarters in Essen. The new machines that will be needed are also already in place. The inauguration of the new production hall is planned for 2019. Currently, 29 people are employed at the Rothenschirmbach site. Branch Manager Dietmar Köhler is expecting significant growth and accordingly, this number will be increased to 35 in the future. He has worked at Vogelsang as an engineer since 2002 and in Rothenschirmbach since 2008; he has the following to say about the new liquid manure regulation in Germany: “The new regulation increases demand for future-viable spreading tech- nology; as such, by expanding capacity in this way, we want to be able to respond to customer wishes with great- er speed and agility. 2020: Bring it on! We’re ready.” We are highly motivated and look forward to success- fully achieving this goal! 06 | THINK RED 04.2019 LOOKING BACK ON 2018 CONSOLIDATED GROWTH 2018 was as exciting as it was successful for Vogelsang. Our consolidated sales for the fiscal year 2018 amount to 112 million euros, which is equivalent to sales growth of around 6 %. The number of employees globally has also risen to almost 1,000. Paulo Roobol, Managing Director of Vogelsang B. V.

NEWS Left to right, Christoph Meyer zu Holsten, Martin Heinrichs and Jan-Bernd Winkeler, Project Managers of the Transportation Department at Vogelsang ROADPUMP PLUS BY VOGELSANG WINS PRIZE FOR SUSTAINABILITY A s market leader in the area of Following on from the “busplaner” prize for international innovation in 2018, Vogelsang has now been awarded the 2019 sustainability prize by the same magazine wastewater disposal and the supply of water for rail trans- port, Vogelsang is a tireless driv- er of innovation and also one of the first companies to have looked intensively at environmental prob- lems in the growing market of intercity bus travel. As well as looking at the technical feasibility, this was also a matter of con- science. In particular, the disposal of waste- water from intercity buses has and still does frequently take place without any controls. Using its long-established, compact rotary lobe pump systems for treatment of fresh water and wastewater in the rail segment, Vogelsang already developed a supply and disposal station for bus com- panies back in 2016. This was an innova- tion that immediately gained widespread acceptance, both with operators and the bus drivers themselves, who can now per- form the wastewater disposal service for their buses much more easily, significantly more hygienically and in a more environ- mentally friendly manner. As a reward for this modern, custom er-oriented solution to the prob- lem and in recognition of its contribution to environmental protection, Vogelsang has been awarded the international sus- tainability prize for 2019 by “busplaner” for its hy gien ic wastewater disposal sys- tem RoadPump Plus. This is already the second award it has received from this specialist publication, as last year the future-oriented system received busplan- er’s 2018 international innovation prize. “busplaner” is an independent specialist publication for bus companies, operators of public passenger transport, intercity bus operators and organizers of group travel. It appears eight times per year in the German-speaking world. This makes it a highly respected mouthpiece for the indus- try and the sustainability prize award- ed on March 18, 2019 is an award that reflects a high level of expertise. 08 | THINK RED 04.2019

TRADE SHOW REVIEW TRADE SHOWS WITH A COMMON THEME Focus on “high efficiency in spreading technology” at EuroTier in Hannover VOGELSANG AT INNOTRANS, EUROTIER AND ENERGYDECENTRAL In the last months of 2018, Vogelsang presented itself at InnoTrans in Berlin as well as at EuroTier and EnergyDecentral Hannover with innovative solutions for very different target groups and needs. InnoTrans – International leading trade show for transport technology September 20–23, 2018 in Berlin Due to rising numbers of passengers in long-distance rail traffic, the public transport service is faced with the chal- lenge of providing clean trains faster and faster. For this, Vogelsang presented three solutions from its broad product portfolio at InnoTrans last fall: The powerful TUnit for wastewater disposal and drinking water supply, the CleanUnit for efficient interior cleaning and the VacUnit as the central pumping unit. 10 | THINK RED 04.2019 © 2019 Messe Berlin

12 | THINK RED 04.2019

“For me, products and services always have to offer the customer added value of some kind. That’s my basic attitude in all of my duties.” further expanding the brand is a wonderful oppor- tunity. Since I trained as a mechanical engineer myself, I feel at home here and look forward to the challenges that await me at Vogelsang. What are your impressions of the Vogelsang team so far? Vogelsang has qualified and motivated employees who feel connected to the company and products. The headquarters in Essen/Oldb. is a meeting place for people from many countries and fields of exper- tise. Yet they all feel themselves to be a unit and stand loyally behind their employer. To me, that’s a key factor for success. Right from the outset my ideas and visions have been received with much openness and trust – which really motivates me to begin my work in earnest. What tasks and goals are first on your agenda? My goal is to optimize our processes along the entire value chain. Quality assurance will be a key factor in production and assembly, both in Germany and abroad. Another core task is to establish uniform stan- dards for processes and quality at the subsidiaries. At the same time, we want to increase production at the various sites and improve our delivery performance. How will you achieve that? With my hands-on mentality, combined with an ener- getic, capable and highly motivated team. I’ve been working in Germany for 20 years and have amassed a wealth of experience in the areas of production management, operational excellence and employee management at medium-sized technology compa- nies. Based on this experience, I know how to make the right adjustments, whether minor or major, that Professional career Born in France in 1974, David Guidez has lived in Germany for over 25 years. Following his technical studies in France, he additionally studied mechanical engineering and production technology at the University of Applied Sciences in Dortmund. He then began his career as an engineer at an automotive supplier and went on to expand his career experience at various medium-sized technology companies in production, operations and management positions. He spent most of his career in production management; most recently he worked at Rauscher FX as Managing Director. Personal life Things can get loud around David Guidez – especially when he reaches for his electronic guitar: the father of three children is an enthusiastic guitarist. When it comes to sports, he can be found looking for new challenges on the tennis court. The Frenchman also balances out his work with cooking and preparing sophisticated desserts. His French roots are on full display here, whether crêpes flambées or mousse au chocolat – ça va! 14 | THINK RED 04.2019

AGRICULTURE. PRECISION DISTRIBUTORS 16 | THINK RED 04.2019

AGRICULTURE. PRECISION DISTRIBUTORS TODAY MORE THAN 25,000 PRECISION DISTRIBUTORS HAVE BEEN SOLD AROUND THE WORLD T he even distribution of nutrients with the precision distributor and the dribble bar system enables the efficient use of the liquid manure. As a result, costs can be saved. This is because the need for additional inorganic fertilizers, and thus further investment, is considerably reduced. The original “waste product” liquid manure thus becomes a real source of nutrients. With the invention of the precision distributor and the dribble bar system, Vogelsang played a decisive role in shaping today’s precise liquid manure spreading technology and set a standard that is an integral part of efficient liquid manure management. To this day, as a mechanical engineering company, Vogelsang is the international market leader, especially for distribution and dosing technology as well as for complex link- ages with sophisticated technology and large working widths. Today, more than 25,000 precision distributors have been sold around the world. Evenly filling discharge hoses Precise, economical, flexible and absolutely reliable: these are the core characteristics of Vogelsang preci- sion distributors. They form the center of the even and precise distribution of the liquid manure to the individual discharge outlets and thus also to the hoses of the spreading system. That is quite a challenge for a spreading system. For working widths of 36 meters, as with the Vogelsang SwingMax dribble bar system, 120 hoses have to be evenly filled at the same time. Vogelsang has developed flexibly adaptable device types for these and other requirements. A reliable and economical precision distributor is characterized by three central factors: a configurable fit, the highest distribution accuracy and a long service life. 1 Fit To meet the different requirements of agricul- tural operations, Vogelsang offers two different systems for precision distributors, the DosiMat and the ExaCut (see Box 2). These two models can be subdivided into different variants and configured pre- cisely for the spreading equipment. Whether a dribble bar, a trailing shoe, a cutting tool, cultivator, short disc harrow or Strip Till machine, the precision distribu- tors can be connected to the most varied spreading systems and always work reliably. 2 Distribution accuracy The powerful rotors and the good flow char- acteristics of the precision distributors from Vogelsang ensure that the nutrients are evenly and precisely distributed. Due to the sophisticated design and the high quality of the individual compo- nents, they score highly with a coefficient of variation of what can be less than five percent. 3 Service life The Vogelsang precision distributors consist of galvanized material as well as a harmonized combination of the materials in the cutting sys- tem. These characteristics ensure the longest possible service life. Reliable safety systems, such as sealing packages that protect the hydraulic circuit from con- tamination, ensure highly reliable operation. For the drive equipment, premium-level motors from brand- ed manufacturers are used. 18 | THINK RED 04.2019

AGRICULTURE. PRECISION DISTRIBUTORS USERS’ IMPRESSIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Precision distributors in practical use ENGLAND ROB CRAMPHORN, A & R CRAMPHORN, AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTOR Above: Rob Cramphorn, contractor A & R Cramphorn, England Left: Luca Ravizza, manufacturer of tankers Ravizza Rimorchi, Italy The agricultural contractor A & R Cramphorn is located in Oakham, in England’s East Midlands, and has been offering agricultural services for more than 25 years now, specializing in the spreading of liquid manure and digestates. It distributes around 220,000 cubic meters of liquid manure each year using three of its own self-propelled manure vehicles. This mainly involves the spreading of digestate in spring and following the harvest in the fall. For tillage, A & R Cramphorn uses a short disc harrow with a working width of eight meters installed with a Vogelsang DosiMat DMX precision distributor. In spring, the DosiMat DMX precision distributor is used to distribute the liquid manure among the growing crops. “With a spreading capacity of between 20 and 40 m³ per hectare and a speed of up to 14 kilometers per hour, the flow characteristics of the DosiMat DMX are excellent. Thanks to the sophisticated technology, we have so far spread an area of 1,900 hectares during the fertilizer season – with no blockages or interruptions.” ITALY LUCA RAVIZZA, RAVIZZA RIMORCHI, MANUFACTURER OF TRAILERS AND LIQUID MANURE TANKERS Ravizza Rimorchi employs up to 18 employees at its company headquarters in Lombardy, Italy, where it manufactures trailers and liquid manure tankers. The company sells around 70 liquid manure tankers per year that are renowned for their precision, perfor- mance capability and reliability. For this reason, when it comes to selecting components for liquid manure spreading technology, Ravizza Rimorchi focuses on simple installation, high quality and serious suppliers. The tanker manufacturer therefore chose Vogelsang as its supplier for precision distributors. “In Vogelsang we have opted for a company that believes in the Italian market and develops premium-quality niche products for it, such as the precision distributors.” 20 | THINK RED 04.2019

22 | THINK RED 04.2019 MEATBONESWASTEFISHLEATHERRECYCLINGOVERPRODUCTION WASTEVEGETABLES

INDUSTRY. REDUNIT Markus Liebich, Industry Sales Manager for Germany Meat, bones and hooves: The 2 in1 RedUnit system will get to the bottom of abattoir waste “Abattoirs, gelatin manufacturers and butchers require sturdy and reliable shredders and pump systems.” Markus Liebich “During the slaughter of animal livestock, a great deal of waste and by-products like bones, skin and offal are created. These remains provide genuine added value if prepared accordingly – for example in the manufac- ture of gelatin, animal feed or fertilizers. To reenter the cycle, these tough materials need to be processed into the smallest possible particles or to a pumpable suspension using appro- priate technology. To do this abat- toirs, gelatin manufacturers and butchers require sturdy and reli- able shredders and pump systems,” explains Markus Liebich, Industry Sales Manager for Germany. The manufacture of meat and meat products is among the sec- tors in the German food proces- sing industry with the largest turnovers. Commercial abattoirs generated around 8.1 million tons of meat in 2017. Approximately 745 million ani- mals were slaughtered for this.1 During this process, as well as the primary product, a multitude of animal by -products and waste are created that are unsuitable for human consumption or only under certain condi- tions. By the thorough shredding of solid matter, these can be recycled to a great extent, however. Among 1 Source: German Federal Ministry for Statistics, Press Release No. 038 dated February 7, 2018. 24 | THINK RED 04.2019 other things, they can then be used for the manufac- ture of gelatin, animal meal, pet food or as a substrate for biogas plants. In addition, fat and protein can be melted down from the assorted bones and abattoir waste and used as raw products for the manufacture of cosmetics, medicine or animal feed. Precise shredding into the smallest possible parts is key here. The smaller the particles, the better they can be used in subsequent processes. A prerequisite for the processing of tena- cious solid matter in every case is tough, high avail- ability, coordinated shredding and pump technology. Sophisticated combination of pump and shredding technology Bones, hooves, horns, feathers or offal contained in remnants place huge demands on shredders and pumps. At the same time, specific size-reduction ratios that comply with a maximum size are often required in order to keep using the materials accord- ingly. The correct preparation chain for the recycling of abattoir waste and by-products varies therefore according to the characteristics of the solid matter to be shredded and the desired output. With the compact RedUnit Vogelsang has developed a practical plug-and-play solution. A combination of pump and shredding technology designed especially for the food processing and recy- cling industry, it offers significant benefits compared to stand-alone solutions: it requires less space and power, is simpler to control and maintain, and there- fore offers maximum operational safety. Furthermore, rotors and cutting screens can be flexibly adapted to customer requirements.

INDUSTRY. REDUNIT A control system can be optionally added to any RedUnit combination for maximum performance. Effective shredding without downtime From poultry and pig slaughterhouses to gelatin manufacturers, companies with the widest variety of meat and processing requirements rely on the RedUnit by Vogelsang. In 2018, for instance, a poultry proces- s ing plant from the UK opted to use a combination plant consisting of the XRipper XRL shredder and a CC series progressive cavity pump by Vogelsang. In the plant, hens are slaughtered and the meat prepared for the retail sector. Hens that are damaged during processing or fall to the ground are removed from the line. With a weekly plant throughput of up to two million whole hens, a great deal of waste is created: around a ton of waste per hour, which needs to be pro- cessed for the pet food market. The RedUnit by Vogelsang enables the com- pany to successfully handle the ongoing shredding and conveyance of these poultry remains. The XRipper processes the remains at a speed that is adapted to the substances, enabling the pump to run at a constant speed. The shredder tools on the XRipper are made of a block of special steel. Thanks to its single-piece design, the torque can be trans- ferred uniformly to the rotors across the entire length of the shaft, the shredder withstands higher loads and enables the process ing of up to 80 hens in just one-and-a-half minutes. Economical and easy to maintain The UK poultry slaughterhouse plant saves space, energy and time when compared to the shredders they used previously, as the RedUnit requires no additional downstream pumps or screw conveyors. The individual elements are stacked vertically on top of one another so that the shredded mate- rial falls direct ly into the integrated pump. Having no intermediate conveyance sections means that electricity consumption also drops overall. Since the RedUnit needs no water during the shredding process either, water consumption is also signifi- cantly less. The RedUnit boasts the QuickService concept for progressive cavity pumps for fast and easy maintenance, which offers several options for replacement of the rotor and stator and for sealing changes. If the pump needs to be operational again as quickly as possible, the stator and rotor are re- placed as a single unit. The entire rotating unit can also be replaced without dismounting parts of the 26 | THINK RED 04.2019

TECHNOLOGY. WINE PUMP 28 | THINK RED 04.2019

TECHNOLOGY. WINE PUMP SMART DATA ASSISTS WINEGROWERS IN THE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF PREMIUM-QUALITY WINES WHILE ENABLING THEM TO ACT ECONOMICALLY AT THE SAME TIME Integrated pump technology The key here, however, is not only the use of intelligent solutions in the vineyard but wine-cellar technology with high-performance components that both incor- porates and supports this digital approach. Pump sys- tems, being a crucial component in the production process, play a major role here as they come direct - ly in contact with the product to be processed and are used for demanding production processes – for instance, for pumping off the pomace after emptying the lees container, as the pomace of the crushed grapes consists of skin and seeds. Both the sediment and the pulp constitute very thick, liquid waste, which has to be suctioned off in the draining process. For this, it is important to keep one eye at all times on the operating status and the consistent functional capa- bility of the pumps, intervening immediately in the event of any operational faults due to clogging, for example. Other delicate processes (bottling, filling of barrels, remounting of red wines) need to be closed monitored at every moment. 30 | THINK RED 04.2019

TRANSPORTATION. PIERPUMP CLEANLINESS ON THE WATER The PierPump by Volgelsang disposes of wastewater from boats simply, cleanly and reliably. It helps to obey the new environmental regulations. T rips in sailing boats or motor yachts are a special way to experience nature. To ensure the water retains its quality in inland waters and remains attractive for tourists, skippers and port operators are increasingly paying attention to environmental protection. This includes the clean and hygienic disposal of wastewater from on board boats. More and more ports are there- fore fitting their docks with disposal stations, scoring points for both environmental friendliness and cus- tomer friendliness. 32 | THINK RED 04.2019

TRANSPORTATION. PIERPUMP With the PierPump, disposal of wastewater and bilge water is as straightforward as refueling at a filling station. A ccording to information by the Research Association for Sport and Leisure Ship- ping, there were around 480,000 owners of sailing and motor boats in Germany in 2016. From young families with small children to pensioners – boat owners want their vessels to be as comfortable as they are safe, to which modern and perfect working sanita- tion facilities are also integral. Besides the require- ment for comfort, environmental aspects also play a significant role for skippers. More and more boats collect wastewater form the WC or bathroom and kitchen in appropriate tanks. Depending on their fre- quency of use, these need to be emptied two or three times a month – ideally on land of course for the sake of the environment. The Netherlands has strict regulations in place on the disposal of wastewater for domestic and foreign sports boats: Since January 1, 2009, it has been prohib- ited for new or old boats or yachts to dispose of their wastewater in public waters. In Germany, laws vary depending on the relevant location (federal water- ways, state waterways, North Sea or Baltic Sea). Gerard Schermer, Marina Manager at the Stichting Yacht Port of Wartena in the Netherlands, therefore sees the onus as lying with docks above all: “If we want more water sports enthusiasts to use their wastewater tanks on boats, we also have to make sure that they can be emptied quickly, cleanly and without any malfunctions.” With 600 berths, the yacht port of Wartena installed a PierPump by Vogelsang in 2014 for this purpose. 34 | THINK RED 04.2019 Reliable wastewater disposal for boats and yachts with the Vogelsang PierPump Disposal of wastewater as simple as refueling If wastewater stations are simple to operate, they will also be used. This is the experience of Port Manager Gerard Schermer at least. With the PierPump, dispos- al of wastewater and bilge water is as straightforward as refueling at a filling station. “Whether it’s for a brief stop over or after a long sailing trip, our pump station is environmentally friendly and user-friendly at the same time. We placed great importance on this during the design,” says Christoph Meyer zu Holsten, Project Man- ager of the Transportation Department at Vogelsang. Boat users merely need to connect the wastewater tank to the PierPump hose and start the pump via the push of a button. Wastewater and bilge water are suctioned out hygienically and odorlessly. Another advantage is that the pump is immediately ready for use again. The tank is drained in less than five minutes.

Christoph Meyer zu Holsten, Project Manager of the Transportation Department at Vogelsang 36 | THINK RED 04.2019

IN FOCUS. ELECTROKINETIC DISINTEGRATION MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MICROCOSM Electrokinetic disintegration – the unknown process I ntegration is a word that in modern times is almost part of everyday language use in many countries. For some, the aim is to include all people living in a country or region in society. Others use the term to describe the combination of individual units or components of a system into a complex object. Especially in software technology, integration means embedding various applications into one app. For the reverse process, the splitting, disso- lution of a whole, there is a less common technical term: disintegration, which sociologically stands for the dissolution of social cohesion within a group, but in technology often represents a quite deliberate pro- cess. In biotechnology in particular, the dissolution of cell clusters and structures is a means to an end. Here, disintegration describes everything that aims to attack particles and break them down into individual frag- ments or to increase nutrient quantities, among other things by releasing of cell content. Help for bacteria Targeted disintegration processes have made a deci- sive contribution to the development of modern bio- technology into a dynamic and successful economic sector in recent years. Special bacterial, fungal or other biological cell cultures and enzymes are added to a selected biomass. The result is controlled fermen- tation, at the end of which the required substances are produced and as few as possible unwanted by-prod- ucts are produced, or none at all. Disintegration in “old” biotechnology The principle of disintegration has long since estab- lished itself in a field of application not necessar- ily known to most people for its biotechnology and that is the treatment of sewage. With the advent of industrialization, the volume and pollution of sewage increased significantly, leading to the development of biological purification processes. Here, too, human- kind falls back on natural processes: bacteria, cell cul- tures, etc., break down the organic materials contained in sewage. What remains are water and gases, which are released into the environment as well as a resid- ual material, the so-called sewage sludge. The first applications of disintegration processes were aimed at reducing the amount of sewage sludge, among other things by improving the dewaterability. Very soon, the idea came to mind of increasing the amount of biogas produced in the digesters through the use of disintegration processes. As it is combustible, a con- siderable part of the relatively high requirements for heat and electrical energy in sewage treatment plants can be generated within the plant. (In the municipal sector, sewage treatment plants are one of the largest consumers of electricity with an average electricity consumption of 20 percent.) 38 | THINK RED 04.2019

IN FOCUS. ELECTROKINETIC DISINTEGRATION By using the right process in the right place, sewage treatment plants and biogas plants can reduce their costs and increase their yield in a variety of ways. B iogas plants are increasingly being developed and built worldwide for the sole purpose of generating energy. In them, biogas is produced using a fermentation process from renewable raw materials as well as residual and waste materials, which in turn can be used directly to generate heat and electricity as required. In processed form, it is fed into the natural gas network for this purpose or serves as fuel in the transport sector. The processes that take place in the digesters of biogas plants have much in common with those in digesters in sewage treatment plants. Both are about decomposing or- ganic substances and generating energy – albeit with different characteristics. For both, however, it is true that efficiency can be significantly increased through the use of disintegration technology. The aim is always to break up so-called agglomerates and col- loids – clumps of bacteria and solid matter – as well as resistant structures so as to increase the overall surface area and thus the area that bacteria can attack. If this technique is used in the field of gas generation in biogas plants or sewage treatment plants, the yield of gas or heat and electricity increases. A fundamental principle – several technical approaches Over time, many different disintegration methods have been developed and tested. They can be roughly divided into physical, chemical and biological proce- dures, whereby there are also processes that combine physical and chemical process steps, for example. In addition to the energy requirement and the type of energy used (mechanical, electrical, thermal energy, to mention just a few), there are clear differences above all in the degree and type of disintegration of the orga- nic material. For some disintegration methods this can be seen with the naked eye, while other methods work at the cellular level and, without further investigation, at most only reduced viscosity can be observed. By using the right procedure in the right place, sewage treatment plants and biogas plants can reduce their costs and increase their yield in a variety of ways. A decisive factor for the economically successful use of a disintegration procedure is an increase in the efficiency of the overall plant. It is thus not enough to consider just the result of the disintegration proce- dure by itself, but the necessary investments as well as subsequent operating costs of the different procedures must also be included in the consideration. Depend- ing on the method used, these costs can vary consid- erably as they are based on different approaches. In practice, some procedures have thus proved to be uneconomic. Although their use has resulted in con- siderable increases in gas yield and cost reductions, the investment and operating costs as well as the effort involved in day-to-day handling were enormous. Electrokinetic disintegration in biogas and sewage technology Electrokinetic disintegration is distinguished from many other disintegration processes by its unique properties. It combines a high throughput capacity with a very low energy requirement. As the system has no classic wear parts, the regular maintenance work usually required is no longer necessary. Thanks to its compact dimensions, the system can be inte grated relatively easily into existing plants and processes. Its high throughput capacity allows the medium to be processed with an impact that corresponds to the everyday processes in an average plant. No additional treatment in a bypass needs to be planned and con- sidered. Non-existent maintenance costs and low investment and operating costs (one module consumes just 35 watts of power) represent a major economic advantage. 40 | THINK RED 04.2019

IN FOCUS. ELECTROKINETIC DISINTEGRATION Mr. Kolhoff BioCrack in the pump cellar of the biogas plant Kolhoff Effects of electrokinetic disintegration in sewage technology In digesters, often only a part of the organic substances can be converted. Agglomerates/colloids (clumps of organic matter and bacteria) and cell structures make biochemical digestion more difficult and thus impair the degree of breakdown and gas yield, or require a long time to be spent in the digester. Through the disintegration of the sewage sludge, be it during the feeding of the digester or during the recirculation of the digester, the breakdown of the organic matter and thus the gas yield is increased. A study at the Leipzig- Rosental sewage treatment plant, which was carried out as part of a bachelor thesis, showed a 12% increase in the specific gas yield compared to the reference digesters. At the same time, the amount of sewage sludge to be disposed of is reduced, which is a further major cost factor in sewage treatment. Another positive effect is that it is easier to dewater the disintegrated sewage sludge. Among other things, fewer polymers have to be added, i.e., additives that facilitate the extrac tion of water. At the same time, the sludge can flow more easily so that pumps and decanters require less power. Overall, operators and plant personnel observe a more robust and stable biology. But even sewage treatment plants without sludge digestion, i.e., with aerobic sludge stabilization, can also be optimized with the help of the unique properties of electrokinetic disintegration. While most disintegration processes do not prove profitable here due to the high energy requirement, the much more economical electrokinetic disintegration opens up new perspectives. The high-voltage treatment of the sludge breaks down extracellular polymer substances (EPS), which makes it easier to extract water from the sludge. This reduces the costs for sewage sludge disposal and requirements for flocculating agents. In addition, the viscosity of the return activated sludge is reduced by the treatment, which immediately reduces the energy required for aeration of the activation basin. This step in the process is of great importance for the energy required by a sewage treatment plant. On average, 67% of the electricity consumed by sewage treatment plants is used for biological treatment and final clarification, of which about 69% is used for aera- tion. For example, the operating data from the Büchen sewage treatment plant shows a 10% reduction in power consumption for the entire plant due to the use of electrokinetic disintegration. At the same time, the amount of sewage sludge produced fell by 10%, result- ing in further savings in disposal costs. Effects of electrokinetic disintegration in biogas plants When electrokinetic disintegration is used in biogas plants, the greatest advantages result from the increase in gas yield and the reduced power requirement of pumps and mixers. Here, too, clumps of added solid matter and bacteria (so-called agglomerates/colloids) are broken down, whereby the fermenting bacteria in the digester can more easily access the nutrients in the biosuspension. Together with the increased enzyme activity, the input substances are thus better and more completely converted into biogas. In practice, a biogas plant with an average output of 500 kW can 42 | THINK RED 04.2019

ANNIVERSARY. VOGELSANG CELEBRATES 90 YEARS 1929 The sawmill in Bunnen (Lower Saxony), about 1930 1960 The hall in Essen, 1970 The electric swing washing machine Hugo Vogelsang, 1929 In 1970 Helmut Vogelsang invents the self-priming rotary lobe pump with elastomer-coated rotary lobes. A pioneering innovation. VOGELSANG’S 90th ANNIVERSARY From a local craft business to a successful, internationally acclaimed industrial company V ogelsang, a family company, is celebrat- ing its 90th anniversary this year! It’s an important event that we will be celebrating throughout the entire year with many differ- ent activities for our customers, employees and partners. In addition to the celebra- tions, as part of the anniversary we will be present- ing specially selected memories, photos and other information from the nine decades of the company’s history with the aim of illuminating its significance. The 90-year history of Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG goes back to 1929 when the founder, Hugo Vogelsang, established a sawmill in Bunnen, Lower Saxony. A cooper by trade, Hugo Vogelsang and his ten employees initially produced wooden containers for agriculture. The product offerings were soon expanded to include the wooden liquid manure bar- rels that were in high demand in the region. Even at this early stage, the company paid special attention to distribution technology for liquid manure. This prescient perspective would later pay off: today the Vogelsang name is synonymous with precise and powerful spreading technology. As the company con- tinued to develop further technically, it turned increas- ingly toward metal processing. It was therefore logical for Hugo’s son Helmut Vogelsang to study mechanical engineering; then in 1960 he took over the family company, where he worked on new designs and successfully introduced them to the market. The first major expansion of the company’s capacities came in 1965 when the company moved into a 2,400 square-meter facility in Essen. 44 | THINK RED 04.2019

AROUND THE WORLD. CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL ASSEMBLY LINES 46 | THINK RED 04.2019 46 | THINK RED 04.2019

AROUND THE WORLD. CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL ASSEMBLY LINES By investing in local production, Vogelsang significantly reduced delivery times, while also considerably cutting transport costs and emissions. Uniformly high quality at local assembly line Vogelsang’s commitment to quality is firmly anchored in its corporate mission statement and the company holds itself to accordingly high standards. For example, production is carried out based on standardized assem- bly and production structures, as well as precisely defined procedures, processes and quality assurance levels. After assembly is complete, rotary lobe pumps and other components, as well as machines, are tested according to fixed benchmarks and every product is certified according to established criteria. Moreover, Vogelsang’s quality standards are upheld through supply chain management, employee training and other processes, such as final testing after production. All processes within the various company departments, such as Research & Develop- ment, Sales, Purchasing, Production and Service are derived from a uniform quality management system on all business levels. Spain – a key market The challenge is to ensure a uniform quality standard – and to do so worldwide, as Vogelsang is a mechanical engineering company with international operations, including production and assembly sites within and outside of Europe. By investing in local production sites, Vogelsang can be closer to its customers, respond to inquiries faster and offer quicker delivery times. To ensure reliable quality as well and globally uniform standards, Vogelsang replicates in the subsidiaries its tried-and-trusted assembly procedures, with quality standards and clearly defined process steps. Ulrich Ulrich Prost, International Manufacturing Manager Prost plays a central role in implementing these quality assurance measures. As International Manufacturing Manager, he plans, monitors and inspects the local establishment of assembly and production structures at Vogelsang’s international sites. His current project is to set up production infrastructure at Vogelsang’s subsidiary in Valls, Spain. “Spain is a key market for us,” says Harald Vogelsang, who as Managing Director is also responsible for international sales. “Since that country imposed statutory low-emission requirements for liquid manure spreading, the market’s demand has grown for dribble hose systems and precision distribu- tors in particular. As such, it was a logical step for us to choose Spain as the location to establish our latest non-German assembly site in Europe.” Setting up local production At the beginning of 2018, Prost and his project team began to prepare Vogelsang Spain for production readi- ness. They ran a pilot project to develop procedures, 48 | THINK RED 04.2019

AROUND THE WORLD. CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL ASSEMBLY LINES Jaume Tarragó Born: 1977 Position: Managing Director, Vogelsang Spain Experience: has worked in the pump sector since 2003, including as Sales Engineer and Product Manager He is a chemical and industrial engineer and has an MBA. LESSONS LEARNED – VOGELSANG SPAIN LAUNCHES PRODUCTION Interview: Jaume Tarragó reflects on the project so far THINK RED!: Mr. Tarragó, you are Managing Director at the Vogelsang subsidiary in Spain and are also responsible for setting up production there. What challenges have you faced? Jaume Tarragó: When we established the latest Euro- pean assembly site outside of Germany, in Spain, we had to overcome some challenges that we didn’t see coming at all – as is common with complex projects. The entire organization was able to benefit from the experience of these “growing pains,” and can now apply these insights into future production lines. Production has been underway at the Vogelsang site in Valls since October 2018. What’s your assessment so far? So far production and assembly have been running smoothly, which is also thanks to our well-trained employees. Production planning is not yet entirely com- plete. We have set ourselves the goal of further short- ening delivery times and reducing not only costs, but also the environmental impact. We are succeeding in this endeavor with optimally coordinated delivery and pro- duction processes that we are currently implementing. What goals are you pursuing for the subsidiary? This year we are focusing on the production of all rotary lobe pump models in the Vogelsang VX series and on the ExaCut precision distributor for precise liquid manure distribution. Long-term plans include further expanding the product range and more close- ly meeting the needs of our Spanish and Portuguese customers with our local production line. In this way we are rising above our competitors and strength- ening our market position in southern Europe. 50 | THINK RED 04.2019

SUCCESS MODEL: MEDIUM-SIZED COMPANIES SUCCESS MODEL: MEDIUM-SIZED COMPANIES Vogelsang as a prime example – agile and innovative 58.5 percent of all jobs in Germany are provided by medium-sized companies 99.6 percent of all German companies are medium-sized companies 35.3 percent of total sales in Germany are earned by medium-sized companies 82 percent of apprentices in Germany work at medium-sized companies M ade in Germany” – a phrase that first served during the 19th century to discourage interested parties in the United Kingdom from purchasing imported goods from Germany has long since become synonymous with quality and technical expertise. Nowadays, the mark of origin continues to win over people all around the world, as do German manufacturers with their prod- ucts and services. Today, just as it’s always been, this means medium-sized German companies: a national phe- nomenon that’s now coming to be viewed enviously on the international stage. A full 58.5% of all employees in Germany work for a medium-sized company* – which means that 16 million people have decided on build- ing their career at such a company. Above all, it’s the diversity that accounts for the strength of medium-sized companies; the companies perform tasks along the entire value chain. German medium-sized companies remain the driver of success in the German economy, ensuring that Germany is well positioned internationally. After all, it’s second nature for German company owners and their employ- ees to think internationally and to view the entire world as their market. It’s no wonder that the country consistently ranks first in world exports and is even making inroads on China’s ranking. Medium-sized companies – a German trademark Medium-sized companies are defined by annual earnings and the number of employees, according to which criteria 99.6% of all German companies belong to this category.* The spectrum ranges from tradition- al family companies and traditional trades shops through to startups. * Source: German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology 52 | THINK RED 04.2019

SUCCESS MODEL: MEDIUM-SIZED COMPANIES Franziska Stumpf is responsible for online marketing, and previously worked in retail, at an agency and for an international corporation. F or marketing specialist Franziska Stumpf, the fact that everyone at the company has a direct line to all levels of management is the deci- sive characteristic of working at a medium- sized company. She finds the agile nature of working at Vogelsang, along with the chance to converse daily with her colleagues, to be a tangible plus compared to other companies. The advantages are obvious to her: “At Vogelsang it’s possible to clarify specific decisions very rapidly. Often all that’s needed is to send a note to the department head.” “Outstanding access.” Franziska Stumpf, responsible for online marketing Franziska Stumpf also sees this proximity and dynamism as key elements of her career: there’s an excellent opportunity to develop and grow profes- sionally. Thanks to flat orga- nization principles, work pro- gresses in a largely horizontal manner. “At Vogelsang I can contribute my ideas and I’m con- tinuously being entrusted with greater responsibility. At a large corporation, however, tasks are often more narrowly focused.” “Nevertheless that’s probably not the case every- where and the differences between large corporations and medium-sized companies are less pronounced. It all depends on what the company makes out of it. I’m reminded every day that Vogelsang is a family company, and I find that very pleasant!” 54 | THINK RED 04.2019 Medium-sized companies – diverse and dynamic, with local roots and human feeling The company’s roots in the region are apparent in every department at the headquarters in Essen/Oldb. It’s understood that every employee can address anyone at the company informally – right up to the highest levels of management. The friendly morning greeting “Moin” in the local dialect also supports a feeling of trust within the company – a positive feeling of “us” that’s often lacking in large corporations. W hen Detlef Steuber, Head of Quality Management at Vogelsang, com- pares his current job with his former duties at a large corporation, the advantages are clear. “People care,” is how the 57-year-old summarizes his feelings, meaning that each individ- ual’s opinion is valued more highly than at a large cor- poration. “During a meeting, an outsider would hardly be able to differentiate those participating into man- agers or other employees – all opinions are valued and are welcomed.” This also extends to the apprentices at Vogelsang, who receive highly individualized train- ing. Right from the outset, the company intends for everyone to be able to derive satisfaction from their duties and feel themselves to be an important part of Vogelsang’s operations. In Detlef Steuber’s view,

90 YEARS OF VOGELSANG Yesterday … today … and in the future: we always go beyond. This year we are celebrating our 90th anniversary. As the inventor of the elastomer-coated rotary lobe pump we have become a world market leader. Our goal and our incentive is to hold this position and to further expand it in the future. We thank our customers and our business partners for placing their trust in us. vogelsang.info ENGINEERED TO WORK