New chairman at VDMA Mining
The German manufacturers of mining equipment within the German Machinery and Plant Construction Association (VDMA) decided to have a new name. With immediate effects the name of the organization is “VDMA Mining”. With the new designation, the manufacturers not only want to take into account the international alignment of their sector, but also the circumstance that the term “Bergbau” is put on a level with the phasing out of coal mining in the public perception, and “Bergbau” does not have a very positive image in Germany.
However, the approx. 135 companies within the VDMA Mining not only gave themselves a new name. With Dr. Michael Schulte Strathaus (Fig.), they also elected a new chairman. The active partner of the companies Schulte Strathus, Cyrus Schwingtechnik and Cyrus Vibration Machines India replaces Dr. Paul Rheinländer who previously held the office for six years and who was no longer available for a new candidature. Schulte Strathaus acknowledged the commitment of his predecessor who pushed ahead the new alignment of VDMA Mining and the international standardization with many activities. The new chairman is a member of the Executive Board of the Council of Economic Advisers of North Rhine-Westphalia and is bearer of the Federal Cross of Merit.
Schulte Strathaus expects that the current weak business of the German manufacturers will revive again in 2015. He called the situation on the raw markets “inconsistent”. It is true that the diminished oil price leads to reduced operating costs in the mines and increases their profitability creating margins for capital spending. However, this is up against severely reduced raw material prices in part and a surplus supply. With a probable turnover of about 3.3 billion € in 2014, the industry dropped back to the level of 2008. And this, Schulte Strathaus underlined, with in part considerably expanded capacities in part.
