REMA TIP TOP expects planning security in structural change
19.11.2019
Dr. Georg Kippels (links) and Patric Scheungraber
© REMA TIP TOP
Dr. Georg Kippels, member of the German Bundestag, visited the subsidiary of REMA TIP TOP AG together with a regional political delegation led by Andreas Heller, Mayor of Elsdorf, and Susanne Dettlaff, Head of Department for Urban Planning and Construction, to discuss the future structuring of the lignite region with Patric Scheungraber, Member of the Executive Board of REMA TIP TOP AG, and the two local CEOs Sascha Kiel and Sebastian Hofmann.
Dr. Georg Kippels (links) and Patric Scheungraber at the production site in Desdorf
© REMA TIP TOP
The core topic of the talks was the socially acceptable exit from lignite mining, currently being the decisive economic factor in the region. "Our central concern is planning security," said Patric Scheungraber after the meeting. "The exit from lignite-based power generation is now presented as having no alternative, but for us as a company and for our workforce, reliable and long-term planning is crucial for the next 15 to 20 years and not being changed after the next election.” Dr. Kippels, member of the Bundestag, confirms that the message has also reached politicians: "We must ensure that the employees of the suppliers also remain in the picture. A company like REMA TIP TOP can adapt to the market, but this requires binding planning security. We must continue to stand by our word. Reliability has made us strong."
Discussions at the location Desdorf
© REMA TIP TOP
Portfolio Desdorf: Securing and maximizing the operational commitment of industrial plants
Around 100 of a total of 150 employees at the Desdorf site work at the plants of the RWE energy group. "We guarantee conveyor belt availability, for example at RWE, all year long, every day, nonstop," says CEO Sebastian Hofmann. In all three opencast mines in the region, the Desdorf subsidiary takes care of around 250 km of conveyor belts with around 1400 splices per year, work in three to four shifts is necessary per splice. The site is also responsible for belt regeneration, rubber coating of driving pulleys and wear protection with polyurethane. The political discussion partners were somewhat surprised to learn that not only jobs at the Desdorf site are secured by coal-fired power generation, but also in distant Bavaria, where rubber compounds and primary materials are produced.
Dr. Kippels with the political delegation and the executive delegation of REMA TIP TOP
© REMA TIP TOP
The parent company is also planning the Desdorf site for the period following coal mining and opencast mining: "The location and transport connections in Desdorf are very good, and we have a strong employee resource we are also feeling committed to," is how Sascha Kiel describes the advantages of the site. In order to successfully implement this change, public support is also required, for example in the form of simplified approval procedures, a connection to the natural gas network or the support of qualification measures for companies such as REMA TIP TOP DESDORF GmbH. Patric Scheungraber stressed that the currently discussed structural aid should ultimately reach quickly and purposefully areas creating and securing jobs, i.e. companies in the region.
