Staff magazine 3/2012

On the safe side: priority for industrial safety

Fair to all sides: No longer a side issue: On the side of the out on the job with increasing interest environment: electrothe damage assessor in climate protection mobility has arrived

Financial statements presented

The one billion barrier broken TV NORD

TV NORD Groups staff succeeded in generating a record level of revenue in 2011: for the first time in its history, the Group broke through the 1 billion barrier. A year-on-year increase of 11.1% pushed revenue up to 1.025 billion (2010: 922.6 million). This represents a leap of some 40% within the past five years. EBIT operating profit grew by 18.3% to 43.4 million in 2011 (2010: 36.7 million). The return on revenue, measured in terms of EBIT, rose to 4.2% from 4.0% in 2010. Dr Guido Rettig (2nd from right) gives interviews to several journalists after the press conference at which the financial statements were presented. Never before has the Group had such a large workforce as in 2011: the average number of persons employed, expressed as full-time equivalents, was 9,982 (2010: 9,139), a year-on-year increase of 9.2%. The headcount of employees amounted to 14,232. Presenting the consolidated financial statements at a press conference in Hanover on 8 June, the Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO Dr Guido Rettig announced that the company was focusing on further boosting its international business in particular. We want to substantially enhance our position in global markets, he said. As a technical service provider, we see great potential particularly in the emerging economies of Asia and South America. In 2011, 21.9% of Group revenue was generated abroad; one in five employees works outside Germany. Boost from the new Aerospace business unit The establishment of the new Aerospace business unit gave a powerful boost to TV NORD Group in 2011. Alter Technology TV NORD (ATN) procures and tests products for the aerospace industry such as electronic components for satellites. ATN, with locations in Madrid, Seville, Toulouse and Rome, is for example involved in the current NASA mission with the Mars rover Curiosity, which is due to reach the Earths neighbour in August (see also page 11 of this issue).

What has been achieved, what is still to come

TV NORD Group has achieved the highest level of revenue in its corporate history, at over 1 billion. The Group benefited from the revival of the world economy in 2011. Its core business segments relating to the inspection of power stations, industrial plant and materials have continued to grow. Booming sectors such as the automotive industry have exerted a positive influence on business performance. TV NORD Group is one of the market leaders in the licensing and inspection of wind turbines; it has also been able to defend its leading position in the inspection of biogas plant. The Group occupies a strong position in the future-driven energy sector; this applies to the conversion, storage and transportation of energy and also to the expansion of transmission facilities and smart grids. By certifying energy management systems, TV NORD Group is providing powerful support to efforts to enhance efficiency in the utilisation of resources. With the opening of its eSTATION solar charging station in Hanover TV NORD Group has signalised its commitment to electromobility. Environmentally friendly mobility, powered by electricity from renewable sources of energy, is becoming a reality. The acquisition of Alter Technology Group has led to the establishment of a new Aerospace business unit. This company is among the world market leaders in the selection, procurement, certification and modification of highreliability electronic components for satellites. The Group has invested in this new and innovative business unit, as well as in other innovation and development and the expansion of a variety of laboratories in the areas of food, mobility, engineering and exploration techniques. Altogether, the company undertook capital expenditure amounting to 44 million in 2011.

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achieves highest revenue ever

Energy forms of the future are gaining ground In the field of renewable forms of energy, TV NORD is placing its hopes above all on wind energy, biomass and intelligent energy networks, the so-called smart grids. Germanys energy policy turnaround is far from being complete, Dr Rettig declared. It is already becoming apparent that the construction of the necessary power lines alone will occasion far higher costs than were initially planned. This is an area we need to make rapid progress in. Dr Rettig called on those responsible to press ahead with the construction of new conventional power stations, in parallel to the development of renewable forms of energy. We will continue to need the most modern coalfired and gas-fired power plants in the future, he stated. Political reservations, legal uncertainties and unsatisfactory economic fundamentals have to be overcome quickly. This is the issue that will decide whether Germanys turnaround in energy policy is successful, and whether the sector is able to create sustainable jobs. Dr Rettig announced that TV NORD would also continue to offer its services in the field of nuclear power. Expansion of the Food Safety global business area The demand for foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials produced in ways that do not harm the environment, and which meet new international quality standards, is rising throughout the world. TV NORD is responding to this development in 2012, for instance by expanding its ultramodern food laboratory in Pune, India. In addition, the extension of the Dubai laboratory is currently nearing completion. Successful start to the 2012 fiscal year TV NORD Group has made a successful start to the year 2012. Revenue growth in the first five months amounted to 7%, CFO Dr Elmar Legge explained. In the area of services to the renewable energy sector, our order books are already full, so that we have no spare capacity before the end of the year. We are encountering positive business sentiment among our customers right across the board, added CEO Dr Rettig. In addition to achieving organic growth, we are intending to further expand the Group by means of acquisitions in the course of the year. Talks relating to such takeovers are already in progress both in Germany and abroad, he announced.
REVENUE 2007 2011

2011

1,025.1

2010 2009
2008

922.6 850.4
830.4

2007

735.3

REVENUE BY REGION

Germany

800.7

17.8 America 67.3 Asia

139.3

Europe

REVENUE BY BUSINESS UNIT

Industry Services

32 %

29 %

Mobility

2% Aerospace 10 % 13 %

14 %

Natural Resources

Training and Human Resources

International

Group revenue has risen by almost 40% over the past five years, to 1.025 billion in 2011. 800 million of this was generated in Germany. The biggest contributions to revenue are made by the Industry Services, Mobility, Training and Human Resources and International business units.

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Nadine Hochschild, occupational physician

Challenging, absorbing and theres always something new

fore, so that there is no solution to them that you can simply look up somewhere, says Nadine Hochschild. That is what gives the job its variety and diversity, she says: every day she makes discoveries and learns new things in the companies she visits which include printing works, workshops or factories in many different sectors. She sniffs out the places where there is a danger of someone trapping a finger or stumbling. She instructs workers and managers on how to handle sources of heat, light or radiation, and gives talks on industrial safety issues. And nowadays, people come to Nadine Hochschild more and more often with psychological problems; this is particularly common in the service sector, where the pressure to succeed is becoming more intense all the time. Industrial safety at a high level She describes the standard of industrial safety at Peter Klln as being exemplary. One of the management team there is the

For goodness sake keep your hands away! Nadine Hochschild of MEDITV makes sure that a worker at Peter Klln is aware of the dangers. People want to know that the food that gets onto their tables is healthy for example the muesli and oat flakes produced by the Peter Klln factory in Elmshorn, not far from Hamburg. And clearly, the same applies to the process of production: there shouldnt be anything about it that is detrimental to the workers health. Nadine Hochschild certainly cant be said to be a foreign body in this plant. She has being working as an occupational physician at MEDITV for nine years now; and over the last five years she has paid frequent visits to the old-established Peter Klln factory, where she is responsible for making sure that the workplaces are ergonomic and do not represent any threat to health. She had grown tired of the dayto-day hospital routine and was looking for a new field of work, which she found in occupational medicine. The greatest challenge is the fact that that you are faced by a whole number of situations that have never arisen in quite the same way be-

This is MEDITV
MEDITV specialises in the field of in-company occupational medicine, health and safety. It attends both to technical safety and to the general health of workers; so eye tests and the checking of blood pressure also form part of the service. Its major clients are manufacturing companies, workshops and vehicle fleet operators. MEDITV has 70 employees plus additional freelancers on contract, who can give businesses the reassurance that everything is being done to promote industrial safety and the health of their employees.

Everyone in the company, including the forklift truck drivers, knows the occupational physician Nadine Hochschild.

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Eye tests too form part of the service to companies.

A worker in the grain washing station explains industrial safety measures to Nadine Hochschild. ers dont have a GP of their own; For many of them, I am the only doctor they ever see or talk to, she says. So she carries out a whole variety of medical examinations in the company; for the most part these are done unspectacularly in her surgery, but they may become major events if medical equipment has to be brought in. Every day is different Medical examinations, plant walk-downs, talks and every business is different, has different requirements, there are different hazards lurking everywhere. The main thing is to see that workers do not fall ill or injure themselves in the first place. And in this respect, her working day continues even when she gets home: she has to keep an eye on her men, as she says, and see that they dont go climbing ladders in the garden wearing flip-flops

safety engineer Bernd Ksel, who declares: Industrial safety is a very high priority here. We pursue industrial safety issues for safetys sake. Industrial safety is really lived out in the company, he says. Only when its safe is the machine switched on. There are hardly any serious accidents in the company, though it might happen that someone stumbles from time to time. And precisely that is one of the very typical types of industrial accident in

Germany. Why did the companys choice fall on MEDITV? TV NORD is a big company, Ksel says, and so able to give advice in many different fields. And industrial safety is a complex topic, with so many ins and outs. The companys management system is also certified by TV NORD: those in charge have confidence in TV NORDs competence. And the staff at Peter Klln have confidence in Nadine Hochschild. Many of the work-

Three questions to ...

sical strain is clearly declining, but there is an increase in mental and psychological pressures. Why is that? Thanks to the increased use of new media and technologies, information is becoming available more quickly and (almost) everywhere; as a result, the (expected) reaction times are also getting shorter and shorter. There is less time to work oneself into any matter, while at the same time there is a greater need to consult with other people, so that the ability to work in a team and social competence are in ever greater demand. And then there is the fact that people are constantly within reach by mobile phone or e-mail. They must have times when they can really switch off from work. How do you recommend your clients to handle this issue? In our experience, there is often a lack of communication between managers and workers. But that shouldnt in any way be taken to mean that the workers need to be given more information; theyre drowning in it already. It means social communication and the involvement of staff. People want to know why decisions are made; then they will be prepared to accept them and implement them. It is important to be able to identify where particular pressures or stresses arise; then you can take proper action to counter them. A risk analysis may be a first step towards this. Thanks to the competence of our doctors, engineers and psychologists we can help our clients to find answers to the question as to what it makes most sense to do, and where.

... Dr Stephan Hbner, General Manager of MEDITV Is there an increase in psychological stress in the world of work? Indeed there is, at least in the industrialised countries. Phy-

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TV NORD Group Quality Day

We must improve quality management and develop it further

The first TV NORD Group Quality Day took place this year, hosted by Erhard-Max Marquardt, Group Management Representative. All the members of the main management board and also the management representatives of the individual TV NORD companies were invited. Marquardt emphasised the need for effective quality management which is particularly important if different people within the organisation have to perform identical activities according to one overall set of rules and instructions. Specification of processes and also description of the individual work steps and their sequences are therefore important tasks within quality management, and help to create much-needed transparency. Based on the positive response of those taking part, the Quality Day is to take place each year from now on, and will feature subjects of interest in the field of quality and process management. Utilising potentials for improvement Quality management makes it possible to recognise deviations from planned work sequences. But recognition alone is not enough, says Marquardt, We also have to improve processes effectively. The Management Board Chairman of TV NORD Group, Dr. Guido Rettig, also emphasised the importance of quality management for the organisation. selves or are ineffective. Klaus Berndt, Management Representative of TV NORD Systems, considers that there is still much potential for improvement in all the Group companies and areas of activity. The quality management of the TV NORD Group is thirdparty certified. And as with any other system work on quality has to be ongoing. Eyes should be open, work processes should be analysed for the need for improvement and then optimised using targeted measures that is the message of the 2012 Quality Day, which the individual companies now wish to put into practice. And for this they need to encourage openness on the part of their staff: We dont want paper tigers, we need true descriptions of processes and procedures. That is the only way to achieve sustainable improvement, says Berndt.

The respected Quality Management Specialist and Consultant Dr. Joachim Franke (left) led the way through the Quality Day, hosted by the Management Representative of TV NORD Group, Erhard-Max Marquardt. If there are problems, they have to be dealt with effectively. However, as Erhard-Max Marquardt has observed, attempts are often slow or no real effort is made at all. And as Uwe Lewandowski, Management Representative of TV NORD Service says, If quality management is to be effective over the long term, improvement of work sequences must be at the centre. This demands a high level of team spirit from all those involved. If people dont work as a team, improvements can only be random and sporadic. Internal and external audits show the potential for improvement within the TV NORD Group very clearly, but not all the potential recognised by the auditors is actually realised. The reason: many staff and managers feel that when potential is identified, it equates to criticism of their work. But this response can be a hindrance to further development of the business: the accreditations, certifications and approvals held by TV NORD Group depend on the quality of internal processes. It is even more problematical if processes are seen as an end in them-

Quality management at TV NORD Group

Quality management is combined with environmental, occupational safety and health and data protection management to form an integrated management system. It is based on the requirements of International Standard ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment), OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety) and other legal requirements. It is based on the process approach and is regularly audited, both internally and externally. TV NORD is certified by SQS (Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems) according to ISO 9001 for a current total of 16 companies; a growing number of companies are also certified according to ISO 14001 and OHSAS. Further information regarding quality management can be found on our website.

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Vehicle homologation in Bulgaria

Awarded distinction

Preventing unsafe cars from being placed on the market

Joy Jin of TV NORD China is Manager of the Year 2011

plary fashion by deliberately placing her reliance on growthrelevant services such as wind energy, mobility, renewable forms of energy and railway engineering. Cooperation with the jointventure partners was proceeding excellently, Dr Jung went on. Joy Jin was very good at networking both inside and outside TV NORD Group, and one of her particular strengths was in the field of human resources. Joy Jin has shown that she has the knack of recruiting very good people, and putting them in just the right positions, he went on. The growth figures confirm her success; in her first year alone she achieved growth of 43.1% in revenue, and took on 15 new members of staff. This is a very sound organisation, which allows us to look to the future in compliance with the law and in accordance with the requirements of the market, and to achieve our targeted growth, Ulf Theike summarised. We are looking forward to working with Joy Jin in the coming years.

Joy Jin shows her pleasure at being declared Manager of the Year. Outside the Interpred World Trade Center in Sofia: participants in the information event on homologation organised by TV NORD. It is good year now since TV NORD Mobilitt was granted recognition as a technical service in Bulgaria. Among the tasks undertaken in the country by the technical experts of the Service for Import and Export (SIMEX) of the Institute for Vehicle Technology and Mobility (IFM) are above all individual and type approvals of vehicles. The customers are vehicle finishers and importers of vehicles not manufactured in Europe. The SIMEX team has inspected vehicles imported from the US, and trailers and special bodywork produced nationally or imported. As Rainer Hagemann, the head of the team, emphasises: We are presenting ourselves as a partner for Bulgarian industry, and are seeking to act as consultants who can help the country to achieve integration into the European Union. In particular, the aim is to prevent vehicles that do not comply with the European safety directives from being marketed in the EU. In response to the substantial requirement for information and training, not only among customers but also among public authorities and institutions, a seminar on the theme of the homologation of vehicles in Bulgaria and the European Union has been held at the Interpred World Trade Center in Sofia. This information event was organised in close collaboration with TV NORD Bulgaria. Some 60 representatives of the automotive industry, the regulatory bodies, the licensing authority, trade associations and the trade press took part. Thanks to the success of this event, a further conference is now being planned. Joy Jin is Manager of the Year. The General Manager of TV NORD China received the award during the General Managers Meeting in Essen in May. There are many good reasons for our wanting to reward Joy Jin with this title, said Ulf Theike and Dr Ralf Jung, both General Managers of TV NORD International. Joy Jin maintains very good contacts with the Chinese regulatory authority CNCA, Dr Jung said, and she has implemented the strategy process in an exem-

International certification
TV HELLAS has certified the leading telecommunications service provider in South East Mediterranean, Cosmote, in collaboration with its sister companies in Romania and Bulgaria. The company ist a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. The programme for the auditing of the company, which employs 9,000 people, was very comprehensive: quality management, industrial safety, IT service management, environmental protection and the information security management system were all to be certified. International cooperation is very important to us, says George Kechribaris, Managing Director and Regional Manager Mediterranean of TV HELLAS.

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TV NORD monitors safety at Saudi airports

Staff of TV NORD and FAHSS/TV NORD Saudi Arabia have the task of carrying out regular safety checks on all vehicles operating at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. This is no small matter, as it potentially involves several thousand vehicles which all need to be inspected at fixed intervals. Those responsible for quality at the airport and at the Saudi Arabian aviation authority GACA recently visited Hanover and Berlin, in order to gather information about TV NORDs competence in the fields of mobility, information technology and aviation. In addition to the airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia has three further international and 26 national airports which might also require assistance with safety issues. We have already been put through our initial paces in Saudi Arabia, and have come through successfully, says Ingo Albes, who is managing the Saudi Arabian project for TV NORD Mobilitt. In future, we want to make our broad range of know-how available in the cause for safety at the countrys airports.

Power inverter certified for General Electric

TV NORD has tested a photovoltaic power inverter, specially developed for the German market, for the American concern General Electric (GE). The variable-frequency inverter, which converts the DC power produced by solar modules into three-phase AC current for the grid, is one of the key components that will be required for the building up of intelligent energy networks (smart grids) in Germany. General Electric had commissioned TV NORD to test the photovoltaic inverter, which has been specially designed for the German market, under the German grid connection regulations; because before power from renewable sources of energy can be fed into the German medium voltage grid, the network operators require a so-called unit certificate. This certification ensures uniform feed-in management, which enhances the system stability of the power grid. With this variable-frequency 1 MW inverter, General Electric has developed one of the biggest devices currently being built, says Professor Ulrich Adolph, who is responsible for the Technology business area at TV NORD CERT. We are contributing our know-how to the project, starting by investigating some of the fundamental requirements such as the maximum output and behaviour of the inverter when there are problems in the grid.

Ralph Oldenburg of the TV STATION in Walsrode training staff in Jeddah to inspect vehicles.

TV NORD EnSys Hannover

German nuclear safety expertise in demand in China

Germanys nuclear safety regulations are recognised all over the world: and they are currently being applied to the construction of a pressurised water reactor in Taishan, China. TV NORD EnSys Hannover has been commissioned by a number of different clients to play a role in quality assurance in the manufacture of components for this power station. In addition, we have trained staff for the Spanish manufacturer of major components, Equipos Nucleares, so that they can apply the German regulations, says project manager Dr Paul Kock. Having done that, TV NORD EnSys Hannover was awarded the contract to supervise the manufacture of two boric acid columns. This embraces both the qualification of the welding processes and overall inspection and supervision, says Dr Kock. TV NORD Groups Spanish subsidiary Cualicontrol is also involved in this task. New contracts abroad are an important step forward With these new contracts that we have won abroad, we have taken an important step towards compensating for the loss of work in Germany that is to be expected in the long term, says Bernward Hartje, General Manager of TV NORD EnSys Hannover. Unlike other countries, Germany is intending to abandon the use of nuclear power completely by 2022 as a consequence of last years reactor accident in Japan.

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Showcase for electromobility

TV NORD at the eTour:

TV NORD does its bit for the Hanover Metropolitan Region

The decision has been taken: the Federal Government has determined which regions are to receive funding under the Showcases for Electromobility programme. Lower Saxony is one of the four regions chosen. As a major provider of technical services with decades of experience in alternative drive technologies, TV NORD is supporting the electrification of the Hannover Braunschweig Gttingen Wolfsburg Metropolitan Region all in accordance with the motto of the States application for inclusion in the programme: Our horsepower is going electric. E-Mobility in Lower Saxony. TV NORD was involved as a strong partner in Lower Saxonys application as a Metropolitan Region, and will be contributing its expertise and its existing infrastructure to the development of the Regions Showcase for Electromobility, says Axel Richter, who is responsible for all aspects of electromobility at TV NORD. One centre of attention in particular will be the eSTATION which TV NORD opened at the end of last year in the presence of the States Prime Minister, David McAllister. The eSTATION, which we contributed to the application as a project worthy of support, is providing some important insights into how to get safe electric vehicles with reliable batteries and an enhanced range onto the roads as quick-

Electrically mobile
Renewable forms of energy, efficient mobility and sustainable development these three topics were the focus of the first eTour Brandenburg. More than 90 participants took part, with 40 innovative electric vehicles. TV NORD Group was there as well, contributing two electric cars and two high-speed pedelec electrically assisted bicycles to the starting line-up for this very special rally across the eastern German state. The eTour started and finished in the small town of Kleinmachnow.

The Hanover Metropolitan Region is to receive funding from the Federal Governments Showcases for Electromobility programme. TV NORD is one of the project partners: the company is contributing, for example, its solar charging station, which was opened last November. ly as possible, says Richter. The further development of this solar charging station, for example by measures such as adding a wind turbine to it, is therefore of particular importance to us.

We wanted to show everyone that anybody can now use an electric vehicle, even to cover longish distances, said Christian Frster of the Essenbased Institute for Vehicle Technology and Mobility. Together with Markus Bartsch, Elena Weisse, Marcus Winkelkotte and Tuesday Porter, he completed 135 km of the rally course. Actually, the total length of the tour was 176 km, explained Tuesday Porter, head of TV NORD Groups Representation in Berlin. But we chose an alternative route at the end, because otherwise we would simply have taken too long to arrive. But ultimately, even we covered 135 km. Thats no mean distance on a bike.

More than 2.5 million people live in the Hannover Braunschweig Gttingen Wolfsburg Metropolitan Region.

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Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin & Co:

TV NORD is increasingly making use of social networks

TV NORD is making its first excursions into the social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Xing and Issuu are the platforms that it is now actively working on. Social networks are an additional channel Business partners can find information on TV NORDs services and on TV NORD Group as an employer on the Xing and Linkedin networks. Human Resources Development presents career opportunities for students and schoolleavers on a Facebook page

Businesses go in for social media

Are social media used in the business? Stated aims*

No 38%

82% 72% 68% Yes 47% 42% 32% 31% 23% 15%

To enhance awareness of the business To win new customers To cultivate good customer relations To enhance the businesss image To cultivate relations with multipliers Market research To recruit new staff Cooperation with partners

Definite plans for use 15%

* Percentages of those businesses that use social media

Source: BITKOM

A representative study by the German ICT industry federation BITKOM shows that half of all companies are already making active use of social media, while a further 15 per cent are planning to do so.

of its own. On Issuu the customer magazine explore: and the TV NORD Group corporate guidelines, amongst other things, are available as interactive flip page brochures. News from the Group is also disseminated on Twitter, a network on which there are already very frequent mentions of TV NORD. All measures are evaluated regularly and intensively by Corporate Communications, so that action can be taken quickly if necessary. Guidelines on using social networks can be found on the intranet.

Building work going TV NORD Group is top employer ahead at TV NORD for the fifth time in succession
Building work is going on at a number of TV NORDs sites in Germany. The new headquarters building in Hanover has now been topped out, and work on the interior is proceeding apace. The Board of Management and the central departments are to move into the building in the autumn. In addition, a new computer centre is to be built shortly; This will be one of the most modern anywhere in Germany, says Dr Guido Rettig, Chairman of the Board of Management. Starting in the summer, a new office building is to be constructed in Hamburg. And in Essen preparations are under way for the move from Langemarckstrasse 28 to new premises in the Technology Park. Once again this year, TV NORD Group is among the best employers for engineers. It is the fifth time in succession that the Corporate Research Foundation (CRF) has awarded the Group the title Top Employer Engineers in recognition of its attractiveness as an employer. This award both recognises what we have achieved and spurs us on to go further, says Ludger Halasz of Human Resources Management. And Harald Reutter, Labour Director and Member of the Board of Management of TV NORD Group, adds: Work-life balance is an important indicator of an employers attractiveness. We are therefore particularly pleased to have been ranked 10th among 34 employers in this category.

Job and family can be reconciled

More TV NORD Group companies have successfully submitted themselves to the berufundfamilie audit, thereby highlighting their particularly familyfriendly human resources policies. In Germany, the ease with which it is possible to reconcile job and family is an important criterion when people choose an employer.

Kiev Airports environmental management certified

TV NORD Group has certified the environmental and quality management systems of Borispol International Airport near Kiev. Through this certification, Borispol International Airport has demonstrated that it fulfils all the requirements of environmental management to reduce long-term environmental impact as per ISO 14001:2004, and complies with the clearly defined quality standards as per ISO 9001, says Galina Shpak-Levenberg, General Manager of TV NORD Ukraine. The final audit convinced the inspectors that the integrated management system performs on a high level.

10

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Alter Technology assists in the development of cargo spacecraft:

High-reliability electronics ensure safety of docking manoeuvre at the International Space Station
TV NORD staff in Germany and Spain were full of exitement as they followed the docking manoeuvre of the third unmanned cargo spacecraft ATV-3 with the International Space Station ISS. Alter Technology TV NORD (ATN) has been involved in the development of the automated transfer vehicle (ATV), testing and qualifying electronic components. Dr Guido Rettig, who is responsible in the Board of Management for the Aerospace business unit, spoke of a success story for European cutting-edge technology. Space transfer vehicle resupplies the crew of the ISS The unmanned cargo spacecraft ATV-3, named Edoardo Amaldi, which has resupplied the astronauts on board the ISS with food, water, fuel and spare parts, among other things, is equipped with highreliability electronic components tested by ATN. Selected, tested and qualified components ATN, with its locations in Madrid, Toulouse and Rome, has been involved in the project for 14 years now. The company has selected, tested and qualified electronic, electrical and electromechanical components (EEE components), among other things, for the successive ATV models. The EEE components that are used in space travel have to meet particular requirements in respect of their resistance to

The cargo spacecraft Edoardo Amaldi approaching the ISS.

The cargo spacecraft ATV-3 Edoardo Amaldi docks with the International Space Station (ISS). It had over 6.5 tonnes of cargo on board, including fuel, food and spare parts.

ATV-3 Edoardo Amaldi is prepared for its space mission at the Kourou Space Centre.

radiation, vibration and temperature. ATN has selected, tested and qualified more than 2.5 million individual EEE components. Some of these have been used on board the ATV models. In this way, we have further reinforced our estab-

lished position in aerospace technology worldwide, says Dr Rettig. The cargo spacecraft are commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA) and launched with the aid of an Ariane 5 rocket.

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11

internord receives a visitor: Adams Zhang, Marketing Manager of TV NORD Hong Kong

TV NORD in China goes in for climate protection and photovoltaics

Adams Zhang is the new Marketing Manager of TV NORD Hong Kong. internord talked to him about the Chinese market, cooperation with companies outside China and the Hannover Messe (Hanover Fair), which took place in April and at which China was this years partner country. internord: What new contacts were you able to establish during the Fair in Hanover? Adams Zhang: I got to know many of my German contacts within the company, who I had only been in touch with before by e-mail or telephone. But at least equally important were the potential business partners. In advance of the Fair we had talked to a lot of Chinese companies that were going to have a presence there, as we were ourselves. We had a lot of useful discussions. Who are your main competitors in China? The other TVs have been active on the market for a long time already Yes, and as a result they are very well known. But people dont distinguish between the various TV organisations, and the TV is known to be very reliable, competent and independent. In addition, there are 150 purely Chinese businesses concerned with ISO certifications, most of them state enterprises. We are in tough competition with them. Our advantage is that we are able to react quickly to market requirements, and also to bring out new products quickly with support from TV NORD International. What are the topics that most concern TV NORD in China at the moment? Climate protection is a boom area. In addition, we are currently growing very fast in the field of photovoltaics. We certify the equipment for the European market. We are expecting extremely high growth in this segment. The certification of management systems is going well too, so that we are looking for additional staff in this area.

Adams Zhang, the Marketing Manager of TV NORD China. The railway sector is developing very rapidly and could become an important field of activity in the coming years.

And beyond that, do you perhaps see any business areas that you are not present in yet, but where there are opportunities to offer further services in China?

Railway engineering is developing into a very important sector in China. It ranks very highly among the governments priorities. We are expecting a major boom in the next 15 years.

This is TV NORD in China

China, Hong Kong and Taiwan TV NORD is represented in these markets by no fewer than four subsidiaries. Guangzhou TUV Technical Services was set up in 1999, with TV NORD Hong Kong following in 2001 and TV NORD Hangzhou in 2004; the laboratories here are certified by the ZLS, the Central Agency of the German States for Safety Technology. TV NORD Hangzhou employs around 140 people, Guangzhou TUV Technical Services about 35, TV NORD Hong Kong 11 and the Taiwan branch of TV Asia Pacific 50. Core business areas in the region are system and product certifications, inspections of industrial plant, climate protection certifications and the homologation of motor vehicles. Other important fields are the certification of photovoltaic equipment, IT security and training activities. All the companies work for both domestic and international customers.

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International team concerns itself with sustainable forestry

Consumers demand products with the FSC label TV NORD certifies producers all over the world
Eleven people, seven countries, one subject: the certification of sustainable forestry. This is a market that is booming all over the world, for TV NORD Group as for others. The growth markets are above all Germany, the Balkan countries and Sweden. South-East Asia too will quickly start to play an important role, says Dr Annika Blarr of TV NORD CERT. FSC: the initials stand for the not-for-profit organisation Forest Stewardship Council, which lays down the principles governing sustainable forestry and administers an international standard. TV NORD Group has been accredited since 2009; 260 customers put their faith in the company. A total of 20 companies in the world are entitled to certify under the standard. In Germany, a lot of magazines are now printed on FSC certified paper including internord. Particularly when it is a matter of furniture made from rainforest hardwoods, many customers in Germany nowadays insist on the FSC logo. But this logo is found more and more often even on fruit juice and milk packaging today. The same applies in Brazil, where one-fifth of all magazines are now printed on FSC certified paper, according to Jos Luiz Martini of BRTV in So Paulo. So far, however, furniture with the FSC symbol has played only a minor role there. In Croatia the symbol is hardly known yet, but people are

At TV NORD Group, eleven people from seven countries are concerned with the certification of sustainable forestry: Lena Jnsson (Sweden), Bertram Schall (Germany), Sylvain Ast (France), Dr Annika Blarr (Germany), mit Sinan Karan (Turkey), Robert Sajfert (Croatia), Iris Maass (Germany), C.A. Sahana (India), Jens Terberger (Germany), Markus Sturm (Germany) and Maria Carolina Coelho (Brazil). gradually starting to pay attention to it: More and more products with the FSC symbol are being imported, for example magazines and newspapers, says Hrvoje Kneevic of TV Croatia. But in addition, more and more businesses are exporting their wood products to countries where consumers explicitly ask for the sign. For Jos Luiz Martini, the symbol is simply an essential part of TV NORD Groups portfolio. With it, TV NORD Group can inscribe sustainability on its banners, he says.

Facts on sustainable forestry

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international not-forprofit organisation. It was the first organisation to create a system for the certification of sustainable forestry. The council was established in 1993; it is based in Bonn. More than 120 million hectares of forest all over the world are certified in accordance with the FSCs principles; that is about twice the area of France. In Germany, over 775,000 hectares of forest are certified; that is about 7% of the total woodland area. For successful certification, ten principles have to be complied with. These include, for example, the drawing up and implementation of a management plan, the assessment of sustainability, the maintenance of forests with a high conservation value, and the upholding of the rights of indigenous peoples. TV NORD CERT is accredited to certify so-called Chains of Custody (CoCs), in which timber and wood products have to be marked with the FSC logo throughout the production process. A CoC certificate is valid for five years; annual surveillance audits are provided for.

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Jrg Hohmann, vehicle damage assessor

We want everyone to come out on the right side

His camera is as thin as a slice of bread, and as big a cigarette packet: it fits into the breast pocket of his blue jacket. How many photos he takes in a year, Jrg Hohmann cant say. Its a very large number. And this session, he adds a couple of dozen more - of a 15-year-old, very used, dark blue VW Sharan. There are some very obvious scratches in the paintwork, at the front, at the rear and along the side. The front bumper is no longer completely attached to the bodywork. But thats not what the damage assessor is concerned with today. His attention focuses on a dented door and a dented side panel. A woman on a supermarket car park was to blame, says Karsten Welsch, who uses the vehicle with his family. He had just backed out of a parking space and was about to drive off when there was a bang from behind. A typical accident That was two months ago. Now, two insurance companies are quarrelling about the damage and who should pay for it. Its a long story, which Hohmann listens to without giving an opinion, except to say that its a typical case. Painstakingly, he copies details from the registration document into his set of forms, which is three pages long: vehicle type, age, registration number, owner. And then a record of any damage to the car predating the accident. In that respect, there is a lot to be written down and photographed. He also

Jrg Hohmann painstakingly documents the accident damage to a VW Sharan. The side panel and door would have to be replaced; but the car is already 15 years old. A few days later, the vehicle damage assessor determines that it is an economic write-off. captures the registration document with his camera: We have an electronic file, Hohmann explains, and then turns to the windscreen to take a photo of the vehicle identification number that is visible behind it. We want to be sure weve got the right car, he says. It is his fourth car of the day. Each case is different, he says. He always has to go about his work with complete concentration, as it is a fine line he has to tread: it depends on him how much money a person who has suffered damage can expect to get from the insurance. We want everyone to come out on the right side, Hohmann says. His word carries weight. He has to work accurately, and not overlook any damage that might not be obvious. But he also has to assess whether the damage he sees is actually a result of the event concerned. He doesnt want to allow himself to have the wool pulled over his eyes; although that is something he can never totally exclude. But hes been in the business for 20 years, and he knows the tricks people get up to if they feel inclined. A surprising find: rust under the bonnet Karsten Welsch isnt one of those, however. No, the damage to the paintwork of the rear bumper is old, he admits when Hohmann asks him about it directly. Later, Hohmann wants to take a look at what is under the bonnet, which Welsch is only able to open with a certain amount of difficulty. Hohmanns gaze immediately falls on the battery. And on the metal plate underneath it. And on the gearbox. Theres a lot of corrosion and rust; the battery must have leaked at some time. But thats not the only problem, theres another one as well: Welsch had asked about the right size of tyre. Hohmann looks at the registration document, and gives an answer that isnt exactly what Welsch wants to hear. The tyres are not adequate: there is a gap of 75 kg between the load rating of the tyres actually on the car and those that should be fitted.

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International cooperation

When is it okay to send a reminder, and how?

You must do something about that, Hohmann recommends. If he were carrying out a general inspection of the vehicle, there would be a lot of defects that Jrg Hohmann would have to report, such as a door that wont open. But his job today is to make a damage assessment. So there are other things that count, such as whether there is any concealed accident damage. For this, he uses an electronic device with a digital display, no bigger than a spectacle case, but with a rather cumbersome name: a paint layer thickness gauge. The display settles down at a value of around 150 micrometres; so no, the car has never been resprayed throughout its long life, which means that in all probability it has never suffered any serious accident damage. An unexpected write-off In the vast majority of cases Hohmann manages without any special equipment; but what he does need every time is two or three hours in the office. Only there can he put a figure to the damage, determine possible repair costs, and assess the residual value of the car. When he has done this, he sends his report both to the insurance and to the vehicle owner. Both get the pictures as well, of course. So Karsten Welsch too receives a thick envelope in the post. The estimated cost of repairs to the door and side panel is 3,880. But the value of the car before the accident was only 1,200. So in fact, it is a writeoff. TV NORD Groups business is becoming more and more international. Many employees are in contact with companies outside their own countries; they may be involved in projects being implemented by international teams, or perhaps in the design of leaflets and websites. Sometimes there is no problem about this; but sometimes difficulties arise, because the people concerned are not familiar enough with each others cultures. This may apply, for example, to the feeling for time: what counts as being punctual? And accordingly, how soon is it okay to inquire whether a matter is being dealt with; when can I expect an e-mail or a phone call? How long should I give my counterpart to react? In Greece it is perfectly normal to send a reminder if an agreed or set period of time has been exceeded. This would be done in a polite manner, however: Could you please In Germany you can get in touch after two days, or in really urgent cases even sooner. In Denmark, on the other hand, one should wait a bit before sending a reminder; you need to be patient for three or four days. Anything else would be considered rude. In the Netherlands, five days are recommended. In the UK too it depends on the urgency: anything from a few days to a week is acceptable. You should also be patient for a few days when you are dealing with French business partners. In Bulgaria too, its fine to send a reminder; you should wait for five working days, but this can be shortened in urgent cases. It is however important to write a polite e-mail, and not simply put Reminder in the subject box. In Indonesia you can remind people at any time to answer a mail or to deal with a matter. In India, business partners generally expect to receive an answer within a working day, so a reminder on the second day after the due date is perfectly acceptable. The main thing is to be polite about it; and this is very important in China too. In the Arab world it is the telephone call that counts, not the mail An important thing in the Arab world is that contacts are better made by telephone; so you should ring up rather than send an e-mail. Talking to someone directly is more helpful than sending a written reminder. What is your experience? Do you have questions on this topic? Write to internord@tuv-nord.com

Its all right to send business partners a reminder if they have missed a deadline; but it may be quite brief or longer, depending on the circumstances.

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Heart, circulation, depression, diabetes:

ANS analysis a sure way of identifying warning signals for stress

How healthy are you? Are you able to deal well with stress, to switch off, relax and regenerate? These are questions that can be answered by an analysis of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Such analyses are now offered by many doctors, therapists and practitioners of complementary medicine. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the bodys central switchboard: it controls breathing, metabolism, digestion, blood pressure and the heart rate. An analysis of it thus gives insights into possible cardiovascular disorders, depression, diabetes, pulmonary complaints and disorders of the digestive system even when the laboratory tests produce unremarkable results. Such an investigation of the bodys internal workings takes seven minutes, and does not involve either pain or sideeffects. The heart rate is measured using a chest strap, similar to the transmitter of a pulse monitor. The doctor is interested in the interval between heartbeats: the more diverse the values are during measurement, the better the ANS is regulated, and so the greater our well-being, health, joie de vivre and functional vitality. Further indications are provided by a comparison between the two constituent parts of the ANS: the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our readiness to take external action, and the parasympathetic system, which is concerned with rest, refreshment and relaxation. An ANS analysis can provide such a comparison too. There is no other diagnostic tool in state of the art of medicine today that can give an earlier indication of incipient organic disorders. So an ANS analysis gives extremely useful results and is an ideal tool in preventive medicine. There are many possible types of therapy for the autonomic nervous system. Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems can be stimulated or their activity reduced by drugs; beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors are among the types that can be used. Relaxation techniques and psychotherapy can also provide support, and acupuncture and osteopathy may be helpful as well. Factors that are always of great importance are a balanced and healthy diet and a knowledge of how to deal with stress situations. There are many books and sources of advice on these matters available on the internet: www.helpguide.org/mental/ stress_management_relief_ coping.htm www.wikihow.com/ Deal-With-Stress

Contents
Staff magazine 3/2012

Our cover picture shows occupational physician Nadine Hochschild doing a plant walk-down at the Peter Klln company in Elmshorn.
On the safe side: priority for industrial safety
Fair to all sides: No longer a side issue: On the side of the out on the job with increasing interest environment: electrothe damage assessor in climate protection mobility has arrived

The one billion barrier broken TV NORD achieves highest revenue ever ................................................... 2 Nadine Hochschild, occupational physician: Challenging, absorbing and theres always something new ..................... 4 Three questions to Dr Stephan Hbner, General Manager of MEDITV ...... 5 We must improve quality management and develop it further...................... 6 Vehicle homologation in Bulgaria: Preventing unsafe cars from being placed on the market............................. 7 Awarded distinction: Joy Jin of TV NORD China is Manager of the Year ... 7 International certification............................................................................... 7 TV NORD monitors safety at Saudi airports ............................................... 8 TV NORD EnSys Hannover: German nuclear safety expertise in demand in China .................................. 8 Power inverter certified for General Electric.................................................. 8 Showcase for electromobility: TV NORD does its bit for the Hanover Metropolitan Region ...................... 9 TV NORD at the eTour: Electrically mobile ................................................. 9 TV NORD is increasingly making use of social networks ........................... 10 Building work going ahead at TV NORD .................................................... 10 TV NORD Group is top employer for the fifth time in succession ............... 10 Job and family can be reconciled ................................................................. 10 Kiev Airports environmental management certified ..................................... 10 Alter Technology assists in the development of cargo spacecraft: High-reliability electronics ensure safety of docking manoeuvre at the International Space Station ................................................................. 11 TV NORD in China goes in for climate protection and photovoltaics ......... 12 Consumers demand products with the FSC label TV NORD certifies producers all over the world ......................................... 13 Jrg Hohmann, vehicle damage assessor: We want everyone to come out on the right side ....................................... 14 International cooperation: When is it okay to send a reminder, and how? .... 15 ANS analysis a sure way of identifying warning signals for stress.............. 16

The staff magazine of TV NORD Group Published by: TV NORD AG, Am TV 1, 30519 Hannover Intranet: http://portal/c17/internord, Internet: www.tuv-nord.com Publication dates: Four times a year, in January, April, July and October. Typesetting and printing: diaprint KG, D-30952 Ronnenberg-Empelde Edited by: Corporate Communications, TV NORD Group Jochen May (responsible within the meaning of the Press Act), Tel. +49 (0)511 986-1324; internord@tuv-nord.com Photo acknowledgements: Volker Baldauf (15), C. Busch, Hamburg (9), Berhard Heinze (5), ESA (11), Marina Lukic and Andrea Kiesendahl (7) Translation, English edition: Anthony Mellor-Stapelberg, Hemmingen-Arnum; Elizabeth Flint, Exmouth The Editors are pleased to receive contributions of any kind. Please talk to the Editors before writing contributions. We cannot accept responsibility for illustrations or manuscripts submitted. Contributions bearing the name of the author do not necessarily represent the Editors opinions. The Editors reserve the right to edit manuscripts and to shorten readers letters.

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