Social Engagement

Social Responsibility is an important part of our corporate culture. For this reason, we sponsor the Charity Organisation “Kinderschicksale Mittelfranken” (“Childrens´ fortune in Central Franconia, Germany”) and also support other childcare institutions, schools, and sports clubs. The abovementioned organisation helps children with severe multiple disabilities and their families in emergencies. It gives us the opportunity to assist in a well-directed and meaningful manner. In addition, we support the training and further education of young adults and spread awareness for social issues amongst the youth.

March 2011 - GARTNER EXTRUSION - sponsorship agreement unites school and business

Pilot project to test practicability of a pioneering cooperation agreement between GARTNER EXTRUSION GmbH and Gundelfingen Mittelschule Secondary School. Gundelfingen – Representatives of schools, industry and the municipality of Gundelfingen regard the signing of a sponsorship agreement between GARTNER EXTRUSION and the Mittelschule (Secondary School) as a pioneering pilot project. The Mayor of Gundelfingen, Franz Kukla, expressed his firm belief that the school and the company had recognised the current trend and responded to it in completely the right way. Head teacher Dieter Wedding explained the reasons behind the sponsorship agreement. For one thing, it was intended to give students valuable help with their career orientation. By enabling young people to learn about the requirements of careers in metalworking, electronic engineering and the chemical industry, the cooperation between the secondary school and GARTNER EXTRUSION gave them an early opportunity to recognise their talents and interests, but also their possible weaknesses. Of course, he continued, the sponsorship agreement would also increase secondary school students’ ability to take an apprenticeship, thus reducing the number of drop-outs. Wedding thanked Gartner’s Managing Director, Dr. Harald Westheide, for his company’s willingness to become actively involved in looking after the students’ welfare under the terms of the agreement.

Constructive mentoring
Dr. Westheide interpreted the sponsorship agreement, which is being constructively mentored by the Swabian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, as a form of social commitment aimed at relieving the current acute shortage of skilled workers. If students were familiarised with various production processes early enough, there would be a better chance of attracting the best young talent to the company later. Ingrid Steidle, Head of HR at GARTNER EXTRUSION, gave an outline of the corporate profile. She explained that the company had been created in 2004 through the sale of Josef Gartner GmbH’s metal profile business section to Hermann Gutmann Werke AG. She said that the GUTMANN Group currently has a total staff of 1300, 312of whom are employed in Gundelfingen by GARTNER EXTRUSION, the market leader for high-precision profiles. Ms Steidle added that the company was investing the sum of 10,000 euros in the sponsorship agreement with Gundelfingen Mittelschule Secondary School.

Wilhelm Martin, Head of the Regional Education Authority, stated he was confident that the example set by this ground-breaking sponsorship agreement would spur on other schools to forge new links between the world of industry and schools. The question of the extent to which the project could be subsidised from public funds was still open. Mayor Kukla summed up in very positive terms, saying that, however unlikely it was that Gundelfingen would everbe the home of a university or a grammar school, the town was well on the way to creating “the best secondary school in Bavaria”.

Teaching of skills
Head of Training Lorenz Lenzer explained that the sponsorship agreement consisted of projects in Forms 7 to 9. The 7th Form project Metal/Chemistry was intended not only to awaken the pupils’ career interests, but also to give them a practical, hands-on opportunity to test their craftsmanship skills. The aim of the Technology project in Form 8 was to give students an insight into the skills required in specific areas of manufacturing and specific careers. The project Metal/Electronics/Chemistry in Form 8 is also very closely practice-oriented and allows students’ manual skills to be put to the test. The job application training course in Form 9 gives students information about important criteria for choosing a career, as well as a number of answers to the question “What does the potential employer look out for?”

January 2010 - 4000 Euro for the needy

WEISSENBURG – HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE (HGW) has given a total donation of 4000 Euros to Kinderschicksale Mittelfranken, Weissenburger Tafel, and to Haiti. While 1400 Euros were donated to the Central American island Haiti after the disastrous earthquake, Dr. Wolfram Kopperschläger, member of the HGW board, presented checks of 1300 Euros each to Birgid Schwenk and Cristine Wägemann at Kinderschicksale Weissenburg as well as Erwin Berndanner from the Tafel governing committee. Kopperschläger was happy to support people “who need help the most in these times.” The donation money is the proceeds of a raffle and all-pay auction, which were part of the Christmas party of the Weissenburg-based aluminium manufacturer. Our picture shows Erwin Berndanner, Cristine Wägemann, and Birgid Schwenk thanking Dr. Wolfram Kopperschläger for the financial support.

June 2009 - Experiencing training close up

HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE launches informational week for students
HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE is organizing an informational week themed meetME-live@gutmann on the company’s premises in Weissenburg. In cooperation with the VBM (Association for the Bavarian Metal and Electrical Industry), students will have the opportunity to get to know the skilled professions, for which GUTMANN provides training, from June 15th to 19th. The goal is to raise awareness and interest for metalworking and electrical engineering professions and to make the job choice easier for teenagers. During a tour of the premises, students will have the opportunity to speak with trainees at HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE about their professions and experience firsthand what each occupation is like. The trainee programs are also explained in more detail using various work pieces as examples. HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE AG and GUTMANN ALUMINIUM DRAHT GmbH offer the following trainee programs for applicants of various educational backgrounds: Wire drawer, electronic technician, IT specialist, industrial clerk, industrial mechanic, machine operator and system supervisor, mechatronics engineer, and surface coating technician. An apprenticeship combined with studies at a technical college is possible as well. There are currently approximately 60 trainees at HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE. For the company, the informational week is also a chance to recruit suitable junior staff members. The skills, knowledge, and commitment of our employees define the success of our company, states board member Dr. Wolfram Kopperschläger. Constant training and further education are therefore standard for GUTMANN. The informational week is part of the project Kooperation Hauptschulen-Wirtschaft, which is a regional project of the HERMANN GUTMANN FOUNDATION for the cooperation of companies with remedial schools in the district of Weissenburg-Gunzenhausen.

August 2008 - Trainees in action – the second project

Help and get involved – the trainees very much enjoyed improving the outdoor grounds of the St. Elisabeth home for the elderly in Ellingen.
Trainees of HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE AG (HGW) and GUTMANN ALUMINIUM DRAHT GmbH (GAD) enthusiastically set out to complete another part of their “Trainees in action” program. On July 23rd 2008, 15 highly motivated trainees met up with their instructor and the two youth and trainee representatives at the “St. Elisabeth” home for the elderly in Ellingen. An intern at GUTMANN AlUMINIUM DRAHT GmbH heard of the project and spontaneously decided to join in as well. Under the direction of Josef Koller, the janitor at St. Elisabeth, the helpers paved the path of a Garden of the Senses, which he had volunteered to create beforehand together with a qualified nurse. In order to thank them for the 3 hours of hard work, Mrs. Renate Seis hosted a barbecue for all participants afterwards. The director of the home was very happy with the outcome and the trainees concluded: “Helping and getting involved can be “tons” of fun too.” According to the project team, the next event is already in planning. The “Christmas in a shoebox” project is intended to further promote charitable work amongst trainees in the Weissenburg-Gunzenhausen region.

June 2008 - Trainees in Action

“How can you take on social responsibilities yourself?” This is the question trainees of GuTMANN ALUMINIUM DRAHT GmbH (GAD) and HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE (HGW) were asked. It resulted in the creation of a project named “Trainees in action – Watch and get involved”. Charitable organizations in the district of Weissenburg-Gunzenhausen are supported as part of this project. “We want to provide help where it is needed. It allows us to put our principles of charitable work and teamwork into practice,” says Barbara Schielke, industrial clerk trainee and project representative. The project kicked off on Wednesday, June 18th 2008 at the childcare center “Heilig Kreuz” in Weissenburg. All outdoor playground equipment was repainted by 13 trainees and their two instructors. Mrs. Pitzer, the director of the childcare center, was delighted about the active participation of commercial and industrial trainees, who were so eager to commit to painting the playground equipment in their spare time. After 3 hours of hard work, HGW provided a snack break for everyone involved. At the end, there was positive feedback from all sides. Now the childcare center can show its new colors for the summer festival. The HERMANN GUTMANN FOUNDATION participated in this project with a generous donation, which provided much more than simply paint and brushes for the project. Two more projects are planned for this year. Next up is the St. Elisabeth home for the elderly in Ellingen, where GUTMANN trainees will beautify the outdoor grounds. The project is planned, organized, and implemented by the trainees themselves. Instructors, managers, board members, and the HERMANN GUTMANN FOUNDATION support the project and assist wherever necessary. “We would be so happy if more trainees followed this example and started similar projects,” states Gottfried Langer of the HERMANN GUTMANN FOUNDATION.

June 2008 - GUTMANN donates proceeds of the Golf Cup

In the 4th year of the GUTMANN Golf Cup, a raffle was held again as well. Of the proceeds, 2500 Euros were donated to Kinderschicksale Mittelfranken, and Verein Kinderhilfe e. V. (organization helping children) received 30 teddy bears. The society Kinderschicksale Mittelfranken e.V. helps children with severe multiple disabilities and their families in emergencies. This mainly entails financial support for therapies and assistance for the children’s daily lives by paying for medical aids not covered by insurance or for families who cannot shoulder all costs on their own. The Kinderhilfe e.V. organization supports sick and injured children. This includes providing rescue vehicles, ambulances, children’s clinics, and children’s wards in hospitals with teddy bears to comfort children. The cuddly teddy bear called “Cuddly Ralph” helps distract the young patients in emergency situations.

April 2008 - Give young people a chance: GUTMANN breaks new ground

“Kooperation Hauptschule – Wirtschaft” is a project, which prepares teenagers for the professional world and provides long-term support. The remarkable thing about this project: It only addresses students of so called Hauptschulen (nine-year remedial schools). “It has helped me find a job,” says an eighth-grader at Senefelder Schule Treuchtlingen after a tour of the company. What is the idea behind the project? A new project of the HERMANN GUTMANN FOUNDATION is called “Kooperation Hauptschulen-Wirtschaft”. With this program, HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE AG, GUTMANN ALUMINIUM DRAHT GmbH, Weissenburg, as well as Alfmeier Präzision, Treuchtlingen, break new ground. The three companies cooperate with Hauptschule Weissenburg, Senefelder Schule Treuchtlingen, and Volksschule Hahnenkamm in Heidenheim. It is a regional project. Paul Habbel, manager of GUTMANN ALUMINIUM DRAHT GmbH, had the idea last fall. “It’s not easy to find good skilled workers,” he notes. “The market seems to be void of them, but we are in desperate need of qualified workers.” For that reason the organizers targeted schools in the area after some initial talks, as Angela Novotny, president of the HERMANN GUTMANN FOUNDATION, who financially supports the program, explains. The projected was then launched at the beginning of the year 2008.
 
Advantages for both sides
“Students of Hauptschulen (remedial schools) are used to not being taken care of,” says Susanne Rathsam, assistant principal at the school in Treuchtlingen. That has changed now. The project, during which school classes visit companies, has two advantages: The students get motivated and companies get potential applicants, who are better prepared for the professional world. The students already received information on site and even tried out a few tasks here and there. At the end of each company tour, there is also a test about company and production data. Math problems are to be solved as well. At the end of July, teachers, company representatives, and organizers met and discussed the results of the cooperation. “After the company tours take place and especially after we grade the tests, we can tell teachers what the students are lacking and what things they can work on more in class. This is absolutely necessary because many teachers are used to fighting solo,” says Karl Scheuer, production manager at GUTMANN ALUMINIUM DRAHT GmbH.
 
Taking charge
“We have to reach out to the parents as well. There are so many problems there,” Scheuer states. In short this means that companies, schools, and parents will work together again in the 2008/2009 school year based on these results. “It is important to give these young people a perspective,” says Dr. Wolfram Kopperschläger, member of the board at HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE AG. “We have been training more staff than necessary for years now so that we can place qualified employees where needed.” Another event is now planned for Weissenburg and Treuchtlingen, where further industrial and trade companies will hopefully be recruited for the project. “We also want to make it clear to company representatives: These kids are also your future customers,” Scheuer stresses. Thomas Merten of the Trifolium consulting firm in Friedberg/Hesse leads and coordinates the contents of this project. It is furthermore supported by the Weissenburg Employment Agency, the Weissenburg Education Authority, and the Bavarian Initiative for practical learning.
 
Caption in PROFIL:
Chief executives, school principals, and HERMANN GUTMANN FOUNDATION sign off on “Kooperation Hauptschule – Wirtschaft”.

January 2008 - Donation of 4000 Euros from Christmas raffle

WEISSENBURG – In the name of his staff, Dr. Wolfram Kopperschläger (center), manager of GUTMANN WERKE, has donated a total of 4000 Euros to three charitable organizations. The money came from a traditional Christmas raffle of the Weissenburg company. The slightly increased amount was distributed to the two local organizations Kinderschicksale Mittelfranken (2000 Euro) and Weissenburger Tafel (1000 Euro) as well as the oncology ward of the St. Hedwig Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Regensburg. The hospital will use the money to finance cancer research, where Dr. Ove Peters has already achieved some promising results. Thanks to his research, the life expectancy of children affected by a certain type of brain tumor has increased significantly. The donation was received by Erika Blumenstock (second from the left), personal secretary at the hospital. Kinderschicksale Mittelfranken was represented by the two presidents Birgid Schwenk and Cristine Wägemann, while Erwin Berndanner (left) represented Weissenburger Tafel.

October 2007 - GARTNER EXTRUSION – Health in profile

At GARTNER EXTRUSION, maintaining and improving the health and wellness of employees is considered an essential factor for success. Only one who is healthy is able to reliably produce top-quality work and new ideas. For this reason, GARTNER EXTRUSION began implementing its health program in the fall of 2007. Several projects lasting multiple years as part of the program are intended to improve employees’ health. It began with Nordic Walking classes. More than 30 employees took advantage of this opportunity over the course of several months. The participants enjoyed the nature during their workouts on the Nordic Walking trail in the nearby Danube Forest. The walking meet-ups still take place today. Further classes are planned for the fall of 2008. They will also give partners of employees a chance to participate.

October 2007 - From the youth for the youth

Trainees at HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE make a juice bar for the organization “Präventionswegweiser” (Prevention Guide).

With the portable “Sansibar”, the organization “Präventionswegweiser” wants to offer young people an appealing alternative to alcoholic beverages at parties. The juice bar was manufactured in the training workshop at HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE. Together with their instructor Klaus Kolb, five trainees – Christian Benzinger, Michael Misoph, Patrick Pickl, Matthias Schmidt, and Marco Schwing – produced the six plug-in components in approximately 500 hours. The components can be assembled to form an eight meter long bar or can be set up in hexagon shape. When the organization “Präventionswegweiser” asked HERMANN GUTMANN WERKE for help with the “Sansibar” project a while ago, board member Dr. Wolfram Kopperschläger agreed immediately: “The juice bar is an outstanding idea, which we happily support.” For a small fee, the portable bar is now available for rent at the Weissenburg district youth center.