This was a particular challenge for us, given the current situation at our suppliers due to corona and the worsening shortage of materials on the steel market. We are therefore all the more grateful that this project could be successfully completed thanks to good and long-standing business relationships on all sides.

Our special thanks go to OCTANORM for the trust they have placed in us and to our suppliers who have made this possible, as well as to our employees who have given their all.

We, the staff of VERMAY GmbH & Co. KG, are already looking forward to the next challenge from our customers or interested parties.

There are plenty of reasons for this. In this case, the ravages of time are gnawing away at the foundations of building services systems on the roof of a hotel. The systems are supported by a steel frame construction on concrete beams. Regardless of the load, the concrete beams are cracking and spalling.

The company ENGIE Germany GmbH develops a safety concept with the aim of supporting the steel structure before the foundations lose their load-bearing capacity. Steel feet are installed under the steel frames, next to the concrete beams, which completely take over the load of the systems. The concrete beams then remain in place and no longer have any function.

With the development of the steel feet, the company VERMAY GmbH & Co. KG from Pulheim. A cost-effective support leg was developed and manufactured to meet the requirements of load-bearing capacity, installation height variation and ease of installation. It is ideal for retrofitting under existing systems. In this case, it can be leveled by +- 30 mm. This means that they can be easily installed under existing systems and compensate for a maximum height difference of 60 mm.

Dominique Mayer

The merger of 15 Asian countries to form the world's largest free trade zone, RCEP, will only have a limited economic impact on the EU, according to Pascal Lamy, former WTO chief and EU Trade Commissioner and current President of the Jacques Delors Institute in Paris. It is more of a superficial agreement that will primarily reduce tariffs on goods. These have already fallen considerably in recent years because, among other things, trade agreements already exist between many of the countries involved or the WTO rules apply. Modern trade agreements today also regulate the protection of intellectual property and state aid, for example. However, these issues were hardly taken into account in the Asian free trade agreement. In contrast, the EU had developed a new generation of trade agreements with some countries in recent years, which also set minimum standards for environmental protection and social issues. These could be expanded further and in future, for example, stipulate compliance with the Paris Climate Agreement as a prerequisite for entering into trade relations.

Companies are experiencing a surge in digitalization
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many companies are making progress with digitalization. This affects around 40 % of companies in the business-related services sector and around 25 % in the manufacturing sector, according to a survey of around 1,400 companies in the information economy and manufacturing sector conducted by ZEW Mannheim in September 2020. Companies have not only become more digital in terms of their employees' work since the start of the crisis, but often also in terms of their product range and business processes. Larger companies are significantly more likely to have made digital progress. And we at VERMAY GmbH & Co. KG are also constantly pushing ahead with digitalization within our company.

Industrial strategy
At a video conference of the EU ministers responsible for the internal market, it became clear that the EU member states are in favor of stronger protection for strategic sectors in Europe. The EU Commission had announced a new industrial strategy for spring 2021 to reduce the EU's dependence on external supply in key sectors and for important materials, among other things. EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton explained that the EU should strive for "strategic autonomy". An open trading environment would also be important for the EU in the future, according to Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier, who spoke out in favor of the introduction of important projects of common European interest (IPCEI). A CO2 border adjustment levy was also discussed. According to Breton, this is crucial for the protection of the internal market and companies.

We all hope for improved relations with the USA again
AmCham Germany, the largest bilateral business association in Europe, expects transatlantic relations to benefit from the election of Joe Biden as the new US President. This is according to a survey of the association's 2,300 members, which AmCham Germany presented at its 14th Transatlantic Business Conference. According to the survey, almost nine out of ten respondents would expect an improvement in transatlantic economic relations after the election. Just under three quarters would expect positive effects for the global economy and 87 % would expect the new US administration to commit to climate protection.

Dominique Mayer

Image source: © stock.adobe.com - chungking

My name is Tobias Fischer, I'm 26 years old, I live in Pulheim and I work at VERMAY GmbH & Co. Kg.

I have been part of the medium-sized family business based in Pulheim since January 2019.

I work there as an industrial clerk in order processing.

For those who don't know: VERMAY GmbH & Co. KG is a manufacturer of adjustable and machine feet, which we develop mainly for industrial requirements, trade fair construction and furniture.

But why am I writing a blog post now?

The reason for this is my successful completion of the "Online Marketing Manager (IHK)" certificate examination.

Quite spontaneously, I was asked by the management whether I would like to do further training in online marketing.

As I was very interested in the topic and had already worked in marketing at my previous company, I naturally didn't miss this opportunity.

Less than a whole working week later, I found myself in an "online classroom".

Thanks to a competent lecturer who was able to convey the content in a way that was easy to understand and, above all, fun, and thanks to a really nice group in which we helped and laughed with each other, the entire course was able to successfully pass the certificate exam.

Now that I am a newly qualified expert in online marketing (it has to be fun), the management and I are trying to advance VERMAY GmbH & Co. KG in this area.

And that's the reason I'm writing a blog post:

I would like to thank you.

VERMAY GmbH & Co. KG, who made this training possible for me.

Prof. Dr. Stefan Strauss, who did a good job as a lecturer.

And to the other course participants, who always supported each other.

#OMM #IHK #StraussMedia #GoToMeeting

Many economists are looking at the rising coronavirus infection figures with growing concern. According to Ifo President Clemens Fuest, an economic recovery is only possible if the pandemic is brought under control. He advocates "regional mini-lockdowns" in regions with high infection rates. According to Marcel Fratzscher, President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), the greatest damage to the German economy would be caused by a strong, long-lasting second wave of infections, not by targeted restrictions on daily life. He believes a small lockdown with restrictions on contact between households, gatherings and travel is necessary. Michael Hüther, Director of the German Economic Institute (IW), warns that the economic policy instruments have largely been exhausted. Society must learn to live with the virus. There is a consensus among economists that there should be no border or school closures.

Extension of corona aid planned
In view of the rising number of new coronavirus infections and increasing concerns about a new lockdown, the German government is planning to extend aid for SMEs and the self-employed until the middle of next year. The ministry is negotiating with commercial credit insurers to extend the guarantees, which expire at the end of the year, until June 30, 2021. An extension would require approval from the EU Commission under state aid law.

Economy warns of new lockdown
As a result of the sharp rise in coronavirus infection figures, there is growing concern in the economy about a renewed shutdown of public life. "A second lockdown would have fatal consequences for the slowly recovering German economy," says BDI Managing Director Joachim Lang. The economy must be strengthened with targeted measures and at the same time the further handling of the pandemic must be planned. According to Clemens Fuest, President of the Ifo Institute in Munich, the first priority from an economic perspective must now be to contain the infections. It is better to put the brakes on now than too late. A repeat of the economically costly lockdown in spring must be prevented, said Gabriel Felbermayr, President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW). However, the economic side effects of the measures must always be kept in mind.

Steel associations call for increased efforts to overcome the steel crisis
22 steel associations in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa have again called on the governments of steel-producing economies to intensify their work in the Global Forum on Steel Overcapacity. The scale and persistence of overcapacity in the steel industry would require more ambition in terms of the Forum's transparency and policy work. Non-participating governments should also participate again. Overcoming the global steel crisis is in the interest of all economies, steel producers and consumers and requires the commitment of all G20 economies.

Dominique Mayer

Image source: © stock.adobe.com - kichigin19

Crude steel production in the 64 countries that report to worldsteel rose by 0.6 % to 156.2 million tons in August 2020 compared to the same month last year. Chinese crude steel production increased by 8.4 % to 94.8 million tons. Due to the corona crisis, many national monthly figures are estimated and will be revised when next month's production figures are updated, according to the World Steel Association.

Crude steel production in Germany remains on a downward trend: In August, production fell by 13 % compared to the same month last year. Over the period from January to August, steel production was 16.5 % below the same period in the previous year. There are still no signs of stabilization in production.

On the occasion of the informal consultations of the EU Council of Trade Ministers, EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and German Economics Minister Peter Altmaier spoke out in favor of supporting the European steel industry. Altmaier said that politicians "do not want to and will not abandon the European steelworkers in the various member states". A competitive perspective is important in the planned transformation to green steel. One instrument for this could be a "border adjustment mechanism", whereby products from countries with lower climate standards than in the EU are subject to a levy when they are imported. However, this would have to be designed in accordance with WTO rules.

In order to create reliable framework conditions for the steel industry, the German government is working in Brussels to ensure that there is a project of common European interest in the field of hydrogen, said Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier in an interview. He sees great willingness in the EU Commission to grant approval under state aid law for such an IPCEI project. Individual funding amounts would then have to be determined, which would be granted as subsidies for specific investments in the steel industry.

Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden would end the US trade conflict with the EU, as his foreign policy advisor Antony Blinken said at a virtual event organized by the US Chamber of Commerce. Instead of harming its own citizens and dealing with its Democratic allies, it should work on a fair approach to international trade and investment, Blinken emphasized.

Exciting times - let's see where the journey takes us. Perseverance is the order of the day!!!

Dominique Mayer

Image source: © stock.adobe.com - natatravel