News of WISCHEMANN Group
Meikel Stepanow joined VACU-form in spring as an agency worker and is now starting an apprenticeship as a plastics and rubber technologist with us. He’s already familiar with our Aircell department, but now his trainer, Marius Sowa, is also introducing him to other production areas and familiarising him with everything to do with his specialism, ‘semi-finished products’.
We are delighted to have you on the VACU-form team and wish you an exciting apprenticeship with us, Meikel!
In the picture, from left to right: Marius Sowa (Trainer), Meikel Stepanow (Apprentice)
We are delighted to be supporting the Salzbergen Community Foundation again this year with our donation to the ‘City Cycling’ campaign. 84 cyclists from Salzbergen collectively clocked up an impressive 23,635 kilometres – and VACU-form promised 4 cents to the Community Foundation for every kilometre. We rounded up the amount to a neat 1,000 euros.
In doing so, we are not only supporting physical activity and climate protection, but also the valuable work of the Salzbergen Community Foundation on numerous local projects. A wonderful initiative that ultimately achieves several good causes
at once.
In the photo, from left to right: Wolfgang Amberge and Pia Gräfin von Spee from the Salzbergen Community Foundation, Rebecca Kockmann and Christian Herdering from VACU-form.
We would like to welcome Franz Scho-Leutermann to our team as our new apprentice! After completing Business School, Franz decided to undertake an apprenticeship as an IT specialist for system integration, and from now on he will be working together with our IT colleagues to handle the many IT matters – both big and small – within the WISCHEMANN Group.
Over the first few days, our colleague Jakob Hüning – who himself successfully completed his apprenticeship with us in 2022 – is not only showing him around the production facilities, the administration and our sites, but is also introducing him to his new working life.
We would like to say a warm welcome to the WISCHEMANN team and wish you an exciting apprenticeship, Franz!
“From Granulate to a Drainage Sheet for Green Roofs” – this is the title of the project we initiated together with the elective chemistry course of Hauptschule Ochtrup. As part of the project, five students will visit us several times to gain detailed insights into the individual production steps, guided by our department managers Berthold Janning and André Dieck. The project kicked off yesterday with the granulation of polyethylene. The students not only gain an insight into modern production processes, but also experience how a raw material is transformed step by step into a sustainable product for practical application. We are already looking forward to the next visit in two weeks!
Our colleague Horst-Dieter Krause was honoured on two occasions during a joint breakfast meeting: our Technical Managing Director, Franjo Lahrkamp, and Production Manager, Markus Sondermann, congratulated him on an impressive 20 years’ service and, at the same time, bid him farewell as he entered retirement. Throughout all these years, Horst-Dieter Krause was responsible for the painting work at WISCHEMANN, carrying out his duties with great care and reliability, and ensuring that many aspects of our day-to-day operations were well maintained and kept in good order. Even after reaching retirement age, he continued to support us with his experience and his expert eye for detail. On behalf of the entire WISCHEMANN team, we would like to say a BIG THANK YOU for the time spent together, your dedication and your reliable work, and we wish you all the best for your retirement!
In the photo, from left to right: Andreas Pels (Maintenance), Markus Sondermann (Production Manager), Horst-Dieter Krause, Franz-Josef Lahrkamp (Technical Director), Ute Mitzinnek (HR)
It is with great gratitude that we bid farewell to our Technical Director Stefan Ossendorf, who is retiring from active working life. For more than three decades, he has shaped WISCHEMANN, built up our production and played a decisive role in the further development of our technical processes. His farewell was therefore different than usual: in the shipping hall, his family, professional colleagues, the management and, of course, the WISCHEMANN team surprised him with loud applause, personal words and gifts.
At the same time, we are delighted that Franz Josef Lahrkamp is taking over as Technical Managing Director. With more than ten years of experience in the company, his expertise and understanding of our processes make him the ideal successor to continue WISCHEMANN's technical future in a secure and forward-looking manner.
We say ‘DANKE OSSI!’ and look forward to the new chapter!
In the picture from left to right: Managing Director Ingo Quent, former Technical Managing Director Stefan Ossendorf, new Technical Managing Director Franjo Lahrkamp
VACU-form has been awarded the Committed badge by EcoVadis, the world's largest provider of sustainability rankings for companies.
Since its foundation in 2007, EcoVadis has assessed more than 150,000 international companies. The provider's goal is to ‘deliver reliable, globally recognised sustainability assessments and insights that enable all companies to reduce risk, drive improvement and accelerate positive impact on our planet and society.’
EcoVadis assesses companies according to 21 corporate social responsibility criteria, which are divided into four thematic areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. (EcoVadis sustainability recognition website)
For us, receiving this badge is the best motivation to continue on our path towards a green and sustainable future.
