6 questions for... Jörg Püttbach

Jörg Püttbach - new Chairman of the ZVO Management Board and owner and CEO of the BIA Group, Interview: Robert Piterek

Mr. Püttbach, congratulations on your election as ZVO CEO. What are your plans for your term of office?

The ZVO is in very good shape! It is economically sound, has an excellently managed office with a highly committed managing director. Membership figures are stable at a high level. Walter Zeschky has left behind a very well cultivated field. This must be maintained for the time being. But together with Deputy Chairmen Rainer Venz and Martin Kurpjoweit and the rest of the Board, I have the ambition to further expand this position and make the ZVO fit for future challenges.

The German economy is changing and is struggling with the energy crisis and supply bottlenecks. What does this mean for the industry?

The challenges are enormous. On the one hand, our companies have to cope with the rising costs of raw materials and energy, and on the other, they have to invest. In decarbonization, in the substitution of materials and technologies that no longer make sense for whatever reason. Chromium(VI)-free processes are just one issue. But_low-CO2 production and the circular economy also offer great opportunities. Our products with their metallic surfaces are much better suited to recycling than organically coated parts and do not produce microplastics, such as paintwork. These advantages need to be better highlighted.

The automotive industry is also undergoing radical change. What are the consequences for the electroplating industry?

The situation is difficult. High costs for materials and energy on the one hand, lower sales due to reduced call-offs on the other. In addition, there is uncertainty among automotive customers regarding the issue of chromium(VI). The German Electroplated Plastics Association (FGK) is currently launching a campaign aimed at the automotive industry to improve the image of chrome surfaces. Because there are very good arguments for this. The FGK companies are not only becoming_CO2-neutral and will soon be working chromium(VI)-free. They also take back their galvanized plastic parts, recycle plastic and metal and manufacture new components. We are closing our cycles.

What are you doing to combat the shortage of chemicals?

We are currently painfully aware of how dependent the industry is on individual sources of supply for certain chemical products. The supply chains are complex. One way could be to use the political channels of the ZVO to remove barriers to chemical production in Europe.

Electroplating and surface technology is a small, medium-sized industry. How can the ZVO represent it effectively?

The ZVO acts externally as a representative of a medium-sized cross-sector industry with a voice in Berlin and Brussels. This has been a long journey and we have to work on giving this voice even more weight by having more and more of a say in the run-up to legislation - in Annex 40 of the Chemicals Regulation or in the best available techniques (BREF). And we are being heard in Europe through the CETS. Events such as the Surface Days or Surface Technology also provide a forum for information, presentations and networking. The ZVO Report reports on the association's activities. We also use social media. The Executive Board is present everywhere and is happy to receive suggestions. We rely on the input of our members.

What future do you see for the industry?

Surface technology remains of central importance for the function and appearance of components. We ensure the longevity of components, which can generally also be recycled. Constantly adapting technologies to current developments is the strength of the industry and of Germany as a business location. In this respect, I am optimistic!