Climate protection agreements and transformation electricity price should also apply to the hot-dip galvanizing industry
In a dialogue with Nadine Heselhaus, Member of the German Bundestag, Marcus Ackermann points out that climate protection contracts and a transformation electricity price must also be available for hot-dip galvanizers. At the same time, hot-dip galvanizers need natural gas as a bridging technology. Furthermore, the Managing Director points out that materials that are demonstrably circular should be used for the transformation process. In this respect, untruths are too often postulated on the market.
Nadine Heselhaus, member of the German Bundestag for the SPD parliamentary group and member of the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection Committee and the Finance Committee of the German Bundestag, visited Verzinkerei Stadtlohn GmbH & Co KG on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. The Member of the Bundestag toured the hot-dip galvanizing plant and discussed various topics with the Managing Director, Marcus Ackermann, the Plant Manager, Alexander Terhörst, and the Managing Director of the Industrieverband Feuerverzinken e.V., Sebastian Schiweck.
Marcus Ackermann, Managing Director of Verzinkerei Stadtlohn GmbH & Co. KG, pointed out that not only large-scale industry should be supported in the transformation, but also medium-sized industrial companies, which include hot-dip galvanizers.
“It irritates me that politicians primarily support large-scale industry with billions in funding, but at the same time set the hurdles too high for smaller companies. I would like to see a clear “commitment” to medium-sized industrial companies. This would mean that hot-dip galvanizers would also be able to fall back on climate protection contracts or a transformation electricity price. In addition, the changeover will unfortunately take some time, so natural gas should continue to act as a bridging technology,” says Ackermann.
Ackermann emphasized that hot dip galvanised steel is an enabler of transformation. Up to 4,000 tons of hot dip galvanised steel are used in an LNG terminal, hot dip galvanized steel can be found in many substructures of PV systems and in other applications that drive the decarbonization process. Unfortunately, every material defines itself as green, sustainable or circular. In this respect, the Managing Director is calling for stricter policy requirements in terms of sustainability assessment.
“As a company, it is important to us to make a contribution to decarbonization and transformation. We supply many customers with hot dip galvanised steel that ends up in a wind turbine, LNG terminal or PV system. We are also proud of this. We are very annoyed that it feels like every material is designated as sustainable. We are asking politicians to introduce binding rules that precisely define when a material is durable, sustainable and reusable. This would make the whole process more transparent and truly circular materials would be used more often,” says Ackermann.
MP Heselhaus also commented on the issues and said the following:
“Small and medium-sized enterprises ensure prosperity in our region. And it should stay that way. The products are often also important for the transformation itself. A good example of this is the circular material hot dip galvanised steel. It also ensures the sustainability and durability of the products. And we encounter them in very different places in our daily lives. That is why we must succeed in ensuring that hot-dip galvanizing plants and other medium-sized companies remain in the region and continue to invest in the future. That is why I will do my utmost to ensure that medium-sized industrial companies continue to find competitive framework conditions in our region. In my opinion, this is one of the most important political goals in the coming years.”
Picture f.l.t.r. Sebastian Schiweck (Verband Feuerverzinken), Otger Harks (SPD), Marcus Ackermann (Managing Director Verzinkerei Stadtlohn), Nadine Heselhaus (SPD), Lars Voges (SPD), Alexander Terhörst (Plant Manager Verzinkerei Stadtlohn)
