ESSEN, Germany—Organizers of the biennial Reifen trade show in Essen are seeking entries for the Innovation Awards that will be presented in four tire and repair shop categories at this year's event May 23-27.
Messe Essen GmbH, in partnership with the Bundesverband Reifenhandel & Vulkaniseur-Handwerk, will single out the most innovative and pioneering ideas in four categories: technology and products; service concepts and process optimization; environmental and resource conservation; and motor vehicle service.
The awards will be presented May 23 on the eve of the opening of Reifen 2016 at the Essen Fair Grounds. Messe Essen and the BRV are accepting nominations for these awards until March 31.
Interested parties should submit their applications to Messe Essen, using a form available at the fairgrounds' website, or by mail to Messe Essen GmbH, Reifen 2016, Norbertstr./Messehaus Ost, D-45131 Essen, Germany.
This year will mark the sixth time the show organizers have presented the Innovation Awards. Messe Essen said the award winners “will profit from the publicity effectiveness of the mark of distinction beyond the period of the fair.”
Hans-Werner Sinn, president of the Ifo Institute for Economic Research in Munich, will be the featured speaker at the dinner/awards ceremony. He will speak on the development of the global economy and the situation in Germany and Europe.
Entries will be judged by an independent expert jury, the organizers said, based on: environmental compatibility, sustainability, resource saving, innovation content and economic viability.
Members of the jury this year will be:
• Hans-Juergen Drechsler, managing director of the BRV, Bonn, Germany;
• Udo Golka, tire industry expert witness; Karlsbad, Germany;
• Philipp Hess, managing director, Hans Hess Autoteile GmbH, Cologne, Germany;
• Christian Koch, expert for wheel and tire technology, DEKRA Automobil GmbH, Munich, Germany;
• Peter Luedorf, Gummi Berger Hans Berger K.G., Gummersbach, Germany;
• Hans-Georg Marmit, Motor Vehicle Monitoring Organization of Freelance Motor Vehicle Experts (KUES), Losheim am See, Germany;
• Heinz Poggenpohl, deputy technical manager, Gesellschaft furr Technische Überwachung mbH (GTUE), Dortmund, Germany;
• Stephan Rau, technical managing director, Wirtschaftsverband der deutschen Kautschukindustrie, Frankfurt/Main, Germany;
• Matthias Schubert, TUEV Rheinland, Cologne, Germany; and
• Michael Staude, team leader for tires, TUEV Süd Automotive GmbH, Garching, Germany.
Two years ago awards were presented to Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd., wheel maker Borbet GmbH, Italian equipment maker CEMB S.p.A. and Counteract Balancing Beads.