On 25 and 26 April, the Austrian (ÖGI), Swiss (GVS) and German foundry associations (BDG) hosted the „Große Gießereitechnische Tagung 2024“ at the Salzburg Congress Centre. The conference takes place every four years and is one of the most important events in the foundry world in the DACH region. In 2024, the focus was on the circular economy, rising energy costs, the shortage of skilled personnel and the integration of digitalisation and new technologies. This year's sponsors included well-known companies such as CONLED Lichtcontracting GmbH, Laempe Mössner Sinto GmbH, ABP Induction Systems GmbH, Otto Junker GmbH, Vesuvius GmbH (Foseco), GEMCO Engineers B.V., Hüttenes-Albertus Chemische Werke GmbH, Resand Oy, Nürnberg Messe GmbH and Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. Over 600 people participated the „Große Gießereitechnische Tagung 2024“. And more than 40 exhibiting companies presented their products and services in the foyer.
Plenary lecture by future researcher Franz Kühmayer about work, education, and leadership
The event was opened by moderator Oliver Zeisberger in the Europasaal, who welcomed BDG President Clemens Küpper and ÖGI Managing Director DI Christa Zengerer, followed by a plenary lecture by futurologist Franz Kühmayer about work, education, and leadership. Afterwards, a number of technical lectures followed, held simultaneously in the Europasaal (iron and steel casting) and the Mozartsaal (non-ferrous metal casting).
Lectures on iron and steel casting and non-ferrous metal casting
The technical presentation by Dr Marco Rische, ABP Induction Systems GmbH and Dipl.-Phys. Wolfgang Baumgart, Zorc Technology GmbH, focussed on the changeover from cupola furnaces to induction furnaces. The technical presentation by Andres Baier and David Hrabinaj from FOSECO Vesuvius GmbH was about clean steel castings at low casting temperatures for high-performance applications using the innovative Rotoclene process. The lecture by Rudolf Wintgens, Laempe Mössner Sinto GmbH, who presented the hybrid and digital core making of the future, was also exciting. Information about all technical lectures that took place during the two-day event here: https://www.foundry-planet.com/de/d/grosse-giessereitechnische-tagung/
CEO Andreas Müller from the light metal foundry DGS Druckguss Systeme AG was awarded with the Peter R. Sahm Prize 2024
The perfect final of the first day was the Foundry Evening at the Salzburg Exhibition Centre, where the Innovation Award of the Peter R. Sahm Prize 2024 of German Foundry Industry took place. In 2024, the monetary and non-monetary prize (15,000 euros as well as a sculpture) went to CEO Andreas Müller from the light metal foundry DGS Druckguss Systeme AG, based in St. Gallen, Switzerland. «We want to further strengthen the industry with this prize”, Müller stated in his words of thanks.
Re:GAIN research project generated a great response by the audience
The second day of the event kicked off with the presentations ‘Session Circular Economy + Transformation’ in the Europasaal, moderated by Oliver Zeisberger, and ‘Session Digitalisation’ by moderator Martin Vogt in the Mozartsaal. This was followed by the specialist lectures like the presentation by Dr Kai Kerber (Otto Frech GmbH & Co. KG) about the Re:GAIN research project – Resilient automotive foundries use AI-supported assistants for sustainable processes – which generated a great response by the audience.
'Energy transition is a marathon, not a sprint', Prof DI Karl Rose
Another highlight of the event was the closing presentation about the future of the energy markets by Prof DI Karl Rose. Rose emphasised that the energy transition is a marathon and not a sprint. Political targets are therefore often overambitious, and we must remain realistic in achieving the climate targets. In the concluding panel discussion, Clemens Küpper, BDG President and Managing Director of Eisengiesserei-Baumgarte; ÖGI Managing Director DI Christa Zengerer; Prof. DI Karl Rose and Dipl.-Ing. Lars Steinheider, Managing Director of Friedrich Wilhelms Hütte Stahlguss GmbH and DI Max Kloger; Tiroler Rohre GmbH, once again discussed the core topics of the conference.
The EU offers many advantages: IF Europe is prepared to face up to its problems
Nevertheless, there were also many signs of hope, according to the quote by author Leonhard Cohen ‘There is a crack in everything. That's where the light come in", which was emphasised by future researcher Franz Kühmayer in his presentation. «The EU is a community of values in which democracy and human rights count. Our social model is based on freedom and responsibility of the individual as well as legal certainty and stability», so Kühmayer. «Compared to the rest of the world, the EU offers numerous advantages with the potential to maintain and increase our prosperity - IF Europe is prepared to face up to its problems.» In order to be able to compete internationally in the coming decades, Europe needs to invest much more in research and technology - a point on which all panel participants agreed. Overall, the „Große Gießereitechnische Tagung 2024“ was a successful event with new input on current foundry issues and an excellent opportunity for exchange and networking as well.
