Herbert Kraibühler, Managing Director Technology & Engineering at Arburg, receives Georg Menges Award 2012
- Award presented on occasion of 26th IKV Colloquium
Aachen, 7 March 2012 – More than 600 national and international plastics experts gathered for the 26th International Plastics Technology Colloquium hosted by the IKV in Aachen on 7 and 8 March 2012.During the opening of the Colloquium, the VDMA (German Engineering Federation) Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association, PlasticsEurope Germany and the supporting association of the IKV (Institute of Plastics Processing) in Trade and Industry at the RWTH University of Aachen presented the Georg Menges Award 2012 to Herbert Kraibühler.
The award organisers praised his outstanding services in implementing the knowledge gained in research and development, as well as his commitment to continuous cooperation between science and business.They pointed out that Mr. Kraibühler’s excellent work particularly underlined the fact that new and innovative products can only be created through research and the consistent implementation of the knowledge gained.They also emphasised that his work has helped shape the future of the plastics processing industry to an outstanding extent.
Herbert Kraibühler always seeks out direct contact with scientists and academics.This enables the research institutions to target their activities in areas that are relevant to the plastics industry.ARBURG is thus in a position to identify trends at an early stage and put them into practice in an industrial setting.
These trends, which have today become established methods, technologies and processes, include functional integration, the modularisation of machines, automated production, energy efficiency concepts and the process integration of injection moulding machines (i.e. production cells).Without responding to trends like these, it would no longer be economically viable to produce in a high-wage country such as Germany.
Herbert Kraibühler and ARBURG encourage research through their exemplary support, involving both machines and machine components.Moreover, the ARBURG “Technology on Tour” event programme gives a broad public from the “extended” plastics sector a chance to learn more about technologies and trends.This public includes not only suppliers, customers and partners, industry representatives and trade journalists, but also students, trainees and schoolchildren.Herbert Kraibühler always plays an active role in these events.In this way he helps stimulate interest in and awareness of plastics as materials.Mr. Kraibühler also uses these activities to promote communication between universities and the industry.
In all that he does, Herbert Kraibühler follows the original principles behind the Georg Menges Award in a direct and exemplary manner.
Photo
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Dipl.-Ing. Kraibühler Herbert (right) receives the “Georg Menges Award 2012” from Professor Christian Hopmann
Photo: Hendrik Brixius /IKV)
The award-winner
Herbert Kraibühler was born in 1950. Having trained as a machine fitter at ARBURG, he studied precision engineering in Karlsruhe, specialising in plastics technology. In 1972, he joined the ARBURG Development Department. Having served in several positions as Group Leader, Department Manager and Division Manager, he was appointed Managing Director Technology & Engineering at Arburg in 1996. For decades, Mr. Kraibühler was a close associate of technical pioneer Karl Hehl (1923 – 2010). In 1954, Hehl developed the world’s first small injection moulding machine for in-house use. Demand for this versatile machine was so great that it went into series production as early as 1956, revolutionising plastics processing as a consequence.
About the Georg Menges Award
The Georg Menges Award recognises services in continuous cooperation between science and business in the field of plastics processing. It is presented to outstanding personalities or groups who have earned a name for themselves in implementing information gathered from research and development between business and science and aims to encourage dialogue and cooperation between business and research institutions. As is demonstrated by numerous projects implemented with research institutions such as the IKV, Mr. Kraibühler is the embodiment of the ideals upon which the Georg Menges Award is based.
About the IKV
The Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) in Trade and Industry at the RWTH University of Aachen is the largest institute in Europe dedicated to research and training in the field of plastics technology. Over 300 employees work there, answering questions relating to the processing of plastics and rubbers, as well as the associated materials technology and component design. The IKV’s close links with industry and science, as well as its outstanding equipment, provide students with comprehensive practical training. This explains why plastics engineers from Aachen are sought-after specialists within the industry. Roughly 50 % of German plastics engineers with a university degree studied at the IKV. The IKV is organised into four departments: injection moulding and polyurethane technology, extrusion and further processing, moulded part design and materials technology, as well as fibre-reinforced plastics. Moreover, the Institute also comprises the Centre for the Analysis and Testing of Plastics and the Training and Further Training Department. It receives financial backing from a non-profit sponsoring association, to which around 230 companies from the international plastics industry now belong. The Director of the Institute and Managing Director of the supporting association is Univ. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Hopmann. He also occupies the university chair of plastics processing at the Faculty of Engineering at the RWTH Aachen.
Über Arburg
Der deutsche Maschinenbauer Arburg gehört weltweit zu den führenden Herstellern von Spritzgießmaschinen für die Kunststoffverarbeitung mit Schließkräften zwischen 125 kN und 5.000 kN. Einsatzgebiete sind beispielsweise die Produktion von Kunststoffteilen für Automobile, Kommunikations- und Unterhaltungselektronik, Medizintechnik, Haushaltsgeräte und Verpackungen. Vervollständigt wird das Produktprogramm durch Robot-Systeme, komplexe Projekte und weitere Peripherie. Im Rahmen eines integrierten Managementsystems ist Arburg nach DIN EN ISO 9001 und 14001 zertifiziert. Arburg ist mit eigenen Organisationen in 24 Ländern an 32 Standorten und über Handelspartner in mehr als 50 Ländern vertreten. Produziert wird jedoch ausschließlich im Stammwerk in Loßburg (Deutschland) – mit dem Qualitätssiegel „made by Arburg – made in Germany“. Von den insgesamt rund 2.150 Arburg-Mitarbeitern sind 1.800 in Deutschland beschäftigt, weitere 350 in den weltweiten Arburg-Organisationen.