Thirty years of cooperation WTI - Welding Training Institute and GSI SLV Duisburg

Introduction, explained Mr Klaus Middeldorf, CEO of GSI – Gesellschaft für Schweißtechnik International mbH, different starting points of this cooperation. Mr. Middeldorf Currently pointed on the still for the German welding industry interesting market in China. The German Welding is export-oriented in a particular way, more than two thirds of all the goods of welding technology made in Germany are exported, in 2013 the People's Republic of China, with a share of 11.3% of these exported goods, the second most important exporter to the United States (with 13.9%). China represents total for welding a significant market. In 2012 were 510,000 arc welding machines installed in  China, the total consumption of consumables was 3,200 kilotons, and there have been more than 6,800 robotic systems for welding applications installed. In particular, the development of the installed robot systems is interesting; China has the number of installed robot systems more than tripled in the past few years. Nearly 47% of these robotic systems are directly related to welding applications. In summary, it was reported that € 900 million for goods exported from Germany to China in 2012, based on the total amount of imports of welding materials in China nearly € 3.3 billion corresponds to the proportion 27%. In this economic context, there are good prospects for a positive future development of  Chinese -German cooperation in the field of welding.
In his following speech Mr. Chen Yu took, deputy head of WTI - Welding Training Institute Harbin, this idea of further cooperation, particularly in the fields of quality assurance and auditing of companies by international guidelines may be a more economically interesting trend result, it is an increase of 400 companies audited 1000 audited company expects the number of welder qualification tests will increase to around 100,000. Other areas of cooperation are thus remain in the modern training of welders and welding supervisors here Methods of Internet-based e-learning will be more in the future in China. In addition, a market for joint action results in the field of automation and use of robots in companies in China. Mr. Chen Yu also said that the WTI in the near future to open three more locations and will deepen cooperation with about a hundred other partners.
Yu and Middeldorf affirm that our successful collaboration was not only technically and economically viable but that also good, stable and friendly working relationships have shown a strong mutual understanding. WTI and GSI are expected to continue their cooperation in a joint venture company.
The mayor of the city of Duisburg, Sören link, paid tribute to our successful cooperation between the GSI SLV Duisburg and WTI. He expressed his joy over the fact that Duisburg starting point for such a long and more lasting cooperation: economic cooperation with companies in China is for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the city of Duisburg is of great importance, more than 800 companies in North Rhine- Westphalia maintain direct working relationships with companies in China. Link referred in this context to the currently implemented cooperation talks between a large business delegation of Chinese Prime Minister and German government agencies and companies, including with regard to research and environmental technology should be treated in terms of a Chinese-German Innovation Partnership.
The special event was continued with contributions from speakers from the GSI SLV Duisburg and from Bildungszentren Rhine-Ruhr to the issues of quality assurance in rail vehicle and modern welder training. Representatives of the company Voestalpine Böhler Welding GmbH and Fronius Germany GmbH explained from the perspective of a filler metal manufacturer and supplier of equipment new trends in welding technology. Both stressed the importance of the Chinese market and paid tribute to the German-Chinese cooperation especially in the field of training for welders. It is still true that well-qualified employees are a basic requirement in the Chinese companies for the success of German industrial enterprises in China.

The guest speaker Professor Gerd Witt from the Department of Production Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen was one, who spoke on the use of additive manufacturing. Witt referred in this context to the development of this particular production technology with a twist on what products with considerably more freedom than geometry regard so far. Between the GSI SLV Duisburg and the Department of Production Engineering, there will be more collaboration to what extent results of this cooperation will also be incorporated into the German-Chinese cooperation remains to be seen.

The event was moderated by Mr. Jörg Mährlein, head of the GSI SLV Duisburg, Mährlein referred to the positive outlook and specific plans to further successful cooperation with the WTI back and confirmed the support of GSI for the future. Finally Mährlein thanked all the employees of the WTI and GSI SLV Duisburg for the current dedicated cooperation.

Contact: Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Mährlein