The 17th BLOBEL Europe Meeting was held at our plant in Gersthofen on 6 July 2012.
Taking part in the sales training at the new BLOBEL training room on this hot July day were our business partners from Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Denmark and Australia, who had gathered for an update on latest developments in containment systems and flood protection. Time constraints had already obliged our French business associates to attend a separate sales training session weeks earlier.
Based on the experience gained in previous projects, technical director and engineer Joachim Blobel and design engineer Sebastian Prestel did more than take a close look at the features and functionality of the new, fully automatic HWS-K retention barrier. Participants were also given the opportunity to try out the other fully automated models, so as to familiarise themselves with the specifics of the various barrier types – an essential prerequisite for those expected to conduct qualified sales meetings and consultations with interested parties and clients back home.
Of course the training session in Gersthofen also dealt with the somewhat “drier” topics of day-to-day business. These included the many directives and their varying requirements concerning tightness: DIN 19569-4, VdS 2564, Bavaria’s LGA test guidelines, FM approvals, Flood Protection Association ... Here at BLOBEL, we’ve summed up all these different permissible leakage levels into a clear overview for our distributors. All relevant aspects were explained and discussed in detail.
And finally, our export specialist, Elisabeth Wackerl, briefed participants on important changes concerning shipping.
Drastic changes in world trade: starting from 25 March 2013, the status “known consignor” will no longer be valid. Companies must update their certification in time if they wish to obtain the new required status of “approved known consignor” from Germany’s Federal Aviation Office (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt).
EU intra-Community exports to become more complicated: the current “proof of shipment” is to be replaced by “certification of entry”. Companies failing to provide the necessary documentation will face further taxation on their sales tax or value added tax.
The meeting naturally also provided the perfect setting for relaxed and personal conversations and shop talk. All in all, it was an intensive, informative and entertaining day that ended on a convivial note with an evening of food and drinks.