german american - AHK USA

Transcription

57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:48 AM
Page 1
Volume 18 · Number 4 · May 2007 · $5.00
Magazine of the German American Chamber of Commerce
GERMAN AMERICAN
Interview with Ernst Lieb,
new President & CEO
of Mercedes-Benz USA:
“From Spare Parts Dealer
to Global Player”
GACC • 75 Broad St • NY, NY 10004 • USA
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
CLEVELAND,OHIO
PERMIT #1890
Minimizing Litigation Trauma in the US
Honorary Consul: Norma Brenne Henning
Siemens
presenting
a New
Presenting
a New Image
of Image
Trains of Trains
Why the Transatlantic Relationship Matters
Solar Conference & Business Delegation
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:48 AM
Page 2
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:48 AM
Page 3
Viewpoint
GACC:
Always At
Your Service
Simone Pohl
President & CEO
German American Chamber
of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc.
I
n light of the new transatlantic economic partnership
the significant role of the
German American Chamber of
Commerce (GACC) network
becomes more and more evident. This can be seen in the
transatlantic discussion in the
clean energy sector, where the
GACCs are on the forefront of
organizing conferences and
business to business meetings on
topics such as solar power and
bioenergy.
With more than 2000 members in the US and Germany,
representatives from all types of
industries, organizations, small
to medium sized companies and
many of the largest German
firms call themselves GACC
members and enjoy the benefits
we offer. As an integral part of
the German chamber network
abroad (AHKs) with over 120
offices in 80 countries and 81
Chambers of Commerce (IHKs)
in Germany, the German American Chambers of Commerce are
excellently positioned and connected worldwide. We have
German American Trade · Vol. 18 · No. 4
many contacts and relationships to industry associations
and local organizations, and
are an integral part of the German
foreign
trade
and
investment promotion community in the US with partner
organizations such as the bfai German Office for Foreign
Trade and Invest in Germany.
The bilateral German Chambers abroad are membership
organizations, which also combine the functions of a trade
commission and a professional
service provider, making us a
“one stop-shop.” With the
implementation of the new
marketing brand DEinternational, the chambers have
become an even more capable
partner for German companies
with business development not
only in the US but all over the
world. Every year we advise
hundreds of German and
American companies on their
individual market entry strategy. We find the right importer,
distributor, joint venture, technology partner, or new
bilingual employee through
our service departments.
Hundreds of events and projects in the US and Germany,
which offer increased opportunities to exchange views with
other members and meeting
experts, are organized by our
staff and our many volunteers in
chapters and on boards, who
give their time for the GACC
network across the US. Strengthening and enhancing our
services for our members
remains one of our top priorities.
We would like to remind you
to take advantage of those benefits offered to you especially
through our extensive network
locally, regionally, in the US,
Germany and worldwide and
utilize the many services provided for you. If you are not
yet a member, consider becoming one. If you are a member,
we want to thank you for your
loyalty and support. Together
we form a strong network and
are getting stronger. We can
assure you that we are Always
At Your Service. I
3
4/18/07
10:48 AM
Page 4
Photos: Christian Heeb
57974_GACC_ACG
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
###
##
###
#
START YOUR ENGINES
Journal. The German language magazine about travel, business and lifestyle
in North America. Subscriptions at www.glpnews.com. For advertising call (212) 896-3881, Mr. Detlef Fox.
4/18/07
10:49 AM
Page 5
Contents
Features
Regulars
Cover Story
12 Beyond Battleaxes &
Crossbows
3 Viewpoint – GACC: Always
At Your Service
6 From Spare Parts Dealer
to Global Player
Minimizing Litigation
Trauma in the US through
Mediation
15 Honorary Consul:
Norma Brenne Henning
Part 3 of a 9-part series.
18 Presenting a New Image
of Trains: Silent, Sleek,
Sexy & Smooth
Oliver Hauck, President
& CEO of Siemens
Transportation Systems
discussed the future of
rail in the US.
In light of the new transatlantic economic partnership the significant role of
the German American
Chamber of Commerce
(GACC) network becomes
more and more evident.
28 Transatlantic Ticker
German American
Company News
29 Economic Indicators
Ifo Business Climate
Index Rises Again
30 Masthead
Regions
Ernst Lieb began his career
with DaimlerChrysler
as an apprentice in 1978
in the former Daimler-Benz
organization. In 1985,
he joined Mercedes-Benz
Canada where he held
various positions culminating
in his promotion to President
and CEO of Mercedes-Benz
Canada in 1995. In April
2003 Ernst Lieb became
President and CEO
of DaimlerChrysler
Australia/Pacific Pty. Ltd.,
before becoming President
and CEO of Mercedes-Benz
USA, Inc. in September
of 2006.
Contents
Fox.
57974_GACC_ACG
20 Washington
From Steuben to
Schwarzkopf – 60 million
Americans are of Germanspeaking ancestry
Page 6: MBUSA was founded in New Jersey over 40
years ago to direct the national sales, service and parts
networks needed to accommodate the rapidly growing
number of Mercedes-Benz owners in the U.S.
22 Midwest
Several honorable guests
came to speak on the EU
Presidency and transatlantic trade relations on
March 12th at the MidAmerica Club in Chicago.
25 New York
For the first time in the 60
year history of the German
American Chamber of
Commerce, three women
were elected to the Board of
Directors
26 San Fransisco
Solar Conference & Solar
Business Delegation
5
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:49 AM
Page 6
Cover Story
“I have been with DaimlerChrysler
for nearly 32 years. Before
becoming President and CEO of
Mercedes-Benz USA in September
2006, I headed up DaimlerChrysler Australia/Pacific, and
before that, led Mercedes-Benz
Canada for the last eight of my 18
years there. In 1978, I started out
in the parts area of the company
in Stuttgart and have worked in
every area of the company except
for Finance all over the globe.”
6
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:49 AM
Page 7
Cover Story
From Spare Parts
Dealer to Global Player
Interview with Ernst Lieb, President and CEO, Mercedes-Benz USA
GAT: Tell us a bit about the history of MBUSA.
I am thrilled to now have
the privilege of leading Mercedes-Benz USA, as the U.S.
has become the largest market
in terms of sales for the company worldwide.
MBUSA was founded in New
Jersey over 40 years ago to direct
the national sales, service and
parts networks needed to
accommodate the rapidly growing number of Mercedes-Benz
owners in the U.S. Since then, it
has evolved over the years from
selling about 12,000 MercedesBenz vehicles in 1965 to nearly
a quarter-million vehicles, our
all-time sales record in 2006,
marking 13 consecutive years of
sales growth.
MBUSA was established in
1965. What few people realize
is that the U.S. history of Mercedes-Benz began in 1888
when Gottlieb Daimler
authorized American
piano maker William
Steinway to produce
and market Daimler
engines, light trucks
and passenger cars in this
country. Starting in 1901,
Daimler’s cars became known
by the name Mercedes, and GAT: And what are your goals
Steinway’s company actually and visions for MBUSA under
built a model called the your leadership?
American Mercedes in Long
Our immediate focus is on
Island City, New
customer satisYork, from late
faction and all
As the inventor
1904 until Februthe work we are
of the first
ary 1907, when
doing internally
automobile,
fire destroyed the
and at the dealer
factory.
level points to
our company
has a heritage of
innovation
unlike any other.
7
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:49 AM
Page 8
Cover Story
creating a more customercentric mindset. In my first 6
months with MBUSA, we
have looked throughout all
stakeholders – employees,
dealers and customers themselves – to identify and
address ways to improve
efficiencies in order that
8
changes
may
ultimately
impact customers in a positive way.
When you come into a new
job, you first have to take a
look at what is “in here”
where we operate from before
you can look at what is “out
there” in terms of customers
or profitability or the market
in general. With this in mind,
we’ve started internally with
our employees to identify
areas that help us build our
reputation as a desirable
workplace so that we may
continue to attract the best
talent the industry has to
offer.
And we’ve recently met
with
our
entire
dealer
network – 342 in total – at
our National Dealer Business
Forum
for
a
two-way
dialogue that set expectations on both sides of the
table in an effort that our
customers’ needs be addressed
and exceeded even better
than ever.
Not least of all, through
Customer Forums, I am in the
process of meeting with customers nationwide this year,
so by the end of the year
I will have met hundreds
of customers face-to-face
to talk with them
about their ownership
experience.
These
discussions
have
been
very
insightful,
both
in shedding some
light on areas we
need to improve in
and in revealing an
unmatched passion and
loyalty to the MercedesBenz brand beyond my
imagination.
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:49 AM
Page 9
Cover Story
Ernst Lieb, President & CEO, Mercedes-Benz USA
Ernst Lieb began his career
Mercedes-Benz Canada in
with DaimlerChrysler as an
1995. Under his leadership,
apprentice in 1978 in the
sales of Mercedes-Benz
former Daimler-Benz
passenger cars in Canada more
organization and became a
than doubled. In April 2003
spare parts specialist the same
Ernst Lieb became President
year. In 1985, he joined
and CEO of DaimlerChrysler
Mercedes-Benz Canada where
Australia/Pacific Pty. Ltd.,
he held various positions cul-
before becoming President and
minating in his promotion to
CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA,
President and CEO of
Inc. in September of 2006.
GAT: What are some key products and services that MBUSA
offers that differentiate you from
the competition?
First, there’s the product
that differentiates MercedesBenz. As the inventor of the
first automobile, our company
has a heritage of innovation
unlike any other. From pioneering the first roll-over
crash test in the 1960’s to
airbags in the 1980’s, and stability control in the 1990’s, we
continue to introduce active
and passive safety features
such as today’s ProSafe which
prepares the vehicle for an
accident before it happens.
Additionally, unlike our
competitors, we offer our customers the most diverse
portfolio of luxury vehicles to
suit their varied lifestyle
needs. From highly acclaimed
sedans
and
fun-to-drive
coupes and convertibles, to
four different SUVs that meet
a variety of needs without
compromising on luxury,
there’s a Mercedes to choose
from. We also offer two
super-luxury models
that epitomize a
lifestyle of aspiration: the Maybach
and SLR McLaren,
both of which are
unparalleled.
And customer service
at Mercedes-Benz is an utmost
priority – we are the only
automaker with our own inhouse customer assistance
9
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:50 AM
Page 10
Cover Story
center. Customers can always
call, 24/7, with a product question, an accessories order or a
request for Roadside Assistance.
And that’s every Mercedes
owner out there – whether they
bought their Mercedes new or
used, from a dealer or a previous owner – we’re there for
them instead of a third-party.
pen within the auto industry
these days, but it is safe to say
that we will continue to see dramatic change. The transitions
we’ve seen over the last few
years have made it a particularly challenging time, so we have
been pleased that, despite it all,
we have come out with continued sales growth year over year
as we have achieved for the past
13 consecutive years.
GAT: What changes do you foresee for the car
manufacturing
Since 1965,
business in the
next year or so?
MBUSA has
It’s a bit diffievolved from
cult to predict
selling about
what may hap-
GAT: What do you like to do
when you’re not working?
Having just moved here
from Australia, where my
two eldest children stayed
for college, my preference is
to spend free time there
with them. Otherwise, my
wife, youngest son and I are
avid skiers and could be found
on the slopes this
past winter. I
GAT: What keeps you
up at night?
Honestly, I am so
busy working each
day that I sleep
quite well at night.
12,000 MercedesBenz vehicles to
nearly a quartermillion vehicles
each year.
10
300 in
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:50 AM
Page 11
emirates.com/usa
FULL PAGE AD
Emirates
Willkommen to
Hamburg.
Daily non-stop flights from JFK.
Non-stop luxury with multi-course gourmet dining,
complimentary fine wines and over 600 entertainment
channels, in every seat. It’s great in any language.
Fly Emirates. Keep discovering.
300 international awards and over 80 destinations worldwide. For more details contact Emirates at 800-777-3999. Discover frequent ﬂyer beneﬁts at www.skywards.com
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:50 AM
Page 12
Features
Beyond
Battleaxes
& Crossbows
Minimizing
Litigation
Trauma
in the US
through
Mediation
Written by Richard Lutringer, Esq.
Schiff Hardin LLP in New York
12
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:50 AM
Page 13
Features
T
he U.S. civil litigation
system can be compared
to medieval warfare.
Imagine that two bordering
countries had a dispute over
water rights, but no methods
existed to resolve the dispute
other than battleaxes and
crossbows. The “weapons” of
litigation, like those of war,
have the effect of unleashing
powerful forces in the quest for
a one-sided victory. Just as better ways of resolving disputes
in the international arena have
emerged over time, this article
discusses how, in the realm of
private civil disputes, the use of
a mediator can minimize collateral damage while achieving
positive results in record time.
One of the most striking differences between litigation
“weapons” in the United States
and Germany is U.S.-style pretrial discovery, a combination
of the Spanish Inquisition in a
law firm conference room
(“deposition”) and a wideranging review of the other
party’s files (“document discovery”). It is not unusual for
dozens, if not hundreds, of
boxes of letters, internal
reports, memos and drafts to be
delivered to the other side for
page-by-page review, hunting
for the proverbial “smoking
gun”. In the new area of electronic
records,
computer
memories can be searched to
find information on each party’s servers, pc’s and laptops.
The time of executives preparing for and participating in
depositions, or reviewing old
email correspondence and boxes of paper prior to delivery to
the other side means less time
to devote to their real jobs, not
to mention the costs of experts
and lawyers.
Arbitration
Although arbitration (the use
of one or often three neutral
parties to make a non-appealable binding decision) avoids
formal court proceedings,
including jury trials, and has
the advantage of confidentiality, it generally does not reduce
the costs and time involved
and, of course, must be contractually agreed to in advance
by all parties. Additionally,
under standard AAA rules to
which many U.S. arbitrations
are subject, pre-hearing discovery is permitted. A recent
survey of general counsel of
major U.S. companies indicated that most saw no significant
differences in the total cost or
time required between arbitration and litigation.
What is mediation?
Mediation (“Streitschlichtung”
in German), is a non-binding
process to resolve disputes using
a third party mediator who facilitates negotiation between the
parties. The mediator, unlike a
judge or arbitrator, has no
authority to make a decision or
impose a solution, but can only
assist the parties in reaching
agreement through his or her
experience, negotiation skills and
an understanding of the mediation process. The basic elements
of mediation are a) a mediator as
neutral third party, b) a dispute
that has been reduced to specific
issues, c) participation by the parties themselves (as opposed to
merely lawyers), d) confidentiali-
ty and e) speed. And by “speed”
is meant lightning speed compared to arbitration or litigation.
Resolving cases that have been
pending for months or years in
one or two days of mediation is
not unusual. In some cases an
agreement expressly provides
that before either side may take a
dispute to court or arbitration the
parties must first attempt mediation to try to settle the issues.
Mediations are usually started,
however, after a litigation has
been commenced when one of
the parties (or the judge) requests
that mediation takes place. It can
also be used prior to litigation
between unrelated parties or
even within a partnership, a
workplace or anywhere disputes
and misunderstandings arise.
Mediation minimizes the time
and expense of litigation
and arbitration.
In many cases involving private parties, the use of a
mediator not only reduces time
and expense, but also permits a
form of settlement that would
not be possible in either a court
or arbitration award. Court
remedies are generally limited to
the payment of money or compelling or preventing a specific
action. Mediations allow more
flexible resolutions, tailored to
the interests of the parties.
Statistics show that over 90%
of cases, will in fact settle prior to
the actual courtroom trial, often
a year or more from the start of
the litigation. Even a winning
defense can drain the energy of
the executives and the budget of
the defendant company. There
is often little to lose and much to
gain from a mediation at the ear-
13
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:50 AM
Page 14
Features
liest stages before much of the
litigation budget is expended.
Even if unsuccessful in reaching
a settlement at that time, face-toface discussions can help each
side understand the arguments
and positions of the other side,
and lead to more fruitful settlement discussions later.
Who are mediators?
Mediators have had special
training in the art and science
of mediation and most have
had years of experience as a
lawyer, judge, CPA or other
profession (professional engineers, for example, often serve
as mediators in construction
dispute cases and insurance
professionals in insurance coverage disputes).
What happens during a mediation?
The mediation proceeding
itself is normally held in a conference room and generally
lasts at least several hours. The
mediator gives an opening
statement informing the parties of the ground rules of the
mediation, emphasizing his
neutrality, that the proceeding
is voluntary and that confidentiality protects anything that is
said in the mediation. Each
party in turn then has an
opportunity to present the
background of the dispute.
After each side has explained
its position, the work of the
mediator begins in earnest. By
summarizing the positions of
the parties and the use of questions to each party to be sure
that each side is aware of the
other side’s position and the
strength of its own position
(usually discussed frankly in a
14
private caucus), the mediator
can isolate the key issues and
help each side realize what will
likely happen if the case actually goes to trial, the “Best
Alternative To a Negotiated
Agreement” (BATNA), a concept devised by Professors
Fisher and Ury in their seminal
work Getting to Yes. Often during a mediation a party will
hear for the first time a description of the case by someone
other than its own lawyer.
Advanced tools used by the
mediator often include sophisticated formulas for dividing
assets among competing parties,
such as partners in an ongoing
business or heirs to an estate, as
well as computer-assisted decision tree analysis that can
quantify the probability of success of each side’s claims and
defenses. It is not unusual for
both attorneys to tell the mediator confidentially that they are
convinced that they have at
least a 75% chance of winning.
Such misapprehension on one
or both sides is due to the common human tendency to
overvalue one’s own position, a
tendency
documented
in
numerous academic studies.
Actually, even “100%“ certain
cases are generally not more
than 80% certain to achieve a
positive result in trial or arbitration due to such factors as
overworked judges, less than
competent arbitrators, unavailable witnesses and ambiguous
documents. In litigation, of
course, incorrect legal decisions
can be appealed, (demanding
more time and expense, of
course) an alternative that does
not exist in arbitration.
The “magic” of mediation is
that parties to a bitter and complex dispute can actually
resolve it quickly and easily
when removed from the combative atmosphere of litigation.
The parties themselves, after
knowledge of the then available
facts and interests of each side,
can make realistic judgments
based on probabilities and
interests in the same way they
do in their daily business lives.
At any stage of a dispute, mediation can significantly reduce
the time and expense of litigation or arbitration and can
often lead to a continuation of
a long term relationship. I
About the Author
A New York City based
lawyer and mediator,
Richard Lutringer is counsel
to Schiff Hardin, LLP.
Since completion of his legal
studies in the U.S. and
Germany, he has practiced
as an international corporate
lawyer representing public
and private European
companies with respect
to their U.S. business.
As a mediator he is on the
roster of approved mediators
of the New York Supreme
Court and the United States
District Court, Southern
District of New York.
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 15
Features
Norma Brenne
Henning
Honorary Consul Series: Part 3/9
I grew up in Germany and came to the United States
in 1986 after working for the U.S. Army in Bavaria.
I am a mother of two – Greg, 19, and Michelle, 17,
and newly married to my husband, Todd, a Canadian.
After coming to the U.S., I studied journalism in Alabama
and law in Florida. I have now been practicing law
in Southwest Florida for ten years. My husband and I run
a law firm together, advising foreign clients in the areas
of immigration law and providing general legal counseling.
How would you characterize both
your relationship to Germany and
Germany’s importance to you?
I have actually grown much
closer to Germany since I left.
As a young woman, I did not
feel patriotic. My generation
was not raised that way. Now I
have learned to accept the past
and look toward the future. It is
very important to me.
Why have you agreed to serve
Germany as an unsalaried
honorary consul?
How could I refuse? The position gives me a platform to
improve understanding between
my two favorite nation and to
make a difference in people’s
lives. I was honored to be asked.
As a single mom in her thirties, I
did not think I fit the bill.
What do you value most about
Germany and its people, what
less so?
I like the straightforwardness. People will usually speak
their minds. Such directness is
considered rude in the U.S., but
at least you know where you
stand. I believe that negativity
has a way of growing more
15
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 16
Features
powerful the more you think
about it, so I choose not to.
There is good and bad in everything, otherwise life would
be boring.
What do you value most about
the United States and Americans,
what less so?
I most value the people’s
entrepreneurial spirit, positive
thinking and a culture and a
system that allows people to
pursue their dreams. As a moth-
Advertisement
für
Deutsche
in den
USA freie
Arztwahl
weltweit
Adelheid Helbich und
Dr. Nikolaus Helbich 20 Jahre Erfahrung!
Deutsche
Krankenversicherungen
+1-212-316-1641
www.helbich.com
Adelheid@Helbich.com
German
ealth
er with two children, I am not
sure I would have graduated
from law school in Germany.
What comes to mind when you
hear the word Heimat?
Heimat is a safe place to be
myself and to be accepted the
way that I am, where people
laugh at my jokes. Heimat is
also the place where one has
the greatest duty to make a difference. I guess for me, home is
where the heart is, and my
heart is in Germany and the
United States.
In what respect is Germany
important to your region
of the United States?
German visitors make up a
significant portion of tourists,
seasonal residents and foreign
investors in Florida. There are
many business and educational
partnerships. Furthermore, my
new home state of Florida and
my old home state of Bavaria
have entered into a special
cooperation agreement with
respect to the exchange of business, scientific and cultural
information.
How would you describe your role
as a link between Germany
and the United States?
I would describe it as a perfect fit. I have been working in
German-American relations
my entire professional life in
one way or another. I am passionate about helping people
understand each other. Speaking the language and true
understanding are not the
same thing.
What impact do the political
relations between the two
countries have on your work?
I cannot and do not want to
imagine a world in which the
United States and Germany are
not friends and allies. The
strain on German-American
relations after the beginning of
the Iraq war has been difficult
for me. I am very encouraged
by the promise of better days.
How does your community
respond to you as German
Honorary Consul?
The community in my district is very supportive. My
position allows me to meet dignitaries and discuss important
issues with people to whom I
would have little or no access
as ‘just Norma.’ When I need
help from local authorities, I
have always met with open
doors and open ears.
What official act that you carried
out as Honorary Consul has
influenced or engaged you most?
The most memorable act was
reuniting a seven-year-old Ger-
Plans
Worldwide,
Inc.
16
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 17
Features
man boy with his mother and
sisters after a year of separation. The family could not
afford the boy’s trip home.
Legalities had to be addressed,
LTU airlines donated a ticket
and my husband and I drove
all day to put the boy on a
plane. Knowing he is home is
still a thrill.
What do you wish for Germany
and the United States
in the future?
I wish Germans would focus
more on all the things that
make Germany a great country.
I wish there were a vision for
the nation, a ‘German Dream’
that would serve individual
interests and create a positive,
inclusive cultural identity. In
America, I wish politics were
more rational. Mudslinging
stands in the way of intelligent
discussion about necessary
reforms such as health care,
education and – my personal
favorite – immigration.
For a Free Copy of Honorary Consul
To order the complete
“Honorary Consul” brochure
(free of charge), please contact:
The Embassy of the Federal Republic
of Germany in Washington
Barbara Stiem
Press, Information and Public Affairs
Phone: (202) 298-4252
Fax: (202) 471-5519
barbara-christine.stiem@diplo.de
Advertisement
EUROPEAN OFFICE SUPPLIES
We carry...
What does the photo that
you contributed mean to you?
My contributed picture
shows little Jermaine, his
grandmother and me in Tampa, Florida. I sent him back to
his mother in Germany by
plane. This reminds me that
everyone can make a difference
in the life of another. I
Leitz premium products
Registers & Dividers
Signature Blotter Books
A-4 paper, files, sheet protectors
Holepunches and more...
Hundreds of items in stock in our
USA warehouse. Everything you
need to organize your office using the
traditional Ordner system.
Call for our complete catalogue today.
e day
Sam ng
i
shipp
T03
GAT03
GA
PO Box 2728 • Amherst MA • 01004
Call Now! 800-544-4744
w w w. e m p i r e i m p o r t s . c o m
17
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 18
Features
Presenting a New
Image of Trains
Silent, Sleek,
18
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 19
Features
A
fast theme captivated
the audience at a
luncheon organized by
the German American Chamber of Commerce of the
Midwest and the Indiana High
Speed Rail Association on
March 2nd in Munster, Indiana: “Transportation Synergies
and the Midwest Regional Rail
System”. At the 4th annual
Chicago Area Business & Transportation Luncheon, Oliver
Hauck, President & CEO of
Siemens Transportation Systems discussed the future of
rail, especially high-speed rail
and intermodal transportation
in the US.
Hauck explained that the
benefits of high-speed rail are
obviously speed, but also convenience and sophistication.
He exemplified this with examples of Asia and Europe, where
high-speed rail is standard and
available to everyone. While in
Asia, the smart system connects
and moves society, in the US
rail transportation is not a
major device of transportation.
In Europe, he said high-speed
rail is standard and a major
means of transportation. Hauck cost and time savings. Trains
argued there is an opportunity won’t get stuck in traffic! Hauck
for rail to become competitive also mentioned that local jobs
in the US, in particular through can be created through improvenew developments in the area ments in the rail system, which
of high-speed rail.
cannot be off-shored. 47,500 jobs
One thing that needs to hap- would be created for every billion
pen for a better and profitable dollars spent in railroad systems.
future rail system is a change in
While all arguments for a
the mind-set of the American convenient, fast, and reliable
consumer. An image of a silent, railroad system sound promissleek, sexy, and smooth train ing, many barriers such as
needs to be created in order to infrastructure and image need
remove the one of
to be overcome in
the dirty, loud, old
order to make rail
Several issues
freight train. In
an alternative to
need to be
Europe, people view
other transportation
trains as a very conaddressed, such systems in the US.
venient, fast, and
Around 70 guests at
as convenience,
reliable transportathe luncheon, most
environment,
tion system, whether
of them from the
it is for freight or pas- and employment t r a n s p o r t a t i o n
sengers. In order to
industry, applauded
opportunities.
raise awareness about
Hauck’s thoughts
the benefits and
and
ideas,
and
advantages of an improved rail agreed that this matter needs
system, several issues need to be the attention of lawmakers on
addressed, such as convenience, the federal level to make furenvironment, and employment ther progress. The Indiana
opportunities. According to High Speed Rail Association
Hauck, trains are 8 times more has been promoting high speed
energy efficient than rubber and rail transportation through
air based systems. This allows for Indiana since 1993. I
Sexy & Smooth
19
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 20
Regions
WASHINGTON
From Steuben
T
By W. Pfaeffle and R. Metz
(Reprinted from the Atlantic Times)
A rendering of Hockemeyer Hall in Washington,
future German-American Heritage Center of the USA
20
he tale is persistent and
agonizingly elusive. One
hears it mostly in Germany that America – or at least
Pennsylvania – was one vote
away from being a Germanspeaking nation. And the
deciding vote in favor of English
was cast by a person of German
origin. The tale is not true but it
is not as fanciful as it might seem.
None other than Benjamin
Franklin feared the growing
number of Germans in his home
state. “Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English,
become a colony of aliens who
will shortly be so numerous as to
Germanize us instead of our
Anglicizing them,” Franklin
asked, according to historian
Edmund S. Morgan.
Blame the English, Ben. It was
William Penn, an English member of the Quakers, who in the
mid-17th century had invited
the first large group of Germans
to populate a huge tract of land
later known as Pennsylvania.
While Germans became the
largest ethnic group there, German was never considered for
the national language, even
though vast numbers of Pennsylvanians spoke it, including
the legendary frontiersman
Daniel Boone, an Englishman.
But every legend contains a
kernel of truth. German linguist Bastian Sick discovered it:
In 1794, German immigrants
from Virginia petitioned the
57974_GACC_ACG
4/24/07
3:51 PM
Page 21
Regions
WASHINGTON
to Schwarzkopf
60 million Americans are of German-speaking ancestry
U.S. House of Representatives
to translate all laws into German. The committee in charge
voted no, 42-41. The German
House Speaker Frederick Mühlenberg abstained. He said the
sooner Germans became Americans, the better.
So they have. German-Americans have played a role in every
major American event, deeply
influencing “our national life,”
wrote Theodore Huebener in
“The Germans in America.”
The Pennsylvania “Dutch”
weren’t the first German-Americans. Germans were among
French Protestants who settled
in Port Royal, South Carolina,
in 1562. And there is conclusive
evidence
that
the
glassblowers who settled in the
colony of Jamestown in 1607
were Germans.
Liberals by tradition, they
widely supported the revolution. Three centuries later, when
reactionary rulers in Germany
fought attempts by liberals to
reform the constitution in the
1848 revolution, thousands
fled, including aristocrats who
founded New Braunsfeld, Texas.
Today more Americans can
claim German ancestry than
any other ethnic group. Don
Tolzmann, director of GermanAmerican Studies at the
University of Cincinnati, disputes the 2000 Census Bureau’s
estimate of 40 million. Ten
years earlier, the census had
put the number at 60 million.
“Just ask yourself if 20 million,
or one-third, died in 10 years.”
Tolzmann estimates that
the number of Americans
claiming German heritage is
about 60 million, including
German speakers from Austria, Alsace, Luxembourg and
Switzerland. Germans have
integrated so fully that it is
hard to trace them.
The German-American Heritage Foundation is committed
to keeping the memory of German roots in the U.S. alive. It
needs to raise an additional
$2.0 million to complete the
purchase and renovations of a
National Heritage site in Washington
D.C.,
which
all
Americans of German ancestry
can call “home.” A building
has been purchased and renovations are expected to be
completed by December 2007.
The man behind the fundraising is Bern E. Deichmann. “We
are the only major ethnic group
that doesn’t have a heritage
center in Washington, and if we
don’t do anything, our heritage
will soon be forgotten,” Deichmann says.
Deichmann is proud of
endorsements by former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger,
former German Ambassador to
the U.S. Jürgen Ruhfus, and the
1999 Nobel Price winner in
Medicine, Günter Blobel as
well as the German Embassy. I
GAHF President Bernd Deichmann
21
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 22
Regions
MIDWEST
Why the
Transatlantic
Relationship
Matters
Several honorable guests came to speak
on the EU Presidency and transatlantic trade relations
on March 12th at the Mid-America Club in Chicago.
22
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 23
Regions
MIDWEST
T
he event, organized by
the German American
Chamber of Commerce
of the Midwest (GACCoM), the
Chicago Council on Global
Affairs, and the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of
Germany,
brought
three
Ambassadors to the podium:
His Excellency Klaus Scharioth,
Ambassador of the Federal
Republic of Germany to the US,
His Excellency John Bruton,
Head of Delegation of the European Commission to the US,
both spoke on transatlantic
relationships, as well as former
US Ambassador to Germany
and GACCoM Board Member
JD Bindenagel, who moderated
the panel. Accompanying the
Ambassadors was Dr. Daniel
Hamilton, Director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations
at John Hopkins University
and co-author of the study, The
Transatlantic Economy 2006.
Hamilton discussed major
findings of his study, explaining that the transatlantic
economy is substantial and
growing even stronger. He
pointed out that while both
trade and investment are the
base of the transatlantic economic
relationship,
this
relationship is more investment- than trade-driven. Half
of the United States’ global
profits were from Europe in
2005, which makes Europe the
number one income source for
the US. US investment in China, for example, was only 23%
of the US investment in Belgium, while US investment in
Germany was 4 and a half times
larger than in China. These
numbers indicate that while
the rise of China and India na or making smart moves
have been viewed by many as a solely in Europe’s or the US’s
sign of “transatlantic divorce,” favor, but rather about cooptransatlantic bonds have only eration. The EU, as the only
grown closer and stronger since multi-democracy, is an excelthe beginning of this decade.
lent role model for the entire
Following
Hamilton’s world. When dealing with
remarks, Ambassador Scharioth issues such as war, terrorism,
opened his speech with the and dictatorships, democratic
words: “The EU matters, the relationships matter as a way
transatlantic relationship mat- for everyone to voice their
ters, multilateralism matters.” opinion through elected repIn his speech, the Ambassador resentatives.
Democratic
argued that neither the US nor diplomacy is important for
Europe is strong enough to act globalization to survive.
unilaterally to influence imporWith this final remark, Brutant global matters. While ton ended the evening program
discussing the bilateral effort leaving over 260 guests and
and success of and in other executives from all industries
countries, Ambasand
backsador Scharioth
grounds
with
“The EU matters,
kept highlighting
interesting facts
the transatlantic
the significance
and figures, and
of mutual underrelationship matters, thoughts and
standing and a
opinions.
All
Bilateralism matters.”
bilateralism
three speakers
between the US
agreed that the
and Europe. Ambassador Schar- future of the transatlantic relaioth also discussed the initiative tionship needs to be considered
taken by Chancellor Merkel for carefully, with an aim towards
a new transatlantic partnership, even closer bonds and acting as
and the topic of energy and cli- an example for other nations
mate change: two issues, he and relationships. The speeches
explained, that are of great sig- stimulated the audience to
nificance for the tightening of a think in many ways they had
transatlantic relationship.
not before and prompted many
Adding to Ambassador questions. Comments from the
Scharioth’s and Dr. Hamil- audience were generally in
ton’s remarks, Ambassador accordance with the speakers
Bruton argued that the US and many guests expressed
and Europe have a stake in confidence in the positive and
each other and explained collective future of the transatthat when one suffers, the lantic relationship. Because the
other one suffers as well, transatlantic relationship matwhich is the fundamental ters, the German American
truth of investment. This Chamber of Commerce of the
means that the transatlantic Midwest will continue to
relationship is not about organize more events around
gaining advantage over Chi- this topic. I
23
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:51 AM
Page 24
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:52 AM
Page 25
Regions
NEW YORK
GACC Annual Meeting 2007
Women Power on
Board of Directors
Written by Nicola Michels, GACC New York
Hilde Holland
Partner at Wuersch & Gering LLP
Harriet P. Higgins
Financial Advisor at Citigroup
Global Markets Inc.
T
he days of the old boys
club are over. For the
first time in the 60 year
history of the German American Chamber of Commerce,
three women were elected to
the Board of Directors: Mrs.
Hilde Holland, Partner at Wuersch & Gering LLP, Mrs. Harriet
P. Higgins, Financial Advisor at
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
and Mrs. Dagmar Cassan, Executive Managing Director of the
State of Bavaria U.S. Office for
Economic Development.
Dagmar A. Cassan
Executive Managing Director
State of Bavaria U.S. Office
for Economic Development
Other results of the Annual
Meeting on March 29th at the
offices of Baker & McKenzie
LLP included the election of Mr.
Norbert Litzkow, CFO Mercedes
Benz of North America, Inc.
and Mr. Gary Elliott, Chairman
of Thyssenkrupp USA, Inc. Dr.
Hans-Henning Maier, President
& CEO of Stinnes Corporation
was promoted to Vice Chairman
and
Mr.
Siegfried
Buschmann to Honorary Directory. Mr. Georg Budenbender
retired from the Board. I
25
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:52 AM
Page 26
Regions
SAN FRANCISCO
California/Germany
Solar Conference
& Solar Business
Delegation
The German American
Chamber of Commerce,
California Branch, shines
in the success of its 3rd
Germany California Solar
Day held in San Francisco
on March 13th and looks
forward to hosting it’s first
ever ‘California Solar
Business Delegation
to Germany’ this
coming September.
T
he California sun glistened on Pacific Gas &
Electric (PG&E) Headquarters in downtown San
Francisco on March 13th, 2007
as 200 guests attended the 3rd
Germany California Solar Day
to hear keynote speeches from
leading solar experts from Ger-
26
many and California. The
morning half of the full day
conference included 11 presentations from various agencies,
organizations as well as government affiliated speakers, such as
California’s Public Utilities
Commissioner, Dian Grueneich, and Sanford Miller of the
California Energy Commission.
PV NOW’s executive director,
David Hochschild, was also
among the speakers and gave an
excellent overview of the current solar market and political
developments in California and
the US. The California Solar Initiative (CSI), which is currently
in its fifth month of development proved to be a “hot topic”
of discussion and debate. German experts were not hesitant
in giving a strong sense of dissatisfaction that California
should implement higher solar
requirements and regulations
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:52 AM
Page 27
Regions
SAN FRANCISCO
Written by Dahlia Krausse, GACC California
including their belief of the
benefits of a feed-in tariff, than
is currently proposed in such
initiatives as the CSI.
During the afternoon part of
the conference, world leading
German solar companies, such
as, Conergy, SMA, Solon, SolarMarkt and Kaco Solar, presented
their product and service offerings giving attendees a good
insight of what shall be expected
in the coming years. Ensuing the
full day conference was a networking
reception
plus
one-on-one meetings arranged
by the GACC to promote cooperation and partnerships between
German and Californian companies. During the conference and
three days of business matchmaking over 100 meetings
between German and American
representatives took place.
It is through conferences
such as this one that the joint
collaboration of Germany and
California will continue to
develop and strengthen the
solar industry.
The next upcoming solar
project to be organized by the
GACC California Branch will
take place this coming September when the chamber will
host and accompany up to 10
Californian Solar companies
via a four day delegation visit
to Germany.
With the German solar
industry booming from $585
million in sales in the year
2000 to $6.2 billion in 2006,
the German solar industry
continues to climb rapidly. In
2006, Germany installed about
50% of all new solar thermal
installations
throughout
Europe covering a total area of
15.1 million square feet and
producing over 1,050 MWth.
With Germany proving it is at
the forefront of the industry,
this delegation serves as an
ideal opportunity for American
companies
interested
in
strengthening their contacts
and procuring supply agreements with German PV and
solar thermal manufacturers or
establishing partnerships and
investing in the region. This
project is supported by Invest
in Germany, Berlin Partner
GmbH, German Solar Industries Association, Brandenburg
Economic Development Board,
State of Saxony, Thuringia
State Development Corporation and the German Office for
Foreign Trade. I
Website Information
For more information
regarding this delegation
please visit the GACC
California Branch website:
www.gaccsanfrancisco.com
27
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:52 AM
Page 28
Regulars
German American Company News
Schwarz Pharma
begins laying off employees
(GM Today)
In light of losing patent protection for all its major U.S.
products, German-based Schwarz
Pharma has begun laying off staff
at its American headquarters in
Mequon. The exact number of
employees affected by the layoffs
is unknown at this time due to
the current restructuring process,
said Schwarz Pharma spokeswoman Antje Witte.
Union opposes Chrysler
private-equity sale
(AP)
The powerful German trade
union IG Metall is opposed to
DaimlerChrysler selling its
Chrysler business to a private
equity buyer, a regional union
leader told a German newspaper.
“We don't have any interest in
seeing Chrysler sold to a locust,”
Joerg Hofmann, the head of
union IG Metall in the German
state of Baden-Wuerttemberg,
told the Berliner Zeitung.
“There should be a solution
for our colleagues in the U.S.
which benefits the Chrysler
brand,” Hofmann said. “A purely financial investment with the
aim of making a quick buck
doesn’t do much in this respect.”
28
Porsche moves to keep
Volkswagen in German hands
but dismisses takeover
(AP)
Prestige automaker Porsche
will increase its stake in Volkswagen AG, maker of the Beetle,
Golf and Jetta, in a move aimed
at keeping the company firmly
in German hands – though it
does not plan to acquire Europe’s
biggest car maker.
At 31 percent, Porsche will
be Volkswagen’s largest shareholder followed only by the
German state of Lower Saxony,
which holds 20.3 percent.
The Clash of the Titans:
SAP vs Oracle
(Spiegel Online)
Oracle has filed a lawsuit
against SAP. German corporate
software giant SAP has always
portrayed itself as more credible
and trustworthy than its archrival, Oracle. That’s why the
charges leveled in a lawsuit filed
by Oracle on Mar. 22 against
SAP are especially shocking.
In the 43-page suit, Oracle
alleges that SAP committed “corporate theft on a grand scale” by
downloading thousands of
copyrighted software patches
and other confidential support
materials from Oracle servers.
Gerresheimer expands
pharma glass ops
(www.in-pharmatechnologist.com)
German packaging firm
Gerresheimer announced this
week that its US subsidiary,
Kimble Glass, has acquired
the pharma-glass operations
of US manufacturer Comar for
an undisclosed sum, its second significant acquisition in
three months.
Pharmaceutical and life science related turnover accounts
for around 75 per cent of Gerresheimer’s revenues, and the
company is aggressively pursuing expansion plans, having
also made a handful of acquisitions to break into the
Chinese market during the
past year.
Sycor GmbH chose
Pittsburgh region as home
for its North American subsidiary
Sycor Americas Inc.
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Sycor provides information
technology services to manufacturers in the chemical,
plastic, glass, medical device,
oil, gas, mining and cement
industries. It chose Pittsburgh
over Montreal, Toronto and
Minneapolis as the home for its
North American headquarters.
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:52 AM
Page 29
Regulars
Ifo Business Climate Index Rises Again
By Dr. Gernot Nerb, Director of Business Surveys, Ifo Institute for Economic Research, Munich, Germany
T
he Ifo Business Climate
Index for German industry and trade has risen in
March. The slight decline in the
Index in the first two months
of the year, which was presumably attributable to the increase
in VAT, has not continued. The
surveyed firms have given more
favourable assessments of their
current business situation and
their business outlook for the
coming six months. The economic upswing is strong and
robust.
Especially in manufacturing,
the business climate index has
improved. Both the current situation and the six-month outlook
have received more positive
appraisals. This improvement is
all the more remarkable as expectations for future export business
remain largely unchanged.
A slight cooling of the business climate has been reported
in construction. Building contractors have given similarly
Month/year
03/06
04/06
05/06
06/06
07/06
08/06
09/06
10/06
11/06
12/06
01/07
02/07
03/07
Climate
Situation
105.5
105.9
105.6
106.8
105.6
105.0
105.0
105.4
106.9
108.7
107.9
107.0
107.7
Expectations
105.3
106.4
107.4
109.5
108.7
108.8
111.3
111.9
113.9
115.3
112.7
111.6
112.4
105.6
105.4
103.9
104.1
102.6
101.4
99.0
99.2
100.2
102.5
103.2
102.6
103.2
Germany (Index, 2000 = 100, seasonally adjusted)
positive appraisals of their current business situation as in
February but their expectations
for the coming six months are
somewhat less optimistic than
four weeks ago. In wholesaling
the business climate has also
weakened slightly. Wholesalers
have assessed their current situation less favourably than in
February but are slightly more
confident
regarding
the
six-month outlook. In retailing
the business climate has
improved
somewhat.
Last
month retailers gave clearly
worse assessments of their business situation as a result of the
increase in VAT, but in March
their discontent has weakened.
Their
six-month
outlook
remains cautiously optimistic.
Ifo Business Survey – Trade and Industry1), March 2007
Index, 2000 = 100, seasonally adjusted
120
120
Ifo Business Climate
115
115
Assessment of business situation
110
110
Business expectations
105
105
100
100
95
95
90
90
85
85
80
80
75
75
1995
1996
(Source: Ifo Business Survey)
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
1) Manufacturing, construction, wholesaling and retail
2003
2004
2005
2006
2006
27/03/2007 © ifo
29
57974_GACC_ACG
4/18/07
10:52 AM
Page 30
Masthead
Atlanta
Volume 18
German American Chamber of Commerce
of the Southern United States, Inc.
530 Means Street, Suite 120
Atlanta, GA 30318
Telephone: 404-586-6800
Fax:
404-586-6820
info@gaccsouth.com
www.gaccsouth.com
Chicago
of the Midwest, Inc.
401 N. Michigan Avenue, #3330
Chicago, IL 60611-4212
Telephone: 312-644-2662
Fax:
312-644-0738
info@gaccom.org
www.gaccom.org
New York
German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
75 Broad Street, 21st Floor
New York, NY 10004
Telephone: 212-974-8830
Fax:
212-974-8867
info@gaccny.com
www.gaccny.com
Philadelphia
Four Penn Center, Suite 200
1600 John F. Kennedy Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2808
Telephone: 215-665-1585
Fax:
215-665-0375
info@gaccphiladelphia.com
www.gaccphiladelphia.com
GERMAN AMERICAN
TRADE
The National Magazine of the
German American Chambers of Commerce
GERMAN AMERICAN TRADE is published monthly except January & July.
Reproduction in whole or in part of any article is prohibited without permission.
Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be returned unless accompanied by a properly
addressed envelope bearing sufficient postage. Editor reserves the right to edit
letters to be reprinted. Editor and publisher cannot accept any liability
for the accuracy or completeness of any material published. Contributed articles
do not necessarily reflect the Chamber’s position. If you have any comments
regarding articles in this magazine, please call 212-956-1770.
One Year Subscription: U.S.$50.00 (Euro 51,-)
Single copy: U.S.$5.00
Photos: German American Trade Archive
U.S. Postmaster send address change to: German American Chamber
of Commerce Inc.; 75 Broad Street, 21 Fl., New York, NY 10004.
Second class postage: Registration, U.S.P.S. No. 004995; U.S.;
Office of publication: New York
Publication date of this issue: May 2007
© Copyright 2007 German American Trade
Publisher
75 Broad Street, 21 Fl., New York, NY 10004
Telephone: 212-974-8830, Fax: 212-974-8867
San Francisco
Editorial Office
California Branch United States, Inc.
201 California Street, Suite 450
San Francisco, CA 94111
Telephone: 415-248-1240
Fax:
415-627-9169
info-ca@gaccny.com
www.gaccsanfrancisco.com
Editor: Nicola Michels
GACC Photographer: Thomas Dzimian
Advertising Coordination: Nicola Michels
Telephone: 212-956-1770, Fax : 212-974-8867
nmichels@gaccny.com
Washington
328 Commerce Street
Hawthorne, NY 10532
Telephone: 914-741-0445
ideas@thinkersdesign.com
Representative of German Industry and Trade
1627 I Street, N.W., Suite 550
Washington DC 20006
Telephone: 202-659-4777
Fax:
202-659-4779
info@rgit-usa.com
www.rgit–usa.com
30
Number 4
Production
AHK
4/18/07
10:52 AM
Page 31
www.beaufort8.com
57974_GACC_ACG
The Performance Architects
Performance improvement is not an art form. Rather, it is simply a matter of properly directing a company’s existing strengths.
The key to doing this is found in the combination of target-based strategic management with efficient processes and with meaningful management accounting and controlling systems. Using our integrated consulting approach – accompanying you from project
concept phase through realization and training – we can help unlock the untapped potential within your firm and escape the confines
of ”business as usual”. You can learn more about our special approach to management consulting at www.horvath-partners.com
Advertisement
57974_GACC_ACG
4/20/07
2:00 PM
Page 32
Punctual departures from 16 U.S. gateways.
Over 100 European cities within easy reach.
A network that’s growing to meet your needs.
All for this one moment.
With award-winning service to
Europe and beyond, you’ll arrive at your
destination relaxed, refreshed and
ready for business. Visit lufthansa.com.
SM
There’s no better way to fly.

german american - AHK USA

Transcription

Similar documents

GA Trade March 07 - AHK USA