Consolidated Financial Statements - L. Possehl & Co. mbH

24
The proportion of employees working in Germany will increase again
during the current fi scal year due to the fi rst-time consolidation of
the Hako Group. Irrespective of this, we are assuming that due to the
strong economic growth in Asia, the proportion of jobs in this region
will increase again for the long term.
Successful employee advancement and training
Qualifi ed and dedicated employees assure the success of Possehl. To
ensure our competitive edge, we will continue unabated to invest in the
qualifi cation and training of our employees.
The measures used for advancing and developing the achievement potential
of our employees make up one of the central features of our
personnel policy. Of key importance is our decentralized management
principle, which enables senior executives and young executives to
have a high degree of development, responsibility and decision-making
capacity. Through targeted encouragement of communication and
the exchange of information – including among the individual business
divisions and companies of the Group – we use the available know-how
across the entire Group.
In addition to the advancement of our executives, we place great value
on the continuing education of young people. During the reporting period,
the Group trained 49 young people, primarily at the domestic sites.
This is almost double the number trained during the previous year. It is
our goal to further increase the number of openings for apprentices and
the training quota within the Group.
Employees | Research and development | Risk management
Group Management Report
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Possehl companies achieve customer-oriented product
improvements again in 2005
Within the Precious Metals Processing business division, the development
of a high gold-bearing, extra fi rm defl agration alloy for the dental
segment was completed and introduced into the market in 2005.
A new silver-palladium defl agration alloy was also adopted into the
range of products following the successful completion of development.
The characteristics of a palladium alloy were improved for the jewelry
segment and adapted to market requirements.
Following the concentration of research and development activities in
Asia, the Electronics business division continued to move forward in
2005 with the development of the QFN (quad fl at no-lead) technology in
its successor products. The development efforts were even intensifi ed
in the area of smart cards. The ongoing technological development for
minimizing surfaces, expanding functions during stamping and broadening
the etching process also played an even more important role.
In close coordination with customers, the Harburg-Freudenberger Group
developed new control platforms for tire lay-up machines. The edible oil
technology launched a screw extrusion press with an advanced scope
of function and a completely new type of direct drive concept. In the
rubber compound product division, a new compound supplier control
developed on the basis of the Java program language was successfully
put into operation at the customer’s premises.
The Construction business division also expanded its existing range of
products and developed new products and procedures, in particular in
the area of the cds products (coverings, seals and mortar for the repair
and coating of industrial and traffi c areas). The increased international
orientation of this business division also requires that the product
range be expanded to new application areas. The construction fi rms
also have at their disposal the cds laboratory, the cds application technology
and their own structural engineering laboratory in a supporting
and advisory role.