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Research & Development
New “MultiFunctionPanel” successfully introduced
Ballastless “RHEDA 2000®” sleeper further developed to reduce noise
The Pfleiderer Group’s research and development activities are directed at optimizing production
processes and products. Products and services are continually improved in close cooperation
with customers and partners to meet market demands. Some 69 quality managers, laboratory
technicians, product designers and applications specialists were also engaged in research at
development work in the Business Segments Engineered Wood and Infrastructure Technology in
2004. Overall, the Pfleiderer Group spent 2 million euros on research and development during
fiscal 2004 (2003: 2 million euros).
Reseach & Development
2004
2003
Engineered Wood
Research and development activities by the Business Segment Engineered Wood focus on the
use of recycled wood, optimization of the value added chain and continued product development.
The feedback from an ongoing dialogue with customers flows back into research for new types
of surface finishes and facings for the kitchen furniture industry. Pfleiderer Engineered Wood’s
latest development is its MultiFunctionPanel (MFP) from wodego®. With its high flexural and
cross-tension strength, this new carrier is an economic alternative to oriented stranded board
(OSB) for interior outfitters and carpenters. MultiFunctionPanel is strong enough to be used
as a bearing element in interior construction, for flooring or in shop and trade fair stands.
Infrastructure Technology
High demands are placed on all research and development activities in the Business Center track
systems, part of the Business Segment Infrastructure Technology. The high technological standards
of the individual products involved demands a continuous process of innovation and development
of system concepts. One example of this is the optimization of the RHEDA 2000® sleeper system.
The latest development in monolithic track is a mass-spring system. This innovation can be used
in locations with particularly high demands – for example in mountainous terrain, tunnels and stations
or to reduce secondary air noise on neigbouring buildings. The mass-spring system acts
as an elastic element between upper track layer and substructure, effectively reducing vibration.
Absorbing vibration in turn reduces noise levels. At present, around 9 kilometers of ballastless
RHEDA 2000® track in the north-south line in Berlin is being constructed using the mass-spring
system.
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2.0 million euros
2.0 million euros