历经六代人的经营, 至今仍掌握在家庭管理之中的哈根市卡尔倍可公司, 本月正在举办175周年纪念活动。倍可在愈加激烈的市场竞争中历经了考验, 其成功发展壮大的基础一直就是一套明晰的革新管理体制。

通过产品和程序的更新换代, 倍可公司每天都在证明自己属于欧洲顶级高效能润滑剂的生产商, 倍可人始终都在探求能给工业界用户带来最大使用限度的新产品。

在工业, 金属制造, 加工成型技术和特殊润滑剂四大行业里, 倍可提供给各类用户远超过八百多种润滑剂产品。倍可175周年庆祝活动将与在多特蒙德举行第六届国际会议同步进行。届时,  倍可总公司将与倍可世界大家庭中的子公司, 合资企业以及分布在世界三十多个国家的合作伙伴欢聚一堂, 共庆周年。正如公司总经理汉斯-奥托.弗朗兹先生和马丁.瓦尔特博士所言: „这次聚会将是倍可合作伙伴之间交流传导国际知识的媒介, 也是未来企业发展的重要基石。"  在6月17日至20日期间, 倍可将举办丰富多彩的活动来充实每一天, 如组办诸多有关知识和实践的讲座, 宾客演讲和项目报告, 以及组织参观访问。

Conference Center Westfalenhallen: Venue of the 6th CARL BECHEM International Symposium

On 3rd and 4th March 2008 the "Technical and Commercial Conference Asia" with 40 participants from Asia took place in Bangkok, Thailand. It was the second conference which is especially tailored to the requirements of the Asian economic area.
The participating partners from China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam and the USA met in Bangkok to exchange their ideas with the target to further extend the Asian sales and communication network of the CARL BECHEM GMBH and their partners.

All participants showed great interest in the informative contributions with regard to new products, case studies as well as technical and economical developments in the individual countries. We would like to take this opportunity and thank all our partners for the constructive cooperation which made this conference that successful.

Interesting social events rounded off the whole seminar. The impressive river cruise on the Chao Phraya River as well as a sight-seeing tour were accepted by all participants with great enthusiasm. 

From 31st January to 1st February 2008 the 4th Sales Meeting was held at the Hotel Arcadeon.
This conference was characterised by an interesting and multifaceted programme.

Besides presentations on the business results as well as national and international activities in the various BECHEM Business Units, a lot of lectures on new laboratory developments and industrial fields of application were held. Many new developments and future trends in the steel and automotive industry as well as interesting case studies around the subject of anti-friction coatings for automotive applications were met with great interest.

Against the background of the changing raw material markets possible future strategies with regard to the application of esters were examined and discussed. Guest lectures on this subject and on the demanding field of grinding technology completed the two day meeting.

Another item on the agenda was a topical training course for fuel-efficient driving, and an advanced driver training was offered to all company-car drivers.

Comparability with greases labelled according to DIN possible

The research and development department of the CARL BECHEM GMBH has checked various low-temperature greases produced in Russian countries with regard to minimum service temperature.
The lower temperature limit of these products is often indicated with -50 °C, in part also -60 °C. However, it is not quite clear according to which standards the indicated temperatures have been measured. A direct comparison with other products is thus not possible.
In the BECHEM laboratories the flow pressure is measured according to KESTERNICH DIN 51805, and thus the minimum service temperature is determined according to DIN 51 825. Direct comparison with all worldwide produced greases, labelled according to DIN, is consequently possible. The analysis has shown a difference of 20 °C upt o 40 °C between the data of the Russian grease containers and the test results according to DIN 51 825. Greases which according to DIN correspond to a minimum service
temperature of -30 °C up to -40 °C are thus comparable to products on the Russian market with a minimum temperature range of up to -60 °C.

Test procedure based on KESTERNICH according to DIN 51 805
The BECHEM laboratories apply the test procedure based on KESTERNICH according to DIN 51 805.
A small cone (see picture below) is filled with a grease sample and cooled down to the test temperature. Then the cone will be loaded with gas pressure which is gradually increased. The pressure at which the grease releases the gas flow is called flow pressure. This pressure has a direct influence on the minimum service temperature. According to DIN 51 825 only those temperatures may be declared as minimum service temperature at which a flow pressure of max. 1400 mbar is measured according to DIN 51 805 based on the KESTERNICH method. This procedure is popular, simple and well reproducible. It is well suitable to compare the minimum application limits of various greases.

Results of the test procedure
The four tested greases, named A to D, do not achieve the minimum service temperatures which have been indicated by the manufacturers. The flow pressure has been measured at temperatures of -20 °C and at -50 °C. At -50 °C none of the greases could meet the requirements of a flow pressure below 1400 mbar. Product A, C and D fulfilled the requirements at -20 °C. Product B did not show any sufficient results even at -20 °C. According to the test results the minimum service temperature for product A is situated at -30 °C, for product B at -10 °C, for product C at -20 °C and for product D at -30 °C. Correspondingly the minimum service temperatures according to DIN 51 825 are situated approximately 20 °C to 40 °C above the temperatures indicated by the manufacturers.

Commercial Russian greases
Indicated minimum service temperature
Flow pressure at -50 °C according to DIN 51 805 (mbar)
Flow pressure at -20 °C according to DIN 51 805 (mbar)
Minimum service temperature according to DIN 51 825
Difference to the indicated service temperature

The second ÖKOPROFIT®-project (=contribution of companies in cooperation with the local authorities to protect the environment) of the city of Hagen was successfully completed by 13 companies. On Tuesday, 27.11.2007, Hans-Otto Franz (Managing Director), Michael Fischer (Head of Environmental and Safety Management), and Klaus Rost (Head of Technical Purchase) received the award as ÖKOPROFIT company for the site Hagen by the Mayor Peter Demnitz and Matthias Peck, Department of the Environment of North Rhine-Westphalia.

With this award the superior commitment of companies for environmental protection is honoured.

BECHEM has developed and realised extensive measures to improve the operational environmental protection. In the course of the project the BECHEM Team achieved an annual savings potential of

- 10 t waste
- 285.000 kWh energy
- 98 t CO2.

This is favourable for our environment. At the same time cost savings of € 23.535,00 were achieved.

This "eco-profit" is not insignificant and shows that environmental protection and economy are no extremes which exclude each other. The achieved savings of resources and money are a clear evidence.
"ECO-PROFIT" pays off!

From 17th to 20th September 2007 the worldwide BECHEM Automotive Team met for their annual exchange of information round the subject "special lubricants for the automotive industry". The meeting at the Parkhotel Schönbrunn in Vienna was organised together with our Austrian partner Kutzendörfer & Dworak, and we would like to take this opportunity to express our special thanks! The event was again characterised by an informative and diversified programme of presentations from different countries. We would like to specially thank the guest speakers, Ing. Robert Pollmann, Company Pollmann, Austria, and Mr. Josef Ameres, AKE Germany, who contributed to the successful programme. Another main subject were "markets and products of the future" which were discussed in a workshop.

One of the cultural and social parts of the meeting was the visitation of the Schönbrunn Castle.
Our guests especially enjoyed the dinner in the Donau Tower in Vienna.

We are looking forward to the next meeting 2008 on the occasion of the International Automotive
Meeting in Germany!

Under the patronage of Mrs. Irmingard Schewe-Gerigk, member of the German Bundestag, electoral district Herdecke, a delegation of the circle of friends Berlin-Taipei was guest in our company on 1st June 2007. The visit of Mr. Prof. Dr. Shieh, ambassador and representative of Taiwan, and his delegation started with an eve`s reception at the hotel Zweibrücker Hof where first contacts were made and information was exchanged. The next day the guests from Taiwan visited the BECHEM plant in Hagen where they could convince themselves of the various possibilities in the field of lubrication. We presented our already existing business relations and cooperations with companies in Taiwan.

Thus we could make our contribution to a successful delegation trip and support the intention of the circle of friends Berlin-Taipei for a better understanding of German and Taiwanese people.

Innovation and progress have significantly accompanied BECHEM since 1834. Without high-performance specialty lubricants no marvellous technical improvement was possible in the past. And this fact should not be changed when the new high speed train TGV was improved.

With 574,8 km/h France' new TGV "V150" established a new speed record this week. To achieve this technical masterstroke not only the train was completely improved - it now has stronger and better engines and bigger wheels; but also the rail track of SNCF had to be reengineered. For each application which demands high performance, long lifetime and environmental compatibility SNCF trusts in BECHEM CERITOL AW 450 UWS for switch plate lubrication.

BECHEM CERITOL AW 450 UWS is resistant against oxidation, aging and water. Also warm water, alkaline and acidic surroundings cannot impact the product. Due to excellent adhesion on metal grounds and the selection of special thickeners and solids, re-lubrication intervals can be extended, compared with conventional lubricants. CERITOL AW 450 UWS is suitable to substitute conventional greases for environmental reasons. Biological degradability of CERITOL AW 450 UWS is 94% according to CEC-L 33-A-93. The product it suitable to lubricate switch plates and wheel flanges and offers best performance from -30°C to +80°C. Furthermore BECHEM received the approval by SNCF (Nr. IEM 05 005).

Since the TGV drives at high speed and intervals between two trains are very short, the time for maintenance is extremely short. This is why a quick application of the product is essential. Together with CERITOL AW 450 UWS a high pressure applicator is offered, which - compared with paint brush - reduces the time for application by 70%.

For many years the French state-owned railway is a huge and important customer of our subsidiary CARL BECHEM FRANCE.