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Jubilee Newspaper for 150 years anniversary
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Jubilee fund-raising campaign„Donations instead of Gifts“
Throughout the jubilee year, we are supporting a series of charity projects and welfare institutions in various countries. On page 13, you can find out more about our first fund-raising campaign „Donations instead of Gifts“.
The GEZE jubilee microsite
150 years of GEZE - one and a
half centuries in which a lot has
happened! This is why we are pre-
senting a lot of subjects related
to our 150th jubilee on a sepa-
rate jubilee microsite. Learn more
about our company‘s history, our
jubilee activities and our fund-
raising campaigns. Marvel at the
new products of the past with
historic advertising posters and
films. Find out about the GEZE
world of today. With an innovative navigation, the contents are actuated for you in a surprising way.
The GEZE jubilee microsite will go online for you at the start of February.
We hope you have lots of fun!
Dear customers, partners and
employees of the GEZE Group,
„GEZE in motion since 1863.“
If we look back at our company‘s
150 year history, our jubilee mot-
to stands for 150 years of moti-
on. GEZE sets people in motion.
GEZE sets doors and windows
in motion with its products. We
are proud to be able to say that
GEZE also set in motion the tech-
nology with which we have had
a significant influence on buil-
ding technology for one and a
half centuries. We would like to
use our company‘s 150th jubilee
primarily to take a look at the fu-
ture. Let me use the words of Al-
bert Einstein, who once said: „The
future interests me more than
the past because that is where I
intend to live.“
Remaining constantly in motion,
continually reviewing our actions
and our results, is an important
prerequisite for realising our vi-
sion „to be number one when
it comes to the confidence of
our customers for system solu-
tions for doors and windows“. In
view of this, we are continuous-
ly developing our expertise and
our resources. Intensive research
and development activities and
systematic innovation manage-
ment help us always to offer you,
our customers, the most efficient,
effective and innovative solutions.
Innovation efforts with a long term
focus, the maximum utility value
and very high quality standards of
our products, system expertise and
unique customer support have
brought us continuous growth.
We will continue to put our trust in
this model for success.
Our employees set these standards
for themselves every day. This is
why our customers and partners
are always able to rely on innova-
tive, first-class products, the best
possible advice and maximum
support. 150 years of loyalty testify
to this. Today, I would like to since-
rely offer you, the customers, part-
ners and employees of the GEZE
Group throughout the world, my
heartfelt thanks for this.
We will remain in motion for you!
I hope you enjoy reading our jubi-
lee newspaper.
Brigitte Vöster-Alber Formative personalities - the outstanding managing directors
Greeting from Winfried Kretschmann
Milestones in GEZE‘s product history
Greeting
Brigitte Vöster-AlberChief Executive Officer
The Minister-President of Baden-
Württemberg congratulates GEZE
GmbH on its 150th jubilee.
Page 2
Outstanding managing directors
have shaped GEZE‘s history from the
beginning.
Page 4
For 150 years, GEZE has had an influence
on building technology with numerous
product developments. Find out more
about the technological milestones.
Page 16
International edition, January 2013 www.geze.com
JubILEE NEWSPAPEr
Greeting from Winfried KretschmannMinister-President of the State of Baden-Württemberg
It is with great pride that the Leonberg-based family company GEZE can look back, in 2013, on a 150-year history, in which the company developed into one of the world‘s leading providers for door, window and safety technology. On behalf of the state government, I would like to congratulate the management and all the employees on this success story.
Efficient manufacturing processes, the conservation of natural resources as well as the funding of projects in art, culture, science and in the social sector characterise the company‘s missi-on statement just as much as innovation and inventiveness, competence and creativity. GEZE has recognised that successful economic activity is based both on financial profits and on cor-porate sustainability. Therefore, the company attaches great importance to its social commit-ment, its social responsibility and its guidelines on environmental policy.
GEZE is one of the „hidden champions“ so typical of Baden-Württemberg - a medium-sized company that, with its special technologies and solutions, is the world‘s leading provider in its field and thus a flagship for Baden-Württemberg as an industrial location. For, although the company established in 1863 operates on a global level with its 30 subsidiaries and around 2500 employees, it has expressly committed itself to Baden-Württemberg. As the compa-ny gives people training and further training, preserves and creates jobs, attaches great im-portance to long-term economic success instead of a short-term maximisation of profits, and strengthens local economic structures, it contributes to the economic success of our state. At the same time, there is also a fixed place for research and development: forward-looking solu-tions and products are produced in the company‘s own technology centre. To sum up: GEZE demonstrates why the medium-sized companies in Baden-Württemberg are rightly labelled the backbone of our economy.
I wish the company management and all the employees of GEZE GmbH a happy jubilee and all the best and every success for the future.
Winfried KretschmannMinister-President of the State of Baden-Württemberg
Imprint
EditorGEZE GmbH, LeonbergReinhold-Vöster-Straße 21-2971229 LeonbergGermany
www.geze.com
Editorial department and layoutGEZE GmbHInternational MarketingReinhold-Vöster-Straße 21-2971229 LeonbergGermany
PicturesGEZE GmbHiStockphoto
Customer service
Telefon: +49 (0) 07152-203-0
Telefax: +49 (0) 07152-203-310
E-Mail: [email protected]
Jubilee Newspaper2 GrEETING
Contents
2__ Greeting from the Minister-President
3__ A family company
4__ Formative personalities
6__ Messages from all over the world
8__ GEZE chronicle: 1863 - 2013
10_ Sustainability at GEZE
11_ GEZE products are sustainable
12_ Social responsibility
13_ Jubilee fund-raising campaign
14_ Work and family at GEZE
14_ Training and promotion of young talents
16_ Milestones in GEZE‘s product history
18_ Presence at trade fairs through changing times
19_ Service is „value added“
20_ Nostalgia: historical advertising posters
Since the second half of the 19th century, there was a turnery in the heart of
the small Swabian town of Göppingen. It was established in 1863 by master
turner Georg Friedrich Vöster under the name „Vöster & Co.“. The Vösters have
been a family of entrepreneurs ever since. Georg Friedrich Vöster passed on his
manual skills to the next generation. His son Adolf continued to lead the turne-
ry. In 1884, at a time in which the Hohenstaufen town was developing into an
important industrial town in the Kingdom of Württemberg, Adolf Vöster‘s first-
born child, Reinhold, came into the world. In this atmosphere of aspiration, he
completed a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Stuttgart.
Technically adept and with entrepreneurial ambition
Reinhold Vöster wanted to use the locational advantages of Stuttgart to continue
and further develop his father‘s company. In 1911, he established the initial links
with the management of Gretsch & Co. GmbH, which was later to become his
partner. Did he already know then that this hardware company had just as long
a family tradition and, like his father‘s Vöster & Co., was also founded in 1863? He
had already been flirting with Gretsch & Co. GmbH for a long time. The negotia-
tions were initially unsuccessful, and then broke down upon the outbreak of the
First World War. In 1911, Reinhold Vöster finally purchased an engineering works
in Stuttgart-Feuerbach and established another one there. Single-mindedness
and stagnation were not his thing, however. When the merger with the desired
company, which was now called Vereinigte Baubeschlagfabriken Gretsch & Co.
GmbH, could be completed in 1924, the foundations for today‘s GEZE GmbH
were laid.
Committed to progress
Reinhold Vöster‘s only son, Walter, who was born in 1914, also completed a
degree in engineering. The young engineering graduate started by gathering
management experience outside his father‘s company, before he joined Verei-
nigte Baubeschlagfabriken Gretsch & Co. GmbH in 1944. Walter Vöster played
an important role in the strived for further development and the growth of the
medium-sized company. In 1958, new production plants were put into opera-
tion, according to the latest automation principles of the time, in Leonberg, 15
kilometres away. Father and son worked hand in hand on all the key issues. The
transfer to the next generation started when Walter Vöster was entrusted with
the technical management the same year. After the company‘s 100th jubilee, he
was to manage the company independently. However, he died unexpectedly in
1963 at the age of 48. A tragic stroke of fate, but life had to go on somehow. At
79, his father Reinhold remained active in the company until his death.
The continuity ideal
In 1968, shortly before his death, the 84-year-old Reinhold Vöster passed on
his life‘s work and thus the chair of the Management Board to his 24-year-old
granddaughter Brigitte Vöster. Having grown up with the company, she gained
experience in the company even during her studies in business administration.
Brigitte Vöster-Alber manages the company to this day, as the fifth generation
of her family. She represents 45 years of continuity in its management and is
the supreme guardian of the company‘s values. Her husband, Hermann Alber,
is the company‘s Technical Managing Director and is one of her most important
sources of support. The continuity ideal is also prevalent in the sixth generation.
The company is a normal part of family life for all the members of the family. The
continued existence and the success of GEZE are close to their hearts. As early as
1993, Brigitte Vöster-Alber transferred twelve per cent of the shares in the com-
pany to each of her four children.
Cross-generation cooperation
Two of the four children in the Vöster-Alber family already have positions of re-
sponsibility in the company. As both parents are still acting as managing direc-
tors, they have the opportunity to become acquainted with a variety of tasks
in detail and, at the same time, to help to shape them. Andrea Alexandra Alber
managed the „International Marketing“ division from 2008 - 2012 and moved up
into the Management Board in 2012 for the „Strategy and Marketing“ divisions.
Since 2009, Marc Philipp Alber has been Hermann Alber‘s assistant. As a doctor,
the second oldest daughter, Bettina Victoria Alber, took a different path. Being
less „involved“, she often brings new, helpful perspectives to company-related
issues. The youngest, Sandra Daniela Alber, just finished her studies in business
law and entered the company in November 2012 as assistant to the chairwoman
of the management board. In this cross-generational constructive cooperation
with their parents, the children are involved in all the important decisions. The
transfer of the company management from the fifth to the sixth generation will
be dynamic and smooth.
» The family compaNy GeZe «
A family of entrepreneurs
in the sixth generation
Jubilee NewspaperA FAMILY COMPANY 3
Formative personalities - the outstanding managing directors Pioneers and leaders of one of the world‘s leading companies
reinhold Vöster (1884 - 1968)
Reinhold Vöster is the perfect proof that a certain amount of
tenacity is necessary to reach a goal. He was born in 1884 in
the small Swabian town of Göppingen. As the first-born son,
he would have been able to continue the family business –
the turnery Vöster & Co. – as the third generation. In the tu-
multuous industrial revolution, which was taking place in the
towns, he wanted to tread new paths and studied mecha-
nical engineering at the University of Stuttgart. In 1911, he
would have liked to become Technical Manager of the hard-
ware company Gretsch & Co. GmbH, but did not succeed. So
he became an entrepreneur himself, but joined the army first,
at the age of twenty, and later served in the First World War.
After this, he devoted his energy to looking after his compa-
ny Vöster & Müller again and presented himself at Gretsch &
Co. GmbH once more, which had now changed its name to
Vereinigte Baubeschlagfabriken Gretsch & Co. GmbH. The
moment had come: now he was able to join the company as
Technical Manager.
With Reinhold Vöster‘s technical expertise, his vision, his feel
for new markets and his entrepreneurial skills, a new upsw-
ing began for the hardware company. He paved the way for
today‘s globally active GEZE GmbH. As an entrepreneur, as
a man, as a „character“ in the best sense of the word, Rein-
hold Vöster managed the company until his death in 1968.
Visionary, ambitious, tenacious and equipped with a high
sense of social responsibility to the employees and the com-
munity, he went through highs and lows as an entrepreneur
and boss: the „golden twenties“, the global economic crisis,
the Second World War, destruction and reconstruction, the
„economic miracle“ and the occasionally volatile years after
this. Under Reinhold Vöster‘s management – he was sole Ma-
naging Director from 1947 – a medium-sized company be-
came, over the course of 44 years, an established industrial
enterprise that numbered 1100 employees in 1968.
Walter Vöster (1914 - 1963)
Walter Vöster, the son of Reinhold Vöster, returned from the
Second World War – luckily unharmed – in 1944 and entered
the family company soon after. A step that had already been
planned for a long time. The transfer to the fourth generati-
on was to start with him. In 1950, Walter Vöster took on the
technical management of the company from his father and
thus followed in his footsteps. As a graduate in engineering,
he previously worked in management positions in „Lufttech-
nische Gesellschaft“ (LTG) in Stuttgart.
Walter Vöster internalised the idea of innovation. He devoted
himself to product optimisation and new developments. For
example, the first toe release safety binding GEZE „Olymp“
developed by him was presented in 1954 – a successful pro-
duct. When the company relocated from Feuerbach to Leon-
berg between 1955 and 1958, the planning and the transfer
of the company took place under his aegis. The father and
son worked hand in hand and often acted as a „double act“.
There was nothing standing in the way of the baton being
passed smoothly from one to the other. But Walter Vöster
died unexpectedly on 9th April 1963, at the age of 48. A
tough stroke of fate.
brigitte Vöster-Alber (*1944)
As a child, Brigitte Vöster-Alber wanted to be a vet. Instead,
she studied economics at the University of Nuremberg. She
knew what great responsibility meant at an early stage. For
Reinhold Vöster was also progressive and open-minded as
regards women – at a time in which women in management
positions were far from being common – especially in the ma-
le-dominated hardware sector. He had no reservations about
passing the management of the company into the hands of
a young woman. After the death of her grandfather, Brigitte
Vöster assumed the chair of the Management Board on 1st
July 1968, at the age of 24. „I had to“, she once said. And: she
also wanted to. This is apparent in her fresh style to this day.
Brigitte Vöster-Alber continued her grandfather‘s life‘s work.
She modernised the product range and set a new course in
the individual product areas. As a fifth generation entrepre-
neur in a family company, she is the crucial driving force for
the company‘s objectives and the custodian of its values. On
a daily basis, she is pushing ahead with the internationalisa-
tion of the company in the sense of maximum proximity to
customers, growth by its own means, systematic innovation
management and the development of new markets. Thanks
to her, the name of GEZE has stood for cutting edge inno-
vative products and system solutions in door, window and
safety technology of the very best quality throughout the
world for a long time. Her management style: team-oriented,
ready to talk, but always firm with issues, encouraging and
demanding. Traditionally, for Brigitte Vöster-Alber entrepre-
neurship is associated with social commitment, which she
understands to be a civic duty. In the jubilee year 2013, she
is to celebrate her 69th birthday. „I could let go at any time“,
is her answer when asked about a potential withdrawal from
the top management. However, Brigitte Vöster-Alber does
not want to do it yet. As her grandfather once did with her fa-
ther, she manages the company in constructive cooperation
with her children.
Jubilee Newspaper4 FOrMATIVE PErSONALITIES
Formative personalities - the outstanding managing directors Pioneers and leaders of one of the world‘s leading companies
Jubilee NewspaperFOrMATIVE PErSONALITIES 5
Middle East
Scandinavia
India
Serbia
Turkey
France Poland
Russia
Jubilee greetings from the GEZE world
Baltic States
Romania
Jubilee Newspaper6 MESSAGES FrOM ALL OVEr THE WOrLD
China & SingaporeUkraine, Bulgaria & Hungary
Australia
Netherlands and Belgium
Spain & PortugalItaly
Austria
South Africa Switzerland
Great Britain
Jubilee NewspaperMESSAGES FrOM ALL OVEr THE WOrLD 7
From a craftsman‘s business to a technology company
1863Three entrepreneurs create the foundations for today‘s GEZE GmbH: the master turner Georg Friedrich Vöster with the turnery „Vöster & Co.“ in Göppingen and the mechanic Max Wessinger in conjunction with the business-man Friedrich Carl Bauer with the hardware company „Fried-rich Carl Bauer“ in Stuttgart-Feuerbach. The two lines of the company‘s heritage do not (yet) know one another - it is a few years before they come together.
1898The two energetic pioneers of the emerging industrial sector, Oskar and Hugo Hinderer, take over the factory of their uncle, Friedrich Carl Bauer. Inventive-ness and business acumen are combined. They strive for a utili-sation of the company‘s capacity that is independent of the sea-sons: in the summer, the first ver-sion of our ski bindings is produ-ced; in the winter, it is hardware.
The locksmith Viktor Gretsch be-comes the third member of the team. With him, the Hinderer brothers establish „Gretsch & Co. GmbH“. The product range is continuously expanded. In addi-tion to fittings for tramcars and railway carriages, the ideas fac-tory celebrates lasting successes with the Augusta fanlight open-er, the linear ball bearing guides Perkeo and Apoll and the floor spring STOP, in particular.
1901 1906Victor Gretsch leaves the com-pany. Two companies exist with an identical production pro-gramme: the Hinderer brothers merge the two companies Fried-rich Carl Bauer and Gretsch & Co. GmbH. The result is „Vereinigte Baubeschlägfabrik Gretsch & Co. GmbH“.
1938350 employees celebrate the 75th jubilee of the company - by now a recognised medium-sized company. Three product lines have emerged: hardware, trans-port fittings and winter sports products. Exports are already an important success factor in the ‚30s. The first Apprentice Depart-ment is established with state-of-the-art machinery.
1950In the spirit of optimism of the 50s, the stage is set for growth. Produc-tion figures soar. An additional plant is established. With the support of his son Walter, also a graduate in en-gineering, Reinhold Vöster can con-centrate on new developments and advancements again. The lifting door fitting Huba comes onto the market and is a successful model.
1972„Gretsch & Co.“ equips all the buildings of the Olympic Village in Munich with the lifting door fitting Huba, which has achieved a market share of up to 95 per cent by now.
1988The company‘s 125th jubilee - now with 850 employees and new subsidiaries in Switzerland, France, Italy and Great Britain, GEZE is on a course of internati-onal expansion. The door closer TS 5000 with guide rail sets stan-dards. In the middle of the 1980s, GEZE, with its new emergency exit system, launches a complete innovation in the field of safety technology onto the market.
1954In the 1950s, the winter sports products experience a boom. GEZE Olymp, the first toe re-lease safety binding developed by Walter Vöster, is presented. He plays a decisive role in the strived for further development of the company, which makes a fundamental rationalisation and expansion of the production fa-cilities necessary.
1959The production facilities in Feu-erbach can no longer stand up to the demand and the rapidly changing times in the long run. Sufficient space for putting new ideas into practice can be found in Leonberg. A new factory is built there between 1959 and 1963, according to the latest considerations of rational pro-duction.
1981In order to equip the company for the future, Brigitte Vöster-Alber abandons the popular ski product line. A difficult decision. GEZE can now concentrate fully on modern door closing systems. The export business is expanded further.
Official opening of the new technology centre. Innovative products and systems are deve-loped in this ideas factory. The subsidiary GEZE Sonderkon-struktionen is established in Box-berg-Schweigern. Sophisticated sliding and revolving doors and all-glass solutions are created here. The subsidiary GEZE Aus-tria is established in Salzburg. The „integrated all-glass system“ GEZE IGG is introduced.
1999 2002GEZE is granted the TOP 100 award and is one of the 100 out-standing medium-sized compa-nies in Germany.
2006GEZE is continuously growing and is now also represented in Dubai, South Africa, Croatia, Slo-venia, the Czech Republic and in Slovakia.
200840 years of continuity: the Chief Executive Officer, Brigitte Vöster-Alber, celebrates her 40th jubi-lee with the company. With the expansion of its logistics and storage capacity, GEZE is respon-ding to the excellent order situ-ation and its growth worldwide. A subsidiary is established in Hungary.
2009Brigitte Vöster-Alber is awarded with the Federal Order of Merit.GEZE establishes a subsidiary in India as one of the most important markets of the future. Dominant market positions are achieved with refined product lines, including design glass fittings, integra-ted all-glass systems and a new guide rail technology.In addition, a comprehensive range of smoke and heat extraction systems and opening systems for windows are now on offer.
1980A brand name becomes the company name. The logo „G.C.“ on the packing cases of „Gretsch & Co.“ – used in speech for years – provides the new name. Thus, „Vereinigte Baubeschlagfabriken Gretsch & Co. GmbH“ officially becomes „GEZE GmbH“. Since the
1980s, the product policy has been focussed on solutions for doors and windows.
Jubilee Newspaper8 GEZE: 1863 - 2013
1928Irrespective of the global econo-mic crisis, „Gretsch & Co.“ products are still on course for success. The refined linear ball bearing guide Perkeo opens up transportation companies as a market. In the buses and trams of the European metropoles, in ships and even in Zeppelins, transport fittings are now indispensable.
1911The mechanical engineer Rein-hold Vöster - grandson of Georg Friedrich Vöster - founds the company „Vöster & Müller“ in Feuerbach. The product range of Vereinigte Baubeschlägfabrik Gretsch & Co. GmbH is extended by door closers and hold-open systems for doors and windows.
1990In the middle of the 1990s, it is really possible to do business with automatic doors. Automatic sliding, swing and revolving doors have been part of the product range since then.
1996With a subsidiary in the Chinese port of Tianjin as a sales and pro-duction site, GEZE is reacting to the ever growing demand in the Asian market and strengthening its competitive position. Today, almost 450 employees work there very successfully.
1997A milestone of GEZE product design: with the Slimdrive SL, a sliding door drive with a drive height of only seven centimetres is presented for the first time. The subsidiary GEZE Service GmbH is established. Today, there are around 120 employees conduc-ting training courses, installation and maintenance work.
1924A new shareholder brings fresh air to Vereinigte Baubeschlägfabrik Gretsch & Co. GmbH. Reinhold Vöster joins the company, which has been cal-led „Vereinigte Baubeschlagfabriken Gretsch & Co. GmbH“ since 1914. Under his technical management, the product range is modernised and extended. Fittings for folding and sliding windows, ventilation systems for factory buildings, smoke extrac-tion systems and fittings for lifting, folding and double-action doors as well as for garage gates are now also produced.
1964The first automatic floor spring TSA 100 is sold - a market inno-vation and a sensation.
1967 The first automatic sliding door is sold.
1936Christel Cranz and Franz Pfnür win gold medals in the Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkir-chen with the ski binding Kanda-har. Kandahar becomes the bin-ding of choice on all ski slopes.
1960At the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley in California, everyone is talking about GEZE ski bindings. The speed skier Heidi Biebl wins the gold medal with GEZE Olymp.
1963The most important message for the 100th jubilee: success re-mains true to the company. Wal-ter Vöster dies unexpectedly in April at the age of 48. But life has to go on. At the jubilee celebrati-on in October, the foundations of the new administration building are laid. Under the management of Reinhold Vöster, „Gretsch & Co“ has become a modern company with almost 900 employees. The 60s mark the start of the era of automatic door drives.
1968Reinhold Vöster dies at the age of 84. Before his death, he passes on his life‘s work to his grand-daughter Brigitte Vöster, who be-comes the sole shareholder. She starts a process of growth which is characterised by new techno-logies and internationalisation to this day. GEZE experiences abo-ve average increases in turnover and income.
2010GEZE intensifies its sales and ser-vice activities in Eastern Europe. In Zrenjanin in Serbia, an additional production site goes into operati-on. The company expands into an ultramodern distribution centre in Leonberg. GEZE products satisfy the criteria of „barrier-free use“ and „universal design“: the swing door drive GEZE ECturn is granted an award by the German Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics.
2011 GEZE remains true to its head-quarters in Leonberg. Due to in-creasing numbers of employees, it expands into a new admini-stration building and a new faci-lity management building. GEZE is awarded the TOP 100 award for outstanding innovation ma-nagement for the fifth time. In order to serve the Asia-Pacific region optimally, a subsidiary is established in Singapore.
2012 GEZE extends its local presence throughout the world by esta-blishing two new subsidiaries in Turkey and Russia.
2013 GEZE is one of the world‘s mar-ket leaders and is represented in 110 countries in the world with 2500 employees, 30 subsidiaries and a comprehensive sales and service network. As a system pro-vider, GEZE produces products and system solutions from one source that combine individual requirements in one system and open and close doors and win-dows in a coordinated manner.
Jubilee NewspaperGEZE: 1863 - 2013 9
Sustainability and environmental protection at GEZEa principle of responsibilitySustainability stands for the goal of measuring economic and social decisions also by their environmental and social impacts. The economic activity of people throughout the world should be based on the limits of the natural resources, so that future generations can also benefit from them. Sustainability is a focus on the future and therefore part of GEZE‘s mission statement. The actions of the employees are determined by this on a daily basis in all divisions.
environmental responsibilityEnvironmental aspects are taken into consideration consistently. The improvement of the ecology of the products, of the production processes and facilities is a permanent task. From product development and pro-duction to sales, up to maintenance and the after-sales service, the work is performed in accordance with the latest environmental standards.
GEZE‘s environmental management was successfully certified in accordance with the standard DIN EN ISO 14001. Our own environmental management officer constantly provides new solutions for reducing ener-gy consumption and dealing with limited resources responsibly. This is done, for example, with the help of modern lighting control, energy-efficient production systems and conveyors, and not least by the responsible actions of the employees. The latest environmental pro-ject is the implementation of the fleet concept „Green Fleet“: some of the company cars are being replaced with fuel-efficient vehicles with a „EURO5“ rating and a green emissions sticker.
ENVIrONMENTAL – ECONOMIC – SOCIAL
economic responsibility: safeguarding the company‘s futureThe primacy of long-term returns over a short-term maximisation of profits and the claim of only expanding by its own means have already ensured the continuity of the company for 150 years. It guarantees the preser-vation of jobs and is constantly creating new ones - in Germany and in the growing number of subsidiaries throughout the world.
GeZe is certified in accordance with DiN eN 14001The globally valid standard ISO 14001 governs the es-tablishment of an environmental management system. Environmental protection activities are coordinated and combined across all the divisions of the company. The focus is on the process of continuous improvement with the objective of sustainable environmental compatibility.
Jubilee Newspaper10 SuSTAINAbILITY
sustainability in after sales service GEZE Service puts the idea of sustainability into practice through special
innovative service concepts and tools. The possibility of a remote dia-
gnosis of faults in automatic door systems reduces the number of on-site
service assignments or avoids them completely.
sustainable buildings certified – GeZe products satisfy DGNb and leeD criteriaSustainability is value-enhancing. Due to an increasing scarcity of resour-
ces and increasing energy costs, sustainable building and the energy-
efficient operation of buildings are becoming a substantial requirement.
The DGNB Certificate recognised in Germany or the international
LEED Certificate (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
are amongst the most important evidence for the sustainability of a
building. GEZE products have a positive impact on an LEED or DGNB
building certification.
GEZE supports the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen
e.V. (German Association for Sustainable Building, DGNB) with its
membership. With more than 1,100 members from all areas of the
construction and real estate industry, the DGNB champions the pro-
motion of sustainable building.
„credit points“ with GeZe productsThe first GEZE products of the various product categories are listed in
the database www.greenbuildingproducts.eu and stored with the rele-
vant LEED and DGNB certificates. The certificates attest the number of
points with which a GEZE product can contribute to a successful LEED
and DGNB certification of a building.
At GEZE, sustainability aspects are included in the development of the
door, window and safety systems. This is reflected in their quality and
durability. Containing a large proportion of metal raw materials, GEZE
products are very recyclable.
sustainability is „universal design“Wherever possible, GEZE products follow the international design prin-
ciple of universal design. This means maximum user comfort and access
for all as a way of life for everyone - not just for people with limited mo-
bility or senior citizens.
energy efficiency with automatic doors and windows As a result of reliable closing, GEZE automatic door systems reduce
the loss of warm or cold air through the door opening. Energy-saving
potential can thus also be realised in buildings with large entrance areas
and a constant flow of people in and out. Revolving doors separate
the indoor and outdoor climates and ensure that a pleasant climate is
maintained inside the building.
Natural ventilation is just as important. „Intelligent“ drives, controls
and sensors, e.g. GEZE temperature and CO2 sensors, timers and rain/
wind control units open and close façade and roof windows in a con-
trolled manner. They do not just ensure natural and energy-efficient
ventilation - they also satisfy the low energy standards applicable in
the EU, which are laid down, in Germany, in the German Energy Con-
servation Regulation (EnEV). Natural smoke and heat extraction sys-
tems which, in addition to their primary task of quickly and efficiently
extracting smoke gases in the event of a fire, take on natural ventilation
are also sustainable.
For barrier-free user comfort, GEZE au-tomatic door systems and door closer technology were awarded with the
„GGT seal“ with the rating „good” in the user tests of the German Society of Ge-rontology and Geriatrics:
• ECturn swing door drive system • Perlan AUT-NT automatic sliding door system
• TS 5000 ECline door closer system
Some examples for sustainable buil-dings awarded with the DGNB Certifi-cate in gold or silver and equipped with GEZE door and window technology:
• Federal Environment Agency in Dessau (gold)
• Paul Wunderlich Haus in Eberswalde (gold)
• Vileda company building in Weinheim (silver)
• LAIM290 administrative building in Munich-Laim (silver)
• John Deere Technology Innovation Center in Kaiserslautern (silver)
The GeZe painting system past and present - responsibility for people and the environment
The painting system for door closers and ac-
cessories in 1963, the year of the 100th jubilee
of what was then Gretsch & Co. GmbH. In the
past, every door closer still had to be painted
individually by hand.
In today‘s completely automatic painting ca-
bin, the output is much higher - with half the
amount of paint used for the same quantity
of parts.
Through the use of water-soluble paints, the
amount of ozone-damaging solvents was
reduced by two thirds.
The handling of the painted parts was also re-
duced to a minimum and so was the physical
exertion for the employees.
Jubilee NewspaperSuSTAINAbILITY 11
corporate social responsibility? A tradition at GEZE for decades
comprehensive social commitmentTherefore, what is now associated with the modern concept of „corpo-
rate social responsibility“ has a long tradition at GEZE. The list of indi-
vidual commitments is long and extends from the financial support of
medical and social institutions, such as e.g. one of the Ronald McDonald
guest houses that are affiliated to children‘s hospitals, to cultural institu-
tions, such as the Stuttgart House of Literature and schools, in which it
has been possible to set up an Internet café or provide additional courses
thanks to GEZE, to charity sporting events and spontaneous relief opera-
tions. For example, a very successful fund-raising campaign was sponta-
neously carried out for the victims of the severe earthquake that struck
the Chinese province of Sichuan near to the GEZE subsidiary in Tjianjin in
2008. The town of Leonberg was also delighted to receive a jubilee gift.
As part of its sponsorship of culture, GEZE donated the sculpture Servus
on the island of the roundabout next to the GEZE premises.
long-standing connection with the „olgäle“ foundationThe most continuous of GEZE‘s commitments is the provision of finan-
cial support to the charitable „Olgäle-Stiftung für das kranke Kind e.V.“
(Olgäle foundation for sick children) that was initiated by Brigitte Vöster-
Alber and has already been going on for many years. The generous do-
nations which have now reached six-digit figures are used to equip the
new highly specialised children‘s hospital („Olgäle“) of the Olga hospital
in Stuttgart with state-of-the-art medical equipment. An appeal is also
made every year to GEZE‘s suppliers and service providers to give dona-
tions to the „Olgäle“, instead of the usual Christmas presents.
In 2009, Brigitte Vöster-Alber was awarded with the Federal Cross of Merit
for her particular commitment as an entrepreneur and for her outstan-
ding social and cultural engagement, which far exceeds the usual level
in a medium-sized company.
Group of participants in the additional holiday in 1977
„GEZE GmbH Award“
GEZE has been involved in equestrian sports for many years and supports high-class show-jumping tournaments. The most important one is the international World Cup horse riding tournament „German Masters“ in Stuttgart. With the generous „GEZE GmbH Award“, GEZE is one of the main sponsors of the best German indoor horse riding tournament.
Social commitment has deep roots at GEZE – in the company itself
and towards its social environment. Reinhold Vöster spoke about
the company as a „family“.
As early as 1935, a relief fund was established for employees in need.
Under the affectionate name of „joy and sorrow fund“, it still exists to
this day and is, as the name suggests, also used for happy events. In the
fifties, each employee received an additional two-week „all-inclusive“
holiday at the company‘s expense every five years. For this, the com-
pany that was then Gretsch & Co. GmbH occupied guest houses at
alternating resorts in the summer months.
In the town of Leonberg, a number of community projects date from
the support of Reinhold Vöster and the company. Lighter work was
regularly handed over to sheltered workshops and penal institutions.
An attitude which made Reinhold Vöster a honorary citizen of the
town and which his granddaughter, Brigitte Vöster-Alber, continues, of
course.
Jubilee Newspaper12 SOCIAL rESPONSIbILITY
The GeZe jubilee fund-raising campaign „Donations instead of Gifts“
At our company‘s 150th jubilee, we look back at an exciting, eventful
and very successful company development. Our company‘s jubilee
fills us with pride and is a cause for celebration. At the same time, we
would also like to remember those who are dependent on help from
all of us. Throughout our jubilee year, we are supporting a series of
charity projects and welfare institutions in various countries.
Jubilees and birthdays are usually an occasion for a variety of gifts.
However we request that all our customers and suppliers who would
like to give us a gift would instead give us a present in the form of
a donation to the „Olgäle-Stiftung für das kranke Kind e.V.“ (Olgäle
foundation for sick children).
„Donations instead of Gifts“ is our first charity campaign.
We are just as pleased to receive the donations of our employees. In
addition, GEZE will double the total amount of donations achieved by
the end of the jubilee year!
The „Olgäle-Stiftung für das kranke Kind e.V.“ assists the children‘s
hospital of the Olga hospital in Stuttgart with providing medical care
thanks to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities and a child-friendly
atmosphere for the small patients. The children‘s hospital of the Olga
hospital is one of the most modern paediatric centres in Europe and is
therefore frequented by patients from a wide cross-regional catchment
area.
If you would like to support our fund-raising campaign, please transfer
your donation to the following account:
We appreciate your support and thank you for your commitment!
Further national and international fund-raising campaigns will follow
throughout the jubilee year. You can always find information about the
latest campaigns on our jubilee microsite.
„Olgäle-Stiftung für das kranke Kind e.V.“
Account 22 66 550 at bW bank Stuttgart, Sort code 600 501 01
reference „GEZE 150“.
Jubilee NewspaperSOCIAL rESPONSIbILITY 13
GEZE and womenQuota for women? No problem for GEZE!
It is medium-sized companies
that are taking a leading role in
filling management positions
with women. GEZE is setting an
example here. At almost 30 per
cent at the management levels,
the proportion of women in
management positions is extra-
ordinarily high for a technology
company.
There are also a lot of women in
the company‘s young talent. 23
per cent of trainees and students
at the Baden-Württemberg Co-
operative State University are
female. Overall, more than 26
per cent of all the employees at
GEZE in Germany are women. As
a company with a high proportion
of in-house production and de-
Already in the commemorative pu-
blication for the company‘s 75th
jubilee in 1938, the importance of
in-house training at Gretsch & Co.
GmbH is emphasised. Business
and technical apprentices were gi-
ven comprehensive training even
then. The first „Apprentice“ De-
partment was established in the
jubilee year 1938.
One of the apprentices, who
started his commercial appren-
ticeship in 1931 and told about
it in 2012 at the age of 97, was
Eugen Seiz. According to him,
the working days were longer
and the salary was much smaller
than today. Instead, the company
took on the „tuition fees“ that still
had to be paid in those days for
the vocational business school.
Then, as today, the trainees were
Work and family? It has always worked at GEZE
velopment, this value equips us
very well for the future: due to the
demographic changes, compa-
nies will be increasingly reliant on
female specialist staff, even in the
field of technology. GEZE does not
need an enforced quota. The pro-
motion of qualified female emplo-
yees and the compatibility of work
and family life have been firmly
anchored in our human resources
policy for a long time and are part
of the daily life of the company.
With great success: in recent years,
the proportion of female mana-
gers has increased by around 50
per cent.
challenged right from the start;
they were soon assigned respon-
sible tasks. In the third year of his
training, Eugen Seiz had to famili-
arise himself with the tasks of the
newly founded „Overseas Sales
Department“, which reported di-
rectly to the Technical Manager at
the time, Reinhold Vöster. Even if
you consider the interruption of
more than ten years due to the
war, Eugen Seiz remained with
the company for 50 years and se-
ven months.
Family-friendliness has been
part of an open corporate cul-
ture at GEZE for generations.
Even to Chief Executive Offi-
cer and mother of four, Brigitte
Vöster-Alber, it is self-evident
that work and family life must be compatible - even
in management positions. She introduced individual
working hour models and home office work stations
for women a number of years ago - at a time in which
these offers were far from being a matter of course in
companies. In Leonberg, GEZE offers women in cer-
tain areas of work the option of working from home
or starting to work part time after maternity leave.
GEZE is also helpful with the search for suitable care
for children and other relatives who are in need of care.
Training and promotion of young talent at GEZE – yesterday and today
The first „Apprentice“ Department at GEZE
Apprentices today Eugen Seiz (left) with Reinhold Vöster
Birthday present from the trainees for Reinhold Vöster‘s eightieth birthday.
Jubilee Newspaper14 WOrK AND FAMILY
The active promotion of young talents is safeguarding the future
The total number of apprentices is
constantly increasing. In 2008, the-
re were 27; in 2012, the number of
apprentices was increased to 44.
Like a number of modern com-
panies, GEZE also approaches
potential future apprentices in a
proactive manner – at training
fairs or with information events in
schools or in the company. In the
nationwide Girls‘ Day, girls who
are soon to leave school can get
to know the training opportuni-
ties for technical occupations. At
the SchoolHolidayCompanyDay,
GEZE provides school leavers with
support with choosing the right
occupation, and shows them how
to complete a targeted applica-
tion correctly.
„The targeted training of our own young talent is part of our tradition. A large
proportion of our employees began their specialist or management career with
us as apprentices. We fill suitable positions from our own ranks – this is to remain
the case in the future too. Targeted staff promotion is part of the strategic focus
of GEZE GmbH. To be able to consolidate and extend the position of the compa-
ny as one of the global market leaders in the industry, we need highly trained
and flexible employees“, says Brigitte Vöster-Alber.
Dual study and training programmes
Since 2006, places on bachelor courses in three disciplines have been
offered for students about to finish school with a university entrance
exam in cooperation with Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State Uni-
versity (DHBW). 22 students are currently completing this dual practice-
oriented course.
University graduates also have excellent opportunities for development
at GEZE. GEZE has offered trainee programmes for eighteen years. This
„training on the job“ has proved itself to be excellent for the training of
the future specialists and managers. This year, the special talents and abi-
lities of ten trainees will be promoted in a targeted manner.
High proportion of apprentices
GEZE GmbH is one of the largest training
partners in the Stuttgart region. With its ap-
prentices, the students of the Cooperative
State University and the trainees, the pro-
portion of trainees at GEZE reached around
7.6 per cent, measured against the total
number of employees in Germany of 998 in
2012. In the next few years, this proportion
is to be further increased.
Further information on training and careers
at GEZE:
http://www.geze.de/geze/karriere.html
Award-winning: exemplary human resources management
It is only with innovations and new products that GEZE is able to maintain its position as one of the world‘s leading
providers of systems for door, window and safety technology. This requires highly qualified and dedicated specialists.
Therefore GEZE supports its employees with a human resources policy and a human resources management system
that is continuously scrutinised and optimised. GEZE ranks right at the top as an employer of choice. These awards were
bestowed upon the company in recent years:
• Top Employer Germany (2008 and 2011)
• Top Employer in Engineering (2011)
• Top 100 for outstanding innovation management (2002, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011)
• ARCHITECTS PARTNER AWARD (APA) for the excellent consultancy of architects (2009, 2010 and 2011)
• BestPers Award 2007
• TOP Job 2004
• Fair Company
Jubilee NewspaperPrOMOTION OF YOuNG TALENTS 15
Milestones in our product historyIn its 150-year history, GEZE has produced countless products that constituted innovations when they were introduced and have had a
considerable influence on building technology. Here is a small selection from our broad product range:
GEZE Door technology
GEZE door closers impress with their functional diversity, high performance and service life. Indi-vidual adjustment options and compatibility with all common door leaf widths and weights make the selection easy. Fire protection requirements and access for all can be satisfied with a door closer.
GEZE Automatic door systems
GEZE automatic door systems open up a wide va-riety of door design options. They are characte-rised by innovative drive technology, safety and a consistent drive design. GEZE offers complete solutions for individual requirements and special designs.
GEZE rWA and window technology
GEZE smoke and heat extraction systems and ventilation systems combine different require-ments related to windows. The complete range spans from drive systems for natural ventilation to complete fresh and exhaust air solutions.
The GEZE product range
1 I Perkeo – in the range to this dayThe linear ball bearing guide Perkeo is characterised by its
tiny dimensions and can stand up to heavy door leaves.
Perkeo has been in the product range since 1901. The line-
ar ball bearing guide gains a global reputation from 1928
when it takes over buses, trams, ships and even Zeppelin
airships. It has continued to be developed to this day and
is used as a complete unit on single and double leaf sli-
ding door systems, whenever durable, extremely resilient
and precise guides are required, e.g. in industrial systems
or in vehicle construction.
2 I Augusta opens fanlightsAugusta, the fanlight opener for opening a high window,
is new in around 1901. The operation of Augusta with a
drawstring makes easy operation possible even in tight
spaces. A horizontal casement weighing up to 50 kg can
be lifted out of its frame without any effort with Augusta
as a „single cord system“.
3 I Kandahar – successful bindingThe innovative Kandahar cable binding becomes a best-
seller in the 1930s. It guarantees the safe guidance of the
ski. It is particularly suitable for downhill skiing, as Kanda-
har effects a very high degree of heel pull and is adjusta-
ble. Using hooks, the cable tension can be adapted for
the respective skiing discipline. At the Winter Olympics in
1936 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Christl Cranz and Franz
Pfnür win gold medals in the Alpine skiing combined
event and in the slalom.
4 I Lifting and tilting with HubAIn the booming housing construction of the 1950s and
60s, it is not just in Germany that almost every balcony
or patio door and almost every sash window is opened
or closed with the lifting fitting HUBA. Its particular bene-
fit is complete air-tightness, combined with a ventilation
function as a result of the door or window being bottom-
hung. HUBA is easy to operate, as only one lever has to
be used. The sales of HUBA are sometimes measured in
tonnes, rather than numbers of items - that is how suc-
cessful the product is.
5 I „Open sesame“ or TSA 100The first automatic floor spring TSA 100 for swing doors is a
technological quantum leap that rings in the era of automa-
tic door opening in the 1960s. Hitherto, the mechanism of
action of door closers is based solely on the hydraulic prin-
ciple; the new floor spring TSA 100 is operated by an electric
motor. The motor and the drives are housed together in a
cement box in the floor. Now, the door opens also automati-
cally with the help of a floor contact mat.
6 I Design and discrete technology: the fanlight opener OL 100With the manual fanlight opener OL 100, a masterpiece
of modern product design comes onto the market at the
start of the 1980s. The technology - hitherto openly visible -
is now concealed. The aluminium housing is imperceptib-
ly connected to the window profile, meaning that the OL
100 is particularly suited to the aluminium windows that
are emerging at this time. With the multiple-scissor ver-
sion, the area of application of fanlight openers can also
be automated and extended to large and heavy windows.
Jubilee Newspaper16 MILESTONE PrODuCTS
GEZE Safety technology
GEZE safety systems play a significant role when it comes to fire prevention, access control and theft prevention in emergency exits. Individual solu-tions and solution concepts are offered for each of these objectives, which combine the individu-al safety requirements and close the doors and windows in a coordinated manner in the event of danger.
GEZE Glass systems
GEZE glass systems make an open, transparent and versatile room design possible. GEZE offers a wide range of technologies for functional, extre-mely resilient and aesthetic sliding wall or sliding door systems.
GEZE building systems
The GEZE building system is a control and vi-sualisation system for door, window and safety technology. It monitors a variety of automation components in building technology and also of-fers networking options.
GEZE Service
GEZE offers flexible and individual maintenance and service packages. Innovative, technology-based services simplify building management.
7 I The GEZE SecuLogic emergency exit system.In the middle of the 1980s, GEZE launches a complete in-
novation in the field of safety technology onto the market.
With the new emergency exit system, GEZE satisfies the con-
stantly growing requirement for safety and is once again one
of the technological pioneers on the market. To this day, the
emergency exit system is being developed into a compre-
hensive system solution, with the GEZE door control units
as the „brain“.
8 I „GEZE system TS 5000“The overhead door closer TS 5000 with guide rail sets
standards in technical perfection. The closing force can be
infinitely adjusted. The computer-calculated curved form
of the pinion gear, the heat resistant closing speed and
back check that can be adjusted from the front and the
hydraulic latching action guarantees flexibility and the
highest technical standards at the end of the 1980s.
9 I Automatic doors with a „seven centimetre appearance“A sliding door system with a drive height of just seven
centimetres causes a sensation at the BAU exhibition in
1997. „Slim“, as the name suggests, and almost delicate,
the Slimdrive SL fits into any building architecture. The
drive housing that is now much slimmer contains state-
of-the-art control technology.
10 I The Slimchain chain driveSlimchain is the star of the new chain drive generation, which
is introduced in 2012. The strengths of the all-rounder are its
wide range of applications, its „slim“ design, which can also
be integrated into a window profile, intelligent control and
networking options. With its new, ultramodern control tech-
nology, the Slimchain can also be optimally tailored to diffe-
rent requirements in the case of smoke and heat extraction
and for building ventilation.
Jubilee NewspaperMILESTONE PrODuCTS 17
GEZE at trade fairs in the past and present
Marketing has played an important role
for GEZE for a long time. The company
was committed to advertising and parti-
cipation in trade fairs from an early stage.
Always true to the style of the time, the
trade fair stands have always complied
with the latest trends of stand construc-
tion. In contrast to today‘s trade fair
stands, which present the innovations
in terms of product development with
state-of-the-art technology and in an
attractive design, the trade fair stands of
the past were defined by a more functio-
nal design that is reminiscent of a shop
display.1936 - Trade fair in Leipzig
1951 - Trade fair in Hannover
2011 - Trade fair BAU in Munich
1938 - Trade fair in Leipzig
1954 - Trade fair in Wiesbaden
2011- Trade fair MosBuild in Russia
Jubilee Newspaper18 PrESENCE AT TrADE FAIrS THrOuGH CHANGING TIMES
Innovative service is „value added“ and a tradition at GEZE
„Value added“ is the established catchword for the additional value of a product or a service. GEZE‘s mission has always been to offer products with a maximum possible utility value. These
include individual services that are constantly being further developed and supplemented. Here, GEZE is aiming for overall support for building technology, and has extended the service
product range to products from other manufacturers.
The success of the service business led to the establishment of a separate subsidia-
ry, GEZE Service GmbH, in 1997, which, with the foreign subsidiaries, forms a global
service network. In Germany, there are around 120 employees conducting training
courses, installation and maintenance work. Individual service from GEZE is supposed
to make the work as easy as possible for our customers and partners and to save them
time and money with an intelligent range of services. The high-performance corpo-
rate structures and the expertise of the experts from „GEZE Service“ make this pos-
sible. Thus, innovative service has also contributed to GEZE being granted the award
„TOP 100 Innovator“ again in 2011 and being considered one of the most innovative
medium-sized companies in Germany today.
Metal processors, general contractors, building operators and facility managers:more efficiency and technology-based service
Technology-based service products from GEZE go beyond the traditional repertoire of
maintenance and installation and offer individual additional services:
The GEZE ServicePortal gives an overview of
all the systems at all times, provides informati-
on about faults or indicates that a maintenance
is due.
QuickCare is a tool that reduces or completely
avoids service assignments for automatic door
systems through automatic fault messages and
remote access to drive technology.
The MultiSourcing Service, which combines
self-maintenance and the maintenance ser-
vices of GEZE, makes the optimum use of hu-
man resources possible.
The remote control and telemaintenance tool
WebCare detects door faults as soon as they
occur – all the connected elements are control-
led and monitored over the Internet.
So that building operators can calculate costs
safely, GEZE helps them with the technology-
based complete documentation of the mainte-
nance results for an Invest Forecast.
Architects and specialist planners:competent support from the initial idea
The complexity of building technology and the trend towards specific solutions have
led to door closer technology, automatic doors, ventilation technology, fire preven-
tion, emergency exit solutions and safety systems already being taken into conside-
ration in the planning phase of a project. Brigitte Vöster-Alber identified this trend as
early as the 1980s and pushed on the company‘s development from a manufacturer
to a problem solver with a high level of advisory expertise. This is how GEZE Project
Consulting came into being, which has developed as a separate service division in
projects.
The knowledge and the experience that GEZE has gathered and pooled in almost 25
years in the realisation of numerous construction projects is passed on to architects
and planners as our partners. In an integrated plan, ambitious project solutions in
door, window and safety technology with coordinated products are realised, in coo-
peration with them. Depending on how far their activities extend into the realisation
of a project, GEZE provides support with the draft planning and the tender, as well
as in the implementation phase and with the after sales service. „Project“ services
are supplemented with architect seminars and specialist presentations on the que-
stions most frequently asked by architects and planners.
being successful togetherCustomers and partners have rewarded GEZE for many years with their loyalty, their con-
fidence and their ideas that contribute to new and innovative solutions with a system
character constantly being produced.
Jubilee NewspaperGEZE SErVICE 19
Historical advertising posters
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