The event recently hosted by Dörken underscored the worldwide nature of the challenges facing the corrosion protection industry and the importance of maintaining global connections.
Dörken’s Industrial Coatings division has once again hosted its annual “Dörken Days,” underlining the global nature of challenges facing the corrosion protection industry and the importance of international collaboration. The event serves not only as a platform for exchanging knowledge across the entire value chain but also for sharing innovative ideas and solutions.
This year, Dörken Days reached full capacity with 200 participants. Delegates from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Czechia, Romania, Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, the USA, India, South Korea, and China convened to discuss current industry trends and network.
“Especially in these tough times, it is so important not to bury your head in the sand, but to exchange ideas and work together. This cooperation is a decisive factor for success in a constantly changing industry,” has stated Tobias Kleyer, Technology & Networking Manager at Dörken.
Christos Tselebidis and Omar Sawani reflected on topics from last year’s presentations before introducing the main session on PFAS, led by Dörken expert Sabrina Hilbt. Hilbt provided participants with an in-depth overview of PFAS, a subject of ongoing concern across the industry.
Guest contributions from two leading OEMs drew particular attention. Pellkofer from Daimler Truck AG outlined the journey towards PFAS-free fasteners and highlighted the potential introduction of PFAS-free products. He also presented Daimler Truck’s new specification, which clearly distinguishes Mercedes-Benz. Sine Groenne Karlsen from Siemens Gamesa addressed the issue from the wind industry perspective, emphasising regulatory compliance for future wind turbine projects. Siemens Gamesa has therefore committed to using PFAS-free products.
Another highlight of the event was the panel discussion, in which Hilbt invited the speakers alongside Walter Mauri from AGRATI and Norbert Lewan from Galfa. Together, they explored the challenges the supply chain faces in managing PFAS and discussed the steps required to progress on the issue.
Following a short break, Florian Feldmann, Team Lead Analytical Services at Dörken, and Clara Linder from the RISE Institute presented current research projects at the institute, which focuses intensively on corrosion. Their presentation offered insights into Dörken systems and their results. Equally engaging was the presentation of the “LAMA” system – Laser-based preparation of Mass bulk material for subsequent coating (zinc flake coating or galvanised zinc) – by Olav Schulz from SLCR Lasertechnik and Christian Rabe, Team Lead Product and Application Engineering at Dörken. Laser cleaning of bulk materials prior to coating showcased modern technologies for enhancing corrosion protection processes.
“We were particularly pleased that, in addition to many familiar faces from the industry, new participants also found their way to Dörken Days. It was great to see how enthusiastic both regular guests and new faces were about this now well-established industry gathering,” has concluded Christos Tselebidis.