Photo: Cata65 Public art is a wonderful way to help passersby engage with their environment. It adds a layer of interest and whimsy to busy public spaces, and it can also be a functional part of people's daily lives. Such is the case with a work of art by German sculptor and draftsperson Karl-Henning Seemann which portrays a group of life-sized figures struggling to pull stubborn animals up a mountain on ropes also serves as a handrail up a steep set of stairs Part of the sculpture extends from the base of the stairs to halfway up them It features a bronze rope connecting a balking horse with its hooves firmly planted and tail outstretched displays even more drama; three men struggle to pull a goat up the “mountain,” with one of them having fallen forward and another trying to catch him Seemann is known for his life-sized, dynamic sculptures. “I'm always concerned with the question of how I can translate movement, the fourth dimension of time, ” his website says “into the art of sculpture that is bound by gravity without the sculpture becoming frozen into a pose.” which was installed in 1981 and remains untitled is located in the German district of Schwäbisch Hall outside the city's district administration office (Landratsamt.) The stairs themselves are locally known as the Kleine Treppe (small stairs) compared to the Große Treppe (large stairs) which are the stairs in front of the church at the city's marketplace Both sets of stairs are used seasonally as a stage for an open-air theater with the small stairs being used for children's theater as Seemann's incredibly animated sculptures feel like a sort of performance themselves They are as magnetic and stirring as they are solid and immobile “My work is always about the whole,” he explains “about the synthesis of opposites: dynamics and statics in volume and space rhythm of form in the long-distance and close-up effect freedom of art in the connection to a task—the stronger the one Photo: Mendel Hoffman Giant Troll Sculptures Made of Recycled Wood Greet Visitors in the Great Outdoors Oversized Sculpture of a Fragmented Woman Invites the Public To Unify Through Music Beautiful ‘Staircase to Heaven’ Sculpture Is Actually a Mind-Bending Optical Illusion Want to advertise with us? Visit My Modern Met Media Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening Runway Girl Network uses cookies. By using our site you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy RECARO a global leader in premium seating solutions is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Executive Boards René Dankwerth joins the RECARO Holding Executive Board as Chief Business Development Officer while Roland Grimm joins the RECARO Aircraft Seating Executive Board as EVP Supply Chain & Sustainability These appointments mark an important step in the company’s ongoing efforts to drive growth and strengthen its leadership team René Dankwerth brings a wealth of experience to his new role as Chief Business Development Officer at RECARO Holding With a distinguished career spanning 17 years at RECARO Aircraft Seating and General Manager at the RECARO Aircraft Seating facility in the United States Dankwerth’s responsibilities will extend to overseeing Growag and AAT Composites “When I began my journey with RECARO in 2006 I immediately connected with well-known brand the company culture and the high-quality products,” said René Dankwerth “It’s an honor to help shape the future growth at RECARO with my new extended scope We aim to expand the RECARO footprint outside our current core business which is an exciting mission for our team.” Chief Business Development Officer René Dankwerth the newest member of the RECARO Aircraft Seating Executive Board assumes the position of EVP Supply Chain & Sustainability Grimm’s tenure with RECARO began more than a decade ago as a Product Manager at RECARO Aircraft Seating Director Supply Chain & Sustainability In addition to his global supply chain optimization responsibilities Grimm will also oversee the RECARO Aircraft Seating facility in Poland EVP Supply Chain & Sustainability Roland Grimm “I am grateful for the trust that Dr Hiller and the rest of the Executive Board have placed in me; this means a lot to me,” said Roland Grimm “I look forward to working more closely with our other facilities as we continue to optimize our global supply chain We have a highly-experienced team in place we can tackle any obstacle we face.” CEO of RECARO Holding and RECARO Aircraft Seating emphasized the significance of these appointments in the company’s growth trajectory “Adding members to our Executive Boards is not a decision we take lightly as our Executive Boards are key to our growth path as a company,” said Dr “Our hardworking colleagues look to RECARO leadership for guidance and transparency which is why René and Roland are perfect fits Their dedication and long-term visions for the company will help cultivate our growth story and strengthen the competencies at our global facilities.” RECARO Holding recently announced record-breaking growth in 2022 demonstrating the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional products and services to its customers RECARO Aircraft Seating showcased its latest innovations in sustainability and premium cabin seating at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in June in Hamburg RECARO Aircraft Seating is a global supplier of premium aircraft seats for airlines and OEMs The market leader in economy class seating is known for product innovation award-winning customer service and “driving comfort in the sky.” As RECARO expands its global footprint and invests double digit in R&D the family-owned company remains committed to reliability sustainable practices and supporting employee growth RECARO employs 2,300 people worldwide across its sites in China earned 403 million euros in revenue in 2022 The RECARO Group comprises the independently operating divisions RECARO Aircraft Seating in Schwaebisch Hall and Growag located in Grodzisk Wielkopolski The Group’s consolidated sales amounted to nearly 425 million euros in 2022 Currently the Group employs more than 2,500 employees worldwide You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security 02/05/2025  OMRON Industrial Automation 01/03/2023  OPTIMA packaging group GmbH The fascinating history and stories of the company on more than 120 pages Optima celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022 under the motto "100 Years of Future" including an official ceremony with Baden-Württemberg's Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann in Schwäbisch Hall and many other activities An essence of 100 years of successful company history and a review of the anniversary year are now available in the form of the anniversary volume "100 Years of Future" For the flagship company in Schwäbisch Hall 2022 was dedicated to a unique anniversary: 100 years of Optima grandfather of the current owner Hans Bühler laid the foundation for a success story that you don't see very often: From modest beginnings entrepreneurial spirit and constant innovation into what it is today With around 3,000 employees as well as 20 national and international locations Optima is one of the major players in the industry and is considered the technology leader in the field of packaging machines and filling systems The date was fittingly celebrated over the entire year under the motto "100 Years of Future" including an official ceremony in Schwäbisch Hall with the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg in Schwäbisch Hall and many other activities the essence of 100 years of successful company history – as well as a look back on the anniversary year are now available in the form of the lavishly designed anniversary volume but rather a book full of stories" – as stated in the foreword it is divided into four main topics: expansion the book does not follow a chronological narrative; it uses instead a variety of topics to dip into the history of the company – with interesting connections to the present and future international experiences and the special "ABCs of Optima's success" – these are only a few examples of the entertaining mix of stories The book is also a living portrait of the economic history of Baden-Württemberg and Germany The book was produced in close collaboration between Sabine Gauger (Optima's editorial staff) and Hans Bühler (Optima's Managing Director and CEO) the Fischer and Friends Agency and author Stephan Trinkl who conducted many conversations and interviews with participants and contemporary witnesses and immersed himself in the company's history with original documents and records The book is available free of charge to interested parties via an online request on page: www.optima-packing.com/the-book  Request information on the products Print this article Visit company profile page How to deliver convergence with TSN Login or Register Process and Control Today are not responsible for the content of submitted or externally produced articles and images. Click here to email us about any errors or omissions contained within this article View our eNewsletter Archive Sign-up for our weekly eNewsletter Advertise with us | Media pack © Copyright 1999-2025 Process and Control Today LtdRegistered in England No. 3733110 - studio44 The company had 57,000 clients whose files will be transferred internally Shutterstock The continuity of the files of the 57,000 current clients will be ensured but 25 employees are affected by this decision The Schwäbisch Hall savings bank for real estate projects will not continue its activities after 31 December this year This information was confirmed by the savings bank which refers to the need to make investments in order to continue providing a quality service and the difficult context of low interest rates Schwäbisch Hall worked with several partner banks in Luxembourg to distribute its home savings solution The company had 57,000 clients whose files will be transferred internally The 25 employees will be offered alternative employment opportunities within the group 2021 – Recaro Aircraft Seating (Recaro) launched the first-of-its-kind hybrid seat show which is running from September 6-17 at the company’s headquarters in Schwaebisch Hall Nearly 100 customers are anticipated to participate during the two weeks “This hybrid seat show is one way we can invest in the industry’s path to recovery We have used the past 18 months to improve efficiency and continue building our future,” said Mark Hiller CEO and Shareholder at Recaro Aircraft Seating “Standing at the threshold of a new age of air travel Recaro will never stop innovating or engaging We are a brand in motion and are committed to delivering superior experiences for our customers.” The seat show is structured with slots where airline can register to attend either in-person or virtually In order to accommodate almost all time zones Recaro sales teams are meeting with customers from 5 a.m customers are free to ask questions to the sales team A wide variety of Recaro seats are being featured at the hybrid seat show including the award-winning BL3710 economy class seat the brand-new CL3810 long-range economy class seat and the CL6720 lie-flat business class seat Regional jet customers can experience the SL3710 and BL3710 economy class seats Recaro is also showcasing its flexible seating solutions which can be ordered and installed within six months or less The event is being held in the newest building on the Recaro campus A celebratory event is taking place in the evening on Monday the 19,000-square-meter building features a customer service production area and customer service offices for more than 120 employees Germany-based Recaro has been building aircraft seats for nearly 50 years and today has five manufacturing sites on four continents the global seat supplier expanded into the regional jet market revamped its flexible seating solutions targeting lessors and unveiled its next generation of lie-flat business class seat An anniversary year with tagline '100 Years of Future In 2022, the Optima Group celebrated its 100th anniversary in Schwaebisch Hall Germany – looking back on a century of innovation 2022 was all about the company’s 100th anniversary year with the tagline ‘100 Years of Future’ The 100th year was marked by a number of activities and events that were held throughout the year a new pharma division facility was inaugurated in Schwaebisch Hall’s Solpark industrial park The production facility featuring cutting-edge technology represents another milestone for Optima and provides the ideal conditions for assembling and approving pharmaceutical filling systems Optima supports companies worldwide with flexible and customer-specific filling and packaging machines for pharmaceuticals “This investment is once again reaffirming our commitment to the Schwaebisch Hall site and we are creating the conditions for continued growth and new jobs with confidence,” says Hans Buehler made a special trip to the company’s 100th-anniversary celebrations to see for himself the facilities that are so crucial in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic “Companies like Optima are beacons and continue to put their heart and soul into their work – and have done so for 100 years When it comes to the process of transformation that is so profoundly shaping our economy and in doing so have given Baden-Wuerttemberg a boost as a location for innovative companies,” the minister said The Consumer Business Unit also received a lot of big orders in 2022 which requires a lot of space for the complex systems needed including the former solar factory in Schwaebisch Hall’s Solpark industrial park To handle a historically large order in the food sector with several filling and packaging assembly lines Optima specially refurbished the building extensively and created optimal working conditions Optima is continuing to expand its service coverage around the world One example of this is Optima Pharma’s new service hub The company is offering comprehensive on-site services and spare parts sales as well as comprehensive training programs Optima offers customers even better and faster support As part of the company’s 100th anniversary the sustainability strategy entitled “We care for tomorrow” was published in mid-2022 It centers on three pillars – developing genuine packaging for a fully functioning circular economy together with customers using sustainable machinery and systems to manufacture efficiently and preserve resources and becoming excellent in the areas of environment Optima has also entered into a strategic partnership with the company Weyhmueller – for more sustainable packaging development and production This means that Optima can offer its customers complete solutions in order to package products more sustainably the EcoVadis rating agency awarded Optima the silver medal for this overall commitment This places the Optima Group in the top 25 percent of the companies rated by EcoVadis Optima’s sustainability strategy is assessed annually by EcoVadis to identify new potential initiatives and promote existing activities The Optima kit deal was created to mark the milestone anniversary Optima raffled off 100 complete sets of kits to youth teams from all sporting disciplines from the Schwaebisch Hall and Hohenlohe areas At a Schwaebisch Hall Unicorns soccer match The event brought in almost 700 players from regional youth teams and their coaches to Schwaebisch Hall Optima is offering young people future-proof multi-faceted apprenticeships and student placements Optima employs over 150 trainees and students every year Optima 2022 has also invested boldly in research and development and launched innovative solutions research has continued into the automated production of fuel cells This also makes Optima a provider of complete solutions for manufacturing fuel cells hydrogen-powered fuel cells are being hailed as the climate-neutral drive technology of the future The German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg is funding the construction of a new test facility in Schwaebisch Hall with money from the Future Hydrogen Program BW Baden-Wuerttemberg is looking to become a pioneer in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies people are currently talking more than ever about a turning point in history that is presenting a challenge to the entire economy and all of society “Today it’s all about continuing to work together to shape the future – whether in terms of new markets and issues like digitization and sustainability or our highly valued trust-based cooperation with our customers and across the entire Optima Group With all the opportunities and risks globalization brings it continues to be in a state of constant flux Many things that were taken for granted until now are beginning to falter and we are becoming aware that everything happening in this world has diverse ramifications for each and every one of us We will continue together to do everything in our power to shape Optima’s future in a safe and innovative way,” says Hans Buehler An English-language packaging industry B2B platform in print and web Packaging South Asia is in its 19th year of publication We do not make any claims about being the best or the most widely read if you are interested in targeting the Indian and South Asian markets to sell equipment To improve your marketing and grow sales, talk to us. Our research and consulting company IppStar [www.ippstar.org] can assess your potential and addressable markets in light of the competition and sales strategies for market entry and growth Suppliers and service providers with a strategy and budget for targeted marketing can discuss using our hybrid print and social media channels to create brand recognition linked to market relevance Our platform and channels are differentiated by hands-on practice and an understanding of business and financials including some of the best technical writers is ready to meet you and your customers for content India and South Asia’s fast-growing packaging industry is continuously expanding capacities with efficiency and appropriate innovative technologies Get our 2025 media kit and recalibrate your role in this dynamic market Enhance your visibility and relevance to existing markets and turn potential customers into conversations Ask for a sample copy of our monthly or two weekly packaging eZines For editorial info@ippgroup.in — for advertisement ads1@ippgroup.in and for subscriptions subscription@ippgroup.in Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription and website in this browser for the next time I comment Philipp Jochen Woehrle was born in Schwaebisch Hall He suddenly passed away in Edmonton on May 8 He left behind his loving Mother Angelika Mueller Wife Andrea Woehrle and Daughter Taylor Grace Woehrle Philipp Woehrle was a man who touched the lives of many and whose memory will live on forever in our hearts A memorial service will be held at First Memorial Funeral Services on Saturday Please visit www.mem.com to send condolences to the family by searching Philipp's name Canada – Recaro Aircraft Seating has received an order for 4,700 economy and business class seats from WestJet The Canadian airline is equipping ten Boeing long-haul aircraft with CL3710 seats Recaro will also be supplying BL3520 economy class seats and CL4710 business class seats for ten of the airline’s aircraft “Recaro impressed us with its intelligent design and fast delivery times,” said Tim Croyle “Equipping the cabins of our new Boeing 787 Dreamliner and B737 MAX aircraft with these world-class seats we are confident our guests will be impressed with the comfort and uncompromising quality of the CL3710 and BL3520 economy class seats and CL4710 business class seats.” The CL3710 long-haul economy class seat sets new standards in terms of weight and comfort the CL3710 is one of the lightest products in its class The ergonomic headrest can be adjusted in six different ways which perfectly adapts to passengers of different heights and statures while ensuring optimized neck support WestJet will be deploying Recaro seats throughout the entire B737 MAX cabins is one of the most reliable seats in its class and stands out with its advanced lightweight design and exceptional passenger comfort The Canadian airline selected the CL4710 for its business class on short and medium-haul routes The business class seat features a variety of stowage compartments for personal belongings which can be adjusted in length and angle to adapt to the needs of individual passengers The seats can also be equipped with state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment systems “We are extremely proud that WestJet is equipping its new aircraft with best in class Recaro seats for its long-haul flights as well as its short and medium-haul routes,” said Dr Chief Executive Officer and Shareholder of Recaro Aircraft Seating ergonomically designed seats for exceptionally comfortable travel in all classes.” The business will close its Luxembourg activities at the end of 2020 The parent company has confirmed the closure will occur as part of a restructure Schwäbisch Hall employs 25 people in the Grand Duchy Employees will be offered an alternative role as part of the group which counts 57,000 clients in Luxembourg.The company offers its customers a type of mortgage which combines a classic mortgage solution with a home savings contract Nothing should change for current customers they will be directly supported by the German parent company The advantage of this type of loan is that the interest and the amount saved can be tax deducted and can be guaranteed by a fixed rate Schwäbisch Hall Luxembourg has an agreement with the Raiffeisen banks The company would have celebrated their 30th anniversary in Luxembourg in January 2021 one of the three housing savings banks in Luxembourg No details have been provided so far on the future of its staff or what will happen to the 4.6 billion euros in deposits “It’s a safe alternative for a regular saving account”Markus Stegmann Commercial director BGL BNP Paribas BGL BNP Paribas “The purpose of a home purchase savings plan is to enable a subscriber to receive a loan on favourable terms for the financing of their personal home, in exchange for the payment of contributions,” according to the government’s Guichet.lu information portal “Their purpose is the financing [of] a main residence.” savers need to sign a ten-year contract fixing the amount they will contribute to the plan each month If the account is closed before the ten years is up or if the savings are spent on unauthorised expenses in most cases “the contributions lose their deductible character and a corrective tax to the disadvantage” of the taxpayer is imposed (Punitive taxation does not apply in cases of death and permanent disability.) “This corrective taxation is applied” retrospectively to all previous tax years that the saver wrote off the plan There are only three financial institutions in Luxembourg authorised to offer the home savings scheme (see below) many retail lenders resell the product to their clients “This product combines a saving scheme for the first period of the contract and a fixed interest rate loan defined at the time of the signature of the contract,” states Markus Stegmann which resells the Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall plan “The client has a long-term visibility on his future home project combined with an interesting fiscal advantage.” “The home savings scheme is used to build up capital that can be used to buy build or renovate a house or flat you live in or are going to live in,” a spokeswoman for Banque Raiffeisen which also resells Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall accounts the savings can be used to purchase land to build a home refinance a personal home loan and for home repairs Bankers say the home savings scheme is popular with their customers “Our clients see this product as an interesting fiscal optimisation tool to invest in future home projects,” says Stegmann He reckons the scheme is a good option for two different types of savers “The first target is clients who want to start saving for their future home They benefit today from an interesting saving interest rate and a predetermined fixed interest rate It’s a safe alternative for a regular saving account as long as the client can benefit from the fiscal advantages,” he notes “The second group are those who are requesting a home loan today from their bank The bank can structure the home loan by embedding a home-saving scheme in their contract in order to benefit from further fiscal advantages.” “The deposits made on this account can be deducted from taxable income up to a maximum threshold,” according to the Banque Raiffeisen spokeswoman Taxpayers aged 18 to 41 can write off €1,344; the figure is €672 for those 42 and older The same amount can be deducted for “jointly taxable spouses or partners” and “each child for which the taxpayer obtains a tax reduction for children.” Taxpayers should list the amount in the special expenses (dépenses spéciales or DS) section on their annual tax declarations so check with a financial professional to be sure that you understand how the scheme works Contributions to and interest income from 3 authorised home savings schemes can be tax deductible: Home purchase savings plans are not the same thing as the type of savings accounts called “plans d’épargne-logement” (PEL) that are offered in other European countries PEL savings are not tax deductible in Luxembourg Click here for listing information and directions on how to add or update your company.