We are pleased to present you with the first company e-message, entitled “Impulse”, which provides valuable news impulses to reinforce our staff’s motivation in meeting your deadlines and quality requirements. We also want to provide impulses in the field of research and development since the VEM-Group is presenting itself in the 21st century as an innovative, forward looking and customer oriented group of companies operating on a worldwide scale. Below we give you an insight into some of the activities of the VEM Group.

Dr. Puschkeit, Group Managing Director, says that VEM motors UK Ltd. is an important new arrival in the VEM Group and will be launching its new website in May 2002.

VEM Sachsenwerk was awarded the order to supply and produce the engineering work by STN ATLAS Marine Electronics. With its six main generators, two propulsion motors and five lateral thrust installations, VEM makes sure that the passengers are well equipped for the long journey. Two generators weighing 55 and 60 tonnes each provide the ship and its travelling mechanism with the required power. The propeller motors weighing 160 tonnes each drive the ship’s two propellers giving the ship the necessary speed. Lateral thrust installations enable the ship to dock and put out to sea. It took exactly five months and three weeks to manufacture the machines weighing 710 tonnes while it only took four weeks to design the machines. Currently the first POD drive is being assembled. Two 7000 kilowatt propeller motors are part of an order for two bow thrusters and four diesel engines each for another passenger ship. These have already been delivered in 2001.

VEM Sachsenwerk GmbH has a full order book for special motors such as shaft-driven alternators and propulsion, thrusters, azimuth and propeller motors for container ships, chemical tankers and passenger ships. Until mid 2002, Sachsenwerk will have produced 33 machines in the megawatt range for the shipbuilding industry.

VEM motors Thurm GmbH now also supplies so-called roller table motors. These are special three-phase motors which are subjected to especially high levels of mechanical and electrical stress. The motors are mainly used in the steel and rolling mill industry in performing work and transport roller table operations.

To cater to a wide range of applications, the roller table motors have been classified into motors for heavy and light purposes for special applications with increased ambient temperatures (e.g. for conveyors transporting hot rolling stock), special hot stock lubricants can be applied to the ball bearings. Heavy bearing arrangement and higher IP degrees of protection are also possible.

Even with smoke and fire and temperatures above 6000C, the VEM motor for fire gas and smoke exhausting fans will still continue to operate. This new generation of motors has been designed by VEM motors GmbH in Wernigerode/Harz. This electric machine is especially suitable for use as a fan motor in areas with an increased fire risk such as tunnels requiring smoke and gas-free escape and rescue channels.

The new motor has been successfully tested at the “Centre Technique lndustriel de la Construction Métallique” in the French town of Metz. The motor was operated during the specified 60 minutes at a fire gas temperature of 600°C. Following this test, the machine was successfully run for another 25 minutes at a temperature of 700°C.

It has therefore been classified in the F600 category in accordance with the Euronorm prEN 12101-3 standard.

The new motor is based on the proven basic design used by VEM motors GmbH for its K21R/K11R series. To meet the high temperature requirements, the company has used a new material, developed modified insulation systems and adapted the bearing arrangement of the motor and the connection system. Existing motors can be easily exchanged for this new one in areas with a high fire risk.

Customer relations in the Asia-Pacific region demand a company’s presence in the region. That is why VEM motors GmbH have established a representative office in the German Distribution Centre in Singapore which opened in March 2002, providing the numerous VEM customers with improved technical service and advice.