August 2023

German Company Visit of Kömmerling

By Tine Hoffmeister, AlabamaGermany Partnership

Over the summer, I visited the German company Kömmerling, located in several Huntsville locations. The company's Chief Operations Officer, André Wagner, showed me the plant that produces vinyl products for the graphics and building industries. André has been with the company for eleven years; the last five have been in Huntsville. The company is a part of the international Profine Group, with headquarters just outside Cologne in Germany.

Kömmerling announced in July that they are rolling out expansion plans in several parts of the United States, with Huntsville's addition being the first. Dr. Peter Mrosik, owner and CEO of Profine Group, emphasizes the strategic aspect of the investment. "By expanding our capacities in Huntsville, we are continuing our international growth strategy and sending a clear signal to our partners for mutual success," said Dr. Mrosik. "The site's upgrade and the additional property are a trend-setting step for Profine Group and its sustainable positive development."

Currently, Kömmerling employs about 125 people, and with the expansion, 30 new positions will be added over the next two to three years. The expansion will represent a $12.6 million capital investment, including $4.5 million to purchase new equipment, $7.5 million to upgrade the existing facility, and $600,000 to purchase additional land next to the existing plant. 

Kömmerling started their business, including the production of sheet extrusion, back in 2006 in Huntsville. Due to growth, Kömmerling has more than tripled usable space over the years. The company provides custom products out of three different warehouses in Huntsville, Baltimore, and Santa Fe. 

Kömmerling in Huntsville has two different product lines. The first is the production of sheet extrusion that was started at Kömmerling Plastic USA on the 26th of November in 1996. Since then, Kömmerling has extended its product portfolio and is offering today vinyl/PVC sheets, TRIM, in various colors and dimensions, and Moldings used for advertising, stand designs, the building sector, industry, and many other applications. As we walk through the plant, huge machinery is spitting out large sheets made from very precise compound/blend, that are kept in up to 70 ft high silos. Most of the production equipment is from Europe. As the sheets get cut and trimmed, the waste product gets ground down and then pulverized to be returned to the new product. Recycling is very important to the company, and the recycling process takes place at the plant. In 2022, they upgraded their equipment and tripled their processing capability. As a big benefit to the plant's location, there is a rail line connection, which supplies Kömmerling with over 65% of their needed raw materials. 

Read the Full Story Here!



Member of Geman Parliament and German Consul General Visits Alabama

Top Picture:

Member of Parliament and Federal Government Coordinator for Transatlantic Relations, Michael Link; his Chief of Staff Fabrizio Micalizzi; and German Consul General to the Southeast, Melanie Moltmann; ended their two day visit to Alabama with dinner in Auburn. We were joined by members of the German industry, Auburn University, City of Auburn and AGP leadership. Thank you to the Industrial Development Board of Auburn City for hosting us.

Second Picture:

During his visit, Mr. Link, and Consul General Moltmann had the opportunity to visit Michael Göbel, President and CEO, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Vance, to gain first-hand knowledge of new technologies and successful business practices of German companies in the Southeastern United States.

Third Picture:

Mr. Link and Consul General Moltmann also made a stop in Montgomery to meet Governor Ivey, legislators and senators for transatlantic discussion. The visit also included a meet with Mayor Steven Reed and Bryan Stevenson, Founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. Mr. Link spoke before the World Affairs Council (hosted at Troy University) about "Transatlantic Relations from the German Perspective" and visited the Equal Justice Initiative Memorial & Museum.

Mercedes-Benz EV sales grew over 600% last quarter in the US

By Electrek

Mercedes-Benz USA released its second quarter 2023 sales results, indicating an over 600% jump in EV sales. Electric vehicles now account for 15% of overall Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicle sales in the US.

Despite several US automakers seeing a drop in EV sales from the first quarter, Mercedes-Benz continues to see higher demand.

The German automaker sold 11,927 electric vehicles in Q2 2023, up 608% from the second quarter of last year. After EV sales in the US climbed 251% in the first quarter to 7,341 units, Mercedes has now sold a total of 19,268 electric models through the first half of 2023.

Read Electrek's Full Story Here

Dankeschön to our PATRON Members:

AGP Young Professionals Cocktails and Cosmos Event

Come join the AGP Young Professionals (age 17 to 39) for Cocktails & Cosmos:

Friday, August 11, 2023

5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville

Come join us for a fun night of Cocktails and Cosmos at the INTUITIVE Planetarium at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. They will open their doors early for us and we will meet up at the Discovery Theater starting at 5:30 p.m. (doors will open to the public at 6:15 p.m.). The ALIENS show will start at 7:00 p.m. in the INTUITIVE Planetarium which is an 8k digital dome and the only planetarium of its kind in the Southeast.

REGISTER TODAY!

Thank you to our sponsor: 

AGP Stammtisch in Birmingham

Come join us for AGP "Stammtisch":

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Carrigan's Beer Garden, Birmingham

Come out to network! This is a great opportunity for German expats to meet and for other German speaking/practicing to improve your German. Speaking German is encouraged but not required. We meet every month (every other month will be in Birmingham).

REGISTER TODAY!



AGP Webinar: Study, Live, Work in Germany by Goethe-Zentrum ATL

Presented by Angelika Otte, Language Program Director, Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta

Would you like to study, live, work in a German-speaking country, but don’t speak any German?

Have you learned or studied German, but never obtained a recognized official certification of your language skills?

Would you like to move back to Germany and your spouse needs to learn German to obtain a spousal visa?

Join us for an information session to learn about:

• Language requirements to study tuition-free in Germany (undergraduate or graduate school)
• Language requirements to apply for a job in Germany or become eligible for a job transfer
• The different exam levels of language proficiency and how they connect to your options for living abroad
• Official German language exams

Ask questions, get answers, connect, and find out how to move forward to achieve your goals.

MORE INFORMATION & REGISTER FOR WEBINAR!



AGP Study Trip to Germany in September

Photos from the AGP Study Trip 2022

AlabamaGermany Partnership is organizing a study trip to Germany from September 17 to 22, 2023. The delegation is limited to 20 participants. A FEW SEATS LEFT!

The trip starts in Frankfurt, continues to Mainz, Karlsruhe, Hanau, and ends back up in Frankfurt.

During the trip, we will learn about sport events economic impact on local economy and development with the German Olympic Committee. Look at German Biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence Trends. Explore the role of apprenticeship at Evonik's Training Center and its role to develop skilled workforce. We will receive a briefing from the Alabama Dept. of Commerce’s European Office Director, about the status of the European market and the office’s activities. And last but not least, we will learn about engineering programs, and student exchange programs at Karlsruhe University for Applied Science.

In addition, the group will experience German culture through several planned cultural activities, while our receptions/dinners will provide networking and business development opportunities.  

Please e-mail or call the AGP office at (205) 341-7880, if you are interested in learning more about the study trip before we sell out. 



Dankeschön to our SUSTAINING Members:

12th U.S.-EU Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Workshop

Small business stakeholders are cordially invited to attend the 12th U.S.-EU Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Workshop, in Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday September 13, 2023.

The conference is convened by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of Commerce, and the Small Business Administration with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs and the Directorate General for Trade. The U.S.-EU SME Workshop is an ongoing opportunity for small businesses to engage directly and discuss relevant topics with government officials from the U.S., the European Commission and EU Member States as well as SMEs and associations from both sides of the Atlantic.

The location alternates each year between the U.S. and the EU. The EU hosted the SME workshop in Augsburg, Germany in September 2022. This year the U.S. will host the SME workshop with the U.S. Export Assistance Center in Alabama and the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Topics for discussion include the U.S.-EU Technology and Trade Council work to promote transatlantic competitiveness and technological leadership and deepen trade and investment cooperation, SME access to finance in the current economic environment, developing successful international strategies to drive equitable growth in the U.S. and the EU, and Alabama-EU trade and investment opportunities.

REGISTRATION! 



GACC Fly-In to Washington, DC

By Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Washington, DC

Join the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Washington, DC on September 20-21 for a business trip to the capital to elevate your company’s voice on the topic of workforce development with policymakers.

At the intersection of business and politics, The Delegation of German Industry & Commerce in Washington, DC, aims to bring German companies vis-à-vis the U.S. government.

Finding a skilled workforce is one of the top issues German subsidiaries in the U.S. are facing in 2023. DGIC offers the opportunity to bring these concerns to key decision-makers during our Fly-In to Washington, DC.

Join us for a 1-day deep-dive into Washington’s policy ecosystem and experience firsthand how German companies and the U.S. government can benefit from discussing workforce development. The Fly-In offers the chance to meet with officials from the U.S. Administration, U.S. Congress, and the German Embassy. Our Fly-In will conclude with our annual Oktoberfest networking reception at the historic Decatur House welcoming over 200 business, policy, and industry professionals across the DC-metro region. View the agenda for more details and be one of the 12 companies to join us in Washington, DC to discuss workforce development.

The deadline to register is August 31, 2023.Learn more here!

German Linebacker for Alabama Crimson Tide

By Joe Gaither for BamaCentral

Alabama goes international with its third linebacker in the 2024 class.

The Alabama Crimson Tide football program adds its 11th member of the 2024 recruiting class in linebacker Justin Okoronkwo.

Okoronkwo announced his commitment on social media on Sunday morning, after announcing on Saturday his decommitment from Maryland. 

The 6-3, 225 pound linebacker currently plays for the Fursty Razorbacks, an American football team in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany, right outside of Munich.

“The culture is one-of-a-kind,” Okoronkwo told On3 Sports after his June camp visit. “‘Bama is exactly what you expect it to be. I like the culture that’s at Bama. It’s a place where everybody goes to compete to be the very best.”

Okoronkwo has only played three seasons of organized football and has played safety, linebacker while also returning kicks. 

Read BamaCentral's Full Story

Bürgermeister for the Cullman Oktoberfest

By Cullman Oktoberfest

AGP member - Cullman Economic Development Agency director, Dale Greer, has been chosen as this years Bürgermeister for the Cullman Oktoberfest. Congratulations Dale!

Cullman has a rich German heritage and has been hosting Oktoberfest since 1982. Save the dates for this year's Oktoberfest from September 28 to 30.

Find more information here!



Schorndorf's Max Planck Gymnasium Big Band US Visit this Fall

By Tuscaloosa Sister Cities International

Sound the horns! Warm the keyboards! Cue the singers! Schorndorf’s Max Planck Gymnasium Big Band is scheduled to perform at the Kentuck Festival of the Arts on October 15, 2023. The 30+-member band plays tunes ranging from jazz hits such “Feeling Good” as to film favorites such as Adele’s James Bond movie theme song, “Skyfall”. The MPG tour will coincide with the reciprocal visit of students from this summer’s TSCI/TCS student exchange in Schorndorf. After visiting Tuscaloosa, the MPG Band will also travel to Connecticut and New York City as part of their USA Tour. Wilkommen, MPG band and student delegates! Learn more about the band.



Join AlabamaGermany Partnership (AGP)

AlabamaGermany Partnership (AGP) is an extremely active organization. Many of Alabama’s leading German and American companies are active participants in AGP. The organization facilitates:

• Networking Events
• Educational Outreach
• German Dinners
• Cultural Workshops
• Business Seminars
• Young Professionals Events
• Roundtables for German Company Leaders
• Study Trips to Germany

Join us today and be a part of our diverse group of industrial, corporate, cultural, educational, and governmental leaders. 

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