A Day in the Technical Applications Team (Part 2)

1. March 2023

The usage of our products in the field of technical applications is exciting, multifaceted and has a great depth of detail. It is therefore essential for the Technical Applications Business Unit of IOI Oleo GmbH to regularly discuss and to incorporate customer feedback and the results of sampling into further developments.

The latest findings are shared in a combination of jour fixes, team meetings and customer visits and then applied to the products. The team uses the latest technology, such as automated measuring instruments and a scanning electron microscope.

After groundbreaking decisions had already been made in the morning, Bettina Schröer then provided Andreas Wintzer with the freshest EPS laboratory samples. The BU is an expert in the development and manufacture of additives for EPS production (read more about this in our article “Ready-to-use Blends for EPS production“) and is constantly expanding its analytical capabilities and service offerings.

While the surfaces of the various samples are gradually being scanned in the scanning electron microscope, the BU receives urgent orders, which Susanne Peters, who has a wealth of experience, includes in the planning. Flexibility in meeting the requirements of our customers in such situations is a matter of course for us.

The scanning electron microscope images are complete and show the surfaces of the samples in different stages of processing. The qualitative evaluation of the recordings is an excellent addition to the quantitative results from the laboratory tests. The goal is both the optimization of our customer-specific blends for the best possible performance and efficient problem solving for our customers As our article “How SOFTENOL® helps fighting the pandemic” shows, details matter).
At the end of the day, a virtual customer appointment awaits the team. In a web meeting, current commercial and technical issues for a lubricant application are discussed and the further procedure is coordinated with each other. “One positive aspect of the last few years is that virtual meetings have become established,” says Sales Manager Torsten Weigt happily. “But a personal, direct conversation will always be the most important element for a successful business relationship and the development of customer-specific solutions” is his conclusion after a long but successful day at the Technical Applications Business Unit.

If you would like to find out more about our individual concepts or get to know our team, please contact us!

Did you miss the first part? Click here to read it.

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Dr. Andreas Wintzer

Dr. Andreas Wintzer is Technical Product Manager in the Technical Applications Business Unit at IOI Oleo GmbH. He studied Chemistry at TU Dortmund University with an emphasis on technical chemistry, particularly in the area of renewable raw materials. The extensive knowledge he acquired during his studies is the perfect basis for his work at IOI. Before joining IOI Oleo GmbH, Andreas completed a trainee programme at the European Space Agency in the Netherlands, then gained production experience as a technologist at Papierfabrik Hagen, which at the time belonged to the Stora Enso group. He enjoys sports, regularly rides to work by bike and preferably spends his leisure time with his family or friends.