Training opportunities for young refugees

Meyer Werft and the Johannesburg educational institution in Surwold are expanding their close cooperation The already existing work for the integration of young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds is being developed further to give refugees from various crises regions the chance of further qualification and, with this, integration in our society.

In the first step, around 30 people will be accepted in the programme which could start in autumn 2015. With this concept for qualification as a “Metal technology specialist”, these individuals are given the opportunity to prepare themselves for and qualify in a recognised training profession.

The strengths of both cooperation partners are united in one concept: the Johannesburg education institution focuses on integration and language skills, looks after traumatised refugees and also communicates the content of the metal technology specialist training in practical and theoretical modules. Meyer Werft, meanwhile, offers sufficient practical experience and a structured vocational training to enable the refugees to study for a training qualification such as construction mechanic later on.

The management and training supervisors at Meyer Werft as well as the management of Johannesburg see this measure as setting the right signal to help people in the current situation and offer them a perspective for the future.

As one of the biggest training companies in the region, Meyer Werft maintains a long tradition in the training of young people. The excellent cooperation with the Johannesburg has already proven itself very well in recent years.

Next Generation of Ships for Norwegian Cruise Line

The first steel-cutting taking place in Meyer Werft's laser centre marks the start of construction of Norwegian Bliss for Norwegian Cruise Line. The first ship of this class will be completed in spring 2017. It took the plasma torch in the yard's state-of-the-art laser centre merely a couple of minutes to cut a silhouette of the new ship from the steel plate.

Having a tonnage of 165,600 gt, Norwegian Bliss will offer capacities for approx. 4,000 passengers. The ship is 330 m in length, 41,4 m breadth and will reach a speed of more than 23 knots.

Andy Stuart, President of Norwegian Cruise Line, pushed the button of the plasma torch to start the fabrication of Norwegian Bliss. Meyer Werft's managing directors, Bernard Meyer and Lambert Kruse, as well as the yard's project manager Stephan Schmees, and Christer Karlsson from Norwegian Cruise Line attended the steel cutting ceremony in the laser centre. “We are very happy to build these new class of ships for Norwegian Cruise Line and to continue our long-standing relationship," said Bernard Meyer, managing partner of Meyer Werft.

Shipbuilder invests 10 million euros in Papenburg

MEYER WERFT once again invests in a future project at the Papenburg shipyard. Due to the continually increasing number of employees and the very good order situation of the shipyard, the decision has now been taken to build a new technology and development centre. In the new building complex, large parts of the design and development work is bundled for the new, complex new ships under construction. In future, a total of about 400 designers and engineers can work on the great variety of subject areas involved in cruise ships.

The new building will offer a surface area of about 5,500 m² on four floors. The overall investment amount is about 10 million euros and contains state-of-the-art building control techniques and energy-saving measures, e.g. the use of geothermal heating and cooling. The construction is to be concluded by the beginning of 2016.

CEO Bernard Meyer says: “We are convinced that we can only remain successful in fu-ture if our employees can pursue their exacting work under good working conditions. This is a great wish of our committed and highly-motivated employees.

In addition to this, the shipyard will adjust the areas for the recreation rooms and the can-teen areas so as to satisfy the increased requirements.

In the past twelve years the shipyard has already massively invested in the shipyard premise location and in new technologies (laser welding, robot technology, assembly lines and flow lines as well as CAD-Software, etc.): apart from the extension of the second dry dock (2008), the laser centre was expanded and modernised in 2008 and 2011, and a state-of-the-art pipe centre was created. In total, more than 550 million euros were invested in the past years.

Currently, more than 3,300 directly employed persons in Papenburg are building state-of-the-art, sea-going cruise ships. ln Rostock, about 500 directly employed persons are, for the largest part, building river-cruise ships and other special ships. In Finland, about 1,350 directly employed persons are currently working on new cruise ships and ferries.

Werft discusses the implementation of the corporate strategy to safeguard competitiveness

The large order book of the Papenburger Meyer Werft, the thus associated challenges and the high demands regarding product development of the different cruise ships, require changes to the working processes of the shipyard. For this reason, in the course of numerous events hosted in the city hall of the forum Alte Werft, the executives of Meyer Werft talked about how best to deal with these topics in order to safeguard the competitiveness of Meyer Werft.

In a number of different workshops, the executives and project management intensively discussed the top measures so as to attain the strategic goals with the shipyard’s entire management team. Thus, additional impulses were set and the acceptance for the projects was strengthened. To date, more than 300 employees have participated in the different events.

The objective is to further increase the productivity of the shipyard and, with new ideas and concepts, to further improve the organisation. “We received numerous new impulses from this round, and we are sure that we will be able to use these to improve further,” says managing director Lambert Kruse.

“We must do everything to ensure that the Papenburg location remains internationally competitive. We must think European to remain competitive in the international shipbuilding market in the long run,” says the managing director, Bernard Meyer.

Currently, more than 3,300 directly employed persons are constructing state-of-the-art, ocean-going cruise ships in Papenburg. ln Rostock, about 500 directly employed persons are predominantly building river cruise ships and other special ships. In Finland, about 1350 directly employed people are currently working on the new cruise ships and ferries.

Information Event at Meyer Werft

An information event was hosted for the Meyer Werft workforce in Baudock I this morning. The works council and management board provided information regarding current events.

In a highly emotional speech, Bernard Meyer elucidated his goals, visions and attachment to the Papenburg location and the people working here. His family has been working for many generations to ensure the growth and success of this shipyard. The decision to pass on this responsibility to the next generation is well-prepared. That this responsible mode of action by him and his family is now in dispute with regard to the shipyard jobs, is disturbing, hurtful and not comprehensible. The Papenburg location has the largest order book of its shipyard history and, as such, a great opportunity to design the future.

In the meantime, the number of employees has increased to 3,300, which is significantly more than the 3,100 employees whose jobs are guaranteed within the context of the site continuation agreement. This contract is binding for him, the shipyard exceeds all requirements, and there is no reason to doubt this.

The backgrounds of the Luxembourg decision, the alleged and actual consequences, as well as the structure within the entire group, were described. The business tax would still be paid at the headquarters of the companies in Papenburg and Warnemünde, and this would also remain unchanged. The fears are entirely without reason. There is an extensive information system on the shipyard that has been agreed with the works council and in which all corporate data is presented in a transparent and comprehensible manner. And, apropos, “Luxembourg has no harbour,” says the managing director.

The chairman of the works council, Ibrahim Ergin, did not question the management’s safeguarding of jobs and the location. However, one would like to have the security that no disadvantages are incurred for the employees.

The preservation and retention of the codetermination is at the heart of the works council’s demands. The moratorium agreed between the state, IG Metall, the works council and the corporate management board was addressed by the chairman of the works council. The works council and company management would now like to clarify the open questions rapidly.