The largest integrated training center in Duisburg has been restructured: ThyssenKrupp Stahl has added an ultra-modern seminar center to its existing training center in Hamborn. The new facility, built at a cost of 6.5 million euros, was inaugurated on November 29.

Wolfram Kuschke, Minister of Federal and European Affairs in Northrhine-Westphalia, said at the ceremony: "We need to leverage the skills of employees in the region to support the innovation process. The ThyssenKrupp Stahl Integrated Seminar Center in Duisburg meets that aim. It is an example of private-sector investment in education that is worthy of emulation."

The Seminar Center - a round two-story steel-glass structure - began work at the beginning of December. The 1,400 square meter facility includes several multimedia seminar rooms as well as a 200-seat assembly hall. Labor director Dieter Kroll: "Our training courses are designed to impart the skills that will be needed in the future. We see ourselves as service providers and system partners with holistic courses tailored to customer requirements. ThyssenKrupp Stahl is not content to go with the flow in the life-long learning debate. We want to set the pace."

"The new center is a "symbol of change" in ThyssenKrupp Stahl`s training landscape and will largely finance itself," says Klaus Bailer, Vice President Personnel Service/Training. "The costs of running and maintaining the seminar center will be earned by keeping the training courses in-house and not outsourcing them. That will guarantee high quality and will also be more cost-effective in the long term. We have already had bookings from within the Group as well as from outside companies."

The building concept was developed by a project team from the Energy/Plant Management department of ThyssenKrupp Stahl. Architect Horst Milz added his creative interpretation of the "symbol of change" theme: the round shape of the new building is in deliberate contrast to the straight lines of the existing training center. The idea of integrating new buildings in existing architectural landscapes is also part of the philosophy of Friedrich Ernst von Garnier, who was responsible for the color design of the new facility.

The new Seminar Center demonstrates that building with steel from ThyssenKrupp Stahl meets the highest technical and architectural demands: fire-resistant steel (FR30) supports the roof and forms a strong skeleton for the building`s transparent outer. The perforated Davex facade beams give the facade a refreshing lightness.

Contact:

ThyssenKrupp Steel AG
Erwin Schneider
Tel.: +49 203 52 - 2 56 90
Fax: +49 203 52 - 2 57 07
e-mail: erwin.schneider@tks.thyssenkrupp.com

Dietmar Stamm
Tel.: +49 203 52 - 2 62 67
Fax: +49 203 52 - 2 57 07
e-mail: dietmar.stamm@tks.thyssenkrupp.com