On 13 April, ZDS' managing director, Andreas Bertram could be content when he said goodbye to the participants of the ZDS' 1st Mould Management Convention. The visitor's conclusion: a highly appealing event with top-notch contributors and new insights gained surrounding the development, servicing, and maintenance of chocolate moulds, which should be carried out at regular intervals. The event schedule comprised the full range from the development of chocolate moulds through academic lectures on the impact that mould and cooling parameters have on chocolate quality and sheen right up to the technological requirements that are placed on mould logistics and efficient cleaning procedures.
A rather spectacular display was put on by Hans Brunner GmbH: on the first event day, the company presented a simulcast of a CAD design via video conference with the corporate headquarters in the Bavarian town of Glonn. The data were then converted overnight into a ready-to-use hollow mould. On the second day, the moulds had already arrived at Solingen, and visitors could take away the finished chocolate figures. At the same time, Brunner had videotaped the entire process to give a review of it in a closing presentation.
That said, who really stole the show at the convention was Dr. Rudolf Fernengel (2R Kunststofftechnik GmbH & Co.) who could draw on a treasure trove of experience from the automotive sector when he gave an account of the one-of-a-kind material that is polycarbonate, thereby furnishing Thomas Tyborski (Ecolab GmbH & Co. OHG) a fit occasion to talk about all things 'mould cleaning'. Thomas Tyborski used the opportunity to expound on the intricacies of the challenge surrounding the thorough, hygienic and at the same time, gentle cleaning of chocolate moulds, while the audience was all ears. To round out the subject matter, Harry Imhof (Hildebrand Industry AG) proceeded to elaborate on energy and cost efficient mould cleaning, which finds expression most notably in the costs per unit to be washed incurred by companies. The 15 speeches were framed by an exhibition set up in the foyer.