Voices of the stakeholders

What tasks and goals are you pursuing as head of ULT AG?

My tasks lie in the further development of the company both on the market, technologically, in the products and organization, structure and personal development of the employees. The goals of our company are continuous growth with sufficient contribution margin with focus on our target market. There we would like to lead within the scope of the gas cleaning systems, deliver outstanding solutions for extraction and filter technology in the industrial area and specialize in challenging processes in the area of ​​dehumidification of the process atmosphere. Our goals also include developing solutions for the additive market.

What prospects and special fields of application do you see for additive manufacturing in the future?

Within our company, 3D printing will primarily be used to create prototypes and in the future to be able to offer customer-specific solutions quickly. In Upper Lusatia, I see great potential in the area of ​​tool and part production, since there are many parts manufacturers in the region. In general, there is a need and the potential for the stronger industrialization of 3D printing to go to the next stage, the production of small series with very good process and quality monitoring.

For which target group do you think additive manufacturing will become more important in the future and where do you see starting points in the region?

Plastic-based 3D printing is a driver of creative approaches and enables interested parties and children and young people in the form of e.g. regional FabLabs to independently develop and expand ideas and concepts. In the rapid prototyping process of plastic laser sintering, I see the greatest potential for ULT as well as for many other companies in producing special, inexpensive parts. In our case, these are special air flow elements, special pipe elbows or the like.

Regional companies are currently investing and expanding their machinery as part of powder bed-based metal 3D printing. In order to further anchor the technology in the region, we would like to set up a research laboratory through the Neonet association and a project that we are applying for as part of the WIR Initiative Lausitz Life and Technology. I see great potential here for parts and machine manufacturers.

Where do you see opportunities to better support the research field?

Joint labs, i.e. a laboratory where industrial companies develop technologies together, develop solutions for the market and can be used individually depending on the company. Another approach, which is already driven by the Zittau / Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and supported by ULT, is to introduce children and young people to the technology at an early stage.

More information about ULT AG: www.ult.de

The interview was conducted by Marlen Krause