Donges SteelTec is once again involved in training international welding specialists this year.

Darmstadt, 19.02.2024. Donges has been building steel bridges and innovative steel structures for 150 years. Each structure is unique and a small masterpiece. To ensure that the high quality requirements for steel structures can continue to be met in the future, well-trained specialists are needed. With this in mind, Donges SteelTec not only trains construction mechanics and system planners in its own company in Darmstadt, but is also involved in training courses at the Hessen Metal College in Oberursel.

Dipl.-Ing. Andreas Schade, head of quality management/assurance and welding engineer at Donges SteelTec, once again took on part of the theoretical training for the “International Welding Specialist” course at the Hessen Metal College. The practical knowledge of the course participants was deepened during an excursion to Darmstadt in the production halls of Donges SteelTec GmbH.

We congratulate the 18 participants on passing their exams and wish them every success in their future careers.

Donges SteelTec trainees visit the PTS and RTW construction sites in Frankfurt

“We offer our apprentices an exciting, comprehensive and practical training as a solid basis for the start of their professional life” with this motto Donges SteelTec advertises apprenticeships to young people.

Now the practical relevance was established for the prospective technical system planners and construction mechanics. Together with their training supervisors, the 15 technical and industrial apprentices of Donges SteelTec first visited the new Passenger Transport System (PTS) station under construction at Frankfurt Airport and then the RTW construction site (Regional-Tangente-West) near Frankfurt Stadium. Donges SteelTec has been commissioned with the manufacture, delivery and assembly of the complex steel structures for both construction projects.

The two Donges site managers proudly presented the current assembly status of the projects, pointed out the technically demanding assembly steps to the young colleagues and explained the special working situation on a construction site. With great interest and impressed by the huge steel constructions that characterise both the PTS station and the new bar arch bridge of the western regional tangent, the trainees absorbed the many practical information during their tour of the construction sites.

Donges SteelTec promotes young scientists

Darmstadt, 19.10.2023. It pays to promote young scientists: Darmstadt-based Donges SteelTec GmbH has now awarded a total of 6,000 euros in prize money to four students at Darmstadt Technical University. This is the 11th time that the Donges sponsorship award has recognised outstanding bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral theses in the field of steel construction at TUDa.

The award fulfils several objectives for Donges SteelTec. “On the one hand, this is how we document our solidarity with the Technical University of Darmstadt, which is based on many years of scientific and personal cooperation,” explains Donges SteelTec Managing Director Dr Wolf Cornelius. On the other hand, as one of the leading German steel construction companies, Donges SteelTec is committed to thinking beyond the day and acting sustainably. “And this also includes promoting young technical talent, which is essential for the success of our economy in global competition.”

The jury, including Professors Lange and Vormwald from the Institute for Steel Construction and Mechanics of Materials at TU Darmstadt, sifted through numerous dissertations, bachelor’s and master’s theses and finally selected four young academics, whose work is of outstanding importance in the field of steel construction. The works awarded in two senses deal with the ecological-economic evaluation of sandwich elements, “3-D printing with steel: additive manufacturing of steel columns, the material behaviour of butt welded joints and the load-bearing behaviour of fillet welded joints under longitudinal shear. All papers have experimental as well as theoretical or numerical parts, which mutually confirm the results found.They all lead to findings on the basis of which structural components in steel construction can be designed more economically; thus an essential evaluation criterion for the submission was fulfilled.The four young engineers Alina Behrendt, Niklas Brand, Joachim Schliemann and Anusikah Sivakadadcham were honoured at the ceremony on 19 October 2023 in the guest house of the TU Darmstadt.

In his presentation of the company, Stephan Langer, bridge construction manager at Donges SteelTec, made special mention of the company’s involvement in the construction of the new stadium for the “Lilien” and thus led over to the evening’s keynote speaker, Rüdiger Fritsch. In his rousing speech, the president of SV Darmstadt 1898 provided insights into the business enterprise “football”.

At the subsequent get-together, around 100 guests, including many students from the Department of Civil Engineering at the TUD as well as business partners and employees of Donges SteelTec GmbH, found time to exchange ideas and network.

The next Donges Award ceremony will take place in two years’ time.

Donges SteelTec takes part in the “Jugend schweißt” competition of the DVS Association.

Darmstadt, 02.06.2023. In the preliminary round of the “Jugend schweißt” competition, the trainees of Donges SteelTec GmbH achieved first and third places in the MAG and E-Hand processes. With torch in hand, they were able to demonstrate their manual skills in welding steel sheets. The young Donges welders were rewarded with valuable non-cash prizes and a cash gift. In addition, welding test certificates were issued for the welded fillet welds.

For the first-place winners, it is now on to the next round of the competition at state level in Kassel, and if the welds are perfectly set, then to the national competition in Essen in September. We are already keeping our fingers crossed!

Marco Arndt, responsible for welding training at Donges SteelTec, is proud of the young talent and sees their successful performance as confirmation of the good quality of training at Donges SteelTec.

 

Donges SteelTec supports pupils in their career orientation

The practical experience and orientation in the working world of a company is very important for young people on their way to career planning. Against this background, Donges SteelTec again gave boys and girls the opportunity to get to know the world of heavy steel construction on Girls’ & Boys’ Day this year. Nine young people gained their first insights in our technical office, where designers and structural engineers work out the basics for steel structures. After a tour through the individual departments of the company administration, they were finally able to marvel at the heavy, welded steel components for the bridge and building projects in the factory halls.

Donges SteelTec is a training company for construction mechanics and technical system planners. Perhaps the Girls’ and Boys’ Day could contribute to sparking an enthusiasm for building with steel among the young people.

 

Donges SteelTec structural engineering division under new management

On 3 April, Mr Dirk Lehmann took over the management of our structural engineering division. With Mr. Lehmann, we have succeeded in gaining an extremely experienced and competent manager from the steel construction industry for our company. After completing his two degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering, Mr Lehmann gained many years of experience and know-how, first as a project manager and sales engineer, and later as a sales manager and managing director in a medium-sized steel construction company.

All of us, especially our structural engineering team, are looking forward to acquiring and successfully realising many interesting and challenging new projects under Mr. Lehmann’s leadership.

 

Welcome on board Mr Lehmann!

Management of Donges SteelTec looks ahead to the new year with confidence

At the last works meeting of the year, Dr Wolf Cornelius thanked all employees for their commitment and successful work in the past business year. Full order books and a correspondingly good presence of the company in the steel construction market allow the management to look positively into the next year. Against this background, the works council and the management agreed in advance on the payment of an inflation compensation to the employees. After so much positive news, the employees celebrated the end of the year in the Christmas-decorated inner courtyard of the company premises. Hot chestnuts, mulled wine and bratwurst from the Donges Grill ensured physical well-being and a good mood until late in the evening.

 

A new phase of life begins for seven young people – their training at Donges SteelTec

We are pleased to be able to accompany our technical system planners and construction mechanics on this exciting path. At Donges SteelTec, the trainees can expect a varied range of training courses, internal training and a very good working atmosphere.

We wish all seven a pleasant start to their professional lives and much success in their training in our company.

 

 

Since 2011, the Federal Ministry of Construction and the Federal Chamber of Architects have awarded the German Architecture Prize. The procedure is carried out by the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning.

The German Architecture Prize is awarded to buildings that are exemplary for the development of contemporary building. They must be of special architectural quality or bear witness to exemplary treatment in the renovation and modernisation of historical buildings, to sustainable building in ecological, economic and social terms, and contribute positively to the design of the public space.

In the context of this year’s German Architecture Award, the jury awarded recognition for the design of the public space to the footpath and cycle path bridge over the Rheinstraße in Darmstadt.

We are pleased about the public recognition and are proud to have played a major role in the realisation of the “Red Bridge”. 

 

105 years of experience and loyalty

“Long-serving employees, their experience and skills, are the backbone of any company”, with these words Peter Brechtelsbauer, Managing Director of Donges SteelTec GmbH, introduced the honouring of the company’s anniversaries.

Thomas Kloose and Werner Spielberger started their professional lives at Donges on 1 September 1980. In the 40 years of their membership of the company, they have witnessed many changes, acquired experience and know-how and always felt committed to the company.Thomas Kloose trained as a technical draughtsman at Donges, was employed on a permanent basis after completing his training and today passes on his knowledge and passion for steel construction to young entrants as training manager in the technical office. Werner Spielberger began as a steel construction fitter and is today, as a safety specialist, responsible for the safety of his colleagues both within the company and on the construction sites.

Sabine Kadic has been working as a design engineer at Donges for a quarter of a century and looks back proudly on many renowned steel construction projects, such as the Lehrter Bahnhof in Berlin, the Airbus hangar Finkenwerder or the hot-dip galvanizing hall 3 in Salzgitter, on which she worked.

A heartfelt thank you to all those celebrating an anniversary for their loyalty and commitment to our company and all the best for the future!