Bonding - More than materials | Herrmann Ultraschall

K arlsbad is a small town on the edge of the Black Forest. Boring? Far from it. Thanks to ultrasonics, the world comes together here. How do the colleagues who have moved here find the region of Baden, what is it like living far from their home, and how big was the culture shock at the first meeting with us at Herrmann? STEFFEN ULLRICH, HAMBURG, 640 KM TO KARLSBAD, HAS BEEN IN BADEN SINCE 2015 What makes Karlsbad and the region your (new) home? It is above all the region, which is so varied. We try to experience as much of the region as possible with our old van. Our rule: No place may be further than 60 minutes away. It is incredible what you can discover in this radius: the Baden wine route, the Palatinate, Black Forest, Alsace … Wherever you go, it looks differ- ent, the people eat and drink differ- ent things, and speak differently. The trick is to keep your “newcomer” status. If you see the region as if you had come here specially on vacation, you are much more sensitive to those things that make it so special and different. It is possible that by now we know the region and its variety better than most locals. Both are awesome! The butter pretzel has become a good option. However, I recently discovered franzbrötchen at a baker in Karlsruhe … Now and again, I enjoy cheese spaetzle, Maultaschen, which are a kind of German ravioli originating from the region, sausage salad, and stuffed pig’s stomach very much as alternatives to our usual light cuisine. Another life lesson I have learned: If you have not already come into contact with the carnival tradition early in life, then it really is not easy to understand what goes on there … What makes Karlsbad “Ultrasonic Valley” and the epicenter of the world? The special thing is that our “valley” is actually a hill. Who wants to be at the bottom when you can be at the top? Either way, Karlsbad has become the global hotspot for joining with ultrasonics. Who did it start with? With Herrmann! So I am proud to be with the original innovator. However, it is also good that the other compa- nies are here. Without this concen- tration of companies working with ultrasonic welding here, it is unlikely that ultrasonic welding would be taught as a joining technology at the universities here. Thanks to the uni - versities teaching this as a subject, we get well-trained staff, which strength - ens our location further. What makes Karlsbad the epicenter of the world? From here you can quickly reach so many splendid and livable places in all directions. *franzbrötchen (literally: 'French bun'): a sweet pastry, similar to a cinnamon roll What does home mean to you? Herbert Grönemeyer expresses it like this in his song Heimat (Home): “Home is not a place, home is a feeling.” Hamburg has become just as much a home for me as the place in the Harz where I grew up, just like the region here. Home is where heart is! For newcomers: How was your first day here in Baden? Sunny. Warm like in spring. At 9:03 am I had a buttered pretzel, the first one in my life (laughs). Culture shock or language barrier: What word in the local Baden dialect have you by now internalized and which one do you still find foreign? More foreign. To this day. I had to quickly learn that “heben” does not mean “to lift,” but rather “to hold (together).” After all, ultrasonics make two thermoplastic plastic parts “heben” as securely as can be … That a foot begins at the hip is something quite outside what I learned about the human anatomy. And it is only logical that you can not only walk on a carpet but can also cover yourself with it and cuddle cozily into it when the weather outside is nasty. But hey, it is part of the culture. I am an outsider here and must integrate myself into the “Badische society.” So, I do understand the terms, but when I use them myself, it feels more “imitated” and not authentic. What food or which tradition still seems somewhat strange to you? And what is better: Hamburg franzbrötch- en* or butter pretzel for breakfast? “HAMBURG HAS BECOME JUST AS MUCH A HOME FOR ME AS THE PLACE IN THE HARZ WHERE I GREW UP, JUST LIKE THE REGION HERE.” Steffen Ullrich HOME IS NOT A PLACE, BUT A FEELING! What the Heck is Home? 137