Clearview 232 - March 2021 | Page 8

INDUSTRYNEWS

“ Unwavering visionary and courageous creator ”

» REHAU IS MOURNING THE LOSS OF company founder and honorary president Helmut Wagner , who sadly passed away at the age of 95 in Switzerland surrounded by his family . The news of the death of the popular founding father , who was highly committed to the end , has moved REHAU employees around the globe .
“ The great sympathy for the passing of our father comes from many regions of the world , recognising him as one of the pioneers of modern industry , as a courageous creator and unwavering visionary . We are very touched by this as a family ,” says Jobst Wagner , President of the Supervisory Board . “ We will honour the memory of Helmut Wagner by resolutely continuing his impressive work . His entrepreneurial spirit will continue to guide us in the future .”.
Helmut Wagner has been shaping the world of plastics since 1948 and has thus given important stimuli to an entire industry . The founding of the company in the city of Rehau , Upper Franconia , Germany , marked the beginning of the manufacture of products
made of polymer materials and thus the success story of a family-owned company that is still strongly characterised by the pioneering spirit of the company founder .
After five decades of successful development of the company , Helmut Wagner handed over the management of the corporation to his sons in 2000 : Jobst Wagner became Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Dr . Veit Wagner Vice Chairman . The third generation are already active in shaping the family business . In 2015 , Rehau city council paid a special tribute to the founder of REHAU : Helmut Wagner was appointed the first honorary citizen since the end of the Second World War .
Today , REHAU is an internationally operating family business with 20,000 employees at more than 170 locations worldwide . “ We owe this in particular to the vision and courage of Helmut Wagner ,” says William Christensen , CEO of the REHAU Group . “ In deep mourning and sincere gratitude for the achievements of the company ’ s founder , the REHAU family is especially united in these days .”

TAKING ON THE BANK

» LOCKDOWN MAY HAVE put the brakes on Euroglaze ’ s fundraising campaign for Retina UK initially , but the team at the Barnsley based Rehau fabricator are now on a roll once again .
Managing Director Martin Nettleton has challenged Euroglaze ’ s bankers Barclays to a virtual 1000km bike ride , with Barclays matching the sponsorship money raised .
Having completed 5000 virtual miles during 2020 on his turbo trainer at home , Martin is confident that he can set an impressive pace for his friendly bank manager Daniel Firth to match .
This virtual challenge replaces the Prudential Ride100 which Martin and his tandem ride partner Andrew Oates were scheduled to take part in during August , following much of the 2012 Olympic road racecourse .
It is all part of Euroglaze ’ s 40th anniversary charity campaign supporting Retina UK , which helps to fund research for all eye diseases like the one that caused both Martin and his brother Simon to gradually lose their sight .
With a mix of raffles , fun days , cake sales and even a virtual John O ’ Groats to Land ’ s End challenge , the Euroglaze team had already raised more than £ 6000 when the first lockdown hit , but now they are more focused than ever on trying to reach their original £ 10,000 target .
Martin Nettleton explained : “ These lockdowns have hit all charities hard , but particularly the smaller , lesser known ones like Retina UK , which rely so much on fundraising from cancelled events like bike rides and marathons . Retina UK is
close to my heart , but there ’ s an extra urgency around their work at the moment because a brand-new gene therapy has just been approved for use on the NHS which finally offers hope to patients with one particular kind of Retinitis pigmentosa which causes inherited sight loss .
“ In terms of treatment , this is the most significant breakthrough that has taken
place in my lifetime and Retina UK is hopeful that it will lead to further pioneering therapies being discovered which will also benefit people like me .”
To sponsor Martin and maximise the amount Barclays has to pay out in matched funding , go to : https :// www . justgiving . com / fundraising / daniel-firth4
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