Wednesday, December 15, 2010

nuclear reactors and heavy equipment

Potsdamer investigators unravel the network of Russian-smuggling deals for nuclear reactors in Iran
FRANK SCHAUKA
 
POTSDAM Potsdam prosecutor's investigations of the smuggling of special parts for the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Iranian coastal city of Bushehr have expanded considerably. At the beginning of the investigations in 2004 to only focused on the "Atom-brothers" as a tabloid newspaper called George and K. Axel. The two heads of the special heavy equipment engineering ISV from near Magdeburg have long been condemned.
 
But now, almost three years after the first raid, the extent of the investigation to look little more complex, in connection with the secret, is anti-Israeli nuclear weapons program of Iran. This year, the group of suspected suppliers has once again expanded considerably. "There are now nearly 50 companies, and it does not stop," said the Potsdam prosecutor Chris Lange, determined the nationwide in the fall. Against a dozen companies is already determined.
 
Potsdam's authority as a priority prosecution for economic crimes in Brandenburg is responsible, because "nuclear-brothers" had tried in 2001 and 2002, one cut in ten parts of crane that was moving in the power plant Bushehr fuel rods, the Brandenburg-Polish border into Russia and finally To export to Iran. Customs investigators came to the business in 2004, when they routinely sighted export delivery notes of the ISV. From Germany, in principle, should any items be exported to Iran, where they can be used as nuclear technology. Because such export is always to the detriment of the Federal Republic of diplomatic entanglements allies.
 
What is the value in the coastal city of Bushehr had illegally supplied parts, also can only guess. "So far we have seen a total contract value of slightly more than five million dollars," says the specialist economic crime, Lange, "but there must be more run." Much more. Probably more than $ 100 million. There is even an indication for a contract worth about $ 150 million.
 
The fact that the mastermind behind the smuggling deals will soon be prosecuted, is not yet in sight. The main accused, all of German business people of Russian origin have settled in time to Russia. Presumably, they enjoy it for the protection of government regulators. After all, had Dmitri S., CEO of Vero and export trading company, and his accomplices of Berlin from the smuggling operations on behalf of the government-Russian company Atomstroyexport (ASE) is threaded. For the investigators is clear after intensive investigations: Between ASE and the now liquidated company Vero trade, there is no dividing line. "Vero is ASE, for example, the managers have the same fax numbers on their business cards," said Lange.
 
The war destroyed the nuclear reactor-Siemens
 
How important is the construction of the Bushehr miles for Russia has seen in the fact that the great power any sanction against Iran to prevent the international community, especially the United States, to impose for the alleged nuclear bomb program wants. The ASE is building in the Russian government commissioned world's nuclear power plants - even in Bushehr on the Persian Gulf. The contracted volume of orders for this Meilerbau is 800 million U.S. dollars. For Russia, there is a lot.
 
As high as the profit, so large are obvious to the Russian contractor, the problems with the construction of light water reactor. Without them, the smuggling is not explained. In 1974 during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi Western-oriented, the German Siemens Group to build the reactor in Bushehr. The Iranian Revolution was the 1979 Imperial Peacock Throne to collapse, and during the first Gulf War from 1980 to 1988 destroyed the Iraqi military reactors in the Persian Gulf. Iran asked why in 1990 at Siemens, whether the group the power plant from the ruins build again. But the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control in Eschborn near Frankfurt am Main, Siemens issued no permit. Subsequently, Iran concluded in 1995 with the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry signed a contract on reconstruction and commissioning of Bushehr. After this 800-million-dollar deal should the power plant to go online in 2001. But the technical - and smuggling technical - problems could not be solved so quickly.
 
During the Cold War espionage-from strategic considerations, nuclear reactor before and behind the iron curtain built fundamentally different DIN standards. Even if the secret construction plans popular items would be spied on, so a replica was pointless. The systems were just not compatible in detail.
 
Russia's problem and the solution smuggling
 
Prior to this difficulty, the Russians were in 1995: They had not to complete the theory nor the material to the reactor designed to Western standards. To overcome the obstacle, the mid-1990s, the quasi-governmental group founded Atomstroyexport. He should build the world order in Russian nuclear power plants. However, ASE, this was another problem, the contacts with potential suppliers were missing in the West. Therefore, set up by the ASE in Western Europe so-called front companies or if it was appropriate, contacted - such as Vero Dimitrij S. GmbH of Berlin. From 1999/2000, the trading company which had exported since the early 1990s, all sorts of goods-and fixed only to the Bushehr business.
 
How the Vero / ASE-people, a special company that has designed a central core for the reactor in Bushehr: the crane that was used inside the power dome millimeter fuel into the combustion chambers.
 
That the Vero-dealer, the "atom-brothers" found near Magdeburg, is probably not a coincidence. Within the Warsaw Pact, the GDR was a cross-border responsible for the production of heavy equipment for the nuclear power plant construction. George K. was an absolute expert in this field. The businessmen from Vero knew off and had probably also have lists of experts from the past. The "Atom-brothers" K. ordered in turn required parts for other companies.
 
And not all of these companies were clueless. After all product components have been sought for a nuclear power plant on the technical levels of the 1970s. Much of this was out of date, some long since removed from the production program. Some companies that have been requested by the Magdeburger ISV engineering firm, declined not only in thanks, but refers also to the legal situation: banned exports to Iran. The fact that some German companies to give up yet for the nuclear smuggling, is explained clearly and with the pressure, the Vero / ASE build wont. Under the motto "carrot and stick" the company is made clear: By participating, is the way to the Eastern European market paved - who resists, no chance there.
 
The "Atom-brothers" knew that they were acting illegally. They claimed initially, the crane was destined for Russia, which would have been permitted, but stood under the weight of the evidence it quickly. Extremely helpful for the truth, according to the experience of German investigators always a reference to the black list of the U.S. administration. For companies on this list, the U.S. market is taboo. And end up on this list all companies, of which it becomes known that they supply parts to Iran nuclear plant or company curl_exec do this.
 
In a public trial before court that the prosecutor suspects makes it clear the path to the list can not be avoided. Presumably this is a major reason why smuggling methods are often completed in the necessary silence. Long known as federal prosecutors in these cases, in which enters a company's negotiators to his office and begins the conversation by saying: "I am instructed to inform you on behalf of the company to offer full cooperation."
 
 
 

Saar-mining technology to score in Ukraine and Russia

 
(2009-11-17 17:18:21)
Eastern Europeans looking for partners here
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Saarbrücken. The mining company RAG RAG German hard coal Mining Solutions launched a new company to life. This has the objective of the mining equipment and mining technologies, which in Germany are no longer needed to market internationally. A first attempt was the director of the mine Saar, Friedrich Breinig, visiting Ukrainian-Russian delegation at the mine. "We can both offer high-quality equipment and help them to adapt to local geological conditions," said Breinig.
 
The mining experts from Eastern European countries are "very interested in German technology," said Boris Bokij, chief financial officer of the mine Sasjadko (Ukraine). It must however be guaranteed a service on site. Vladislav Norkin of the Russian group wants ADD gas being flared in oil refineries to use as energy. But he is looking for partners in the Saarland. The delegation has now stand at the Saarland. Organized the visit of "Saarland international", a collaboration between the Ministry with the Centre for Productivity and Technology (ZPT) has been.
 

Market for new commercial vehicles registered big minus

Used equipment far less affected by the crisis
New "locator" under mascus.de easier to find
Wien (ots) - As the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) are telling, new orders from abroad for goods vehicles over six tonnes alone in May 2009 decreased by 77 percent. The export of commercial vehicles up to six tonnes fell so far this year by 65 percent. Much better it looks in the details of the used construction portal ads in almost all areas of used commercial vehicles. "Low loss are present, but the trend is right now more likely to Buying used, the pressure on the cost side and forced to work efficiently, keep the market used for maintaining construction equipment and trucks, "said Marko United of Mascus.
 
The pan-European marketplace offers a rare overview of the market. "We are in over thirty countries worldwide, we can assess not only the events in Germany or Austria, but see an overall picture," said Large. The use and dealers from all targeted to expand substantially limited markets. "We are at different types of equipment - whether construction, agricultural machinery and trucks - a strong regional disparities in Europe have been identified as part of equpment types are traded much higher in Northern Europe and less common than in southern Europe." Said Mark Gross. Even save transport costs entrepreneurs like money, and affiliated distributors like to fall back to the portal and its range. "Especially in the last few months have again some large traders decided to work with ads," said Country Manager of Mascus.
 
Is not the same old useless, as a look to the traded equipment. To the 100,000 machines available on Mascus. "The portal also highly specialized machines are traded. In the transportation sector are also not uncommon refrigerator as in forestry and agriculture, the local machine rather rare," said Mark Gross. The savings at the original price is sometimes immense, although sometimes only a few hours on the device. Dealers are happy about the large range at reasonable prices that do not exceed in the case of ads as a platform in more than 25 languages and presence in over thirty countries but the cost of local advertising papers.
 
To boost the market for used machinery ahead, ads permanently extended the service area to www. mascus. de. As a full success, for example, the new "Locator" proved you can find on the prospective customers quickly and easily needed vehicles in the connected countries. They can select directly for specific machine types and region. Dealers have the opportunity to present themselves on a micro-integrated in the portal page - for many a welcome alternative to the time-consuming and costly own website.
 
Mascus. de's largest virtual marketplace for construction, agricultural, and forestry machinery as well as commercial vehicles in Europe. So relieved www.mascus.de trade, the search and retrieval of vehicles, machines and accessories. Commercial and private buyers and sellers can use the system, no commissions are due. Sellers must only pay a small fee. For a half a million visitors a month to know the service and the range in Europe to appreciate. Damascus serves as yet more than 30 European countries in 25 different languages. In 2001, the portal - originally destined for the northern region of Europe - in Scandinavia founded.
 

The market for farm equipment

The market in which the farm equipment manufacturer Claas move is clear. Four major companies dominate the business of farm equipment: John Deere, a 20 billion dollar company in the U.S., the Fiat subsidiary, Case New Holland (CNH) and Agco Fendt owner just Claas. The Ostwestfalen see itself as Europe's number one in combines and as a world leader in forage harvesters. Problems it currently has none of the major suppliers, of which up to Claas all listed. The shops in the growing agriculture are going well. Especially since the market is the great wave of consolidation is already behind. From 70 major manufacturers that existed 40 years ago, a handful remained. And yet the time of the merger is not over. For several months, farm equipment industry experts speculate, for example, on the future of CNH. Currently, the Italians are valued on the stock market with some 6.8 billion dollars. Agco has filed public interest. Claas also is said to be interested in CNH.