April 2024

AGP Young Professionals German Company Visit

LAST CALL Join the AGP Young Professionals (age 17 to 39) for a German company visit:

Thursday, April 4, 2024

6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

BLG Logistics, Inc. in Northport

Join us for an engaging event at BLG Logistics in Northport, where we’ll delve into the logistics of electric vehicle production and BLG’s role in the “heart” of this burgeoning industry. Explore the latest advancements in automotive technology and learn about BLG Logistics' vital role in bringing these innovations to the market. 

Discover their custom processes and understand how their systems, originally crafted in Germany, are tailored for the US market. Gain valuable insights into BLG Logistics' management of international supply chains, as they navigate through various challenges. 



Be a part of an informative evening, where learning and networking converge, all at no cost to you, and with a complimentary meal provided. They're enthusiastic about sharing their expertise with AGP Young Professionals and offering a glimpse into the world of automotive logistics. 

PLEASE NOTE REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY AT 3 PM!

AGP White Asparagus Dinner

We have partnered up with German General Manager Jorg Wesche of the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Mountain Brook (Birmingham) to create a German-style White Asparagus Dinner. Please join us for an evening in the Grand Bohemian Hotel's Restaurant Habitat Feed & Social Dining Room. We invite you to relish in a delectable five-course menu perfectly accompanied with beer and wine. 

Join us:

 Friday, May 10, 2024

6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Grand Bohemian Hotel 

Mountain Brook/Birmingham

Reception:

• Charcuterie Board & Prosecco

Appetizer:

• Asparagus Soup 
• Seasonal Salad

Entrée:

• Asparagus with Filet Mignon (or Salmon)

Dessert:

• Seasonal Dessert & Coffee

The menu will be paired with wine and beer. 

After the dinner, please make plans to join us for Silent Disco (optional) in the Grand Bohemian Hotel's Ball Room (access is included in the dinner ticket as courtesy of the Grand Bohemian). Illuminate your night with a spectrum of fluorescent colors and beats! Enjoy yourself in the energy with live DJs battling it out as you enjoy a neon-backlit dance floor and dance the night away. This electrifying night, will be extraordinary. The Silent Disco will end at 11 p.m.

Dinner, beverages at the dinner, tips and taxes AND access to Silent Disco is ALL INCLUDED in the price of $149.00 per person. We have LIMITED seating available and we expect to sellout.

Dankeschön to our PATRON Members:

German Company, ADS-TEC Energy, appoints Senior Vice President for their American subsidiary in Auburn

By BusinessWire.com

Renato Gross, Senior Vice President, ADSE Inc. Photo Credit: BusinessWire.com

ADS-TEC Energy, a global leader in battery-buffered, ultra-fast charging technology, announced March the appointment of Renato Gross as Senior Vice President of ADSE Inc., the company’s US subsidiary. In this position, Gross will oversee the growth and expansion of ADS-TEC Energy in the US.

With all the skills needed to support ADS-TEC Energy’s growth strategy, Gross will lead the expansion of the company’s office in Auburn, Alabama, and meet the increasing demand in the US for ADS-TEC Energy’s EV charging products developed and produced in Germany, as well as providing support for new and existing installations.

Gross has held senior positions in global and US companies, with a focus on manufacturing, management and sales for more than 20 years. This includes roles in production and technical sales in the automotive industry. “Renato Gross has an impressive track record of setting up production facilities, rapidly scaling up greenfield facilities and managing product deliveries, which has led to sales in the tens of millions of dollars,” said Thomas Speidel, CEO of ADS-TEC Energy. “His skills and commitment to excellence are well aligned with our needs and goals, and we are pleased that he is now part of our company.”

Read BusinessWire.com's Full Story



2023 Growth Projects to Inject $6.4 Billion into Alabama

Governor Kay Ivey announced last week that companies launching operations or expanding existing facilities in Alabama during 2023 are poised to make investments totaling over $6.4 billion, building on the state’s winning economic development track record with another year of steady job creation.

Nearly $3 billion of the total investments were from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) that provided a dynamic spark to Alabama's economy. Germany was the second highest investor in 2023 with commitment of $579,494,880 and creating 1,055 new jobs.

Read Made in Alabama's Full Report

German Deindustrialization Is A Wake-Up Call For U.S. Manufacturers

By Jim Vinoski for Forbes.com

Photo Credit: Forbes.com

For generations, Germany has been a manufacturing powerhouse. The country was in the vanguard of the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century, establishing dominant positions in electrical components manufacturing and chemical production. Devastated by WWII, with the help of the Marshall plan the country quickly rebuilt its manufacturing base afterwards. It remained a top exporter of manufactured goods even as first Japan then China rose to become major exporters as well. The country has long enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for engineering prowess and high quality that was demonstrated across its huge manufacturing base.

Now that picture is changing rapidly, as German industry increasingly struggles to compete on the world stage. Particularly hard hit are its mighty chemical and heavy industry sectors, which are now in rapid decline. One of the main drivers is policies that have made energy costs skyrocket, and there Germany serves as a canary in the coal mine for other leading industrial nations.

Read Forbes.com's Full Story



AlabamaGermany Partnership Breakfast at Auburn University

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering invites members of the Alabama-Germany Partnership to join us for breakfast in the McCartney Suite (3rd floor of Shelby Center) located at 359 West Magnolia Ave. This event will allow members to network and discuss ways to collaborate and partner with the College of Engineering. Consul General Melanie Moltmann of the German Consulate General in Atlanta will also be in attendance to address the AGP members.

The breakfast will be followed by AU's SPRING 2024 AUBURN ENGINEERING EMPLOYER SUMMIT

The Employer Summit is geared toward employers who want to learn more about engaging with Auburn Engineering through recruitment, research, on-line education, and capstone sponsorship. The event is designed to increase the collaboration potential between your company and Auburn Engineering. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with other employers as well as undergraduate and graduate students who will share their research and capstone projects. It will be advantageous to have both HR managers and Engineering managers attend. 

Dankeschön to our SUSTAINING Members:

AGP Young Professionals Welcomes New Member to Leadership Group

AGP Young Professionals welcomed Lena Ward as a new member of the leadership group last month.

Lena is bilingual (German/English). She was raised in Germany and moved to Alabama when her father accepted a job at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Vance. Lena is always worked in the automotive industry and love it. She works as a consultant for Adah International, LLC.

Lena says "I joined the AGP because I love to meet new people and enjoy learning everyone's different cultures".

The Young Professionals group is under the AlabamaGermany Partnership umbrella. Its members are interns, co-op or employees of either an Alabama-Germany company or institution. The age requirement is 17 to 39. This also includes college students, grad students studying German language, international business, science and engineering. The group will promote international education, individual career development and promotion of Alabama-German companies and workforce development. Learn more about the group here. 

Study Alabama Reception in Birmingham

You are invited to join the 2024 launch of the Global Talent Index (GTI) and learn more about the mission and initiatives of Study Alabama as they work to increase global engagement within Alabama and how this intersects with needs of the workforce.

Join them:

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The Wine Loft, Birmingham

Study Alabama was formed in 2016 through collaboration with the United States and Alabama Departments of Commerce. Study State consortia take different forms, but Study Alabama consists of twenty-one colleges, universities, and international high schools within Alabama that work towards global engagement. Our mission includes promoting Alabama as an international education destination as well as working to partner with business to promote global competency for the workforce and opportunities for international and domestic students with these skills. Learn more at www.studyalabama.us

AGP Welcomes New Members

Please help us welcome our new members:

Corporate - REGULAR

ARCO/Murray National Construction Company

Michael Guadarrama

Economic Engagement Manager

Our goal is the same today as it was when we started in 1992: to be the very best design-build contractor in the industry. We use a proven design-build methodology to bring our clients’ vision to life while delivering the very best experience.

We have offices to serve clients from coast-to-coast – across an array of industries.

Our expert team of in-house engineers, project managers, superintendents, modelers and architects are capable of designing and building the most demanding projects anywhere in the country.

1400 Associates - 5,500 Projects - 450 Cities

Learn more at: www.acromurray.com

Educational/Student

Caron Fricke

Student at University of South Alabama

As an AGP member, you can connect with them through the

AGP membership database (except individuals memberships).



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