AGP 25th Anniversary in Prattville - SAVE THE DATES | |
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The AlabamaGermany Partnership (AGP) is Turning 25!
Please plan to celebrate our Anniversary with us!
The 2023 event will take place on Thursday, March 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center at Capitol Hill in Prattville. This will be our largest event of the year with an expected 265-285 industrial, cultural, educational, and governmental leaders.
We will continue the celebration the following day by hosting a Networking Breakfast from 7:30 am to 9:30 am followed by the networking AGP Golf Tournament on Friday, March 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration for both networking events will open later this month.
SAVE THE DATES! MARCH 30 & 31, 2023
Sponsorship opportunities for the AGP Anniversary Celebration are still available. Sponsorships are available from $750 up to $5,000. Individual tickets and sponsorships for the Golf Tournament will be available soon.
Thank you to our Exclusive Star Sponsor:
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Registration for the Anniversary Dinner & Reception is officially open:
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AGP Stammtisch in Opelika and Birmingham | |
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Come out to network!
This is a great opportunity for German expats to meet and for other German-speaking/practicing to improve their German. Speaking German is encouraged but not required.
Come join us for our traveling AGP "Stammtisch" in Opelika and/or our regular in Birmingham:
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What does "Stammtisch" mean? A Stammtisch is an informal group meeting held on a regular basis, and also the usually large table around which the group meets. A Stammtisch is not a structured meeting, but rather a friendly and casual get-together.
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Dankeschön to our PATRON Members: | |
German Company Rausch & Pausch LP Invests over $25M in Auburn | |
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Automotive parts supplier Rausch & Pausch LP (RAPA) plans to invest over $25 million in its 70,000-square-foot location in Auburn Technology Park West. The German-based company, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary in Auburn last year, plans to purchase the building it operates in, invest in new equipment and create up to 73 additional jobs over the next three years.
“The purchase of the Auburn facility will allow RAPA to continue our growth trajectory in the U.S. market and support the potential expansion of the company in the future,” said Dr. Roman Pausch, leader of the global company and the fourth generation of RAPA’s founding family.
Established over 100 years ago, RAPA is a family-owned Bavarian company that serves as a development and system partner of leading companies in the automotive, medical technology and industrial sectors.
RAPA manufactures pneumatic and hydraulic chassis and transmission components and complete systems for passenger cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. The company serves premium automotive brands like Audi, Tesla and Stellantis as well as major suppliers serving the industry including Vibracoustic and ZF.
Read More in Auburn News
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German Schmidt Automotive Announces $7.7 Million Expansion | |
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Auburn’s Schmidt Automotive today announced a $7.7 million expansion, bringing new automated equipment to its automotive powertrain operation.
The company said the expansion will create another 25 jobs over the next two years at the plant, located on Innovation Drive.
A member of the MAT Foundry Group, Schmidt Automotive first came to Auburn in 2015.
The company makes automotive powertrain components and assemblies, specializing in differentials, transmission shafts, housings, module and system assemblies.
The general manager with Schmidt Automotive, said the project will enable the company to establish new product lines, and diversify its products and customer base.
Read more AL.com
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German Supermarket Chain ALDI Opens Alabama Hub | |
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Photo Credit: Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Supermarket chain Aldi officially opened a massive regional headquarters and distribution center in coastal Alabama, promising more stores and more jobs to come.
“At Aldi, we really try hard, and we have a very big commitment to everybody we serve to offer the best quality products at amazing prices,” said Aldi Divisional Vice President Heather Moore. “With inflation and rising food costs, we all read the news, we know that, that message is more important today than it has ever been. And that fuels our expansion throughout the U.S. We’re continuing to expand coast to coast. But this facility here is really an especially important part of that puzzle.”
The new hub will bring Aldi stores within range of “about 8 million citizens of the Gulf Coast,” Moore said.
Aldi held a ribbon-cutting for a new regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Ala., on Jan. 31 The center ultimately will serve about 100 stores in a region along the central Gulf Coast.
It has been a little over two and a half years since the chain announced its plans to build the HQ and hub in an industrial and warehousing district just north of Exit 44 on I-10, where Ala. 59 crosses the interstate. The company held a groundbreaking on the 150-acre site in February 2021, saying it represented a $100 million investment.
Read more AL.com
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Mercedes-Benz Launches Charging Network Starting in North America | |
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Mercedes-Benz is launching a high-power charging network across North America, Europe, China and other key markets, and it will begin in the U.S. and Canada.
The aim of the company is to have the full network of more than 10,000 high-power chargers in place before the end of the decade, when Mercedes-Benz intends to go all-electric wherever market conditions allow.
The company stated that it believes having the charging hubs in key cities and urban population centers will enhance the usability and convenience of its new generation of electric vehicles. It is building some of those EVs in Tuscaloosa at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International and powering them with battery modules being made in Bibb County at its new plant.
Mercedes-Benz plans to roll out the network this year, collaborating with partners MN8 Energy, a large solar energy and battery storage owner and operator, and ChargePoint, a leading EV charging network technology company. By 2027, a network totaling more than 400 hubs with more than 2,500 high-power chargers across North America is planned.
Read More Business Alabama
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Dankeschön to our SUSTAINING Members: | |
News from Tuscaloosa Sister Cities International | |
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A 27-member Community Delegation from Tuscaloosa, led by Mayor Walt Maddox and Councilor John Faile, enjoyed several festive Christmas Markets in and around Schorndorf in December.
Delegates shopped and tasted German treats during the visit. The highlight of the trip was the celebration of the 26th Anniversary of the Tuscaloosa -Schorndorf Sister Cities Partnership. Schorndorf Oberbürgermeister Bernd Hornikel and Mayor Maddox signed the official re-commitment documents during a beautiful evening celebration at Schordorf’s Barbara Kunkelin Halle.
Thank you, Schorndorf, for a wonderful occasion to celebrate our strong friendship and thriving partnership!
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Meet our Student Delegates for the July 2023 TSCI/TCS Schorndorf Exchange!
Tuscaloosa Sister Cities International and Tuscaloosa City Schools are thrilled to welcome our 2023 Student Ambassadors for the July 2023 Exchange to Schorndorf, Germany! The students and their parents met this month to begin planning for our exciting exchange in Schorndorf. During the next six months of preparation, the delegates, from Paul W. Bryant, Central, and Northridge High Schools, will learn about German history, culture, and language.
Our thanks to Max Planck Gymnasium (MPG) in Schorndorf for hosting our delegation! MPG students will visit Tuscaloosa for their reciprocal exchange in October 2023.
Learn more about the Tuscaloosa Sister Cities International
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Please help us welcome our new member:
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
Tuscaloosa Academy
Brook Peterson
German International Program Dean
Tuscaloosa Academy is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory day school with classes from PK3 - 12th Grade. With world-class academics and small class sizes, they work hard to provide a safe learning environment for every student.
Learn more at: www.tuscaloosaacademy.org
CORPORATE - REGULAR
Winkelmann Flowforming
Paul Chahine
President/CEO
Winkelmann Flowforming is a proud, professional, and innovative member of the Winkelman group, a global family-owned company founded back in 1898. They have been involved in the chipless forming of metal parts since the 1970s - always pushing the boundaries to shape the technology and the future. A team of 115 experts in flowforming technology, they all share the same passion and conviction - and look forward to working with you on your challenging projects.
Learn more at: www.winkelmann-flowforming.com/en/
As an AGP member, you can connect with them through the AGP membership database.
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Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta News | |
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Goethe Exams - Levels A1 and B1
March 2 and 3, 2023
-Do you require globally recognized evidence of your German language skills? Do you need a Goethe certificate for work, study, or a visa? If so, then you’ve come to the right place! Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta is a certified Goethe-Institut examination center.
Annual Goethe Frühlingsfest in Atlanta
March 18, 12 pm - 8 pm, 2023
The German word, “Frühlingsfest”, means “spring festival”. An annual family-friendly celebration of the spring season, Frühlingsfest takes place in cities all over Germany, such as München and Stuttgart. With over 1.2 million participants each year, Frühlingsfest makes its name as the largest spring festival in Europe.
At our Goethe Frühlingsfest, we exhibit a variety of local artists and traditional German dishes, drinks, and beer - in addition to a welcoming opportunity for all to learn more about the Germanic culture and language!
Learn more about Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta
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USCIS Redesigns Green Card and Employment Authorization Document | |
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USCIS Release Date 01/30/2023
New Features Provide State-of-the-Art Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced new designs to improve the security of Permanent Resident Cards (also known as Green Cards) and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). USCIS will begin issuing the redesigned cards on Jan. 30, 2023.
The new Green Card and EAD designs contain state-of-the-art technology that continues to safeguard national security and improve service for our customers. Changes include improved detailed artwork; tactile printing that is better integrated with the artwork; enhanced optically variable ink; highly secure holographic images on the front and back of the cards; a layer-reveal feature with a partial window on the back photo box; and data fields displayed in different places than on previous versions.
Some Green Cards and EADs issued after Jan. 30, 2023, may still display the existing design format because USCIS will continue using existing cardstock until current supplies are depleted. Both versions of the cards are acceptable for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification; E-Verify; and Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE). Some older Green Cards do not have an expiration date. These older Green Cards without an expiration date generally remain valid; however, USCIS encourages applicants with these older cards to consider applying for a replacement card to prevent fraud or tampering should the card ever get lost or stolen.
You can access more information on the USCIS update here!
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AlabamaGermany Partnership 1900 International Parkway Drive, Suite 105
Birmingham, AL 35245 www.AlabamaGermany.org
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