As Chairman of the German Association for Gas Technology e.V. (GAGT e.V.), I would like to welcome you as a visitor.
My name is Peter Ziegler.
In a time of social change, in which we encounter buzzwords such as climate change, digitalisation and globalisation every day in the media and on the street, it is difficult for entrepreneurs to find their way around. Some people may have doubts as to whether what they produce or offer for sale is still in line with the times and/or the climate. Whenever, for example, a society questions activities and products on such a massive scale as in a time of climate change, these questions must be answered, even if they have a critical environment. If this cannot be done adequately and satisfactorily, it is not uncommon for a company to be left standing. The work of years is gone, to the detriment of all and, of course, also the employees of this company.
The field of activity of GAGT e.V. can best be described if we imagine a tree in the wild. If a tree is to grow and flourish, it too, like a company, needs healthy soil. Free from pollutants and other obstacles that could impair its growth. It needs people who take care that sufficient nutrients, such as water, are available. In a company, this is the entrepreneur, with his employees and their know-how. These are the basic prerequisites for a prosperous growth at the location and in the market. For a tree to grow and remain stable, it needs strong roots in a healthy environment. In the case of companies, however, in addition to a location and growth, you also need a market, the customer. Clean water, as nourishment for a tree, was available free of charge in the pre-industrial past. Nowadays, as the drought stress says, not any more. Of course, an entrepreneur must always and constantly do something, as the word “entrepreneur” says, in order to survive in the market. He has to keep his costs under constant observation and adjust them to the given requirements.
In nature and in entrepreneurship, the state intervenes with directives and ordinances, i.e. through legislation that is usually adapted to the times, with measures that are now to be applied by everyone they exclusively affect.
Laws and regulations change so quickly in the context of globalisation and digitalisation that a company would have to hire new employees trained in them if they were not available in advance. Of course, this makes services and products more expensive and also changes the purchasing behaviour of customers. We see this quite clearly in the retail trade and in the decline of retail trade in the cities, but also in the countryside.
For almost twenty years now, the GAGT e.V., with its qualified board of directors, has maintained an extensive network of people in and at ministries in the federal government, in the 16th federal states and, of course, in Brussels. Of course, this is also linked to the knowledge of legislative measures, now and in the future.
A stabilisation on the cost side of a company, or even a reduction of these costs, is of course also and only possible with an unrestricted knowledge of legislation. It is already apparent that, especially in the area of mobility and heating systems in residential buildings, this naturally also entails a change in the composition of fuels and combustibles. According to the directives and regulations already passed in Brussels, there will be massive costly changes for citizens and, of course, also for entrepreneurs. In the automotive industry alone, in agricultural equipment (tractors), stationary engines and lorries, no stone will be left unturned. Suppliers to these manufacturers will also experience massive interventions, which will also lead to job losses.
At this point, however, I would like to say once again that what I have tried to present to you here is only a fraction of what we can possibly offer you as a new member. Our knowledge was not acquired through friendships consisting of staff in ministries, or friendships with politicians. It is rather the opposite. GAGT e.V. has acquired its knowledge from decades of work, even without being a lobbyist in Berlin, Brussels or elsewhere.
I would now like to take my leave of you, thank you for your time and hope that I may have aroused your interest in GAGT e.V.. I would be pleased to hear from you in the foreseeable future. You can reach me by e-mail at e-Mail@gagt.de.
Thank you very much for your attention and have a nice time.
Peter Ziegler.
