Judith Kirton-Darling’s Post

MP Founding and Managing Partner Roman Göd, shares his insights in an interview with VentureCapital Magazin, reflecting on the developments that shaped the M&A landscape in 2024, expectations for the market in the coming year, and his outlook on opportunities and future prospects for the industry. #MP #corporatefinance #mergersandacquisitions #investmentbanking #finance #privateequity #industry #sustainability #venturecapital #investment #future #marketoutlook #interview #readnow

It gives an insight into how modern society looks at “backbone industries“ such as the steel industry if you compare reader's reactions (on: “Do you agree with the author?“) at the end of both (oppositional) articles dealing with the German Green Steel Transformation: https://lnkd.in/eKHtbVTx https://lnkd.in/evV6qQVw Now, it might be the newspaper it is published in and the couleur of readers it is attracting; but: the feedback I am getting as being part of this industry is similar. I think what people fail to understand is: 1.) we all need steel in our daily lives, one way or another. People underestimate the importance of steel because it is so omnipresent in our world that we have forgotten to appreciate the tasks it serves us. And since we all need it in our lives, our surroundings and for all those climate projects we know are necessary to achieve climate action, one thing is absolutely clear to me: if we don't produce steel here (on "our turf") where we have direct impact on the way it is done but instead ship it from overseas, our "sustainable way of life" becomes a mere farce. 2.) our country has had the advantage of being based on real, physical industries with value creation chains still being (with the exception of raw materials and partly energy sources) mainly intact. Looking at the countries surrounding Germany, this is nothing to be taken for granted. It has shown that service societies are more prone to economic instabilities than industrial based societies. So shutting down the steel industry in Germany will not only make workers unemployed but also affect (non steel related) citizens alike.  3.) with the modern eagerness of "cost optimization" when it comes to building industrial structures in Germany, I am sure that once a steel plant has been shut down „for good“, no one will ever go through all the financial/political insecurities, public protests of residents or legal challenges again to turn this decision back around. Even if letting the steel industry disappear turned out to be devastating for downstream industries making such wonderful (and German-loved) products as cars, washing machines or (nowadays state-owned) cruise ships, in the end it will read: what is done is done. The times of massive investments (which you’ll need to build integrated steelworks like my home-turf based thyssenkrupp in Duisburg or a mini-mill) in Germany are over. It might be a lifestyle brand like Tesla that has the esprit to attract investors to build "Giga-Factories" on German soil, but for the steel industry times for building "Supermega-Factories" are gone. So looking at Duisburg's "Landschaftspark Nord", the question -dear Mrs. Siems- reads: Who is actually trying to stop Germany turning into an industrial museum? Effective climate action means cutting down 1/3 of the entire German industrial CO2 emissions by (yes, also financially) helping an industry branch become clean! Because -as we say at Stegra-: "We are done with dirty."

Exciting start at the Salzgitter Group's booth as Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Stephan Weil, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, and Federal Minister for Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger visit. They were welcomed by Gunnar Groebler, CEO, Thorsten Moellmann, Head of Communications, and Alexander Heck, Head of Public & Regulatory Affairs. Chancellor Scholz showed keen interest in SALCOS® | Salzgitter AG - Salzgitter Low CO2 Steelmaking. Salzgitter AG's presence at HANNOVER MESSE underlines its leadership in the circular economy and sustainable industry transformation. #SalzgitterAG #SALCOS #Sustainability #GreenEconomy #CircularEconomy #LowCO2 #HannoverMesse #HannoverMesse2024

Is #Energiewende missing the mark? While #Germany faces soaring #energy #prices and #renewables struggle, tech giants and neighbors invest in next-gen nuclear (e.g., SMRs). Some might call the #energy #price #peak last week a rare and extreme event; others may argue it’s part of a deeper #structural #issue within Germany’s #Energiewende Meanwhile, Google, Microsoft, and other #TechGiants are investing in #SMR technology. Also neighboring country #Poland has plans for 24 BWRX-300 reactors. So, what is the future of #Energiewende? Green-Tech renewables or a new generation of #SMRs? With the latest advancements in #AI, energy demand is higher than ever. This post is inspired by last week’s Handelsblatt article: “Highest Electricity Price Since the Energy Crisis. On Wednesday, the so-called ‘dark lull’ will briefly become a reality, with electricity prices on the exchange rising to over 800 euros per megawatt-hour.” (Handelsblatt hope I translated it properly to English) Sebastian Matthes, Dr. Rainer Esser, Gabor Steingart: I Would love to see more and differentiated debate/articles on this. https://lnkd.in/eTZmNReV

THE SECOND LAYER OF CONSEQUENCES OF BAD ENERGY/INDUSTRY POLICIES:R&D MOVING OUT German Chemical multinationals BASF, Evonik and Covestro have complained the last couple of years on the decreasing competitiveness on Energy/Power prices, one can really wonder if that ever will get better https://lnkd.in/dw8WBJge Their first move was to cut back on production on different product lines in Germany and decrease on personal. The second layer of consequences we now see when also Research and development is threatened, why should companies keep those important functions in a industrial context that is just constantly worsening🤔 Some quotes from the article: “ The chemical industry is one of the most important export industries and at the same time one of the most research-string economic sectors in Germany. The fact that companies are increasingly turning away from Germany in their research spending and prefer to use the money elsewhere also means a considerable loss of future growth potential.” “ However, according to VCI, the share of worldwide patents is continuously declining. Ten years ago, Germany was still in third place behind the USA and Japan, the country has now slipped to fifth place behind China and South Korea.” To this has to be added other second hand effects on municipalities and regions, when well paid chemical industries jobs are downsize and have effect on subcontractors, suppliers but also general welfare as schools and other support infrastructure 🤔 https://lnkd.in/ddy9vSbg

Three simple questions, three very concrete answers by Roland Busch. It all depends on us. On the other side of the world, a lot to learn from AND share with 🇩🇪. https://lnkd.in/eWiw46rx

Are Christian Lindner and Volker Wissing simply playing "innovation theatre", or are they engaging in completely misguided lobbying against our all-important German automotive industry? - Economic and Strategic Risks: Finance Minister Christian Lindner's support for e-fuels, despite their high cost and questionable environmental benefits, could divert resources from more effective and sustainable technologies, potentially putting the German automotive industry at a competitive disadvantage globally. - Market and Consumer Trust: The ongoing controversies and legal battles may erode consumer confidence in the industry's commitment to genuine sustainability, affecting market dynamics and the adoption of cleaner technologies. - Legal and Regulatory Scrutiny: The Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has filed a lawsuit against Transport Minister Volker Wissing for withholding emission data on the controversial fuel HVO100, raising concerns about transparency and regulatory compliance @ automotive sector. - Environmental and Health Concerns: The DUH claims that HVO100, despite being marketed as a sustainable alternative, may increase nitrogen oxide emissions, which are linked to severe public health issues, including over 23,000 premature deaths annually in Germany. - Political and Lobbying Issues: Allegations of lobbying by the oil industry and the promotion of HVO100 by government officials could undermine public trust and lead to stricter regulations and oversight, impacting the automotive industry's operations and reputation. Can someone from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) please explain them the reality and help to support innovations for our future. Also take a look at very interesting article by Dr. Holger Schmidt , describing that Chinese & US techplayers change the Taxi & individual mobility game TODAY with AI, while our German political leaders play innovation theatre and the rest of us seems sleeping. https://lnkd.in/dN5KPHKM some Links: - "Die billige Logik des Christian Lindner" https://lnkd.in/eM9fnwHv https://lnkd.in/e7ryf5kw - "HVO100: Klage gegen Volker Wissing" https://lnkd.in/eTUpWadz - "Tax advantages for combustion engines" https://lnkd.in/e7ryf5kw - "Nothing learned: China overruns German carmakers with smartphone principle". https://lnkd.in/gbzA7u9t - "Electric trucks with overhead lines" https://lnkd.in/eDVHRhZZ #sapfamily, #innovation , #startups , European Workshop on Software Ecosystems (EWSECO) , Silicon Valley Europe

In every crisis there is an opportunity

Resilience through factory automation: Industry 4.0 is the key to focusing on increased efficiency, cost savings, and sustainability. Get insights in this interview with my expert colleagues! 🚀 ⚡ 📢 📈

New KONTEXT Institut für Klimafragen report featuring E3ME scenario analysis shows that ambitious industrial policy and decarbonisation measures hold significant potential for both the Austrian and wider European economy.   By implementing a more ambitious set of industrial policies that sets a strong focus on the production of key technologies in the EU, there are long-term effects on economic output with 3.3% higher GDP and 44,000 more jobs in 2050 in Austria, compared to business-as-usual. Learn more about the report findings here: https://lnkd.in/eCdqicdF An Vu János Hidi Márton Simó