In July of this year, the VDMA Welding and Compressed Gas Technology Association joined the Industrial Valves Division of the Valves Association. What were the reasons and ultimately the decisive factors behind this decision?
Gerd Weissenfels: Welding and pressure gas technology is currently under enormous pressure to change – whether due to technological developments, new regulatory requirements, material issues relating to materials and substances such as PFAS and lead, or changing markets worldwide. We have recognized that we need more clout under these conditions. The merger with the Industrial Valves Division is a strategic step to increase our visibility, leverage synergies, and represent the interests of our members even more effectively. And that makes perfect sense: because the manufacturers of industrial valves in the field of gas technology, who were previously members of the Welding and Compressed Gas Technology Association, share many common issues with the Industrial Valves Division.
What specific advantages do you expect the new structure to bring for member companies—particularly in terms of visibility, representation of interests, and networking?
Gerd Weissenfels: In the future, our members will benefit from a significantly expanded network, a stronger political voice, and a broader range of services. The integration will enable us to address regulatory, technological, and strategic issues together with a larger community. For small and medium-sized companies in particular, this means more exchange, more targeted support, and better positioning vis-à-vis politicians and the public. What's more, the voice of the Valve Manufacturers Association already carries considerable weight in the public sphere. The VDMA Valve Manufacturers Association has traditionally had strong links with its most important stakeholders, whether in politics, other industry associations, trade fairs, or the media. This increased visibility and credibility now also directly benefits the members of the Welding and Compressed Gas Technology Association.
How does welding and pressurized gas technology, in conjunction with the industrial valves department, meet increasing regulatory requirements, such as EU regulations or the digital product passport?
Gerd Weissenfels: Regulatory requirements—for example, in the areas of sustainability, materials, and digitalization—are rapidly increasing. By pooling our expertise, we can now address these issues in an even more targeted manner. We contribute our expertise to the relevant committees, provide practical advice, and ensure that the concerns of our members are heard in Brussels and Berlin. The digital product passport is just one example of the many challenges where we provide guidance and concrete assistance. The high level of expertise already available within the Valve Manufacturers Association – gained from previous projects and many years of committee work, for example – is particularly valuable in this regard. We can draw on this knowledge in a targeted manner to arrive at viable solutions more quickly and support our members even more effectively.
How will you ensure that the specific issues and needs of welding and pressurized gas technology continue to be addressed in the new structure?
Gerd Weissenfels: That was a key concern for us right from the start. The technical depth will be retained—not only will our existing central technical committee, the Equipment Technical Department, and our Working Group on High-Purity Gases continue to exist within the Industrial Valves Technical Department. In addition, the working groups and committees of the Industrial Valves Technical Department will also be open to former members of the Welding and Compressed Gas Technology Association. This integration was already tested last year and received a very positive response – both from both communities and in terms of content and organization. Our topics are not only heard there, but also enrich the discussions with new perspectives. At the same time, the technical overlaps create valuable synergies that we use specifically to strengthen the innovative power of the entire community.
