Tobias Weimann, Member of the Management Board at Goetze KG Armaturen and Chairman of the VDMA Industrial Valves Economic Committee, in an interview with the trade journal "IAD Industriearmaturen und Dichtungstechnik" about a possible PFAS ban.
Where is PFAS used in industrial fittings?
Tobias Weimann: Most of the valve components are actually made of metal. This means that only very few parts of a valve are actually affected. With PFAS, it's mainly about the sealing materials, i.e. the materials of the soft seals - in particular PTFE, FKM and FFKM.
Do you produce these sealing materials yourself or do you buy them in?
Tobias Weimann: Almost no manufacturer of industrial valves produces the sealing materials themselves - so neither do we. Instead, there are specialised seal manufacturers who are more familiar with the sealing materials. But we are, of course, actively testing all sealing materials that are already available today with our partners and our suppliers for sealing materials. In other words, we are also testing the properties and the seals in the fittings.
Are there already alternatives to PTFE, FKM and FFKM?
Tobias Weimann: In my opinion, the sealing materials that are currently used in industrial valves cannot be replaced in a comparable way. With alternative materials, you either have a temperature problem or a sealing problem. PTFE, for example, is characterised by its high temperature resistance and very high tightness. And at the end of the day, a fitting has to be tight! However, the market is very dynamic and new innovations in sealing materials are constantly coming onto the market. So we can only hope that alternative materials with similarly good properties will be developed as quickly as possible.
But without these alternatives, and if the PFAS ban were to come into force, would difficult times lie ahead?
Tobias Weimann: That always depends on what exactly the PFAS restrictions contain. Can PFAS no longer be used as a material in Europe? As a European manufacturer, am I no longer allowed to sell products containing PFAS? I see the danger here that we, as European manufacturers from the world market. And in the long term, this will lead to more and more companies thinking about relocating their production abroad - to North America or Asia - where there are no such strict PFAS restrictions. Competition in the industrial fittings sector is very international, so European manufacturers would be at a significant competitive disadvantage if a PFAS ban were to be imposed.
To what extent could it help if there were exceptions to the PFAS restrictions?
Tobias Weimann: There will be exceptions. Exceptions make sense if there is no alternative. But here too, the rules need to be clearly formulated. Perhaps there will soon be an alternative sealing material for industrial fittings - but it will then cost five times as much as a PFAS seal. This would also result in competitive disadvantages, as production costs would rise. I simply hope that these very important factors for the business location are also taken into account in all consultations on this topic. Otherwise, I see a bleak future for the industrial valves and sealing technology sector in Germany and Europe.
Is there then a threat of a major wave of migration to non-EU countries and thus even the collapse of the European industrial valves sector?
Tobias Weimann: I hope not, but there is certainly a danger. We at Goetze Armaturen are committed to Germany as a business location. We are currently underpinning this with the construction of our new headquarters in Ludwigsburg, for which we are investing more than 30 million euros. We see this as a clear signal to to our employees, as we are sticking to our orientation as a family business despite the uncertain times.
You are involved in the VDMA as Chairman of the Industrial Valves Economic Committee and are therefore also aware of the mood in the industrial valves sector. Is there uncertainty there due to a possible PFAS ban?
Tobias Weimann: We really do have a great fittings industry in Germany - from large manufacturers to medium-sized and small companies. But I'm hearing more and more often that companies are already overwhelmed by digitalisation, the growing bureaucracy, all the restrictions and requirements. If a ban on PFAS were to be introduced, some manufacturers would certainly not survive. As a business location, we are putting obstacles in our own way if we continue to regulate and regulate.
Do you think there will be a PFAS ban?
Tobias Weimann: Yes, there will definitely be PFAS restrictions. And that's right in a way, because the harmful effects on health cannot be ignored. However, it should be scrutinised exactly where a PFAS ban applies. Especially with consumer goods such as rain jackets, pans or cosmetics, people need to be protected. But PFAS sealants are indispensable in protective clothing for the fire service or in industrial plants. Therefore, the decision on a ban should be made with caution and foresight.
