The winner of the first promotional prize offered by German business is the 24-year-old student Florian Kienzle.

Kienzle, who comes from Niefern-Öschelbronn, is currently is currently studying for his degree as industrial engineer at the university in Pforzheim.

During the summer reception of the Chamber of Trade (IHK) for the northern Black Forest, IHK president Till Casper handed over the prize, which is worth 4,000 Euros, to the prospective engineer in the City Theatre in Pforzheim. With this prize, the IHK rewards Kienzle's excellent performance during his degree course and also his special dedication to extra-curricular matters.

The prize provides Florian Kienzle with the financial basis for a six-month internship at one of the foreign subsidiaries of J. Schmalz GmbH in Yokohama, Japan. Before leaving for Japan in the middle of September, Kienzle spent six days at the company's headquarters in Glatten, where he was introduced to the product range of vacuum components and learnt about the specific export procedures which exist between Schmalz Glatten and Schmalz Japan. Florian Kienzle first spent some time in the assembly department for vacuum components, where he practiced the handling of the components and learnt how they all work. This was followed by detailed product training and courses on the company organisation in the product management department, where he also visited the groups responsible for sector management and for the handling of orders from Japan.

After this intensive introductory training in Glatten, Florian Kienzle said, "I have received excellent support. Everyone I met took the time to explain his area of work personally. I fell that I am in good hands at Schmalz."

He is now in Japan, where the second internship semester of his degree course lasts until next February. His tasks there include the preparation for trade fairs, various marketing activities and the optimisation of the logistics and stockroom processes. His mentor is the German manager Arne Gaedtgens, who also spent several years at Schmalz in Glatten before moving with his family to Yokohama.

Kienzle's stay in Japan is being paid for by the prize money and by Messrs. Schmalz.