The effects of the submarine earthquake in the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004 are enormous. Throughout the world, people were shocked by the extent of the flood catastrophe in Southern Asia and parts of Africa.

The management and the works council of J. Schmalz GmbH appealed, at the end of January, for donations for the victims of the flood. All employees of the company had the opportunity to donate any desired number of working hours from their flexitime account of complete holiday days. The number of donated hours was converted into the amount these persons would have earned and the total amount was handed over to Schmalz India Pvt. Ltd., the Indian subsidiary of J. Schmalz GmbH.

All in all, a total of 6,800 Euros was donated, and this sum was handed over to the managing director of Schmalz India, Cdr. Anand Badve, on 12 July 2005, during the World Marketing Meeting. 
The original plan was to purchase houses for people who had lost their homes (in India, a house costs about 2,000 Euros). However, this was refused by the Indian government. The company then decided to adopt three orphans who had lost their parents in the catastrophe. The donated money will be used to pay the living costs of these children. At the moment, the children are aged between 9 and 15 years and are living with other orphans in a home in the vicinity of the city of Pune in the state of Maharashtra.

The organisation "Jagruti Seva Sanstha", one of whose founders has been an acquaintance of Mr. Badve for many years, will administer the money and ensure that the children are well and become a suitable education and trade training.

With this action, Schmalz would like to bring a little joy into the lives of the orphaned children and would like to thank all employees who have contributed to making this possible.