The PartnerAfrika Projekt KNUST and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), in collaboration with Unternehmer Baden-Württemberg e.V. (UBW), embarked on an insightful industrial tour in Germany from January 19, 2025, to January 25, 2025. The delegation comprised key stakeholders from both organisations, all committed to fostering international collaboration, advancing knowledge transfer, and exploring innovative approaches to industrial development. The team visited companies in the Baden-Württemberg region, Germany's largest region, with Stuttgart as its capital. It has a strong manufacturing sector that is focused on industries and innovations.
The 10-member delegation included:
- Prof. Jerry John Kponyo, Principal Investigator, PartnerAfrika Projekt KNUST
- Ing. Obeng Okofo Dartey, Project Manager, PartnerAfrika Projekt KNUST
- Mr. Kwadwo Nyantakyi Marfo, Internship Coordinator, PartnerAfrika Projekt KNUST
- Ms Gifty Antoinette Hukpati, Communication Officer, PartnerAfrika Projekt KNUST
- Mr. Nathaniel Quarcoopome, Director of Finance and Administration, AGI
- Mr. Thompson Appam Attebila, Ashanti Regional Manager, Regional Business Development, AGI
- Ms Mary Turkson, Policy and Research Officer, AGI, and Environmental Sustainability Cluster Coordinator, PartnerAfrika Projekt
- Mr. Eric Affum Boamah, Public Affairs Manager, Coca-Cola and President of AGI’s Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private Enterprises (GRIPE).
- Ms Sylvia Fafali Orou, Founder, Faivich Ent., and facilitator of the Occupational Health and Safety Working Group, Environmental Sustainability Cluster, AGI
- Daniel K. Jectey-Asare, Quality Assurance Manager, Nkulenu Industries Ltd, and a member of the Energy Management Working Group, Environmental Sustainability Cluster, AGI
The team was supported by experts from Germany, including David Badu, International Project Manager, BIWE Group; Philipp Poferl, Senior Environmental Consultant, Arqum; and Francis Rohr, Sustainability Officer, Arqum.
The delegation’s tour included visits to leading German industries to gain insights into advanced technologies, recycling innovations, and sustainable business practices.
The team's visit to ESTA, Ulm, Germany
The team visited ESTA, a leading company specialising in mobile and stationary extractors, industrial vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and central extraction systems in Ulm, Germany. Benedict Wuhlhauser, Head of International Sales, highlighted the company’s dedication to training, with 20% of its workforce being students supervised by experienced employees.
The team toured various departments of the company
Prof. Jerry John Kponyo advocated for internship opportunities for KNUST students to enable knowledge transfer and provide ESTA with a gateway to a broader international distribution network. The delegation also toured various departments, including sales, purchasing, technical, and marketing.
The team then visited Herbold in Meckesheim to explore equipment for recycling processes, including collection services, sorting, cutting, washing, drying, and agglomeration. Dr. Ing. Winfrid Rauch, Project Manager at Herbold, explained how the company designs and builds heavy-duty equipment and transforms plastic waste into valuable products through systematic recycling and upcycling at a large scale. The interactive session provided valuable insights into the company’s machinery and robust factory operations, which proved their commitment to reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
The delegation visited KORN Recycling in Malesfelsen, a company focused on paper, plastics, wood waste, and scrap tyre recycling. KORN also utilises waste to generate energy, demonstrating a circular economy model that combines environmental stewardship with innovative energy solutions.
During the trip, the team held strategic meetings with key partners at the Unternehmer Baden-Württemberg e.V. (UBW) office in Stuttgart to discuss collaboration opportunities and expand their network. Manuel Geiger, an Executive Board Member of UBW, presented the organisational structures and potential pathways for collaboration. Prof. Kponyo continued to stress the importance of internship programs for KNUST students within German companies. Michael Auer, Managing Partner, ENTECCO Group, mentioned UBW’s commitment to building networks between universities and industries.
The team from AGI reiterated that AGI, as the industry's mouthpiece, is constantly discussing and advocating for a reduction in energy costs to the industry with the government. A low energy cost will enable production costs to remain stable, making the industry profitable.
Stefan Kupper, CEO of the BIWE Group and a Managing Director at UBW, emphasised that the linkage between schools and industry through vocational orientation, pre-vocational training, personnel and organisational development, recruitment and job placement are the core areas of BIWE.
Dr. Roland Strohmeyer, Project Manager, Sequa GmbH, highlighted that the results of the PartnerAfrika Projekt must be measured in facts and figures, and the success stories of the project must be shared.
The team also visited Bürgschaftsbank and MBG Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart, where they discussed financing models and their potential replication within AGI to benefit Ghanaian industries.
The delegation trip ended with a visit to Reutlingen University; in Reutlingen, the delegation met with Prof. Baldur H. Veit LLD., Director of the International Office, and Dr. Nadja Lobensteinter, Coordinator. The university began as a weaving school in 1855 and now boasts six schools and advanced laboratory facilities. Discussions centred on exchange programs and enhancing collaboration between KNUST and Reutlingen University.
The trip’s key outcome and next steps are to have international internship opportunities where KNUST students intern in German companies for exposure. Also, there were discussions on expanding the collaboration between KNUST, AGI and UBW for further engagements and partnerships.
The industrial tour to Germany provided a platform for knowledge exchange, fostering partnerships, and identifying opportunities for advancing Ghanaian industries. The PartnerAfrika Projekt KNUST, in collaboration with AGI and UBW, remains committed to driving innovation, sustainability, and capacity-building to transform Ghana’s industrial landscape.
