Osram wins in the "Land of Ideas" competition
"Durable Foodstuffs Thanks to Ultraviolet Light" has won the Environment prize in the "365 Places in the Land of Ideas" competition
Osram's development for the sterilization of foodstuffs packaging with ultraviolet light won in the Environment category of the competition "365 Orte im Land der Ideen" ("365 Places in the Land of Ideas"). Thomas Kreuzer, the Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery, and the initiative "Deutschland – Land der Ideen" ("Germany – Land of Ideas") honored this achievement at the award ceremony held in the Bavarian State Chancellery. "We are delighted to have received this award, which attests our innovative potential and our sustainable approach," said Dr. Rainer Schrenk, Osram's Head of Product Marketing, Industry.
In recent years, chemicals have been used in the manufacturing process to prolong the durability of foodstuffs. But Osram has now developed innovative and energy-saving UV lamps specifically for the purpose of creating sterile food packaging. They can be used, for instance, for ordinary PET packaging such as beverage bottles. The method requires up to 90 percent less energy than the processes used hitherto and eliminates the need for chemicals, thus also ensuring that no harmful residues remain in the packaging.
Innovations in all sectors of society
The panel of experts, made up of scientists, business managers, journalists and politicians, selected "Ultraviolet Light from Osram for More Durable Foodstuffs" from over 2000 entries in the Environment category. The 365 competition winners testify to Germany's pronounced innovative culture and reflect key future trends: the "selected places" provide reliable solutions for the pressing issues of our time in all sectors of society.
The annual competition has been running since 2006 under the auspices of the Federal German President, with prizes being jointly awarded by the regional initiative "Deutschland – Land der Ideen" and Deutsche Bank. Each year, awards are given to a total of 365 projects and ideas which make an enduring contribution to Germany's sustainability.
ABOUT OSRAM
OSRAM AG (Munich, Germany) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Siemens AG and one of the two leading light manufacturers in the world. In fiscal year 2011 (ended September 30, 2011), it generated revenue of about 5 billion Euros. Osram is a high-tech company in the lighting sector and more than 70 percent of its revenue comes from energy efficient products. The company, which is very much internationally oriented, has around 41,000 employees worldwide, supplying customers in 150 countries from its 44 production sites in 16 countries (as of September 30, 2011). Additional information can be found in the internet at www.osram-group.com.