w e w i l l s u c c e e d t o g e t h e r

nmcL VET h e N M C m a g a z i n e f o r e m p l o y e e s a n d b u s i n e s s p a r t n e r s

N o . 6 9 – 0 5 / 2 0 0 9

Experiencing design and technology with all your senses

Renaissance of a gem

The language of clouds

p. 14

p. 24

p. 26

Dear Reader,

Last year in August my cousin got married and so I needed to smarten myself up for the occasion. No sooner said than done, I set to work.

On entering the clothes shop I encountered an extremely keen sales assistant. As if he had just graduated from high-speed sales assistant college with distinction, he presented me with dozens of suits, shirts, ties, bow ties and cuffl inks, and even jeans and walking jackets. I had not imagined it was possible to build such a pyramid so quickly. The sales assistant had been so friendly that of course I did not want to disappoint him and obediently began to try on one piece of clothing after the other. And according to the young man in the shop, who was apparently also a fashion consultant, everything I tried, without exception, was perfectly suited to my authentic style of a mature, fashion-conscious gentleman, even the Havana shirt with the banana pattern. So was I to buy all twenty-fi ve items!?

Having felt like I had seen and heard the entire world history of fashion, as if on television, I then tried to create some bi-lateral communication, that is to say in both directions. And in actual fact, after deconstructing the pyramid of clothes, together we found, relatively quickly, an outfi t suitable for the festive occasion and then carefully chose a tie and cuffl inks to go with it.

„It is not possible not to communicate.“ Whenever people meet, communication takes place in some form. Communication – the exchange of information via speech, mime, gesture but also various media available in modern society – is a natural part of everyday coexistence. Often we fi rst become aware of it when misunderstandings occur or when we want to convey something important. Then we address the phenomenon of communication more con-sciously and specifi cally ask: What is communication? How do we communicate best? How will I be properly under-stood? The study of these questions shows that communica-tion is not only an exchange of information but also creates and forms social relationships. Within companies there is scope for identity, creativity and problem solving. For the individual, communication signifi es both human contact and orientation in an increasingly complex world and also the chance to encourage one‘s fellow creatures to behave in a certain way.

Throughout the history of mankind, communica-tion has developed in leaps and bounds. At fi rst, the develop-ment of language offered many new information possibilities. Through the invention of writing, face-to-face communication developed into a type of communication independent of space and time. A few centuries after the invention of prin-ting, mankind now once again fi nds itself in the midst of a major development in communication: computers, satellites and digitization make it possible to transfer information to any point on and beyond the Earth at the speed of light – worldwide knowledge is accessible to everyone, everywhere and immediately at the touch of a button. New communi-cation technologies remove national boundaries and create a global culture. The great challenge now is the skillful use and coordination of several communication channels – the modern person is always contactable and ready to communicate with the world not only by PC, telephone and fax machine, but also by mobile phone, BlackBerry, PDA and notebook. You can send a quick SMS home while talking to colleagues in Asia via videoconference, then check emails using your notebook before confi rming a date in the evening by mobile phone – 21st century communication is faster, more bound-less, more varied and more at hand. All the same, the fact remains that, „Communication is not everything, but without it everything is nothing.“

In this edition of nmc-LIVE, we deal with communication, which seems to always require at least two people. We can also communicate alone, whether there is someone there to listen or not, or even if they have fallen asleep as if in front of the TV. Successful communication is based on exchange. Of course to achieve this we must choose a common language – and by this I do not just mean the national language. Atten-tiveness, being prepared to listen, asking pertinent questions, taking a real interest in the person you are communicating with and the ability to put yourself in the other person‘s posi-tion, are prerequisites for effective communication. In addi-tion, we must also take into account that someone else may see, think or understand something differently. For misunder-standings simply begin in our heads.

There is no such thing as perfect communication, but in our age in particular we need to do everything possible to im-prove it day by day and bit by bit – I invite you to take up the challenge.

Yours,

Hubert BostenCEO

PS – The wedding was breathtaking and I felt like a new man and much younger with my new look!

E D I T O R I A L

Communication is everything

F. l. t. r.: Carine Heuschen, Véronique Groteclaes, Manuela Drosson, Xavier Fischer (B)

4 - 5

It only took six months between the initial idea and the launch on the international market by NMC of its latest product: NOMA®STONE – stone-look walls. The innovative décor component can be used inside or out and offers numerous style options through twelve different designs such as brick, slate, mosaic, slabs or a masonry look and is also weatherproof, light and easy to assemble. It took half a year of continual consultation, consi-deration and coordination to work out the specifi cations for the new product and to draw up and implement a plan of action.

It was a matter of fi nding a comprehensive solu-tion to live up to the NMC product philosophy – the challenge was to offer the customer, together with the NOMA®STONE panels, all the accessories needed to use the product from one source. From the product development phase to the sale phase the teams involved were constantly meeting for discus-sions among themselves and with partners and suppliers, up until launch of the completed product. They then presented the product to their colleagues as a rehearsal for presenting it to the public. Employees from the Architecture & Design, Marketing, Purchasing, Logistics, Production and Internal Sales departments gained a basic insight into the world of NOMA®STONE with the help of technical data sheets, cata-logues, installation instructions and videos. It was particular-ly important for the Sales department to learn all the details of the new products in good time in order to be able to give

customers advice and support. The second step was to fami-liarize the technical advisers and sales managers with the material, installation and use both in theory and in practice, to give them self-assurance in dealing with the product.

There were also considerable challenges to be overcome for the Logistics department, since the walls must be properly protected despite their dimensions of 3.34 by 1.33 meters per panel and at the same time must be easy to transport. Therefore, in Germany for example, a haulage carrier was hired as a partner to transport the panels or-dered, safely packaged and in keeping with requirements, directly to the building site.

„Of crucial importance during the world-wide market launch of a product is of course the characteristics of the different markets. We must be able to adapt according-ly since other countries have different standards, building regulations and customs“ explains Pascale Hotterbeex, co-ordinator of the NOMA®STONE project in the Product and Business Development department with regard to the commu-nicative challenges of an international product launch. So for example, product documents and training courses have been precisely tailored to suit the different countries, in order to ensure an optimal introduction of NOMA®STONE throughout the world.

NOMA®STONE: A product conquers the world

B

Team NOMA®STONE

6 - 7

Career networks, social networks, com-puter networks – it is hard to imagine 21st century society without the concept of networking. The whole world is now connected in every respect. Every day new relationship net-works are being formed from mutual information and support both personally and professionally. Networking is increasing-ly taking place on a digital level. Due to highly developed communications technology an endless number of communi-ties are available on the Internet for virtual networking with like-minded people. This modern form of exchange and com-munication is only made possible by the integration of tech-nical systems: computer networks. The most well known net-work structure is of course the Internet itself, where fi ber optic networks ensure fast and reliable digital data transfer.

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) facilitates work in the Controlling, Production, Human Resources, Sales and Marketing divisions and the EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) data bank system helps with customer requests, orders, accounting and delivery information. The CX 30 communica-tions data bank facilitates customer service with information and images of all products updated daily as well as their market availability. The data is also available in a graph-ically edited form in the online catalogue on NMC‘s website, from which each customer can interactively put together and download his own individual catalogue as required. Publi-cations such as product catalogues and data sheets are also based on the complete data collection of the CX 30 and can be updated and post-produced much more cheaply than be-fore. CAD (Computer Aided Design) and video animations are becoming more fi rmly established in marketing and development.

The advantages of the new communication age are obvious – linking information via the data bank, stronger networking with colleagues, customers and service providers and consequently more time, fewer costs and more effi cient communication. „Through the use of modern technologies we can work faster, better and cheaper,“ says Alain Thiele-manns, IT Manager of the NMC Group. For Jean-Pierre

Fully networked for the future

B At NMC too the IT infrastructure meets this high standard for the purposes of optimum networking. A partner-ship with a large European telecommunications and IT ser-vice provider guarantees speed for the various sites to work on their projects. „In this way data reaches the recipient 2-4 times faster on average,“ explains Erwin Backes, project manager of the IT department at NMC. This is essential for a company operating on a global scale, since people fre-quently communicate through email programs, Internet and Intranet, videoconferences and data banks. In our age this modern technology is taken for granted and companies without such systems must expect a competitive disadvan-tage. For this reason, modern technological standards have been implemented throughout the NMC group.

Mayeres, Head of Research & Development at NMC, sup-porting team spirit within the group is particularly important: „Video conferences for example promote teamwork and per-ceptibly bridge the geographical distance between the NMC sites.“

The trend is clear: also in the future digital com-munication will continue to gain ground over traditional methods, both in contact with customers and within the com-pany. In the future Jean-Pierre Mayeres would like to see something like an „NMC Wikipedia“ for NMC so that each employee would have all the answers to internal questions with a single click. Alain Thielemanns has very similar hopes for the future, „Communication portals for employees or even e-training would be a great next step.“

In the international environment, coop-eration is characterized by a great variety of lan-guages and cultures – in many companies the languages of the world converge, from Spanish, English and German to Arabic and Russian and even Mandarin. However, meet-ings are almost always held in English, which after Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world. At NMC, meetings attended by people of different nationalities take place daily, worldwide, with colleagues, customers and suppliers from all corners of the earth. At these meetings, not only must differences in language be overcome, but also differences in the way of thinking. For example, at the Spa-nish branch, breaks are taken during longer meetings outside of the meeting room in a typical Spanish bar. In France, often at the beginning of the meeting time is taken for perso-nal conversation. In Italy discussion is animated, longer and often deviates from the agenda with each of the participants being eager to speak. In Germany, Belgium and Finland the agenda is in general strictly followed.

The NMC headquarters in Eynatten, Belgium, are a melting pot for these contrasts – employees from German-speaking Eastern Belgium are infl uenced by the bordering countries of Germany, the Netherlands, France and Luxem-bourg, and are therefore able to adjust particularly well to different ways of thinking. „East Belgians celebrate the Rhe-nish Carnival, have Southern European cheerfulness and Ger-man thoroughness,“ explains Human Resources Manager, Roger Kniebs. Due to their English, German, French and to some extent also Dutch language skills, employees from the Eynatten site frequently act as interpreters at meetings. These important soft skills are continuously improved upon by means of regular language courses. Particularly in sales, the multilingual skills of the Belgians are a great plus point in providing optimum care to customers in their mother tongue. For example, customers and partners from Eastern Europe often contact NMC Belgium in German, inquiries in English come from Scandinavia and Southern Europeans like to use French when communicating with Eynatten. However, multi-

A culture of meetings without boundaries

B

F. l. t. r.: Roger Schröder, Le van Thu F. l. t. r.: Berthold Baur, Jamila El Hajjaji, Rachel Quinting

10 - 11

SE

lingualism also sometimes produces strange results. Human Resources Manager Roger Kniebs tells us for example that two NMC employees from Belgium and Sweden, after having a long telephone conversation in English, later found out by chance that they are both native speakers of German.

Not only the multilingualism of NMC employees facilitates international communication for the globally ope-rating group. Technical aids also increasingly contribute to overcoming the boundaries of everyday meetings more easily. For around two years now, NMC has used video-conferencing for multi-site meetings. This new form of ex-change is a middle course between personal meetings and telephone conferences. Its great advantage is that it enables meetings to be held at short notice and without complication with people a great distance away much more cheaply. The visual contact gained in this way not only creates a feeling

of proximity, but also results in greater effi ciency because new products can be introduced visually, for example. Above all, the Research and Development department falls back on this method of communication when having to make decisions at short notice or for a quick technical exchange with colleagues in Eastern Europe, Great Britain or Scandi-navia. NMC also increasingly communicates with customers and suppliers in this way.

However, technical communication by video-conference can never quite replace direct exchange and direct contact with colleagues from all over the world – some-times a personal handshake is simply what is needed to seal a decision and really to feel that, „This is the right partner.“

A culture of meetings without boundaries Welcome to NMC

Security guards and receptionists of every company welcome visitors with a pleasant voice, a friendly smile, an open mind and all the information they need. Here the fi rst impression is crucial. If a customer is warmly welcomed and provided with the necessary informa-tion in a friendly way, he will be happy to come back in the future. For this reason, security guards and receptionists of every company have a very special responsibility. At NMC too, these employees are the company‘s calling cards.

When you follow the driveway leading to the NMC headquarters in Eynatten in Belgium, you are greeted at the end by the inquiringly friendly face of Raymond Weynand. From his workstation at the entrance a large glass facade allows the security guard to see the company site, car parks and of course visitors. He issues visitor passes on request, directs deliverymen through the extensive site or weighs the incoming trucks. The personable security guard is also happy to carry out special requests. When Raymond Weynand talks about his work, his enthusiasm is tangible. „I enjoy contact with people. For this reason I have also learnt some important words and phrases in different lan-guages to make visitors feel that they are in good hands.“ He wants everyone who comes into contact with him to feel as at ease as he has during his 32 years of service at NMC.

Raymond Weynand (B)

12 - 13

Therefore, the security guard helps whenever he can and always has some well-intentioned advice or tip at the ready for colleagues or customers driving up or setting off. „You‘ve left your lights on“, „You‘ve dropped something“ or „Look out for the radar on the way out“ are just a few examples of help and advice that Raymond Weynand offers up dozens of times a day.

After passing a visitors‘ board that welcomes each announced guest, a few meters further two other re-markable individuals await visitors: receptionists Christine Thomas and Audrey Beckers are unfl appable. In between forwarding telephone calls, faxes and emails, organizing orders of equipment, drinks and snacks, coordinating room occupancy and preparing conference rooms before meet-ings, they greet every guest with friendly words. The friendly receptionists are always prepared to listen to visitors and col-leagues, who are always dropping by, and are on hand to provide information in their charming way. Christine Thomas likes the variety of her work on reception above all. „There is always something new to keep it interesting“ she says. And her colleague Audrey Beckers adds „To represent NMC every day and be able to show that our company is great, gives me a lot of pleasure.“

Welcome to NMC

Christiane Schambach agrees. She welcomes guests at the German NMC branch in Heppenheim. „The switchboard is an advertisement for the company so it is important to always approach customers, suppliers, prospec-tive buyers and colleagues in a friendly way and help them“ emphasizes the long-serving employee. In addition to wel-coming visitors, Christiane Schambach, like her Belgian col-leagues, carries out many other tasks. „Could you please fi nd out when the express dispatch will get to the customer?“ or „Can you please put together the documentation fi les for the meeting tomorrow?“ are just a small selection of the requests that she is pleased to fulfi ll.

The same high standards of service are also met at NMC Iberica in Sabadell near Barcelona in Spain. Here receptionist Laura Gallardo always welcomes visitors with a smile and a helping hand. To her it is important that every-one who contacts NMC gets the help that he needs. Tatyana Chernaya, receptionist and offi ce manager at the Russian branch of NMC, compares her job with that of a water mill: „Here many springs join into one stream, which the water

mill steers onto different courses. It distributes the water among the right departments and ensures that in the end everything arrives in the right place.“

To have arrived in the right place – this is exactly the feeling that is conveyed to callers and guests in each of the many NMC branches around the world when they hear the heartfelt words „Welcome to NMC! What can I do for you?“

Christiane Schambach (D)Tatyana Chernaya (RUS) F. l. t. r.: Audrey Beckers, Christine Thomas (B)Laura Gallardo (E)

14 - 15

Often visions cannot really be expressed in words and are similar to adherence to a faith. However, they are of course the foundation of success and consequently an integral part of future-oriented companies. Implementation of these visions is based, in addition to ex-pertise and trust, on passion for ideas, partnership and being in touch with the needs and wishes of people. In this context, NMC is now introducing its product portfolio in a new design. The look, which can be seen in the promotional material of the company, is characterized by clean lines and impressively reduced imagery with light, bright and friendly shades. This conveys modernity and vitality, but also comfort and security. The slightly lighter corporate colors of orange in combination with grey increase the warmth and lightness of the design. „Determination, guided creativity and clear com-munication between all those involved led to this high quality result – a harmonious promotional mix consisting of virtual, interactive and print elements,“ explains Berthold Baur, Head of Marketing at NMC, about the new look. He adds: „The emotional impression of the design skillfully conveys the values of the NMC brand.“

Experiencing design and technology

with all your senses

The brochures, catalogues and trade fair stands draw interest due to their experimental and innovative look. Unusual close-ups make the products seem almost tangible. Different perspectives give the pictures added volume and a strong presence. The catalogues allow you to experience a whole range of individual design options – from a warm and cozy living experience to a minimalist, purist ambience – NMC offers a quality, comprehensive concept for every taste, in which the person, the product and the space or its area of application come into their own. For example, in the area of insulation, the large-scale catalogue motifs showing the three elements illustrate the association of innovative high-tech solutions for heating, cooling and solar insulation with a personal oasis of well-being within your own four walls and also convey the feeling of warmth. In addition to these emotional impressions, the information material con-veys a high level of production expertise by facts and fi gures about the diversity of the designs, manufacture and assem-bly.

The „Product Movies“, which can be downloaded from NMC‘s completely redesigned website, convey a parti-cularly intense, three-dimensional and tangible impression of the products. From ambience to technical details and animated assembly instructions, the movies give a complete insight into the range of NMC services. Furthermore, com-plete manuals for each product can also be downloaded from the NMC website. These provide the customer with accurate user instructions as well as recommendations on tools, matching colours and the ideal undercoat. The features of the new NMC website are clarity, speed and a modern and dynamic design. A simple, intuitive browser design and a clear division into the main categories of company, product ranges and the online catalogue facilitates navigation. The customer can fi nd what he is looking for straightaway and can get reliable and comprehensive information. The indivi-dual product ranges convincingly illustrate aesthetics, diver-sity and numerous design options, from product advantages and lifestyle to areas of application.

Experiencing design and technology

with all your senses

„When we started to model this new approach two years ago, we had a central goal. When looking for an insight into the world of NMC, be it on the website, in the customer showroom and at a trade fair or by looking through a brochure, our customers should get the feeling that they have come to the right place and are in good hands. This is how product requirements, quality and the image of the NMC brand come together,“ explains Berthold Baur.

The reactions of industrial customers and special-ized trade partners to the new brochures and the interest shown in the new website design by end customers after only a few months, has encouraged NMC to continue on this path.

Thanks to mobile customer showrooms, you can now also experience NMC fi rst hand. The high quality „Galeria Presenta“ display system presents products from individual ranges elegantly and practically. Informative videos and decorative product samples give NMC a strong presence throughout. Design meets technology with a new look also for trade fairs – colors, images, lighting effects and materials in combination with the NMC products create a trendy ambience of well-being and bring quality, perma-nence and sustainability to life.

The clear promotion of NMC values in this mod-ern corporate design impressively demonstrates what will constitute the added value of the company in the future: established know-how combined with dynamic innovation and openness to the needs of customers.

Experiencing design and technology

with all your senses

20 - 21

„If you want someone to produce good work give him a good workplace“ – for NMC this has always been an obvious principle. In order to constantly live up to this claim, we must keep our eyes and ears open to our employees‘ needs. Therefore, in spring 2008 the com-pany started a satisfaction study under the professional responsibility of consultants from ZebraZone, renowned spe-cialists in Belgium in the area of employee questionnaires.

Firstly, all employees at the largest global branch of NMC in Eynatten, Belgium were systematically asked about topics such as working conditions, colleagueship, the wage structure, company policy and internal communication. A comparison with the benchmark determined by ZebraZone shows that the satisfaction of NMC employees is above the national average. The last edition of nmc-LIVE presented the questionnaire results from sales and marketing staff. The response was characterized by a high rate of return and widespread approval amongst the employees. Employees saw potential for development mainly in the areas of talent management and career planning and employees from the production and logistics departments would like more sup-port with teamwork, leadership and communication.

From May to September around 50 members of the commercial and production staff in several representa-tive groups took part in workshops on „their“ topics, in order to formulate realistic aims and develop approaches together with the ZebraZone moderators. Based on the fi nal report and recommendations of ZebraZone, the production and logistics managers responsible then drew up concrete plans of action for their areas, the measures of which should quickly lead to positive changes.

A central focus applies to all the measures: mutual respect and trust between colleagues are essential for success-ful teamwork. „We are one large team rather than each team being an island unto itself“, emphasizes human resources manager Roger Kniebs. Therefore, the divisions‘ plans of action were also based on the strengths of the team. For example, in one division the principle of mentoring was introduced in order to familiarize employees with the work quicker and more effi ciently. In addition to receiving detailed documentation as a support and guide, now NMC emplo-yees with many years of experience mentor new colleagues, give them pointers and clear up uncertainties. This idea has also served as the basis for a further measure: together with a retired employee, NMC has launched training courses to provide pointers to young machine operators derived from practical experience. As well as theoretical training with a practical background, the content learned is then put into practice on the extruder under the watchful eyes of expe-rienced colleagues. „This measure has also been a big success“, observes production manager Bruno Blanjean, „and will be continued“.

In order to improve team brainstorming and dedi-cate more time to exchanging ideas, meetings are now regu-larly held in the different divisions. Here information can be passed on in small teams, any problems discussed and opin-ions exchanged. „This should also help to further strengthen mutual understanding in an open exchange of information,“ says production manager Gerd Kriescher.

As in all companies, communication and personal contact are an important key to greater employee satisfaction. Quite often this will involve praise, but also clearer announce-ments, so that uncertainties can be reduced. This can be achieved through information such as manuals, work instruc-tions or product data sheets, which are currently being fun-damentally revised in some divisions. In addition to regular coaching and selective opportunities for further training, objective and obligatory guidelines for each job ensure that the work can be guaranteed to be satisfactory in all aspects for employees and customers. In this way expectations, stan-dards and quality are clearly outlined and the systematized information fl ow considerably improves organization of the division.

These measures are already bearing fruit. The increased presence of division and shift managers in the production halls also creates an atmosphere of trust. „In this way you are nearer to your colleagues and can make impor-tant, binding decisions quicker“, says logistics manager René Thönnissen. However, performance reporting from manage-ment to the team is also of particular signifi cance. This ensures that each employee is more aware of what his dedication has achieved and how important he is as a part of the whole.

Good gets better – part II

F. l. t. r.: Heinz Knippert, Patrick Franken

B

> What kind of music do you like?I like different types of music but my favorite artist is Bryan Adams.

> If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?What is important to me is good health, peace on earth and protecting nature.

> What would you like to be doing in ten years?It is very diffi cult to imagine the world in the future as we are currently in a critical transition stage. But from a professional point of view I am sure that in ten years time I will still want to do work that I enjoy and that gives me satisfaction.

> What makes you laugh?I have a very good sense of humor and any good joke makes me laugh. This always helps me to gain something positive from any situation.

> What famous person would you like to meet or have met?I would love to meet Michael Schumacher, the multiple F1 World Champion, because I admire his concentration skills, his dedication to his work and his very successful career.

> Your hopes for NMC?I wish NMC every success in the future.

„I am a professional because I love my work and fi nd it fun to master demanding tasks.“ Just like his role model, the former Formula One driver Michael Schumacher, Magnus Sjöblom, Export and Purchasing Manager at NMC Termanova in Finland, meets every professional challenge with enthusiasm. For more than ten years, in the town of Inkoo on the south coast of Finland approximately 60 km west of Helsinki, he has supported his colleagues in the fi eld with many customer projects. He endeavors to provide optimum customer service and ensures that operations run smoothly in the logistics department. The all-rounder renews his energy by going for long walks in Fin-land‘s unique countryside.

> What book is on your bedside table?Unfortunately none at the moment as I rarely fi nd time to read. When I do I like to read non-fi ction.

> What was the last movie you saw at the cinema?I saw the movie „Revolutionary Road“ with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

> Do you do any sports? If so which?I like to take long cycle rides or walks in the countryside. In winter I would like to be able to do more cross-country skiing if I had the time.

FIN

Who is Who?

Magnus Sjöblom

24 - 25

In fairy tales everything is possible – frogs turn into princes, ugly ducklings into charming swans and, as if by magic, straw into pure gold. Sometimes fairy tales also come true in real life – in 32 months of hard work, building contractor Freddy Lodomez, together with his niece Maryline, an architect, brought to life a ruin in Urspelt in Luxembourg, around 60 kilometers away from Luxembourg City. With his team of around 65 men and many hours of laborious and loving intricate work he transformed the half ruined building into a romantic fairytale castle with a hotel and restaurant. Today NMC products bring out the stylish charisma of „Châ-teau d’Urspelt“ both inside and out and let its ancient glory shine forth in a modern way.

The eventful history of the castle in Urspelt, a mu-nicipality of 70 inhabitants in the north of the grand duchy, dates back 300 years. It was built in 1680, in the late phase of the Renaissance, during the lifetime of the French „Sun King“ Louis XIV. It was painstakingly restored for the fi rst time at the end of the 19th century but then stood empty for more than half a century and was left to ruin. Until Freddy Lodomez – who really was only looking for a suitable setting for a company party for his building fi rm – spontaneously bought the abandoned ruins in 2005 and by bringing them back to life realized a childhood dream.

As part of the extensive restoration – in 2005 the castle was in a very poor state of repair – parts of the authen-tic plastering were restored. „A particular challenge was the outside and inside curves of the building, especially the castle tower“ recalls Freddy Lodomez’s daughter Diana, who runs the castle hotel with her husband Yannick Ruth. „Further-more, the products used had to withstand the weather condi-tions and live up to our high aesthetic requirements“ is how she describes the reason why they chose NMC products, which she knew about and held in high esteem from her degree in business studies. „It is important to maintain the spirit of the building and to transform it in a way that makes every guest feel at home“ adds her father Freddy, who up until now specialized in the construction of high-quality apart-ment buildings and detached houses.

One thousand meters of various ornamental profi les from the ARSTYL® range were used in the Urspelt castle following detailed advice from project manager Alain Verdenne from NMC Belgium, and give the rooms new expressiveness. A number of ceiling centers decorate the restored ceilings bringing them stylishly to life. Window frames and sills as well as toothing stones from the DOMOSTYL® range also give the outside of the skillfully restored château a new, inviting face and therefore retain the venerable character of the buil-

ding. Since completion of the work in May 2008 the castle has been a listed building.

The Urspelt castle has been given new life with perseverance, imagination and respect. Today the atmos-pheric building accommodates a 4-star hotel with 29 double rooms, a romantic honeymoon suite and a fi tness area with spa, whirlpool and sauna. Whether for a honeymoon or just a fairytale weekend amongst the Ardennes – here dreams come true. The gourmet restaurant will also open in June 2009. Ornate halls and seminar and conference rooms are available for all types of events – equipped of course with state-of-the-art technology, in a perfect symbiosis between tradition and the future, authenticity and modern comforts.

Diana and Freddy Lodomez

Renaissance of a gem

B

Whether fl eecy, cirrus or storm clouds – the many shapes and colors of clouds have always inspired people‘s imagination and creativity. So it is not surprising that the theme of clouds is always present in art. French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have also been inspired by the shapes in the sky for the development of a new décor component – the brothers have designed a deco-rative wall covering called „Clouds“ for the Danish textile manufacturer Kvadrat. In line with the innovative, purist and colorful design philosophy of Kvadrat, this covering consists of many individual, colored foam pieces held together by special elastic bands to produce a very specifi c three-dimen-sional effect. Assembling the pieces at home is really easy, enabling everyone, as he wishes, to conjure up a completely individual „colored cloud“ on the wall or suspended freely in the room as in nature – an individual work of art, which speaks for itself very expressively.

In order to create such an unusual design product, the designers and product developers consulted the foam experts at NMC. NMC had already proven its expertise in this area during the previous joint project „North Tile“, so the company was once again the partner of choice. „North Tile“, also a foam wall covering, was originally designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec as a highlight for the Kvadrat showroom in Stockholm, and developed from there into a true design sensation. In the meantime the foam artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Due to the keen interest in this new type of covering, the designers set themselves the goal of creating a cheaper ver-sion of the rather costly „North Tile“ artwork to be accessi-ble to everyone. The professional and well-coordinated team-work of the designers, Kvadrat and NMC made it possible to introduce the economical yet extravagant result onto the market immediately. Flexible, movable and as constantly changeable as the natural phenomenon it is inspired by, „Clouds“ has opened up new, individual means of expres-sion to everyone.

The language of clouds

SE

w e w i l l s u c c e e d t o g e t h e r

Central theme of the next nmc-LIVE: Added value

Do you have any suggestions, criticisms or praise for nmc-LIVE?

Please write to the editors at redaktion@nmc.eu. We are pleased to receive all contributions.

Imprint nmc-LIVE: Editor: NMC sa, Gert-Noël-Straße, 4731 Eynatten, Belgium, Tel: +32 87 85 85-00, Fax: +32 87 85 85-11Responsible editor: Hubert Bosten (Responsible in the sense of the press law)Editorial team: NMC sa, redaktion@nmc.eu Production: impetus.PR, Agentur für Corporate Communi ca tions GmbH, Aachen, Tel: +49 241-189 25-0, info@impetus-pr.dePrint: Grenz-Echo, Eupen Circulation: 2.850