Reutlingen/Munich, September 2011. Huyck.Wangner, leading supplier of paper machine clothing, together with the faculty for Process Engineering - Paper and Packaging/Master of Engineering in Paper Technology at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, this year presented Lars Gaida with its talent award worth EUR 1,500. It brings to a full dozen the number of times the traditional prize has been handed to the best student in the basic course.

The Munich course was nothing new to the prizewinner, who last year had already completed his training as a paper technologist in his hometown of Varel in lower Saxony. His results on the fi nal examination were the best in Germany, giving him an initial taste of what it means to be a front-runner.

Lars Gaida discovered his passion for the paper industry during his internship at the Varel paper and cardboard factory, so his decision to further his studies in paper technology in Munich after being trained as a paper technologist was only logical. He is also confi dent about his good prospects for the future, because the continuing advancement of technology in the paper industry is generating increasing demand for skilled people. Despite a strong attachment to his home, he selected Munich as the place to study because its university offers specially designed paper process courses and thus came closest to meeting his career aspirations. After obtaining a Bachelor's or even Master's degree, Lars Gaida looks forward to landing a position in a company as a production assistant or manager on a paper machine or stock preparation process upgrade project. With his basic course diploma - which brought him this year's Huyck.Wangner talent award and a prize of EUR 1,500 - safely stored in his suitcase, he is resolutely continuing on his career path as he heads down under to Australia's Maryvale Mill to complete the mandatory internship.

At the graduation ceremony at the end of July, Ernst Kerschhofer, Vice President Marketing & Sales EMEA at Huyck.Wangner lauded Lars Gaida for the outstanding performance that led to his being the top student of the basic paper and packaging course during the 2011 summer semester and earned him Huyck.Wangner's twelfth annual talent award. He handed the prize to Professor Stephan Kleemann, the same as last year, who accepted it on behalf of Lars. The winner had already left for a well deserved end-of-semester break prior to the release of the fi nal results. Kerschhofer thanked Professor Kleemann for the long-standing collaboration with the faculty of Process Engineering - Paper and Packaging at the Munich University and underlined its continuously increasing responsibility to provide well-trained recruits to the paper sector. He confi rmed that Huyck.Wangner will continue with the talent award next year to mark the number "Lucky thirteen".

Lars Gaida, winner of the 2011 Huyck.Wangner talent award

Professor Stephan Kleemann, Munich University of Applied Sciences, Paper and Packaging Process course, accepts Huyck.Wangner's 2011 talent award on behalf of Lars Gaida from Ernst Kerschhofer, Vice President Marketing & Sales EMEA Huyck.Wangner Europe.