Exceptional ideas on the one hand, critical inquiries on the other

The event had to be postponed twice, but now the incidence rates have allowed a meeting: On June 12, 2021, 20 jurors – the maximum allowed in the hall – gathered at the GRAFE Group in Blankenhain to review and evaluate the vehicle components submitted for the Automotive Award. Another eight jury members joined via MS Teams. To protect the on-site participants, an extended security concept was implemented, including medical rapid testing for all attendees.

Professor Hans-Josef Endres began by explaining to the jury members the criteria to be used for evaluating the Sustainability Award, which was to be presented for the first time in 2021. Afterwards, the jury members, both on-site and online, completed an evaluation marathon. This time, the submissions were characterized by detailed changes on the one hand, and new approaches and creative concepts on the other. This gives an idea of how challenging the work of the jurors was.

Even though the parts were viewed via camera and then passed around this time, there were still many critical questions for the submitters and developers, who were also connected online. Ultimately, the jury members, which include recognized experts from processing, toolmaking, mechanical engineering, raw material production, OEMs, trade editors, and institutes, wanted to do justice to each component and provide a differentiated assessment.

Given the external circumstances, not only do all jurors deserve special thanks for their dedication and commitment. A very big thank you goes to the employees of the GRAFE Group for the excellent preparation and to the media technicians from Pixel IT Systems, who perfectly implemented the diverse technical requirements.

Photo: © Klaus Fricke