Regular's table July 2024
Ten alumni came to the meeting on July 4, 2024, which took place at 18:30 in the Brasserie du Kirchberg, 193, rue de Kirchberg, 1858 Luxembourg.
Two surprise gifts
Jos Lahr (Dipl. EL. Ing. 1968; Dr. sc. techn. 1981) brought two curiosities to the Stamm. We will come back to these two rarities in a later report.
It is a round slide rule (1949) and a core drilling, a cylindrical rock body (1987) from the rock on which the new ETH extension was built.
High honor for an alumnus
Patrick de la Hamette (Dr. Dipl. El.-Ing. (2001), Dr sc. ETH (2008)) was honored with the title "Officier dans l'ordre de mérite" by Grand Duke Henri. Together with Ukrainian refugees, De la Hamette collected old computers, refurbished them and distributed them to those in need. In 2016, the Digital Inclusion ASBL was founded, an association with the aim of giving everyone access to the digital world. The association also offers computer courses.
Watch manufacturer "DUKE"
The watch manufacturer DUKE has won the Chambre des Métiers Innovation Award 2024 in the "Design" category.
The Luxembourg atelier produces eight watches a year. Price range: €100,000 to 150 000 €. The watches are sold to the Middle East, Asia, the USA and South America.
The "Duke" watch has a glass version of the drive as a finesse of design; a highly complex mechanism, the tourbillon, supported by two sapphire bridges, compensates for time deviations caused by gravity. The watches are charged by the movements of the arm.
Delivery time for a DUKE watch: three years.
Luxembourg Hydrogen Valley (LuxHyVal)
LuxHyVal is a project of the University of Luxembourg with a consortium of public and private actors. Cost: 39 million euros.
The aim is not to make Luxembourg self-sufficient in hydrogen, but to develop expertise. Results are to be studied on a small scale so that the knowledge can then be incorporated into a larger European network.
Targeted daily production: 1750 kilograms of hydrogen, between 500 and 600 tons per year.
Biodegradable products
Founded in 2021, WASCH manufactures biodegradable products such as degreasing organic dishwashing detergent and laundry soap on a plant-based basis. The company, whose production unit is located in Betzdorf, works with subcontractors in terms of logistics and distribution.
New production line at DuPont (400 million investment)
DuPont opened a third production line for Tyvek (June 13, 2024). The nonwoven Tyvek, water-repellent and tear-resistant, revolutionized house construction, set new standards for protective clothing and enabled advances in medical technology.
Energy dependency
In 2023, Luxembourg was 77.7 percent dependent on energy imports. 25 percent of the municipalities' infrastructures are covered by renewable energies.
Luxembourg's competitiveness
Luxembourg's competitiveness has been deteriorating since 2021 (when it ranked 12th). In the International Institute of Management's 2024 Yearbook, Luxembourg plummeted to 23rd place in the overall ranking. The reasons: High labor costs, little research, little development!
