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GSB International grieves for Hans-Jürgen Alfort

The Board and Committees of GSB International grieves for their Honorary Chairman, Hans-Jürgen Alfort, who passed away peacefully on 25 January 2019 following a short and serious illness.

The Board and Committees of GSB International grieves for their Honorary Chairman, Hans-Jürgen Alfort, who passed away peacefully on 25 January 2019 following a short and serious illness.

Since the inaugural meeting in November 1976, ‘Alf’ has been closely connected to GSB, playing a key role throughout the 40-year history of the quality association for surface finishes. His goal was to keep developing quality assurance for the industrial coating of aluminium and steel components, and to be proactive in driving this – always in line with the state of the art.

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A long-standing member of the board, Hans-Jürgen Alfort was appointed Vice-Chairman in 1999. He then went on to become the First Chairman from 2007 to 2013, substantially shaping the destiny of GSB. During this time, the association was relocated to Düsseldorf, sharing offices with GDA whilst maintaining the independence of GSB. Even as Honorary Chairman, Mr Alfort continued to provide GSB with unlimited advice and support.

From Lower Bavaria with Franconian roots, as he liked to say, Hans-Jürgen Alfort always utilised his high professional standing and his excellent contacts for the good of GSB and its members. His uncanny ability to quickly uncover deficiencies and get straight to the heart of the issue sometimes made people uneasy. His motivation in his work was always with a view to developing GBS innovatively and proactively. From a very early stage, the focus was on sustainability and environmental friendliness. Without his dedication, GSB would not have gained the importance it has today.

Hans-Jürgen Alfort always saw his profession and the attendant tasks as a calling, not a job. He set himself apart from specialists through his holistic, networked thinking with the capacity for looking forwards, seeing the bigger picture and introducing future developments. “We are happy to have shared so many years with him. Today, with respect, esteem and gratitude for his life’s work, we pay tribute to a giant of our industry,” say the Board and Committees of GSB International.

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