Figawa

Figawa — formally the Bundesvereinigung der Firmen im Gas- und Wasserfach e. V. – Technisch-wissenschaftliche Vereinigung — is a German technical-scientific industry association headquartered in Cologne. It describes itself as the first point of contact, interest representative and knowledge mediator for companies active along the entire value chain of gas, liquid fuels and water. Its membership comprises more than 275 member companies, primarily manufacturers and service providers, and it draws on more than 750 active experts from those member companies. The association works on standardisation, legislation, and the approval, testing and certification of products and services. It promotes technology openness in heat and water supply and supports the transformation from fossil to climate-neutral energy carriers. Its activities span three fields: knowledge (developing shared understanding and explaining complex technical contexts), technology (engaging in technical self-administration for high-quality solutions), and dialogue (acting as a partner in Germany and Europe). Figawa is organised into the specialist areas of water, gas and pipelines. It was founded on 10 December 1926 in Weimar as the Vereinigung der Fabrikanten des Gas- und Wasserfachs 'FAGAWA'. Over its history it has been renamed, relocated and restructured, and today it is a registered association (eingetragener Verein) based in Cologne. It was the ideal sponsor of the Wasser Berlin International trade fair and has been a partner of IFAT, the world's leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management, since 2018.

Figawa was founded on 10 December 1926 in Weimar as the Vereinigung der Fabrikanten des Gas- und Wasserfachs 'FAGAWA' (Association of Manufacturers of the Gas and Water Sector), with its association seat in Dessau. Its founding goal was to help shape a future-proof gas and water supply and to organise the new tasks in the gas and water sector, in a context of hard competition with lignite and electricity. In 1936 the association's seat moved from Dessau to Berlin. During the Second World War, from 1939, the companies of FAGAWA were assigned to war-economy goals; most of the 156 members had to take on tasks outside their field in the armaments industry. In 1946 the British military government initiated the formation of five industry committees: gas production, gas storage, gas distribution, gas measurement, gas use and water supply. In 1947 the Technische Vereinigung der Firmen im Gas- und Wasserfach e. V. 'FIGAWA' was founded in Bochum, with its seat in Dortmund. Its president was Göbel from Bochum (until 1951). In 1950, on the initiative of some companies together with representatives of DVGW, a recognition procedure for pipeline construction specialist companies was developed, and the Rohrleitungsbauverband (RBV) was founded, holding corporate membership in figawa. Hans Vaillant of Remscheid served as president from 1951 to 1974. In 1961 the statutes were entered in the register of associations at the Dortmund district court. In 1969 the association acquired its association house in Cologne-Marienburg, where FIGAWA Wasser and the RBV moved in. Friedrich Carl von Hof of Bremen was president from 1974 to 1995. In 1975 the management of FIGAWA Gas and FIGAWA Wasser were merged, and the joint seat was registered in Cologne. In 1977 the specialist groups were reorganised; the overall board was formed by the chairs of the now eleven specialist groups plus seven further experts from the gas and water sector. In 1978 figawa became a co-sponsor of IFW Berlin. In 1979 the name was changed to 'Bundesvereinigung der Firmen im Gas- und Wasserfach e. V.'. In 1981 regular events of the vocational training centre of the Rohrleitungsbauverband were included. Karl-Ernst Vaillant of Remscheid was president from 1995 to 1999, followed by Thomas Wagner of Stuttgart from 1999 to 2005, and Bernd H. Schwank of Cologne from 2005 to 2015. In 2007 there was a new management team: Lutz Wittmann (Hauptgeschäftsführer), Norbert Burger (Geschäftsführer FB Gas) and Karl Morschhäuser (Geschäftsführer FB Wasser, Rohrleitungen). In 2011 Gotthard Graß became Hauptgeschäftsführer. In 2014 Volker Meyer became Geschäftsführer for the water/pipelines specialist area. In 2015 Günter Stoll became acting president. In 2018 Volker Meyer became Hauptgeschäftsführer. The association was the ideal sponsor of the Wasser Berlin International trade fair, which was cancelled in 2019. Since 2018 figawa has been a partner of IFAT, the world's leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management. Today figawa describes itself as a technical-scientific association with more than 275 member companies, primarily manufacturers and service providers from the gas, liquid fuels and water sectors, and with more than 750 active experts from its member companies. It is divided into the specialist areas of water, gas and pipelines.

• 2019

  Wasser Berlin International trade fair, of which figawa was the ideal sponsor, is cancelled.

• 2018

  Volker Meyer becomes Hauptgeschäftsführer; figawa becomes a partner of IFAT.

• 2015

  Günter Stoll becomes acting president.

• 2014

  Volker Meyer becomes Geschäftsführer for the water/pipelines specialist area.

• 2011

  Gotthard Graß becomes Hauptgeschäftsführer.

• 2007

  New management team: Lutz Wittmann (Hauptgeschäftsführer), Norbert Burger (Geschäftsführer FB Gas), Karl Morschhäuser (Geschäftsführer FB Wasser, Rohrleitungen).

• 2005

  Bernd H. Schwank (Cologne) becomes president (until 2015).

• 1999

  Thomas Wagner (Stuttgart) becomes president (until 2005).

• 1995

  Karl-Ernst Vaillant (Remscheid) becomes president (until 1999).

• 1981

  Regular events of the vocational training centre of the Rohrleitungsbauverband included.

• 1979

  Name changed to 'Bundesvereinigung der Firmen im Gas- und Wasserfach e. V.'.

• 1978

  figawa becomes co-sponsor of IFW Berlin.

• 1977

  Reorganisation of specialist groups; overall board formed by chairs of eleven specialist groups plus seven further experts.

• 1975

  Merger of the management of FIGAWA Gas and FIGAWA Wasser; joint seat registered in Cologne.

• 1974

  Friedrich Carl von Hof (Bremen) becomes president (until 1995).

• 1969

  Acquisition of the association house in Cologne-Marienburg; FIGAWA Wasser and RBV move in.

• 1961

  Statutes entered in the register of associations at the Dortmund district court.

• 1951

  Hans Vaillant (Remscheid) becomes president (until 1974).

• 1950

  Development of a recognition procedure for pipeline construction specialist companies; founding of the Rohrleitungsbauverband (RBV) with corporate membership in figawa.

• 1947

  Founded as Technische Vereinigung der Firmen im Gas- und Wasserfach e. V. 'FIGAWA' in Bochum, with seat in Dortmund; president Göbel (until 1951).

• 1946

  British military government initiated the formation of five industry committees: gas production, storage, distribution, measurement, use and water supply.

• 1939

  During World War II, FAGAWA companies were assigned to war-economy goals; most of the 156 members took on armaments-industry tasks.

• 1936

  Association seat moved from Dessau to Berlin.

• 1926

  Founded on 10 December in Weimar as the Vereinigung der Fabrikanten des Gas- und Wasserfachs 'FAGAWA', with seat in Dessau.

Technical-scientific industry association and interest representative for the gas, liquid fuels and water value chain, promoting technology openness and climate-neutral transformation.

• Membership network

  Network of more than 275 member companies, primarily manufacturers and service providers from the gas, liquid fuels and water sectors.

• Standardisation and regulatory work

  Participation in the development of relevant standards and regulations, and engagement in legislative procedures.

• Certification and approval support

  Engagement in the approval, testing and certification of products and services, including participation in company and product certification through DVGW.

• Professional training and continuing education

  Organisation of professional training and continuing education.

• Technical-scientific information and networking

  Provision of a discussion platform for clarifying technical-scientific matters and procurement and preparation of information from science, technology and practice.

1. 1Figawa official websitefigawa.org
2. 2Über unsfigawa.org
3. 3Figawa – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Figawa – Wikidatawikidata.org