Tognum supports students

• Regional sponsorship for university motor racing

Friedrichshafen, 21 May 2008. Hockenheim and Silverstone are two venues where you would normally expect to find Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW and the like going through their paces. Nevertheless, from July, the marshals will be clearing the tracks for the next generation of Formula Student drivers. University teams from all over the world will be competing in racing cars they have developed themselves. This year, for the second time, Tognum AG is sponsoring the ‘BA Racing Team’ from the Berufsakademie (University of Cooperative Education) in Ravensburg.

Preparations by the 41 members of the BA Racing Team are currently in full swing. Design and manufacture of the individual components are virtually complete and over the next few weeks, the participants will be assembling and testing their BART08 racing car to make sure that it is in perfect condition for July’s opening event at Silverstone.

Apart from enormous commitment on the part of everyone involved, getting a complex project such as this on the road requires support from industry and commerce: “We are extremely pleased that Tognum AG is acting as our main sponsor for the second time now and we appreciate the company’s contribution to the development of a competitive racing car” commented Team Manager, Professor Thomas Nickel. In addition to the financial support it provides in its role as main sponsor, Tognum AG also participates in other ways with non-cash contributions and by making its comprehensive expertise available. Chairman of the Board of Management at Tognum, Volker Heuer: “The young people taking part in this project are doing more than just developing their specialist abilities. They are also gathering experience of working as a team and gaining insights into areas beyond their own everyday spheres of activity. These are qualities which will prove essential in their professional careers.”

July will see the first race at Silverstone, followed by yet another race in August at Hockenheim. Here, the BA Racing Team will compete in a whole range of disciplines against 78 teams from 18 countries. As well as criteria such as acceleration and endurance characteristics, these disciplines will also be judged on elements such as design and presentation.

For those who always wanted to view such a racing car: at 17:30 on
30 May 2008, the BA Racing Team invites to come and join them at the Berufsakademie Ravensburg campus in Friedrichshafen, where the students will host a reception to introduce the BART08 to the public.


- End -

Tognum

Tognum is one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-speed diesel engines and complete propulsion systems for ships and heavy land and rail vehicles, as well as industrial drive systems and decentralized power plants. These business operations are organized in two divisions: Engines and Onsite Energy Systems & Components.

Tognum’s product portfolio includes diesel engines in the power range from 20 to 9,100 kilowatts, gas engine systems, gas turbines and fuel cells, and is one of the most modern and comprehensive in its sector. In addition, the Group develops and manufactures tailored electronic control and monitoring systems for its engines and propulsion systems.

Sales of the Tognum Group amounted to more than €2.8 billion in 2007. At the end of 2007, the Group employed approximately 8,200 personnel worldwide. It maintains a global sales and distribution network including 23 consolidated subsidiaries, more than 130 distribution partners and 1,100 authorized dealers.