MD's standards work is recognised

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 18, 2006

Wolfgang Reichelt has received the 2006 Lord Kelvin Award from the International Electrotechnical Commission.

Wolfgang Reichelt, owner and Managing Director of Block Transformers near Bremen, Germany, is the winner of the 2006 Lord Kelvin Award from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Reichelt has been Managing Director of Block Transformers for more than 35 years.

In addition to running his own medium-sized enterprise that specialises in network interfaces such as transformers, power supplies, reactors and electromagnetic compatibility filters, he has devoted much of the last quarter century to standardisation, both at national and international levels.

"I have a strong personal commitment to IEC interests and I believe that management of medium and small sized companies should take a more active role in the IEC community", says Reichelt.

Reichelt began his professional training first doing an apprenticeship as a radio and television technician and then going on to become a master craftsman in radio and television technology.

After studying electrotechnical engineering, he began work as a telecommunications engineer, carrying out basic research and development in industry.

In 1971, he purchased a small company, which he developed into an innovative manufacturer of small power transformers, power supplies, test apparatus and other related products.

Today, Block Transformatoren-Elektronik is a 500-employee strong enterprise serving a global market including offices in Belgium, USA and the UK Since 1982 Reichelt has held a number of positions in international and national delegations, committees and subcommittees and participated in the work of nearly 20 standardisation teams.

In addition to his direct involvement in standardisation projects, Reichelt spends considerable time with industry and trade associations and political bodies.

While actively promoting international standardisation within the organisations, he advocates the importance of the IEC work in his political discourse, whether at national, European or international level.

"Raising the awareness of the strategic importance of standardisation in industrial management circles has been and still plays an important role in my activities within various industry associations", he adds.

The Lord Kelvin Award distinguishes members of the community of electrical, electronic and associated technologies for their outstanding contributions made in the field of electrotechnical standardisation.

Since its creation in 1994, the award has established itself as a landmark within the IEC community.

It takes its name from the British scientist and engineer who achieved celebrity by successfully laying the first commercial telegraph cable across the Atlantic ocean and who played a major role in the founding of the IEC in 1906, becoming its first president.

IEC President Renzo Tani presented Wolfgang Reichelt with the award during the Council Centennial Session at the 70th IEC General Meeting in Berlin, which took place on the afternoon of Friday 29th September, 2006.