By David Reed, UT EditorFrankfurt, Germany-Germany's foam makers technical association, the FSK (Fachverband Schaumkunststoffe eV), presented a gold medal to one of its founders, the first time it has made any such awards in a decade.The FSK medal was awarded to Heinz Baumann on the occasion of his 85th birthday, by Albrecht Manderscheid, chairman of the association, and is in recognition of Baumann's role as co-founder of the association and its first chairmen.Baumann led the FSK for 14 years after it was founded in 1962, and represented it in numerous other organisations, particularly at the federal level in Germany. He also played a key role in the committee for research and science policy of association of the BDI (Bundesgesamt Deutsches Industrie, the association of the German industry) for about 13 years.As FSK chairman, Baumann initiated and organised 12 specialist polyurethane conferences in the 1960s and 1970s. He also played a key role in creating two polyurethane world congresses in conjunction with the US Society of the Plastics Industry's polyurethanes division, in Strasbourg, France (1979), and Aachen, Germany (1987).Baumann received Germany's Distinguished Service Cross for his research and science activities several years ago.Baumann took the opportunity of the award ceremony to donate his private inventory of historical documents concerning the FSK, to the association, including previous conference ribbons and studies it had been involved in producing. It is, Baumann said, important to him that this will help create a complete archive of the 40-year history of the FSK.PHOTO CAPTION: Baumann, flanked by FSK chairman Manderscheid (l) and Dieter Schloz, president of the FSK"
