U-Tech Gesellschaft für Maschinensicherheit mbH was established in 2002 by Dipl. Ing. Kurt Utler in Vallendar near Koblenz, Germany. For years, Mr Utler gained international managerial experience at director level at Thales, Alcatel and in the Hitachi Corporation. He has extensive technical expertise in electrical engineering and telecommunications.
U-Tech GmbH works in association with Selectronic Funk- und Sicherheitstechnik GmbH, which has been active in development and production in the sectors of high frequency engineering, mobile communications and safety engineering since 1976.
A large step forward was cooperation with the former BGIA – German Institute for Occupational Health and Safety. The basic system GSG202 was certified in 2003 according to DIN EN 60947-5-3 and EN 954-1 and was thus the only certified safety system in this sector worldwide.
With our first website in 2003, came the first framework agreements with Cleanaway, then a member of the Sulo Corporation, which was subsequently acquired by Veolia. In addition to close cooperation with the Health and Safety Executives in Germany, the company also became involved with various research projects for increased safety at work in France with the Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité (INRS).
From 2004, the French market was extensively developed and the first framework agreements were concluded with Sita, Onyx and Veolia France and Paprec, respectively. From 2005 onwards, the major European bale press manufacturers followed, namely Paal, HSM, Boa, the Dutch Bollegraaf and Presona in Sweden, who then proceeded to equip as standard their new presses with the GSG202.
In cooperation with the BGIA and the chemical industry, there then followed in 2007 a further development of the existing safety systems for calendar rollers designed to prevent the hands of the workers from being pulled in.
An additional new product, a safety system for brushwood chippers was certified in 2008 by the trade association for gardening shredders according to EN 60947-5-3, EN 954-1, EN 50082 and EN 55014.
In 2010, U-Tech GmbH’s new, modern website complied with the demands of the, in the meantime, international clientele.
In May 2015, after almost 3 years of close cooperation with IFA – Institut für Arbeitsschutz der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung [Institute for Occupational Safety and Health], the successor organization of the BGIA, it became possible to implement the requirements specified by the new European Machinery Directive. The GSG202A system was certified by the IFA in accordance with the European standards DIN EN 61496-1 and DIN EN ISO 13849-1.
A further re-launch of the website is planned for 2016, with an upgrade, which will hopefully also be of interest to our clients. An online shop for spare parts should make the ordering process far easier for all concerned. In addition, there is an upcoming further development of the system for large, 15-m radius, germination boxes and kilns in the malting industry prior to series production this year.
Selectronic is a specialist company for high-frequency engineering, mobile communication and security technology. Besides manufacturing products for the field of radio technology and video systems Selectronic mainly focuses on the subject of personnel security.
Initially used in mining worldwide, its areas of application are continuing to expand to include a number of occupational safety systems. The company’s cooperation with U-Tech began in 2003 when U-Tech started marketing the latest GSG202 personnel safety system worldwide, now in use at over 500 recycling industry sites. Selectronic not only manufactures the GSG202 safety system; it is also a partner in research and development. Development orders placed by the INRS in France and also new developments that cater for market demands are processed, tested and certified in joint projects before they then go into production at Selectronic’s factory.