The 8th SEC Technology Tour took place on 4 Oct 2017 at Deutsche Amphibolin-Werke (DAW SE) in Ober-Ramstadt, east of Darmstadt. As before, the retirees of the VAA in Hanau-Wolfgang were also invited.

With around 5600 employees, including 1300 in Ober-Ramstadt alone, and a turnover of around €1.3 billion, DAW is a large medium-sized company. Most people know DAW from the Caparol brand, with its colourful elephant trademark. The company's best-known product is Alpinaweiß - Europe's best-selling interior paint. (The Alpinaweiß brand has existed since 1909!)

Originally, company founder Eduard Murjahn wanted to mine manganese ore in the Odenwald in 1885. During test drilling, however, he discovered hornblende minerals (calcium amphiboles). He developed colour and plaster powders based on these minerals and called them "amphibolin". Based on casein, paraffin and oleum (a Chinese wood oil), the son of the company founder, Robert Murjahn, developed an emulsion binder "Caparol" in 1928, which revolutionised the painting trade.

Innovations such as these are now being consistently continued by the fifth generation. They make DAW, now under the management of Dr Ralph Murjahn, a company that operates throughout Europe.

SEC Technology tours are currently organised by Wolfgang Gerhartz, Tel 06251-938558. Suggestions for the organisation of future excursions are welcome.