The Association of the Bremen Cotton Exchange today held its 143rd Annual General Assembly in its 145th fiscal year. The Management Board reported to the members on the past financial year and submitted its financial statements in accordance with the statutes. The Executive Committee of the international association was also elected after the assembly.

Henning Hammer (41), Managing Director of Otto Stadtlander GmbH, Bremen, was re-elected as President of the Bremen Cotton Exchange. As Vice-Presidents were re-elected Ernst Grimmelt (50), Managing Partner of Velener Textil GmbH in Velen, Westphalia, as well as Fritz A. Grobien (59), Managing Partner of Albrecht, Müller-Pearse & Co. Trade (GmbH & Co.) KG, Bremen and Jens D. Lukaczik (51), Managing Partner of Cargo Control Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bremen.

The Board of Directors is comprised of Hannes Drolle, Getzner Textil AG, Bludenz/ Austria, Rainer Hammer, Otto Stadtlander GmbH, Bremen, Martin Kägi, Hermann Bühler AG, Sennhof (Winterthur)/ Switzerland, Jan Kettelhack, Hch. Kettelhack GmbH + Co. KG, Rheine, and Axel Trede, Cotton Service International GmbH, Bremen. In place of the leaving Lüder Vollers, Berthold Vollers GmbH, Bremen, Konrad Schröer, Setex-Textil-GmbH, Hamminkeln-Dingden was elected to the Board of Directors.

Thanks to their different key areas of work, the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors possess valuable practical knowledge along the entire textile procurement chain which benefits both the members of the Exchange, as well as the cotton industry as a whole.

Henning Hammer, President of the Bremen Cotton Exchange and internationally experienced cotton merchant: “Cotton is an agricultural product. It is a renewable, bio-degradable raw material. Almost 250 million people worldwide subsist on its cultivation. These are important arguments for the textile industry in the debate on sustainability. Not forgetting that worldwide there is a very active cotton research and development that addresses the issues of the future, like for example fibre quality, environmental aspects, new products. We as Bremen Cotton Exchange see, from our independent and neutral position within the cotton industry, an important task in emphasising through active communication the continually growing innovation potential for cotton in application for established products, but also for the realisation of new product ideas. As in other branches, innovation and progress are regarded as driving forces for the cotton industry.”

At the end of the Annual General Assembly, SPIEGEL editor and economic journalist Simone Salden gave a lecture on the subject of the “polyester flood”. With the enlightening history behind the SPIEGEL report, it became clear to what extent synthetic fibres are flooding our wardrobes and the world’s oceans. In addition, she gave the participants of the General Assembly tips for companies on dealing with critical enquiries from journalists.