Federal Minister Visits HPtex

Münchberg, Upper Franconia – The Bavarian-based joint venture HPtex GmbH, founded by HPS High Performance Space Structure Systems GmbH and IPROTEX GmbH & Co. KG, recently welcomed high-ranking political guests to its production site in Münchberg. We felt honored to welcome the German Minister for Science Technology and Space, Mrs. Dorothee Bär, who came to learn more about the innovative space mesh technologies developed and produced at HPtex. She was accompanied by several regional political representatives, including Member of Parliament MdB Mr. Heiko Hain, District Administrator for Hof, Mr. Oliver Bär, Münchberg mayoral candidate Mr. Thomas Schnurrer, as well as additional local council candidates of CSU. The visit was also attended by numerous citizens from Münchberg. A special highlight of the gathering was the participation of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank Ficker, who played a key role in initiating the early research collaboration on metallic space meshes approximately ten years ago at the Fraunhofer Institute in Münchberg. The event also brought together leading representatives from the joint venture partners, including Timo Piwonski, Managing Director of IPROTEX, and Peter Rauhut, CEO of HPtex and CFO of HPS.

Space Mesh Technology with ESA Heritage:
The ultra-fine metallic meshes developed at HPtex represent a technological success story emerging from several technology programs of the European Space Agency, including TRP, GSTP, ARTES, and Earth Observation (EO) initiatives.
These high-precision meshes combine electrical conductivity with mechanical flexibility and are already being used in advanced space systems such as small deployable antennas and Large Deployable Reflector Subsystems (LDRS). One prominent example is the mesh-application onboard the Copernicus CIMR Mission, which will provide crucial observations for the study of Earth’s polar regions.

 

Event Program:
The visit program included a welcoming reception at the facility entrance, followed by a standing panel discussion in the preparation hall. Guests had the opportunity to explore various exhibition pieces presented by HPtex, IPROTEX, the Fraunhofer Institute, and fashion designer Laura Theiss.
A dedicated tour of the new mesh production hall provided insight into the highly specialized manufacturing processes used to produce these advanced materials. The program concluded with a group photo and numerous opportunities for discussion, including exchanges between Minister Doro Bär and HPS CEO Dr.-Ing. Ernst K. Pfeiffer.

 

A Decade of Development in Münchberg:
The roots of HPS’s activities in Münchberg go back around ten years, when the company began collaborating with the Fraunhofer Institute and Professor Ficker on metallic mesh technologies. Building on this cooperation, HPtex GmbH was founded in February 2020 as a joint venture between HPS and IPROTEX.
Today, HPtex has established itself as a globally recognized specialist in high-precision space meshes, supplying the so-called „Universal Space Mesh USM) to customers in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Further product developments beyond mesh technologies are already being explored for the future.
The local newspaper Frankenpost also reported on the visit under the headline “Münchberg bringt Textil ins Weltall” (“Münchberg brings textiles into space”).
HPS and HPtex would like to thank all colleagues and partners involved for the excellent preparation and successful realization of this event.

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