Schöck AG Schöckstraße 1 76534 Baden-Baden Tel.: +49 (0) 7223 – 967-0 E-mail: presse-de@schoeck.com Obituary On the death of Eberhard Schöck Mourning the passing of an outstanding entrepreneur and inventor Baden-Baden, January 2022 – On 19 January 2022, Eberhard Schöck, civil engineer and founder of Schöck AG, Baden-Baden, Germany, passed away at the age of 86. Driven by the vision of a more modern building sector and the courage to think in new ways, Eberhard Schöck made a lasting impact on the industry with key inventions such as the Schöck Isokorb. Starting with Schöck Bautrupp, founded in 1962, he went on to develop Schöck Bauteile GmbH, today's leading supplier of load-bearing thermal insulation elements and impact sound solutions. With his passing, the industry is losing a truly great personality, a responsible and socially committed entrepreneur, and an exceptional inventor. “You must never stick to the old. To be successful, you have to develop completely new things or improve what already exists." This motto defined the life and work of Eberhard Schöck and continues to shape Schöck AG to this day. After completing his studies in civil engineering, Eberhard Schöck created Schöck Bautrupp, laying the foundation for a successful company history. Today, the Schöck Group supplies customers in over 40 markets and has more than 1,100 employees. Eberhard Schöck maintained close ties with his company even after the end of his role as Chairman of the Supervisory Board in July 2003. Breakthrough and market revolution with Isokorb Eberhard Schöck quickly attracted attention with unusual new developments such as basement windows in polystyrene casing and Europe's first glass-fibre reinforced polyester light well with a unique egg shape. In 1983, he achieved a breakthrough with Schöck Isokorb, which revolutionised the market. Used in thermal insulation, the product minimises thermal bridges on projecting building elements such as balconies, parapets and canopies, thereby preventing structural damage and enhancing the building's energy efficiency. Shortly afterwards, the company presented the Schöck Tronsole, a ground-breaking product for effective impact sound insulation in stairwells. The idea for this also stemmed from the company's founder. Both innovations were registered for patents. Thanks to his unconventional approach, Eberhard Schöck set standards and shaped the construction industry and its developments decisively. He played a particularly important role as a pioneer in the fields of structural physics, sustainability and climate efficiency, which he connected with a forward-looking perspective from the very beginning. Social and civic commitment As an employer, he was concerned about the welfare of his employees. From a very early stage, he introduced a social fund for employees and a profit-sharing scheme. With the creation of the Eberhard Schöck Foundation in 1992, and active promotion of its establishment and further expansion, he also championed social responsibility and promoted understanding and reconciliation with the countries of Eastern Europe. Under the motto "Change through training", his foundation promotes the building and construction trade in Central and Eastern Europe with model projects as well as training and exchange programmes. Further activities followed, including the award of the "Schöck Bau-Innovationspreis" for innovations in building and the "Nachwuchspreis Betonbauteile" awarded to apprentices for concrete construction component projects, as well as support for cultural and student sponsorship activities. Furthermore, at the initiative of his wife Sabine Schöck, who he married in 1961, he set up the Schöck Family Foundation in 2012. Under the motto "Future through Education", this foundation is dedicated to helping disadvantaged children, teenagers and young people in India, Nepal, African countries and Germany, as well as various support and social projects in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Awards Eberhard Schöck received several awards for his work as an inventor and innovator, as well as for his role as a successful, outstanding and socially committed entrepreneur. The state of Baden-Württemberg honoured him with the 'Wirtschaftsmedaille' Business Medal in 2009 and, in 2018, with the Staufer Medal in Silver for his life's work. In 2020, he was nominated for the Rudolf Diesel Medal in the category "Most Sustainable Innovation Achievement" for his invention of the Isokorb. Each year, this "Oscar for inventors", Europe's oldest innovation prize, is awarded to distinguished entrepreneurs and companies for their inventive flair and ability to successfully implement business ideas. A magnificent person Throughout all these great successes, Eberhard Schöck remained a down-to-earth person with strong roots in his local region. He treated others as equals and convinced them with his honest, authentic and open manner. Eberhard Schöck was a great figure who was held in high esteem by business partners and customers alike. He made a strong impression as a charismatic and dynamic entrepreneur who set many things in motion. Schöck AG is his legacy – his life's work. www.schoeck.com Images [Eberhard_Schoeck_01] Eberhard Schöck, founder of Schöck AG Baden-Baden. Photo: Schöck AG [Eberhard_Schoeck_02] Eberhard Schöck in the early 1980s with his revolutionary invention, the load-bearing thermal insulation element Schöck Isokorb. Photo: Schöck AG