Andre Schwammlein once wanted to be a pilot – but ended up behind the wheel of a bus and train company instead.The chief executive and co-founder of Flix – the driving force behind Flixbus and Flixtrain - says he was never much of a traveller, but now leads a company that has changed the way millions of people cross countries and continents.In just 10 years, Flixbus has gone from German startup to global brand - even taking a piece of American heritage: Greyhound.In this edition of Business Daily, Theo Leggett finds out how the transport entrepreneur got started, the reasons behind the company’s success, and his plans for growth.(Picture: André Schwämmlein. Credit: Getty Images)Presented and produced by Theo Leggett
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Folge vom 19.10.2023Business Daily meets: Andre Schwammlein
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Folge vom 18.10.2023What makes a stadium special?The development of new sports stadiums and facilities can bring regeneration to deprived areas. They hold a special place in the hearts of sports and live music fans. But have some of the new ones lost their spark? In this edition of Business Daily, Sam Fenwick asks, what gives a stadium its atmosphere and can it be designed in? Sam speaks to Christopher Lee, whose architecture practice, Populous, has designed 3000 arenas all over the world. He shares his experience of designing iconic grounds like the Yankee Stadium, Wembley Stadium, and Olympic stadiums in Sydney, London and Sochi. And we hear from BBC World Service listeners, who tell us what makes their favourite sports grounds so special. (Picture: Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the third inning at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts. Credit: David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports)Presented and produced by Sam Fenwick
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Folge vom 17.10.2023Why is the US building electric car battery factories?We’re in Kentucky, where an area which had long ago been abandoned as an industrial site is once again coming to life.US manufacturer Ascend Elements has chosen the site to build a factory for electric car batteries made from recycled ones - an industry previously almost entirely based in China.We explore the government incentives that have drawn the company to build here with US Climate Envoy John Kerry.And we hear from the local mining community which is hoping the new green manufacturing facility may provide much needed jobs.Presenter: Faisal Islam Producer: Priya Patel(Image: A worker at the factory building site in Kentucky. Credit: BBC)
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Folge vom 17.10.2023Bottles or balsa: What should wind turbine blades be made from?For years, balsa wood has been a key component in the giant rotor blades on the top of wind turbines. Most of it comes from the rain forests of South America and, in particular, from Ecuador. As the world transitions to green energy, lots of countries – particularly China – have been looking for more balsa to make blades. That pushed up prices, raised questions over sustainability and prompted some companies to look for alternatives to balsa wood. One alternative is PET, a foam made from recycled plastic bottles.So what should we be using to make the wind turbine blades of the future – biodegradable balsa wood or plastic foam made from old bottles?We talk to people on both sides of the debate and visit a wind farm in rural England to see the blades in action.(Picture: Crook Hill wind farm in Rochdale, north of England.)Presented and produced by Gideon Long