+1 (864) 783-6450
+1 (864) 783-6450
EZT Forensics Inc. provides independent, technically grounded engineering support for manufacturers, operators, insurers, and brokers in the power and industrial sectors.
Founded in 2025 as the US affiliate of Experten Zentrum für Technik (EZT), our team brings decades of experience gained within the engineering division of one of the world’s leading corporate and industrial insurers. EZT has become a trusted reference in the European market for failure investigation, damage assessment, and insurability advisory.
We bring that same depth of expertise, precision, and independence to the US market – to help you resolve complex failures, assess risk, and protect your operations.
We offer technically sound, independent engineering services for every stage of an industrial incident – from initial inspection to resolution and prevention.
Rapid, structured documentation forms the basis for reliable damage assessment. We conduct on-site inspections, collect technical findings, and prepare clear and concise EZT Findings Reports. These support the root cause investigation and claims process, while helping minimize operational downtime.
We evaluate technical reports issued by manufacturers, laboratories, or other experts. This service provides an independent assessment of methods, conclusions, and assumptions, and helps identify gaps or biases. Our reviews support better-informed decisions in both technical and claims-driven contexts.
Our RCAs follow recognized standards such as VDI 3822 and combine analytical rigor with practical relevance. We investigate failure causes through structured data analysis, inspections, lab input, and simulations – delivering results that are technically sound, clearly documented, and defensible in an insurance or legal context.
Whether as lead investigator or neutral second opinion, we aim to make root cause conclusions transparent and actionable. Our extended expert network ensures case-appropriate depth across technologies and sectors.
We support clients in the evaluation and settlement of insurance-related claims – covering both property damage and business interruption. Our work includes technical assessments of damage extent, repair feasibility, and causality, helping to align engineering facts with insurance logic. Where appropriate, we also identify loss mitigation opportunities to reduce downtime and financial impact. Deliverables are structured to support adjusters, brokers, and legal teams. Our independent assessments are trusted by carriers and brokers alike.
We support operators, manufacturers and insurers in identifying and managing technical risks across asset lifecycles. Typical assignments include:
We understand how to clearly communicate technical risk in a form that builds trust across engineering and insurance teams alike.
Where technical uncertainty meets insurance decision-making, we provide clarity: Upon request, we prepare structured engineering input to support coverage discussions – particularly for novel technologies, unconventional systems, or assets with limited field history. Typical deliverables include:
With decades of experience at the interface of engineering and insurance, we deliver technically sound insights that support confident decisions across stakeholder groups.
Through established partnerships with specialized laboratories in Europe (e.g., GWP, Bohl NDT, Oelcheck, in Munich), we provide access to a wide range of advanced testing capabilities, including:
Lab results can be fully integrated into our RCAs and damage assessments where appropriate.
We specialize in power generation and energy infrastructure. Our technical expertise covers:
EZT Forensics Inc. is led by a team of senior engineers with complementary backgrounds in failure analysis, rotating equipment, and energy systems. All three bring decades of hands-on experience in insurance-related engineering roles.
To ensure that every technical case receives precisely matched, independent expertise, we collaborate with a trusted network of specialized experts in the United States and Europe.
We also maintain close ties with the extended engineering network of our German partner company, EZT. This network includes senior specialists in materials science, civil and structural engineering, corrosion, diagnostics, and other key disciplines.
Automation & Port Equipment Engineering
Mechanical Engineering & Turbomachinery
Electrical Engineering & Renewables
Materials Engineering & Turbomachinery
Renewable Energy & Risk Analytics
Corrosion & Materials Engineering
Corrosion & Materials Engineering
Civil Engineering & Geology
Mechanical & Process Engineering
Automation & Port Equipment Engineering
External Expert to EZT Forensics Inc., USA.
External Expert to EZT Experten Zentrum fuer Technik GmbH, Germany
Axel Jachens is a certified expert in automation and port equipment engineering, specializing in crane technology and infrastructure procurement for container terminals. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Automation Technology from the University of Applied Sciences Cologne, completed in 2005.
Since joining EUROGATE Technical Services in Hamburg in 2005, Axel has led numerous projects across procurement, construction supervision, and commissioning of container cranes. He played a key role in the Wilhelmshaven container terminal development from 2009 to 2012 and served as Engineering Consultant for the CHCL Container Terminal in Port Louis, Mauritius from 2015 to 2019. From 2019 to 2021, he was also responsible for process management in project execution.
Certified as a Testing Expert for cranes and lifting equipment (ZZP 10074) since 2017 and an IPMA Level D Project Management Associate since 2021, Axel Jachens brings deep technical and operational expertise to forensic and consulting engineering mandates in both Europe and North America.
Mechanical Engineering & Turbomachinery
Co-Founder & Director at EZT Forensics Inc., USA
Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Expert Centre for Technology | Consulting Engineers Preis & Persigehl PartmbB, Germany
Bernhard Persigehl is a mechanical engineering and turbomachinery expert. He is co-founder and Director of EZT Forensics Inc. in the United States and serves as Managing Partner of the Expert Centre for Technology (EZT) in Germany. In both organizations, he contributes as a forensic engineering expert specializing in failure analysis of rotating machinery and power generation equipment.
He began his career at IABG mbH, focusing on the decommissioning of nuclear power plants, followed by a five-year research tenure at the Institute for Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery at RWTH Aachen University. There, his doctoral work contributed to the development of turbomachinery for CO₂-free lignite-fired power plants. In 2012, he joined the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) as a turbomachinery expert, conducting complex investigations involving gas turbines, diesel engines, steam turbines, compressors, and pumps.
Following AZT’s closure in late 2021, Bernhard co-founded the Expert Centre for Technology in Germany to continue its technical consulting legacy. In 2025, he co-founded EZT Forensics Inc. in the United States to make this expertise available to clients in the U.S. market. His work combines operational data analysis, metallurgical examination, and design assessment to support insurers, plant operators, and OEMs in high-stakes industrial environments.
Bernhard holds a Dipl.-Ing. (equivalent to M.Sc.) in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich, a postgraduate qualification in Nuclear Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from RWTH Aachen University.
Selected Publications
(All titles translated from German)
Turbomachinery & Power Generation
Selected Presentations
(All titles translated from German)
2025 (Planned)
2024
2018-2023
Earlier Highlights
Electrical Engineering & Renewables
Co-Founder & Director at EZT Forensics Inc., USA
Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Expert Centre for Technology | Consulting Engineers Preis & Persigehl PartmbB, Germany
Florian Preis is an expert in electrical engineering and renewable energy systems. He is Co-Founder and Director of EZT Forensics Inc. in the United States and serves as Managing Partner at the Expert Centre for Technology (EZT) in Germany. In both roles, he acts as a forensic engineering expert specializing in damage investigations involving electrical machines, renewable energy systems, and industrial power generation equipment.
Florian began his career as a commissioning engineer with Voith Siemens Hydro GmbH, focusing on hydro generators and excitation systems. He then advanced to Siemens AG, where he served as commissioning lead engineer for industrial steam turbines and air-cooled turbo generators. In 2010, he transitioned to Allianz Versicherungs AG, working as a Claims Engineer in Engineering Insurance with an emphasis on steam turbines, wind turbines, and electrical equipment.
In 2015, Florian joined the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) as a technical expert, where he specialized in failure analysis and risk consulting for electrical systems and renewables. His expertise spans design evaluation, operational data analysis, and laboratory testing. After AZT’s closure in late 2021, he co-founded the Expert Centre for Technology to continue providing advanced technical assessments for insurers, plant operators, and OEMs. In 2025, he co-founded EZT Forensics Inc. to extend these services to clients in the U.S. market.
Florian holds a Diplom-Ingenieur (FH) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences of Cologne (TH Köln), as well as a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Selected Publications
Electrical & Renewable Energy Systems
Materials Engineering & Turbomachinery
External Expert to EZT Forensics Inc., USA.
External Expert to EZT Experten Zentrum fuer Technik GmbH, Germany
Johannes Stoiber is an external expert in materials engineering and turbomachinery with a focus on high-temperature applications in power generation systems. He supports the EZT Forensics and its clients with advanced failure analysis and technical consulting, drawing on over three decades of industry experience.
Johannes began his career at ABB’s central laboratory in Baden, Switzerland, specializing in gas turbine failure analysis and developing advanced repair technologies, including brazing and welding of directionally solidified alloys and single crystals. In 1996, he joined the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) as a materials engineering expert, where he investigated damage cases in gas and diesel engines, steam and gas turbines. He was appointed Head of the AZT Laboratory in 2001 and became Managing Director of ARC GmbH in 2012.
He holds a master’s degree in Materials Engineering from the Technical University of Erlangen (1988) and a Ph.D. in Metal Physics from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), awarded in 1993.
Aerospace Engineering, Renewable Energy & Risk Analytics
Founder, Director & CEO at EZT Forensics Inc., USA
Founder & Principal at Risk & Code Engineering LLC, USA
Maximilian Mock is an aerospace engineer and risk consulting expert with a deep technical foundation in renewable energy systems, offshore technologies, and data-driven risk analytics. He is Founder, Director, and CEO of EZT Forensics Inc., a US-based firm specializing in forensic engineering investigations for the power and energy sector. He also leads Risk & Code Engineering LLC, which develops specialized consulting at the intersection of technical risk assessment, software architecture, and engineering informatics.
Before founding his US-based companies, Maximilian worked for over a decade at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) and Allianz SE in Munich, where he held senior roles in Risk Consulting Engineering and Group Commercial. He established and led Allianz’s global Expert Team Wind Energy, which he successfully developed and led for several years. In this role, he implemented methodologies for the technical evaluation of offshore and onshore renewable energy assets, executed claims investigations, and designed loss control programs across multiple regions. In addition to his technical fieldwork, he spearheaded internal innovation projects, including data quality frameworks, KPI models, and proprietary calculation tools used in global insurance operations.
His early career included research and development at Airbus Helicopters, where he focused on flight mechanics, load simulation, and programming for aerodynamic modeling. He holds a Diplom-Ingenieur degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), officially recognized as equivalent to a Master of Science (M.Sc.), with specializations in flight propulsion and astronautics.
Maximilian combines hands-on engineering and field expertise with a strong digital profile, including experience in programming, systems integration, and risk modeling. He was certified for full offshore fieldwork for many years and currently holds a valid GWO Working at Heights certificate. He is also a licensed private pilot and has contributed significantly to the development of global engineering knowledge systems and digital toolchains within Allianz’s risk consulting operations.
Corrosion & Materials Engineering
External Expert to EZT Forensics Inc., USA.
External Expert to EZT Experten Zentrum fuer Technik GmbH, Germany
Rudolf Weber is an external expert in corrosion and materials engineering, supporting the EZT Forensics and its clients with decades of specialized experience. Since 1985, he has worked in materials engineering, beginning his career at the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT), where he was responsible for damage investigations. His primary focus areas include corrosion and corrosion protection, as well as material failures involving plastics and coatings. He earned his Dipl.-Ing. (FH) in Applied Surface and Material Sciences from the Technical University of Aalen in 1985.
Corrosion & Materials Engineering
External Expert to EZT Forensics Inc., USA.
External Expert to EZT Experten Zentrum fuer Technik GmbH, Germany
Sven Meißner is an expert in electrical engineering with a focus on failure analysis in onshore and offshore wind turbine systems and PV systems. Since 2025, he has supported clients of the Expert Centre for Technology (EZT) in Germany with his in-depth expertise in low and medium voltage systems-particularly transformers, MV protection, and switchgear. He is now also available to clients of EZT Forensics Inc. in the United States.
Sven brings over two decades of hands-on and analytical experience in electrical systems. At Siemens Gamesa Offshore Wind, where he worked for over a decade, he specialized in damage investigation and up-tower repair strategies for large turbine systems, often in the context of fire-related failures. Earlier roles in industrial automation and commissioning-particularly with high-bay warehouse and conveyor systems-further broadened his technical base. He earned his German Master Craftsman’s Certificate in Electrical Engineering in 2006.
Civil Engineering & Geology
External Expert to EZT Forensics Inc., USA.
External Expert to Centre for Technology | Consulting Engineers Preis & Persigehl PartmbB, Germany
Thomas Meschede is a seasoned expert in industrial risk management, civil engineering, and geology. Until his retirement in 2021, he served as Head of Allianz Risk Consulting for Central and Eastern Europe (ARC CEE) at Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty (AGCS), where he oversaw client advisory and risk analysis services. His leadership extended to the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT), a unit within ARC CEE. Before joining AGCS in 2012, Dr. Meschede held senior roles managing German and Eastern European branches of international engineering firms and led liability risk management at a global insurer. He holds a Diploma and Doctorate in Civil Engineering from Leibniz University Hannover and the University of Wuppertal, Germany.
Mechanical & Process Engineering
External Expert to EZT Forensics Inc., USA
External Expert to EZT Experten Zentrum fuer Technik GmbH, Germany
Dr. Ulrich Hohmann is a mechanical and process engineering expert specializing in failure analysis for chemical, petrochemical, and power generation systems. With a doctorate in macro kinetics of heterogeneous systems from the Technical University of Munich, he began his career at the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) in 1991. Today, he is part of the Expert Centre for Technology and EZT Forensics, where he consults on complex engineering cases across high-temperature corrosion, ceramic material degradation, and bioenergy plant reliability.
His technical evaluations have supported operators, insurers, and engineering teams in identifying causes of damage in complex industrial systems. Dr. Hohmann is also a published authority with decades of contributions to industry knowledge in materials science, boiler and incineration systems, and corrosion engineering.
Selected Publications
(All titles translated from German)
High-Temperature Corrosion
Corrosion of Ceramic Materials
DeNOx Reactor Technology
Bioenergy Systems
Facing a failure, evaluating a risk, or preparing for coverage discussions?
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📞 +1 (864) 783-6450
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