Environment and quality

The new logistics center in Dettingen/Erms went into operation and was reflected in the figures for the first time in 2017. Energy consumption for the new structure surpassed the requirements of the energy saving ordinance by 30 %. The additional costs were included in investment measures for 2017 linked to emissions reduction projects. ElringKlinger has the expressed goal of surpassing the requirements of the energy saving ordinance wherever possible in every new building and full redevelopment.

Waste management is an integral part of the overall environmental management system. All employees are encouraged to avoid waste to the greatest extent possible and, where this is unavoidable, separate waste materials neatly in order to reduce the overall volume of residual waste. ElringKlinger is also undertaking consistent efforts to minimize the waste volume through process optimization. In the near future, guidelines on the standardization of environmentally relevant processes will be drawn up; these will also define the basic requirements for waste management. There are also regular staff training sessions on the separation, collection, packaging, and labeling of waste.

The five-level waste hierarchy defined by the German Closed Cycle Management and Waste Act (Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz) plays an important role at ElringKlinger in Germany. Where possible, the Group seeks to utilize valuable resources as effectively as possible while maintaining a high recycling ratio. For this reason, most of the Group’s waste is passed to recycling enterprises for re-use.

ElringKlinger is also recognized for its environmental commitment abroad: ElringKlinger TR Otomotiv Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. has received an Environmental Plant Award from the municipality of Bursa in Turkey. The award recognizes particularly environmentally sound production that is making an important difference to the town’s future. Alongside ElringKlinger, 14 other production companies in Bursa were singled out for awards.

In September 2014, construction of a wind power system was completed at our UK ElringKlinger plant in Redcar. The coastal location of our plant provides the ideal conditions for generating power from wind turbines. The system has been operating since December 2014 and, at average wind speeds of 6.1m/sec, produces around 1,400 MWh of green power. This has led to a reduction in CO₂ emissions of 600 tons per annum.

A new, two-storey packaging logistics center with a 3,500 m² footprint features a cleaning system for the type of reusable containers used by the Automobile Association to deliver the various products. In the past, such containers had to be transported from the ElringKlinger plants of Dettingen/Erms and Runkel by an external service provider some 150 km to Heidelberg, where they were cleaned after use and then returned to the original locations. In future, with the help of staff from the charity organization BruderhausDiakonie, over 4,500 containers a day will be able to be cleaned and made ready for reuse and recall at the Dettingen plant itself. This will save time and money and, above all, protect the environment from unnecessary transportation.

In mid-2014, a combined head and power system (CHP) was commissioned at the Dettingen/Erms headquarters. The CHP units are augmented by an absorption cooler that allows waste heat to be used for cooling purposes in summer. This means any heat generated can be used the whole year round.