Insulated pieces of machinery require shorter warm-up period
Employees in Jánossomorja (Hungary) have insulated 20 pieces of machinery to utilize heat produced during the machinery’s uptime. The thermal insulation blanket now enveloping the machine has been able to shorten the machine’s warm-up period and cut energy consumption for each insulated machine by around 10%. This idea has now been expanded to other production locations including Korneuburg (Austria), for example.
New ideas implemented in the realm of
environment, health and safety
Environment, health and safety (EHS) is a fundamental component of SFS’s sustainability strategy. In addition to Group-wide measures, the locations and divisions implement many projects from this realm in an effort to reduce their environmental impact, make the workplace safer for employees and better protect their health. The success story that follows introduces the highlights of 2023.
Low energy consumption thanks to lithium-ion batteries
Many forklifts still run on acid batteries or fossil fuels. At the Torbali (Türkiye) site, decision-makers opted last year to switch to newer models with lithium-ion batteries. Since lithium-ion batteries can store more power and also weigh less than acid batteries, this new generation of forklifts has a longer time of operation. They also produce less toxic waste and have a secondary use – power storage – at the end of their life cycle. As a result, energy consumption per forklift was reduced by a total of around 38% and the CO₂ emissions that previously occurred during recharging have now been eliminated entirely.
Switch to energy-saving lighting
All production halls at the Heerbrugg (Switzerland) location have switched to energy-efficient LED lighting over the past three years. The last phases of this conversion were hardening technology and the logistics building, which were completed in the summer of 2023. The bulk of the conversion only required that the bulbs be replaced. Both the rails and wiring could be kept, which reduced the cost of materials. All in all, this cut the energy requirements for lighting the production halls in Heerbrugg by 50%.
In 2023 also the location in Watertown (USA) replaced its old lighting appliances. There, a total of 250 new LED lights were installed, which require 67% less energy than the incandescent lamps previously in use.
Expansion of self-produced renewable energy
The new photovoltaic installation was installed in Tianjin (China) at the end of 2022. It went live in January 2023 and now produces 1,300 MWh of renewable electricity per year, or around 10% of that location’s electricity requirements.
A new photovoltaic installation was also installed in Rebstein (Switzerland). Covering an area of 4,135 m2, this new installation went live in November 2023 and will enable the location to meet around 50% of its electricity requirements with an installed capacity of 800 MWh per year.
Focus on occupational health and safety
Environmental issues were not the only ones promoted during the year under review; numerous initiatives in the realm of occupational health and safety were also pursued. These include the new “Mental Health Coaching” offer in Germany, for example, under which employees can seek out advice on personal matters at no cost to them. Awareness campaigns – including the Safety Weeks in China and India as well as regular trainings on the topic – also underscore the immense importance of protecting employees’ health and preventing accidents at work.
Expansion of Sustainability Days
Division D&L International held its first Sustainability Days at its Munich (Germany) location in September 2023. Under the motto of “Shaping the future together”, employees could learn more about the different aspects of sustainability at many stands and – through special offers and tutorials – experience in concrete terms what that means both in a corporate and a personal context. Several different departments showed how their activities are already sustainable and how these activities make an important contribution toward the overarching corporate objectives. The sustainability strategy was explained and information provided about energy-efficient building management, sustainable business trips and e-mobility. The Hoffmann Group Foundation also presented its commitment to disadvantaged children and youths. To continue raising awareness about sustainability among the staff, the Group will continue to pursue the Sustainability Days concept and implement it at additional locations in 2024.
