HAWE Hydraulik optimizes climate-friendly production
At the end of January 2010 the Munich-based HAWE Hydraulik SE joined the "Energy-efficiency network Munich/Upper Bavaria". Through signing up, the company commits itself to substantially reduce the energy consumption and CO2 emissions in its production process over the next three-and-half years and save 10% of its previous energy demands.
This shall be achieved through improved handling of pressurized air, water, electric power, heating, consumption of technical gases as well as the optimized maintenance and repair of the machines. The factory in Freising will serve as pilot site, as it is HAWE Hydraulik's biggest facility comprising a total production area of nearly 13,000 sqm. Even the smallest optimizations will have a beneficial effect on the environment and the climate. Later on the experiences gained from this project will be transferred to the other HAWE sites in Munich, Kirchheim, Dorfen and Sachsenkam.
By joining the energy-efficiency network HAWE Hydraulik is adding another component to its operative environment policy. The company had already set a clear sign for environmental protection in 2008 by having its sites in Dorfen and Kirchheim certified with the environmental protection standard DIN EN ISO 14001:2005 that then received a successful audit in 2009. The next step shall see the factory in Freising receiving the environmental management certificate to be followed by the factory in Sachsenkam the year after.
The energy-efficiency network was borne out of the promotional program "30 pilot networks" and the climate protection initiative of the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMU). The program's target is to increase the energy efficiency of the participating companies and to lower CO2 emission by 10%. If successful the companies involved would be improving their energy efficiency faster than the industry average. The project is based on an intensive exchange of experiences between the companies in the network as well as practical scientific consultation.
The 'Fraunhofer Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI - Institute for system and innovation research) in Karlsruhe is accompanying the promotional program which also receives the backing of the German Trade and Industry Chamber (IHK). In addition, independent engineering offices consult and assist the companies, while the 'Forschungsstelle für Energiewirtschaft e.V. (FfE - Research agency for the energy industry) from Munich is setting up the networks. Hep Monatzeder, Munich city's third mayor is acting as the patron of the "Energy-efficiency network Munich/Upper Bavaria".
