Global automotive supplier, Continental, has won the Arburg Energy Efficiency Award 2012. Arburg, a manufacturer of injection moulding machinery, presented the award on March 13, 2012, to Continental, at a gala function held at its headquarters in Lossburg.
Karlheinz Boguslawski (r.) accepted the award on behalf of Continental from Michael Hehl. Photo: ARBURG
Michael Hehl, the Managing Partner at Arburg Management, presented the award to Karlheinz Boguslawski, the Plant Manager at Continental in Babenhausen. This annual award recognizes and motivates companies that take a global comprehensive approach to energy efficiency. Boguslawski commented that the award was a further encouragement to the company to make use of products that are environmentally-compatible in manufacturing processes.
The Director of SKZ – German Plastics Center, Prof. Martin Bastian, delivered the keynote address at the function. He stated that serious and honest technological innovation, collaboration, mutual trust in collaboration and continuous investment in innovation are needed to address the requirements of the market.
Continental aims to cut down on its energy consumption and CO2 emissions in production by 15%, by the year 2015. The new operating equipment and machinery from Arburg are more energy efficient and they will help save in the amount of energy that Continental uses for production of plastic products. This production takes up nearly 15% of the company’s total energy consumption. Continental intends to lower the power consumed for production of each plastic part by a minimum of 10% and also further optimise its production processes.
The company has installed a block-type thermal power plant, air conditioning systems with heat exchangers, thermal pumps, thermal solar heating systems and equipment for energy recovery from the production hall ventilation systems.
Boguslawski stated that protecting the environment formed a permanent part of the company’s activities. Continental produces engine control systems, driver information systems, telematics, low roll resistance tyres, and hybrid and electric systems. In 2011, the company had launched a systematic DIN EN ISO 50001 energy management programme at its global automotive sites.
At Arburg, savings in energy consumption is a major concern. In 2011, it had generated 21.6% of its energy consumption, using wind, solar energy and combined heat and power plants. The company aims to introduce a DIN EN ISO 50001 certified energy management system in 2012.