Schlemmer continues to focus on sustainability

On the occasion of WWF's global environmental campaign "Earth Hour", Schlemmer is calling upon its employees to save energy in everyday working life. This appeal is just one of many measures that demonstrate Schlemmer’s ongoing ecological responsibility.

Sustainability is a major issue in the automotive industry and is also on focus for the Schlemmer Group, a globally operating supplier. Taking measures to ensure environmentally friendly production is a matter of course for Schlemmer, but the company is also committed to promoting environmental awareness among its employees. This year, Schlemmer is seizing the global campaign "Earth Hour" of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as an opportunity to animate its workforce through the intranet to be environmentally conscious in everyday life. People around the world take part in the annual “Earth Hour” campaign as a symbol for environmental protection by darkening landmarks for one hour and switching off dispensable lights in buildings. "Regrettably, the “Earth Hour” always takes place on a Saturday. We have therefore chosen a different approach to support this truly meaningful campaign," explains Schlemmer CEO Josef Minster.

Environmental tips for the office
Through the intranet, Schlemmer has called upon its employees at all locations this week to keep an eye on electricity consumption at their own workplace. In its flyer, "Office: Energy", the company provides ten practical tips on how to save energy in the office and points out several common misconceptions – such as the belief that it is more efficient to keep a PC switched on during work breaks rather than switch it off and on again.

Certification for operational energy efficiency
Sustainability is also a high priority in production. The Münchingen site recently obtained ISO 50001 energy management certification. This certifies that the site performs a high level of energy-related services. Schlemmer is also active in environmental protection at many other production sites and is certified according to the environmental management standard DIN ISO 14001.
Contribution to a positive eco-balance of finished products
Since environmental awareness is not defined solely by energy efficiency, Schlemmer is aware of the sustainability value when selecting raw materials. In the manufacturing process, so-called re-granulates (re-compounds) are increasingly being used for new projects. These are recyclable plastics that arise during the production process. These re-compounds are developed together with customers (according to their requirements), and the supplier. Compared to new goods, the quality, finish, packaging and logistics of re-compounds are equivalent and contribute to a positive ecological balance of finished products.

Ecological lightweight construction using the MuCell® process
Schlemmer is committed to the principle of sustainability not least in its production processes. An important role is played by MuCell® technology, an established injection moulding process for producing plastic parts based on microcellular foam structures. In the MuCell® process, the plastic melt is charged with gas in a pre-defined quantity via a metering system prior to injection into the tool. Thanks to the resulting improved flow characteristics, the melt can be injected faster and the mass and tool temperature can be set lower. The energy requirement is thus shortened considerably.