Electricity
Energy is this generation’s buzzword
We need energy in order to work and to live, yet the sources of fossil fuel on our planet are becoming ever scarcer. The search for alternatives has long since been more than just a vision, having become reality in many areas: wind, solar, tidal and geothermal energy are just some examples of new ways in which energy is generated. At edding AG, we generate electricity from sunlight. At our headquarters in Ahrensburg and our production site in Bautzen, photovoltaic plants have been installed to supply electricity with a high level of efficiency. Annually, this saves edding around 179,000 kilowatt hours and prevents annual emissions of approx. 158 tonnes of CO2.
As part of a trainee project at the Bautzen production site, the use of energy-efficient fluorescent tubes, motion detectors and light sensors has helped to generate electricity savings of around 35%. At the headquarters in Ahrensburg, this figure stands at around 50%. For many years, all edding’s German sites have been exclusively using green energy as a matter of course. These sites are certified to ISO 50001, the globally accepted standard for energy management.
Solar power plant on the roofs of edding's production site in Bautzen, Germany
Solar power plant on the roofs of edding's HQ in Ahrensburg, Germany
Environmental and Energy Management
Warmly recommended and an obvious choice: our CHP plant
In October 2010, a CHP (Combined Heat and Power) plant was commissioned in Ahrensburg. The combustion engine powered by natural gas generates 50 kWh of electricity, covering not just a third of the daily demand but the entire overnight demand between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
We also work with heat recovery. In the company canteen, the fridges produce so much heat they can heat up all the hot water for the canteen. Thanks to these two measures we are saving energy and reducing our CO2 emissions.
In our production halls in Bautzen, an innovative, intelligent and energy-efficient heat recovery system from the tool-and-machine cooling process in the injection-moulding plant is used to heat the entire operation in winter and cool down the production halls in summer. In the colder months, the recently installed winter relief system means that cold air from outside is used to cool machinery and tools, enabling a large cooling machine to be switched off and thereby generating further energy savings. At the same time, there has been a clear improvement in cooling and heating performance. What’s more, the closed-loop design means no emissions escape through open cooling towers.
Sustainable mobility
Sustainable vehicle fleet
906 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents were released in Germany in 2016, roughly 2 million tonnes more than in the previous year. Whilst emissions fell in some areas, there was a dramatic increase of 4 million tonnes in the transport sector. It is our declared aim to counter this trend. In 2009, the first edding internal car policy was introduced. The emissions target of 160 g/km initially set for our diesel vehicles was quickly achieved thanks to the ambitious implementation of the new policy, giving motivation for continuous improvement, so much so that target values are now a maximum of 120 g/km. Many of our employees have committed to choosing a company car with low emissions. A suitable incentive model encourages employees to choose a vehicle with emissions below 100 g/km.
When it comes to protecting the environment, we're stepping on the gas - naturally
Even in the 1960s, our founders were keen to find alternative forms of driving. At the start of this century, a solar-powered vehicle was in operation at edding’s Ahrensburg site. In 2009, edding purchased its first electric vehicle, immediately installing its own e-charging point. All employees had the chance to test this car for personal use for a weekend. It’s not known if anyone has taken up the idea in their private lives.
In the Netherlands, there are considerable tax incentives for hybrid or electric vehicles, so much so that in Lochem, the location of Legamaster, our Dutch subsidiary, 9 out of 23 vehicles currently in use are hybrids. By leasing bicycles, we offer our employees the chance to follow a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.
edding – naturally on tour