Lanxess Increases Sales and Earnings Significantly in Fiscal Year 2022
Sales up 32.6 percent year-on-year at EUR 8.088 billion
EBITDA pre exceptionals increase 14.1 percent to EUR 930 million
Acquired Consumer Protection businesses make positive contribution
Dividend proposal for fiscal year 2022: EUR 1.05 per share
Guidance for fiscal year 2023: Earnings expected to be at the 2022 level
Guidance for Q1 2023: EBITDA pre exceptionals of EUR 180 million to EUR 220 million expected
CEO Matthias Zachert: “Our strategy has stood the test – LANXESS has successfully managed a year with many adversities.”
In an environment characterised by many upheavals, LANXESS closed fiscal year 2022 successfully. The specialty chemicals company’s sales and earnings have increased significantly.
Group sales amounted to EUR 8.088 billion in 2022, up 32.6 percent on the previous year’s figure of EUR 6.101 billion. EBITDA pre exceptionals increased by 14.1 percent to EUR 930 million compared with EUR 815 million a year earlier. Earnings were therefore within the recently forecast range of EUR 900 million to EUR 950 million.
LANXESS passed on the significantly increased costs for raw materials and energy to the market in full via a successful increase of selling prices. The growth was especially driven by the Specialty Additives and Consumer Protection segments. The latter benefited in particular from the contributions from IFF’s Microbial Control business acquired at the beginning of July 2022 and from the U.S. company Emerald Kalama Chemical acquired at the beginning of August 2021. Lower sales volumes, especially in the final quarter of 2022, had a negative impact on earnings.
“We mastered 2022 successfully and increased our earnings despite the adverse conditions. This shows that LANXESS is weatherproof. Our strategy has stood the test. Thanks to our products’ leading market positions, we passed on the extreme cost increases in full. In addition, we sharpened our focus on specialty chemicals and reinforced our presence in North America. This provides additional stability and growth,” says Matthias Zachert, CEO of LANXESS. “However, 2023 will not be easier. The reduced demand that we already felt in the final quarter of 2022 is currently continuing in the new year. But I am convinced that we will make it through this economic slump thanks to our stable positioning.”
The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals reached 11.5 percent, against 13.4 percent a year ago. The decline resulted from the passing on of significantly increased costs and lower sales volumes.
Net income from continuing operations increased considerably by 60.0 percent and amounted to EUR 184 million, against EUR 115 million a year ago. This does not include the results of the High Performance Materials business unit, which was spun off and reported as a discontinued operation.
For 2023, LANXESS expects EBITDA pre exceptionals to be at the level of the previous year. At the same time, the Group anticipates a recessionary business environment in the first half of the year. The persistently high energy prices from the fourth quarter of the previous year will also make an impact at the start of 2023. The repercussions of the war in Ukraine and changes in raw material and energy costs remain sources of uncertainty. For the first quarter of 2023, LANXESS expects EBITDA pre exceptionals of between EUR 180 million and EUR 220 million.
By Erwin Busselot, Director, Business Innovation & Solutions, Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe
The effectiveness of digital communications is overestimated.
So says Kim Skjoldbord, a marketing and media industry consultant and lecturer in marketing communication and media planning at University of Southern Denmark.
In Print Power’s Print Media Predictions 2023 he continued that it is because there is an ignorance around the effectiveness of different channels, including print. This, he says, is because: “We talk about and we believe what is in the media and what we hear. People talk about digital media all the time and consequently they overestimate its effectiveness.”
It is easy to see why digital media might be perceived this way. After all most of us interact with it all the time. On average, people spend three hours and 15 minutes on their phones per day. And check their phones an average of 58 times each day.
However, because of that frequency, we are less likely to remember something, engage with it in a meaningful way or be encouraged to take action.
Skjoldbord adds: “When my students see how print is actually rated and how effective it is, something clicks in their head.”
Which matches my own experience of a couple of years ago when I presented to 200 design students in Mechelen, Belgium, about the benefits of (digital) print in marketing. These digital natives were hugely impressed by the boxes of application samples I showed them and asked for more information on (digital) print as well as where to get it.
On the subject of effectiveness, Great Britain’s Joint Industry Committee for Mail (JICMail) says human interaction with ads cannot be assumed. Its pilot study on attention preliminarily reported 71% of digital ads are viewable (at least half the ad is viewable and on the screen for at least a second), but only 9% are viewed or fixated upon.
In contrast 31% of physical mail prompts a commercial action and it lives in the home for a week on average: its “shelf-life”. Time spent with an average mail item across 28 days was 173.9 seconds for business, 120.6 seconds for addressed advertising and 68 seconds for partially addressed.
Physical print is also tactile and people value something they can both touch and see 24% more highly than something they can only see. This is one of the reasons 45% of people bought a printed book in America last year, compared to the 23% who bought an e-book.
Physical print is memorable too – so much so it helps aid learning as I discussed in this blog. It makes it easier to absorb information because comprehension, concentration and retention is greater while our memory and vocabulary are improved.
Capturing attention and aiding memorability is enhanced with personalisation and content customisation. It provides readers and recipients with information they are specifically interested in.
There are opportunities to be gained from combining physical print and digital capabilities, too. For example, direct mail, magazine, and brochures, can incorporate QR codes and image recognition for greater engagement. Impact can be enhanced with cross-promotion across different channels, too.
But to ensure the greatest return on investment, it is essential that data is accurate. This maximises budget, cuts waste, and meets GDPR compliance and ensures audience interest. Solutions like /data.mill, a data-cleansing software application, enable cleanse data and maintain accuracy.
It is clear there are many reasons most of us choose to engage more with physical print than digital print. That is why now is the perfect time to create print we would all love to interact with.
Asahi Kasei Bringing Innovative Flexo Plate and Processing Solutions in Harmony with the Environment to FTA INFOFLEX
At INFOFLEX 2023, organized by the Flexographic Technical Association, Asahi Kasei Will Feature AWP-DEW and AWP CleanFlat Environmentally Sound CleanPrint solutions
Asahi Kasei, a pioneer in flexographic photopolymer plate development, today reported it will be attending INFOFLEX 2023, organized by the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), as a Platinum Sponsor. The event, scheduled for 17-18 April at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. Asahi Kasei will be located in Booth 331 at the event. Gene Martin, agent for Asahi Photoproducts USA, will speak at the INFOFLEX 2023 Innovation Central Theater explaining Asahi Kasei’s sustainability journey and commitments as well as its achievements to date, to inspire others to follow the company’s lead. The title of his talk is Accelerating the Sustainability Journey in Flexographic Printing.
“The Asahi water-washable plate has been in the market for 15 years,” Martin said, “and we continue to improve its value to the industry and to the environment. In 2022, our AWP-DEW water-washable plate achieved Carbon Neutral certification, highlighting the company direction to be come carbon neutral across all its businesses by 2050. Also featured in our booth will be the AWP CleanFlat plate, a water-washable FlatTop plate solution with high-quality printing press consistency. I am proud to be able to bring these and other important messages to INFOFLEX on behalf of the company and the flexo community.”
At the event, Asahi Kasei will also be introducing two other important developments that are critical elements of its accelerated sustainability journey. These include:
A recently introduced water recycling system which reduces wastewater in flexo plate processing by 75%, a breakthrough in sustainability and water conservation for flexo plate production; and
Introduction of a brand-new solvent plate that can be processed using less solvents, at faster speeds and with drastically reduced drying times. Using this plate contributes to reducing the CO2 footprint of flexographic printing.
“While we believe it is essential to increasingly move production to more environmentally balanced water-washable flexo plates,” Martin added, “many companies are still using solvent wash for a variety of reasons. Our new solvent wash plate is a step in the right sustainability direction, not only reducing the volume of solvents used, but also offering faster time to market with no compromise in quality compared to alternative solvent plates.”
Preserving Precious Water Resources
Asahi Kasei’s water recycling unit, targeted for use with larger Asahi plate processing systems, features an innovative filtering system that recycles up to 75% of the water used in plate processing, with only the remaining 25%, in the form of a slurry or sludge, to be disposed of. Forty percent of the additive used in the water wash remains in the filtered water, reducing the amount of additive required for processing subsequent plates. “Fresh water is one of the earth’s most precious resources,” Yuji Suzuki, Asahi Technical Support Professional, stated. “We chose to develop water-washable plates to eliminate the need for VOC solvents as a bases for the washout solution. But at the same time, we wanted to find a way to minimize the use of that water. This recycling unit does just that.”
Aptar Closures Acquires Majority Stake of Gulf Closures, Adding Manufacturing Capabilities in the Middle East
Aptar Closures, a global leader in dispensing closures and active material science solutions today announced the acquisition of majority stake in Gulf Closures, a closure manufacturer for beverage products in Bahrain.
With the acquisition, Aptar Closures will leverage its global business capabilities and Gulf Closures’ manufacturing expertise, regional network, and experienced team to better serve the company’s existing customers in the Middle East, while opening new market opportunities and strengthening its presence in the region.
Today, Gulf Closures employs approximately 60 people at its facility in Bahrain and holds ISO and FSSC certifications. Gulf Closures is a partner to several global and other major local beverage brands in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Levant, and Africa.
“Aptar has been present in the Middle East since 2019 when the company opened a sales office in Dubai. This acquisition will further accelerate our strategy in the region, now with a local manufacturing footprint. We look forward to building on Gulf Closures’ capacity and expertise to better serve our current customers in the region and to open new market opportunities,” added Hedi Tlili, president of Aptar Closures.
As recently announced, Aptar has realigned its segments to provide a specific focus on closures through the segment Aptar Closures, effective January 1, 2023. Aptar Closures leverages its closures expertise to continue to provide best-in-class service to its customers with innovative and sustainable solutions, while strengthening its market position and broadening the served markets with its leading technologies.
Asahi Kasei’s Production Facility for Dinamica Acquires Certification Regarding Use of Power 100% Derived From Renewable Energy by Utilizing Hitachi’s Powered by RE
Asahi Kasei’s production facility for Dinamica microfiber resembling suede at its Nonwovens Plant in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan, has acquired the first Certificate of Renewable Energy Use, utilizing Hitachi’s Powered by RE system, which visualizes the usage of renewable energy. The certification, acquired on March 8, 2023, ensures that the production facility for Dinamica is powered by 100% renewable energy.
Today, companies are making efforts to become carbon neutral throughout the value chain to realize a sustainable society, resulting in demand for high-value-added products and services that are made using 100% renewable energy.
Dinamica is a microfiber resembling suede with a 3-layer structureproduced with Asahi Kasei’s proprietary manufacturing process. Having excellent texture and versatile design, it is widely used in various applications around the world such as automotive interiors, furniture, IT accessories, clothing, and industrial materials. Asahi Kasei has proactively reduced the CO2 emissions from the manufacture of Dinamica as part of its effort to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Hitachi developed Powered by RE in 2021 as a system to visualize how much renewable energy is used at individual facilities and services, with the aim of realizing a decarbonized society. In 2022, Hitachi launched the Powered by RE Certification Committee, a general incorporated association jointly with Art & Ecology, Inc. that certifies 100% renewable energy use at each production line, equipment and services to contribute to further expansion of renewable energy use.
The Certificate of Renewable Energy Use issued by the Powered by RE Certification Committee ensures that electricity used by individual production lines, facilities, and services is 100% derived from renewable energy. The certification acquired for Dinamica has been based on data from the energy management system of its production facility at the Nonwovens Plant, verifying that 100% of the power used is derived from renewable energy. This certification allows Asahi Kasei to claim to its customers that it is contributing to measures against global warming through the provision of products from the certified production lines.
Asahi Kasei aims to realize carbon neutral and sustainable society from the perspective of “Care for Earth” and is focusing on initiatives such as the use of biomass raw materials, recycled raw materials, renewable energy, etc. The Asahi Kasei Group continues to meet the expectations of society and its customers by proactively cooperating with its stakeholders while further promoting the provision of products and services with such characteristics based on its medium-term management plan for fiscal 2024 focused on the theme “Be a Trailblazer.”
Hitachi drives its Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society with data and technology, and continues to provide digital solutions, such as Powered by RE, to help realize a decarbonized society. In addition, by widely promoting certification of renewable energy use through the Powered by RE Certification Committee, Hitachi will contribute to businesses’ adoption of renewable energy.
Dinamica consists of three layers of face, inner scrim, and backing, with the microfiber layers intertwined with each other in three dimensions. The inner scrim layer improves dimensional stability and strength. Being immersed in a water-based polyurethane gives the material a rich elastic texture.
Medica 2023 + Compamed 2023 on Schedule – Hot Phase of Registration and Theme Planning Running With Momentum
Increased synergy effects of both events caused by developments on the market
With a notable increase in the number of exhibitors and a strong boost in the amount of visitors, in November 2022, the internationally leading trade fairs for the medical technology sector and its suppliers, Medica and Compamed in Düsseldorf, were able to send an important message signalling a new dawn for the market after months of restrictions caused by the pandemic. And they are carrying this momentum into the new year of events (trade fairs will be held on 13–16 November 2023). “The rate of repeat bookings is very high, reflecting customer feedback immediately following Medica and Compamed 2022. For many companies, contact with international professional medical suppliers is of enormous importance, to give just one example. And this target group has demonstrated a renewed presence among visitors again”, explains Christian Grosser, Director Health & Medical Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf.
Christian Grosser goes on to emphasise a certain unique characteristic of Medica and Compamed which the over 5,000 exhibiting companies at the latest trade fairs are deeming more and more important: “Both events with their unique mutual influence are the location where we focus on the topic of the entire supply and value chain of medical technological products – including their assembly parts and product development, aspects of manufacture, up to and including downstream services over the lifetime of the product. One factor here is business and reliable partnerships within the medical technology industry. In the face of current global political challenges, this has become very important. The necessary goal is to create a secure foundation for your own business.”
The key facts and figures on MEDICA + COMPAMED at a glance
The mutually increasing synergy effects of both events are confirmed by the numbers. In 2022, more than half of the professional visitors with a primary interest in Medica also visited the parallel trade fair Compamed. In 2010, this figure was still around 30 percent.
Trend topics in the focus of the supporting programme
Food for discussion is bound to be supplied in Düsseldorf at the trade fair dates in mid-November by multiple trends which characterise the market and its dynamics at the time, and which will be addressed not only by the novel presentations at both professional trade fairs, but also in the comprehensive programme supporting the events.
One example is the growing “out-patientisation” of care. This sets the focus on products and services for the so-called “point-of-care”, that is on patient-oriented diagnostics and treatment, but also on telemedical applications for optimal, cross-sector networking among all people involved in the care process. Another trend is solutions based on Artificial Intelligence and supporting systems, for example robotic systems or VR/AR applications. The implementation of sustainable processes is a goal that by now has become one of the highest priorities in companies and institutions across all sectors of industry – including the health sector. This includes a holistic view of economic processes to maintain a lasting ability to compete, without a negative social or environmental impact. All parts of the supply and value chain are evaluated closely for their potential for optimisation.
“Our comprehensive programme of professional forums and parallel conferences as well as the digital talk format Medica DEEP DIVE, which will recommence before summer, will reflect these trends. Suitable themes are already being eagerly planned. The current projects of health start-ups are something to really look forward to. At the professional trade fair, at Medica START-UP PARK and in the accompanying programme, there will be many interesting things to report on this topic”, promises Christian Grosser with a view to finding answers and solutions for all questions that are on the mind of the industry right now.
Among the professional forums integrated into the Medica professional trade fair are the Medica Connected Healthcare Forum (digital connectivity), the Medica Health It Forum (IT issues), the Medica Tech Forum (trends within medical technology) as well as the Medica Labmed Forum (innovations in laboratory medicine).
Some examples of the accompanying conference programme are the 46th German Hospital Day, the leading event for the top management of German hospitals (being held at CCD Süd this time), the Conference on Disaster and Military Medicine DiMiMed, the Medica Medicine + Sports Conference for the international professional sports medicine and sports science scene (also both being held at CCD Süd).
Trade visitors in the well-attended exhibition halls of COMPAMED
The focus segments of the Medica trade fair are as follows: Laboratory Technology and Diagnostics, Medical Technology and Electromedicine (Imaging and Diagnostics/Medical Equipment and Devices), Commodities and Consumables, Physiotherapy and Orthopaedic Technology as well as IT Systems and IT Solutions.
Trend updates for suppliers
For trend updates concerning the preceding development or manufacturing processes of the medical technology industry, Compamed remains a must (with over 700 participating exhibitors). This is where supplier companies present a cornucopia of high-tech and service solutions. Components, microsystem technology, material processing and coating, additive manufacturing/3D printing, manufacturing engineering and machines as well as packaging and services are focal points which are reflected in the programmes of two integrated professional forums.
A first look at the content of Compamed 2023 will be offered at the digital Compamed Innovation Forum 2023, held in cooperation by Messe Düsseldorf and the International Microtechnology Business Network (IVAM) on 12 June. The content will focus on innovations in the field of sensor technology and their contribution regarding modern yet cost-efficient diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
hubergroup Print Solutions Presents Its Sustainable Portfolio at PAMEX 2023
hubergroup Print Solutions, one of the leading international ink specialists, announced its participation at PAMEX 2023, which takes place from March 27 to 30 in Mumbai, India. At its stand, hubergroup will present its MGA (low migration and low odour) inks, which guarantee a maximum of safety and sustainability in food packaging. As a highlight, the ink specialist will also provide information about the recently launched series MGA FOOD NEWS and MGA EVOLUTION, which are the first web offset inks for food-compliant paper packaging. Furthermore, hubergroup will exhibit its eco-friendly non-food packaging inks such as RAPIDA ECO and ECO-PERFECT-DRY.
hubergroup’s MGA portfolio includes, among others, the fast-setting sheet-fed series MGA NATURA, which is designed for the safe printing on the outside of food packaging, as well as the direct food contact series MGA CONTACT, which allows safe and vivid printing on the inside of paper and cardboard food packaging.
The newcomer series MGA FOOD NEWS and MGA EVOLUTION, on the other hand, are aimed at web offset printers who want to establish a new business with the printing of food packaging. These first low-migration and low-odour coldset and heatset inks to produce foodcompliant paper packaging in large quantities using four-colour printing. Food manufacturers can thus make their packaging more colourful, for example, by reproducing their products trueto-life on it.
When it comes to non-food packaging, hubergroup will present its ink series RAPIDA ECO and ECO-PERFECT-DRY which both combine fast and sustainable printing. RAPIDA ECO is one of the fastest vegetable-based inks for sheet-fed printing available on the market. ECOPERFECT-DRY convinces through the combination of fast setting with high resistance, mechanical stress, and eco-friendliness.
The hubergroup team at PAMEX will be happy to advise visitors on which series best suits their requirements. You will find the company at stand no. C46, Hall1 at the Bombay Exhibition Center.
Agilyx and INEOS Styrolution Advance Development of Large Scale TruStyrenyx Plant
Collaboration with Technip Energies developing into projects
Final stage of design and engineering work will form the basis for construction
Facility will process up to 100 tons of polystyrene waste per day
INEOS Styrolution America LLC (“INEOS Styrolution”), a global leader in styrenics, and Agilyx ASA (OSE: AGLX; OTCQX: AGXXF) (“Agilyx”), a technology company that enables customers to recycle post-use plastics to high value, virgin-equivalent products, today announce that they are advancing the development of a previously announced 100 tons per day TruStyrenyx chemical recycling facility in Channahon, Illinois.
TruStyrenyx is a partnership between Agilyx and Technip Energies and provides an all-in-one solution for the chemical recycling of polystyrene back into high purity styrene monomer. The styrene monomer can be used to make new, food-grade plastic products or packaging.
Under the agreement, Agilyx and Technip Energies will collaborate with INEOS Styrolution and together develop the design and engineering that will serve as the basis for constructing the chemical recycling facility. The group anticipates completion of engineering in 2023, which will form the basis for a financial investment decision.
Greg Fordyce, President of INEOS Styrolution, says, “We are very pleased to announce the advancement of the recycling plant in Channahon, Illinois. This facility will increase polystyrene recycling rates in the greater Chicago area and across the United States and demonstrates our company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. The TruStyrenyx facility will allow us to provide our customers with recycled content that is incredibly high purity for producing environmentally conscious products using innovative and sustainable solutions.”
Tim Stedman, CEO of Agilyx states, “I’m delighted that we are partnering with INEOS Styrolution to continue development of the first large scale TruStyrenyx plant, utilizing some of the private placement funds Agilyx raised in September. We view TruStyrenyx as a game changer in the recycling of polystyrene, enabling an incredibly high purity, circular solution. This new facility will help to meet the growing demand from brand owners and consumers who want to see more recycled plastics in products.”
University of Birmingham and Stopford Announce New Funding for Novel Plastics Recycling Technology
A research consortium comprising technologists from the University of Birmingham and engineering firm Stopford has been awarded a further £300k of funding from Innovate UUniversity of BirminghamK to develop a novel plastic recycling technology.
The technology is a chemical recycling process that utilises hot compressed water as green solvent to selectively depolymerise waste plastics into commodity compounds which can be processed to produce virgin materials – supplanting fossil fuel feedstocks and injecting much-needed circularity in plastic wastes management. Importantly, it is capable of recycling contaminated and degraded plastics, and requires reduced downstream processing.
To accomplish this, the process exploits the unique behaviour of water in its supercritical state (above a certain temperature and pressure) where it exhibits reduced polarity, high solvating power for complex polymers (like plastics). By virtue of combined intermediate heat and high pressure, it decomposes polymers at ‘selective spots’, thus producing target products at high proportions.
The new tranche of funding has been awarded by UK Research and Innovation’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge to adapt our platform technology to PET-based plastic waste such as pots, salad trays, and tubs. It complements the team’s on-going work, also funded by Innovate UK, to establish a demonstrator facility at Birmingham’s Tyseley Energy Park for the recycling of polyolefin-based plastics, such as polyethylene and polypropylene which are used in packaging.
Dr Ben Herbert, Technology & Innovation Director at Stopford, said: “I am delighted that our technology has once again been recognised by UKRI’s SSPP Challenge as a ground-breaking recycling technology for the management of waste plastics, and I very much look forward to working with our project partners to expand its application to enable a circular approach to the management of PET-based plastics waste.”
Professor Bushra Al-Duri, Professor of Sustainable Process Engineering at the University’s School of Chemical Engineering and inventor of the platform technology said: “Supercritical water technology is exciting, intriguing, and challenging. We are dedicated to remain on the road of alleviating the upcoming challenges with science, engineering, and with working as one team of complementing skills.”
David Coleman, CEO at University of Birmingham Enterprise, said: “It’s great to see a technology invented in Birmingham coming full circle back to the city, which has fantastic facilities at the Tyseley Energy Park, and other spaces where companies can collaborate with the research base in a supportive environment.”
Arburg Partner Summit: Inspiring Gathering of Experts
Special occasion: 450 Arburg technology partners and suppliers hosted in Lossburg
Transfer of expertise: Anniversary celebration and opportunity for networking within the Arburg family
Core topics: Material shortage and Arburg activities for more sustainability
Arburg hosted a “Partner Summit” in Lossburg. This anniversary event was Arburg’s special way of thanking its long-standing technology partners and suppliers, without whom the unique success story of “100 years of the Hehl family company” would not have been possible. 450 invited guests came to the company headquarters to celebrate the anniversary in the “Arburg Cube” and to find out more during presentations and company tours. Centre stage was taken by the comprehensive activities of Arburg and its partners on the topic of sustainability. The event was rounded off with a brilliant evening programme in the presence of Arburg’s Partners and Managing Directors. Enthusiastic guests took advantage of the opportunity to network and celebrate with the large Arburg family until early in the morning of the following day.
“It makes me really proud to look around here – it’s great that you’re all here”, said Guido Frohnhaus, Managing Director of Technology, welcoming the guests to the “Arburg Cube” event location, which had been specially built for the anniversary. Talking about how important long-standing partnerships are for the company, he added: “We maintain exceptionally close, trusting and appreciative relationships with our suppliers and technology partners, in some cases over decades. This is one of the reasons why we haven’t had any production standstills in the last few turbulent years and why we were and remain able to deliver at all times.” Guido Frohnhaus credited the company’s resilience with helping it to weather the difficult times too, with strong and reliable partners playing an important role. At the same time, and in close cooperation with industry and science, he noted that Arburg was continuing to develop its products and processes sustainably in the direction of production and energy efficiency, resource conservation and a reduced carbon footprint.
In her “arburgGREENworld” presentation, Samira Uharek, Arburg Sustainability Manager, used numerous application examples to explain the company’s arburgGREENworld activities and action plan for greater production and resource efficiency, a stronger circular economy and a sustainable reduction in the carbon footprint.
Expert presentation on semiconductor dependence
Andreas Mangler, Director Strategic Marketing at Rutronik, one of Europe’s leading semiconductor distributors based in Baden-Württemberg, shed light on the complexity of supply chains for electronic components in his keynote address. Describing the many steps in the value chain from chip design to the final semiconductor product, he pointed out a dependence on only a few companies in countries such as the US, Japan, Taiwan and China and set this against the backdrop of growing demand in Europe, particularly in the industrial and automotive sectors. Andreas Mangler was positive about the fact that Arburg, unlike many other companies, has taken the issue of software into its own hands and has a very high vertical range of manufacture in the field of electronics and in-house control engineering.
Fascinating keynote: Andreas Mangler, Director of Strategic Marketing at Rutronik, gave a vivid account of the complexity of supply chains for electronic components.
arburgGREENworld: Sustainability at Arburg
Samira Uharek, Arburg Sustainability Manager, gave an overview of the company’s comprehensive sustainability activities as part of the “arburgGREENworld” programme. She listed its goals as increased production and resource efficiency, circular economy, and a reduction in the carbon footprint. Ways of achieving these range from FEM-optimised design, the use of close-contour raw materials and minimisation of sheet metal waste in the production of Allrounders, to services such as the arburgXworld customer portal, the testing of alternative plastics and Arburg’s new “Action Plan: Energy” for on-site energy consulting with customers. On top of this, she cited efficient waste management and the use of rainwater, wind power, geothermal energy and photovoltaics. At around 60 per cent, the company’s high proportion of in-house production combined with its short supply chains guarantees resource efficiency. As part of its action plan, Arburg is continuously working to act in a more climate-neutral, socially responsible and accountable manner and makes this transparent in its Sustainability Report. Evidence of the strategy’s effectiveness can be seen, for example, in the 100 million kilograms of CO2 saved at the central production site since 2010. In addition, the company participates in the internationally renowned Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), with Arburg achieving a top level “B” score in machine construction for the third time since 2021. In 2022, Arburg added a Silver Medal EcoVadis rating, which also took account of labour and human rights, sustainable procurement and ethics. Samira Uharek highlighted Arburg’s ability to rely on its consistent procurement policy and excellent supply chain management, with 72 per cent of the delivery share coming from Germany and 66 per cent of these from Baden-Württemberg. The sustainability activities of suppliers had a positive effect on machine footprints and were therefore of great value to Arburg, she remarked.
The tours offered intriguing insights: Arthur Kopp, Arburg’s Head of Materials Management, led one of the 14 groups through the company.
Fascinating company tours
In the subsequent company tours, a large number of application examples helped make complex issues “tangible”. “Our partners and suppliers could see for themselves how we have always approached our processes, internal value streams, digitalisation, products and construction developments from an integrated perspective. This quite literally made a lasting impression on our guests”, explained Arthur Kopp, Head of Materials Management at Arburg. “With the numerous practical examples we were certainly able to give the participants a lot of impulses to expand their own ‘Green World’.” Experts were on hand at a total of ten stations to address topics such as in-house electronics manufacturing and control engineering, sustainable building technology, turnkey solutions and resource-efficient production in the areas of cubic production, sheet metal production and work preparation. This was complemented by an overview of development partnerships and the presentation of the “arburgXworld” and “arburgGREENworld” programmes. Machine technology was also presented and live sustainable injection moulding applications were on show. These included the production of “Greenline” Fischer dowels made from 50 per cent bio-based plastic, toolbox handles made from post-consumer recyclate and IML cups made from post-industrial recyclate.
Perfectly organised: During the tours, partners and suppliers received a wealth of information at ten stations on injection moulding applications, such as here in the Customer Center, as well as on sustainable production methods, supply chains, building technology and development partnerships.
Sparkling evening event in a family atmosphere
Managing Partners Juliane Hehl, Renate Keinath and Michael Hehl opened the atmospheric gala evening with an amusing question-and-answer session, in which they gave authentic and personal accounts of what Arburg has stood for over the past century and the path that the company will take for the next 100 years.
The 450 guests were completely thrilled by the Partner Summit and gala evening in the unique “Arburg Cube” event location.
One important step towards the future is the milestone machine, for example, which Managing Directors Gerhard Böhm and Guido Frohnhaus presented in a lively dialogue. They explained that the hybrid Allrounder 470 H incorporates many technical innovations that are unique to Arburg and ensure that the machine saves energy, conserves resources, is efficient in production, user-friendly and reliable all at the same time.
Two huge LED screens took the guests on an exciting journey through time, packed with Arburg milestones and pictures of relevant moments in the company’s history. Another item on the programme was video greetings from employees around the world. The individual videos finally came together to form a mosaic image of the heads of Eugen and Karl Hehl. Show interludes included a breathtaking swing & breakdancing performance and spectacular LED drummers. Accompanied by live music, many guests made the most of the chance to chat and celebrate well until early in the morning of the following day.
Emotional conclusion: On behalf of all employees, Managing Directors Jürgen Boll (left), Gerhard Böhm (2nd from left) and Guido Frohnhaus (right) thanked Managing Partners Juliane Hehl (3rd from left), Renate Keinath (centre) and Michael Hehl (2nd from right) at the end of the anniversary celebration. There was a standing ovation when Gisela Hehl (3rd from right) was asked to come on stage.
Further information about Arburg can be found at www.arburg.com
