The environment and sustainability

Part of the primary products of our materials, for example polyols and isocyanates, are produced from and using fossil raw materials such as crude oil or natural gas. No other raw materials possess the same chemical and physical properties that characterise the quality and service life of our products. But do they damage our environment? No, because pollutants are not released during their manufacturing or use. What's more, their high resistance is a plus point when it comes to sustainability: they retain their material properties without any loss of performance, significantly increase the service life of the bedded components, are maintenance-free and are tested over decades.

The durability of our products plays a verifiable part in preserving resources and improving the CO2 balance over their life cycle. Even after they've reached their expected useful life, our materials can be reused, for example through recycling and being subsequently fed back into the production cycle. We are already working on new solutions that will allow our materials to be fully recycled and integrated back into the recycling loop. In addition, as a company we are constantly scrutinising all our environment-related processes, and are actively pursuing an efficiency programme focusing on conserving resources, the results of which we document and communicate.

Materiality analysis

The materiality analysis is a central element in our sustainability efforts, as it highlights topics that are particularly relevant for the Getzner Group and its stakeholders today and in the future. Taking this as our starting point, we identified key areas for action that underpin our next steps in the area of sustainability.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals drawn up by the United Nations address the greatest challenges we currently face. We are aware of our responsibility towards society and the environment, and regard sustainable business practices as the basic requirement for long-term success. This is why everything we do in terms of strategy and our operations is guided by the United Nation's SDGs.

Getzner's infrastructure has long been primarily based on an alternative, climate-friendly energy supply:

• 100% of its power consumption is met by the Group's in-house hydroelectric power plants (2021: 4,759.972 kWh)
• Two separate groundwater wells (no drinking water is used for production processes)
• Groundwater heat pump (heating)
• Heat recovery system with buffer tank – 90% of the process waste heat from production equipment, including casting machines, waterjet pumps and hydraulic power units, is used for heating and cooling
• A large-scale photovoltaic plant was also installed as part of the 2020 extension

Besides energy consumption, there are environmentally friendly measures in other areas of the Getzner infrastructure, too:

Supply of raw materials

• Transportation optimised in terms of both logistics and environment, as tankers loaded without packaging (storage in in-house tank farm)
• Only full tankers are ordered, with the raw materials warehouse adapted as an interim storage solution

Logistics

• Delivery of Getzner products preferred in the form of rolled products without pallets
• Optimised packaging concepts

Waste prevention

• Waste separation and prevention in all areas, including both production and administration

Printed products 

• Carbon-neutral printing of brochures, data sheets, etc.

Mobility

• For many years, Getzner has promoted the use of public transport (annual passes for employees) and particularly cycling through an annual cycling competition and company bikes

The issue of waste prevention plays a very important role in the manufacturing of Getzner products. Production processes have been continuously optimised since the company was founded, and in 2018 a lean management system was also implemented across the business.

The manufacturing process is based on online dosing, so it is optimised to the extent that only the raw material required for the job is actually used.

Continuous casting

• With continuous casting, rolled products (known as 'base mats') are produced which, depending on the field of application, can also be assembled afterwards.
• In assembly, the design for cutting is always laid out in such a way that minimal residual waste is produced. In waterjet cutting, a computer system calculates the best cutting pattern and the punching knives required for punching are already designed for optimised cutting.
• Base mat remnants are stored separately and then used up for corresponding small orders when suitable.
• Multiple small orders that require the same base mats are always combined in production planning.

Moulded part production

• For high-volume products, moulded part production is used wherever possible. This generally removes an additional manufacturing step and so there is virtually no production waste.