ISO 14001 has been a globally recognized foundation for environmental management systems since 1996. For several years, we have implemented the content of ISO 14001 into our quality management and fully practice it in our operations. In 2024, we will demonstrate this by obtaining ISO 14001 certification and offer the certification document for download here.

As a smaller medium-sized company, we see obtaining the certificate for the Top-up Compensation Efficiency System Ordinance (SpaEfV) as a meaningful alternative to an energy management system according to ISO 50001. Through the certificate, we annually demonstrate our activities of systematically reducing our energy consumption and reducing CO2 emissions.

The Paris Agreement sets the framework for the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Effective and holistic climate management is the foundation for this. As part of our climate management, we focus on a long-term and strategic approach, addressing both directly and indirectly responsible emissions as well as the business-relevant impacts of climate change on our company. Therefore, we determine Scope 1 and Scope 2 to make fact-based decisions. Only in this way can environmental impacts be targeted for reduction and/or neutralization.

For more than a decade, we have been relying on self-generated electricity through the power of the sun. We have now installed PV modules on almost all of our hall roofs, generating more than 300 kWp. The installed capacity is expected to more than double to over 700 kWp with the new construction in 2024.

We rely on a predominantly environmentally friendly spot market model for energy procurement. This means that those who market electricity from renewable sources directly typically sell the generated electricity on the electricity exchange via the market premium model. Conventional power plants with high CO₂ emissions, on the other hand, more frequently opt for direct marketing at fixed prices. The surpluses of CO₂-neutral generated energy in this model enable us to leave a smaller carbon footprint.

Since 2020, we have been converting our fleet of more than 20 company vehicles to plug-in hybrid or fully electric drive. These vehicles are primarily charged using intelligent energy management, prioritizing our photovoltaic system.

Our parking spaces for guests and employees are electrified and can be charged for free with up to 22 kWp (Type 2 charging plug). Employees who do not have a company vehicle can also charge their vehicles for free using the electricity primarily generated by our photovoltaic system.

Especially in rural areas where public transportation is not as well developed as in urban areas, we offer our employees a dedicated bike leasing program with better terms than those offered by common providers. In addition to the main factor of promoting healthy and fit employees, commuting to work with eBikes also helps to protect the environment.

Photovoltaic or green roof – these are the only two options for our company roofs. Since the roof of our approximately 1,000 square meter rotary indexing machine hall, built in 2018, allowed for a slope that made a photovoltaic system uneconomical, we decided to install extensive green roofing with simultaneous rainwater retention.

The meadows of the Eastern Ore Mountains in the Altenberg region are a unique cultural landscape of special character and beauty. They host a diverse flora and fauna. All green areas are designed as wildflower meadows to preserve and promote bees and butterflies.

For more than a decade, we have required almost no heating gas in winter for office and social spaces, as well as for heating domestic water, due to the utilization of heat recovery systems at our modern compressed air stations and exhaust systems of production machines.

Long before the significant increase in energy costs, we have saved more than 150 kW of electricity through the consistent conversion to LED lighting in the halls, investment in a central cooling system, optimization of our compressed air systems, and many other energy-saving measures.

For the production of our turned parts, we use sustainable products that bring significant advantages in terms of greenhouse gas savings compared to products from primary refining. This alone saves approximately 60,000 kg of CO2 equivalent annually.

For more than 15 years, we have been committed to the consistent digitization of all business processes. Thus, through the development of our own production, planning, and control software, as well as document management using ELO (Enterprise Content Management), we have achieved almost paperless communication.

For years, due to increasingly stringent compliance requirements from our clients, we have refrained from giving Christmas presents and now also from sending Christmas cards. We see this money, as a regionally rooted company, well invested in our local clubs and associations.

Even our company founder, Egon Herbrig, had a particularly big heart for the little ones among us. We continue this tradition and support the kindergarten and after-school care in Bärenstein, located in close proximity to our company premises.

We do not support elite sports but feel responsible for providing material and financial support to regional clubs such as SSV Altenberg or SV Glashütte in the field of children’s and youth sports. Here, we would like to express our gratitude to numerous employees who volunteer as coaches, etc.

We not only support children’s and youth sports but also numerous other institutions that make an important contribution to our society, such as the THW Osterzgebirge, the volunteer fire brigades in the area, the carnival clubs of the region, and many regional festivals and activities. Here, too, we would like to express our gratitude to all volunteers for their commitment!