Environment and Energy

We support these Sustainable Development Goals
with our measures:

ENERGY CONSUMPTION

100 percent green electricity

Since 2017, BPW has been using exclusively renewable energies for its electricity supply: Part of the demand can be generated via solar roofs and its own hydroelectric power plant, the rest is 100 per cent green electricity with a certificate of origin. The use of renewable energies is to be further promoted: in 2023, the company’s own hydroelectric turbine is to supply electricity again and, among other things, two new photovoltaic systems are planned that can be mounted on existing roofs at the Wiehl site.

%

Green electricity

%

Own electricity

%

Natural gas

%

Diesel

%

Petrol

Self-generated power

0
kWh in 2018
0
kWh in 2019
0
kWh in 2020
0

kWh in 2021

Evidence of active environmental and energy management

For BPW, protecting the environment has long been a matter of course. In all its corporate activities, BPW implements optimisations that benefit the climate. Environmental and energy management are regarded as important obligatory tasks of corporate management.

Those who actively save energy thus protect the environment and are committed to preventing climate change. BPW constantly sets itself new, clear goals and strives to achieve them in a binding manner. To this end, selected products and services are used, among other things, to continuously improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental pollution. Clear evidence of these activities are the certifications in accordance with ISO 14001: 2015 and ISO 50001: 2018, which BPW obtained again in spring 2022 without any deviations. This certification attest the company an environmental and energy management system in accordance with internationally recognised standards. In the process, the auditing authorities identify potential for improvement, which BPW is now evaluating and looking for ways to implement.

Increasing energy efficiency

The energy efficiency measures that BPW is implementing are having an effect: in 2021, around 570,000 kWh of energy could be saved as a result. To this end, among other things, productivity in the assembly area was increased, compressed air leaks were systematically identified and remedied, and butt welding equipment was replaced by the more efficient friction welding process. In addition, the company has renovated buildings and replaced outdated heating systems.
CO2 Emissions

Green fleet

22 percent of the trucks in BPW’s fleet run on electricity, and 45 percent of the vehicles in the passenger car fleet are already purely electric or hybrid. Since 2017, BPW has dispensed with diesel engines when purchasing new vehicles and only opts for petrol engines if there is no economical electric solution. Internal plant traffic even uses electric 40-tonne trucks, and 190 of a total of 195 forklift trucks are powered by pure green electricity.

To charge the vehicles, BPW has installed 17 electric charging stations at the three plants in the region. Three new charging stations, each with two charging points, were added last year: They are stationed in BPW’s museum car park in Wiehl and can supply the batteries of up to six vehicles with green energy at the same time. By setting up the charging stations, the company is responding to the fact that more and more employees are switching to electric cars. The green charging station is also intended as a contribution to the expansion of the network with public charging points.

Truck fleet

2018

  • Electric 22% 22%
  • Diesel 78% 78%

2019

  • Electric 22% 22%
  • Diesel 78% 78%

2020

  • Electric 22% 22%
  • Diesel 78% 78%

2021

  • Electric 22% 22%
  • Diesel 78% 78%

Car fleet

2018

  • Electric 17% 17%
  • Diesel 82% 82%
  • Petrol 1% 1%

2019

  • Electric 22% 22%
  • Diesel 78% 78%

2020

  • Electric (including hybrid with petrol) 24% 24%
  • Diesel 76% 76%

2021

  • electric and hybrid with petrol 45% 45%
  • diesel or petrol 55% 55%

New building saves plenty of energy

With a new office building at BPW’s headquarters in Wiehl, the company has created a particularly climate-friendly building. The new building was ready for occupation in September 2021: The 3,500 square metres of space now house the IT department with its computer centre as well as the teams from product development and process optimisation and an area for other projects. Thanks to modern materials and technologies, the building’s CO2 emissions are low: its geothermal system saves 90 per cent carbon dioxide – compared to a building of roughly the same size that runs on fossil fuels – that’s 181,000 kilograms less CO2 per year. Heating is provided in winter by a heat pump: here, too, BPW relies on 100 per cent green electricity with a certificate of origin, and some of the energy comes from the photovoltaic system installed on the roof.
“The building not only protects the environment, but we have consistently made sure that everyone who uses it feels comfortable. From indoor climate to ergonomics, the health of our employees is a priority for us.”
Thomas Krah

Head of BPW Facility Management

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Almost complete recycling of waste

In 2021, less waste was generated than in the previous year – old buildings were demolished at that time, so this decrease was to be expected. Disposal costs, on the other hand, have increased. This resulted from the disposal of small quantities of accumulated chemicals, road debris containing coal tar and brake lining dust. Further adjustments to the disposal routes enabled a recycling rate of 96 per cent to be achieved.

2018

%

Recycling rate

Tonnes

2437 t non-hazardous waste
569 t hazardous waste

2019

%

Recycling rate

Tonnes

1251 t non-hazardous waste
703 t hazardous waste

2020

%

Recycling rate

Tonnes

1952 t non-hazardous waste
971 t hazardous waste

2021

%

Recycling rate

Tonnes

1249 t non-hazardous waste
1074 t hazardous waste

WATER MANAGEMENT

Save water

Water is a valuable resource. BPW reduces consumption in several ways and has further reduced it in 2021 compared to the previous year.

As a specialist company in accordance with the Water Resources Act (WHG), BPW is permitted to carry out work on systems for handling liquids hazardous to water. Responsible persons and maintenance staff were trained again in 2021. In addition to the water protection officer, the company thus has additional well-qualified skilled workers directly at the plants.

The conversion from butt welding to friction welding could not be fully completed in 2021 due to the high order situation. But even the limited operation has already led to significantly lower consumption: In contrast to butt welding, friction welding can be done without cooling water and is therefore the more efficient process in terms of energy. With the complete changeover, water consumption will drop even more.

At the Brüchermühle plant, another industrial water well was put into operation. It is intended to relieve the two existing wells and decouple the cooling of production plants from electricity-intensive cooling processes. The water temperature is monitored within the approved framework and the water is returned to the nearby creek. Independent laboratories and government institutions confirm the effectiveness of the protective measures in regular inspections.

Water consumption

  • 2018: 17.224.703 m³ 58% 58%
  • 2019: 339.018 m³ 1.2% 1.2%
  • 2020: 187.802 m³ 0.6% 0.6%
  • 2021: 148.027 m³ 0.4% 0.4%

CONSERVATION OF RESOURCES

Recycled paper in the printer

BPW in Wiehl uses only recycled material as copier paper. Instead of wood-free and chlorine-free paper, only paper marked with the Blue Angel is used. This increases sustainability: per year, this measure saves around 24 tonnes of wood, 345,000 litres of water and five tonnes of CO2

Nature Protection

6,000 trees for forests in the region

A mixed forest is an optimal habitat for native animals and can withstand environmental impacts well. BPW has been involved in the reforestation of forests in the region for several years. On action days in autumn 2021 and March 2022, many hard-working helpers joined in to plant new trees.

In autumn, the employees, trainees and other helpers devoted themselves to the areas in the old Bremig that had been damaged by the bark beetle. Around 9,400 wild service trees, as well as sessile oaks, red oaks and black alders were planted there. In spring 2022, around 14,000 trees were also replanted near Monsau/Wiehl – this time Douglas firs, cedars, various fir species and larches.

Habitat for bees

Bees not only produce honey, they also pollinate about one third of all agricultural crops and thus play a central role in the preservation of our ecosystem: when they are looking for food, they carry pollen from flower to flower. For 500 grams of honey, they fly out about 40,000 times and cover about 120,000 kilometres. But they are in danger: of the more than 500 wild bee species in Germany alone, half are threatened with extinction. The causes are the use of pesticides in industrial agriculture, dwindling plant diversity due to monocultures, air pollution and climate change. BPW provides beekeepers from the region with grassland and fields. This has given thousands of bees a home.

BPW BERGISCHE ACHSEN KOMMANDIT­GESELLSCHAFT

Ohlerhammer
51674 Wiehl
Germany

Phone: +49 2262 78-0
Fax: +49 2262 78-1516
Email: info@bpw.de

LEGAL NOTICE

PRIVACY POLICY

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

v

BPW WEBSITE

MOTIONIST.COM

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2021