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KNIPEX
Quality — Made in Germany

Sustainability and responsibility

 

What we are doing for the future right now:

Sustainability at KNIPEX

Sustainability has always played an important role in our almost 140-year history as a family company, though not to the extent it does today. In addition to economic aspects, we aim to be a good employer, playing a valuable role in society and treating our environment and its resources with respect. Allow us to offer you an insight into our activities under the headings of personnel, ecology, society and economy.

As a company, we live from the conditions and resources, the quality and maintenance of which we assume our share of responsibility for. We want to make a contribution towards the improvement of the environment and of the society that we are part of.

Ralf Putsch

Managing Partner

 

 

KNIPEX Nachhaltigkeitsbereicht 2023_EN

 

 

Personnel

For us, social sustainability means above all to create and maintain good and secure jobs. We rely on well-founded training, needs-based qualification and the continuous further development of our employees. Measures for preserving and improving health at the workplace as well as ensuring a work/family balance are further important priorities.

Training and further education

Our apprentices regularly score among the best in the region. In addition to providing professional training with five full-time trainers, we also encourage personal development. Our "junior company" gives apprentices the opportunity to try their hand at entrepreneurial thinking and acting. We create the right conditions for our employees to develop their potential, specifically through professional, but also interdisciplinary training.

Health promotion

Our KNIPEXbewegt health programme offers a wide range of information and programmes aimed at encouraging good health, such as sports training, massages or health promotion days. Our attractive canteen serves freshly cooked dishes using regional ingredients. Other examples include psychosocial counselling and support with the care of relatives or smoking cessation. Ergonomic efficiency in the workplace is of particular importance. Here we continuously implement improvements based on ergonomic findings.

Work and family

Our KNIPSKISTE day care centre is situated on the company's premises in the inviting landscape conservation area. In addition, we also make it easier to combine family life and work with various, individually designed working time models or parental leave, which, of course, are also open to members of management. Supervised holiday activities for the children of our employees promote the interests and skills of the children (as well as allowing parents to manage their holiday leave more effectively).

 

 

 

 

 

Ecology

As a manufacturing company, we have a high consumption of energy and raw materials. We are working systematically to reduce the use of energy and the generation of waste. At the same time, we take numerous measures for increasing ecological stability and reducing environmental impacts.

Energy: Systematic approach for greater efficiency

Our goal is to consistently reduce our energy consumption for every tool produced. Dedicated energy experts identify energy saving potential - in building and power supply technology, as well as in the systems and machines and the production processes themselves. Interdisciplinary teams create transparency and help to evaluate, plan, implement and check the effectiveness of the measures. 

 

Since 2014, we have been following an energy management system in line with
DIN EN ISO 50001.

We recover the waste heat from our annealing shop via this system and feed it into our heating system. With the heat recovery systems at the boiler house, our air compressors, the ventilation, the hardening shop and the annealing shop, we recover more than 10% of the total energy used at KNIPEX.

Investments in energy saving

In addition to the classic modernization issues for heating, lighting and compressed air, we have been investing significantly in heat recovery, energy-saving technologies and intelligent measurement and control technology since 2009.


The waste heat from our annealing shop is recovered via this plant and fed into our heating system. We use the various heat recovery systems to recover more than 10% of the energy we use at KNIPEX.

#Modernization of the heating system #Building management system #Heat recovery #Energy-optimised temperature control #High efficiency motors #Insulation of heat-carrying system parts #Demand-based hydraulic control #Condensing technology #Substitution of hydraulic systems #Smart lighting #Thermal imaging camera #Motion sensors #Compressor management #Smart compressed air control #Photovoltaic technology #Load management

Materials: cycle of resources

In addition to reducing our production-related waste, we focus on the responsible use of resources. Reviewing our material cycles helps us to recognise potential and implement appropriate measures. 

Since 2014 we have been using an environmental management system certified according to

DIN EN ISO 14001.

  • By changing the sorting in the recycling process of the resulting steel scrap, we increased the degree of recycling, such as our dies or our scrap.
  • The switch to a cooling lubricant with a longer service life led to significant savings in terms of disposal.
  • We use microfiltration to reduce waste water containing oil.
  • Digitisation, printer changeover and systematic avoidance of unnecessary printed matter cut paper consumption and disposal.

GREGOR KAMRAD and MIKE SPIECKER - Head of Operations Department for water pump pliers and electronics pliers: "We have introduced a new cooling lubricant throughout the company that, thanks to its longer service life, has to be replaced less frequently. This alone saves us 21,000 liters of waste disposal in our area of responsibility."

Circular economy requires a cooperative approach

A global hotspot for the circular economy is developing in the Circular Valley. The aim is to achieve a balance between economic growth and environmental protection. Resourceful start-ups and researchers from around the world are working together with scientific institutions and companies to develop ideas and solutions for an efficient circular economy.

 

KNIPEX is involved as a partner in Circular Valley because we believe in the power of cooperation and the knowledge and technology transfer are part of an effective global network in addressing the global task of significantly reducing emissions in air, water and soil.

Less plastic for a better life

The vast majority of plastic enters the oceans through rivers. By supporting a start-up, Knipex is committed to reducing plastic in places where waste has a massive impact on people's lives. Plastic Fischer has come up with an idea for intercepting plastic in rivers feeding into the oceans. The company focuses on technical feasibility using the simplest means available locally, while at the same time building up a waste-management infrastructure. Plastic Fischer has so far retrieved over 40 tonnes of plastic from the tributaries to the Ganges for Knipex, providing employment and a regular income for 17 local people.

Climate protection: reduced CO2

We have compensated for our Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions as well as significant Scope 3 emissions and are striving for climate neutrality by 2045. The goal is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2020 levels until 2030.

We promote e-mobility with our company's electric cars and our public e-charging station, which runs using self-generated solar power. Where physically possible, we have installed photovoltaic systems on the roofs of our production halls since 2011. In addition to local measures to reduce CO2 emissions, we are committed to climate protection on an international basis. Since 2016, for example, we have been involved in a project aiming to regreen areas of the Libyan desert with our local cooperation partner SEKEM. So far, 49,366 trees have been planted, which annually emit 1.804 tonnes of CO2 by way of compensation.

Ecological stability: greater diversity

We want to increase the ecological stability on our premises, in other words the ability of an ecosystem to compensate for pollution or damage. With the support of the Heinz Sielmann Foundation, we have developed a concept to increase the diversity of habitats and to enhance the biodiversity of animals and plants and have already implemented numerous measures. In the meantime, a wide variety of natural habitats provide a constantly growing protective environment where flora and fauna can flourish.

#Flower meadow #Perennial planting #Bee colonies #Cultivated orchard #Indigenous fruit trees #Biodiversity #Removal of paved surfaces #Bat boxes #Gravel areas #Secluded areas #Habitats #Planted facades #Deadwood #Host plants #Sheep #Snacking garden #Hedgerows #Organic pond water filtering #Wild ducks #Planted roof #Insect nesting boxes

 

 

Society

We feel connected to our region and the people who live here and want to make an active contribution to the public interest here. For this reason, we support a wide range of projects and initiatives with a focus on education, culture and social welfare.

Social commitment

Youth welfare institutions and many regional organisations offer children and young people access to social programmes and thus contribute to a natural sense of community. We are happy to support this engagement - with an eye on equal opportunities.

We are convinced that social life benefits from an active volunteering culture. KNIPEX is committed to supporting and encouraging the active social engagement of our employees. This can entail things like the coordination of a charitable project, a fundraising campaign for a good cause, or involvement in voluntary work. The "Small Change" campaign enables everyone at KNIPEX to donate the excess cent amounts from their pay slips. The many small amounts add up to a significant sum that is donated once a year to charitable organisations in Wuppertal.

Commitment to education

Close contact between educational institutions and business can offer young people welcome guidance for professional opportunities, as well as ensuring our company remains aware of the expectations and needs of future generations. We support educational institutions in Wuppertal and neighbouring communities through cooperation, partnerships and projects. 
For example, organisations such as the "Junior-Uni" children and youth university in Wuppertal, which is unique in Germany, the "Strahlemann Talent Company" or the "Bergische Schul-Technikum" inspire young people early on for science and technology and help with professional guidance.

International commitment

Education enables sustainable development. As a global company, we have chosen to expand our commitment internationally. Working together with partners who are personally known to us, we aim to improve living and educational conditions, primarily in Africa. Long-term cooperation with experienced associations or foundations not only guarantees success, but also guarantees us local contacts and connects us personally with the projects.

  • In 2017 we built a secondary school in Kitamba, Uganda, in cooperation with Remscheid-based support association "Our children and our future", which we continue to support through a sponsorship programme.
  • We supported the "Q-RATIO" organisation in setting up an educational structure in Lolera, a Masai village in Tanzania.
  • In cooperation with the "Menschen für Menschen" foundation, we are currently involved in building a new secondary school in Wogdi, Ethiopia.

Cultural engagement

Our support in the field of art and culture extends from individual artistic or musical sponsorship to the sponsorship of concerts, choirs, theatre and productions to the company's own museum on the history of tool manufacture. We believe that a stimulating artistic and cultural landscape is a valuable foundation for future generations.

#Connection #JuniorUni #Cohesion #SingPause #Engagement #Orchesterakademie #KulturAmVormittag #Responsibility #Bürgerbudget #Sharing #Kindertal #Traumviertel #Equal opportunities #EinTopf #SocialDays #NeueUrbaneProduktion #Donation campaigns #Local cultural funds #National scholarship programme #Volunteering #Wupperputz #Utopiastadt

 

 

Economy

With the economic sustainability aspect, we associate a stable, long-term business model, financial stability as well as the continuous development and conservation of the basis for our success.

Investments

A foundation for successful business is a good corporate structure. In addition to qualified and committed employees, modern production facilities are the key to the quality of our products. That is why we invest particularly in the maintenance and development of our infrastructure. Investment in our production facilities is therefore regularly above depreciation levels. Extensive investments are also planned in the coming years in order to further strengthen the future viability of KNIPEX.

Solid business practices

KNIPEX relies on a proven and systematically implemented business model, as well as a high level of self-financing, to maintain economic independence, investment power and future prospects. We maintain good, long-term relationships with our customers and suppliers. The continuous improvement of our products and processes is also important to us.

 

Digitisation

In addition to the continuous expansion of our international activities, we have succeeded in gaining an experienced partner for the important future topic of digitisation by acquiring a majority stake in Osnabrück-based IT company LMIS. This gives us an overview of the entire value chain - from our suppliers to development and production to the customers and users of our products.