Water is one of the most important, if not the most valuable resource in the world; water scarcity has long been a global problem.
The surface treatment of our hardware items makes them durable and resistant to environmental influences - however, the processes are also characterised by a high consumption of water and chemicals. We therefore scrutinise where surface treatment is actually necessary and replace processes with environmentally friendly alternatives.
Need an example? Gladly.
Previously, our shop belts were first treated with a cathodic dip coating, after which the items were powder-coated twice. We now dispense with the second powder coating process for 66 different items, or around 450,000 items per year.
But there's more to it than that: even with around 79 selected Zamak items - that's 2.4 million units per year - we can confidently dispense with the previous cathodic dip coating.
The result: quality and corrosion resistance are not affected; as only non-visible surfaces are affected, there are also no visual differences. On the other hand, the environment benefits from the reduced consumption of chemicals and energy.
After degreasing our fittings, the basins are heavily contaminated (e.g. by COD, nickel). MACO treats the waste water that is most heavily contaminated with chemicals in vacuum distillation plants. 97 per cent of this waste water can thus be returned to the production cycle and used as rinsing water. Not only the consumption of fresh water, but also that of chemicals has been significantly reduced.
We only have to change the water in the cleaning basins of our galvanising plants in Trieben once a month. Thanks to the eight recirculating water systems.
Our freshly galvanised items are immersed in cleaning basins for a final rinse to remove any residues. The contaminated water from the basins is then treated in the recirculating water systems - using various filters or ion exchangers. We circulate around 30,000 litres of process water per hour with our systems.
In 2023, two of the eight systems were replaced: not only do they run more stably and clean the water more efficiently, they also require less frequent maintenance and, thanks to UV sterilisation, also destroy organic substances such as algae, which increases the service life of the system.
The effects are clear to see: We need fewer chemicals in water treatment. At the same time, the pools need to be renewed less often.
Around 7,000 litres of wastewater are purified per hour using an ion exchange system. While we reuse the purified wastewater as rinsing water, the waste materials are bound in the filter sludge via chemical wastewater treatment. The latter is dried, resulting in a weight reduction of around 30 per cent, and then disposed of properly.
Around 950,000 kg of filter sludge is produced every year.
Not only do we clean the wastewater, we also "wash" the contaminated air and filter out pollutants (such as toxic substances or explosive hydrogen). Only when it is clean again is it released into the environment.
Previously, the chemicals used in our various surface treatment baths were mainly dosed manually: This led to relatively high chemical consumption and fluctuations in the composition. Since the beginning of 2023, most of our baths have been dosed fully automatically and precisely. This significantly reduces chemical consumption.
Around one million kWh of electricity - we generate this impressive amount of renewable energy with photovoltaic systems at our sites in Austria, Poland and Italy. This makes us less dependent on external suppliers.
Our goal: to equip as many roof surfaces of warehouses and production halls with PV systems as possible.
We are continuously working on improving wastewater treatment in our electroplating operations. In 2024, two important measures were implemented at the electroplating plant in Trieben: the ion exchanger system was replaced and a new osmosis system was purchased for more efficient cleaning. Modernisation of the selective exchanger system is planned for 2025. This enables us to comply even more consistently with the limits prescribed by the authorities and protect our environment in the long term.
A new paint stripping module has been in use in Salzburg since the beginning of 2023: this fully automated, closed system requires fewer chemicals, lower temperatures and produces fewer air emissions.
A new paint stripping module has been in use in Salzburg since the beginning of 2023: this fully automated, closed system requires fewer chemicals, lower temperatures and produces fewer air emissions.
Chemicals or zinc? We do not use any of these in the surface treatment of around 140 different items. Instead, they are sanded with a waste product from a naturally renewable grain. This ensures beautiful aesthetics with consistent function and quality - and 214 million ecologically produced parts every year!
Our wastewater treatment is closely monitored. Not only do we analyse the wastewater at our sites in our in-house laboratory on a daily basis and keep a company wastewater diary, we also have external inspections carried out once a quarter by our waste disposal companies and annual wastewater inspections by the authorities.