In the modern world, it would be extremely difficult to not use or consume products that have not been manufactured by a machine. Whether it is mobility, medicine, agriculture, food or leisure, the integral role of machinery is inescapable.
In 2020, global turnover from the sale of machines was almost €2.6 trillion, making the sector a true behemoth. However, it must now begin to embrace a more climate friendly and energy efficient outlook, as the global business community looks to meet the challenge of climate change.
The CHIRON Group is a heavyweight presence in the world of manufacturing and unites under one roof individual brands such as Chiron, STAMA, CMS, Greidenweis and HSTEC. The group's machinery ensures precise, productive and flexible machining in areas such as Automotive, Aerospace, Medical and Mechanical Engineering. The expertise derives from continuity in mechanical engineering and a diverse technology and product range.
The group is ready and prepared to embrace a more sustainable existence. The formative principle of the organisation was to embrace and enact change. It's an ability that is woven into the DNA of the CHIRON Group and it has helped them to meet the demands of customers and the markets since their inception.
It is a capability that must now be harnessed to aid in the protection of the environment. It has already led to the creation of parts for e-mobility products and more breakthroughs are sure to follow thanks to the manufacturing technologies and digital solutions available to the business.
"We are working consistently to reduce the energy requirements for each manufactured work piece even further, to increase the energy efficiency of our products and services and to make our production sites climate neutral," said Dr. Claus Eppler - CTO, Chiron Group SE. "It's in these three areas that we, as a machine tool manufacturer, are most effective when it comes to sustainability and the environment."
The CHIRON Group has developed a Sustainability Strategy that will focus on two clearly defined target groups - the corporate world and its customers. The group is at its most effective - in both spheres, when it applies its expertise to make optimal use of energy and resources.
Already, the group has expanded its use of climate neutral energy sources at all of its sites. With the drive for greater sustainability already underway, the momentum behind the transition to energy neutrality in the manufacturing of its products will only increase. The transition will be further aided by the company's ability to bring its staff along on the journey and have the entire organisation acting and thinking in a sustainable and climate conscious way as new challenges and concepts are introduced.
Investments in heat recovery and photovoltaic systems, along with additional electricity being sourced from a purely regenerative origin will help to ensure that, by the end of 2022, all manufacturing and assembly at the company's production sites in Germany will be climate neutral, all other sites will follow in 2023 and 2024.
The solutions that the CHIRON Group offer their customers are sustainable because the process is secure and stable and because of quality and cost matches. The material energy requirements are also optimised, which means that regardless of whether machines are being used to produce 1000 watch cases or one million components for electromobility, saving energy and resources on any scale can be considered a success.
The ability to conduct partial or complete refurbishments of machines or their component parts is another area where sustainability is at the forefront of the company's thinking. Regardless of the feasibility of any given renewal measure, the process behind it will be a more sustainable option than purchasing a new machine. A complete machine refurbishment will provide average savings of 40-50% over the total material required for a new machine.
The CHIRON Group is not new to the desire to achieve greater sustainability. As far back as the 1990s, the group has been optimising machine components and new developments for energy efficiency. This has already led to at least a 30% reduction in the energy consumption of their tools. A perfect example of this can be seen in the group's high speed milling centre for micro machining MICRO5, which has the same energy consumption as a coffee maker.
The group has a strong belief that sustainability begins in the mind. It will be achieved with the buy-in of everyone at the CHIRON Group and their determination to make the manufacturing world more environmentally friendly. If that mindset can be achieved, the possibilities from innovation could be potentially endless and game-changing for the industry.
