Bühler Leybold Optics has implemented an energy management system and achieved ISO 50001 certification.
Since 2012, the European Union has tightened its energy management legislation, and in view of this, the company has strived to achieve the certification. “We want to focus on sustainable production as well as energy-saving products for our customers, helping them, for instance, drive down their production costs,” comments Antonio Requena, CEO of Bühler Leybold Optics.
In the first implementation stage at Bühler Leybold Optics, Quality Management reviewed and improved parameters for cooling units and ventilation systems plus default values for heating, media supply and more. Among other achievements, Bühler Leybold Optics reduced energy expenses by 10 percent as well as its natural and environmental pollution footprint. “The program not only reduced our costs, but also strengthened our employees’ awareness of environmentally friendly handling of energy resources,” says Antonio Requena.
As the footprint of production machinery has a large impact on costs, Bühler Leybold Optics is thus adding a competitive advantage to its equipment. One example of such an energy-reduction solution is the introduction of Ecomode on ophthalmic optics machines, which results in a 30 percent lower power rating. This is achieved by optimizing the consumption of all components and using them only when required by the process. Another example is the eco-friendly components introduced in new machines such as DynaJet. Replacing the diffusion pumps with turbo-pumps saves Bühler customers up to EUR 8000 per machine and year.
But the energy management program does not end with ISO 50001 certification. It is a continuous process of creating sustainability. Antonio Requena: “In the next months, we will continue by conducting external as well as internal audits to identify further energy usage reduction potentials.” In addition, Bühler Leybold Optics will upgrade its web-based energy monitoring system to set up a powerful energy economy program for its customers’ coating equipment, the objective being to further reduce their energy costs and thereby to enable them to achieve a competitive advantage.