Ziegelwerk Klosterbeuren invests over a million euros in energy conservation

» The energy management system at Ziegelwerk Klosterbeuren has been certified in accordance with DIN EN 16001. Energy Manager Marcus Gleich, Chief QA Officer Norbert Welp, Managing Directors Thomas and Hubert L. Thater, and Rüdiger Kruse from TÜV Süd (from left)

Construction product manufacturer Ziegelwerk Klosterbeuren has received certification according to DIN EN 16001 from TÜV Süd for its energy management system. By altering a number of procedures and investing over a million euros in selective measures, the family enterprise has cut costs by up to € 20 000 per annum while minimizing the plant’s CO₂ emissions.

At Ziegelwerk Klosterbeuren, careful use of resources is already anchored in the business objectives and is to be continuously improved in the future. In fact, the plant has established a new job slot: that of energy manager answering directly to the company‘s top management.

“Savings potentials can be found in practically any work process”, says Chief Technology Officer Hubert L. Thater. Just reducing the general compressor pressure from 10 bar to 7.2 bar makes the plant‘s compressor unit consume 30% less power. The company also installed an additional belt conveyor and crusher to shorten the distances to be travelled for clay mining purposes, hence reducing both the amount of energy consumed and the emissions of the employed crawler vehicles. Together with the installation of the company‘s fifth photovoltaic system, the procurement of a new mechanical packaging station and the addition of a new truck and two forklifts to the motor pool, Ziegelwerk Klosterbeuren invested, all told, more than a million euros in purposeful energy conservation.