High quality made sustainable
Energy and resource-saving production at Vogelsang
Putting cost reduction into perspective
The sun shines for free and doesn’t harm the environment. This is why many Vogelsang workspaces are fitted with plenty of glazing and sunroofs to let in as much light as possible. And where daylight still isn’t enough to keep the workstations well lit, it goes without saying that Vogelsang uses modern, energy-efficient lighting. What makes the lighting concept unusual is the sensors, which detect the intensity of the daylight and only provide as much extra light as is actually necessary. Motion sensors are used to ensure that addi- tional lighting is only active in areas where employees are actually present. All in all, this keeps Vogelsang’s energy consumption for the lighting in its production halls relatively low. In keeping with the motto “We can still do more,” however, Hugo Vogelsang has already got further optimization ideas up his sleeve for the lighting in future production halls. The concept has also been applied throughout the company’s social spaces, offices and hallways in order to prevent any energy from being wasted while also ensuring that working conditions are as pleasant as possible.
A positive energy balance – it’s in the bag
Our efforts to continually improve the way we handle energy and resources are also reflected in the concrete figures. In spite of our increase in production output and workforce size, we have been able to keep our electrical and gas consumption at a constant level. At the same time, our in-house photovoltaic plants are producing an average of 190,000 kWh of electricity per year. Two of these plants are running at the Essen Oldenburg site, while another is situated in Lutherstadt Eisleben. On a sunny day, the two plants in Essen Oldenburg alone produce up to a quarter of the power we need.
Putting energy recovery through its paces
However, the absolute highlight for Hugo Vogelsang in terms of saving resources is our two ingenious pump test benches in Essen. After all, lost heat means lost energy, which means the conventional technology is outdated. Pump test benches usually use a throttle valve to build up the pressure required for testing. While simple and cost-effective, this method also has the disadvantage that the electrical energy it uses to drive the pump is converted into head energy, and thus is lost. On top of that, this process also causes the test medium to get very hot, so further energy is required to cool it down as meaningful test results are required. All of this is impossible to reconcile with Vogelsang’s environmental principles – which is why our pump test benches use a principle found in many modern cars: The “braking energy” generated when building up the test pressure is recovered and fed straight back into the system. This is more complicated than it sounds, however. It requires a sophisticated, ingenious installation – a challenge relished by a machinery constructor like Hugo Vogelsang, and one that has been paying off for many years. Pick up our next edition to find out how we recover “braking energy” at Vogelsang.
“In order to achieve the targets we set ourselves, Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG measures and analyzes all the important environmental factors. Our suppliers and business partners are actively asked to work according to our environmental policy in order to ensure that the relevant environmental targets are met consistently,” Hugo Vogelsang emphasizes, demonstrating his impeccable understanding of the market. After all, in the modern world, making high-quality products also means looking after people and the environment, and being able to provide one’s customer pool with the right selling points.
Exercising care and responsibility in our use of resources in our mission
In its mission statement, Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG pledges to always employ a responsible and sustainable approach in its use of resources.
This means saving and being frugal with resources and not only consistently complying with all the applicable environmental laws and regulations, but also making additional effort to go above and beyond what they demand. This is why the continual improvements we make in how we handle environmentally sensitive resources – which may only seem like small steps on the surface – are reflected in the company’s objectives. In addition to this, an energy management structure has been implemented in accordance with DIN 16247-1 and certified by an authorized environmental auditing organization.