BLÜCHER is saving its energy

An increasing customer demand for environmental certification combined with a focus on internal processes and workflows has driven BLÜCHER on the way to the ISO 14001 certificate.

Aerial photo of BLÜCHER’s factory and head office in Vildbjerg, Denmark

In the spring of 2013, BLÜCHER set a goal to achieve the environmental certificate ISO 14001 before the end of the year. In January, BLÜCHER reached its goal. The ISO 14001 certification documents that BLÜCHER works determinedly and systematically with environmental management with the aim of reducing the company’s impact on the environment. It also means that two times a year external auditors will review BLÜCHER’s environmental performance in relation to the procedures.

”As a production company we have focused on reducing our environmental impact for several years”, says Quality Manager Kristian Andersen. ”At the same time, we have continuously undergone external audits from a number of our clients. So it was a natural step forward for us to document our environmental work. Basically, this is about providing an extra service for our clients and also work with optimizing internal processes and workflows”.

With this new certification, BLÜCHER must to a higher degree document its observance of environmental legislation, working environment, processes and work flows as well as tidiness and arrangement of work stations. Furthermore, BLÜCHER has established a working group, which will continuously work on and propose further environmental improvements and energy saving measures.

Saving on the CO2 and heating account

In 2012, BLÜCHER completed a large project on reutilization of ventilation air for heating the factory. The upgrade of the ventilation system reduced the annual emission of CO2 by 148 tons and as an added bonus BLÜCHER also saved around 25 % on the factory’s heating account. 

”Our work on the environmental certification was already well underway at that time. So the replacement of our ventilation system is a concrete example of the way we are heading”, explains Operations Director Mogens Winther Jørgensen. ”We are also working on replacing a compressor which will also make it possible to reuse the heat and we are keeping a close eye on the development in LED lighting which technologically has reached a level that can meet our needs in the factory. However, it’s the daily work that is central to the certification itself”.

For future employees at BLÜCHER the environment will be on the agenda in their introduction plan so that they will be a part of the company’s environmental work from day one. BLÜCHER’s suppliers will also need to pay attention the new certification, as BLÜCHER now to a higher degree will make environmental demands to the raw materials, products and services supplied to the company.

BLÜCHER has previously been awarded a prize for its environmental efforts by its American parent company, Watts Water Technologies, Inc., and the company is optimistic regarding the future work. ”In addition to having documented our environmental work, the certification will keep us motivated in our environmental work and for future audits”, says Mogens Winther Jørgensen.