Industrial Manufacturing: Schneider Electric Production Site

Every two years, the City of Regensburg, Germany, recognizes local residents, associations, and businesses for remarkable achievements in environmental and climate protection.

This year, the city gave Schneider Electric’s Sachsenwerk production site the award in the “companies” category.

At Sachsenwerk, the company’s largest manufacturing facility in Germany, around 850 employees help develop and produce technology for medium voltage switch gears and other electrical distribution equipment. There’s also a large focus on energy within the facility: By applying a large number of efficiency measures, Sachsenwerk has been able to demonstrate how active environmental protection is lived and promoted.

As a result, city leaders honored the activities and outcomes. For example, electricity consumption from years 2010 to 2015 has been reduced by around 1 million kilowatt hours, equivalent to a saving of 512 tons of carbon dioxide. Natural gas consumption in the same period was reduced by 1.4 million kilowatt hours — another giant step in reducing the site’s carbon footprint.

To achieve these results, the energy management team:

• Improved building efficiency with insulation and LED lighting.
• Installed energy-efficient production machines.
• Generated electricity onsite with combined heat and power, and solar panels.
• Promoted e-mobility with two charging stations, electric forklifts, and an electric transport vehicle.
• Trained employees on how they can contribute to environmental protection.

The site’s team is one of the most active in the Schneider Electric community, contributing impressive results to the enterprise-wide Energy Action program. Last but not least, the award is also proof of the effectiveness of internal collaboration: The company’s Energy & Sustainability Services business worked alongside the Regensburg team to develop plan, and implement metering solutions, software, and energy conservation measures.