Employees on a sustainable mission

For Bernhard Gerl, sustainable behavior is a deliberate act and one that he considers to be without any alternative. “We need to think carefully about the footprint we want to leave in this world and the foundation we are laying for future generations with our actions and economies. 

We must accept this responsibility and translate it into concrete action,” says Gerl, who has been working for more than four years as a project engineer in the design department of the Körber Business Area Pharma at the Markt Schwaben site. Moreover, he has been the moderator of the group-wide Ecodesign think tank since May 2022.

What is the Ecodesign think tank?

As part of a general review, experts are currently taking a close look at selected machines: “We analyze our machines in pilot projects to determine where there is potential for optimization. We want to use this as a basis for our roadmap, which will define how ecodesign can be implemented in a standardized manner at all of Körber’s Business Areas in the years ahead,” says Gerl.

Even before his involvement in the think tank, Gerl, a mechanical engineer, paid attention to the environmental properties of the materials and components used when designing components. Out of interest, Gerl learned about ecodesign concepts such as the cradle-to-cradle circular economy principle. He read specialist books, did research on the Internet, and exchanged ideas with friends about what sustainability means in a corporate context. This interaction strengthened his decision to promote sustainability in his work through ecodesign.

Ecodesign guideline: a growing pool of knowledge

“Ecodesign supports awareness of environmental aspects in the development of our products and provides recommendations for action,” says Gerl, who is also active in the Environmental Circle at the Markt Schwaben site of the Business Area Pharma. He used his expertise to work with other think tank members to develop the Körber Ecodesign Guideline, which is being continuously expanded. The guideline is a compact, linguistically accessible handbook that explains basic terms related to sustainability concepts.

Fabian Bäcker, manager of the Center of Excellence Ecodesign and a member of the think tank, was also involved in drafting the guideline. “The guideline is a good thematic basis and provides inspiration on how to make one’s own product developments more sustainable,” says Bäcker, who is in constant dialog with Gerl and the other think tank members. In discussions with colleagues, he has learned that there is still a great need for knowledge. He holds lectures and workshops to inform people about ecodesign and thus embed the concept within the company. It’s a task that is very important to him personally. “I think we need to get serious about our planet now. Because of this, ecodesign offers a great opportunity for our products at Körber. It’s a way for us to do something good and also grow as a business.”

Convincing facts

It’s a multi-layered process that certainly faces challenges. Jürgen Dick, who provides the think tank with strategic advice and supports Fabian Bäcker as his supervisor, says: “The implementation of ecodesign is not a process that is completed in six months, but a highly complex topic that we will have to address in-depth and for a long time to come.” This is also a focus of the work that Gerl, Bäcker, and Dick are currently doing. “We want to improve the life cycle assessment of products and help people understand how to do it. It has to become clear that we mustn’t address these processes gradually, but immediately and with great commitment,” Dick says.

Everyone involved agrees that ecodesign can turn sustainability into good business. “However, sustainable action must not be only an image issue or subordinated to business success,” says Gerl. “What is crucial is that we work for a world that’s worth living in. And not just for our generation, but also for future ones.”

In all areas at Körber, work is proceeding step by step to make products, solutions, and services more sustainable. Two examples from the development department show the opportunities that ecodesign opens up in machine manufacturing.

An energy-efficient layer palletizer

Elaine Lissy, project manager in the Körber Business Area Supply Chain at the Eisenberg site and a member of the Ecodesign think tank, worked together with her team to develop the PA15 sustainable layer palletizer. In the following interview, she explains what makes this palletizer so special.

You presented the sustainable layer palletizer PA15 at the Körber Technology Innovation Summit 2022. What prompted this further development?
At first, we asked ourselves how operators of an energy-intensive production process can reduce high energy consumption, improve their overall energy balance, and optimize their CO₂e footprint. We sought a solution for this with the help of the ecodesign concept.

What was this design’s basic idea? 
We wanted to develop a layer palletizer that is not only functionally and economically better than its predecessor, but also more environmentally friendly and resource-saving.

How did you manage that?  
We paid particular attention to energetically sensible processes and intelligent machine control. In addition to selecting the right manufacturing technique during our in-house mechanical prefabrication process, which results in a lower CO₂e footprint, we mainly work with our local supplier network.

A program control switches off the built-in motors when not in use, and an inverter enables energy to be recovered so that surplus energy can be used. Counterweights are used for the stroke so that the motor has to apply less power. Fewer and lighter parts and a smaller machine size also contribute to energy efficiency.

What exactly does that mean for your customers?
When running at medium speed, the PA15 consumes 1.2 kilowatts per hour. In contrast to other comparable market solutions, this means an energy saving of 85 percent. The modular design also enables an increased product life.

What significance does this development have for you personally? 
It took us about two years from the idea to the finished machine. Designing a product that has a long service life while being energy-efficient and as environmentally friendly as possible means a lot to me. We have a responsibility to future generations. It’s crucial that our work impact the planet as little as possible.

Tinkering with the product: a field report

At least 20 times a day, Tobias Kucharz looks at his solar panel app and is pleased to see how much electricity the solar cells on the roof of his house have produced. He tells us: “I think the future is to generate energy where it’s needed without harming the environment. I also bring this sustainable mindset to my work as a member of the think tank and as Product Manager for Conveying in the Product Lifecycle Management department at Körber’s Business Area Supply Chain.

Using specialist knowledge to identify problems and find solutions for more sustainable and more energy-efficient products is important to me. This is the case, for example, with the K.Move BeltConveyor, our modular package sorting system, which we are currently improving on the basis of a comprehensive life cycle assessment. In principle, the product should, in the future, have fewer complex components and weigh less in the interests of energy efficiency.

Here we mainly looked at the parameters of speed, belt, and tension. Speed has the greatest effect on energy efficiency. If we reduce it from two and a half to one and a half meters per second, this means a saving of 65 percent. In the future, we also plan to install only two rollers instead of four, which are docked directly to the drive to reduce resistance. Flexible low-friction belts with less tensile force and a special coating result in less friction inside the K.Move BeltConveyor. In concrete terms, this means an energy saving of a further 15 percent.

In the development department, we have just built a conveyor system made entirely of wood. It’s currently being tested in our laboratory at the site of the Körber Business Area Supply Chain in Konstanz, Germany. Wood consumes less energy than steel, but whether it really is the more sustainable material in the long run is something we are currently trying to find out. I continuously share my new findings with the other think tank members and look forward to the outcome.”