The renowned family-run company Mayr power transmission from Mauerstetten in the Allgäu region of Germany is committed to sustainability and climate protection and has been climate-neutral since 2020. To achieve their sustainability goals, the mechanical engineering company relies on a comprehensive series of measures ranging from its own power generation to minimizing paper consumption and purchasing climate certificates. This makes the company one of the first in the branch to voluntarily compensate for its emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. From Fridays for Future to the Alliance for a Climate-neutral Allgäu 2030 – climate protection is the topic everyone is talking about. And the Corona pandemic has once more heightened awareness of the impact of humans on nature. "As a company we are responsible for the world of tomorrow. Intact nature and the preservation of our livelihood for our children and future generations are very close to our hearts. Sustainable management has shaped our corporate philosophy since the company was founded, and when it comes to climate protection we are now right in the middle of a process," explains Ferdinand Mayr, Managing Partner of the Allgäu-based family business. And so the commitment to climate protection currently includes many different aspects, starting with the certification of the company's Energy and Environmental Management in accordance with DIN EN 16247-1 (energy) and DIN EN ISO 14001 (environment). Additionally, since 2017, electricity has been generated by the company's own combined heat and power plant and the photovoltaic systems on the roofs of the production and assembly halls. "Since 2017, we have equipped every new hall roof area completely with photovoltaic systems. This means, we are able to cover around 11 percent of our electricity consumption with the electricity we generate ourselves," explains Managing Director Günther Klingler. "Furthermore, for several years we have been working on minimizing our paper consumption with the objective of a paperless office and we are using energy-efficient machines in production." Further measures in the field of e-mobility, the energy-related renovation of existing buildings or the expansion of photovoltaic systems are already being planned or implemented. "All in all, we are less concerned with predetermining a fixed path than with taking action in many different areas," Günther Klingler continued. "After all, we don't just want to analyze the problems, we also want to tackle and solve them. The perfect solution might not yet exist, but success depends to a large extent on our voluntary and consistent actions - to protect the world we pass on to our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren." And Ferdinand Mayr adds: "The Corona situation in particular also presents us with opportunities here, which we are using now and intend to use in the future. More work being carried out remotely from home is reducing emissions, as are teleconferences instead of air travel (where possible and appropriate). We see here the opportunity to combine efficiency with climate protection." Climate-neutral since 2020 Mayr power transmission is on its way to more climate protection and sustainability with a number of projects. However, as an industrial company, emissions are unavoidable. The mechanical engineering company compensates for these with compensation measures in order to reach the objectives even in the short term and to counteract man-made climate change now. "We have had the greenhouse gas emissions generated by our company's activities recorded and then compensated for them by purchasing climate protection certificates for the years 2020 and 2021," explains Ferdinand Mayr. With these certificates, the company is supporting a total of three projects: one in India to generate electricity from biomass residues, one in China (distribution of efficient solar cookers to rural households) and one in Turkey to generate renewable energy from wind power. "We are well aware of the fact that the acquisition of climate certificates is not without controversy. For us, it is a prerequisite that the compensation measures are not the only thing we do, but only represent one part of our commitment to climate protection. We must nevertheless continue to improve our own footprint. The alternative would be not to compensate, which in our opinion is not much better. The purchase will at least support or finance the projects in Asia, creating a win-win situation for both sides," says Ferdinand Mayr. As a result, CO2 is saved in areas where it is particularly easy to do so. After all, greenhouse gases disperse evenly in the atmosphere. This is another reason why it makes sense to avoid emissions where costs are lowest. At the same time, the projects contribute to improving the economic, social and ecological situation locally and support the implementation of the United Nations sustainability goals. For their compensation of greenhouse emissions, Mayr power transmission received the title "climate neutral company". This makes the company one of the first in the branch to voluntarily compensate for its emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. "We are also a reliable partner for our customers in this area. And we ourselves also consciously focus on sustainable supply chains," adds Günther Klingler. Energy-saving potential also in Mayr products: Intelligent control of brakes In the development of electromagnetic safety brakes, Mayr power transmission optimizes the magnetic flux through design and material selection in such a way that the required magnetic tensile force is generated with the lowest possible coil capacity, as optimum dimensioning of the magnetic coils and magnetic field-resistant design are important aspects for saving energy. However, there is a far greater savings potential during operation: Optimum control of the brakes with a special ROBA®-switch rectifier means energy savings of up to 93 percent.
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