20 October 2003

Environmental Minister Muller awards the EMAS Certificate to Burkert

On 20.10.2003 Burkert was awarded for the successful participation in the so-called "Eco Audit Convoy", in which the operational environmental protection was inspected by external experts from the Heilbronn-Franconia Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Burkert Managing Director Gerhard Hettinger was able to receive the certificate of recognition from Environmental and Traffic Minister Ulrich Muller in the presence of seven other business operations and institutions from the district which belong to the convoy. Moreover, Burkert is now entitled to use the logo of the EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) environmental management system, whose guidelines the company now fulfils.

The ordinance from the European Parliament and the Council from 19 March 2001 concerning the voluntary involvement of organisations in a community system for environmental management and the environmental operation audit is concealed behind EMAS.

Environmental protection is an essential element of the Burkert Works corporate culture, and is defined as a portion of the corporate role model. The corporate objectives are aligned with the environmental effects of all entrepreneurial activities, products, resources and business services. This also illustrated the relative value which Burkert attaches to quality, occupational and production safety as well as environmental protection. Burkert has implemented a process-oriented, integrated management system for the sectors occupational safety, environmental protection and quality assurance since 2001. This is regularly rated by the responsible individuals and adapted to the operational circumstances. For instance, continual progress in environmental protection is demonstrated in the following individual activities of recent years:
- Optimisation of packaging in collaboration with major customers

- Founding membership in the Hohenlohe model
- Conversion from Freon 12 to plasma cleaning in the manufacturing process
- Utilisation of spring water for cooling purposes
- Computer-assisted waste management
- Employment of a company-owned thermal block power station (BHKW)
- Integrated environmental protection and occupational safety management
- Incorporation of production machinery into the cooling water circulation instead
  of wastewater cooling

- Process monitoring with visualising alarm (fault indication) system
- Participation in the energy efficiency initiative of the Hohenlohe model (CO2
  savings)

- BHKW waste heat utilisation for steam production

In 2002 Burkert was honoured with the Environmental Award from the Ministry for the Environment and Traffic.

The product developments also show that technical perfection is not only concomitant with active environmental protection, but is even in direct connection with this aspect. A service-friendly, modular product structure, material savings through compact construction method and the utilisation of recyclable or thermally reusable materials are merely a few examples of the fact that the principle of resource sparing is already a basis with regard to the development of products.

The commitment for compliance with all relevant legal regulations and for continual improvement of operational environmental protection have been normal practice at Burkert for years.

"But what's important while doing so," says Managing Director Gerhard Hettinger, "is not merely the idea, but the action and deed of every single individual."