On the road to zero emission

Information event of the „nectanet Zero Emission“ attracted many visitors to the best practice example Klumpp + Müller

Those who are energy self-sufficient in a veritable energy crisis are on the winning side. This is exactly what the Ortenau region is striving for. The Ortenau business development agency nectanet, the network of industry and politics in the economic region, is joining forces in the direction of energy self-sufficiency with regular events under the title “nectanet Zero Emission”. Four committed partners are driving the energy self-sufficiency alliance forward: Ortenaukreis District Office, Ortenau Energy Agency, KEFF (Regional Efficiency Unit Resource Efficiency) und nectanet itself.

The fact that this “best place” lives up to its attribute when a logistics company like Klumpp + Müller makes the most of the location in pursuit of the goal of “zero emissions” was explained by its CEO Alexander Münscher:

“We already saw two years ago where the journey was heading for logistics. We now have four electric vehicles in operation – the perfect complement to our trimodal logistics. We started what is now politically prescribed years ago. Because there is simply no excuse not to do it.”.

In the meantime, Klumpp + Müller not only uses the low-emission logistics of inland waterway vessels and the possibilities offered by its own thousand-meter-long rail facility, but also the electric drives of its own trucks – and these are charged in a resource-saving manner thanks to its own photovoltaic system. A second container terminal in the port of Kehl and a bulk goods facility currently under construction round off the “green logistics” concept of the family-owned company.

Dr. Fabian Burggraf, Managing Director of Klimapartner Oberrhein, demonstrated that industry does not have to travel alone on its path towards “Zero Emission”: “We see ourselves as partners of industry in the transformation and provide classic networking as well as real support, as we are working as the Competence Center Resource Efficiency (KEFF+) Southern Upper Rhine on a decisive factor for a competitive, sustainable and future-oriented economy in the Southern Upper Rhine and in Europe as a business location”.

Volker Pohle, Managing Director of Promotec Mischler Torsysteme in Willstätt, Germany, reported on what KEFF and KEFF+ mean in practice: “After the generously subsidized KEFF and KEFF+ checks, we decided on a self-financed energy audit. The effort was low for us in relation to the result, the view from the outside on the processes in our company was absolutely helpful. In the end, we learned that environmental protection leads to savings. So: Just do it,” appealed Volker Pohle.

For this “authentic experience report” nectanet Managing Director Dominik Fehringer then also thanked: “One cannot appreciate highly enough the low-threshold nature of this program with the aim of saving raw materials, material and energy.“

Jonas Schmidinger, Head of Asset Management Gas Grid at badenova Netze GmbH, reported on the future of energy supply with regard to pipeline networks: “Our goal is to become climate-neutral by 2035 and therefore we see ourselves as shapers of the energy and heat turnaround for 160 municipalities. Hydrogen production in the European Union plays an important role in this, which is why we are working today on an efficient distribution network for this to guarantee the transport of green hydrogen tomorrow.”

Falk Schrader, Key Account Manager at Klumpp + Müller, once again made it clear why the 70-year-old logistics company can indeed be seen as a best practice example: “We have already set up our fleet in such a way that almost ten percent of it is supplied with regenerative energies – and the trend is rising. There are not many logistics companies that are already this far along. With our two terminals in the port, we are perfectly connected to the seaports via the inland waterways. When companies look at their supply chains from the perspective of their own sustainability, they very quickly see how great the leverage is in logistics – and then Klumpp + Müller has the right solutions to offer,” Falk Schrader was convinced.

Alexander Münscher then also explained once again how important the acceptance of regional companies is with regard to green and, above all, trimodal logistics such as at Klumpp + Müller: “Today, the decision for a logistics company lies in sustainable purchasing and no longer in accounting. Because it is no longer a question of additional costs, but a question of the path a company takes”.

The event ended with a lively exchange, for which CEO Alexander Münscher and Klumpp + Müller Managing Director Michael Klumpp were available, as well as important contacts from the team.