Optimising your production process and making it sustainable at the same time? That’s something they understood very well at Mommer GmbH. The company produces lead, tin and plastic parts and was able to invest in a new machine thanks to From Waste 2 Profit subsidies. We spoke to Holger Wirtz, managing director of Mommer GmbH: “With our new machine, we’re giving plastic waste a second life.”
Holger: “About a year ago, we commissioned an audit to scrutinise our energy consumption and enable us to make improvements where necessary. The auditor informed us about the From Waste 2 Profit project and that is how we got in touch with them. With their help, we discovered that one of our production lines, for manufacturing plastic parts, was underperforming in terms of waste management. It generated a lot of plastic waste that ended up directly in the bin.”
Quicker payback
“With the support of From Waste 2 Profit, we were able to invest in a new machine, a robot picker that separates plastic waste, after which that waste is ground up and we can reuse it as raw material.”
“This involved an investment of around €17,000. From Waste 2 Profit took on half of that amount, which convinced us to invest. Our payback period is now between 7 and 8 years. Without the help of From Waste 2 Profit, we would only have recouped this investment after 15 years, too big a risk for us. Had it not been for From Waste 2 Profit, we would have found it harder to make our production more sustainable.”
Optimal use of machine = maximum recycling
“The old machine produced one unit of plastic waste every 12 seconds. That’s 5 units in a minute, 300 in an hour. The new machine? None! Because all waste is recycled and reused. This is how we’re now saving about 2 tonnes of plastic every year! Another nice touch is that our new machine consumes less energy than the old model.”
“What’s more, this investment has enabled us to better plan production. We can now produce multiple plastic parts more easily with the same machine. We use the machine to its full potential every day and manage to recycle more waste.”
Less waste, that’s more saving
“Disposing of waste costs money. By recycling, we require fewer new materials, reducing not only our costs, but also those of our customers. Win-win, in other words!”
“This is why we also advise other companies to think critically about their waste and what they can do with it. Can your product be made from 10 or 20% recycled waste? Do it then! Convince your customers to use recycled raw materials as it’s cheaper than using new material for them too. For example, 20% recycled and 80% new material is already a step in the right direction. This is the ideal way to optimise your waste management and contribute to greater sustainability.”